Listen to this post in the creator's voice 0:00 /563.979546 1× Sailor make some of the best looking pens on the market—which honestly isn't too hard when you release 20 million colour combinations every year—but those looks come at a fairly hefty price. For a long time, if you wanted a large-bodied 1911 you would need to pay between £300-£500 for something in their standard nib range. For this price you get their 21k gold nib1 with it's famous pencil-like feedback. But what if you could get a similar experience for a third of the price? The 1911 family: Fude de Mannen | Shikiori | Casual | Large Casual | S | L Black Lustre | King of Pen ## A Casual Acquaintance Enter the 1911 Large Casual! The Casual line is a bridge between the steel nibbed Pro-Color 500/Shikiori/Fasciner models and the 14k gold-nibbed 1911 Light/Standard2. The standard Casual model has been around since at least 2021, and at the end of last year Sailor surprised us with the Large Casual, both fitted with steel nibs. The standard Casual's nib is along the same lines as the Pro-Colour 500 and its offspring, and is made to look similar to Sailor's current gold nibs. The Large model's nib is about the same size as the 21k nib, but is a much plainer affair modelled after the old version of Sailor's nibs from back before they had the feedback we know and love today. Those nibs sported a much more minimalist design, with a border reminiscent of Heinz ketchup labels. Instead of imprinting the design like on those older nibs, the new nib is laser engraved in a similar way to certain special edition nibs like on the Pro Gear Mini Mouette. But that's not the only difference between the Casual nibs. The Large's nib is a new design, apparently made to feel just like its golden brethren. That's a tall ask. Does it manage to pull this off? Well, before we answer that, lets look at some of the details. The Large Casual dismantled and compared to the 1911 L Black Lustre ## The Details Dimensions-wise, the Large Casual is essentially the same size and style as the Ringless 1911 L, with the L getting an extra couple of millimetres in uncapped length thanks to its gold nib being a smidge larger. * Length: 140.8mm capped | 121.5mm uncapped | 151.2mm posted * Width: 13.3mm body | 15.6mm cap | 11.6-10.5mm section * Weight (Inked): 23.4g capped | 16.0g uncapped The material is what I'd call semi-semi-translucent. For the most part the pen looks completely opaque, but once you uncap you start to see the slight translucency in the section and cap. It comes in 4 muted colours, with this one being muted green. I'd like to see them add more interesting colours in the future, but I am quite fond of this shade. > Edit: There is also now a Large Casual Stable in the style of the classic ringed 1911 L with a metal section, along with a new version of the gorgeous ringless Galaxy models, both using the new steel nib. I don't know about the prices for the Galaxy Series as they don't appear to have made it to stores as yet, but the Stable models seem to be shockingly priced at twice that of the base Large Casual. The 1911 nibs sizes: Profit Jr. | Shikiori | Casual | Large Casual | S | L Black Lustre | King of Pen The nib sizes are a touch more limited on the Large Casual than on the other 1911's from the Casual up, ranging from Extra Fine through to Broad, but missing out the more specialist Zoom and Music grinds. I decided to go with the Medium Fine so that I can more closely compare it to the 21k Medium Fine in my Pro Gear Fika II. For anyone who was hoping you could transplant the gold nib into the Large Casual, this is unfortunately not possible. The 2 nibs have completely different geometries, with the steel nib being much flatter and a bit shorter than the gold. The nib housing on the Large Casual is-shaped like a heater shield rather than circular with a flat bottom. It's essentially the same as the Profit Junior and Fude de Mannen's nib setup—because it's exactly the same nib, with a feed that has a slightly different profile. Well... I say it's exactly the same, there is one major difference: How it writes. Profit Jr. > Large Casual > L/Pro Gear nib comparison | Large Casual feed (top), Profit Jr. feed (bottom) | Impression of the nib housings for the Large Casual and L/Pro Gear ## Gold vs. Steel Now for the all-important question: Does this new steel nib really feel like gold? To answer this, we need to talk about the perceived difference between gold and steel nibs, at least in modern pens. This can be quite a contentious topic. The main differences people cite are that gold nibs are smoother and softer, with some bounce or flex to them. This it true for the most part, but there is some nuance here. Yes, they _can_ be smoother, and they _can_ be softer, bouncier, and more flexible. _But_... It primarily depends on two things: how the tipping has been finished and the physical geometry of the nib. There are steel nibs that are _very_ flexible and there are gold nibs that are as stiff nails, largely thanks to the way the nib has been designed and cut. The specific material composition does obviously have an effect on how much it can deform and still go back to the original shape, which is what makes a nib feel soft or flexible. It's easier to make a bouncy gold nib than a steel one, but the fact that a nib is gold or steel doesn't inherently mean it will or wont behave in this way. The same goes for tipping. There are steel nibs that are exceptionally smooth, and gold nibs with tonnes of feedback, or that are even scratchy out of the box. Keep in mind that—other than with stubs or other nibs that are untipped—the material your nib is made from isn't what is in contact with the paper. That's the job of the tipping that's spot-welded onto the nib during manufacture, which is then ground down to the finished shape and size. This tipping is usually an alloy made up of durable and wear-resistant metals in the platinum group, like tungsten, ruthenium, and osmium. Contrary to what some nibs claim, iridium is astronomically rare and hasn't been used in tipping for over ¾ of a century, and even then it made up less than 3% of the materials. So what your nib is made from doesn't generally affect how smoothly it writes. With all that said, there is a fairly significant caveat. Since gold nibs are more expensive, they (generally) have more care put in during the grinding and finishing process. This leads to a higher hit-chance of "good" nibs than you'll generally find with cheaper, more mass-produced steel nibs. Again, as with all things, there are exceptions to this with both gold _and_ steel nibs, but it tends to be the case more often than not. For me, the difference in feel between gold and steel is rather nebulous. Some gold nibs it instantly feels like it's a gold nib, other's you could tell me were actually steel and I would believe you. With that in mind, I could easily be convinced either way when it comes to the Large Casual's nib, and I kinda love it. It doesn't feel anything like the nib in the Profit Junior despite their similarities in shape and size, but I wouldn't really say it feels quite like the 1911 gold nibs either. It's definitely closer to the feel of gold nibs than steel, though. Looking closer at the tipping with an adapted microscope objective reveals some of the differences in finishing. The gold nibs have tiny pits in the tipping, whereas the steel nibs look much smoother. This alone doesn't necessarily translate to how smooth each nib feels, and there are so many variables for how tipping can be ground and polished to determine the feel. Case in point, the tipping on my 1911 Shikiori looks perfectly smooth, but it's a terribly scratchy nib despite the tines being perfectly aligned. I do believe the micro-pits are what give gold Sailor nibs their pencil-like feedback while still providing a smooth writing experience, and why that feedback isn't really seen in their steel nibs. There isn't much of any information about what Sailor uses for the tipping on their gold nibs, unfortunately. I assume the pits are a result of the specific mixture of alloys they use, rather than a finishing technique, but I'm not a specialist in this subject, and unless Sailor decide to reveal their secrets themselves, I doubt we'll ever know for sure. Normally I'd say the tines on the Large Casual look way too tight, but it writes beautifully like this. The Profit Jr. on the other hand, does not. ## Final Thoughts I've been loving my time with the Large Casual and it's been seeing heavy use since I bought it. But would I recommend it to others? Absolutely! I think it sits in a good price point, and if you've been hankering for a 1911 L but unwilling or unable to fork out for a gold nibbed one, the Large Casual is a no brainer. The nib is exceptionally good and along with the larger body size, it makes for an impressive and comfortable writing experience. Now if only they'd make a version in the King of Pen body... * * * ✒️ A huge thank you to Jon at PenSharing.com for the use of the 1911 S, L Black Lustre, & KoP for the photos! ## Sign up for Stationery Vagaries Ramblings about fountain pens, inks, & other stationery goodness. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. 1For now, at least. Due to the constantly rising price of gold these days, the 21k nibs are being replaced with 18k nibs on most 1911 models, including the KoP. The Standard will all be 14k now, with the Large being available in 14k and 18k. Pro Gear models will be unaffected, with the Pro Gear Slim even getting an upgrade from 14k to 21k. How that makes sense, I've no idea. 2The 1911/Profit line is much larger than you may realise. As far as I can tell (not including limited special editions and one-off's), the full line-up is: * Junior / Compass / Fude de Mannen * Pro-Color 500 / Shikiori / Fasciner * Casual * Large Casual * Large Casual Galaxy Series * Large Casual Stable * Light / Standard (14k/21k) * Large (18k/21k) * Demonstrator / Jellyfish * Ringless / Galaxy * Black Lustre * Reallo * Hard Maple * Maki-e * Special Nibs (Naginata Togi etc.) * King of Pen

<div class="kg-card kg-audio-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/media/2026/01/2025-Wrap-up_Vocals-1_thumb.webp" alt="audio-thumbnail" class="kg-audio-thumbnail" /><div class="kg-audio-thumbnail placeholder kg-audio-hide"><svg width="24" height="24"><path d="M7.5 15.33a.75.75 0 1 0 0 1.5.75.75 0 0 0 0-1.5Zm-2.25.75a2.25 2.25 0 1 1 4.5 0 2.25 2.25 0 0 1-4.5 0ZM15 13.83a.75.75 0 1 0 0 1.5.75.75 0 0 0 0-1.5Zm-2.25.75a2.25 2.25 0 1 1 4.5 0 2.25 2.25 0 0 1-4.5 0Z"></path><path d="M14.486 6.81A2.25 2.25 0 0 1 17.25 9v5.579a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0v-5.58a.75.75 0 0 0-.932-.727.755.755 0 0 1-.059.013l-4.465.744a.75.75 0 0 0-.544.72v6.33a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0v-6.33a2.25 2.25 0 0 1 1.763-2.194l4.473-.746Z"></path><path d="M3 1.5a.75.75 0 0 0-.75.75v19.5a.75.75 0 0 0 .75.75h18a.75.75 0 0 0 .75-.75V5.133a.75.75 0 0 0-.225-.535l-.002-.002-3-2.883A.75.75 0 0 0 18 1.5H3ZM1.409.659A2.25 2.25 0 0 1 3 0h15a2.25 2.25 0 0 1 1.568.637l.003.002 3 2.883a2.25 2.25 0 0 1 .679 1.61V21.75A2.25 2.25 0 0 1 21 24H3a2.25 2.25 0 0 1-2.25-2.25V2.25c0-.597.237-1.169.659-1.591Z"></path></svg></div><div class="kg-audio-player-container"><audio src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/media/2026/01/2025-Wrap-up_Vocals-1.ogg" preload="metadata"></audio><div class="kg-audio-title">Listen to this post in the author's voice</div><div class="kg-audio-player"><button class="kg-audio-play-icon"><svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M23.14 10.608 2.253.164A1.559 1.559 0 0 0 0 1.557v20.887a1.558 1.558 0 0 0 2.253 1.392L23.14 13.393a1.557 1.557 0 0 0 0-2.785Z"></path></svg></button><button class="kg-audio-pause-icon kg-audio-hide"><svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><rect x="3" y="1" width="7" height="22" rx="1.5" ry="1.5"></rect><rect x="14" y="1" width="7" height="22" rx="1.5" ry="1.5"></rect></svg></button><span class="kg-audio-current-time">0:00</span><div class="kg-audio-time">/<span class="kg-audio-duration">849.513673</span></div><input type="range" class="kg-audio-seek-slider" max="100" value="0" /><button class="kg-audio-playback-rate">1×</button><button class="kg-audio-unmute-icon"><svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M15.189 2.021a9.728 9.728 0 0 0-7.924 4.85.249.249 0 0 1-.221.133H5.25a3 3 0 0 0-3 3v2a3 3 0 0 0 3 3h1.794a.249.249 0 0 1 .221.133 9.73 9.73 0 0 0 7.924 4.85h.06a1 1 0 0 0 1-1V3.02a1 1 0 0 0-1.06-.998Z"></path></svg></button><button class="kg-audio-mute-icon kg-audio-hide"><svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M16.177 4.3a.248.248 0 0 0 .073-.176v-1.1a1 1 0 0 0-1.061-1 9.728 9.728 0 0 0-7.924 4.85.249.249 0 0 1-.221.133H5.25a3 3 0 0 0-3 3v2a3 3 0 0 0 3 3h.114a.251.251 0 0 0 .177-.073ZM23.707 1.706A1 1 0 0 0 22.293.292l-22 22a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.414l.009.009a1 1 0 0 0 1.405-.009l6.63-6.631A.251.251 0 0 1 8.515 17a.245.245 0 0 1 .177.075 10.081 10.081 0 0 0 6.5 2.92 1 1 0 0 0 1.061-1V9.266a.247.247 0 0 1 .073-.176Z"></path></svg></button><input type="range" class="kg-audio-volume-slider" max="100" value="100" /></div></div></div><p>I don't know what happened to 2025 but it's already long over and 2026 has come barrelling through the front door like an overzealous <a href="https://folklorescotland.com/a-coal-for-the-hearth-at-hogmanay/" rel="noreferrer">first-footer</a>. I think it'd been a decent enough year, although my posts here have unfortunately been few and far between. I hope that this year will be better on that front.<br /><br />My pen acquisitions reduced ever-so-slightly down from 69 in 2024 to 65 in 2025, 4 of which were gifts and 1 was a giveaway win. Inks were down a fair bit this year from <a href="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/how-many-inks/" rel="noreferrer">170 in 2024</a> to just 136; 46 of which were 10ml mini bottles from the Cult Pens Ink Subscription (R.I.P.), and 16 were samples. I imagine there would have been a fair bit more in the way of samples had the Edinburgh Pelikan Hub gone ahead, but it sadly fell through.<br /><br />Neither of these reductions were conscious efforts on my part, it just sort of happened. But hey, a reduction is a reduction; I'm not going to complain about that! I'd very much like for that trend to continue going into 2026, but we'll need to wait and see how that pans out.<br /><br />With that out of the way, what were my stand-out stationery items from 2025? These aren't ranked so I've just listed them alphabetically.</p><hr /><h2 id="top-pens"><strong>Top Pens</strong></h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-width-wide"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Pens-2.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of 5 pens on a matte black pen tray. From top to bottom: Asvine C80, John Garnham JG8, Nahvalur Voyage, Spoke Roady, Waterman Phileas" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1216" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Pens-2.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Pens-2.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Pens-2.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Pens-2.webp 2400w" /></figure><h3 id="asvine-c80"><strong>Asvine | C80  </strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/C80-combo-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a blue, grey, &amp; white swirly acrylic with blue sparkles, torpedo-shaped fountain pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped, along with a close-up of the nib." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="2000" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/C80-combo-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/C80-combo-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/C80-combo-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/C80-combo-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>This pen continues to blow me away. It feels far more like a pen in the £200 range from a small maker than it does a £30 mass-produced Chinese pen. The acrylic is gorgeous, the finish is flawless, the #8 steel stub nib is an absolute banger, and it seals wonderfully. Sure, the V800 might be a better pen on paper with a filling system I much prefer, but the look and feel of the C80 easily beats it out for me.  </p><h3 id="john-garnham-jg8"><strong>John Garnham | JG8  </strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/JG8-combo-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a sparkly red acrylic fountain pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped, along with a close-up of the nib." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="2000" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/JG8-combo-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/JG8-combo-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/JG8-combo-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/JG8-combo-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>Technically I got this pen sans nib in 2024 from John himself, but it was only made whole in 2025 so I'm counting it from then. I originally planned to complete it with a titanium #8 Bock nib, but the price of said nib had me holding off. Then out of nowhere, Bock started making steel versions, so I grabbed one from fpnibs.com with my logo engraved on it, a sandblasted finish, a fine cursive italic grind, and a flow hack for the feed. I can't get enough of this pen! It's constantly inked with Diamine Winterberry which matches perfectly with the gorgeous Conway Stewart Red Stardust acrylic, and the fine cursive italic nib gives a flair to my small writing that I've never had before.  </p><h3 id="nahvalur-voyage-cherry-blossom"><strong>Nahvalur | Voyage | Cherry Blossom  </strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Voyage-combo-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a sparkling white, blue, &amp; pink acrylic, cigar-shaped fountain pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped, along with a close-up of the nib." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="2000" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Voyage-combo-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Voyage-combo-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Voyage-combo-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Voyage-combo-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>Nahvalur's Voyage range had been of interest to me for a while, but I hadn't quite found the perfect one. They're essentially the old Nautilus style but using acrylic resins instead of ebonite. With the Cherry Blossom edition they started to modify the clip to match the theme, making them stand out even more from their Nautilus roots.  </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Voyage-details-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Close-up photo of the rose gold cherry blossom flowers on the clip" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1333" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Voyage-details-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Voyage-details-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Voyage-details-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Voyage-details-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>This model is adorned with two small rose gold cherry blossom flowers, which are set off beautifully against the sparkling resin that ranges from dark blue to white, with hints of pink throughout. It's a delicately beautiful pen that fits perfectly in my hand and writes as wonderfully as I've come to expect from Nahvalur pens. </p><h3 id="spoke-design-roady-model-2"><strong>Spoke Design | Roady Model 2  </strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Roady-combo-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="2000" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Roady-combo-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Roady-combo-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Roady-combo-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Roady-combo-1.webp 2400w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Overhead photo of an orange anodised aluminium and bare titanium gel ballpoint pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped, along with a close-up of the tip.</span></figcaption></figure><p>I'd been looking for a "normal" pen to live next to my Namisu N2 Ti on my Passport-size Traveller's Notebook. I tried a few different ones, but nothing really felt right. Until I tried the <a href="https://spokedesign.com/collections/spoke-roady-model-2/products/roady-slot-lava-with-titanium-clip" rel="noreferrer">Roady</a>. The Roady is about the size of a Kaweco Sport, so it fits perfectly on the side of the TN. It's made up of an anodised aluminium cap and a titanium section with a steel nose cone. There are two things that really set this pen apart from others I've tried. I'll go into this a little more in a future post, but to summarise: The magnetic capping &amp; posting system has the most satisfying *"clunk"* as the magnets pull the cap into place that I've ever experienced, and the little ring they put in front of the spring on the refill which completely eliminates tip wiggle and rattle. It comes with a Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 refill, which is great, but I replaced mine with the Ohto PG-105NP Needlepoint, which is my favourite of all the Parker-style refills.  <br /><br />My mother's jonesing for a purple version after falling in love with mine, so Brad if you're reading this, please make more!  </p><h3 id="waterman-phileas"><strong>Waterman | Phileas  </strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Phileas-combo-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a red &amp; black with gold trimmed art deco-style fountain pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped, along with a close-up of the nib." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="2000" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Phileas-combo-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Phileas-combo-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Phileas-combo-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Phileas-combo-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>I'm somewhat reluctant to recommend a pen that can only be bought second-hand, but it's too good not to mention. I stumbled across this one on eBay &amp; was immediately taken by the Art Deco styling and the striking black and red colourway. It's a shame these have been discontinued as it's a real workhorse of a pen, which makes sense considering this was essentially a school pen. If you're not as keen on the Art Deco styling, the Kultur (mostly discontinued, but you can still sometimes find stock) is a simplified version that came in some great colours, including colour-shifting paint jobs that I absolutely plan on picking up at some point.  </p><hr /><h2 id="top-inks"><strong>Top Inks</strong></h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-width-wide"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Inks-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Photo of 5 ink bottles against a white background. From left to right: Robert Oster × The Pen Addict - Fire on Fire on Fire, Sailor - Yuki Usagi, Sailor - Amomoyoi, Tono &amp; Lims × Bestpen - Space Sunset, Wearingeul - The Sorrows of Young Werther" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1332" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Inks-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Inks-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Inks-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Inks-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><h3 id="robert-oster-%C3%97-the-pen-addict-fire-on-fire-on-fire"><strong>Robert Oster × The Pen Addict | Fire on Fire on Fire  </strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/FoFoF-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a Robert Oster ink bottle next to a swatch of the orange shimmer ink on a white background." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1428" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/FoFoF-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/FoFoF-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/FoFoF-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/FoFoF-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>There was no way an orange ink didn't show up on this list, and this has been my favourite of the year. Fire on Fire was already a great sheening ink, but adding a coppery shimmer to the mix puts it on another level.</p><h3 id="sailor-shikiori-yuki-usagi"><strong>Sailor | Shikiori | Yuki-Usagi  </strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/YukiUsagi-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1429" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/YukiUsagi-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/YukiUsagi-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/YukiUsagi-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/YukiUsagi-1.webp 2400w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Overhead photo of a Sailor Shikiori ink bottle next to a swatch of the blue-grey and brown ink on a white background.</span></figcaption></figure><p>Unsurprisingly, the rest of the inks are chromashaders. My love for them is only growing stronger. Yuki-Usagi is a blue-grey ink with chocolatey-brown coming through, something that I hadn't seen from any other inks before. It looks amazing in writing and is dark enough to easily be an every day work appropriate ink.</p><h3 id="sailor-yurameku-amamoyoi"><strong>Sailor | Yurameku | Amamoyoi</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Amomoyoi-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a Sailor Yurameku ink bottle next to a swatch of the green, grey, &amp; pink ink on a white background." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1429" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Amomoyoi-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Amomoyoi-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Amomoyoi-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Amomoyoi-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>Amamoyoi is another knockout chromashader from Sailor, this time featuring a green base with yellow-ish pinks coming through. I'm not much of a green ink fan (other than Taccia Sabimidori ❤️), but this ink has a lot of character and I've been loving it in every pen I've inked up with it.</p><h3 id="tono-lims-%C3%97-bestpen-friendship-space-sunset"><strong>Tono &amp; Lims × Bestpen | Friendship | Space Sunset</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/SpaceSunset-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a Tono &amp; Lims ink bottle next to a swatch of the pale orange, grey, &amp; teal ink on a white background." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1428" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/SpaceSunset-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/SpaceSunset-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/SpaceSunset-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/SpaceSunset-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>Tono &amp; Lims brought out a couple of great chromashaders last year, with my favourite being Space Sunset. It features a somewhat pale peachy-orange base with turquoise appearing, but is still dark enough to be completely legible.</p><h3 id="wearingeul-world-literature-collection-the-sorrows-of-young-werther"><strong>Wearingeul | World Literature Collection | The Sorrows of Young Werther</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Werther-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a Wearingeul ink bottle next to a swatch of the blue-grey and yellow ink on a white background." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1428" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Werther-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Werther-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Werther-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Werther-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>It was a toss-up between Ugly Duckling and The Sorrows of Young Werther for this spot, but Werther won out in the end. It's another blue-grey, but slightly lighter than Yuki-Usagi and with greenish-yellows coming through instead of brown. I'd say Wearingeul are one of the most interesting ink makers around at the moment. It's rare for them to release an ink that doesn't end up on my wishlist.</p><hr /><h2 id="honourable-mentions"><strong>Honourable Mentions</strong></h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-width-wide"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/HonourableMentions-2.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Photo of an orange-capped 5ml sample vial in a blue/purple pyramid-shaped holder, an ivory &amp; black Jun Lai 930 resting on a white Penco Bucket Pouch, with an orange Kaweco AC Sport and brown Fine Writing International × Galen Leather Pencket in front, all on a white background." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1332" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/HonourableMentions-2.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/HonourableMentions-2.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/HonourableMentions-2.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/HonourableMentions-2.webp 2400w" /></figure><h3 id="diamine-forever-hot-yellow-mix"><strong>Diamine | Forever | "Hot Yellow" Mix</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Forever-Mixes-Vials-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of 3 5ml ink vials filled with different orange mixed inks, along with 4 ink swatches of the 3 mixes and Diamine Blaze Orange." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1333" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Forever-Mixes-Vials-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Forever-Mixes-Vials-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Forever-Mixes-Vials-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Forever-Mixes-Vials-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>With the release of the Diamine Forever ink line this year I was hoping to find an orange-red along the lines of a waterproof Blaze Orange. Coral Blaze was close-ish, but a bit too pinkish, especially as it dried. So I decided I'd try to mix my own version using a combination of Coral Blaze, Solar Yellow, and Hot Magenta. The 2 mixes I like the most were what I dubbed "Hot Yellow" (3:5 Hot Magenta to Solar Yellow) and "Solar Blaze" (3:1 Coral Blaze to Solar Yellow). Solar Blaze not only has the best name, but is precisely my favourite shade of orange. Sadly, there was zero shading with it, something that made Blaze Orange such a great ink. There was something about having Coral Blaze in a mix which just killed any shading for some reason. Hot Yellow, on the other hand, is extremely close to my perfect shade while also having lovely shading. The only reason it's not in my Top Inks is because it's not something you can buy, but feel free to mix it yourself!</p><h3 id="fine-writing-international-%C3%97-galen-leather-pencket"><strong>Fine Writing International × Galen Leather | Pencket</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Penket-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a marbled amber/brown acrylic pocket fountain pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Penket-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Penket-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Penket-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Penket-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>This was the second-last pen I picked up last year, but it didn't take long for me to completely fall for it. The FWI Pencket has been around for at least a few years now, but it really came to light for many people when Esterbrook launched the Niblet—a clone of the Pencket that's three times the price and which FWI had no involvement with. This amber version was made in collaboration with <a href="https://www.galenleather.com/products/fine-writing-international-galen-pencket-pocket-fountain-pen-amber" rel="noreferrer">Galen Leather</a> and released on Fountain Pen Day this year. I love the warm rose gold trim against the amber resin, the writing experience is fantastic, and the threads are among the smoothest I've ever used, making even uncapping a joy. I love it!</p><h3 id="hightide-penco-bucket-pouch"><strong>Hightide | Penco | Bucket Pouch</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Penco-tryptich-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Front, top, and rear photos of a large white bucket pouch." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="667" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Penco-tryptich-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Penco-tryptich-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Penco-tryptich-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Penco-tryptich-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>The only non-pen item in this list, but it's been so useful to me that it deserves a shout-out. Since I use crutches to get about, it can be tricky to move lots of items to other rooms without having to take 10 trips to do so. This makes that task so much easier for me. I mainly use this for carrying all the bits and pieces that I use for ink swatching from my room to the kitchen, but I've also used it for storing medications when I went on holiday. I have a little Nite Ize locking carabiner attached to the D ring so that I can easily hook it to my bag or a belt loop, freeing up my hands. It's such a useful and versatile little pouch, and it's able to fit even extra large pens like...</p><h3 id="jun-lai-930"><strong>Jun Lai | 930</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/930-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of a very large ivory &amp; black fountain pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/930-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/930-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/930-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/930-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>The release of the 930 was a big deal last year. An 18k gold version had already been kicking about on Jun Lai's eye-wateringly expensive ebonite 900 models, but as far as I'm aware, this was China's first steel #9 nib, and the first to bring it to the rest of the world at such a low price. It's essentially a 630 on steroids, and that was a BIG PEN in its own right. I still prefer the <a href="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/kanwrite-mammoth-review/" rel="noreferrer">Kanwrite Mammoth</a>, but I think the 930 is deserving of some recognition.</p><h3 id="kaweco-ac-sport-orange"><strong>Kaweco | AC Sport | Orange</strong></h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/AC-Sport-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Overhead photo of an orange &amp; carbon fibre pocket fountain pen on a wooden tray. The pen is shown capped and uncapped." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/AC-Sport-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/AC-Sport-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/AC-Sport-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/AC-Sport-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>Another discontinued pen, but it's one I've been trying to track down for years. After a tip on Mastodon I found a Spanish store with it in stock for a decent price, so I jumped on it. I'm happy to finally have one, as the orange and grey with white text is my perfect colour combo. It's *very* light, only a few milligrams heavier than the AL Sport RAW. I tend to prefer heavier models like the Steel Sport, but it does have the bonus of being more comfortable for longer sessions.</p><hr /><h2 id="final-thoughts"><strong>Final thoughts</strong></h2><p>And that's my favourite stationery from 2025! I had considered titling this post "How Much Paper Is Too Much Paper?" to keep the pattern from previous years going, but I decided against it. I did buy *a lot* of notepads, notebooks, and loose leafs last year as I wanted to try out lots of different paper types, but I've yet to properly test them out so I wouldn't be able to give any meaningful comments on them. Maybe next year. Of the paper that I *did* use extensively in 2025, LIFE Noble Note remains on top, followed by OG Tomoe River 52gm^2^ in 2nd place and Midori MD in 3rd.  <br /><br />What about my intentions from last year? Well, I didn't get my 743 or 1911L (although the later has been somewhat achieved in 2026 already and even made a small cameo in one of these photos). Sadly, PenBBS seem to have given up on Lunar New Year pens, but Hongdian have been doing a great job on that front in their stead. As for nibs, I got a fine cursive italic grind for the JG8 as shown above, as well as two stacked nibs. One was in the Endless Phantom, the other was a #6 size stacked nib from China that was far higher quality than the price would suggest. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/2026/01/Stacked-nibs-1.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Close-up photo of the stacked nibs on an Endless Phantom and Tangmoon D6" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="2000" srcset="https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Stacked-nibs-1.webp 600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Stacked-nibs-1.webp 1000w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Stacked-nibs-1.webp 1600w, https://blog.stationeryvagaries.com/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/Stacked-nibs-1.webp 2400w" /></figure><p>This year I—once again—want to get my 743 FA, as well as visit my first pen show. As long as I'm sensible with my spending this year, I feel they both have a higher chance of happening than ever.  <br /><br />What have been your favourite stationery items that you picked up in 2025? Feel free to leave a comment here or over on Mastodon.</p>

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