Common Fountain Pen Terms Explained (Part One)

Common Fountain Pen Terms Explained (Part One)

Inspired by conversations I've had in many different settings in my role as "penabler," I decided to get creative this week and explain some terms commonly used in the fountain pen community.  Thes...
Laura's Top 10 Fountain Pen User Mistakes

Laura's Top 10 Fountain Pen User Mistakes

Do you make any fountain pen user "mistakes"?  I know I do!  When Pen Boutique owner Leena asked me to write this article, I was surprised, because it's very different from my usual topics, which ...
Attainable Urushi - Pilot's Urushi Lacquer Pens Under $1,000

Attainable Urushi - Pilot's Urushi Lacquer Pens Under $1,000

I'm very excited to be writing this article, because it's about something I especially love. When I first learned about Urushi lacquer pens, they were something I never thought I would actually own...
The Big Three:  Comparing Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor Nibs

The Big Three: Comparing Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor Nibs

For my article this week, I decided to do something I've never done before:  choose comparable pens from three different brands and compare them, focusing on the nibs and the writing experience.  T...
Blue-Black: the Best of Both Worlds

Blue-Black: the Best of Both Worlds

What is Blue-Black? The idea for this article popped into my head a few weeks ago, and I couldn't shake it.  Blue-Black.  It didn't sound very exciting at first, but, the more I thought about it, t...
Polished Perfection with Graf von Faber-Castell

Polished Perfection with Graf von Faber-Castell

What do you know about the brand Faber-Castell? You're likely most familiar with its art supplies, office supplies, and, especially, its famous #2 yellow pencils, but Faber-Castell is globally este...
Otto Hutt - For Individualists With Style

Otto Hutt - Para individualistas con estilo

Puede que no conozcas esta marca, ¡pero deberías conocerla! La semana pasada, cuando estaba en mi hora de almuerzo, escuché a la propietaria de Pen Boutique, Leena, y a nuestra gurú del servici...
Getting into the Holiday Spirit at Pen Boutique

Getting into the Holiday Spirit at Pen Boutique

It feels as though 2024 has gone by too quickly, but it's already almost Thanksgiving, the days are getting short, and there's a bracing crispness to the air. Holiday season is the busiest part of ...
Maki-e, Chinkin, and More - Exploring Namiki's Lacquering Artistry Techniques

Maki-e, Chinkin, and More - Exploring Namiki's Lacquering Artistry Techniques

One of my favorite places in our store is the display cabinet where we keep our Namiki Maki-e and Chinkin fountain pens. Our collection changes slowly as the seasons pass, when collectors buy piece...