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What happens to small business during lockdown?

Every day mothers choose to put their children before themselves. Some days, mothers basically pull themselves together FOR everyone else! I think that the simplest thing that we can do is to acknowledge that sacrifice and to give them the love and respect that they deserve.

This is an introductory guide to setting up your fountain pen with bottled ink. If you're wondering what bottled ink is or why you should be using it check out our blog here! Now you're caught up, let's get started... What you are going to need: 1. Fountain Pen  The first thing that you’re going to need is your fountain pen. Most fountain pens can be made to work with bottled ink.  2. Converter  You will need something called a converter, a plunger/piston device that goes into your pen where the ink cartridge usually sits. It is used to draw up and store ink. All of the fountain pens we stock are compatible with a converter, so if you purchase your pen from us you can also pick up the appropriate converter!  3. Bottle of Ink  Finally you will need your bottle of ink. At Honest Paper we have the basic colours (Blue and Black), in both the Lamy and Pilot ranges, as well as some more adventurous colours from Lamy and Robert Oster.     Now that you've got what you need, here's how to fill your fountain pens with your favourite bottle of ink. 1. Make sure your pen is clean and dry This means disassembling it and removing the cartridge that was in the pen. Running water through the pen until it is clear is a good way to make sure there is no residual ink left in the feed section (Make sure to let it dry!) 2. Put the converter in the pen Insert the empty converter into your pen where the cartridge would sit. It attaches in exactly the same way the cartridge does. Wind the plunger down towards the nib as far as it will go. 3. Submerge the nib including the breather hole in the ink On a stable surface, open your bottle of ink. You will need to submerge the nib of your pen into the ink, until the surface of the ink is over the breather hole (The small hole near the top of the nib).  4. Twist the converters plunger to draw the ink into the pen While holding the pen steady, twist the converter raising the plunger. This will draw the ink up through the nib into the pen. Don’t worry if it doesn’t completely fill the converter!  5. Repeat the process with the converter to get a better fill   While keeping the nib in the ink, repeat the full up and down motion of the converter a few times. This allows the ink to saturate and fill the feed section of the pen. After a few cycles you should see the converter fill most of the way. 6. Reassemble the pen and wipe off the nib Take the pen out of the ink and wipe the excess ink from the nib using a towel. Then reassemble the body of the pen. 7. Start writing And you’re done! Your pen is now filled with bottled ink and is ready to write just like it was before with a cartridge. And next time you run out of ink, just repeat the process listed here to refill your pen. (If you are using the same ink you may not need to clean out your pen, however if you change to a different colour you will want to clean out your pen again to prevent the inks mixing) Congratulations on filling your fountain pen with bottled ink! Now a whole new world of inky goodness has just opened up to you. So go! Explore, write or draw with your new found fountain pen ink.

The journey to bottled ink may seem like a challenging one, but don’t be afraid! It’s a very rewarding addition to your fountain pen world and an easier leap than you might think. Bottled ink expands the way you can use your fountain pens, and lets you get even more from their unique writing experience. For starters, by moving to bottled ink, the range of colours available to use with your fountain pen increases. Most pen manufacturers only make ink cartridges for their basic colours. Moving into using converters with bottled ink allows you to use their full range. Even more importantly is that you can now use bottled ink from any fountain pen manufacturer, a converter allows you to use ANY bottled fountain pen ink. Check out our other blog here for how to fill a fountain pen using a converter. (Note: Fountain pen ink is different to calligraphy ink, make sure the ink suitable for fountain pens. Calligraphy ink isn’t water based and will prevent your pen from writing) Another great advantage to bottled ink is that you no longer have to worry about running out of ink cartridges. Bottled ink comes in 30-50ml bottles, which gives as many as 100 refills per bottle. This means you're far less likely to get stuck with a pen which has just run out of ink. (Think about all the plastic you’ve just saved too!) On top of all of that, the world of bottled ink is just as deep and interesting as that of fountain pens. There are inks that are multi-shaded, inks that have metallic sparkles in them, inks that are watery or thicker, inks that blend colours and change as you write. The journey to finding your perfect ink is just as fun as finding your perfect pen. So welcome to the beginning of your bottled ink journey. There are almost as many inks to try as there are things to write about. So take the leap and expand the way you write and create, with bottled ink.   

Not all fountain pens are calligraphy pens, and not all calligraphy pens are fountain pens. The style of writing a fountain pen will produce is found a) in your individual writing style and ability and b) the type of nib it has. Most fountain pens are fitted with a rounded nib and are available in extra fine, fine, medium or broad sizes. It is important to note that, while the broader the nib the thicker the line size, this doesn’t necessarily correlate to line variation or calligraphic effect. Read more on line variation… If you are determined to achieve a more flourished, calligraphic writing style, try a fountain pen fitted with an italic nib. Also known as a ’stub’ these have a flat tip, sometimes angled, and are available in varying widths. Words by: Ben GrahamImage Source: https://www.lamy.com/en/lamy-nib-guide/

Line variation refers to how much of a difference you can get in line thickness from a nib.  While the majority fountain pen nibs are not designed for calligraphy or ‘flexing’ some nibs still have a certain amount of expression to them. This is because when you are writing and applying pressure to the pen on the page, it can force the tines of the nib slightly further apart, causing a wider line. While this effect can be desirable, it should be noted that you should be very careful in how much pressure you put on your nibs, because if you press too hard the tines will be permanently bent and ruin the nib. Experimenting with your nibs expression is something you should only do when you are already comfortable with your pen, and understand how it writes. Then, slowly try applying very little pressure on the down strokes of your writing to see if your nib has any expressiveness. *note that line variation in standard fountain pen nibs will only be possible on the down stroke of your writing. Some nibs, such as ‘stub nibs’ or ‘italic nibs’ get their line variation from having different shaped tips. Their variation comes from the direction of writing. Stub nibs tend to be more rectangular with rounded edges, giving line variation from side to side, and italic nibs are rectangular with a sharper edge, allowing for great variation between side to side and vertical writing strokes. Words by: Ben Graham

Are fountain pens easy to use? Even with their exquisite appearance, delicate and shiny nibs, fountain pens are perfect for elevating your everyday writing experience. Often confused as a ‘calligraphy pen’ or a ‘dip pen’, rest assured they are neither as tricky or messy as those!   Can I learn calligraphy using a fountain pen? Not all fountain pens are calligraphy pens, and not all calligraphy pens are fountain pens. So, the answer is only sometimes, and more specifically with the correct nib type and some practice. Read more…   What is line variation? Line variation refers to how much of a difference you can get in line thickness from a nib. Read more…   Are fountain pens dip pens? No, fountain pens aren’t designed to be dipped. Fountain pens contain an ink reservoir, which are designed to be refilled using either a converter or a pre-filled disposable ink cartridge. Unlike dip pens, fountain pens are self contained and typically capped, so you can easily carry it with you and make use of it every day.   Are fountain pens okay for left-handed writing? Yes, there are nibs designed for left-handed writers. For example, the Lamy left-handed nib which is slightly oblique, making it ideal for left-handed writers who frequently tilt their hand when writing. As another option, left-handed writers can try a finer nib for a speedier dry time to avoid ink smear.   How do I clean my fountain pen? For converter and cartridge filled fountain pens, simply disassemble your pen and wash each piece through with water.For a simple clean: Disassemble your fountain pen into 4 parts - lid, body, feed (with nib attached) and remove the cartridge or converter. Under the tap, run a slow stream of water into the feed so that it trickles through the nib on the other side. Do this until it runs clear. Wash the other parts with water, then set everything aside and allow to dry. Reassemble. For a more thorough clean, you can remove the nib and clean it with water as well (please note that not all fountain pens are designed to do this).   How often should I clean my fountain pen? It’s common to clean you pen between changes of ink colour, mainly to avoid colours mixing. Troubleshooting: If you leave your fountain pen idle, with ink inside, over an extended period of time you may find writing to become scratchy or even impossible. In this case, ink may have dried in the feed, blocking ink flow. Try cleaning your fountain pen throughly, re-ink it and then attempt writing again.   Pictured: Bespoke Letterpress Writing Pad, Lamy Safari Fountain Pen in White.

So you've been hit with the news that you're sick... and you've been instructed to self-quarantine. So what to do now?  No one needs to spend 1000 hours watching Netflix, although it's a good start. But once you start to feel bored with being bored, here are a few ideas on how to get your butt off the couch and do something semi-productive and interesting.  1. Pull your journal out. You can do it!! Pull open a fresh new page, grab your favourite pen and start with these words... "I'm stuck here so I may as well..."  Challenge yourself to a new topic each day, fill a page or two. Early in the morning is best! If you need a journal.. here's where to look. Journals & Notebooks 2. Write a letter! Okay, not all of these are writing focused, we promise! But seriously, who in your fam hasn't heard from you in a while? Which friend from school haven't you spoken to in a while? Write them a letter and ask for a response. You might be setting yourself up for some lovely mail in a few months :)  Letter Writing Stationery here  3. Clean your fountain pen. Yep that's right, you can CLEAN your pens and you should do it regularly. We do it all the time, one day we'll write our own blog but for now... here's a useful video on how to clean them properly. click here 4. Revisit your yearly goals. Take a moment to look at the goals you made for this year, what changes do you need to make? Are you having fun?  5. Enjoy a spot of online shopping ;) you know where we live... www.honestpaper.com.au - enjoy free shipping over $50 etc etc    LOTSA LOVE