## Prelude It seems like around the pen community it is customary to write some sort of year-in-review. One of the main reasons I even have this website is to write about things and help me get my thoughts out on different topics. Stationery is something I have always had, and will always have, strong feelings about, and in 2025 I jumped fully back in. I started listening to [The Pen Addict](https://www.penaddict.com) podcast back in 2016, and accumulated about 10 pens between then and 2022. In 2022 I got my first pen more expensive than a Lamy Safari in the form of a Vanishing Point, in matte black, as a wedding present from my wife. I wrote with that pen daily, inked with Pilot Blue Black or Namiki Black. In April of 2025 my wife got me a Jinhao 20 that was on my Amazon wish list, and that opened the floodgates. I went ahead and acquired 11 more pens this year, ranging in price, but all ones I’d been eyeing for many years. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this was only possible due to the work I do, and that purchasing a new pen every few months has helped me cope with some of the stress I get from my day job. Not the healthiest coping mechanism for dealing with mental health, but it did prove successful in mitigating other problems. --- ## Inks As mentioned above, until this year I had mostly been timid in the hobby, but I wanted to expand my color options. #### Acquired - Diamine Green Umber - Diamine Celadon Cat - Diamine Ancient Copper - Platinum Chō Kuro - Iroshizuku Hana-ikada - Robert Oster x Pen Addict Fire on Fire on Fire --- ## Pens - **Preppy Perpanep** - Rating: 7/10 - Comment: I never liked the look of the clear Preppy, but I use one of these almost daily now. It is my backup bag pen. - **Pilot 743 with PO nib** - Rating: 8/10 - Comment: Far and away my favorite pen. The nib is amazing and really something special. It isn’t just really fine; it provides a pleasantly smooth but firm experience. - **3× Jinhao 20s** - Rating: 4/10 - Comment: One red, one white, and the silver one my wife got me. I love clicky fountain pens, and the steel nibs on these, along with their relative cheapness, make me feel comfortable doing some grinding on them. I have an architect, UEF, and italic grind on them. I wouldn’t say they are good grinds, but they work for me. - **Platinum Curidas** - Rating: 4/10 - Comment: Wanting to see what all the fuss was about, I got the Curidas in June, and I can confidently say I’m happy it exists, but it needs a few more years of iteration. In my mind, the price point of $60–$100 for a good clicky pen would be a Goldilocks zone and an instant recommendation above the VP, since it’s so much more expensive. - **Jinhao 9019** - Rating: 4/10 - Comment: I wanted a big pen, and this was a cheap-ish option to see if I even liked the size before I looked at the Montblancs and Pelikans of the world. I got the nib in an EF, and it is far wetter than most of my pens. I’d also say the line is more of a Pilot medium equivalent. It holds a lot of ink and writes really well for the price. I do wish I’d gotten a different finish than the smoky gray, but it works fine. I learned that I don’t like pens this large. On occasion, maybe, but not often. - **Jinhao 911** - Rating: 3/10 - Comment: Bought to hit free shipping on Amazon, and came in a two-pack for $10. They are serviceable, thin, and helped me understand a hooded nib. I won’t get another, but it isn’t trash. - **Pilot Elite 95S** - Rating: 6/10 - Comment: Such a lovely little pen. I confess I am fiending after the Pilot Myu, which I learned this year was released in a matte black version. This was my test to see if I would even like that type of pen. Short answer: yes. I got it in an EF, and the nib is wonderful, and the size makes it excellent to clip to my shirt and carry around. - **Pelikan M105** - Rating: 6/10 - Comment: I didn’t have a Pelikan or a piston filler, and I in no way can afford a new one, so this was my first eBay pen purchase. I got it for an absolute steal, considering what other auctions were going for at the time. It is a good pen with a decent feel in the hand, and it helped me understand that I like smaller pens. - **TWSBI ECO Matcha** - Rating: 4/10 - Comment: Come on—the special edition matches my username. I had to get it. I used it to experiment with a broader nib (M). I usually don’t go for demonstrators, but everyone adores TWSBI, so I figured I should try it. I see what the fuss is about. Solid performance, good balance, simple pen. - **Spoke Axl S** - Rating: 6/10 - Comment: I hadn’t used a #8 nib before, and supporting The Pen Addict is something I don’t feel bad about. I purchased this with Fire on Fire on Fire, and they work great together. If it had a clip, I’d love the pen more, but the design just doesn’t work with one. - **Kaweco Sport** - Rating: 6/10 - Comment: The first pocket pen I grabbed in 2025, and I immediately realized this was a great form factor for my use case. I got it in black with a fine nib. It is wonderful and works great. Worth the hype everyone gives it. --- ## Usage So that is 13 pens acquired this year. I’m not counting standard rollerball pens, but that brings my total collection up to 19, which is a great place for me to be. Each pen gets inked and used about once a month, with the exception of the Jinhao 20s, which compete with a sentimental Vanishing Point. I need to really want to use a fun ink to reach for a Jinhao. I only put Pilot Blue Black or Namiki Black in that pen. On my nightstand I keep a small pen box I made that homes three currently inked pens for the week. I go through about 5 ml of ink a week (yes, I’ve measured), so I fill each with around 1.5 ml. The only inked pen that doesn’t go in that box is my Perpanep, which lives in my work bag, and is filled with Cho Kuro. Any pens not in use live in a Harbor Freight toolbox. In my mind, the three slots align with the three categories of pens I own: 1. Pocket pens / small pens 2. Retractable pens 3. Standard pens This helps me keep all my pens in rotation. 2025 was a year of expansion, and given that the last 10 years were pretty moderate, I’m okay with that. I don’t see myself getting many pens in 2026, and there are only a few I would pick up if given the opportunity. --- ## Closing More than anything, 2025 was the year I got more involved in the community. I was welcomed with open arms and have enjoyed participating in chats, letters, and different aspects of the hobby. While I don’t know anyone’s real names, I know I’ve met some genuinely nice people and made some friends and acquaintances.