As I do each year, I’m sharing my current top tens. I’m continuing my approach from 2022 and 2023, with my top ten pens by appearance and top ten nibs. Since I’m keeping to the same format, I’ll compare my lists. This year, though, I’m also adding my top ten inks by usage.
But without further preamble, enjoy my top tens of 2024.
Jump to a Section: Pens | ⇣ Nibs | ⇣ Inks
Top 10 Pens by Appearance
These are my favorite pens based on appearance. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are the prettiest in my collection, as craftsmanship and skill required may place one pen over another.
Once again, I had to drop several pens from the list because of this year’s acquisitions. Some may come back in future years, but the “new shiny” effect gives pens some extra points.
- ARTUS Four Elements Earth
- ARTUS Four Elements Fire
- Stanford Pen Studio x Val Myburgh Sketched Fashion
- Iron Feather Creative Mayan Hummingbird
- Stanford Pen Studio x Hanna Farmer Ardently
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, these pens bring a smile to my face whenever I pick them up. It’s not uncommon for me to spend time just admiring their beauty.
10: Country Made Pens 3D Scrollwork Sleeve
The 3D Scrollwork Sleeve isn’t as classically beautiful as the other pens on this list. But, the skill and work that went into making it deserve acknowledgment and add to its beauty.
8: ARTUS Four Elements Air and ARTUS Four Elements Water
The Water drops one position this year to tie with the Air. They’re both gorgeous, and I really couldn’t decide which to rank higher this year.
7: Stanford Pen Studio x Yulia Glas Journey in Space
A new addition this year, Journey in Space is stunning. It’s slightly lower on this list only because of the subject matter. I have to rank these beauties for this post, so nitpicky details matter.
6: Permies.World English Garden
The English Garden dropped two positions this year, also because of subject matter. But, if I’m honest, the “new shiny” effect definitely factored in as well.
5: Stanford Pen Studio x Marian Binder Hummingbirds
One of the few pens to hold its position on this list, I adore the color scheme on this hummingbird pen. With the focus on the hummingbirds and the inclusion of a hibiscus, it has the edge over the English Garden.
4: Stanford Pen Studio x Yulia Glas Delft Cats
Another new addition kicks off the cat section of this post. If you don’t know I love cats, then you must be new here, so, welcome. The detail on Delft Cats is amazing, and I had a very difficult time deciding if this should rank at #4 or #3.
3: Stanford Pen Studio x Kseniia Nel Imperious Egyptian Cats
Another new addition, I decided that Imperious Egyptian Cats just outranks Delft Cats because of the extra precision required to paint all of the patterns.
1: Stanford Pen Studio x Marian Binder The Right Royal Pen AND Stanford Pen Studio x Yulia Glas Cats and Books
Is anyone surprised this is a tie again? I know no one is surprised to see The Right Royal Pen top the list again. My Bumbledore pen maintains its hold on me like my fluffy boy does. Books and Cats is a new addition that marries three of my favorite things: cats, books, and fountain pens. Not to mention the precision on all of the book titles and pages is impressive.
Jump to a Section: ⇡ Pens | Nibs | ⇣ Inks
Top 10 Nibs
These are my favorite nibs to write with. Some are “stock” nibs (I make note of the pen(s) I have with them) and others are nib modifications. Surprisingly, choosing a nib to remove from this list to accommodate the new number 5 was even harder than choosing my top ten pens. In case you’re wondering, the nib I grudgingly dropped to number 11 is the vintage Esterbrook 9128.
10: Visconti 18K EF – Il Magnifico Lapislazzuli
This nib puts down a line similar in width to a western M, but it’s buttery smooth in the way I love.
9: Platinum President F – Izumo Kurikara-ken
Down one position from last year, I love the crisp, fine lines this nib produces.
8: Pilot #5 14K F – Custom 74
Also down one position, this is another nib with crisp, fine lines, but it has a hint less feedback than the President nib.
7: TWSBI 580 Series F
Another nib down one position, I love that the TWSBI nibs are wet enough to see ink shading even with F or EF nibs.
6: My Cut Oblique Nib Modification
Another nib downgraded one position, I love my cut oblique nibs, especially the one I created for The Right Royal Pen.
5: Sailor 21K Large M – Pro Gear King of Pen Sunlight from the Ocean Floor
I don’t know if this nib is special, or if all KOP nibs are this smooth, but it’s got the buttery smooth feel I love, rather than the typical Sailor feedback. It’s only below the Namiki nib (see #3) because it writes like a western M instead of the eastern M I would expect from a Sailor pen.
4: StyloSuite XXXF X-Wing Harpoon
I separated my #3 tie because this nib isn’t an all-writing nib like the Namiki is; it’s a specialty nib. The XXXF X-Wing Harpoon is fabulous but doesn’t have quite the line width variation that the Spencerian does. That said, I heartily recommend it to anyone, especially if you don’t like the sharpness of the Spencerian, because this one is a bit more smooth.
I need to add a caveat here that Gena’s (Custom Nib Studio) Spencerian Mod is smoother and a bit bouncier, but it lost out to the Harpoon because it can’t flex as much. I’m assuming that’s because Gena starts with a Pilot FA nib rather than a steel nib like Les does.
3: Namiki 18K #10 M – Yukari Rock Garden
The Namiki is my top standard (non-modified) nib. It’s so smooth that it almost doesn’t feel like the nib is touching paper. It has the typical, finer, nib you expect on eastern pens, which is more to my preference.
2: StyloSuite Spencerian Mod
I also separated out my tie for first position because the Spencerian, like the Harpoon, isn’t an everyday nib. It has a specific purpose, which I adore, but I don’t just pick it up and use it for standard writing.
That said, the Spencerian is still my favorite for specialty writing. The line variation is exquisite, ranging from hairline to at least BB. I keep my Spencerian in my long-fill pens so it’s never not in use, and I got a second one to use as desired in my weekly rotation pens.
1: TWSBI 1.1 Stub Ground to Oblique by Damien (All in the Nib)
The oblique is my favorite for everyday writing because of the character it adds to my writing-. The TWSBI oblique, specifically, is really special. The wetness of the TWSBI feed makes the oblique that much more awesome because it adds shading to the unique character.
Jump to a Section: ⇡ Pens | ⇡ Nibs | Inks
Top 10 Inks by Usage
I decided to add an inks list this year. These are my top ten inks by usage — specifically, the number of times I filled a pen with them. The below inks were used for three and four fills during the course of the year. The rest of my inks were used twice (48), once (142), or not at all (95). I need to get rid of more inks.
You can click image on any image below to see the original Instagram post, sales listing, or blog post.
Three Uses
10: Ink Institute x Gourmet Pens Okanagan Grape
Because I only just used Okanagan Grape a third time this week, I think that means it has to be #10. But it’s a lovely purple.
I want to note that Stipula Sapphron also had a third use this week. But, I prefer Okanagan Grape, so it made the top 10.
9: Wearingeul Persephone
I’m surprised I’ve used Persephone thrice this year. It’s darker than I typically like, and ends up almost black in wet nibs. I need to try this again, slightly watered down.
8: Troublemaker Inks Foxglove
Can you tell I like purple inks? Foxglove is a lovely ink, there are just other colors on this list that I like even more.
7: Diamine Marigold
I find it interesting that although Marigold didn’t make it past round 3 in my Diamine Inky Madness, it’s my most-used Diamine ink.
6: Colorverse Walk the Dog
I’ve loved Walk the Dog since the day I saw it. It’s a beautiful green, dark enough to be easily legible, but light enough to show shading and remain far away from the dreaded “almost-black” when writing.
5: Robert Oster Jewel in the Crown
Jewel in the Crown is so much fun! I got a sample, maybe in an Ink Flight box, and ordered a bottle within a single use. The base color is a grungy brownish-green, and the old-gold shimmer complements it beautifully.
4: Robert Oster Free Spirit
I connected with Free Spirit when I heard the story behind it. But, more than that, it’s a gorgeous color, and the purple shimmer is unique in my ink collection.
Four Uses
Could there be a bigger sign of my conversion to shimmer-ink-lover than my top three? I’m only slightly surprised that my most-used inks of 2024 all have shimmer.
3: Colorverse Butterfly Nebula
I have to be careful to put this in a wet pen, otherwise it can be difficult to read. But, the color is fantastic.
2: Wearingeul Tinker Bell
Even if Tinkerbell didn’t have shimmer, it would need to be kept out of dry nibs, as it can be a bit light. But, in a wet nib, it’s a beautiful muted green, and I love the mix of gold and silver shimmer.
1: Vinta Inks Lakambini (The Maiden)
On one hand, I can’t believe that my top ink of the year is pink. On the other, I adore Lakambini. It’s a pretty, dusty pink, and the shimmer is intense, without horribly clogging the pen… Except for those occasions when it does. Don’t leave this one sitting in your pen for a week or two and expect it to write immediately. But, It’s so pretty, it’s worth the extra effort.
Jump to a Section: ⇡ Pens | ⇡ Nibs | ⇡ Inks
Thanks for reading to the end, I hope you enjoyed my post. What do you think of my lists? Is there anything you disagree with? Did anything surprise you? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
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