Ink Flight #29 Reveal, June 2019
Back when we first started doing these Ink Flight boxes over two years ago, I never thought we would be able to include the contents of this month's box. I (Tom) knew that certain manufacturers were going to be difficult to obtain ink from. Sailor (Japan) was one of them, as I knew the company was quite selective about which retailers they sold their products to. Goulet Pens, for example, was barred from selling Sailor due to the fact that they only sold the ink (at the time) and did not sell the pens. Yet, here we are this month with Sailor as our featured ink brand. Many of our subscribers have asked for this, and I'm glad we finally get to deliver.
Born in 1911 in Hiroshima, Japan, the Sailor Pen Company has a long history of producing fountain pens with exquisite nibs crafted under the watchful eye of a nib master. Sailor also has an "ink master" solely dedicated to the production of the finest quality inks in the world. The Sailor Jentle & Four Seasons ink collections are known the world over as some of the best you can put in your fountain pen.
Here is a rundown of June 2019's Ink Flight lineup.
Sailor Four Seasons Yuki-Akari
A lightly saturated, baby blue/turquoise, writing with Yuki-Akari is like painting the page with the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean.
Sailor Four Seasons Souten
This ink has been my personal favorite for some years. It always brightens my day to see the rich, cerulean blue color with pinkish sheen.
Sailor Four Seasons Tokiwa-Matsu
This saturated olive-green has an affinity toward a reddish sheen.
Sailor Four Seasons Rikyu-Cha
A complex color that starts out as dark green and dries to a brown. A favorite among many writers for its depth and richness.
Sailor Jentle Grenade
Sailor brought back the discontinued original Jentle inks exclusively for the North American market to satisfy the demand for these classic colors. Grenade is a rich wine-red with an explosive greenish-gold sheen.
Sailor Jentle Apricot
Also part of the original Jentle ink colors, Apricot has a juicy, bright orange hue that shades nicely.
Sailor Four Seasons Irori
This passionate, vibrant red can ignite a writer's passion for putting words down on paper. It exhibits a slight degree of sheen with broader nibs or flex nibs.
Sailor Souten and Grenade are colors that I already have in bottle form, as I would assume that some of you may have already encountered those inks in the past as well. They're classics and should be a part of every fountain pen enthusiasts' ink collection, which is why they were included in this flight. I originally also wanted to include the uber-popular Yama-Dori as well, but there was an inventory issue and the bottles we received were under the quantity needed to include it in the Flight. Instead, we have the 20ml bottles on our website to add to your collection.
Box Extras: Itoya Profolio Oasis A6 Notebook with an Itoya Blade Ready-to-Write Fountain Pen
Is it a grid, ruled, or dotted page format? The answer: all the above. The Itoya Profolio Oasis is Japanese-made with thin paper that can handle fountain pen ink. With a special spot for the date and header, you can make each page part of a diary, planner, or bullet journal. The notebook contains 80 sheets and can lay completely flat while open. We included an assortment of color overs in Avocado (shown in the picture above), Black or Brick Red.
For those times when you need a pen to be handy or lend it out to someone who you don't trust with your beloved fountain pens, the Itoya Blade is your go-to. The pen comes pre-inked with either blue or black ink (randomly selected for each box). The fine steel nib writes with a precise line, protected by a spring-loaded inner cap that keeps the nib fresh.
Now, it's known that the Pilot Varsity "disposable" fountain pens can be cleaned out and re-inked by removing the nib and feed, dropping ink directly into the barrel of the pen. Has anyone tried that with the Itoya Blade? If so, would you mind sharing your results in the comments below?
Let us know what you think about the June Ink Flight contents by leaving a comment below. After you're done with that, head over to @inkjournal on Instagram to find our giveaway post so you can enter for a chance to win a July box coming up shortly!
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Previous Ink Flights (Ink Flight #1 - Noodler's, Ink Flight #2 - Robert Oster Signature, Ink Flight #3 - KWZ, Ink Flight #4 - J. Herbin, Ink Flight #5 - P.W. Akkerman, Ink Flight #6 - Papier Plume, Ink Flight #7 - Platinum Mix-Free, Ink Flight #8 - Franklin-Christoph, Ink Flight #9 - Organics Studio, Ink Flight #10 - Monteverde, Ink Flight #11 - Krishna, Ink Flight #12 - Caran d'Ache, Ink Flight #13 - Rohrer & Klingner, Ink Flight #14 - Blackstone, Ink Flight #15 - Colorverse, Ink Flight #16 - De Atramentis, Ink Flight #17 - Aurora & Montegrappa, Ink Flight #18 - Krishna, KWZ, Papier Plume, Ink Flight #19 - Diamine, Ink Flight #20 - J. Herbin, Ink Flight #21 - Robert Oster Signature 80's Collection, Ink Flight #22 - 3 Oysters, Ink Flight #23 - InkJournal Holiday Blend, Ink Flight #24 - Taccia, Ink Flight #25 - Kyoto TAG, Ink Flight #26 - Kaweco, Ink Flight #27 - April Fool's Surprise, Ink Flight #28 - Pelikan)