I always love when a wild grok appears! The term "grok" actually originates from Robert A. Heinlein's science fiction novel "Stranger in a Strange Land," about a human raised on Mars by martians who returns to Earth to learn about his origins. In the novel, the term "grok" means literally "to drink," but is used more frequently to mean "to take in quickly or understand intuitively." It is one of the words he teaches to his human companions, since (at least in English), we don't really have a good single-word term for that concept already. Sorry for the "um, actually" moment, but I wanted to mention it because I think it's a pretty cool example of a fictional word taking hold in broader modern parlance from what is now a relatively obscure piece of media. Great episode this week!
Wow, TIL. I always knew of the term from computer programming, which has a slightly different connotation. See here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok#In_computer_programmer_culture Also, there's a Unix program called 'grok' that helps to parse and understand files (usually things like log files that define what happened when a program ran). Here's an example grok command: grok { match => { "message" => [ "pattern1", "pattern2", "patternN" ] } } So there you go!
"Grok" comes from the book 'Stranger in a Strange Land' by Robert Heinlein from 1961. The use in the book it more nuanced than the way we use it in daily langage today, but still a great word. 😊
Azuki is basically mashed red bean paste and sweetened with sugar, and it's a popular filling in Japanese desserts. The bean is red uncooked, but it's purple once cooked and mashed, hence the ink color :)
Just got a great order today. It was a horrible day, until these beautiful pens and ink showed up to distract and delight me. Thank you! I use my pens for journaling, doodling, and drawing. So I keep a lot of colors inked. That means a new ink color is a treat! 🩵 🖋️ and now a new pencast - a great improvement to the day.
Drew was fired from Goulet. No word on why, but the lack of transparency and communication indicates that it was not a mutual parting of ways. Pretty disappointing after almost 150 episodes for them to just go dark.
“Went over to a friend’s house for dinner, hadn’t seen them in a while. They re-arranged their living room and kitchen and it upset me, but otherwise delightful.” Drew’s relatability on the most random and mundane things we experience as adults brings me so much joy every time 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
First time I watched you guys, I am a subscriber but never watched “Pencast”. Great show. Wonderful chemistry between the two of you. Will return for another episode of “Pencast”
Great suggestion about retracting the piston on the TWSBI to prevent it from staying behind when you pull off the end. It's such a pain to get back to the proper setting when putting it all back together.
Grok is from Robert a Heinlein “Stranger in a Strange land” it is a term used for total and complete understanding of self and ideas between people and also “water”.
I had never heard of that term Brian used to describe the meal he prepared for the big family gathering, but now I'm thinking of doing it for Christmas. Yule Brinner anyone? 😂😂
"Grok" as someone has mentioned is from Robert A Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land". Heinlein is one of the "hard" science fiction writers, along with Asimov, Clarke, Pournelle, Niven and others that had grounding in science and math and so were able, IMO, to create more realistic future/alternate worlds.
I keep a repurposed glass jam jar with water at my desk for cleaning my Kakimori nib. Every time I switch inks I swirl the nib in water, wipe it down with a paper towel, and repeat a second and sometimes a third time. I swap out the water for fresh when needed. The jar is ready for me on demand, and its cap protects the rest of my desk from potential unfortunate incidents in-between uses.
To your question on 3D printed pen durability: It all depends on the filament, construction, and printer settings. Brittleness and porosity can be a real issue, but with the right design, right filament, and right settings, it can be extremely durable. After all, dudes are printing blowback submachinegun receivers and Glock frames now. Shoot, in the Air Force, we're printing lots of small parts and grommets, and have good success as long as you've got a good nerd in your unit who's willing to embrace the learning curve. Resin (SLA) printing also offers a smoother, more precisely formed product than FDM, albeit with more scale and durability concerns.
I use an old jar and/or small pill bottle with water and a small towel for dip pen cleaning, keep one with fresh water for rinsing if you’re using a lot of different inks, no need to keep getting up. I keep one of these vessels with a small cloth or napkins at the bottom to let the nibs dry.
Bacon used to come in 1-pound (16 oz) packages. A lot of the major producers shrunk the amount of the bacon to 12-oz but kept the packaging about the same size, also kept the cost the same as the 16-oz package. Similar to what has happened throughout the packaged food "world", especially the dry foods like cereal and snack foods. The external package remains about the same size, but what's inside is a few ounces less than what used to be in there. So, in the end, you get less product for more cost. I always look at cost per unit before I plunk down the bucks and I only buy bacon when I can see both sides of the slab. I don't like paying for fat.
Thank you very much for your comments on the 3d printed pens 😊Loved the show! Short Question: would you carry the glitter potion Heart (pink shimmer)? Long question: will we see a series of Janéa mixing inks with the glitter potions? If not in video format, maybe a post series just showing some formulas?
I have been obsessively watching Goulet pens videos for the past couple of months, in the quest for my first fountain pen(s). First of all: thanks for all the info! Truly helpful stuff. Second, the reason why I want fountain penS (plural), is to draw. When inking a drawing, most people focus on the blackest black. Which we have plenty of discussions about. BUT. Very often, I'm caught using my trusty WHITE uniball signo. Which has a very thick point, for detailed work. It is also the most opaque white pen out there. So, here's the challenge I would like to raise for Drew, as a video suggestion: find the most opaque white ink for fountain pens, that will show well after dried on a black paper, or on top of black ink (like noodlers black or carbon black), without smudging, and which will work well with fine and extra-fine nibs. I have yet to find a video that does that!!! There is a niche of people looking for that, I swear! :)
"Is that not meat? Is it just meat that's being printed?" "I don't know..." And that was the most Turkey Hammock conclusion, another great episode guys! 😆
Grok comes from Robert A. Heinlein’s classic science fiction “Stranger in a Strange Land. To grok is to understand deeply, to the point of merging with a subject.
I got into this hobby reverse. I bought a bottle of Ferris wheel ink, then a dip pen, then fountain pens. I’m a junk journaler (Think ia scrapbookand diary had a baby). Bought the ink for my backgrounds in my journals.
Thank you for answering my question about how to clean dip pens. I mostly use the fountain inks with glass dip pens & Sailor . I also have a couple calligraphy pens so your answers are very helpful.
“Grok’ means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of the observed-to merge, blend, intermarry, lose identity in group experience. It means almost everything that we mean by religion, philosophy, and science-and it means as little to us as a color means to a blind man.” ― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land
My adult daughter, told me I had enough fountain pens. 😮 I told her I especially enjoy buying from Goulet Pens because it’s more like a family business. I reminded her that you all add the tootsie pop! Now she agreed I need more fountain pens! I have complied, I bought a Back to the Land pen and 2Go pen case! 😂
Oh, dear. I love the Pencast, but this week, I winced the way I did back when y'all tried to figure out the significance of the number 42. "Grok" is a word invented by Heinlein in the book "Stranger in a Strange Land". It means an intense degree of empathy, to the point of literally merging with others. Well, mostly, anyway. It's...complicated. Seriously one of the best books of all time, though, imo. My favorite pen packaging is the Kaweco tins. They're great for storing so much small stuff -- knitting notions, chap stick, glasses cleaning cloths, ink cartridges, spare change, etc. I also like the TWSBI Eco, Eco-T, and 580 boxes. I mostly keep those to ship any used pens that I gift or sell in to protect them. The Conklin All American boxes also make a nice presentation for a usually relatively cheaper-ish pen. For pens I don't own, I also really like the Namiki Emperor boxes. When I was younger, I used to have similar shaped and sized empty wine boxes that I stored art supplies, journals, and other things in. Thanks for the Eco and Eco T guts swap! I can't believe that never occurred to me! But now that you showed it, I'm definitely going to do it. I don't *hate* the Eco-T grip, but I have a weird grip, and I don't love it, either. On the other hand, the regular Eco grip is one of my absolute favorites. I'm going to switch some of them, and gift the ones with the changed out Eco-T grips to pen friends who don't mind -- or even prefer -- the Eco-T grip section.
Brown is right. Scent is the release of VOCs (volatile organic compounds, typically esters). Once they’ve evaporated you need more. That’s what happens when you sand fragrant wood. 12:24
So question for Brian, Drew and chat: it seems that inks like Nitrogen get a lot of praise and I certainly love the look of Nitrogen/Polar glow, similar sheen inks. However, I find that no matter what paper or pen/nib size I use, the ink smudges and gets on my hands days, weeks, and even months later. How do you all preserve your more smudgy inks for archival journaling/note taking?
As an illustrator, my Twsbi broad nib is the most versatile pen I have. I can create line variation, turning the nib upside down I can achieve a thinner line. I can also block in blacks quickly with the wet broad nib.
I've always chosen my nib size based on the kind of writing I'm going to do. If it's something that I am going to need to be legible and very clear, I typically choose a finer nib so the lines don't blur together quite as much and its less likely to smear. If it's writing I'm doing for myself, like journalling, I will typically choose a broader nib because I love how smooth it is. I'm convinced that the Eco and Eco-T are actually exactly the same. I have both and when I get done cleaning them I can't tell which body goes with which cap and knob.
The chapter label about smaller v larger nibs made me think more about the pros and cons between something like a #5 and a #8 nib rather than a fine vs broad nib. Would you be willing to do a follow up next week and answer based on nib sizes rather than nib widths?
To answer your question on 3d printing. The durability can be as sturdy as anything really, it depends on filament, design, thickness etc. Also, on the note of the texture. Depending on resolution of the print is the texture can become very hard to see, if not completely smooth - not too mention that you can go through a finishing process of sanding. As to mass production, it is possible. You do get 3d printing farms that print to a mass scale. So all of these things are actually possible. And with the recent drops in prices in the 3d printing world, I'm keen to see what we get from it. With all that being said, you also have to remember that resin printers are also a thing.
RE: cleaning dip pens - beware, some dip pens (especially vintage) are made of brass. Brass and ammonia (found in Pen Flush) are *NOT friends!* When in doubt - an ultrasonic cleaner with warm soapy water does the trick without damaging the nibs.
We sell tiny (1.5-2 inches) 3-D printed critters for $1.50 each at the children's science center where I work. They all articulate in some way: bees, hippos, alligators, bats, sharks, flamingos, etc. I understand that these can be made in mass on one sheet and then separated out. The kids seem to love them. And...most of the designs we use are made by a high school student!
Hi Guys! Thanks for another great pencast! Watched it on the TV this time. Lots of cool stuff! Hash and eggs are THE BOMB! I am a real fan of Roast Beef hash! Mmmmmmm. Enjoy what is left of your weekends!
pencast q: all warning bells aside, what looks to you to be the most drinkable ink? yep, that's right, I want to know - if it tasted good and there were no bad consequences - what would be the ink you would drink? and what do you think it would taste like?
I've been writing with a broad nib Pelikan -- what a dream! It's a fabulous writing experience. Very generous ink flow and so smooth. Love it! (I know you guys don't sell Pelikans but still)
On the topic of 3d printed fountain pens, my first Goulet order was actually for a pair of Conklin Omni flex nibs and converters for a pair of 3d printed fountain pens I was working on. Unfortunately both pens broke, so yes 3d printed pens can be very fragile depending on the design and filament you use. However I just recently got a much more durable filament that will hopefully work a lot better.
"Grok is drink," if I remember the Heinlein quote properly. Grok means to know so fully, understand so thoroughly, that you essentially merge with the thing or the concept. You become part of what you observe, and it becomes part of you: that is Grok. Brian would have to practice archery for years, to be able to know EXACTLY where the arrow will go when loosed, in order to grok archery in general, or his bow specifically. In terms of ink lasting longer with fine or extra-fine nibs, consider, please, the Kaweco Sport. They told me that with the double-broad nib and a Kaweco converter, I could write a whole letter! They just didn't tell me that that letter was "I." 🤪 Seriously, the Brass Sport has become my favourite pen; I love the mass of the pen (though it would be even better if the centre of mass were about 1 cm closer to the nib when posted). It's in my shoulder bag constantly, and I use it for notes daily at work, at home and on the go. I use a fine or extra-fine nib and I refill the cartridges. It's my most expensive pen, and I will never regret the purchase. I also have two plastic Sports, one with a double-broad nib; they're great for showing off the ink and for when you like to change inks frequently. The fine nib causes a Kaweco cartridge to last longer than I originally expected. Oh, and the half-turn to uncap the Brass model is a sublime experience when capping and uncapping frequently.
It’s so funny you guys talked about custom nib grinds today, as I just ordered my first pen with a custom grind this morning (from Goulet Pens obviously 😜). I got an Esterbrook Estie with a needlepoint nib grind because I write suuuper tiny and sometimes EF isn’t enough. 😅
My husband always laughs about my Mod order; and I just shamelessly grin back, in return. 😁 Mine almost always has white sauce, garlic pesto drizzle; grilled chicken; and, then, the weirdness of cauliflower; broccoli, pineapple, garbanzo beans, bacon, and/or all the cheeses; then, Mike's Hot Honey drizzled on top, after it's baked. 😋
Drew and Brian - I always get the BBQ Chicken Pizza and add roasted corn when we go to Mod Pizza! My husband has them put so much extra meat on his pizza, that I now call his pizza as a "Meat-zza"
I'm sure that I am not alone in this when it comes to Broad vs. Fine nibs, I've always taken the bauhaus view of them in that I want function above form. So if I'm taking notes I enjoy a fine nib, I have a couple of Nakaya's that I see as almost surgical scalpels, just so precise... great for when I want to record things. Yet when I write to family and friends, I love to use a broad or stub nib, just feels so much more relaxed and personable.
My wife had only heard the phrase for the first time the other day when a work colleague was disassembling a desk with a screwdriver and was heard thinking out loud "lefty loosy" and yes, it's righty tighty😂😂
I don't have any personal feelings about the Amalfi, but I knew Drew definitely does, so I hope he felt properly emotionally supported by my response 😉
oh I LOOOVE those body exhibits! I've seen it about three times already! The heavy smell is not great though, but so facinating (i'm very much into anatomy stuff and specially bones, but I can totaly see how it can be weird for "normal" people hahahah)
I haven’t followed 3D printed FPs specifically but one of the interesting things 3D printing enables in manufacturing is making it possible to have one solid piece of material with non-straight hollow sections in it-something that without 3D printing you’d need to make 2 molds and stick them together for. So I wonder if anyone’s trying to design a solid demonstrator pen with an ink chamber that isn’t straight? 🤔 could be interesting!
I asked ChatGPT to write a poem about fountain pen. I find it quite moving and want to share. And thank you guys for helping to nurture my love for this crazy hobby. Ode to the Fountain Pen In slender form, with ink and grace, A fountain pen, poised to embrace, The dance of words upon the page, A timeless tool, both wise and sage. Its nib, a beak that sips the ink, Transforms each thought, each line we think, Into a river, flowing free, Of dreams and letters, poetry. The barrel smooth, a hand’s delight, It glides with ease, in black or white, Or vibrant hues that bloom like spring, A brush that paints what words can bring. No click, no snap, just gentle ease, As thoughts release with artful breeze, A fountain pen, with every stroke, Writes stories, whispers, tales bespoke. In cursive loops or careful script, Through every word, our souls are gripped, For in the ink, a life is drawn, A world is birthed, a dawn is spawned. So here’s to you, dear fountain pen, The writer’s sword, the poet’s friend, In every drop, a universe, Of endless words, our hearts immerse.
Drew - I have seen The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King more times than I can count and every time Aragorn says to the Hobbits "My friends, you bow to no one" I just start sobbing, big fat ugly cry Every single time.
I'm thinking of adding sparkly ink to one of my pens, but I want to be really careful to not clog them in any way because I'm a newbie that isn't familiar with deep cleaning yet. What would be some good gentle shimmering/sheening inks? I only have Emerald of Chivor right now.
Theres resin printers that can do some awesome things. I wonder how that would pan out compared to filament printers. Keep up the good work to everyone at the company!
Brown metal falcon is available in India and I got it earlier this year. Like a non-identical twin for my brown Diplomat Excellence. Guess I like brown pens - Drew.
I've done a lot of language study for work, and have found that I prefer different nib sizes for different languages. Some of my preference is based on a practical necessity of the writing system, but at least half is based on the personality I think of each language having. Japanese characters (EF), Chinese characters (F), Roman alphabet (English, Spanish, etc) (F or M), Burmese characters (B). I only use a ballpoint for the Greek alphabet. No clue why that is!
Looking to add a fine-nibbed pen to my collection. Leaning towards the E95s, but not crazy about the form factor. I have large hands, and already own a Kaweco Sport Brass for a pocket pen. Should I ignore the form factor for the nib/writing experience, or are there other, similarly-priced, larger, options you would recommend? Thanks everyone! (Current pens are the Kaweco in M, Sailor Tuzu Broad, Lamy 2000 M, and a couple vintage Watermen C/F in M)
Dear Brian, thanks for this video. As you mentioned your preference of medium to broad nibs in the past and your recent tendency towards finer nibs. What nib width did you choose with your Pilot Custom Urushi? On the nib nock it seems to be closer to a 823 medium.Thanks a lot Dirk
"Grok" originated in a novel by science fiction writer Robert Heinlein "Stranger in a Strange Land." The novel was a cult classic, and the word "grok" came into common usage, eventually.
Jesus. I have 2000 hot wheels. I was at the store looking at hot wheels, and there was an old timer there too. He was in his 70s, I'm sure. He started talking hotwhhels with me and when I said i had 2000, he snickered and told me he had 20,000 hotwheels. Hes been collecting since the 70's. I play guitar, but not by ear. Here on YT, "24/7 Guitar with Howard Hunt" is a really good channel for guitar learning, for me anyway; he plays very well, not sterile, but with some feel, and he provides onscreen tabs which are a lifesaver. He's worth a look. I think he used to write for Guitar Player magazine. He knows what he's talking about. Great teacher.
You have to try carrot dogs!!!! Brand new vegan has the best recipes. You cook the carrots and marinade them over night and they taste just like a hot dog but it’s a carrot!!!! Our kids love them
Ggrok is from Robert Heinline’s book Stranger in a Strange Land. When I was 16 in 1967, you could get a buttton at science fiction conventions that said, “I grok Spock.”
Hi Brian and Drew, I have 2 questions actually. First question: on the website, is the “in stock” status updated in real time? For example, if someone bought the last of a certain item, does the item immediately show out of stock, or is there a delay? Phrased differently, if I bought a pen that showed in stock, could I be disappointed later to find out it had just gone out of stock 😂? Question two: Brian mentioned seeing a trend that broad nibs are more likely to be purchased on luxury pens, probably with the intention of adding a custom grind. What other purchase trends have you noticed? For example, are autumnal colors really more popular in the fall and pastels in the spring? Do certain items go up in sales around the holidays? Thank you for considering my questions! 😊❤
As to your first question, though Brian & Drew will have more info, I can tell you I once put a pen in my cart (which means it was in stock at the time), then I got busy with other things, and when I came back to make the purchase, I got the notification that the item in my cart was now out of stock.
@@ina_lina ahhh, sorry you missed out on that pen and hope it goes back in stock for you soon! I guess I was wondering more along the lines of: how long after the item sells out does it become impossible to add to cart or check out. For example, could it be possible that the item was already out of stock when you added it to cart, but the website just hadn’t updated the inventory status? Thanks again for sharing your experience! 😊
I always love when a wild grok appears! The term "grok" actually originates from Robert A. Heinlein's science fiction novel "Stranger in a Strange Land," about a human raised on Mars by martians who returns to Earth to learn about his origins. In the novel, the term "grok" means literally "to drink," but is used more frequently to mean "to take in quickly or understand intuitively." It is one of the words he teaches to his human companions, since (at least in English), we don't really have a good single-word term for that concept already.
Sorry for the "um, actually" moment, but I wanted to mention it because I think it's a pretty cool example of a fictional word taking hold in broader modern parlance from what is now a relatively obscure piece of media. Great episode this week!
Just read this and it was fantastic! I grok. We share in the water, Brother.
I appreciate the wild "um actually" reference almost as much as the "grok" reference. 😁
Wow, TIL. I always knew of the term from computer programming, which has a slightly different connotation. See here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok#In_computer_programmer_culture
Also, there's a Unix program called 'grok' that helps to parse and understand files (usually things like log files that define what happened when a program ran). Here's an example grok command:
grok { match => { "message" => [ "pattern1", "pattern2", "patternN" ] } }
So there you go!
If memory serves it also appears in Heinlein’s book “Starship Troopers”
I usually consume the Pencast in audio format, but I specifically pulled this video up to MAKE SURE someone had commented on this! 😅
"Grok" comes from the book 'Stranger in a Strange Land' by Robert Heinlein from 1961. The use in the book it more nuanced than the way we use it in daily langage today, but still a great word. 😊
Such a great word. Great book.
Ooops, I just typed the same thing LOL
Some of us still use it in Heinlein's more nuanced way (he says in a snooty tone of voice).
Azuki is basically mashed red bean paste and sweetened with sugar, and it's a popular filling in Japanese desserts.
The bean is red uncooked, but it's purple once cooked and mashed, hence the ink color :)
😋🥰
Azuki is the name of the bean. Anko is the name of the paste.
Just got a great order today. It was a horrible day, until these beautiful pens and ink showed up to distract and delight me. Thank you! I use my pens for journaling, doodling, and drawing. So I keep a lot of colors inked. That means a new ink color is a treat! 🩵 🖋️ and now a new pencast - a great improvement to the day.
Did i miss something? Absolutely jonesing for my Pencast!❤
Drew was fired from Goulet. No word on why, but the lack of transparency and communication indicates that it was not a mutual parting of ways. Pretty disappointing after almost 150 episodes for them to just go dark.
Love the Haunted Mansion wallpaper shirt, Drew!
“Went over to a friend’s house for dinner, hadn’t seen them in a while. They re-arranged their living room and kitchen and it upset me, but otherwise delightful.” Drew’s relatability on the most random and mundane things we experience as adults brings me so much joy every time 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
First time I watched you guys, I am a subscriber but never watched “Pencast”. Great show. Wonderful chemistry between the two of you. Will return for another episode of “Pencast”
It's a great way to spend a Friday if you have a boring job.
Dear Drew, because of your mention of Esterbrook’s custom nibs on certain Esties, I ended up buying one at the SF Pen Show today! Thanks for the tip!
Yay! I hope you love it! - Drew
I do!! It has one of CY’s nibs and it writes beautifully! Love it!
Great suggestion about retracting the piston on the TWSBI to prevent it from staying behind when you pull off the end. It's such a pain to get back to the proper setting when putting it all back together.
Grok is from Robert a Heinlein “Stranger in a Strange land” it is a term used for total and complete understanding of self and ideas between people and also “water”.
A pencast on Friday evening while chilling at home, AND, with my question in it? Awesome!
I‘m with you Drew, watching Goose die still gets me emotional, even after almost 40 years and watching it at least 25 times.
I’m missing the Pencast. Is everything OK with our friends?
I’be been wondering the same thing 🥺
I had never heard of that term Brian used to describe the meal he prepared for the big family gathering, but now I'm thinking of doing it for Christmas. Yule Brinner anyone? 😂😂
"Grok" as someone has mentioned is from Robert A Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land". Heinlein is one of the "hard" science fiction writers, along with Asimov, Clarke, Pournelle, Niven and others that had grounding in science and math and so were able, IMO, to create more realistic future/alternate worlds.
I keep a repurposed glass jam jar with water at my desk for cleaning my Kakimori nib. Every time I switch inks I swirl the nib in water, wipe it down with a paper towel, and repeat a second and sometimes a third time. I swap out the water for fresh when needed. The jar is ready for me on demand, and its cap protects the rest of my desk from potential unfortunate incidents in-between uses.
I’m going to give a discount to anyone in the vape shop that recognizes you guys 😂😂😂
To your question on 3D printed pen durability:
It all depends on the filament, construction, and printer settings. Brittleness and porosity can be a real issue, but with the right design, right filament, and right settings, it can be extremely durable. After all, dudes are printing blowback submachinegun receivers and Glock frames now. Shoot, in the Air Force, we're printing lots of small parts and grommets, and have good success as long as you've got a good nerd in your unit who's willing to embrace the learning curve.
Resin (SLA) printing also offers a smoother, more precisely formed product than FDM, albeit with more scale and durability concerns.
Thank you for demonstrating the swap with the Ecos. I was planning on doing this with my pens.
I use an old jar and/or small pill bottle with water and a small towel for dip pen cleaning, keep one with fresh water for rinsing if you’re using a lot of different inks, no need to keep getting up. I keep one of these vessels with a small cloth or napkins at the bottom to let the nibs dry.
Bacon used to come in 1-pound (16 oz) packages. A lot of the major producers shrunk the amount of the bacon to 12-oz but kept the packaging about the same size, also kept the cost the same as the 16-oz package. Similar to what has happened throughout the packaged food "world", especially the dry foods like cereal and snack foods. The external package remains about the same size, but what's inside is a few ounces less than what used to be in there. So, in the end, you get less product for more cost. I always look at cost per unit before I plunk down the bucks and I only buy bacon when I can see both sides of the slab. I don't like paying for fat.
Thank you very much for your comments on the 3d printed pens 😊Loved the show!
Short Question: would you carry the glitter potion Heart (pink shimmer)?
Long question: will we see a series of Janéa mixing inks with the glitter potions? If not in video format, maybe a post series just showing some formulas?
I have been obsessively watching Goulet pens videos for the past couple of months, in the quest for my first fountain pen(s).
First of all: thanks for all the info! Truly helpful stuff.
Second, the reason why I want fountain penS (plural), is to draw.
When inking a drawing, most people focus on the blackest black. Which we have plenty of discussions about.
BUT. Very often, I'm caught using my trusty WHITE uniball signo. Which has a very thick point, for detailed work. It is also the most opaque white pen out there.
So, here's the challenge I would like to raise for Drew, as a video suggestion:
find the most opaque white ink for fountain pens, that will show well after dried on a black paper, or on top of black ink (like noodlers black or carbon black), without smudging, and which will work well with fine and extra-fine nibs.
I have yet to find a video that does that!!!
There is a niche of people looking for that, I swear!
:)
Why did they fire Drew?
Doubt it ... see the current meet the team. Drew still there.
"Is that not meat? Is it just meat that's being printed?"
"I don't know..."
And that was the most Turkey Hammock conclusion, another great episode guys!
😆
The word grok is originally from a very well loved science fiction book Stranger in a Strange Land.
I have the BENU Talisman Lavender pen. I spritz a little bit of lavender pillow spray into the cap to keep the scent fresh. 🪻
Grok comes from Robert A. Heinlein’s classic science fiction “Stranger in a Strange Land. To grok is to understand deeply, to the point of merging with a subject.
I got into this hobby reverse. I bought a bottle of Ferris wheel ink, then a dip pen, then fountain pens. I’m a junk journaler (Think ia scrapbookand diary had a baby). Bought the ink for my backgrounds in my journals.
Hahaha Drews face when Brian mentioned they had 14 people in their house ❤️
I probably had a similar expression 😂😂😂
Thank you for answering my question about how to clean dip pens. I mostly use the fountain inks with glass dip pens & Sailor . I also have a couple calligraphy pens so your answers are very helpful.
“Grok’ means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of the observed-to merge, blend, intermarry, lose identity in group experience. It means almost everything that we mean by religion, philosophy, and science-and it means as little to us as a color means to a blind man.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land
A day early for the pencast? Nice.
😂😂😂😂😂
My adult daughter, told me I had enough fountain pens. 😮 I told her I especially enjoy buying from Goulet Pens because it’s more like a family business. I reminded her that you all add the tootsie pop! Now she agreed I need more fountain pens! I have complied, I bought a Back to the Land pen and 2Go pen case! 😂
Oh, dear. I love the Pencast, but this week, I winced the way I did back when y'all tried to figure out the significance of the number 42. "Grok" is a word invented by Heinlein in the book "Stranger in a Strange Land". It means an intense degree of empathy, to the point of literally merging with others. Well, mostly, anyway. It's...complicated. Seriously one of the best books of all time, though, imo.
My favorite pen packaging is the Kaweco tins. They're great for storing so much small stuff -- knitting notions, chap stick, glasses cleaning cloths, ink cartridges, spare change, etc. I also like the TWSBI Eco, Eco-T, and 580 boxes. I mostly keep those to ship any used pens that I gift or sell in to protect them. The Conklin All American boxes also make a nice presentation for a usually relatively cheaper-ish pen. For pens I don't own, I also really like the Namiki Emperor boxes. When I was younger, I used to have similar shaped and sized empty wine boxes that I stored art supplies, journals, and other things in.
Thanks for the Eco and Eco T guts swap! I can't believe that never occurred to me! But now that you showed it, I'm definitely going to do it. I don't *hate* the Eco-T grip, but I have a weird grip, and I don't love it, either. On the other hand, the regular Eco grip is one of my absolute favorites. I'm going to switch some of them, and gift the ones with the changed out Eco-T grips to pen friends who don't mind -- or even prefer -- the Eco-T grip section.
Hahaha a day early, I just placed my second ordered for this year from yall yesterday,"( from srilanka)
🎉🎉🎉🎉 wohoooooo🎉🎉😂😂
Brown is right. Scent is the release of VOCs (volatile organic compounds, typically esters). Once they’ve evaporated you need more. That’s what happens when you sand fragrant wood. 12:24
Anxiously waiting for the new upload :-)) ❤❤ august 30th :-)
Me toooooooo
Eeepp episode 148 🎉🎉🎉
Happy Friday All 😊
So question for Brian, Drew and chat: it seems that inks like Nitrogen get a lot of praise and I certainly love the look of Nitrogen/Polar glow, similar sheen inks. However, I find that no matter what paper or pen/nib size I use, the ink smudges and gets on my hands days, weeks, and even months later. How do you all preserve your more smudgy inks for archival journaling/note taking?
As an illustrator, my Twsbi broad nib is the most versatile pen I have. I can create line variation, turning the nib upside down I can achieve a thinner line. I can also block in blacks quickly with the wet broad nib.
Happy weekend! I like the Kaweco steel tins. They can be used for so many things.
'Grok' is a Richard Heinlein reference.
Grok comes from Robert Heinlein's `Stranger in a Strange Land'. Great Science Fiction!
I've always chosen my nib size based on the kind of writing I'm going to do. If it's something that I am going to need to be legible and very clear, I typically choose a finer nib so the lines don't blur together quite as much and its less likely to smear. If it's writing I'm doing for myself, like journalling, I will typically choose a broader nib because I love how smooth it is.
I'm convinced that the Eco and Eco-T are actually exactly the same. I have both and when I get done cleaning them I can't tell which body goes with which cap and knob.
Thank you for demonstrating the body/grip swap on the TWSBIs! I have been considering buying an ECO-T to do just that but wasn't sure if it'd work.
The chapter label about smaller v larger nibs made me think more about the pros and cons between something like a #5 and a #8 nib rather than a fine vs broad nib. Would you be willing to do a follow up next week and answer based on nib sizes rather than nib widths?
To answer your question on 3d printing. The durability can be as sturdy as anything really, it depends on filament, design, thickness etc. Also, on the note of the texture. Depending on resolution of the print is the texture can become very hard to see, if not completely smooth - not too mention that you can go through a finishing process of sanding. As to mass production, it is possible. You do get 3d printing farms that print to a mass scale. So all of these things are actually possible. And with the recent drops in prices in the 3d printing world, I'm keen to see what we get from it. With all that being said, you also have to remember that resin printers are also a thing.
RE: cleaning dip pens - beware, some dip pens (especially vintage) are made of brass. Brass and ammonia (found in Pen Flush) are *NOT friends!*
When in doubt - an ultrasonic cleaner with warm soapy water does the trick without damaging the nibs.
We sell tiny (1.5-2 inches) 3-D printed critters for $1.50 each at the children's science center where I work. They all articulate in some way: bees, hippos, alligators, bats, sharks, flamingos, etc. I understand that these can be made in mass on one sheet and then separated out. The kids seem to love them. And...most of the designs we use are made by a high school student!
Hi Guys! Thanks for another great pencast! Watched it on the TV this time. Lots of cool stuff! Hash and eggs are THE BOMB! I am a real fan of Roast Beef hash! Mmmmmmm. Enjoy what is left of your weekends!
pencast q: all warning bells aside, what looks to you to be the most drinkable ink? yep, that's right, I want to know - if it tasted good and there were no bad consequences - what would be the ink you would drink? and what do you think it would taste like?
I've been writing with a broad nib Pelikan -- what a dream! It's a fabulous writing experience. Very generous ink flow and so smooth. Love it! (I know you guys don't sell Pelikans but still)
Just had corned beef hash and coffee yesterday got breakfast! Love the pen cast as usual!
Drew, your movie poster idea sounds amazing!
Hope you all have a great week, take care
Maybe some out of focus noted, but Drew’s shirts are always spectacular, so it all evens out ~~~~~
TWSBI FRECO. you guys crack me up
Red Bean reminds me of red bean mochis. 🥰
Now, I'm tempted to stop by the Downtown Seattle Uwajimaya, on my commute home, to grab a pack. 😋
On the topic of 3d printed fountain pens, my first Goulet order was actually for a pair of Conklin Omni flex nibs and converters for a pair of 3d printed fountain pens I was working on. Unfortunately both pens broke, so yes 3d printed pens can be very fragile depending on the design and filament you use. However I just recently got a much more durable filament that will hopefully work a lot better.
Drew, I can relate. I’m 53 and I tear up at the opening credits/music for Legends of the Fall even though I’ve watched it many, many times. 😉😢
I just ordered the Sailor Hacoro dip pens yesterday, along with some fun inks! I didn’t know about the pen flush, I’ll have to check it out.
"Grok is drink," if I remember the Heinlein quote properly. Grok means to know so fully, understand so thoroughly, that you essentially merge with the thing or the concept. You become part of what you observe, and it becomes part of you: that is Grok. Brian would have to practice archery for years, to be able to know EXACTLY where the arrow will go when loosed, in order to grok archery in general, or his bow specifically.
In terms of ink lasting longer with fine or extra-fine nibs, consider, please, the Kaweco Sport. They told me that with the double-broad nib and a Kaweco converter, I could write a whole letter! They just didn't tell me that that letter was "I." 🤪
Seriously, the Brass Sport has become my favourite pen; I love the mass of the pen (though it would be even better if the centre of mass were about 1 cm closer to the nib when posted). It's in my shoulder bag constantly, and I use it for notes daily at work, at home and on the go. I use a fine or extra-fine nib and I refill the cartridges. It's my most expensive pen, and I will never regret the purchase. I also have two plastic Sports, one with a double-broad nib; they're great for showing off the ink and for when you like to change inks frequently. The fine nib causes a Kaweco cartridge to last longer than I originally expected. Oh, and the half-turn to uncap the Brass model is a sublime experience when capping and uncapping frequently.
Great pencast...AS ALWAYS. thank you!
It’s so funny you guys talked about custom nib grinds today, as I just ordered my first pen with a custom grind this morning (from Goulet Pens obviously 😜). I got an Esterbrook Estie with a needlepoint nib grind because I write suuuper tiny and sometimes EF isn’t enough. 😅
My husband always laughs about my Mod order; and I just shamelessly grin back, in return. 😁
Mine almost always has white sauce, garlic pesto drizzle; grilled chicken; and, then, the weirdness of cauliflower; broccoli, pineapple, garbanzo beans, bacon, and/or all the cheeses; then, Mike's Hot Honey drizzled on top, after it's baked. 😋
At work I have a small bin that I put absorbing paper towel into to catch any liquids if I need to do ink changes/pen cleaning on the run in my office
Drew and Brian - I always get the BBQ Chicken Pizza and add roasted corn when we go to Mod Pizza! My husband has them put so much extra meat on his pizza, that I now call his pizza as a "Meat-zza"
I'm sure that I am not alone in this when it comes to Broad vs. Fine nibs, I've always taken the bauhaus view of them in that I want function above form. So if I'm taking notes I enjoy a fine nib, I have a couple of Nakaya's that I see as almost surgical scalpels, just so precise... great for when I want to record things. Yet when I write to family and friends, I love to use a broad or stub nib, just feels so much more relaxed and personable.
Oh, Drew….it’s lefty loosey, righty tighty. 😁😂🤣
I think he's making the joke that its the opposite for taking the knob off of the Eco because it has reverse threads
My wife had only heard the phrase for the first time the other day when a work colleague was disassembling a desk with a screwdriver and was heard thinking out loud "lefty loosy" and yes, it's righty tighty😂😂
@@elliward283 Depends on which way you look at the pen.
Haha, corn on pizza is totally normal here in San Francisco during the summer season, and it’s the best!!
My favourite pizza from the local place is a pesto chicken - and it has corn on it. Super yummy!
I don't have any personal feelings about the Amalfi, but I knew Drew definitely does, so I hope he felt properly emotionally supported by my response 😉
oh I LOOOVE those body exhibits! I've seen it about three times already! The heavy smell is not great though, but so facinating (i'm very much into anatomy stuff and specially bones, but I can totaly see how it can be weird for "normal" people hahahah)
Got a fude a couple of months ago and I cannot stop using it. Why is this nib not often mentioned?
I just got a Model 1 from Platypus Pens! It’s very good quality so far (I’ve had it for a couple days.)
I haven’t followed 3D printed FPs specifically but one of the interesting things 3D printing enables in manufacturing is making it possible to have one solid piece of material with non-straight hollow sections in it-something that without 3D printing you’d need to make 2 molds and stick them together for. So I wonder if anyone’s trying to design a solid demonstrator pen with an ink chamber that isn’t straight? 🤔 could be interesting!
I asked ChatGPT to write a poem about fountain pen. I find it quite moving and want to share. And thank you guys for helping to nurture my love for this crazy hobby.
Ode to the Fountain Pen
In slender form, with ink and grace,
A fountain pen, poised to embrace,
The dance of words upon the page,
A timeless tool, both wise and sage.
Its nib, a beak that sips the ink,
Transforms each thought, each line we think,
Into a river, flowing free,
Of dreams and letters, poetry.
The barrel smooth, a hand’s delight,
It glides with ease, in black or white,
Or vibrant hues that bloom like spring,
A brush that paints what words can bring.
No click, no snap, just gentle ease,
As thoughts release with artful breeze,
A fountain pen, with every stroke,
Writes stories, whispers, tales bespoke.
In cursive loops or careful script,
Through every word, our souls are gripped,
For in the ink, a life is drawn,
A world is birthed, a dawn is spawned.
So here’s to you, dear fountain pen,
The writer’s sword, the poet’s friend,
In every drop, a universe,
Of endless words, our hearts immerse.
Drew - I have seen The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King more times than I can count and every time Aragorn says to the Hobbits "My friends, you bow to no one" I just start sobbing, big fat ugly cry Every single time.
Looking at the ECO-swaps, I also have a four-finger grip, and I like the ECO-T. Each to their own :)
I'm thinking of adding sparkly ink to one of my pens, but I want to be really careful to not clog them in any way because I'm a newbie that isn't familiar with deep cleaning yet. What would be some good gentle shimmering/sheening inks? I only have Emerald of Chivor right now.
Theres resin printers that can do some awesome things. I wonder how that would pan out compared to filament printers. Keep up the good work to everyone at the company!
Brown metal falcon is available in India and I got it earlier this year. Like a non-identical twin for my brown Diplomat Excellence. Guess I like brown pens - Drew.
On the subject of smelled. Do you know of any essential oils that could be safely added to fountain pen inks to make at home scented inks?
I've done a lot of language study for work, and have found that I prefer different nib sizes for different languages. Some of my preference is based on a practical necessity of the writing system, but at least half is based on the personality I think of each language having.
Japanese characters (EF), Chinese characters (F), Roman alphabet (English, Spanish, etc) (F or M), Burmese characters (B).
I only use a ballpoint for the Greek alphabet. No clue why that is!
Looking to add a fine-nibbed pen to my collection. Leaning towards the E95s, but not crazy about the form factor. I have large hands, and already own a Kaweco Sport Brass for a pocket pen. Should I ignore the form factor for the nib/writing experience, or are there other, similarly-priced, larger, options you would recommend? Thanks everyone! (Current pens are the Kaweco in M, Sailor Tuzu Broad, Lamy 2000 M, and a couple vintage Watermen C/F in M)
Dear Brian, thanks for this video. As you mentioned your preference of medium to broad nibs in the past and your recent tendency towards finer nibs. What nib width did you choose with your Pilot Custom Urushi? On the nib nock it seems to be closer to a 823 medium.Thanks a lot Dirk
Bought last week a vintage Waterman with L nib. It is like a broad nib
"Grok" originated in a novel by science fiction writer Robert Heinlein "Stranger in a Strange Land." The novel was a cult classic, and the word "grok" came into common usage, eventually.
I just wanted to say that my Benu lavender still smells, I however made sure to always use the same ink and not was it often
Jesus. I have 2000 hot wheels. I was at the store looking at hot wheels, and there was an old timer there too. He was in his 70s, I'm sure. He started talking hotwhhels with me and when I said i had 2000, he snickered and told me he had 20,000 hotwheels. Hes been collecting since the 70's. I play guitar, but not by ear. Here on YT, "24/7 Guitar with Howard Hunt" is a really good channel for guitar learning, for me anyway; he plays very well, not sterile, but with some feel, and he provides onscreen tabs which are a lifesaver. He's worth a look. I think he used to write for Guitar Player magazine. He knows what he's talking about. Great teacher.
Can we get Hypothetical With Drew back?
Corn on pizza is a huge thing in Japan. I have yet to try it myself, but I may have to now.
Corn pizza. It’s got the juice! 🌽 🍕
I've always thought that what Rachel didn't like was the metal grip on the Diamond 580 AL R
Brinner! I love it!
You have to try carrot dogs!!!! Brand new vegan has the best recipes. You cook the carrots and marinade them over night and they taste just like a hot dog but it’s a carrot!!!! Our kids love them
Hi, you recogniced that you were locking for the triangle-grip on the yellow eco and not on the purple eco-t ? 🤣
Ggrok is from Robert Heinline’s book Stranger in a Strange Land. When I was 16 in 1967, you could get a buttton at science fiction conventions that said, “I grok Spock.”
Hi Brian and Drew, I have 2 questions actually. First question: on the website, is the “in stock” status updated in real time? For example, if someone bought the last of a certain item, does the item immediately show out of stock, or is there a delay? Phrased differently, if I bought a pen that showed in stock, could I be disappointed later to find out it had just gone out of stock 😂? Question two: Brian mentioned seeing a trend that broad nibs are more likely to be purchased on luxury pens, probably with the intention of adding a custom grind. What other purchase trends have you noticed? For example, are autumnal colors really more popular in the fall and pastels in the spring? Do certain items go up in sales around the holidays? Thank you for considering my questions! 😊❤
As to your first question, though Brian & Drew will have more info, I can tell you I once put a pen in my cart (which means it was in stock at the time), then I got busy with other things, and when I came back to make the purchase, I got the notification that the item in my cart was now out of stock.
@@ina_lina ahhh, sorry you missed out on that pen and hope it goes back in stock for you soon! I guess I was wondering more along the lines of: how long after the item sells out does it become impossible to add to cart or check out. For example, could it be possible that the item was already out of stock when you added it to cart, but the website just hadn’t updated the inventory status? Thanks again for sharing your experience! 😊
Limited ed Monte’s. Just look at the Stradivarius box,beautiful.