Finding the right pen for Baystate Blue is essential. I've paired it permanently (pun intended) with my Faber Castell Loom, and I just love that ink now that I have a safe pen to put it in. It is always inked and I use it every day.
I just checked and he has other Piuma models available (ebonite versions). If there is a particular pen in a certain material you are wanting you just need to keep checking his site. Stuff sells out then he'll replenish after a bit. He's a smaller maker so it takes a little bit for things to get back into stock
I got a sample of Baystate Blue out of curiosity. It stained the glass pen. :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing: The (water) chromatography I did of it and it is the weirdest thing. It's monochrome, and didn't travel very far.
Do you really notice a difference between them so much so you don;t like Bock nibs at all? If I had a properly tuned JoWo & Bock medium nib side by side to compare writing feel I don't think I could tell any difference at all. I did a blindfolded nib test with a bunch of members of the Vancouver Pen Club with gold VS steel and the results were very interesting! th-cam.com/video/FggDWfZmXNM/w-d-xo.html
@@Doodlebud I watched that video, I agree with you, for me it is not about the performance of the nib, I am sure a Bock nib can be great if well tuned, for me is more about compatibility, do you remember about that principle one cool knowledgeable guy on TH-cam once said?: “one pen, many nibs” ;) Pens with Jowo nibs are just so versatile. Ensso pens are awesome, but imagine if they used Jowo nibs and being able to buy an Ensso pen with a nice nib and then be able to swap the nib with other incredible custom nibs based on Jowo nibs from other people such as Franklin Christoph and many others 🤷🏻 Imagine the Ensso Urushi with a #6 14K Jowo nib and then if one day I wake up flexy I swap it with a Crossflex nib 😍🔥🔥🔥
Just go mine, which I immediately eyedroppered. 5 min later, it leaked in the middle of a meeting and dripped blobs all over the conference table. Not sure what I did wrong; I assumed there were built in o-rings for this 😂
I intended to order the pocket version of this an accidentally ordered the full size-and I’m really glad I did! It feels great in the hand and has nice feedback that feels different from my other pens. The only downside of this full size one is it does not post well, so it doesn’t make as good of an EDC pen as the pocket version.
I recently acquired an ensso, but it is a pocket pen. It seems to write quite differently from yours; although the nib looks the same, it writes very dry, even with a normally wet ink. I think it may need some work.
If you have a black nib that seems to happen somtimes. I just had that happen on a different pen fitted with a black nock nib. I show how I fixed it in the video th-cam.com/video/eIiapMGesbw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=OQuWiq-svj_WrIvk
Ive been just putting Baystate Blue in all my pens. Im not really worried about the blue tint they have picked up. I am getting a new pen for my red ink I'm buying, more to keep it easily separated.
Piuma Pocket in Ultem is one of my favourite pens, even though I didn't expect much from it - it was only supposed to be a cheaper alternative to a Schon DSGN Ultem pen for me. And now it's one of the very few pens that I always keep inked. Usually as an eyedropper - no issues so far.
I am curious if you have seen that ultem and titanium pen that has popped up on aliexpress for around $30-$40. Mostly I would love to know how it compares quality-wise.
I've got one. The build quality is solid. Overall I feel pretty favorably about it. I've got some gripes about the design, but those are mostly preference. - the step from body to section is pretty sharp. The long section helps though - I wish the cap posted deeper. It's secure, but it makes the pen feel too long. At least it's light so the balance is ok + Nice Schmidt nib. The first I've tried, and I'm impressed. + Capping and uncapping feels good with the o ring. Seems like it seals very well too. + No metal parts in the body, should be good for eyedroppering - I wish the nib was black. + Cap and body are very close to flush when closed. I can feel a tiny difference, but it is invisible + The parker-style "jewel" on the barrel is charming + Chunky square threads are cooler than normal triangle threads - the grooves on the sides of the cap seem too modern for the classic shape of the pen, what with a flat top, tapered barrel, and jewel. For some reason the clip doesn't bother me the same way, despite also being pretty modern I've also got the PIUMA pocket, which I liked so much I got both the ebonite and ultem. I've got no complaints about the design; it's pretty much perfectly to my taste (helps that I love pocket pens). The PIUMA pocket is in my top 5 pens, in a pretty extensive collection. If you can spring for one, I highly recommend it. The aliexpress pen is worth $30. The PIUMA pocket is a steal for $95
Peek also works for troublesome inks. I have this pen, and also an ultem by gravitas and schon dsgn. Love them all. I had BSB in a dedicated platinum century 3776 for years. I (after 5 or 6 years of constant inkling) cleaned out the pen with dilute bleach and replaced the converter. The Pen is good as new. Presumably, the alcohol is not good for the nib unit of the ultem pen?
Alcohol's downfall is that it softens/deteriorates Ebonite... which can be found in many (though NOT all) feeds. Getting used to differentiating from an Ebonite feed to other materials will help you just know which pens not to clean with alcohol... Most of the time, a pen/company will proudly state "EBONITE" when they do use it, but there are a few that take a little more research to read it up and confirm it, but I'm sure there's a reasonable "field test" or "rule of thumb" that can also keep you out of trouble... I WILL go out on the limb and openly admit that I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ENSSO USES IN ANY OF THEIR FEEDS... SO that's on whomever buys the pens. ;o)
I wonder if anyone is manufacturing a Ranga sized pen in this material. Considering the weight and strength of the material it would be an interesting concept.
Hi DB!: Those Ensso pens are quite interesting!! Glad to see you took the bold move and put Baystate Blue in it! I wouldn't eyedropper that stuff either!
I have been interested in getting a pen that will eyedropper. This pen seems perfect, O ring aside. Generous amount of silicone grease should help. I have heard so many horror stories about Baystate Blue ink. This Ultem plastic seems to be affected by it. Was there any residual staining in the section? The price with your discount makes this pen worthy of consideration. Thank you for your review.
i have been eyedroppering my titanium pocket piuma without any leaking or burping issues. i did change the oring to a 8mm x 1.5mm and with silicon grease .
Thanks for continuing to hammer home the point about the Higbee cut/blunt start thread. They really need to pay attention to what you're saying and at the very least implement this on the Piuma Pocket, because it threads to post. It's not such a big problem at the grip section, because the length of the grip doesn't really allow the cap to tilt much, but at the back it threads on perfectly every time, half the time.
1. After years of promoting Baystate Blue, I knocked over the bottle and spilled a good 40ml of it. I no longer think it is worth the hassle, even though it is the best blue. The second best is hereby good enough. 2. Gentle reminder that Himself says clean with 10% bleach.
@meshzzizk Stains are stains!!!!! Not with Baystate Blue LOL Its on a very different level. @ichirofakename Not gonna lie... hearing that you spilled some BSB make me smirk a little bit LOL. I know you've been a big advocate for the ink but now have seen its full wrath! And yes I know about the bleach but not as much of a fan of that method as its not so good for seals.
Good looking pen, thanks for the review. I have a request, Doodlebud: There are so many exciting ink manufacturers and inks on the market - would it be possible to simply stop talking about the antisemite? Just leave that man to rot in his own fat, please.
i've always loved the color of ultem (ultem jazz iii's are a very popular guitar pick and i associate the translucent amberish hue with my lost heavy metal youth). But after watching this video I'm wondering why you didn't title it "The Perfect Ink for Staining Your Piss-Colored Pen Blue - Just Don't Get Alcohol On It!"
It looks like it's been sitting in the sun for 10 years or a phone TPU case thats been used for 5 years
I am glad someone else feels this way as well. You cant stain a pen that looks stained already 😂😂
Yeah, but if ya know... ya know.
It reminds me of the rubber hose that was commonly used on stethoscopes many years ago.
Yea, it just looks soo dirty.
Finding the right pen for Baystate Blue is essential. I've paired it permanently (pun intended) with my Faber Castell Loom, and I just love that ink now that I have a safe pen to put it in. It is always inked and I use it every day.
If I ever buy Bay State Blue I’ll pair it with a sacrificial TWSBI Go or Kaweco Sport and call it a day.
Wouldnt you know I've been wondering what pen I should dedicate to my bottle of Baystate Blue. Might just look into this one
As of today (August 7, 2024) the Piuma is not listed on Ensso's website. How to buy?
I just checked and he has other Piuma models available (ebonite versions). If there is a particular pen in a certain material you are wanting you just need to keep checking his site. Stuff sells out then he'll replenish after a bit. He's a smaller maker so it takes a little bit for things to get back into stock
I got a sample of Baystate Blue out of curiosity. It stained the glass pen. :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing:
The (water) chromatography I did of it and it is the weirdest thing. It's monochrome, and didn't travel very far.
Ensso pens are a great option, I just wish he would start using Jowo nibs. That is basically what is stopping me from buying his pens.
Do you really notice a difference between them so much so you don;t like Bock nibs at all? If I had a properly tuned JoWo & Bock medium nib side by side to compare writing feel I don't think I could tell any difference at all. I did a blindfolded nib test with a bunch of members of the Vancouver Pen Club with gold VS steel and the results were very interesting!
th-cam.com/video/FggDWfZmXNM/w-d-xo.html
@@Doodlebud I watched that video, I agree with you, for me it is not about the performance of the nib, I am sure a Bock nib can be great if well tuned, for me is more about compatibility, do you remember about that principle one cool knowledgeable guy on TH-cam once said?: “one pen, many nibs” ;) Pens with Jowo nibs are just so versatile. Ensso pens are awesome, but imagine if they used Jowo nibs and being able to buy an Ensso pen with a nice nib and then be able to swap the nib with other incredible custom nibs based on Jowo nibs from other people such as Franklin Christoph and many others 🤷🏻 Imagine the Ensso Urushi with a #6 14K Jowo nib and then if one day I wake up flexy I swap it with a Crossflex nib 😍🔥🔥🔥
Have you tried putting the Pilot Parallel nib/feed into the section? Looking for something smaller than the Opus88 to put a parallel nib into.
Just go mine, which I immediately eyedroppered. 5 min later, it leaked in the middle of a meeting and dripped blobs all over the conference table. Not sure what I did wrong; I assumed there were built in o-rings for this 😂
I intended to order the pocket version of this an accidentally ordered the full size-and I’m really glad I did! It feels great in the hand and has nice feedback that feels different from my other pens. The only downside of this full size one is it does not post well, so it doesn’t make as good of an EDC pen as the pocket version.
I have the pocket in aluminum, titanium, Ultem & ebonite. All are fantastic 👍
I recently acquired an ensso, but it is a pocket pen. It seems to write quite differently from yours; although the nib looks the same, it writes very dry, even with a normally wet ink. I think it may need some work.
If you have a black nib that seems to happen somtimes. I just had that happen on a different pen fitted with a black nock nib. I show how I fixed it in the video
th-cam.com/video/eIiapMGesbw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=OQuWiq-svj_WrIvk
I'm currently looking at getting a new fountain pen been eyeing up a twisbi with a fine nib
Ive been just putting Baystate Blue in all my pens. Im not really worried about the blue tint they have picked up.
I am getting a new pen for my red ink I'm buying, more to keep it easily separated.
Piuma Pocket in Ultem is one of my favourite pens, even though I didn't expect much from it - it was only supposed to be a cheaper alternative to a Schon DSGN Ultem pen for me. And now it's one of the very few pens that I always keep inked. Usually as an eyedropper - no issues so far.
He makes some great stuff for a pretty good price!
I am curious if you have seen that ultem and titanium pen that has popped up on aliexpress for around $30-$40. Mostly I would love to know how it compares quality-wise.
I've got one. The build quality is solid. Overall I feel pretty favorably about it. I've got some gripes about the design, but those are mostly preference.
- the step from body to section is pretty sharp. The long section helps though
- I wish the cap posted deeper. It's secure, but it makes the pen feel too long. At least it's light so the balance is ok
+ Nice Schmidt nib. The first I've tried, and I'm impressed.
+ Capping and uncapping feels good with the o ring. Seems like it seals very well too.
+ No metal parts in the body, should be good for eyedroppering
- I wish the nib was black.
+ Cap and body are very close to flush when closed. I can feel a tiny difference, but it is invisible
+ The parker-style "jewel" on the barrel is charming
+ Chunky square threads are cooler than normal triangle threads
- the grooves on the sides of the cap seem too modern for the classic shape of the pen, what with a flat top, tapered barrel, and jewel. For some reason the clip doesn't bother me the same way, despite also being pretty modern
I've also got the PIUMA pocket, which I liked so much I got both the ebonite and ultem. I've got no complaints about the design; it's pretty much perfectly to my taste (helps that I love pocket pens). The PIUMA pocket is in my top 5 pens, in a pretty extensive collection. If you can spring for one, I highly recommend it. The aliexpress pen is worth $30. The PIUMA pocket is a steal for $95
I've just seen the pics of them and from what I could see there were a few things I wasn't a fan of, but thats just me
@@youngwaverer7303 Thank you for the in-depth answer, I really appreciate it!
I picked up one for
Peek also works for troublesome inks. I have this pen, and also an ultem by gravitas and schon dsgn. Love them all. I had BSB in a dedicated platinum century 3776 for years. I (after 5 or 6 years of constant inkling) cleaned out the pen with dilute bleach and replaced the converter. The Pen is good as new. Presumably, the alcohol is not good for the nib unit of the ultem pen?
Alcohol's downfall is that it softens/deteriorates Ebonite... which can be found in many (though NOT all) feeds. Getting used to differentiating from an Ebonite feed to other materials will help you just know which pens not to clean with alcohol... Most of the time, a pen/company will proudly state "EBONITE" when they do use it, but there are a few that take a little more research to read it up and confirm it, but I'm sure there's a reasonable "field test" or "rule of thumb" that can also keep you out of trouble...
I WILL go out on the limb and openly admit that I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ENSSO USES IN ANY OF THEIR FEEDS... SO that's on whomever buys the pens. ;o)
I’ve eyedroppered my ensso pocket piuma in ultem and it was just fine. I always throw a dab of silicone grease just for extra safety.
I wonder if anyone is manufacturing a Ranga sized pen in this material. Considering the weight and strength of the material it would be an interesting concept.
I agree and in fact some months back had asked Ranga folks to consider using Ultem and they replied they are considering it for future...
Hi DB!: Those Ensso pens are quite interesting!! Glad to see you took the bold move and put Baystate Blue in it! I wouldn't eyedropper that stuff either!
Thank you for the review, am new to ultem and your video helped me understand.
I have been interested in getting a pen that will eyedropper. This pen seems perfect, O ring aside. Generous amount of silicone grease should help.
I have heard so many horror stories about Baystate Blue ink. This Ultem plastic seems to be affected by it. Was there any residual staining in the section?
The price with your discount makes this pen worthy of consideration.
Thank you for your review.
If you unscrew the nib unit you can get in a clean out an residual ink
Dooooodlebud!
Have you tried polishing any of your ultem? I think it looks nice but many manufacturers don’t as it adds cost
Not yet. If I were to polish it I'd like to do it via vapor polishing
I always have to wear gloves with Noodler's just because of the ink level. The only time I didn't, my hands were blue for quite some time.
It will getcha!
Any guitarists here? Jim Dunlop Ultex plectrums, same material?
lol just mentioned this another comment. i used ultem jazz iiis for years. i also really recommend trying one of BHL Guitar Picks ultem models
i have been eyedroppering my titanium pocket piuma without any leaking or burping issues. i did change the oring to a 8mm x 1.5mm and with silicon grease .
Good to know :)
I just use Diamine Sargasso Sea. It’s the closest of any blue to Baystate Blue without the anxiety!
Love that ink!
Thanks for continuing to hammer home the point about the Higbee cut/blunt start thread. They really need to pay attention to what you're saying and at the very least implement this on the Piuma Pocket, because it threads to post. It's not such a big problem at the grip section, because the length of the grip doesn't really allow the cap to tilt much, but at the back it threads on perfectly every time, half the time.
There's a reason they use it on a fire hydrant, no time for threads not engaging
1. After years of promoting Baystate Blue, I knocked over the bottle and spilled a good 40ml of it. I no longer think it is worth the hassle, even though it is the best blue. The second best is hereby good enough.
2. Gentle reminder that Himself says clean with 10% bleach.
is spilled bay state blue any different from any other permanent ink one might spill, tho? stains are stains, at least it's a nice color
@meshzzizk Stains are stains!!!!! Not with Baystate Blue LOL Its on a very different level.
@ichirofakename Not gonna lie... hearing that you spilled some BSB make me smirk a little bit LOL. I know you've been a big advocate for the ink but now have seen its full wrath! And yes I know about the bleach but not as much of a fan of that method as its not so good for seals.
Thanks for sharing! I have some friends that use the pocket Ultem Piuma as an eyedropper pen with no issues.
I had big burp issue with a different eyedropper a while back and have been gun shy ever since
@@Doodlebud I know the feeling. My Opus 88 threw up all over a paper and I've not eye droppered a pen since then.
Good looking pen, thanks for the review.
I have a request, Doodlebud: There are so many exciting ink manufacturers and inks on the market - would it be possible to simply stop talking about the antisemite? Just leave that man to rot in his own fat, please.
i've always loved the color of ultem (ultem jazz iii's are a very popular guitar pick and i associate the translucent amberish hue with my lost heavy metal youth). But after watching this video I'm wondering why you didn't title it "The Perfect Ink for Staining Your Piss-Colored Pen Blue - Just Don't Get Alcohol On It!"
If I'm gonna go that angle I think "Who pissed on my pen?" would be a little more catchy
What are you?? Chicken? Yellow? Come on, put your big boy trousers on and start eyedropperingggg…. (
I've had one pen burp bigtime on me and it was a mess... a little gun shy since then 😳