Fountain Pen Ink Review: Cozy Comforts by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × micahfinds

In the previous two years during the pandemic, we saw pen companies and brands come up with new and exciting products that kept most of us—including me—entertained and motivated at the same time. It's always inspiring and moving when people work together to bring out excellent products for others to enjoy. Products from such partnerships are not only well-crafted and full of details, they are designed from the heart with their intended users in mind. 

One such product is the most recent ink set from Robert Oster Signature that the most creative @micahfinds designed for EndlessPens. Cozy Comforts, a six-color fountain pen ink collection is an EndlessPens exclusive, inspired by six soothing sounds, smells, sights, and sensations. Inspired by tea, coffee, books, campfire, and stars, these beautiful and vibrant fountain pen inks evoke feelings of comfort, ease, and satisfaction. Rants of The Archer has the pleasure of introducing to fountain pen enthusiasts all around the world the EndlessPens exclusive Cozy Comforts by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds. 

Cozy Comforts, a brand new ink collection exclusive to EndlessPens.

Cozy Comforts by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds

Cozy Comforts are six beautiful ink colors with shading, sheening, and shimmering properties. The six colors are the following:

• Tea Time – a green ink inspired by the color of matcha green tea
• Coffee Date – milky brown ink inspired by lattes
• Old Book Smell – rich red-brown ink inspired by worn and torn leather-bound books
• Soft Kitty Warm Kitty – cool grey-blue, inspired by the coat of the Russian Blue cat.
• Campfire Crackle – shading orange ink with a black sheen and a touch of shimmer
• Stargazer – a dark sheening teal ink with blue and silver shimmer, reminiscent of stars lighting up a night sky.

Six colors in Cozy Comforts fountain pen ink set. Please click the photos in this review to zoom in.

Cozy Comforts Tea Time

"Tea Time is a desaturated green ink inspired by the color of matcha green tea, paired with gentle conversations, mindful journaling, or grounding meditation."

Tea Time, the only green ink in the set, is a lovely fountain pen ink color. It has a yellow undertone that makes it more unique than other tea, olive, or moss green inks such as Robert Oster Crocodile Green and J. Herbin Vert Olive. Tea Time reminds me of late afternoon tea with friends or a warm cup on a cold, rainy night. This ink is very expressive of the color undertone with beautiful shading, especially if used in fountain pens with wide nibs. It is well-behaved and has excellent flow.

I used two types of paper for this review, Canson 90gsm sketch paper, and Tomoe River Paper 68gsm in LiveNotes notebooks from PenGallery. Tea Time appears lighter in the Canson sketch paper and a bit darker in Tomoe River Paper. It did not feather or bleed on both papers, but dried faster on Tomoe River Paper.

Cozy Comforts Tea Time by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds

Tea Time has a strong yellow undertone.

This green fountain ink is very expressive and has wonderful shading.

Cozy Comforts Coffee Date

"A milky brown ink inspired by lattes, and the company of those who make you feel like your favorite self."

Coffee Date is a warm, golden-brown fountain pen ink inspired by milky coffee, a pleasure I have forgone for several years now. This fountain pen ink has medium shading and a subtle yellow to orange undertone. It is a bit lighter than the Robert Oster crowd favorite Caffe Crema and has less red than J. Herbin Ambre de Birmanie. The first time I saw the color of Coffee Date, I thought of caramel instantly, and looking at my writing sample felt like I am smelling caramel toppings on a cup of coffee. Coffee Date is well-behaved and has excellent flow. It did not feather or bleed on both Canson sketch paper and Tomoe River Paper.

Cozy Comforts Coffee Date by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds

Coffee Date is lighter than Robert Oster Caffe Crema, and is more golden brown that the red-brown J. Herbin Ambre de Birmanie.

Coffee Date has medium shading and dries a beautiful golden brown.

Cozy Comforts Old Book Smell

"Old Book Smell is a rich red-brown ink inspired by worn and torn leather-bound books. Running your fingers through the spines as you walk through library and bookshop aisles."

Old Book Smell is a rich, luxurious red fountain pen ink with a dark brown sheen. It has medium saturation but flows and dries well. It is darker than Robert Oster Signature Red Candy and almost similar to Diamine Oxblood. This ink has medium shading, well-behaved. It did not feather or bleed on Canson sketch paper or Tomoe River Paper. The red-brown Old Book Smell reminds me of the hard-bound Reader's Digest compilation books I used to hoard when I was in college. Most of them have turned red-brown due to age and use, and they smell old, too. 

Cozy Comforts Old Book Smell by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds

Old Book Smell has medium shading and a lovely dark brown sheen.

This dark red-brown ink reminds me of the old books I hoarded when I was in college.

Cozy Comforts Soft Kitty Warm Kitty

"A cool grey that leans blue, inspired by the coat of the Russian Blue cat. Warm ball of fur curling up against you on a gloomy day, reminding you that tomorrow can be better."

Soft Kitty Warm Kitty is the most expressive ink color in the Cozy Comforts set. The grey-blue ink also produces a light purple undertone, depending on lighting, paper, and nib width. It is a shading ink, and I am excited to see it from a stub nib. Though my cat is a ginger tabby, Soft Kitty Warm Kitty will always remind me of cats. This ink has good flow, but it feathered in the Canson sketch paper, although it was fine in Tomoe River Paper.

Cozy Comforts Soft Kitty Warm Kitty by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds

Soft Kitty Warm Kitty has a beautiful light purple undertone.

Soft Kitty Warm Kitty is a beautiful grey-blue ink that will always remind me of cats.

Cozy Comforts Shake 'N' Shimmy Campfire Crackle

"A shading orange ink with a black sheen and a touch of shimmer. From embers to flame. The crisp sound as the logs burn, warming you on a cold evening, camped out with friends."

Finally, this set has orange ink!

Shake 'N' Shimmy Campfire Crackle is such a beautiful dark orange ink with a very fine shimmer and black sheen. It is a well-behaved ink, flows well, and did not feather or bleed in either the Canson sketch paper or Tomoe River Paper. I love the fine gold shimmer in this ink and will probably include this in my regular orange ink set. 

When I was in high school, I loved studying using our dining table which faced the small bahay kubo next to our house. One evening, as I was studying for a biology exam, there was a brownout in our neighborhood, and as I stood up to get some candles, I saw a burning ball of fire inside the bahay kubo. It was a mesmerizing mix of yellow, orange, and red all in a ball of fire that we call santelmo. Yes, I saw a santelmo in my lifetime, and Campfire Crackle brought back memories of that dark, magical night. 

Cozy Comforts Shake 'N' Shimmy Campfire Crackle by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds

I like the fine shimmer of Campfire Crackle. It's simple, subtle, and beautiful.

Campfire Crackle is a redder version of Burned Orange without the shimmer.

Campfire Crackle is a beautiful orange ink with fine gold shimmer and a black sheen.

Cozy Comforts Shake 'N' Shimmy Stargazer (Stargazing) by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × micahfinds

"A dark sheening teal with blue and silver shimmer, reminiscent of stars lighting up a night sky. The 3 AM thoughts. The hushed sounds of nature. The smallness of one, and the bigness of the whole."

Shake 'N' Shimmy Stargazer is a dark teal fountain pen ink with a unique blue and silver shimmer. Of all six ink colors in the Cozy Comforts set, Stargazer is my instant favorite! It reminds me of Christmas trees and holiday decorations! Looking at the swatch of Stargazer is like staring up at the summer night sky dotted with flickering stars.  Like Campfire Crackle, Stargazer is a shimmer ink that is well-behaved and flows well. I chose a Broad nib for the two shimmer inks in this set for a better flow and also for the shimmer to show.  

Cozy Comforts Shake 'N' Shimmy Stargazer (Stargazing) by Robert Oster Signature × EndlessPens × @micahfinds

Stargazer has a unique shimmer of silver and blue flecks. 

Stargazer/Stargazing is a darker, greener ink than Herbin's Emerald of Chivor, but equally beautiful.

The shimmer is very visible in this writing sample from a Broad nib.

It was fun and exciting working on the review of these six fountain pen inks. I enjoyed working on the swatches and doing the small art and writing samples for each ink color. This set has a good selection of colors, and @micahfinds did an excellent job—all six inks are well-crafted and full of beautiful details.  

Do you want to try and experience Cozy Comforts? Get them from EndlessPens where you can buy the whole six-color set or pick individual bottles of the colors that you like. 

I had fun doing this spread for Cozy Comforts.

Rants of the Archer thanks @micahfinds and EndlessPens for providing the complete six-color set of Cozy Comforts for review purposes. To see EndlessPens' product offerings, visit their website or follow them on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EndlessPens/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/endlesspens.usa/

Fountain Pen Ink Review: Robert Oster Signature Shake'N'Shimmy® Rose Gold Antiqua

Here's another first for Rants of The Archer! This is the first review of the latest ink from Robert Oster Shake'N'Shimmy® line, Rose Gold Antiqua which is set for an international release on January 1, 2021.

Four years ago, I published my first review of Robert Oster Signature inks, Bondi Blue, and Australian Sky Blue. Robert Oster Signature Ink has just been launched then, and everyone was excited to try the new brand from Australia. Since then, Robert Oster has become the most prolific ink maker in the world, producing more than 170 ink colors inspired by the rich culture and scenery of Australia, reflecting the sun, sky, sea, earth, vines, and wines. Through the years, Robert Oster's inks have become very popular, including the standard and limited edition colors and the sheening and shimmer inks.

In early December, a Facebook conversation challenged Robert Oster to create a richer, purer rose gold shimmer ink. Robert has a series of inks with silver and gold shimmer called Shake'N'Shimmy® inks and a fan, Olga Nunez McLeod wondered if a true rose gold ink could become a possibility. Robert came up with Shake'N'Shimmy® Rose Gold Antiqua in less than three hours, and the whole fountain pen world exploded with the news of the new shimmer ink! 

Robert Oster Signature inks are sold in tall, leak-proof, Australian-made 50ml PET bottles. Robert chose PET bottles for his ink because they are made from recycled chemical waste. The bottle shape helps in storage as they fit well in small drawers and cabinets.

Shake'N'Shimmy® Rose Gold Antiqua is a lovely dusky pink ink with lots of rose gold shimmer, making it a true, purer rose gold fountain pen ink. It's darker and has more red than Rose Gilt Tynte which has silver flecks. The rose gold shimmer in Rose Gold Antiqua adds to its darker, richer color, and it is definitely one of the most beautiful shimmy inks that Robert Oster has ever produced. 

Robert Oster Signature inks in pink. Rose Gold Antiqua is redder, darker, and richer than Rose Gilt Tynte, enhanced by the rose gold shimmer. This ink sampler is on 90gsm Canson sketch paper. 

I love matching fountain pens with inks, so I tested Rose Gold Antiqua using a Seashell Pink Otto Hutt design06 pen with a wet medium nib, and the 2018 Special Edition Lamy AL-star Vibrant Pink with a 1.5mm stub nib. I also tested the ink on three fountain pen friendly paper types, Tomoe River Paper (old 52gsm), Maruman, and Traveler's Notebook. For my long written review, I used the Otto Hutt design06 on the Recorder Notebook which has the new Tomoe River paper.

Despite its shimmer content, Rose Gold Antiqua has medium saturation and flow. It flows smoothly onto paper, and in both pens, ink flow to the nib was fast, steady, and consistent. However, to get a good amount of shimmer, I had to rotate the pen several times.

Rose Gold Antiqua is such a unique fountain pen shimmer ink as it changes shade on different paper types. On both Tomoe River paper sheets and Maruman paper, it is lighter and appeared more of dusky pink. On white Canson sketch paper, Traveler's Notebook, and VECO, it looked darker and redder.

In this long review, written on Recorder Notebook with the new Tomoe River paper, Rose Gold Atiqua is lighter and appears in its dusky pink rose gold color. (Click image to view.)

This writing sample is on the old 52gsm Tomoe River paper, and it also appears lighter and more dusky pink. The rose gold shimmer is nicely distributed. (Click image to view.)

Rose Gold Antiqua behaved similarly on Maruman paper as it did on Tomoe River paper. (Click image to view.)

On Traveler's Notebook's MD paper, however, it looked darker. (Click image to view).

Testing this ink using a 1.5mm stub/italic nib is the most amazing thing! I loved watching the shiny, shimmery ink as I wrote. This writing sample on VECO paper has the most rose gold shimmer. (Click image to view.)

Before Rose Rold Antiqua, there was Rose Gilt Tynte, and it has been the only rose gold ink with silver shimmer in the Robert Oster Shake'N'Shimmy selection. Now, there are two rose gold inks with silver and rose gold shimmer.

Rose Gold Antiqua and Rose Gilt Tynte shimmer inks. Robert Oster Shake'N'Shimmy inks are marked by silver caps and labels. Standard inks have black caps and gold labels.

Shimmer! The bottle on the left is Rose Gold Antiqua with rose gold shimmer. The bottle on the right is Rose Gilt Tynte with silver shimmer.

Look closer and see the rose gold shimmer in this bottle of Rose Gold Antiqua. It's like magic!

Clogging concerns from my previous experiences with other shimmer inks made me stay away from Robert Oster Shake'N'Shimmy inks. Now, I have two bottles of shiny, shimmy, glittery inks to enjoy and play with. I have cleaned the two pens I used in this review, and the shimmer particles were easy to take off from the feeds and nibs.

I'm totally smitten with Rose Gold Antiqua, and I would love to use it more for italic calligraphy. The rose gold shimmer is perfect in pink ink! It's a unique, versatile shimmer ink that writes smoothly and has excellent flow. Get it for your pens!

Robert Oster Shake'N'Shimmy Rose Gold Antiqua will be available in stores on January 1, 2021. For some sellers, calls for preorders have already been posted. Check this list for Robert Oster's worldwide retail partners. 

For more information about Robert Oster Signature inks and how to download their swatches, visit the Robert Oster website or follow them on social media:

• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/robertostersignature)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/robertostersignature/)
• Twitter (https://twitter.com/robertosterink)

Fountain Pen Inks Review: Robert Oster Signature Ink Get.Set.Go

Have you been to Australia? Did you know Australia is the world's only continent covered by a single country? Yes, it is, and Australia is a country filled with extraordinary landscapes and natural wonders -- beaches, deserts, and tropical rainforests; unique wildlife; and a rich biodiversity. But no, I haven't been to Australia. My friend Robert Oster, however, lives there and he makes wonderful and lovely fountain pen inks that show the beautiful colors of Australia's scenery and culture. Robert Oster Signature inks come from one of the most famous wine-producing regions of the world, the Coonawarra district of South Australia.

Robert Oster Signature fountain pen inks are available in a wide selection of stunning, vibrant, and astonishing colors. Each color is unique, inspired by Australia's palette of natural beauty. They are non-toxic and eco-friendly, 100% made in Australia, and presented in 50ml recyclable PET bottles with travel-proof caps labeled by Robert Oster himself.

Aside from their amazing variety of colors, Robert Oster Signature fountain pen inks are also well-behaved, paper-friendly, and very easy to use. They have excellent flow and lubrication and pens filled with these inks write well without any hard starts, skips, or dryness. These inks also have good drying times—they dry fast!

In late 2018, Robert Oster launched a seven-color ink set that he says describes the colors around him, the colors he sees in birds, flowers, leaves, and even the bark of Australian trees. He called the set Get.Set.Go and it has the following vibrant and stunning fountain pen ink colors, namely, Dragon's Night, True Blue, Crocodile Green, Burned Orange, Deep Purple, Red Candy, and Hot Pink.

Dragon's Night

Robert said that Dragon's Night reminds him of "something that keeps me awake as I ponder the dark midnight Aussie sky." Dragon's Night is a vibrant dark blue ink with hints of purple. It has medium shading and a lovely red sheen seen when the ink is used in wide nibs such as broad, stub, or italic. Dragon's Night is a wet ink, has an excellent flow, and not highly saturated. My test pen with a .7 stub nib wrote wet and smooth.

Dragon's Night is a perfect ink for daily notetaking, journaling, signing legal documents, calligraphy, illustrations, or art. Although it is made for fountain pens, it could also be used for brush and dip pens. This ink did so well in 90gsm paper from Canson, no feathering, and certainly no bleeding. It's a well-behaved ink, doesn't stain or clog pens, and dries on paper after ~20 seconds.

True Blue™

True Blue™ is "Aussie slang for BFF, for keeping it real, and for a host of positive emotions." Oh, I didn't know that! True Blue™ ink is a light blue ink that is close to turquoise. It has minimum shading and a lovely pinkish to a red sheen that shows towards the edges of where the ink has pooled. This sheen is very visible when the ink is used in wide nibs such as broad, stub, or italic. Like Dragon's Night and most Rober Oster inks, True Blue™ has no issues with its flow and lubrication. It has an excellent flow, and my test pen wrote very smoothly.

While I may not use a light blue ink for business and legal documents, I will still use True Blue™ for my daily notes, journaling, calligraphy, illustrations, and art. Again, this ink was manufactured for fountain pens, but it could also be used for brush and dip pens. This ink did so well in 90gsm paper from Canson, and I did not see any feathering or bleeding. It's another well-behaved Robert Oster ink and doesn't stain or clog pens. It dries on paper after ~20 seconds.

Crocodile Green

Robert said Crocodile Green is something "seen in the waters of our rugged Northern Territory. Take care up there!" I am assuming that the thing Robert saw in the waters are crocodiles and they inspired the color of this ink. I am not too fond of green inks, but this dark seaweed-like green shading ink with orange to red sheen is my favorite in this set. Crocodile Green looks so good in my Pelikan M400 White Tortoise and its B nib shows both shading and sheen at the same time. Crocodile Green has excellent flow and lubrication, and my test pen wrote very smoothly.

I could use this dark green ink for any writing purposes — daily notes, journaling, calligraphy, illustrations, and sketches. I could sign documents with this ink, or even make art! This ink performed well in 90gsm paper from Canson, and there is no feathering or bleeding. Despite its dark color, Crocodile Green is another well-behaved Robert Oster ink that doesn't stain or clog pens. It dries on paper after 15-20 seconds.

Burned Orange

Burned Orange, according to Robert is "the South Australian Riverland sand under my bare feet when I was six years old." Burned Orange is a dark, rich orange ink that reminds one of the fall and dried leaves. It has medium shading and a golden to dark brown sheen seen in my swatches where the ink has pooled and dried. Burned Orange is a wet ink, has an excellent flow, and not highly saturated. My test pen with a .7 stub nib wrote wet and smooth.

Burned Orange is a dark orange ink that could easily be mistaken as brown in some paper types such as Rhodia. This ink doesn't have that much shading, but it could be used for daily notetaking, journaling, calligraphy, illustrations, or art. It could also be used for brush and dip pens. I tested this ink in 90gsm paper from Canson, and there were no feathering or bleeding. It's a well-behaved ink, doesn't stain or clog pens, and dries on paper after about 15-20 seconds.

Deep Purple

Robert said that Deep Purple reminds him of "Aussie Tree bark after the rain." Deep Purple is a dark and very saturated purple ink. It looks almost black when wet and dries off a very dark purple. It has no shading or sheen. Despite its saturation, Deep Purple has a good flow, and my test pen with a .7 stub nib wrote wet and smooth.

Deep Purple is a nice dark purple ink. I know I can use it for my daily note-taking, journaling, calligraphy, illustrations, or art. It could also be used for brush and dip pens. This ink showed some feathering and bleeding in my ink tests probably because of its high saturation. Despite its dark color, this ink doesn't stain or clog pens, but it dries longer at 25-30 seconds.

Red Candy

Red Candy seems to evoke happy memories as Robert said it reminds him of "sometimes candy apples at country fairs... maybe red candy cane twined around white sugar sticks in December." I only have a few red inks, and I use them mostly for writing important notes, or when I need to write my edits on paper. Red Candy comes as a dark true red with no shading but has a strong gold to brown sheen, making it look more stunning. The sheen on this ink is seen when it is used in wide nibs such as broad, stub, or italic. Red Candy is a wet ink, has an excellent flow, and not highly saturated. My test pen with a .7 stub nib wrote wet and smooth.

Red Candy may not be suitable for business and legal documents, but it's a happy bright ink for daily notetaking, journaling, calligraphy, illustrations, or art. This ink is made for fountain pens and could also be used for brush and dip pens. Red Candy did well in 90gsm paper from Canson, without feathering and bleeding. It's a well-behaved ink and unlike other red ink, it doesn't stain or clog pens. Red Candy dries on paper after 15-20 seconds.

Hot Pink

Hot Pink appears to be a very personal ink color to Robert because it is "seared in my memory... It is the color of my mother's wedding dress in December 1969." Hot Pink is a dark pink ink, almost like magenta. It has medium shading and minimum sheen around the edges of the ink swatch. Sheen is seen when the ink is used in wide nibs such as broad, stub, or italic. Hot Pink is a wet ink, has an excellent flow, and not highly saturated. My test pen with a .7 stub nib wrote wet and smooth.

Similar to red, pink ink may not be suitable for business or legal documents, but I will definitely use it for my daily notes, journaling, calligraphy, and art. This fountain pen ink could also be used for brush and dip pens. Like the six inks in this set, Hot Pink did so well in 90gsm paper from Canson and I did not see any feathering or bleeding. It's a well-behaved ink and doesn't stain or clog pens. It dries on paper after 15-20 seconds.

Robert Oster Signature inks are available in more than a hundred vibrant, stunning, and unique colors. They are well-behaved inks, very safe to use, and sold in more than 60 stores (physical and online) all over the world. Choose one — or more — for your pens today! Here's Robert Oster Signature's Ink Swatchbrowser to guide you!

For more information on Robert Oster Signature and Shake'N'Shimmy inks, visit their website. A list of Robert Oster's retail partners all over the world is also available on their website.

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Note: The inks in this review were provided by an online seller. The photos and reviews, however, are my own.