In this video I’m doing my 2025 Pen Awards—my personal picks for the fountain pens, inks, and paper that really stood out to me this year. A huge thank you to Neil Smith (@WastedPaper) for nominating me to do this, because it was honestly such a fun way to look back at what I reached for, what surprised me, and what felt truly special in my collection. I go category by category, starting with my Underdog of the Year (Pilot Vanishing Point) and moving into Best New Design, where I chose Leonardo’s Leon Arco “Abalone” Celluloid with a No. 8 14k Fine nib—just an absolute showstopper. For Best Gift, I talk about the Kissaki double stacked nib from Jim Crawford (Pen Sloth), and for “Most Fun,” I share how exciting it’s been seeing my Cocos Elephants design on Rickshaw products. Then we get into the big one: my Grail Pen of the Year, the Montblanc Patron of the Arts – Andrew Carnegie. I also pick two Inks of the Year—Van Dieman’s Azure Kingfisher (shimmer) and Pure Pens Celtic Sea (non-shimmer)—plus my Paper of the Year, The Onion Skin Journal. And I wrap up with the pen I used the most: my Sailor King of Pens (from my KOP Pro Gear Matcha Tea Time feature).