Welcome to the first video of 2026 — and yes, I’m doing things a little differently this year. In this January “what I’m writing with” update, I run through my currently inked pens (which, for me, is actually quite a lot) and do quick writing samples on lovely Midori paper. I’ve got everything sitting in my Jinhao Leather 20-pen case, and I talk through what’s inked, why it’s inked, and what’s working (or not) in real day-to-day use. The lineup swings from affordable pocket workhorses to absolute heavy hitters. I’ve got pens being prepped for upcoming reviews (like the Romeo Mighty and a couple of Gravitas models), classics I genuinely use a lot (Pilot Custom 823, Pelikan M1000), and EDC favourites that just keep showing up in my notebook (Hongdian C1, Wingback stainless steel). I also call out a few standout ink pairings — like Robert Oster Tranquility in the Gravitas Piston Carbon Black, and Diamine Oxford Blue (my favourite ink) in the Wingback. The takeaway is simple: this is a practical, enjoyable lineup I’ll write through hard in January, and you can expect the February set to shift as the workload and reviews roll on.