Goulet Q&A - Episodes Tagged with “Diplomat”

Episode 288: Unleashing the Power of Shimmer Inks!

Brian Goulet — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:00 -0400

In Episode 288 of Goulet Q&A, Brian shows you how to get the most out of shimmer inks, how left-handed nib grinds look, his second camera setup, good demonstrator pens for stain-prone inks, and more practical fountain pen knowledge. You'll also learn more than you thought you should know about the history of glitter.

TIMESTAMPS:
01:00 Feedback

03:29 What makes the LAMY left handed nib special and is it worth it?

09:45 Good demonstrator pens for blue stainy inks
17:02 Best pens and paper for showing off shimmering ink
27:50 Pens to match Colorverse Fountain Pen Day LE ink

32:00 Troubleshooting a finicky TWSBI Vac700r

40:04 Brian's phone holder rig
45:22 Brian's Adventure Storytime

48:28 Fun Facts

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Brian & Rachel Goulet started The Goulet Pen Company in 2009 and you can see the evolution of our mom and pop into a full-blown company through this channel. We run a dedicated online store with fountain pens, ink, paper, and other fine writing accessories. Our goal with this channel is to provide fountain pen fans at all levels of experience with comprehensive product reviews, round ups, and how-to videos to answer all the fountain pen questions you may have. Shop at https://www.gouletpens.com.

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Episode 287: What Are the Best Pens for the Office?

Brian Goulet — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

On this fantastic Fountain Pen Day, Brian dives into budget-friendly pens with high ink capacity, the decline of high-end ballpoints, reliable workhorse pens that can survive being uncapped overnight, and more!

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
01:34 Comp-nay Updates & Fountain Pen Day Deals
04:11 Feedback
13:25 What are some budget-friendly pens with a large ink capacity?
24:16 Have manufacturers of higher end pens stopped making ballpoint pens?
28:12 Why is the LAMY joy such a dry writer?
33:10 How to get rid of sticky ink in an ink vial?
47:18 What's the best workhorse pen recommendations for those who forget to cap the pen?
53:19 When going from a steel nib to a gold nib, is there a learning curve?
01:01:31 Story Time with Brian Adventures

Episode 285: Altering Nibs & Using High Maintenance Ink

Brian Goulet — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Join Brian in Q&A Episode 285 as he talks about who should (or shouldn’t) be altering nibs, shares pocket pen suggestions, and explains what ‘high maintenance inks’ really mean (spoiler: it’s worth the hassle!).

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
00:48 Feedback
05:17 Halloween pen recommendations
08:38 Monteverde Blue Skies
10:22 Aligning logo for LAMY AL-stars and safaris when reassembling
20:19 Ink mixing across brands
25:41Who should alter their nibs
29:33 Pocket pen suggestions
32:15 What does high maintenance mean for ink?
35:34 How has TWSBI impacted the pen industry
44:07 Manufacturing costs of metal vs resin pens
49:48 New TWSBI 580 ALR color/upgraded model?
51:25 Question of the Week