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Two Fountain Pens, One Journal: My Daily Conklin Setup
I run two Conklin fountain pens in one Traveler's Company notebook for daily journaling, no app, no template. Here's why two pens beat one, and which ink goes with which.
My daily journaling setup is two fountain pens and one notebook: no app, no template. I write in a Traveler's Company notebook, standard size, and I switch between a Conklin Endura Deco Crest and a Conklin Hippocrates depending on what I'm putting down on the page. That's the whole system, and it's stayed unchanged for months while I've cycled through a lot of other pens for testing.
Why two pens instead of one
The honest reason is color and separation. Sometimes I want to write in a different color because I feel like it. Sometimes I want to visually separate one kind of entry from another on the same page: a reflection from a task, a prayer from a plan. Two pens loaded with two different inks do that without any extra system on top of it. I don't need a highlighter or a second notebook. I just pick up the other pen.
Conklin Endura Deco Crest, best for daily pages
This is the pen I reach for first. The Deco in the name comes from Art Deco, the design language of the 1920s, and it's not a costume. The crest on the cap and the geometric lines on the blue barrel are pulled from that era's actual visual grammar, not a modern pen wearing a vintage sticker. It twists open, posts if you want the extra length, and has enough weight in the hand that it doesn't feel like a toy. I've paired it with Private Reserve Shoreline Gold, a warm amber ink, muted rather than bright, which is exactly how I like my inks. It writes smoothly and it's become the pen for my regular daily pages.
Conklin Hippocrates, best for a change of pace
The Hippocrates is named for the father of medicine, and that's not just branding: a coin depicting Hippocrates tops the cap, and there's medicine iconography worked into the design that most people miss at a glance. I paired this one with Private Reserve Copper Burst, a red-brown ink that picks up the pen's rose gold accents, and the pairing works. It writes a little drier than the Deco Crest does with Shoreline Gold, which is a real difference you feel in the first few lines, not a marketing distinction. I use this one when I'm inspired to write somewhere other than my main daily pages: a different notebook, a different kind of entry.
| Pen | Ink | Feel | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conklin Endura Deco Crest | Private Reserve Shoreline Gold | Smooth, Fine nib | Daily journal pages |
| Conklin Hippocrates | Private Reserve Copper Burst | Slightly drier, Fine nib | Switching it up, other notebooks |
On price
These run from about $100 to $145 depending on the model. That's not cheap, but it's not premium-collector money either, and the build quality holds up to that price. I've said this before about my carry setup: the most expensive pen isn't automatically the better one. These prove that point again.
What the two-pen system replaces
I don't use an app for this and I don't use a template. The full setup is the notebook, the two pens, and a short list of ten journaling prompts I've collected from other videos and other places over time: things like "is what I'm about to do today helping me stand in the gap for someone else" or "where have I been choosing quantity over quality." I pull from that list on the days I feel stuck, not every day. That's a small detail, but it's the difference between a system that survives a busy week and one that quietly dies the first time I don't feel inspired.
There's a pattern here that shows up outside pens too: the writers and creators who stick with something long-term tend to build a simple repeatable structure and let the output vary, rather than reinventing the process every time they sit down. It's the same logic behind how a lot of prolific writers turn a small, repeatable input into a large body of output without burning out on the process itself.
Why this isn't about productivity
I don't journal to produce anything. It's the place where I unload whatever is sitting in my head so I can be more present with my family and clearer everywhere else. That's closer to the idea behind morning pages, a journaling concept built around quieting a busy mind rather than generating output. My version of that is these two pens, this one notebook, and ten prompts I only reach for when I need them.
If you want to see the full carry setup these pens travel in, my full carry has the rest of it, and the full video shows both pens and both inks on paper.
The gear worth a look
- Conklin Endura Deco Crest: The daily-pages pen, genuine Art Deco styling on the cap and barrel with enough weight to feel substantial in hand.
- Traveler's Company Brass Ballpoint Pen: Rides alongside the fountain pens in the same Traveler's Company system for quick, non-fountain-pen notes.
- Private Reserve Shoreline Gold: A warm amber ink paired with the Deco Crest, muted rather than bright, which is exactly the tone I want for pages I write every day.
- Conklin Hippocrates: The second pen in rotation, named for the father of medicine with a coin depicting him topping the cap, used when reaching for a different notebook or a change of pace.
- Private Reserve Copper Burst: A red-brown ink that picks up the Hippocrates' rose gold accents, and writes a bit drier than Shoreline Gold does through the Deco Crest.
- Traveler's Company Notebook (Regular): The one journal both pens write into, standard size, no template, just daily pages.
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Related reading
- The Best Paper for Fountain Pens, Tested
- The 10 Pens I Actually Reach for Every Day (Ranked by Use)
- How to Set Up a Ring Planner Without Overbuying
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the Conklin Endura Deco Crest and the Conklin Hippocrates?
The Deco Crest is styled after 1920s Art Deco design and pairs with Private Reserve Shoreline Gold, while the Hippocrates has medicine-themed iconography and a coin depicting Hippocrates on the cap, and pairs with Private Reserve Copper Burst, which writes a touch drier.
Are Conklin fountain pens fine or medium nibs?
These two Conklin pens have Fine nibs.
Why use two fountain pens for one journal instead of one?
Two pens loaded with two different inks let you separate different kinds of entries, or just switch colors, without adding a second notebook or any extra system on top of the journal itself.
What notebook works well with these Conklin pens?
A Traveler's Company notebook in the standard size is the journal used in this setup, running alongside the two Conklin pens with no app or template involved.