We’ll be on a holiday break from Dec 31 to Jan 7. Our last shipping day this year is Dec 30, and orders placed during the break will ship on Jan 7. Happy Holidays!
We’re off Dec 31–Jan 7. Orders placed then ship Jan 7.
Step-by-step tutorial guiding you through the simple yet precise process of changing the nib on your BENU fountain pen. Whether you’re fitting a new nib to an existing pen or transferring a nib to a new BENU pen, this video is your go-to resource.
The process itself is rather straightforward:
1) Unscrew the barrel from the gripping section. 2) Remove the converter or ink cartridge. 3) Firmly hold the gripping section and unscrew the nib unit counterclockwise. 4) If it’s too tight, seek assistance from someone with more strength. (зум) 5) Take the replacement nib and insert it into the gripping section. 6) Rotate the nib clockwise until it is secure. (зум) 7) Reinsert the converter or ink cartridge into the gripping section. 8) Screw the gripping section back onto the barrel. Your pen is ready!
Please give it another try, and if you encounter any trouble, reach us at [email protected]
Known historically as Sanguis Draconis, Dragon’s Blood has been used in magic rituals and alchemy for centuries. Ancient traders obtained it from small islands, where the dragons were believed to dwell. To the west are the Canary Islands and eastward is the legendary Socotra. However, the magical blood wasn’t yielded directly from the dragons, but from a genus of curious trees named after female dragons, Dracaena. The most famous species in horticulture was named Dracaena Draco, otherwise known as the Dragon Tree.
The bright red resin that is obtained from Dracaena Draco is surrounded by many ancient myths and legends.
The mythical Dragon Tree first came to light in the story of Hercules and his encounter with Ladon. As the Ancient Greek Legend has it, Ladon, a serpent-like dragon, was sent by Hera, the Queen of Heaven, to protect the sacred fruit that she had gifted to Zeus. The hotheaded Hercules was sent on the dangerous task of stealing the Hesperides apples, with the fierce dragon on-guard close by. Against all odds, the mighty Hercules slayed the ferocious Ladon, and the dragon’s blood spilled out over the land, sprouting ‘dragon’ trees. These Dragon Trees, with their long, slender trunks and prickly leaves, continue to bleed the death of Ladon with an oozing, reddish sap whenever cut.
Another famous tale that aims to explain the Dragon Blood origin comes from the East Indian ships, which sought the blood for Hindu rituals. It is written in ancient scriptures that a great battle ensued between a dragon and an elephant, representing the gods Brahma and Shiva. The dragon and the elephant perished in mortal combat, while the result of the mingling of both creatures’ blood became a powerful and valuable commodity, better known as Dragon’s Blood.
In old Europe, Dragon’s Blood became a vital component in the alchemical arts and the concocting of magical potions. During the Middle Ages it was used to make healing potions or to mark armor invulnerable and weapons unbreakable.
Today, Sanguis Draconis continues to be used by the sorcery crowd. You will find the oldest specimens in the beach towns of North America, from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Some local people still believe that this resin is a cure for all – to heal fevers and ulcers, and as a useful magical tool for protection. In American Hoodoo, African-American Folk Magic, and New Orleans Voodoo, it is used as incense to cleanse spaces of negative entities or influences. It is also added to red ink to make “Dragon’s Blood Ink”, which is used to inscribe magical seals and talismans.
For those who have lost themselves in the magical worlds of Tolkien and Rowling, Dragon’s Blood stands as a living example of these fantastic legends.
Most people will recognize the word “edelweiss” from the famous 1965 musical romance, Sound of Music. Covering the concepts of romance, bravery, and love to the motherland, the show’s writers, Rogers and Hammerstein, couldn’t have chosen a more fitting symbol than the edelweiss flower as the movie’s main theme tune.
Edelweiss, otherwise known as Leontopodium Nivale, is a mountain flower that grows high in the Alps and has a long history in mystic folklore. This special and potent plant is often associated with certain myths related to proving one’s worth and discovering true love.
Once upon a time, high in the wintry Alps lived a hauntingly beautiful queen with a heart of pure ice. Stories of her beauty reached many doomed suitors, who dared to proclaim love for the queen. Since her frozen heart was unable to love, she soon tired of them and ordered her loyal goblins to throw the hapless men to their deaths. One day, an ordinary shepherd found his way to her cave and the queen fell in love with him. The jealous goblins, fearing their mistress would marry this mortal and abandon them, threw him into the abyss. When she learned of the tragedy, her heart melted enough for her to shed a solitary tear. That tear became the first Edelweiss.
Although this tragic tale earned Edelweiss its popular name “The Tear of the Snow Queen”, another legend made the flower a true symbol of eternal love. The narrative that captured everyone’s attention was told by Berthold Auerbach back in 1861 in his book, Edelweiss. The tale tells the story of a young man who risks his life to collect rare Edelweiss flowers for his lover as proof of his daring and brave nature. Risking his life to gift such a precious flower was the purest act of devotion, and so it went in history that women would wear edelweiss in a necklace as a token of their partner’s love.
Many years ago, people also believed that this unique flower had magical powers. They used it as incense and swore its smoke would drive away evil spirits from their farms and homes. Its medicinal benefits were perpetuated later in poems and stories: one of which was the 1970 classic Asterix in Switzerland. This comic tells the story of a pair of friends, Asterix and Obelix, who are sent on a voyage to find edelweiss, known in the tale as ‘Silver Star’, for an antidote to a poison.
The belief in Edelweiss’ magical powers survive to this very day. For instance, Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs states that when made into a wreath and worn, Edelweiss confers invisibility and protects against daggers and bullets. A popular New Age author of the encyclopedia also believes that Edelweiss grants one’s hearts desire.
With all the mystique surrounding the Edelweiss flower, these tales and fables might not be easy to chew. Accurate or not, this small, non-toxic noble plant, with its snow-white leaves and star-shaped inflorescence, continues to be used in medicine as a remedy against many diseases. Its origins, however, are up to you to decide…
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