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2023 St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). It concerns me to hear that the St. Louis Pen Show, being as well-run an event as it is, continues to have attendance issues, even after last year. I wonder if it has to do with the time on the show calendar, as June tends to be a slow(er) business month in general given vacation, etc.
2023 St. Louis Pen Show (via Rachel’s Reflections). Rachel has another great review of the St. Louis Show.
One More for the Community’s Exploration of #21PenQuestions (via mnmlscholar). My own answers to #21PenQuestions will be forthcoming this week! Stay tuned. I’ve enjoyed thinking on these.
Maruman Mnemosyne Twin Ring Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Mnemosyne spiral notebooks are quite durable, come in a wide range of rulings and sizes, and give rise to endless debates about how to properly pronounce the name.
If at First You Don’t Succeed, Swap Nibs (via mnmlscholar). I’ve long been a proponent of unapologetic nib swapping. Several of my best everyday writers are bonafide “frankenpens” where none of the nibs and bodies match.
Packing Cubes for Notebooks? (via Stationery Pizza). I use the modular Plotter cases that come in three different sizes. Intended to fit plotter binders, they also hold other similarly sized notebooks and make it easy to swap stationery between different desks and bags.
Ink of the Week: Troublemaker Petrichor (via Fountain Pen Love). Now this is a cool grey color that I need to try out….
Kaweco Bronze Sport (via SBRE Brown). I love the warmer tone of the bronze as opposed to the more yellow brass. I wish more penmakers worked in bronze….
What I’m Enjoying (via From the Pen Cup). Flea beetles are the bane of my gardening existence.
A Journaling Streak - Holding on a Little Too Tightly (via Pete Denison). Sometimes it is best to remember why you started doing certain things, and not just continuing to do them for their own sake.
Mini-Review: Retro51 Rainforest Trust (via Well-Appointed Desk). Now THIS is a cool Retro, and for a good cause!
This week on the blog, I continued the Mid-Year Review, with a recap of the five most popular posts according to a combination of reader comments and statistics. I also wrote a post on a notebook I recently built out for brainstorming - one of my “single purpose” notebooks I keep in rotation.
The Heat is on!
The big news from this week is something that’s actually going to launch NEXT week (unless you’re a Patreon subscriber) - more on that below. But we also launched the pre-order for the TWSBI ECO Heat, an orange TWSBI to celebrate summer! Pre-orders are still available, and the pens will go out tomorrow, so reserve yours now. We also received a new shipment of the Laban Greek Mythology Inks, including the previously sold out Aphrodite Pink (which is still in short supply).
We’re also running a Fourth of July Promotion this weekend! Take 10% off inks and pen cases and notebook covers, to help you get geared up for your summer travels! Use the coupon code “HAPPY4TH” at checkout!
You knew the ink was gonna be red, right? I mean, otherwise, what’s the point? ;)
The big news that I announced yesterday on Instagram is the arrival of our exclusive collaboration with Hinze Pens and Starry Night Resins: a version of the Hinze “Elementar” fountain pen featuring a custom TGS-themed resin with a black ceramic-plated stainless steel nib. I’m very pleased with how these pens turned out and can’t wait to get them in your hands when they launch to the general readership next Thursday, July 6! There are 30 pens in this initial run, and each pen will include a bottle of limited edition “Summer Sangria” red ink. The ink will not be available after this pen release, as it’s part of a run commissioned by Hinze and is no longer made. While there may be a giveaway of a bottle or two later, there isn’t sufficient quantity to sell it on a stand-alone basis. Pens are currently open for pre-order to the Patreon membership, so if you want to guarantee yourself a pen (and a small break on the price), now is a great time to consider checking out our Patreon program, which also gives you access to a monthly meetup, periodic sample sales, and exclusive content. That said, I expect there to be plenty of pens available after the Patreon pre-order period ends.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported via purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.
As part of my annual mid-year review, I always take a look at the blog statistics and see what type of content readers have enjoyed. The five posts featured here are the ones from 2023 that either received the most traffic and/or comments (relative, of course, to how recently some of them were posted). In terms of overall popular content, our posts on Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper, Picking a Workhorse Pen, and Fountain Pen Inks for Everyday Writing continue to be popular among T.G.S. readers, especially those new to fountain pens.
Many thanks for all your support and readership! For additional installments of our 2023 Mid-Year Recap, check out this post on my own personal favorite posts (with minimal overlap), as well as the favorite new product releases from the Curated Shop.
Workhorse Pens: Considerations and Pitfalls of High Capacity Pocket Fountain Pens. It’s extremely interesting to me that this particular post is among the most popular new content from the first six months of the year. The TWSBI Diamond Mini and Vac-Mini, as well as smaller Opus 88 pens, get very little attention, generally in favor of their larger counterparts. TWSBI at least has started paying some attention to the Diamond Mini, with the recently released Mini AL Grape.
Schon DSGN Full-Size Fountain Pen with Monoc Nib. Well, this is timely, because Schon DSGN announced recently (and posted pics last night) that they are working on anodized versions of their in-house Monoc nib. These look absolutely stunning. Follow them on Instagram to learn more and see what might be coming down the pipeline!
Ark of Pens (Guest Post from R.B. Lemberg). We had an outstanding response to the first T.G.S. Guest Post in a while, where R.B. went through their personal pen collecting story and discussed how they came to the hobby and collecting in general.
Triangular Grip Pens: Love ‘em or Leave ‘em? Nontraditional fountain pen sections are a love/hate proposition. Either people love the added structure intended to “guide” their fingers into writing position, or it simply doesn’t work for them. Personally, I’ve come to appreciate the slightly rounded triangular shape of the TWSBI ECO-T, and the Safari and AL-Star have never bothered me all that much. I never could use those molded “pencil grips” though….
Fountain Pen Basics: Five Best Practices for Fountain Pen Users. This post sparked the most comments, all of which I enjoyed reading! Everyone uses and cares for their pens in different ways - there really is no “right” or “wrong” way (other than anything that results in a puddle of ink in your bag, pen case, or pocket). I’ve made an effort to do more “Fountain Pens 101-style” posts, since I know we have a lot of readers who are coming to fountain pens for the first time this year!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We greatly appreciate your support! If you’ve been considering the Patreon, now is a great time to join, as we are preparing to launch a new exclusive fountain pen release, and are in the middle of the Patrons-exclusive “Gently Used” sale.
Feel the heat, literally and figuratively, as it seems to be cranking up here in advance of the weekend. The big news is that we have the new TWSBI ECO “Heat” now available for preorder, which is the latest in a series of orange and yellow TWSBI releases. The last several colors have been among the best I’ve seen from them - we have the ECO-T “Saffron” and “Persian Green” in stock, and more pens and nib sizes are on the way next week. Happy shopping!
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.
TWSBI ECO “Heat” Fountain Pen. The “Heat” is on! People have been clamoring for another orange TWSBI ECO, and I can’t wait to see what this shade looks like in person. This is a pre-order, with the pens set to arrive Monday so reserve yours now.
TWSBI ECO-T “Saffron” Fountain Pen. We received another shipment of the ECO-T Saffron pens, in most nib sizes. Personally, this is my favorite of this year’s releases, given my love for yellow.
TWSBI ECO “Persian Green” Fountain Pen. This pen is a mint/teal color, darker than the ECO-T Mint, which is more of a cool blue than a true green.
TWSBI ECO-T Mint Fountain Pen. Could this be my new favorite pen in the standard TWSBI lineup? I can’t believe I waited so long to add one of these to my own collection.
Laban “Greek Mythology” Fountain Pen Inks. We’ve received a restock on the Laban Greek Mythology Inks, including favorites such as Artemis Navy Blue, Athena Grey, and the unique Aphrodite Pink!
Lamy AL-Star 2023 Special Edition Fountain Pens. We have the AL-Star 2023 releases in Lilac and Petrol. Both are great colors, with Petrol probably being my personal favorite.
Platinum Matte Curidas Retractable Fountain Pen. The latest Curidas limited releases from Platinum have sold extremely well, with the blue and red versions currently leading the way.
Platinum Preppy Wa Third Edition “Modern Maki-e” Fountain Pens. We’re down to our last several Platinum Preppy Wa fountain pens from this last release. I appreciate how Platinum has lowered the barrier to entry in the limited edition game!
Endless Creator Retractable Fountain Pen. I’ve been relatively impressed with Endless’s attempt to introduce an original retractable fountain pen design at a relatively low price point. The design’s not for everyone, but if you enjoy faceted pens, you may want to give this one a try.
Anterique Ballpoint Pens. These are among my favorite new additions to the shop for 2023, whether you pick from the classic click pens or the brass-barrel upgrades! The .5mm “Mach Ball” refill is exceptional.
Anterique Ballpoints in ALL THE COLORS
I think I’ve permanently given up on notebook minimalism. While I have a core set of 3-4 notebooks that I use on a daily basis and take with me pretty much anywhere I go, I also have a “healthy” stockpile of special-purpose notebooks that I pull out periodically - some more often than others - to help me with various tasks and to hold information relating to specific projects that don’t require daily attention.
The “Mandala 9x9” layout. You start with a central goal or idea, with eight key inputs, which you can then break out into their own box.
One such notebook is what I’ll refer to as my “brainstorming” notebook, which I use when I want to work through ideas for a project, piece of writing, or simply to hash out a problem I’ve been dealing with, personal or professional. I’ve used many different notebooks for brainstorming over the years, with different rulings ranging from blank to dot grid to meeting, but what about something more structured?
The “Concentric” Layout from the Laconic Think Refill. I’ve honestly not figured out how I want to use this one yet.
I discovered the Laconic Style system at NY Now back in January. To me, the beauty of this particular notebook system is the combination of a formal structure and customization. Laconic has blank notebooks, standard diary/planner refills in daily, weekly, and monthly formats, as well as special purpose notebooks that you can use to build out your system. Two specific refills that I’ve recently used from this latter category include “Think” and “Spreadsheet” layouts that I’ve not previously seen elsewhere. The “Think” refill features four different templates (16 pages for each pattern): a “Mandala Chart 9x9”, a “Coordinate Axis” layout (for your classic “SWAT” analysis), a “Concentric Chart,” and a “4 Panels” Memo (consistent with what you might use to plan slides or storyboards). While I’m not an expert on how to use these various layouts other than having some experience with the 4-panel storyboard, the common theme seems to be that the different designs allow you to visually link your ideas together as you go. I’ve long been a flow-charts and mind-maps on blank paper type of guy, but lately a bit of structure has been helpful to mix things up.
The 4-Panel/Storyboard Layout from the Think Notebook
The second refill I’ve been using is the “Spreadsheet” refill. It’s exactly as described: a notebook full of spreadsheet cells that serve multiple purposes: to organize notes on my personal pen collection, such as where I purchased each piece, price paid, etc.; as a content calendar (which is something I’ve tried very hard to stick to, with limited success even though it would make my life infinitely easier); and as a ledger for running down monthly finances and tracking invoices.
The start of my “Spreadsheet” Pen Journal!
I’ve enjoyed using the Laconic notebooks (as well as the add-on accessories like the bookmarks), and have mainly been using them with Pilot Frixion gel pens in the .4mm and .5mm tip sizes. While I would compare the Laconic paper to something like that featured in the Kokuyo Jibun Techo Planner (i.e., it works perfectly well with low-maintenance fountain pen inks in a fine or extra-fine nib), these erasable gel pens lend themselves quite well to writing in planners and charts, given that you may want to (1) write very small in the way that a micro-tipped gel pen can do; and (2) erase and change information that you may be “logging.” You can purchase the .5mm Frixion pens at most big box (or even grocery) stores, and there are plenty of online retailers, including Jetpens or Amazon, that sell the .4mm needle-tip versions. The ink has come a long way in terms of legibility, and I’ve found the pens to work as advertised.
The “Coordinate” Layout from the “Think” Journal with the Pilot Frixion. The ruling is pretty small on these notebooks, so for filling out charts, etc. I’ve used either a super-extra-fine fountain pen with Pilot Blue-Black ink (which holds a fine line quite well) or the Pilot Frixion gel pen.
As mentioned above, the notebooks shown here are from Laconic Tokyo, one of the brands we carry directly in our shop. While I’ve been carrying these two inserts around in the Laconic Style cover, I’m thinking of building out a larger brainstorming notebook using a higher-capacity option. The A5-sized refills are compatible with most A5 covers, including the Midori MD covers, and multiple-notebook covers and cases such as the Lochby Field Journal and Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links.
Yesterday we received a restock of the Laban Greek Mythology Ink Series, including favorites such as Athena Grey, Artemis Blue, and the seemingly perpetually backordered Aphrodite Pink. The latter we have in very low stock, so if you’re looking for this particular bottle, please do act fast. I plan to continue to carry these inks in the future, so if you miss out on a preferred color this shipment, there will be more.
We’ve also received some updates to our collection of desk accessories, including new colors in these Midori rulers that have sold phenomenally well. Between the Traveler’s Company Brass Ruler, one of these Midori versions, or the compact tape measure in the Midori XS Stationery Kits, my measuring game is strong!
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Laban, Midori, and other brands shown here.
Don’t Miss this week’s Giveaway! Closes tonight at 11:59pm CT.
Lumpers vs. Splitters: How Many Paper Notebooks Do You Use at One Time? (via Analog Office). Both? I have multiple general purpose notebooks, as well as notebooks devoted to specific functions.
Half Year Check-in for 2023 Intentions (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). It’s that time of year again!
YStudio - Classic Portable Fountain Pen in Copper (via Weirdoforest Pens). I need to jump back into reviewing the YStudio lineup, as it’s been years since I’ve used one of their products and they have expanded rather dramatically.
The Advantages of Dip Nibs (via KraftyKats). Want a lot of line variation in your writing and the ability to switch between styles without having to have fountain pen nibs ground? Dip nibs are an inexpensive and easy way to experiment.
An Ink You Like Is Too Wet or Too Dry - Do Not Throw It Out (via Dapprman). In addition to awaiting the perfect pen for a specific ink (one that may write slightly wet or slightly dry), you can also consider some of the various ink additives available such as Vanness “White Lightning”. I hear it works great for the Kyoto TAG inks.
Ink of the Week - Papier Plume Bayou Nightfall (via Fountain Pen Love). Papier Plume has been absolutely killing it in recent years with some of their limited edition ink colors, and Bayou Nightfall - a grey/blue/green shader - is a personal favorite. I’m glad I was able to pick up a bottle secondhand.
Conway Stewart Churchill Fountain Pen Review (via S.B.R.E. Brown). Eventually I’ll bring home one of the Conway Stewart Flagship pens from either the upcoming D.C. or San Francisco Pen Shows.
Ink Review #2238: Romania Red (via Mountain of Ink). Dominant Industry Romania Red has turned into one of my favorite dark/blood red inks available right now, and is the preferred substitute for my Montblanc Hitchcock. I might actually prefer this color.
Stationery on the Go: Train Edition (Pen Addict - Sarah). I would love to take a long train trip (cross-country maybe?) solely for the purpose of spending some time with my writing.
Boku-Undo Gansai Aurora Palette (via Well-Appointed Desk). So it looks like watercolor makers are taking the same approach as the fountain pen ink makers, releasing a ton of colors with different properties.
This week on the blog I wrote a piece about proprietary ink cartridges (namely those from Japan that I love due to their high ink capacity and refillability), and I also revisited five of my favorite posts from 2023 as I work through my Mid-Year Review that will be continued this week.
This week in the Curated Shop, we had large-format A4 notebooks arrive, and I also took a look at five of my favorite releases from 2023.
T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support!
Every year around this time I take a pause from creating new content to assess where I am in terms of the goals I set for myself and the site at the beginning of the year. This provides the opportunity to reflect on the progress made and to reassess priorities and make adjustments in light of new developments. As part of that review, I’ll look at both the shop and the blog, and always start by evaluating what worked, including my favorite posts from the first part of the year. This year, they include:
Journaling in 2023: Use It or Lose It? Well, did I use it or did I lose it? Neither. I've kept up on my journaling, but irregularly. Now is the perfect time to jump back into the daily habit, because I definitely start feeling off-track and disconnected without taking that time for myself. I’d also like to add in 20-30 minutes of morning pages, but that’s adding something entirely new to my routine so I’ll have to see how it fits.
Serious Nibbage: Do No. 8 Nibs Live Up to the Hype? Yes, they do. I’ve continued to use my No. 8 nibs regularly, and am actively looking to add more to my collection. In addition to just being more visually interesting, I love the way they write. Smoother? Slightly more springy?
Schon DSGN Full-Size Fountain Pen and Monoc Nib First Impressions. Schon DSGN’s completely in-house Monoc nib is easily my favorite product released this year. I can’t wait to pick up one of the color-anodized versions at a pen show later this summer.
Review Revisited: Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo and Tsuki-Yo. As the year has progressed, one of the projects I’ve picked up along the way is revisiting things I first looked at in the early days of T.G.S., and if they’re items I continue to use, why they have such staying power. These two inks started out as two of my favorites, and remain at the top of my list.
Catching Up with Tactile Turn: The Side Click "Deep Space" Seasonal Edition. I still love my Tactile Turn “Deep Space” Side Click, as much as I did the day I purchased the pen. Just a reminder that the current seasonal release, “8-Bit”, is about to go away, so if you’ve been looking to get one now’s your chance.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.
While I’m not on vacation this month as in years past, I’ve traditionally taken some time in June to do a quick mid-year recap, including favorite shop arrivals to date. So far, 2023 has been something of a banner year in terms of shop expansion, having added multiple brands and significantly expanding our offerings of products such as fountain pens, inks, quirky ballpoints, and notebook systems. Here are five of my personal favorites:
Anterique Ballpoints. These vintage-style ballpoint click pens pair vintage style with a modern, low-viscosity “Mach Ball” .5mm refill. We recently completed the lineup by adding 20+ colors, including demonstrators. Read more here.
Caran d’Ache + Paul Smith Ed. 4 849 Ballpoint Pens. Over the years, the Caran d’Ache collaborations with designer Paul Smith have been among my favorite special releases. This year’s bicolor ballpoint pens are no exception, with the blues and the greens being my favorite.
Laconic Style Notebooks and Bookmarks. Combining two of my favorite things - notebook systems and reading accessories - the Laconic Style series offers a highly customizable notetaking experience. (Notetaking bookmarks? I’m not sure there’s a product that speaks to me more.) Read more on these here.
Laban Greek Mythology Fountain Pen Inks. In addition to having a great overall theme that appeals to a mythology geek like myself, I love the colors.
Lamy Cursive Calligraphy Nib. This nib has replaced the standard Lamy steel Lamy nib on most of my personal Safari and Studio fountain pens. We are able to offer this nib for sale as well as a selection of Lamy Safari and AL-Star pens, and we can install the nib on the pen of your choice if you message us at the time of purchase. For more details on this nib and how it writes, check out this post.
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.
Cartridges from left: Pilot, Platinum, Sailor, Lamy, and “Standard” International
It doesn't take long for new fountain pen users to recognize that all fountain pen ink cartridges aren't created equal. While there is such a thing as a "standard international" ink cartridge and converter, it’s neither “standard” nor particularly “international”, as that term has essentially come to mean that the standard version "fits pens with JoWo, Bock, or Schmidt nib/feed assemblies." Nearly all of the Japanese brands, as well as some European brands like Lamy, use their own proprietary cartridge/converter format. Today I'll talk a bit about why I tend to prefer the Japanese-style cartridges to the standard international format.
Note: Whenever you buy a new pen from a brand you haven't previously used, ALWAYS check whether you also need a specific converter and/or cartridge to go with that brand.
Pilot pens such as the Custom Heritage 912, the Custom 74, and the Vanishing Point all take the proprietary Pilot Cartridge.
Why these two, you might ask? Capacity. While each format is unique to each brand, these cartridges hold a LOT of ink. Moreover, the "wide mouth" format of the cartridge both ensures better ink flow than the typical international cartridge (which has a narrower opening) and makes the cartridge easier to refill with ink of your choice using a pipette or small eyedropper rather than a syringe. Of course, part of the reason why these cartridges tend to work so well may be due to the proprietary nature itself, with the cartridge engineered to fit the brand's specific nib and feed.
Pilot cartridges are among the easiest to refill, so there’s even an “aftermarket” for things like these small rubber stoppers if you want to refill a full set. (Search eBay or your online marketplace of choice.)
As an aside, there has been a lot of speculation as to why Pilot recently released the Iroshizuku Inks in cartridge form, and why they believe they can price these cartridges at the relatively high price point of $14 for six. Personally, I think it's because a large portion of users write with fine or extra-fine nibs (if not finer). Given that Pilot cartridges hold a decent volume of ink, six of these cartridges could last someone up to a year, especially if they don't write extensively by hand and, for example, use their pen to make occasional notes in a planner. (Standard Pilot cartridges are much less expensive, as are Platinum cartridges, and are sold in boxes of one dozen.)
While Sailor cartridges also feature a proprietary format with a wider opening similar to Pilot and Platinum, and work just fine, they don't hold as much ink. On the other hand, I find that Lamy cartridges have narrower openings similar to the Western-style Standard International cartridge. As a result, the ink doesn't flow quite as well, and Lamy cartridges can be difficult to puncture to the point where I sometimes worry I'm about to break the pen.
Don’t be like me. Use your cartridges.
At the end of the day, the proprietary systems of cartridges and ink converters can be both a pain to navigate and part of the charm of using fountain pens. Sure, it would be much more convenient to have a single universal format for all brands, and to not have to worry about stocking refills from multiple brands, but over time I've just come to accept that "the cartridge singularity" is not going to happen and learned to love the different shapes and peculiarities of each cartridge. My own opinion is that the Japanese pen companies make better cartridges than Western manufacturers. Not only do I get better performance - mainly ink flow - when I use these cartridges, but the cartridges seem to last longer on the shelf. My insanely busy week/weekend of work saw me cycling through several cartridges on the fly, and the number of half-evaporated cartridges I discovered in my office desk drawer stash (mostly standard short international) reminded me that these things don't last forever. Use 'em if you got em'!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.
While most of my work-related daily notetaking occurs in smaller, more portable A5 and B6 slim notebooks, for longer writing and drafting (and sometimes for visual projects) I prefer to work with a larger canvas. In these cases, I go to the A4 size or a composition book. I’ve shown off pictures of my Midori MD Cotton F3 (the big size) notebook, which fits the Midori A4 paper cover. Lately, this has served as my “ink journal,” but I’m also thinking of adding a couple of the Midori A4 MD Light in lined or grid to use in a couple of ongoing work projects.
The Midori MD A4-sized cover, shown next to the 5 Years Diary for scale.
Midori MD Cotton F3 and MD Light A4 Notebooks are currently available in the shop, along with other sizes of the MD Light and Midori MD Notebooks. For those who favor a traditional “Composition Book” size, we carry the wonderfully fountain pen friendly Rhodia Composition Books, as well as a range of fun designs from Mr. Boddington’s Studio. For those who prefer A4 spiral or staple-bound notebooks, check out our offerings from Maruman Mnemosyne and Clairefontaine.
The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.
Continuing our string of giveaways throughout the month of June, today we have a 3D-printed pen and ink stand, plus a bottle of ink, courtesy of Anderillium! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, or the accompanying post over on Instagram, to enter. The giveaway will run through Sunday, June 25 at 11:59pm CT, at which point I will number the comments and pick a winner using a random number generator.
Colossal Squid Dark from the Cephalopod Series
The winner can choose any bottle of Anderillium Ink (that we have in stock) to accompany their pen stand. Need an idea for a comment? Tell us your favorite Anderillium color!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Many thanks for reading!
Let’s just say this week may have gotten slightly off-track with fountain pen minimalism.
Finding Each Other: Social Media (via A Fleeting Ripple). This is a great idea for a post - most forms of social media are constantly changing, including in the fountain pen world, and it’s important to keep up with where people are as certain communities we’ve come to rely on to connect us change (or close altogether). See the last section of this post for details on where you can find me on social media and/or the broader internet these days.
#21PenQuestions from Inkdependence (via Inkdependence). This was a fun read. I’m going to go start working on my answers.
Finding the Purposeful Center of Writing in Analog (via mnmlscholar). A thoughtful reflection on why and how we do the work we do, and may or may not choose to do it in analog form.
Montblanc 149 Calligraphy Curved Nib (via Scrively). Depending on how you hold this pen (similar to a Kodachi or Naginata-Togi-style nib), you apparently can get some very nice line variation in a single nib. It’s interesting to see Montblanc get involved selling these kinds of nibs.
Kuretake Gansai Tambi Portable Watercolor Palette (via Fueled by Clouds and Coffee). While I don’t own a Watercolor Palette, or even any watercolors, I’ve long been curious about how palettes are used and refilled.
Life Schöpfer Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Blake reviews a vintage exercise book-style notebook from Japanese stationery company Life.
Kaweco Bronze Sport (via Dapprman). While it’s a more expensive option, I also enjoy how bronze works as a material on pens.
Ink of the Week - Visconti Blue (via Fountain Pen Love). Visconti inks used to receive a lot more attention than they do today. They make a generally well-regarded blue ink that’s aptly described here as a bright “pure” blue.
Montblanc Writer’s Edition Franz Kafka Review (via SBRE Brown). The insect engraving on the nib does it for me.
Seven Years of Morning Pages (via From the Pen Cup). That sort of consistency is a huge accomplishment. Congratulations!
The Pen that Started It All (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Everyone has that one first pen that kicked off the hobby for them. Mine was a Waterman Laureate.
This week on the blog, we featured a guest post from R.B. Lemberg titled “The Ark of Pens,” which contained their thoughts on collecting and the fountain pen hobby. Since I’ve been doing a LOT of writing and editing this week, I’ve been using a combination of workhorse Pilot pens and blue-black inks. I wrote a post on six of my blue-black inks of choice, after I noticed that they showed a surprising amount of variation. Finally the YouTube Channel has a new “Currently Inked” video, in which I talk about three of the capless/retractable fountain pens I’ve been using lately.
The Platinum Matte Curidas Fountain Pen comes with everything you need to get started writing!
First things first: Through tonight at 11:59pm CT, grab an extra 10% off certain paper and desk accessories in the T.G.S. Curated Shop using the code “DAD10” at checkout. Also, if you’re looking for a last-minute gift (for Father’s Day or any occasions), after repeated request there I’ve introduced an electronic gift card option.
New arrivals this past week include the Matte Curidas Retractable Fountain Pen from Platinum, available in all three colors. We’ve also restocked on Midori MD Cotton Paper in both the pad and notebook format, and have A4 sized Midori MD Light Notebooks.
Prompted by Dennis’ post above, maybe this is a good time to take a moment to talk about where I live in the online pen world, and where you can find me other than here on the primary T.G.S. website. I’m most active on Instagram (@gentlemanstationer), given that the visual aspect of pens, ink, and paper lends itself to a more photo and video-intensive application. While I do repost content to Twitter (@vintagegntlmn), for those of you who I know use it like a news feed, lately I’ve been more active on Mastodon (@gentlemanstationer.mastodon.social) since I feel that community tends to lend itself to more civil discussion and has a growing stationery contingent.
While I’m interested in participating more in communities such as Twitch, Slack, Discord and Reddit (u/gentlemanstationer and r/gentlemanstationer), and agree that all of those platforms have vibrant communities of enthusiasts, my time commitments are limited and I can’t really do anything justice by trying to engage everywhere on a deep level. Because any content/advice/interactions you have on traditional social media can be fleeting and subject to the whims of third-parties who probably don’t have “growing community” and preserving knowledge long-term as their central aim, my central point of engagement will always be here at T.G.S., since I own the platform and have a large degree of control over what happens to my content and can take steps to keep the dialog on a respectful level. If you’d like to participate in more personal interaction (including monthly meetups), consider joining our Patreon. I’m also working on more video content over on the T.G.S. YouTube Channel.
As always, many thanks for your support!
We’re running a sale this weekend in the shop for Father’s Day - through 11:59pm on Sunday, June 18, take 10% off paper and desk accessories using the coupon code “DAD10” at checkout!
A while back I did an "inks of choice" post in which, for the first time, I discussed my favorite inks by broad color category. This wasn't easy, as many of the colors I love and use on a regular basis aren't easy to categorize. Is it a blue? A blue-black? A dusky purple? Is this a yellow or an orange? A red or a brown? Is burgundy it's own color family? (You get the idea.)
Lately I've been involved in a project at my job that has required me to do more writing than I've done in a long time, given my mostly supervisory responsibilities at this point in my career. This has resulted in (1) a lot of different pens getting written dry; and (2) lots of different pens getting inked up, mainly with unassuming blue-black inks chosen for both performance and the fact that they're less distracting than other brighter options. Whenever I get caught up in a project like this one, and find myself looking at multiple inks in the same color family, I end up struck by how much variation there is among supposedly "identical" inks and ultimately realize that it's a key part of why I have so much fun with this hobby. Here, you have six inks that vary pretty wildly, even within brands. At the same time, it’s fun to see the commonalities that certain brands have, like that Pilot red sheen!
My standard ink testing paper is Midori MD Cotton. It accurately reflects color despite being slightly off-white, and showcases ink properties such as sheen and shading fairly well.
Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo. Tsuki-Yo won the "Blue-Black" slot in the "Favorite Inks" post, and as I mentioned in that post, the main reason I love Tsuki-Yo so much is because it's not your traditional blue-black ink. Typically translated as "Moonlight", this ink features a navy undertone with reddish sheen - an office-friendly ink with just enough subtlety to make it interesting for fountain pen aficionados.
Iroshizuku Shin-Kai. Shin-Kai is what I would call the "true" blue-black in the Iroshizuku lineup. Typically translated as "Deep Sea," Shin-Kai somewhat resembles standard Pilot Blue-Black, but dries to an almost steel grey with blue undertones and, again, red sheen.
Pilot Blue-Black. Whenever I get a new Vanishing Point or other Pilot cartridge-converter pen, often the first ink to run through that pen is a standard Pilot Blue-Black ink cartridge. This particular ink has a degree of water-resistance, which is one reason why so many people enjoy it. What surprises me the most with this ink is the degree of red sheen this ink exhibits, which is even more pronounced than its Iroshizuku counterparts.
I forget how much red sheen Pilot inks exhibit, until I swatch them next to other brands. The standard Pilot Blue-Black is kind of crazy, though the sheen only really comes out
Caran d'Ache Magnetic Blue. The "Grey-Blue-Black" of this group, albeit with purple (?) undertones when wet, Caran d'Ache Magnetic Blue is the most "traditional" blue-black ink of this group. It exhibits some shading but no sheen.
Platinum Blue-Black. Another standard Japanese blue-black ink that I use primarily in cartridge form, Platinum Blue-Black is more blue than other options, and also shows a good degree of water resistance.
Sailor Nano Souboku. Sailor makes a line of "nano" pigmented inks that are permanent, yet still "safe" for use in fountain pens. I've reviewed Kiwa-Guro (the "Nano-Black") in the past, but I've had this pack of the blue-black Souboku cartridges for more than a year and figured that I needed to put them through the rotation. Souboku looks almost teal when wet, and dries to a lighter blue-black shade than the other inks shown here. I like the Sailor "Nano" pigmented inks because they are permanent and tend to perform well on even the cheapest of office papers.
These three are the more “standard” blue-black inks that I’ve used.
Note: Why so many cartridges, you may ask? During my office reorganization/clean-out project from earlier this year, I came across more than a dozen boxes of cartridges, some of which had to be tossed because the ink had evaporated. Cartridges don't last forever, so if you have them, use them!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and Pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.
Look Ma! No Bleed-through!
From left: Nahvalur Original Plus in Ocellatus Gold, Pilot Custom 823 in Amber, Lamy 2000 (Limited Edition Bauhaus Blue - sorry!) and Pilot Custom 74 in Blue Stone.
We’re reaching the six-month midpoint of 2023, and typically around this time I’m on vacation and using the time off to summarize my favorite releases, reviews, and store arrivals for the year. Due to some family travel, our schedule has been thrown a bit and vacation moved up to last month, so for the first time in years I’m actually spending the month of June at home! I’ll of course be doing some mid-year recaps, but perhaps with a slightly different approach than in the past.
From Left: Endless Creator, Pilot Vanishing Point, and Platinum Matte Curidas
In the shop, 2023 has seen us build out our selection of fountain pens, after spending the first two years thinking very carefully about what we wanted to carry. To date, the focus has been on “workhorse” pens that you can use for daily writing, spanning a range of price points, filling systems, and designs that now include a couple of recently released retractable nib pens. Today’s post highlights what we’ve added so far this year, and we have more on the way!
Lamy 2000 Fountain Pen. Since starting the shop, I’ve been waiting to bring in the Lamy 2000 line in its entirety, and we’re most of the way there. By far my favorite workhorse for everyday writing, the Lamy 2000 is one of my most-recommended fountain pens for those looking for a no-nonsense piston filler.
Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen. Similar to the Lamy 2000, the Pilot Custom 74 is one of those no-brainer recommendations where it’s hard to go wrong. Now available in 8 different demonstrator finishes with EF through Broad 14k nibs. Check out my recent “Review Revisited” for a closer look at the Custom 74.
Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pen. Slightly larger than the Custom 74 and featuring a high-capacity vacuum filling system, the Pilot Custom 823 is the first “upgrade” for many fountain pen enthusiasts looking for a more technical fountain pen that’s remains approachable and not overly complex. The Custom 823 got the “Workhorse Pens” review treatment back in April.
Kaweco Sport and Skyline Sport Fountain Pens. Of course you need a pocket fountain pen in your rotation, and the standard Kaweco Sport (gold trim) and Skyline Sport (silver trim) is the first stop for most. It’s really hard to compete with the Mocha, Mint, and Fox Skyline colors!
Platinum Curidas Matte Fountain Pens. A retractable fountain pen? Of course we need one in our lineup. You can say I’m sort of obsessed with these Matte Curidas pens at the moment, especially the blue. I hope that Platinum continues to make this specific model.
Endless Creator Retractable Fountain Pen. I’m happy to see that there is more of a pricing spectrum with retractable nib fountain pens. Endless - makers of the “Recorder” notebook series, has released their “Creator” fountain pen at the $50 price point, and so far I’ve been impressed at what they’ve been able to do here with an original design while still keeping the price relatively accessible.
Platinum Preppy Wa “Modern Maki-e” Limited Editions. One reason I absolutely love the Preppy Wa is because it brings the fun of fountain pen limited editions to the lowest price point of all. The Platinum Preppy is an excellent entry level fountain pen, and the “Wa” series (now in it’s third rendition), continues with these Maki-e style designs.
Lamy AL-Star, Safari, and Vista. We plan to begin carrying the standard Lamy colors of the AL-Star and Safari in the near future, and currently stock a selection of the special release colors, including the Lilac and Petrol AL-Star fountain pens.
TWSBI Special Releases, including the ECO-T Saffron, ECO Persian Green, and Diamond Mini Grape. I may have to do a post specific to TWSBI in the near future, because over the past 12 months they have released some of my all-time favorite editions in some of my favorite colors. (Saffron and Purple? These could turn into classic TWSBI releases.)
Nahvalur Original Plus New Colors and Trim. Originally announced late last year, Nahvalur reworked it’s “Original” lineup to include a vacuum filling system in the original transparent acrylic demonstrators, and then two new models with rose gold trim.
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.
Today we have a Guest Post from a friend of the blog, R.B. Lemberg! It’s been a long while since T.G.S. has featured a guest post, and I’ve been looking to bring in some new voices and hope to make this a semi-regular event. Enjoy!
In The Cultures of Collecting, editors Elsner and Cardinal describe the biblical Noah as the first collector. “Adam had given names to the animals, but it fell to Noah to collect them… Menaced by a Flood, one has to act swiftly. Anything overlooked will be lost forever: between including and excluding there can be no half- measures. The collection is the unique bastion against the deluge of time.” (Elsner and Cardinal 1994:1)
It took a global crisis to make me a collector of pens.
In 2020, shuttered in my room and yet overloaded with responsibilities of teaching, leadership, caregiving, and generative work, I stepped into the world of fountain pens for respite. It wasn’t my first pen venture; I learned about writing with dip pens and fountain pens in Soviet elementary school. I was a clumsy child and the pens were of poor quality; I hated every moment of it. Later, in graduate school in the US, I happily used a single Pilot Falcon. I put it aside after getting my doctorate, and switched to Pilot V5s; but something shifted during the pandemic. I think this describes many people.
Edison Menlo (top) and Kaweco Liliput (bottom).
I remember 2020 and 2021 as joyful years for pens. Everything else was ash and fear, but pens were a happy creative outlet, and many new people joined the hobby. I certainly did not think about myself as a stationery collector before the pandemic, but I found myself reading fountain pen books and blogs and watching instructional videos. In a quest after that special magic of a perfectly tuned nib touching paper, I tried a whole lot of pens. I sent a few pens to Mark Bacas for a grind. I talked about fountain pens endlessly. By the end of 2021, I figured out what I liked, and began curating.
I wasn’t collecting pens to save them from the deluge of time, and these days I’m not sure if I am a collector at all. I like to use my pens, but I also enjoy simply lining them up; I live for an aesthetically pleasing pen tray. There’s certainly a central theme to my collecting. I love Italian pens. I gravitate towards stubs and italic nibs, as well as the sometimes-maligned European mediums. The colors and textures of pens in my tray reassure me that beauty persists beyond the devastation of wars and pandemics, beyond market pressures and too-rapid technological advances. Fiddling with my pens reminds me that history is a human story. We value not just what’s the latest and fastest and flashiest; my pens promise and deliver a contemplative world.
As a curator, I am infinitely curious about other people’s practices. Over the last three years, I read blogs and talked to folks online and offline about managing fountain pen collections. Some never give anything up – once the pen enters a collection, it is there to stay, whether used frequently or not. In the story of the flood, only a single raven (and later: a single dove) ever left the Ark. Others rotate through pens, frequently buying and selling; a prime example of this approach is the fascinating UK Fountain Pens blog. Many people are somewhere in the middle - they keep most or many of their pens, and let some go. Some folks call their pens a collection, others an accumulation. I call mine the gathering. Sometimes I think my pens are alive – not just items on display, but friends who hang out with me, and help me get words down on page in a way that nurtures my soul.
Sometimes, pens leave the gathering. They’ve had enough of my party. :) Others are here to stay.
Onoto Scholar in Mandarin Yellow. I got this one from Onoto directly for a great introductory price in early 2022; the nib in it right now is a special order stub, I believe ground for Onoto by John Sorowka.
Leonardo Momento Magico in Brooks Bohemian Twilight. This one was a birthday present from Limited Pens Korea. I swapped the steel Medium it arrived with for the excellent Franklin Christoph M Sig – one of the best nib grinds I’ve tried so far (thank you, Audrey!) It is an incredibly versatile and joyful pen – I love the ink window and the fact that the nib unit unscrews for cleaning, making it excellent for shimmers.
Aurora Optima Viola with a Factory Stub. I got it for an amazing price on Fountain Pen Day. This also was subsidized by birthday moneys. I wanted to try an Aurora, and this one is superb and easily one of my favorite pens ever.
What are some of your fountain pen standouts? Do you curate, and if so, what is your approach?
R.B. Lemberg (they/them) is a queer, neurodivergent academic and writer of speculative fiction. They are the author of The Unbalancing (2022), The Four Profound Weaves (2020), and other books. You can find them on their website http://rblemberg.net, on their Instagram as @rblemberg, and on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/rblemberg
While Platinum’s Curidas fountain pen has been around for several years now, Platinum hadn’t really done much with the line beyond the original set of demonstrator colors - until now. Yesterday saw the arrival of three new matte finishes in the Curidas (Matte Blue, Matte Black, and Matte Red), all of which are sold packaged as part of a set complete with a converter, ink cartridge, and bottle of Platinum Aurora Blue Mix-Free Ink. You have everything you need to get started writing!
The Matte Curidas fountain pen sets are currently available in the shop, in fine and medium stainless steel nib options. Please visit our shop to check out these and other recently arrived pen, paper, and ink offerings!
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Platinum.
For an additional Good Blue Writing Sample, check out this YouTube Short!
Six Years and Counting! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Happy Six Year Penversary to Kimberly! How long have you all been in this hobby? Do you have any special ways to celebrate?
Use Symbols to Help You Scan Your Paper List: the Dash Plus System (via Analog Office). There are many variations on “bullet journal-style” task tracking, including Dash Plus.
What Is this Collecting Lark? (via Goodwriterspens). Are you a user or a collector? Both? Does it matter? You can also read Part II here.
Pen Trends: Dip Nib Mania (via Well-Appointed Desk). Laura walks through three popular dip nibs currently on the market. I go back and forth on whether there is interest in dip nib content here at T.G.S. If you’d like to read more about this, or even have me bring them into the store, let me know!
Diplomat Elox Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). Diplomat has a long history of fountain pen manufacturing in Germany, and in recent years have garnered much acclaim for the Aero and the Elox, with their distinctive designs.
Systematizing: Traveler’s Notebook (via A Fleeting Ripple). One of the best aspects of the Traveler’s Notebook System is its customizability - you can make this notebook/planner as structured or flexible as you want using Traveler’s Notebook refills (or your own).
Diamine Monboddo’s Hat on Maruman Mnemosyne (via Incredible Colors). One of the many collaborations between Diamine and the Reddit community of fountain pen users, Monboddo’s Hat has been compared to Lamy’s coveted “Dark Lilac” special edition ink from a few years ago.
Dupe the Expensive Vibes (via Rachel’s Reflections). An interesting post from Rachel, which talks about pens with the look of (much) more expensive models, while still maintaining a degree of originality in the design.
Unearthed! Mutts Fold & Mail Stationery (via From the Pen Cup). Fold & Mail stationery is such a great concept, especially since it makes the letter writing process easy by (1) forcing you to keep your letters to a reasonable length to get them out the door; and (2) simplifying the process of getting them out the door.
Review: M800 Green Demonstrator (via Pelikan’s Perch). I love the look of the M800 Green Demonstrator. Amidst some uncertainty regarding Pelikan’s direction and the future of the fine writing division, I’m glad to see this release, even if it is something of a retread.
This week on the blog I took another look at the subject of landscape notebooks, with a deeper dive into the Write Notepads version. I also reviewed one of my Spring pen show acquisitions: the R615 “Titanium Blue” fountain pen special collaboration between The Good Blue and our friends at Vanness Pens.
Two big arrivals this past week: the much-anticipated Endless Creator fountain pen, which is their attempt at an original capless/retractable fountain pen at an accessible $50 price point. We also received a massive restock of Anterique ballpoint pens, mechanical pencils, and the refills. See the full list of recent arrivals and restocks in this post from Thursday.
T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! Note that Patrons will have early access to our forthcoming special release that should be arriving either later this month or early July, including pre-order opportunities and possibly exclusive access to certain add-ons. June is a good time to join!
The pen I'm reviewing today is part of my ongoing effort to break out my fountain pen comfort zone and try things that I wouldn't typically purchase to use at work, but rather pick up just for fun. The Good Blue is a London-based company that specializes in flexible-nib fountain pens paired with a unique feed system designed to ensure and adequate supply of ink to the nib, which is where most "modern flex" pens have underwhelmed. So how does The Good Blue R615 perform? Honestly, very well.
I absolutely love the color of the Cerakote on this pen. Read more on the history of the pen design and materials used directly on The Good Blue website.
This particular model, the R615 "Titanium Blue" is a special edition collaboration between our friends at Vanness Pens and The Good Blue. The pen features a streamlined, 6082 Aluminum body with "Titanium Blue" Cerakote coating, paired with a section machined from untreated CZ121 brass. The body of the pen is deceptively comfortable - I expected the step down from the pen body to the section to be too steep and severe for my taste, but as it turns out the grip area is long enough that this is not an issue.
The brass section will patina due to both your grip and exposure to ink. Note the porous feed and compare to the photo of the un-inked pen below.
While the R615 has no clip, the streamlined body features a facet on one side, which acts as a roll-stop. It's a simple, practical design. The brass components, per the company's website, are untreated and "precision textured with a surface roughness for ergonomic grip." Note that the untreated brass will absolutely patina, and may also change color due to exposure to ink. This doesn't bother me at all, and I find it to be part of the charm of the pen.
The pen doesn’t post, given the design, but is very well balanced in the hand.
As I mentioned above, the main issue that people run into with so-called "modern flex pens" is ink starvation. Namely, modern plastic feeds have a difficult time maintaining ink flow sufficient to write broader lines as you flex the nib from extra-fine to double-broad. The Good Blue appears to have solved this issue by using in-house polymer feeds made from an absorbent material that not only absorbs the ink to keep the feed saturated but changes color to match the ink (helpful if you, like me, often forget what ink you have in a pen.)
The engraving on the nib says “For the love of flex.” These nib units are in JoWo-threaded housings and therefore interchangeable with pens from other brands.
The Good Blue offers several different nib options. There are, of course, standard stainless steel nibs available, but with a company known for flex, I had to try the titanium flex nib. Once broken in, the titanium nib lays down a ton of ink, and line width ranges from a bouncy fine/medium, writing with little pressure, to around a double broad if I really try to push things. (By “broken in,” I mean that the nib will soften with use. Mine was fairly stiff when I first received it, but has gradually opened up to where I can get significantly more line variation.) I have experienced zero "railroading" as long as I use moderately wet inks, and have only had issues with a couple of drier or extremely saturated shimmer inks.
Writing sample on Write Notepads paper with Iroshizuku Asa-Gao fountain pen ink.
I didn't intend to purchase this pen, but after playing around with the demo model at the Vanness Table at the Arkansas Pen Show (dangerous table neighbors there), I couldn't pass it up. My R615 has remained inked ever since March, and while I don't write with it every day, it sees regular use in my journal and written correspondence, as well as when I'm doodling around with ink - something I've tried to do more of for the simple joy of it. The Good Blue makes one of the best modern "stock" flex nibs I've used, and I'd like to try their calligraphy and 14k nibs in the future.
Because this particular pen is exclusive to Vanness Pens, you can only purchase it through them (though it is currently out of stock as of the time of writing). Vanness does carry other versions of the R615, including the acetate and Ultem versions, as well as a selection of the standard and flex nibs. Prices start at $140 and increase depending on your choice of materials and nib, with the pen shown here coming in at $220 for the special finish plus the titanium flex. The pens and various specialty nibs (including 14k flex and untipped "Calligraphy Flex") can also be ordered directly from The Good Blue, though they will ship from the U.K.
I purchased this pen from Vanness Pens with my own funds for my own collection, though I received a discount for review purposes. This post does not contain affiliate links or paid advertising. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.
Of the 26 colors of the Anterique Ballpoint Pens,
Earlier this week we announced the arrival of the Endless Creator Retractable Fountain Pen, a new original design from notebook-maker Endless that seeks to offer a retractable nib option for fountain pens at an accessible price point. In addition to the Endless Creator, additional colors of Anterique Pens, and Anterique mechanical pencils, we now have more Traveler’s Company Spiral Ring Notebooks, as well as new versions of both the Life Noble Note A5 Sidebound Notebooks and Stenographer’s Pads. Happy Shopping!
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.
Endless Creator Retractable Fountain Pen. The Endless Creator Fountain Pen hit stores this week. I’ve been playing around with one and will have a fuller review at some point, but I’ve enjoyed the faceted body and interesting design. No issues with the pen on my end.
T.G.S. x Penwell “Aged Red” Collaboration. As I mentioned in last weekend’s Giveaway announcement, I’ll be pulling a handful of the T.G.S.-exclusive Penwells out of stock to use in connection with an exclusive fountain pen promotion in the coming weeks. I don’t know whether/when we’ll do another run of these, so last call!
Traveler’s Company Spiral Ring Notebooks. We received a shipment of the Traveler’s Company Spirals, featuring both the classic Midori MD Paper and the Midori Watercolor paper. These notebooks with Kraft paper covers make great journals and/or sketchbooks, especially now that we have the watercolor versions.
Anterique Classic Click Ballpoints. We now have the Anterique vintage-style ballpoint pens in 26 different colors. These pens include a .5mm low-viscosity refill similar to a Jetstream or Acroball, and leave a very fine line that dries quickly and doesn’t smear. You can even mix and match the different colors to create the pen(s) of your choice.
Anterique Brass Ballpoints. Anterique makes a brass-barrel version of the classic click pen, in four different colors (though the plastic parts are interchangeable with the upper section from the standard click pens).
Anterique Classic Click Mechanical Pencils. The .5mm mechanical pencils share the same vintage “click pen” look, and feature a retractable tip and “cushion spring” mechanism to prevent lead breakage.
Anterique “Mach Ball” Refills. These were on backorder for some time, but we now have a healthy stock of these Anterique .5mm “Mach Ball” refills. Feel free to stock up with your Anterique Pens!
Caran d’Ache + Paul Smith 849 Ballpoints. We have more of the Caran d’Ache and Paul Smith limited edition ballpoints currently in stock, though certain colors (Racing Green) go extremely fast.
Life Noble Note A5 Blank Notebooks. We received the plain unruled versions of the Life Noble Note A5 sidebound notebooks, so we can now offer all formats of this paper.
Life Stenographer’s Notebook (Graph Paper). The top-bound Life Stenographer’s pad features 50 sheets/100 pages of quality life paper in either classic steno or grid ruling.
The response to last month's review of the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad was overwhelmingly positive - there's apparently much interest in this sort of practical “workhorse” stationery product - so I thought it might make sense to dive further into the landscape notebook/desk pad category. Today I'll be discussing the Write Notepads Landscape Notebook, a long-time favorite of mine which plays a similar, yet distinct, role in my personal workflow.
Baltimore, Maryland-based Write Notepads is an independent print shop that makes a full line of spiral notebooks, writing pads, and pocket notebooks in both standard and limited editions. Back in 2020, when I launched the shop, they were one of the first to believe in my idea enough to allow me to carry their products, for which I'm grateful. The main reason I continue to carry the brand, however, is their commitment to quality, and maybe a little bit of ensuring that I personally have ongoing access to certain of the items in their lineup. (Disclaimer: As mentioned, we sell certain of the Write Notepads products directly in our shop. I don't think this affects my opinion of what has long been regarded as a good standard notebook by the community at large, but transparency is important.)
Write Notepads spiral notebooks all feature a fairly durable kraft paper cover and a thick chipboard backing, bound together with a durable double spiral binding.
I enjoyed reviewing the Sidekick Notepad, and the more structured layout of that pad has found its place in my workflow. Certain types of writing that I do, however, requires unformatted paper, and I can burn through a LOT of it quickly. Take yesterday, for example. I spent much of the day on Zoom calls and/or reviewing e-mails in order to collect input from a dozen different people on a project, while simultaneously processing my thoughts into a longer-form outline that will eventually make it's way into a 50-page memorandum. Since I almost always do my first draft of anything by hand, I had a landscape-style notebook (the one pictured here) beneath my keyboard and essentially took notes in "draft" form as I went back and forth in conversation. By the end of the day I had filled four or five pages, with more looseleaf notes taken on a Baron Fig Mastermind pad.
Obviously I can’t show you the actual writing I do in my day job, but it’s nice to be able to write a continuous line horizontally across the page in this format.
Why this personal anecdote? To illustrate why and how I take use case into context whenever I discuss a product, offer a recommendation, and/or make choices for my own setup. For example, in my review of the Sidekick, I noted that it might not be a cost-effective option for "those who burn through 5+ sheets of paper on a daily basis, or who only use desk pads for taking lots of notes and drafting documents." Essentially I was talking about myself and a subset of the T.G.S. readership that I know maintain similar working habits. While none of the paper I use is inexpensive, in order to afford my preferences I do try to keep an eye on the overall cost of the paper I use for certain specific writing-intensive projects, and lately I've even tried to move some of my longhand work to an e-ink tablet (more on that later).
I’ve had very good luck using Write Notepads paper successfully with broad nibs and stubs, even combined with very wet inks.
Given the type of writing that I do, Write Notepads is one of several brands that strikes a balance between paper quality and cost. The paper works well with fountain pens, and is absorbent enough to dry relatively quickly when I'm writing quick notes at work and need to flip the page. The sturdy chipboard covers hold up in a bag, and will last a long time in storage if I need to maintain work notes long-term. Are these notebooks perfect? No. For one thing, I REALLY wish the pages were perforated, and I'd probably be willing to pay a few bucks extra per notebook for that feature. The Landscape Notebook would - in my opinion - be perfectly sized if it were a half-inch shorter to allow for a better fit beneath the keyboard. But no "perfect" product exists - this hobby wouldn't be fun if it did, right? - and that's why I'll likely already have a rotating stable of different pens, pads, and notebooks to collectively get me through my work week.
Despite the absorbency, there is no bleedthrough and very little, if any, show-through on the paper.
Certain products are great because they're just solid, well-executed examples of what they are, and while not inexpensive, cost-effective enough to allow you to use them in larger quantities without feeling too guilty or extravagant. I've long loved the vintage aesthetic of the Write Notepads spiral notebooks, and whether I'm working with fountain pen, ballpoint, or pencil, the paper remains a staple of my workday.
Color selection continues to expand. Arctic Blue is my personal favorite, followed by Pistachio.
We sell most of the entire Write Notepads lineup directly, via our online shop, at pen shows we visit, and for local pickup in the greater Nashville, Tennessee area. The Landscape Notebook is priced at $20 for a 120-page notebook (writing front and back) and available in several different colors, including Black, Pistachio, Plum, Arctic Blue, and Forest. (While technically sold only in a lined ruling, if you prefer dot grid paper, you can achieve the same landscape effect by taking a Write Notepads Dot Grid Spiral Notebook and turning it sideways.) Those who prefer more structure to the notebook they have sitting under their keyboard may want to look at the Weekly Planner layout, which also features the spiral binding on the side, not the top.
If you're interested in reading more on landscape-style notepads, my other two favorite options include the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad (recently reviewed and discussed above), and the Baron Fig Mastermind, which might be the most inexpensive option in my everyday paper arsenal and a top choice for everyday "scratch paper".
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links.
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