Sunday Reading for September 13, 2026

1. Swatching my 2026 SFPS Ink Haul (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Kimberly and I overlapped a bit on our inks that we brought home from San Francisco!

2. Finally Got My Hands on the Kyuseido Akari! (And the Shinya) (via dwrdnet). Derek was busy at the DC Pen Show. These pens have interesting filling systems, and of course customized nibs.

3. Keyno Stay.tionery from Dominant Industry (via Figboot on Pens). David gets his hands on one of the first Dominant Industry fountain pens.

4. Settling in Slowly (via A Gathering of Curiosities). I love reading stories about how people come back to their pens.

5. Nahvalur Nautilus Fireworks Review (via Penquisition). I’ve been enjoying the redesigned Nahvalur Nautilus fountain pen as well - I prefer the streamlined design to the older cap band.

6. My Travel Field Notes (via Writing at Large). I could only wish I had a travel notebook this well-worn!

7. Ink Review #2907: De Atramentis Document Black Blue (via Mountain of Ink). I need to try out some of the De Atramentis document inks on a more extended basis. Many people have been recommending permanent inks to me.

8. A Mish-Mash of Delightful Things (via From the Pen Cup). Mary always finds some of the more delightful less common stationery items.

9. Rickshaw x NockCo Brasstown Pen Roll Case (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana gets to review the latest release of the NockCo Brasstown, now in collaboration with Rickshaw!

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In Case You Missed It…

This week I answered a new question in the “Ask TGS” series, about my favorite non-fountain pen accessories that I use regularly. I also reviewed two non-fountain pens I’ve been using quite frequently on my seemingly never-ending travels: the Pilot Metropolitan Rollerball and Ballpoint. Both are underrated workhorses that shouldn’t be overlooked simply because they may not be trendy.

Yes, this is a real product. Yes, we have it available.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

This week we restocked on two major notebook systems: Lochby and OnionBrand, and we continue to have a large stock of Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters in standard size. We also have fresh stock of Tom’s Studio refillable fineliners and highlighters, as well as additional nib sizes in the gorgeous Pilot Custom 845 Urushi. Be sure to check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for a full list of new arrivals and restocks!

The Nashville Shop will be open normal hours this coming week, from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday and 10am-5pm on Saturday. Please come by and see these and more in-person, and we are open online 24-7!

Roterfaden

Pilot

OnionBrand

Fred & Friends

Visit Us on Patreon - Curated Box and Sunderland Pre-order Access

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. In addition to exclusive content, Discord access, and online meetups, Patreon supporters have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail” which have not been publicly released. This week, all Patreon Members (including free ones), have access to our periodic curated boxes plus a pre-order opportunity for the upcoming re-release of our Sunderland mk1 exclusive edition.

Two Cost-Effective Workhorse Pens: The Pilot Metropolitan Rollerball and Ballpoint

The Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen receives a lot of (well-deserved) attention, both as an excellent lower-cost option for those looking for their first fountain pen and as a reliable daily driver for those needing a pen they can carry around stress-free. Also known as the “MR” in some markets, what many don’t know is that the Metropolitan lineup also features excellent “rollerball” and ballpoint options. I use the term “rollerball” loosely because the pen ships with a Pilot .7mm G2 gel cartridge. so technically it should be called a “gel roller” but we won’t nitpick. Both pens are exceptionally good workhorse pens for the price point, and have a fairly regular place in my rotation since they live in my backpack pen slots alongside my Zento Flow and more.

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Comfortable All-Day Writers That Don’t Break the Bank

The Pilot G2 used to be my favorite gel pen option, and I still return to it regularly even if I’ve come to prefer the Synergy Tip that Pilot uses in the revamped Juice line. The fact that the Metro rollerball takes the G2 refill is a huge selling point for me. If you’re looking for a good gel pen that just works, a .7mm G2 is my own “when-I-just-need-to-write-and-not-focus-on-anything-else” pen. Many people assume that I write with fountain pens all the time, but when I need to minimize distraction or find myself stuck in a journaling rut, I nearly always reach for a favorite rollerball or gel pen because it’s one less thing to think about. I’ve been journaling with the Metropolitan Rollerball lately, and it’s done wonders to jumpstart my daily writing habit. (More on this in our upcoming On the Paper Trail episode.)

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Despite most of the pen being constructed of metal (lacquered brass with a plastic section), I find the Metropolitan pens well-balanced. The rollerball and fountain pen feel much the same in-hand, and post well with a cap that sits securely on the end of the barrel and closes with a firm snap. The ballpoint pen has a classic twist format where you turn the barrel to extend the refill - everyone should be familiar with this one.

The Metropolitan ballpoint ships with the .7mm Dr. Grip ballpoint refill, marketed in Japan as the “Cocoon”. Those familiar with the Pilot S20 ballpoint will recognize this refill as it’s the same cartridge that ships with the S20 in .5mm size. I swapped out the .7mm for the .5mm since I prefer the finer line. The cartridge contains low-viscosity Pilot Acroball ink, which alternates with the Uni Jetstream as my favorite ballpoint option.

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There aren’t many downsides to either of these pens. The only potential drawback to the capped versions of the Metropolitan (the fountain pen and rollerball) is the step down from the barrel to the grip section, which some find sharp. This issue completely depends on how you hold your pen - It doesn’t present a serious issue for me, though I notice it more on the fountain pen and less on the rollerball because I tend to hold the latter closer to the tip. The ballpoint doesn’t present any such issue since the entire barrel is smooth.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I regularly recommend the entire Metropolitan line to customers in the store, and stand by this reliable option even if it’s not particularly trendy. I use the rollerball the most frequently of any of the Metro options, including as my “airplane pen” when I don’t want to break out a fountain pen mid-flight. The ballpoint has also seen a lot of travel-related usage, as the Cocoon cartridge is one of my everyday favorites.

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The Pilot Metropolitan Rollerball and Ballpoint compared against the Uni Zento Flow (top) and Pilot S20 Ballpoint (bottom).

We stock Pilot Metropolitan fountain pens, rollerballs, and ballpoints in our own shop, priced at $34 for the fountain pen and $31.75 for the rollerball and ballpoint. We also carry the Cocoon Refills for the ballpoint, and while we don’t currently stock G2 cartridges, they are extremely easy to find and we will likely bring them in at some point in the near future.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come check out these and the rest of the Pilot lineup at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

Thursday Drops: Tom's Studio Ori Highlighters, Lochby Refillable Fineliners, and More!

After a month of what seems like nonstop pen shows, we managed to get several different brands restocked, including popular pen show favorites such as Roterfaden, Lochby, and Onionbrand notebook covers. We also received a restock of Tom’s Studio refillable fineliners and markers, including the popular Ori double-ended highlighter markers. These are available individually or in sets of three (with six colors of ink).

UPDATE: As of this morning, the TWSBI ECO “Cherry Blossom” Fountain Pen is available for pre-order. Please be sure to reserve one as these releases have proven popular. This one is similar to Horse Year and will not be restocked.

Finally, we have fresh stock of MD Product notebooks in multiple sizes and layouts, as well as additional TRAVELER’S Notebook refills and accessories, and most of the Laconic Planner layouts in the A5 size. Happy shopping!

In addition to shopping our online store, you can see these and more in our Nashville shop, which is open from 1-6pm Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10am-5pm on Saturdays.

1. Pilot Custom 845 Urushi in Prussian Blue. We have additional nib sizes of the Custom 845 Urushi fountain pen in stock, which features a gorgeous two-toned nib on a Japanese urushi lacquer body. Pilot does beautiful work on these hand-finished pens.

2. Tom’s Studio Ori Refillable Highlighters. Tom’s Studio has moved beyond the refillable fineliners to the highlighter, releasing a series of double-ended highlighter markers and six inks that allow you to customize your highlighter experience!

3. Tom’s Studio Lumos Refillable Fineliners. The Lumos remains a top seller, and we have a fresh stock of both the double-tipped and single-tipped Lumos pens. Learn more about how the Lumos system works in this post explaining refillable fineliners.

4. Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Inks (Standard). Tom’s Studio has an expansive range of unique fountain pen inks that flies under the radar. There are excellent blues, greens, and browns, as well as a permanent pigmented black that’s quite popular. Nearly all are restocked.

5. Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Inks (Shimmer). Speaking of underrated, Tom’s Studio’s Shimmer Ink line features some absolutely gorgeous shades. We have additional bottles of the popular Barrier Reef and Gold Lustre colors.

6. OnionBrand Leather Notebook Covers (A5). These locally handmade leather notebook covers have been popular beyond our expectations, mainly due to the quality of the workmanship. Available in both standard and distressed finishes, each notebook uses a cord-based system to hold two A5 notebooks.

7. Lochby Field Folio Notebook Covers. The Lochby Field Folio is restocked following the D.C. Pen Show! The Field Folio uses a zipper closure, as opposed to the classic Lochby strap. There is also an internal pen loop. Most sizes are now available, including the large B5.

8. Lochby Field Binder 6-Ring Covers. 6-ring binder systems are making a comeback, and we’ve restocked on Lochby’s canvas covers. Each Lochby binder ships with a pack of 68g Tomoe River sheets. A5, A6, and A7 sizes are available, with A6 and A7 roughly corresponding to Japanese Bible and Mini, respectively.

9. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Covers. Roterfaden is back in the popular B6, A5, and A4 sizes. We love these notebook covers due to how well they integrate with multiple notebook brands, as well as the convenient clip-based system that allows you to easily swap refills in and out of the cover.

10. MD Product Notebooks. We have a fresh shipment of Midori MD notebooks, including in the popular A4 and A5 sizes. Did I mention that these make excellent refill options for Roterfaden?

The latest TWSBI ECO Cherry Blossom fountain pen, now available for a short U.S. release!

Ask TGS: Five Non-Fountain Pen Accessories I Use Every Day (2026 Edition)

I frequently get asked about my favorite non-pen accessories that I use regularly. The five discussed below are part of my regular rotation, and move between whatever bag or backpack I’m using at the time. When I’m working around the shop or in the house, the Soolla Pouch pictured above serves as a catch-all where most small items live. Some of you might find this list fairly mundane, but it’s an accurate representation of how I use stationery. It’s not all fancy fountain pens!

1. Midori XS Compact Stapler. Despite my best efforts to move “junk paper” that I don’t intend to keep long-term to an electronic format, I still work on paper most of the time and therefore need a stapler for multi-page documents. I have several that I use but I typically have one of these Midori mini staplers with me at all times. They are sold individually or as part of the equally useful XS Compact Stationery Kit.

2. Allex Desk Scissors. I have owned these Japanese desk scissors for nearly 10 years. They cut through tape, sticker paper, cardboard, and whatever else you may need. For scissors this inexpensive, they’ve also maintained sharpness with very little maintenance. (Just cleaning the blades, no sharpening.)

3. NJK Long-Point Pencil Sharpener (#531S). The relatively inexpensive NJK #531S sharpener outperforms its price point in terms of quality and usefulness. In addition to being a really good long-point pencil sharpener, this small NJK model is compact with a small canister to hold shavings. Each sharpener comes with a long-lasting replacement blade, and you can purchase more separately.

4. Carl Refill Maker 6-Ring Hole Punch. One of my most-used stationery acquisitions from the past two years, this versatile hole punch allows you to create your own refills for ring-binder notebook systems in sizes ranging from A5 to Bible to Mini to Mini-5. I was thrilled when I found these at the distributor level, allowing me to add them to our own shop. One of these can truly transform your notebook system experience, since you’re no longer limited by pre-packaged paper choices and layout options. You can make your own refills from scratch!

5. Zebra Mildliner Highlighter Marker. I’ll admit - I didn’t get the Zebra Mildliner hype until I started stealing select colors from the pile of demos we keep in the shop. The dual tip size allows you to use these markers for more than your typical chisel-tip highlighters. I use them for blocking out time blocks in my planner, highlighting my own handwriting (since they are relatively low-smear), and just general highlighter usage when I need maximum legibility and want a color that’s softer than eye-searing neon.

The “Ask TGS” series contains posts addressing frequent questions about how stationery works, product recommendations for specific situations, my own personal use and more. Many of these posts are archived and organized in the FAQ Resource. Send in more questions via the “Contact” link!

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The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

New Arrivals: Multi-lined Paper from Itoya ProFolio Returns, Plus More Specialty Yamamoto!

We’re big fans of multi-lined paper around here, whether it’s the recently restocked Itoya ProFolio Notebooks, Nakabayashi’s excellent “Logical” papers, or classics like Clairefontaine’s French-ruled paper. We recently had a large shipment of the Profolio notebooks land in all sizes, including B5, A5, and A6. These fountain pen-friendly notebooks come in a wide assortment of colors and make great choices to use with standard-size covers and folios such as those from OnionBrand (A5), as well as the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter system, which we also have recently restocked in many different colors and sizes.

We’ve also added new specialty Japanese papers from Yamamoto, as well as restocked the Bullet Jotter Pads! (Yes, Canopus is an option!)

In addition to online, you can find these in our Nashville store, which will be open normal hours this week from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-5pm on Saturday. We hope to see you there!