Stationery is everywhere. It even follows me around on vacation.

Vacation Links: Back to Normal Next Week!

October 13, 2018

2018 London Writing Equipment Show: Success! (via UK Fountain Pens). This is a great pen show recap; for me because I plan to take my daughter to a show within the next year, and I’m glad to see a six year-old can have a good time!
Tokyo International Pen Show 2018: A Stationery Salon (via Cronicas Estilograficas). A pen show in Tokyo featuring mainly modern fountain pens, store special editions, and stationery? Buys ticket now…
The Great Uninking (via UK Fountain Pens). Good God I need to do this when I get home. I have a ridiculous number of pens inked for review purposes.
Colorverse Astrophysics Black Hole (via Ink Between the Teeth). I love those “off-black” inks that have hints of purple, green, or blue and make them just that much more interesting.
I Resist Not At All: The Pelikan M600 Vibrant Orange (via Fountain Pen Follies). I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be able to resist this one either.
Fountain Pen Shops in Paris (via Fountain Pen Love). Many thanks to Yagan over at Macchiato Man for linking to this and allowing me to find a new blog. I can get behind many of these recommendations for pen stores in Paris, and have visited most of them myself!
Moonman Pocket Mini Fountain Pen (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Les reviews the Moonman Pocket Mini. So far, I’ve only had the opportunity to review the Moonman M2 eyedropper, but I love that pen, and I’ve heard mostly good things from the Moonman brand in general.
Platinum Izumo (via Hand Over That Pen). You don’t see many reviews of the Izumo - the shape isn’t for everyone, and it’s a large, expensive urushi pen that many Platinum retailers don’t carry.
Wancher Crystal Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). While I’m a fan of Wancher’s ebonite and urushi “Dream Pen” that launched via Kickstarter earlier this year, I’ve not used any of their other products. The price point certainly looks reasonable.
New Edison Beaumonts (via Wonder Pens). Edison has refreshed the “Production Line” colors of the Beaumont fountain pen. While the Amber Glass looks nice, I’m not sure whether the more modern materials fit the vintage-inspired profile of the Beaumont (which is an excellent pen).
Baux Pen Part II (via Clicky Post). As an avowed Bic fan, I love this project and now I might have to back it.
Building a Well-Appointed Home Office (via Well-Appointed Desk). I love seeing other people’s office build-out’s. Laura’s mobile photo studio is a great idea that I might “borrow.”

Please Visit and Support My Sponsors and Affiliates!

Please take a moment to visit these fine folks who help keep this blog going! It's next to impossible to keep up a steady stream of fresh review content without some form of sponsorship or affiliate relationship. I'm grateful to everyone who's helped me out along the way.

Vanness Pens. Vanness Pens carries rare and hard-to-find inks from all over the world, including Colorverse, Callifolio, Akkerman, and the full line of DeAtramentis. You can check out my recap of a visit to Vanness here.
Pen Chalet. Pen Chalet has a wide variety of available pens and offers unbeatable value on pens, inks, pen cases, etc.
Anderson Pens. In addition to having one of the largest offerings of bottled ink in the world, Anderson Pens is an authorized retailer of a wide range of brands, including Sailor, Aurora and Faber-Castell. Check out the sponsor profile I published here, and don't miss out on their new special edition Sailor Pro Gear in Slate Blue.
Appelboom. Please check out Appelboom's extensive selection and excellent pricing on a wide range of brands, including Montblanc pens such as this Classique 145 I reviewed.
Goldspot Pens. Goldspot regularly offers excellent promotions and specials! Check out their "Weekly Dip" section for details.
Paul's Paper & Pens. Paul features a well-curated selection of fountain pens, multi pens, notebooks, and more, including some very uncommon Pilot Vanishing Points and Decimos that we don't see here in the States.
Pokka Pens. Pokka Pens makes high quality, portable ballpoints that make for a great EDC option. Check out my review here, and don't forget to use the code GENTSTA to get 10% off your purchase!
TGS Amazon Page. I run across many more items (pens, pencils, books, accessories, etc.) in my online "travels." I can't feature them all on TGS, but Amazon has an option where I can set up an affiliate page to host product recommendations and earn fees on referrals. Amazon does not sponsor or endorse this blog in any way.

In Case You Missed It…

Since I’ve been on vacation this week, I haven’t posted any new review content, though I did manage to get out a set of Deals & Drops links. “Regular coverage” should resume next week, but in the meantime check out some of my favorite recent reviews that you may have missed, as well as some oldies that I pulled out of the archive.

Cleaning Pens: Meditative, or Just Annoying? I’ve been thinking of writing a more detailed piece on pen cleaning techniques. And I’m still leaning towards “meditative.”
Scriptorium Balladeer. I recently re-inked this pen and rediscovered how much I enjoy it, especially when fitted with one of my Franklin-Christoph nibs. Sometimes it’s fun to go shopping in your own closet.
A Modern Classic? Montblanc Heritage Collection 1912
Platinum 3776 Revisited, which includes my thoughts on the Shungyo and Oshino special editions
Montblanc M Ultra Black Fountain Pen

Happy Sunday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

Deals & Drops: Vacation Edition

October 11, 2018

As you might’ve guessed from a lack of new reviews on the blog, I’m on vacation this week. That doesn’t stop me from pen window-shopping, however. There are some great deals to be had this week, some of which are carry-overs from last week, and some of which are new. Look for things to get back to normal around here starting next Wednesday! (Note: Sorry for the bad Kaweco link in last week’s edition. It’s fixed, so please circle back and pay Pen Chalet a visit!).

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. Please see our Privacy and Cookie Policies for additional information.

New Esterbrooks In-Stock and Shipping! I picked up a Cobalt Blue model that I received before I left town, and these final production pens are every bit as well-made as the prototypes I saw at the D.C. Pen Show. Get yours from your favorite Kenro retailers, including Anderson Pens, Pen Chalet, and Vanness Pens.
Deep Discounts on Aurora (via Vanness Pens). Check out the “Grandpa’s Basement” Section of the Vanness Pens website for some insane prices on the Aurora 88 Minerali limited editions and Optima Flex Pens.
Robert Oster 1980s Colours Inks (via Pen Chalet). I love me some 1980s anything, and I can’t wait to hear the stories behind these colors/ink names.
Pilot “Crossed Lines” 2018 Limited Edition Vanishing Point (via Anderson Pens). It’s caused quite a bit of controversy, but I actually like Pilot’s latest offering. Call me boring.
Conway Stewart Pens (via Vanness Pens). It looks like Vanness has sold through much of their stock of Conway Stewart pens at recent pen shows, but a couple great colors remain in the “Model 100” size, which is my personal favorite. I’d recommend taking a hard look at both the “Nebula” and “Walnut” acrylics.
Pelikan Special Edition M205 (via Pen Chalet). Pen Chalet has the Olivine M205 demonstrator in stock, including as part of a set that comes with the Edelstein Olivine Ink of the Year edition!
Pelikan M800 Stone Garden (via Appelboom). Again, this might be my favorite special edition Pelikan has released in years. Could be this year’s Christmas present to myself?
Pelikan M600 Vibrant Orange (via Pen Chalet). PLEASE do more with the M600 size, Pelikan. Like you did with this pen.
Baron Fig Limited Editions at Vanness (via Vanness Pens). Vanness has a couple of the limited edition Baron Fig Squires and Archers available, including the Mysterium Squire (designed in partnership with Harry Marks) and the Elements Archer pencils (designed in partnership with Caroline Weaver).
Taccia Inks (via Vanness Pens). Taccia’s new line of inks has hit the market, and so far I like the photos I’ve seen of these colors. I initially thought they might be kind of repetitive of colors already out there, but it looks like I’m wrong.
Moonman Pocket Mini Fountain Pen in Pink (via Amazon). Looks like a new color Moonman pocket pen has launched!
Moonman M2 Eyedropper in New Colors (via Amazon). The popular Moonman M2 eyedropper fountain pen is now available with different color sections, including purple, green, pink, and blue. Check out my review of the original here.
Nanami Paper Cafe Note A6 (via Amazon). Nanami Paper has launched a A6 version of their Cafe Note notebook. I have the B6 size, which is great, but A6 should fit Hobonichi Planner covers of the same size.
Taroko Design Enigma A5 Notebook with Tomoe River Paper (via Etsy/Taroko Design). Looking for a well-built, basic A5 Tomoe River notebook with a ton of paper? Check out Taroko Design.
One Star Leather Goods (via One Star Leather/Etsy). Looking for a handmade leather cover for your A5 Notebook? Look no further than Keegan’s offerings at One Star Leather. He made me a cover for my Baron Fig Confidants that I absolutely love.

Deals & Drops: Fall Break Send-off Edition!

October 5, 2018

I’ll be taking off the next week for Fall break, headed to the beach for some much-needed rest. If I post, it likely won’t be on my regular schedule, so in the meantime, enjoy this week’s Deals & Drops! This week’s edition features a new “Night” edition Kaweco AL Sport, a new special edition M600 from Pelikan, and a bunch of clearances in advance of the holiday shopping season.

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Pilot Custom 823 Smoke (via Pen Chalet). The Custom 823 Smoke has landed stateside, complementing the excellent Custom 823 Amber that’s long been a favorite of mine.
Kaweco AL Sport “Night” Limited Edition (via Pen Chalet). Though previously available from some European retailers, the Kaweco AL Sport “Night” Edition has landed in the U.S.
3Oysters Ink (via Vanness Pens). Vanness is renowned for their huge selection of unique inks, including yet another new line from South Korea.
Red Diplomat Aero (via Anderson Pens). Diplomat has released a bunch of new pens lately, including this fire-engine red Aero. Though Diplomat uses stock JoWo nibs, they always seem to be well-tuned.
Diplomat Traveller Flame Fountain Pen (via Vanness Pens). “Fireblue” or “flame” finishes have become popular in recent years, and Diplomat recently released their slim “Traveller” model that I saw for the first time in D.C. Now all we need is a flame-kissed Aero….
Falling Sakura Fountain Pens from Yoshi Nakama (via 18111com/Etsy). Yoshi Nakama has some new fountain pens listed for sale, including many in the “Falling Sakura” designs with incredibly intricate roll stoppers.
Pelikan M600 Vibrant Orange (via Appelboom). Pelikan has been killing it with their special edition releases this year, and the follow up to the “Vibrant Green” M600 is no exception. Load this thing up with Edelstein Mandarin and you should be ready to go.
Aurora Clearance (via Vanness Pens). Check out the “Grandpa’s Basement” section of the Vanness Pens website for some great deals on Aurora, including the limited edition Minerali demonstrators and the Optima Flex pens! You won’t see these prices for long.
Pelikan M800 Stone Garden (via Appelboom). This may be the only pen I’ve seen so far that’s made it’s way onto my “Absolute Must-Buy” list this year. The navy blue acrylic matched with the acetate looks outstanding.
Pilot Metallic Vanishing Point (via Pen Chalet). Ron has really dropped the price on these Pilot VPs, leaving you with probably the best opportunity to grab a Vanishing Point that I’ve seen in a long time.
Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black (via Amazon). This pen was my first Vanishing Point, and one of the original “stealth pens” before the trend took off.
Levenger Truewriters (via Speerbob/eBay). eBay Seller Speerbob has a bunch of Levenger Truewriter pens available in his store. He’s a regular on the pen show circuit, and I’ve long been a fan of Levenger’s stuff. This reminds me I need to review some Truewriter fountain pens I picked up this year.
Waterman Expert Matte Black (via Amazon). To me, the Waterman Expert - and modern Waterman pens in general - is one of those “unsung heroes” of the pen world in that they often get overlooked.
Desk Pens and new acrylics from the PenBBS Store (via PenBBS/Etsy). More fun on the way from PenBBS! Lots of new acrylics, including in a longer capped “desk pen” format.
Conklin Word Gauge Fountain Pens (via Goldspot). Goldspot has the Conklin “Word Gauge” on sale, which is a throwback to the early days of Conklin when their Nozac model had the “word gauge” printed on the side of the barrel.

First Impressions: Syahi Monarch Fountain Pen

October 3, 2018

The Syahi Monarch was one of a handful of pens that came home with me from the 2018 D.C. Pen Show. Prior to the D.C. Pen Show, Sanay, one of the owners of Syahi India, reached out and requested that I stop by their table and pick up a pen to review. I finally managed to make it over there on Sunday afternoon during a lull in the insanity, and selected the Syahi Monarch in Striped Ebony with a fine steel “semi-flex” nib.

The brushed brass trim and the wood grain on the ebony are both gorgeous.

The Monarch is quite large - the length of a Pelikan M800 or a Montblanc 146, but heftier. The girth comes close to a Montblanc 149. The pen does not post. The body features a black acrylic section that’s comfortable to write with - the threads are larger, not sharp, and sit higher up on the section so they don’t get in the way of your fingers. In terms of designing a larger wooden pen that’s a comfortable writer with high quality fit and finish, the company has succeeded. According to Sanay, all components are made in-house, and Syahi’s goal is to manufacture a high-quality Indian fountain pen made of wood that doesn’t feel like a “kit pen.”

Nib and Writing Experience

At the DC Pen Show, the Syahi “flex” and “semi-flex” nibs were the subject of much discussion. I chose to review what the company calls a “Fine Semiflex Steel” nib, which appears to be a Bock nib modified by extending the nib slit all the way to the base. This is a common technique used to add “flex” to steel-nib pens while keeping the price relatively low, and if done correctly, the technique is highly effective in adding line variation to your writing. The nib on my Syahi Monarch works quite well, and the nib remains smooth enough to use as a daily writer even when you’re not flexing. (Sometimes these modified steel flex nibs can feel scratchy.)

Because the steel “semi-flex” nib remains relatively stiff, you can continue to use it for standard writing.

Even though it flexes well, this nib has its drawbacks. Extending the nib slit also exposes the feed to more air, leading to issues with ink evaporation and hard starts. If you’re going to use one of these steel flex nibs, you shouldn’t leave the pen sitting for more than a day or so. I’d also recommend using a low-maintenance, free flowing ink such as Waterman Blue (or, as shown here, a 50/50 mix of Waterman Blue and Violet (“Blurple”)).

Syahi Monarch (center), compared against a Montblanc 146 (left) and a Platinum Plaisir (right).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Wooden pens are difficult to do correctly, in the sense that they can easily turn out looking like inexpensive “kit pens” that you’d purchase from a hobby store. Syahi has plainly avoided this pitfall - nobody would confuse this with a $30 pen. From the choice of wood, to the brushed trim, to the experimentation with the nibs, the company is striving to deliver a high quality product.

Currently the easiest way to purchase a Syahi fountain pen is to order directly from the Company’s website, though based on what I learned at the D.C. Pen Show, you may start seeing these pens at retailers soon. The pen featured here - a Monarch in Striped Ebony with Brass Trim - looks like it’s unavailable at the moment, but there does appear to be a Monarch in Mexican Rose Wood with brushed brass, and if you don’t mind polished gold trim you can still purchase a striped ebony Monarch. Other models are available as well, with pricing starting at $159. If I hadn’t been able to find an ebony Monarch, I likely would have gone with the flat-top Imperator.

Many thanks to Syahi for making this review possible!

Disclaimer: I was provided with this pen free of charge, for review purposes.