Adventures in Pen Travel and Pens for Vacation, 2023 Edition

Now that I’ve had a few days to decompress, It seems like a good opportunity to talk a bit more about my travels over the past two months, the ongoing “hard reset” of my work and personal life, and, of course, my marathon pen cleaning session last week.

I recently announced that I’m changing day jobs, which is a big move for me. I held my old position for nearly 10 years, and while I won’t be changing employers, I’m stepping into a role that (1) involves less of an overall time commitment; and (2) has fewer administrative responsibilities. One reason for the shift is the rapid growth of T.G.S. - while it’s not yet a full-time project, it requires more attention each month, and I’m of course more than happy to rearrange my working life to accommodate the expansion. That said, it’s likely going to require a complete reorganization of my workflows and how I go about my daily working life if I want to keep things manageable.

These two pens - shown here with a new ink I tested at the Dallas Pen Show - stayed in rotation!

The biggest change is the lack of formal structure. My new duties are primarily project-based, allowing me to work mostly remotely, on my own schedule. Outside of the posting routine that I’ve fallen into over the years, T.G.S. also doesn’t have a “schedule”, so my greatest concern about the new arrangement involves my ability to structure my time in a way that ensures that (A) I get everything done, and (B) I keep work confined to “regular” hours as much as I can, allowing me to have a greater semblance of a personal life that includes picking back up other hobbies and interests that I’ve necessarily had to let slide. Case-in-point: I’ve not done nearly as much personal writing and journaling as I would have liked over the past year, despite having a half-dozen notebooks “in rotation” and 30+ fountain pens inked up.

View fullsize

The 10 pens I took with me on vacation, identified and discussed below from left.

Current Setup: Fountain Pens

While of course there’s a lot that I’m thinking through and working on that I can’t publicly discuss here, I CAN tell you what I’m doing about my pen problem. The first order of business was to flush 20 or so pens, most of which had been inked for the Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Dallas Pen Shows. The cleaning process was aided considerably by the Schon DSGN Luer Syringe Cleaning System, which Ian kindly gifted me in San Francisco to test out. The system consists of a series of fittings designed to attach to the section and/or nib unit of your pen, with different attachments made to fit JoWo, Bock, Pilot, and Sailor (with more to come). You can then thread a 1cc syringe into the fitting and easily flush out a pen in much less time than it would take you to clean using a converter, and with less mess than a bulb syringe. I left nine pens inked up, which I’ll identify from the photo above, listed from left:

• Santini Libra in Blue Swirled Ebonite: This pen is on loan from a friend, and I left it inked because I need to write with it and get it reviewed so I can return it to her! Santini pens have long interested me because they are made entirely in-house, nibs included! Though Santini visited this year’s D.C. Pen Show, I was disappointed that I didn’t have the chance to visit their table.

• Leonardo Momento Zero in Bohemian Twilight Resin. Jonathan Brooks’ Bohemian Twilight material is one of my favorites, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to pick one of these up since I didn’t yet have a pen in this material in my personal collection. The ink I chose to pair with this pen? Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterfly Green, from the recently released Anderillium Lepidopteran Series. It’s a slightly brighter dark green than the swirls in the pen, which complements it perfectly.

• Conid Bulkfiller Kingsize. I’m torn on Conid, and I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about the brand, especially compared with the Kyuseido Kakari (discussed more below). While extremely well-constructed, I’m not loving the Bock Titanium nib, and I hope to soon procure a gold nib option because I need more consistent inkflow and less of a “squeaky” writing experience. This pen is currently inked with Nahvalur “Dark Forest,” an excellent ink that I plan to review in more detail as soon as I’ve had the opportunity to try more from the series.

• Sailor Pro Gear “Moonlight over the Ocean”. I’ve long loved the form factor of the Sailor Pro Gear, and odd name aside, this edition spoke to me so I picked one up for my personal collection. It’s inked with Anderillium Atlas Moth Brown, also from the Lepidopteran Series. For some reason I thought this pen needed a good brown-black ink?

• TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR “Sunset Yellow”. I always have a TWSBI inked and in rotation, and the one I haven’t been able to put down is the recently released “Sunset Yellow,” - really more of an orange gold. The matching ink is Monarch Butterfly Orange, from yet again, the Anderillium Lepidopteran Series.

• Montblanc 149 in Rose Gold with Bokumondoh Urushi Work. This pen will stay inked for the foreseeable future because it’s beautiful, and the result of a year spent on the Studio Bokumondoh wait list. Fittingly, when I reviewed this pen nearly three years ago I was on vacation in the same spot I’m sitting in now typing this list.

• Kyuseido Kakari Fountain Pen. The Kakari is the first pen release from Kyuseido, the new company recently started with C.Y. of Tokyo Station Pens and the Tokyo Inklings podcast. I chose the black PVD titanium version, with a Sankakusen nib grind. It’s worth reading Kyuseido’s description of the “Pump-Piston” filling mechanism - you’ll see why this pen is of interest to so many people. The pen is currently inked with unobtanium: Diamine “Suman” created especially for this past year’s Manila Pen Show that a friend was kind enough to gift to me.

• Nagasawa Kobe Affection Kyomachi Legend Blue Sailor 1911L. My friends at Vanness Pens are now the exclusive U.S. retail partner for Kobe Japan-based Nagasawa Stationery, and I couldn’t resist taking home two of their current Sailor collaborations from the Dallas Pen Show. The first is the 1911L version of the “Kyomachi Legend” pen, which features a metal section similar to that on my 1911 Black Luster. Currently I have this pen inked with Sailor Souboku in cartridge form. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this pen is the broad nib I chose. I’ve never used a Sailor Broad (which frankly writes very much like a JoWo medium), and I’m enjoying it.

• Nagasawa Kobe Pro Gear Mini “Mouette”. The two-toned grey on this one got me, along with the fact that this edition of the Pro Gear Mini doesn’t have threads on the end of the barrel, allowing for quicker deployment. I inked this one up with Taccia Hiroshige-Ainezu, a beautiful grey that I’m enjoying.

View fullsize

Current Setup: Notebooks

I took four notebooks with me: My Roterfaden A5 kitted out with my Laconic Monthly Calendar and two Plotter pads; my older (and now-discontinued) Traveler’s-sized Roterfaden with a few blank Traveler’s Midori MD refills; my Midori 5-Year Diary, and a Bank Paper journal from Atelier Musubi. As I mentioned above, I haven’t done much personal journaling and want to experiment with different formats. So far I’ve managed to write each day for at least an hour! What didn’t I bring? My Plotter notebooks. I use them more as binders to organize papers by topic, and since I’m not actively working on any projects this week I decided to leave them at home as I can incorporate pages from the Plotter notepads as necessary upon my return.

View fullsize

One goal of mine is to streamline my everyday carry. As I journal more, I want to finish up several notebooks “in progress” and limit what’s active going forward.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of my current stationery life! As you might imagine, things are a bit chaotic right now, but in a good way, as I’m excited about what’s to come. Stay tuned as I have much more to announce over the coming month!

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 third-party affiliate links.

2023 Bag Dump, Part II: Travel Edition and Pen Show Packing

August is usually a big month on the road for me. In addition to two of the largest pen shows in the world (the D.C. Pen Show from August 3 - August 6, 2023, and the San Francisco Pen Show later that month from August 25-27, 2023), our family sometimes tries to take one last summer trip before school’s back in full swing, and I occasionally have a 1-2 night trade show with some day-job work travel mixed in. I actually do love being on the road and meeting new people, but this is a lot even for me.

As both a travel and stationery enthusiast, I spend a fair bit of time thinking through what I pack for trips (especially business trips and pen shows). It’s a delicate balance between packing far too much - encumbering yourself in ever-shrinking airports, planes, and hotel rooms - and leaving yourself without the tools you need to do your work, and a modicum of comfort on the road. Today I’ll walk through what I tend to pack, with a focus on pen show travel.

View fullsize

The Rickshaw Banzai Bag is slightly smaller than a 13-inch Macbook Air, making it conveniently small enough to carry over your shoulder in crowded event spaces.

I Bring Two Bags to Pen Shows

Let’s assume that all of my clothing and toiletries go into a carry-on roller bag, and that any shop merchandise I’m bringing to the show goes into checked luggage. There’s not much leeway there in terms of what I can and cannot take, so the focus will be on my “personal items” (to use airline terms). My current travel backpack is an older North Face Surge II (black with red trim), which I like not just because of my signature colors, but because it has a sturdy laptop compartment and more than a half-dozen different compartments for smaller items like headphones, chargers, notebooks, etc.

View fullsize

Inside my backpack (or possibly in my carry-on), I’ll pack my Rickshaw “Banzai” bag, which is a bag that Rickshaw specifically designed for pen and stationery carry, with shows in mind. I did a Banzai-specific post earlier this year, which showcases just how much you can fit inside this relatively small shoulder bag.

But why bring two bags to pen shows? DON’T BE THAT PERSON WHO WEARS A HUMUNGOUS BACKPACK IN A CROWDED BALLROOM. If you don’t want your bag to hit other attendees in the head and/or knock valuable merchandise off vendor tables when you inevitably get jostled, bring a smaller shoulder bag or tote to carry around during the day. The Rickshaw Banzai is perfect for this role.

View fullsize

Believe it or not, by comparison with many people who will be attending, this is a relatively small number of pens to bring to a pen show! All of this fits inside the Rickshaw Banzai with room to spare.

What Goes Into My Pen Show Bag?

This year, I plan on bringing the following stationery gear with me to the D.C. Pen Show, and my San Francisco Pen Show carry will likely look similar if not identical:

• Lochby Field Journal to Carry Personal Notebooks. I always travel with my personal journal, a notebook for morning pages, and at least one blank “scratch paper” notebook.

• Plotter A5 Binder. This is my “T.G.S. Notebook” for post ideas, pen and ink testing, notes from meetings with vendors and suppliers, and recent ink swatches for comparison purposes.

• Plotter Mini 5. If I really want to lighten the load and walk a show with no bag at all, I’ll grab the pocketable Mini 5 with a pocket pen and go. The Plotter paper is exceptionally fountain pen friendly and great for testing any pens and inks, and the Mini 5 pulls double duty as a wallet.

• Multiple Pen Cases with Pens to Share. I always bring a lot of inked pens to shows for after-hours show-and-tell, and this year will be no exception. I’m currently in the process of packing a Lochby Tool Roll and Quattro, a Rickshaw Sinclair Model R, and a Rickshaw 6-pen roll and three-pen sleeve. The shocking part is that all of these cases will fit inside the Banzai Bag at one time, allowing me to carry up to 30 pens to the after-hours meetups in the hotel bar (though I’ll likely leave at least a few slots open to carry new finds home).

View fullsize

Our table setup from last year.

2023 D.C. Pen Show Details

This year you can find me sharing table space with our friends at Vanness Pens. TGS won’t have a stand-alone table, but I’ll be bringing a handful of items with me, including Lochby cases and notebooks, washi tape, and whatever stock remains from the TGS-exclusive Penwells and Hinze Collaboration pens. While I plan to have a full table setup in San Francisco, I tend to use the D.C. Show to visit with people and scope out new releases. Note: If you have your eye on something from the shop and want me to bring it to the show for you to pick up, you can select “Local Pickup” at checkout to drop the shipping charge and send me a message to arrange for delivery. Just be mindful that I probably won’t be able to bring heavier orders (i.e. 5 or 6 notebooks) due to airline weight restrictions.

Pen Show Primer Series

Every year when I start getting ready to attend the “big” pen shows in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, I link back to a series of articles I’ve written including Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show. While these particular articles have some age on them, I stand by pretty much all of the advice! (You’ll also note that “get a good pen show bag” has remained consistently high on the list of tips for a positive pen show experience.)

This post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

In Pursuit of the Perfect Patina: The Schon DSGN Machined Pen v2 Anniversary Edition

If there’s any universal rule of pen shows, it’s that I’ll walk away from the Schon DSGN table with something(s) in my pocket. This year’s Chicago Pen Show was no exception. Literally 20 minutes into what was supposed to be an “I’m just here to look” show, I was at Ian’s table finalizing the purchase of a faceted “aged copper” Pocket Six fountain pen, and one of the new “Anniversary Edition” Machined Pens in Polished Bronze. What can I say? I can’t help myself.

View fullsize

A bit of a recap of the history of Schon DSGN is in order here. The company originally launched its first design - the “Machined Pen”, now the “Original Classic Machined Pen” - back in 2012. That pen defaulted to the Fisher Space Pen refill, which is an excellent option for write-anywhere pocket carry, and could also accept D1 refills using an adapter (sold separately). I have a couple of these Classic pens that I use regularly, including one in DLC-coated stainless steel and another in anodized aluminum. That said, Ian is rarely completely satisfied with any of his designs, and this year decided to offer a “redesigned” take on the Classic to celebrate more than a decade of high-quality writing instruments!

View fullsize

My Schon DSGN pocket pen collection, from left: the Classic Machined Pen in DLC stainless steel; the Classic Machined Pen v.2 in polished bronze, a Classic Machined Pen v1 in aluminum, a Pocket 6 fountain pen in faceted aged copper, and a Pocket 6 fountain pen in faceted brass.

So What’s Different?

Externally, there isn’t much of a difference at all between the “Classic v1” and the new “v2” or “Anniversary Edition.” The pen retains the same cylindrical shape, with a threaded end to allow you to post the cap securely for longer writing sessions. The pen, however, now unscrews from the grip section to refill, and the interior has been modified to accept a Parker-style refill cartridge, offering significantly more versatility with respect to refill options. The pen ships by default with the excellent Uniball Jetstream SXR-600-07 (.7mm tip size), a smooth, quick-drying writer that should please most people, though the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 is also available upon request.

View fullsize

But the refill swap isn’t the most exciting aspect of the new pen, at least to me. As part of the redesign, the Classic Machined Pen v2 is now fully compatible with Pocket Six fountain pen and rollerball sections, meaning that you can combine parts and switch how you use this pen depending on your needs. If you’d like to purchase a full kit outright, Schon DSGN sells the pen with all three section options, though the bronze shown here is currently available with the ballpoint grip only. (If you want to use a brass fountain pen section with the bronze, it still looks great!)

View fullsize

As you can see, there is very little, if any, differences between the grip section on the v1 (left) and the v2. If you enjoyed the first, you’ll almost certainly enjoy the second.

A Note on Material Choice

A huge reason why I love Schon DSGN metal pens, and especially the brass, bronze, and copper versions, is how they develop a patina over time. This particular pen features an aluminum bronze, which I find slightly warmer than brass and which takes on a somewhat unique tone as it ages. In the photo below, you’ll see the body (which has had significantly more hand/pocket contact than the section) has taken on a completely different tone. With the exception of sterling silver, I very rarely shine or polish any of my metal pens because I enjoy the weathered, “experienced” look.

View fullsize

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Classic Machined Pen v2 is a solid standby that’s served as a core EDC item since I picked it up. The rock-solid clip holds firmly to either my shirt or pants pocket, and the Jetstream SXR-600 is a longtime favorite refill. What I can’t decide is whether to stick to the .7mm tip size (which will work fine for most people) or move to the .5mm or even the .38mm.

You can purchase the Schon DSGN Classic Machined Pen v2 directly from Schon DSGN, starting at $150 for the polished brass ballpoint, $160 for the polished copper, and $170 for the polished bronze. Purchasing the full set (ballpoint plus rollerball and fountain pen adapters) adds approximately $60 to your purchase. While not inexpensive, if you’re looking for that “one pen” (or “primary pen”) for your everyday carry, especially one that you can switch from ballpoint to roller to fountain, it’s a worthy consideration.

View fullsize

The Schon DSGN Classic Machined Pen (far left) closer to when I first acquired it. You can see from the more recent pictures how the polished bronze has aged. The pen is pictured here, from left, with a Kaweco Liliput, a Tactile Turn Titanium Gist, and a VERY well loved Rotring 800. (Only the Schon is mine - pen club pic.)

For further reading, you can check out my reviews of other Schon DSGN pens, such as the Pocket 6 fountain pen and the engineered plastics collection, by visiting our archive.

Disclaimer: This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links. I purchased this pen at the 2022 Chicago Pen Show with my own funds. If you enjoyed this review, consider supporting us directly via the T.G.S. Patreon Program and purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, which this week is running a 10% off sale on all pencils and paper to thin out our inventory. Be sure to check it out! (Discount automatically applied at checkout.)

Pen Roll vs. Pen Case: Why Consider One Over The Other?

I’m in the process of cleaning up/cleaning out my office here at “T.G.S. HQ,” in advance of some work we’re having done on the house, and part of the process has been taking an inventory of everything I have in my personal collection as well as items for the review queue that have never made their way onto the blog. One surprising find includes a large number of pen wraps and pen rolls, something I don’t believe I’ve ever written about at length. Pen rolls have grown in popularity to the point where most major brands have at least one in their lineup, and like pen cases, pen rolls come in a variety of designs and materials across a wide range of price points. I thought it might be helpful to offer my thoughts on pen rolls and why you might want to choose (or not choose) this type of carry over a traditional case.

The main advantage of a pen roll, for me, is the combination of capacity and compact size in your bag. Both the Lochby Tool Roll (top) and the Superior Labor Leather Pen Roll (bottom) can hold a LOT of writing instruments, especially if you double (or quintuple) up. The Lochby also has pockets behind the elastic loops, so you can really cram it full if you need to.

Advantages of a Pen Roll Over a Pen Case

Compact Size without Sacrificing Capacity. For me, the main advantage of a pen roll over a traditional zippered, sleeve-style, or hard case is the ability to carry a larger number of pens without having the case completely take over your bag. For example, I love my 12-pen Galen Leather Hard Case, but if I need to carry a large volume of pens in my briefcase or another bag where space is at a premium, I’m probably going to opt for something like the Superior Labor Leather Pen Roll or the Lochby Tool Roll (or both - see below). If you’re well-organized, you can fit two dozen pens into two pen rolls and still take up less space in your bag than a single larger 12-pen case (a huge advantage for traveling to pen shows).

View fullsize

Pen rolls lie flat when open on your desk, yet roll up to a compact size for storage.

Versatility. While most pen cases are sized for pens, pen rolls can be repurposed to carry other things, whether it’s other writing instruments such as mechanical pencils, ruling pens, or Pilot Parallels (shown above on the right), or even things like pen repair equipment, crafting knives, wrenches, and/or bike tools. Many pen rolls also fit a wide range of pen sizes (in terms of both length and diameter), and if you’re not squeamish about your pens touching, you can often double the stated capacity of the pen roll by sticking multiple pens in a single slot, especially with more slender writing instruments like ballpoints and gel pens.

Disadvantages of a Pen Roll (or Why You Might Prefer a Pen Case)

Security. While some pen rolls come with straps and secure closures, others need to be tied or rely on elastics, which are arguably less secure in the sense that it’s easier for them to fall open inadvertently. Some designs that don’t have a flap across the top leave your pens at risk of falling out. If you carry expensive pens, be sure to evaluate the security of a pen roll before you invest. (As an aside, items like the now-discontinued Nock Co. “Brasstown” drew on elements of both the pen roll and the pen case, allowing you to tuck a six-pen roll into a compact outer zippered case.) Likewise, if you’re going to be transporting pens inside checked luggage or another situation where they might be crushed, a pen roll might not be the best choice over a case with more structure.

If you value protection over all else, then a pen case is the way to go. Both the Galen Leather “Magnum Opus” 12 Pen Hard Case (bottom) and the Franklin-Christoph Covered Pen Tray (top) are excellent.

Scratch Protection. If you’re one of “those people” who freak out at the slightest prospect of your pens rubbing together or touching, pen rolls are probably not for you. While many designs incorporate flaps to minimize contact, it’s hard to avoid entirely and somewhat inherent in how pen rolls are designed. For this reason, I’d recommend pen rolls for those who use their pens regularly on the go, aren’t overly concerned with wear and tear, and who are mainly looking for a compact way to tote around a larger volume of “daily writers”, as opposed to rare collectibles. (I will say that in all the years I’ve been using pen cases and pen wraps, I’ve not experienced any damage to my pens from daily carry beyond micro-scratches. I’ll also say that if you’re NOT squeamish about pens touching, a pen wrap will generally offer more protection than overstuffing a traditional pen case or pen pouch.)

View fullsize

The two pen rolls contain the same number of pens (24) as the two hard pen cases. I mainly use my pen rolls for transportation, while I use the larger pen cases for long-term storage and organization at home.

Takeaways

There’s no categorical recommendation here - I regularly carry both traditional pen cases and pen rolls, depending on where I’m going and what I’m doing. That said, for situations where I want to carry a larger number of pens with me in a smaller bag, such as a pen show or a local pen club meetup, I’m going with a pen roll (or “rolls,” plural) more often than not. Two current favorites, shown here in photos, are the Superior Labor Leather Pen Roll and the Lochby Tool Roll, which I just added to the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Other great options, which I’ve reviewed in the past, are the Nock Co. Brasstown if you can find one on the secondary market, as well as options from Rickshaw Bagworks. Also, many smaller makers craft their own pen wraps and rolls, and these make excellent pen show souvenirs, especially if you can snag one in a one-off material or fabric!

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links, though the T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Lochby and other brands we stock. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Folio Review: Harber London Leather Notebook Cover

I have an extensive collection of leather notebook covers and folios that I rotate through semi-regularly, and even more have passed through my hands at one time or another for review purposes. Over the years, I’ve developed fairly strong instincts as to what I’m going to like or dislike, often before I ever have the product in my hand for review. Back in November, UK-based Harber London reached out to me to ask whether I’d like to review their Leather Notebook Cover, I initially hesitated, concerned that this particular product - though it looked very nice - might not be distinct enough from others I’ve reviewed to add to the conversation. Honestly, I’m glad I checked myself and went for the review, because this type of cover has a refreshing simplicity that gets away from the overcomplexity of many modern portfolio-style covers. As it turns out, I really liked it.

View fullsize

The biggest selling point, to me, is versatility. It’s easy to swap a wide variety of A5 and “A5-ish” notebooks into this cover. (Shown here with the Life x Kleid A5 notebook.)

Design and Configuration

As I mentioned above, I’ve used many different leather notebook covers and portfolios in various configurations, and I have a pretty good idea of what I like and what I think will stick long-term. This particular product has a LOT to offer, and there are several design choices that could make it work for me, including:

• Strong Magnetic Closure. I’ve grown to dislike “zipfolios,” since they take a long time to open, the zippers tend to get stuck, and once they’re busted, well, your portfolio is more or less done unless the manufacturer will repair or replace it. It sometimes annoys me that the zippers also tear up the edges of your notebook, especially if you’re like me and try to push the limit of what the folio is designed to carry. The Harber London doesn’t have this issue, with two very strong magnets embedded into the front and back covers that keep the folio closed without having to work the zipper. It’s a design similar to the excellent Bellroy pocket notebook cover, only I a (much) larger size, and the pebbled cowhide leather is less stiff than Bellroy.

• You Can Easily Change the Notebook. I have three or four different A5 notebooks in rotation at any given time, mainly project-specific books that I don’t work with every day, but I occasionally want to take to the library, a coffee shop, or to the office to doodle in on my lunch break. Because the Harber London cover fits so many different A5 (and A5-ish) notebooks, it’s easy to swap in whatever notebook you’re using at that particular moment.

• The Cover Doesn’t Try to Do Too Much. So many modern portfolios have a multitude of pockets and loops ostensibly designed to allow you to carry everything from headphones to power cords to keys to batteries to — just stop. In an age when we’re already carrying far too many devices, gadgets and accessories with us wherever we go, I can appreciate a notebook cover/portfolio that executes its primary purpose well and doesn’t attempt to do more. An A5 notebook, a few notecards or a pocket notebook, some folded sheets of looseleaf scrap paper, and maybe a pen if your pen of choice is slim enough to fit in the pen loop/cutout - that’s more than enough for me, and honestly a bit refreshing.

View fullsize

The Baron Fig Squire is about as thick a pen as you’re going to fit here. It’s an interesting design, but I’d honestly prefer a traditional-style pen loop, or just go full-minimalist and omit a pen loop entirely.

Build Quality

The Harber London Leather Notebook Cover is made from full-grain cowhide leather and crafted in Spain (though the company itself is based in the UK). It immediately strikes you as a high quality product, with soft leather, consistent stitching, and no flaws in the finish. While I personally prefer softer leather, if I had to express any single “concern” regarding quality, it’s that this leather might scuff easily if you carry this portfolio/notebook cover stuffed in a bag. That said, for many people scuffs and dings only add to the character your leather goods accumulate via regular use. Overall, I’m impressed, and given the positive reviews other Harber London products (computer bags, luggage, etc.) have received, I’m looking forward to exploring the rest of their line.

View fullsize

The Harber London Leather Notebook Cover will even hold thicker notebooks such as the Cosmo Air Light A5 Folio from Atelier Musubi.

View fullsize

The magnets are strong enough to hold the cover closed, even with a thicker notebook like the Musubi Folio shown here.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Harber London makes an excellent soft-cover leather folio. The leather is high quality, and the magnetic closure works much better than I expected, even with fairly thick notebooks. My primary critique would be the impractical pen loop, which I found didn’t really work for anything other than the slimmest gel pens and ballpoints. Since I don’t really use pen loops that often, and generally carry my pens in a separate pen case, this isn’t a huge issue for me personally but it could be for some people. I’d also love to see a larger A4-ish portfolio or pad holder in this same material.

View fullsize

View fullsize

You can purchase the Leather Notebook Cover directly from the Harber Leather website. The A6 version is priced at £69.00, and the A5 version shown here is priced at £79.00. The price point surprised me, as I expected these to cost more. If you are looking for a leather cover that’s more polished than the rustic finish on alternatives from companies like Galen Leather, I would recommend you give Harber London a look. The company also has a wide range of briefcases, computer cases, luggage, wallets, and other accessories to choose from. Many thanks to Harber London for making this review possible.

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. Harber London provided the Leather Notebook Case featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.