2022 Year-End Review, Part II: Favorite Products Reviewed in 2022

Earlier this week I kicked off the 2022 Year-End Review Process with a new entry in the series, a “Five Up, Five Down” post, in which I looked at five products I personally used more than expected in 2022, as well as five I used a lot less. Today’s post is a bit more traditional, with a short list of my five favorite products reviewed for T.G.S. in 2022. As I reflect back on 2022, I’ve focused more on those products that I enjoyed due to the level of innovation and creativity they displayed, even if the products themselves are a new riff on something that’s been around for a while. Enjoy!

1. Good Made Better “Writewell” Writing Desk. The Writewell captured my interest immediately when I first saw it at this year’s 2022 D.C. Pen Show. Dan was kind enough to send me a production sample, and I went ahead and backed the Kickstarter because, well, why not have a second writing desk! This product embodies everything I love about this community and those who create products for it, with well-made construction, thoughtful design, and a useful purpose.

2. Nock Co. x Rickshaw Sinclair “Model R” Pen Case. My favorite pen case of all time is back, in a slightly larger, and dare I say improved, layout! I understand that eventually you will be able to customize the Sinclair using the Rickshaw Bagworks configurator, though you can put in a special request now if you reach out to them.

3. Kakimori Brass Dip Nib and Drillog Metal Dip Pen. I’ll keep these as a single entry, because I enjoy them as a product category. Both of these machined metal dip pens offer an excellent way to test and use your inks, whether you want to move between colors quickly, or have a particularly high-maintenance ink that doesn’t behave well in fountain pens. While I had some initial trouble with my extra-fine Drillog, the larger medium point that they sent me as a replacement works quite well.

4. Vinta Inks Aegean Armada and Leyte Kelp. Vinta inks have become a mainstay in my rotation, particularly the blue-green-grey “Armada” that I can’t keep out of a pen. The Vinta ink line in general made last year’s year-end review as a new discovery, and these two specific inks made for a favorite 2022 review. Vinta keeps getting ever more creative with their offerings, and as I consolidate my personal pens and inks into a smaller number of core brands, Vinta is guaranteed a slot due to their combination of quality and uniqueness.

5. Nahvalur Nautilus Ebonite Fountain Pen. Frank was kind enough to provide me with a sample of their “Pen Show Special Edition” Nautilus at April’s Atlanta Pen Show, and I’ve had that pen inked regularly, in addition to the purple “Stylophora Berry” edition. I’ve long been a fan of ebonite as a material, and love how Nahvalur (formerly Narwhal) has kept the price point reasonable while still offering an innovative design (porthole ink windows!) and quality feel.

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Year-End Review: Five Up, Five Down in the Personal Collection for 2022

It’s that time of year again, when I close out the year by looking at what I liked and what I didn’t, not just in my capacity as a pen reviewer and retailer but as an enthusiast in my own right. I thought it might be fun to kick off the year-end review process with a list I’ve never done before - one where I took stock of my own collection and listed those products that surprised me with how much use they received, and others where usage was down. Note that this shouldn’t be considered a “good/not good” list - it’s more a personal reflection on how my own preferences are changing. As you’ll see, I’m not happy that a couple of things appear in the “Five Down” section, and will be making some changes to get true favorites back in rotation.

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The Schon DSGN Emojis just make you want to pick up and use the pens!

Five Up: Products I Used More Than Expected

• Plotter Binders and Accessories. It’s no secret that I went all-in on the Plotter notebook system/system techo in 2022. I’ve been regularly using all sizes from A5 down to the Mini 5, and I see this trend continuing into 2023. While I personally use Plotter more as a notebook/binder system than a planner, given the range of available refills and accessories you can deploy this one however you want.

• Schon DSGN and Opus 88 Fountain Pens. A solid 60% of my usage over the past several months has consisted of pens by either Schon DSGN or Opus 88, and I don’t see that changing. These versatile everyday writers hold a lot of ink and feature JoWo No. 6 nib compatibility, which I’ve used to swap in custom-ground Franklin-Christoph nibs as well as nibs by brands such as Platinum and Pilot using the Flexible Nib Factory housings.

• Naginata-style Nib Grinds. I have a larger review of Naginata-style grinds in the works, but I’m having trouble bringing it together into a coherent piece because there are so many different styles and variations on this Japanese blade-style grind that writes similarly to an architect nib but with fewer sharp edges. Regardless, this style of grind has become a staple in my everyday writing rotation.

• Ballpoint Pens. If I had to call out three specific ballpoints that I’ve been using more than most, I would say it’s the needle-tip Traveler’s Brass Ballpoint, the Gravitas Pens “Ultematum” Twist, and the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball with a Parker-style .5mm Jetstream refill. I’m firmly on “team ballpoint,” and recently wrote about how I consider it an unfounded myth that ballpoints aren’t for “real” pen enthusiasts.

• Galen Leather “Magnum Opus” 12-Pen Cases. One of my favorite acquisitions from 2021 was the natural leather “Magnum Opus” 12-pen case with the magnetic closure, and this year I picked up a dark grey zippered version at the D.C. Pen Show. Since I’m a regular attendee at both pen shows and meetings of my local pen club, I’ve been carrying at least one of these two large pen cases to meetups on a weekly basis, as they are a very secure (yet attractive!) way to move multiple pens.

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As hard as it was to part with some of the Blackwing Volumes editions where I loved the design (such as the “Bauhaus” edition pictured here), the fact that they sat unused in a box for years didn’t bode well, and others would use them much more.

Five Down: Products That Saw Much Less Use Than Expected

• Lamy 2000 Fountain Pens. This one is NOT a reflection of any sort of changing sentiment for the Lamy 2000, which remains one of my favorite pens, but is more the result of my personal collection getting too large for me to rotate through everything as much as I’d like. This changes immediately, with at least two Lamy 2000 fountain pens going back into rotation as of January 1, 2023.

• Blackwing Pencils. I accumulated more Blackwing pencils than I could ever use in five lifetimes, much less one, so I sold off 90% of my stash. I’m no longer a Volumes subscriber, and I’m happiest with the standard dark “MMX” Blackwing and the Natural pencil with the extra-firm core. I simply don’t use a high enough volume of woodcase pencils to justify holding on to anything more than my absolute favorites.

• Tomoe River Paper. Partly due to the paper’s (temporary) discontinuation, partly due to my discovery of Midori MD Cotton paper, I’ve used a lot less Tomoe River despite liking the new Sanzen product. I’m still waiting to see whether a new 68gsm version reappears, as that particular paper is one of my absolute favorites of all time, and since I have a healthy stash I’ll be looking to get 68gsm Tomoe back into rotation in 2023.

• Liquid Ink Rollerballs. Though some people love them, the liquid ink rollerball is probably my own least-favorite writing option. Don’t get me wrong, I have “rollerball” pens that I absolutely love, such as the Caran d’Ache 849 mentioned above and the Baron Fig Squire, but nearly all of them have ballpoint or hybrid gel refills substituted for the rollerball cartridge. I’ve found that most rollerball inks tend to bleed-through and feather on basically every paper out there, though the Montblanc and Caran d’Ache options fare much better than most.

• Leonardo Momento Zero Grande. While NOT a knock on the MZG in general - I still think it’s a great pen - I included this one on the list because I found myself with four or five of these pens in my possession after I fell in love with the materials. The problem is, the MZG simply doesn’t fit my hand as well as the standard Momento Zero, so I recently made the decision to begin selling off the larger pens and consolidating my collection into what I will actually use. “Zero Regrets.” (Sorry.) I still have one currently for sale in the “Gently Used” section of the website, and have at least one more in my collection that I will list at some point in the near future.

Stay tuned for more year-end review content, including lists of my favorite products reviewed, favorite products acquired, and favorite shop additions!

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Overall, I’m really happy with how this is aging!

This post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links, and the Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely via purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, the Gently Used Store, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. The Patreon Program will be undergoing a bit of a revamp in 2023, as I’m going to look to add in new content such as weekly updates and mini newsletters, in addition to the current benefits. This week in the Patreon, I posted my entire “currently inked” lineup, which gives you a sense of just how many pens I’m evaluating at any given time! We appreciate all your support.

On So-Called "Hot Takes" and Exploding Myths About Pens

I spend a fair bit of time reading pen blogs, participating in pen forums, and listening to pen podcasts. (Call it “professional research.”) As I was catching up on back podcast episodes over the holiday break, I listed to Pen Addict Episode No. 538, “Lukewarm Takes”, in which Brad and Myke discuss the prevalence of so-called “hot takes” in the pen community and elsewhere on the Internet. Needless to say, it got me thinking.

The best definition of “hot take” that I found comes from the Cambridge English Dictionary, which defines a “hot take” as “a piece of writing or speech, especially on the internet, giving someone's personal opinions about a topic, usually strong opinions that have not been carefully thought about and that many people are likely to disagree with.” As a general matter, hot takes annoy me. Not necessarily because they’re wrong - most at least start with a grain of truth - but rather because they nearly always take someone’s personal observation, experience or preference and extrapolate it into a broad pronouncement or judgment supposedly applicable to everyone else.

Some of my personal favorite pens are among those disparaged by online pen snobs, such as the Waterman Expert ballpoint and fountain pens shown here. The Parker Sonnet is another one of my “unpopular” preferences.

While many hot takes are not intended to be taken seriously, and are made solely for entertainment value, some are more pernicious. What I mean is that there are a series of “myths” out there about pens and stationery - particularly fountain pens - that I am asked about frequently, and which have a negative effect on the community. Most of these started as uninformed “hot takes” and have somehow become so ingrained that they’re accepted as “truth” by new users. I’ll address a few of them here.

1. Pens over [insert dollar amount] are never worth the money because you can find a good pen for $20 or less. Of all the ill-informed hot takes and pronouncements, this one annoys me the most, probably because it’s nearly always presented as an arrogant, condescending attempt to impose someone’s personal preferences on others and judge the choices of others. Sure, this statement can be true, if all you’re looking for is a pen that puts words on the paper in a satisfactory manner, with nothing more. However, this particular “hot take” ignores the myriad reasons that people buy pens that may cost more, including the different writing experiences offered by different nibs, the artistry involved in handmade or custom pens, and the flat-out fun of using an intricately engineered filling system. Everybody is in this hobby for different reasons, and if you’re buying a specific pen because it makes you happy, go for it.

2. True pen enthusiasts/connoisseurs only use fountain pens. Similarly, this one imposes a personal preference/snobbishness on others and I particularly dislike it because it’s often used to exclude others from the pen community. Not everyone can use fountain pens, and to be honest, many people prefer to use ballpoints or rollerballs exclusively. I know from personal experience running this blog and a small shop that there is a large number of people out there who are “into pens” but don’t show up at pen shows and other community events because they are perceived as “fountain pen exclusive.” There is nothing wrong with using what works for you, and outside of the loud voices on the pen internets and social media, most people who actually write a lot “in real life” use a wide array of fountain pens, ballpoints, pencils, and other writing instruments.

3. Cartridge/converter fountain pens are cheaply made and for beginners. You can substitute “steel nib” for “cartridge/converter” and get the same result: another “hot take” that’s essentially the inverse of No. 1. As I’ve written before, this hot take is nonsense, as I firmly believe cartridge/converter filling systems are often the best option for many people, including experienced fountain pen users such as myself. It’s about convenience and practicality and what works for your own writing needs, not your level of purported “sophistication” as a fountain pen user.

4. Vintage pens are better because you get “more” for your money. If what you’re looking for is a gold nib (particularly a flexible one), or vintage materials such as celluloid that cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars in a modern pen, then this take has some truth to it. That said, many people pass on vintage due to the need for periodic repairs, the lack of a warranty, often finicky filling systems, and a retail network that can be less than friendly to new users. Vintage pens are neither “better” nor “worse” than modern ones. Rather, they implicate so many different factors that I don’t think any comparison is fair.

5. You have to spend a lot of money to get interesting materials. In recent years, pen companies have taken to releasing an endless litany of “special” and “limited”, mainly standard-model pens in different finishes and materials, whether acrylic, ebonite, or celluloid. The markup on these editions can range from nothing to thousands of dollars, depending on factors such as scarcity of materials, artistry, and demand. In short, shop around. Companies such as TWSBI, Nahvalur, Opus 88, and PenBBS release runs of pens in fun materials without any markup at all, and you can often find independent pen makers who will make you a pen in that coveted Brooks material for hundreds of dollars less than what you would pay at retail.

All of the pens pictured here feature relatively uncommon materials, and each cost less than $130 from an independent maker.

So what’s the purpose of this post? To encourage people to slow down, explore their options, exercise their own judgment, and make their own decisions. Don’t buy pens based solely off of someone else’s opinions on what’s “acceptable” or “the best”, especially internet opinions that tend to be amplified according to who shouts the loudest. Try everything. Experiment and discover what you enjoy. We absolutely live in a time that many are calling a second “golden age” of fine writing, with many different options for pens, ink, and paper. Start with pens that don’t cost a lot of money and work your way up once you're comfortable (if you want). Try different types of pens. Or stop when you find something that works for you. It’s about your enjoyment, after all!

This post does not contain third-party advertising or 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.

Happy Holidays 2022: The Indie Gift Guide

As we enter not only the 2022 holiday shopping season but the final month of the year, I’ve been pulling together my plans for both the annual gift guides and the 2022 year-end recaps. Today’s post, on the Saturday after “Black Friday”, is going to be a bit of both. I’ve been encouraged by a much greater focus this Thanksgiving on supporting small and independent businesses, both inside and outside the pen community, and honestly, that’s how it should be, because independent makers and retailers are what make this hobby great. When you’re considering how to spend your hard-earned dollars on gifts for yourself or others, consider setting aside a portion for smaller retailers and makers who can offer truly exclusive products and a more personalized shopping experience.

The format for this “guide” might strike some as unusual. I’m not going to simply list all of the different independent makers out there - there are too many to do that in any coherent fashion - but rather will spend today’s post discussing my own acquisitions from the past year, the makers from whom I’ve personally purchased, and why I enjoy their pens and the reasons you might enjoy them too.

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Two Schon DSGN Faceted Pocket Six Fountain Pens!

Schon DSGN

Ranked purely in terms of number of pens acquired this year, Schon DSGN tops the list, as I picked up two of the Full-Size fountain pens and a hammered copper Pocket Six with added patina, to join the three pens from the Engineered Plastics collection that I purchased towards the end of 2021. Known not just for original, ergonomic designs but dedication to quality, Schon DSGN pens are among my favorite everyday writers.

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My two most recent Kanilea Acquisitions: a Lewa Lani and a Kai Huli.

Kanilea Pen Company

The second-most represented independent maker in my personal collection is Kanilea Pen Company. For more than six years now, Kanilea has been producing pens themed around places and locations in Hawaii. You can read more about the background of this brand in my prior reviews, but I love their clean design and ergonomics (particularly the “Classic Flush” shape), in addition to the unique materials chosen to match a specific image. I recently acquired the Lewa Lani fountain pen, as well as a pen show-exclusive “Kai Huli” in a coral and yellow-veined material, pictured below.

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Three “Navigator” Models from Penzbydesign.

Stacy Robinson (Penzbydesign)

A long-time penmaker, Stacy Robinson brought ebonite and Conway Stewart acrylic versions of his “Navigator” fountain pen to this year’s Atlanta Pen Show. I ended up purchasing three: one in striated beige ebonite and two in relatively uncommon Conway Stewart acrylics that I had been looking to add to my collection for years. The workmanship on these pens is excellent, and the size nearly perfect for my hand, as with the Schon DSGN Engineered Plastics and Full-Size fountain pens. While Penszbydesign has a storefront, it may be easier to inquire via e-mail or social media, since some photos were posted recently of new Navigator pens similar to the ones I purchased, and they don’t currently appear on the website.

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Two Kasama Una fountain pens.

Kasama Pens

Currently sold only directly via Instagram and social media, Kasama is based in the Philippines and, to my knowledge, makes two models of pens: the larger “Una” and the more streamlined “Tala”. I’ve acquired two Una fountain pens, one in Ultem and another in a combination of Peek and anodized titanium. While not inexpensive, Kasama fountain pens are unique - there’s nothing quite like them on the market, in terms of design or material combinations.

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My Hinze Pen in “Five O’Clock Somewhere” Acrylic

Hinze Pens

Hinze Pens made perhaps my favorite - and most unpredictable - acquisition of the year, my “Five O’Clock Somewhere” pen in this wild acrylic from Starry Night Resins. Like the Kanilea Classic Flush, this is a well-balanced pen with a comfortable section, and what makes Hinze Pens particularly unique is their anodized nibs, available in a range of colors.

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Newton Pens

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Ryan Krusac Studios

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Pens by Pasquale in Primary Manipulation

Other Makers to Consider

As I mentioned above, I can’t list everyone (nor can I buy from everyone, because, well, $$$), but I do want to mentions several makers who do excellent work, some of which are on my “short list” of pens to acquire in 2023, for review or otherwise. Also, while some of the makers listed here do custom/bespoke work, many also have inventory currently available for purchase, which you can purchase, and which they will likely be wanting to sell, heading into the holiday season.

• Newton Pens (Shawn Newton). A fixture on the pen show circuit and the creator of some truly unique designs (such as the Prospector shown here), Shawn Newton usually has a healthy stock of pens ready to go.

• Pens by Pasquale (Nicholas Pasquale). A relative newcomer to the bespoke pen scene, Nic is local to me and I acquired a pen in dark “Primary Manipulation” at this year’s Nashville-area Pelikan Hub. I love supporting new makers! Check out his Instagram (linked here).

• Edison Pens (Brian Gray). Like Shawn Newton, Brian Gray is a longtime penmaker whose production-line Edison designs are now widely available at many major pen retailers. I have my eye on the new Collier Grande featuring a No. 8 nib.

• Ryan Krusac Pens. One of the few penmakers whose work with wood truly appeals to me, Ryan Krusac combines wood with other materials such a stone and antler. His scrimshaw work is incredibly detailed.

• Mayfair Pens. Pens with a “Lord of the Rings” theme? Count me in. Lately I’ve been more interested in penmakers who are exploring different shapes and contours, and I had the opportunity to handle these at the 2022 D.C. Pen Show.

Please Consider Supporting T.G.S. This Holiday Season

We’re also a small business, and entirely supported by purchases from our shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Last week, we launched our own 2022 Holiday Gift Guide, focused on products from our own shop, which makes an effort to focus on and carry products that might necessarily be overlooked by larger stores. We appreciate your support, as it allows us to remain independent and advertiser/affiliate free! Through Monday at 11:59pm, take 10% off all TGS Shop orders with the coupon code “GIVETHANKS”!

Ranking My Favorite Ballpoint Refills in 2022

Continuing my personal celebration of the ballpoint pen this week, I thought it might be fun to do something that I haven't done in a while: rank my favorite ballpoint refills. Despite what people may think, there’s actually quite a bit of variation between the different writing experiences available. Refills vary in terms of darkness, smoothness, and line width, though you’ll admittedly have a hard time finding the same range of bright colors as you can with gel pens. As my ballpoint usage has increased heavily in recent years, I’ve discovered some new favorite refills that I’d like to bring to the attention of ballpoint fans, especially those workhorse cartridges that don’t receive nearly the amount of attention they deserve.

1. Schmidt P900. At this year’s Washington D.C. Pen Show, I picked up one of the Gravitas “Twist” ballpoints in Ultem (which unfortunately does not appear to be available except in the standard clear polycarbonate finish). While most ballpoints that accept a Parker-style cartridge tend to ship with the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 (discussed further below), Ben Walsh includes the Schmidt P900F, which writes a finer, less “gloppy” line than the Easyflow. Sure, the latter is a smooth writer, but I prefer more precision. Lanier Pens on Amazon sells a four pack containing different colors in the F (.6mm) tip size, which costs just under $9. In addition to the Gravitas ballpoint, I now have these in all of my Baron Fig Squire pens.

2. Uniball Jetstream SXR-600. My second favorite refill, especially when I want to write small, is the Uniball Jetstream Parker-style cartridge in the .5mm tip size. (While it also comes in .38mm and .7mm sizes, the .5mm hits the sweet spot for me.) This particular refill lives in my Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball. Though an excellent writer, the downside is that the cartridge can be pricey, ranging from $5 - $ 8.50 apiece depending on where you buy them. A similar writing experience can be found in the Jetstream D1 refills, as well as the white-labeled D1 refills used in the Penco “Perfection” series of pocket ballpoint pens.

3. Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 “Swissglide”. For longer writing sessions, you can’t beat Caran d’Ache’s “Swissglide” refill, which is sold only in the Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 pen. True to its name, the Swissglide writes a darker, smoother line than Caran d’Ache’s signature “Goliath” cartridge, and it’s almost as long lasting. Though the refill is proprietary to this particular pen, the Infinite ballpoint costs a mere $6.25, and additional refills only $3.

4. Ohto Needle-Tip (Mark’style Tous les Jours and Traveler’s Brass Ballpoint). I’ve written before on how I love needle-tip ballpoint pens for working in my planners, and for making tiny marginalia and annotation when I’m reading. The Japanese Ohto refills (which I know are used in the Mark’style pens and which I suspect are used in the Traveler’s Pens) are among my favorites, behaving similarly to Jetstream ink yet offering even more precision for writing and drawing due to the needle-tip. These refills are also incredibly inexpensive and long-lasting.

5. Caran d’Ache “Goliath” (i.e., the proprietary Caran d’Ache 849 Refill). If you’re looking for a rock-solid ballpoint that lays down a medium wet, moderately dark line and can go for years without drying out, the Caran d’Ache “Goliath” is an excellent choice. While on the expensive side, they are durable, don’t dry out easily, and therefore tend to last for an extremely long time. Plus you get the comfortable hexagonal writing experience of the iconic Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoint.

Writing samples from all five pens listed here, including four colors of the Schmidt P900F.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Of the five refills discussed in today’s post, the “new discoveries” that I’ve enjoyed using the most are the P900F and the Swissglide. Both are inexpensive workhorses that should tempt even the most die-hard gel or rollerball fan, namely because they require much less pressure to write than your typical ballpoint.

Though maybe a touch dry for pages of longhand writing, for annotating books and taking notes on thin journal/planner paper, it’s hard to beat a needle-tip pen.

Another encouraging trend that has emerged over the past few years has been better Parker-style ballpoint options. Pens such as the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball (which can transform into a “big 849 ballpoint”) and the Gravitas Twist both use this type of refill, as do many other kit pens and more generic ballpoints that people receive as gifts. The Schmidt P900 and Jetstream SXR-600 have not only allowed me to pull my “gift” pens - many of which have sentimental value - back into my regular rotation, but I’ve also converted many of my rollerballs because liquid ink rollerballs are among my least favorite writing options as they tend to bleed through everything.

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The Schmidt Easyflow 9000 is a long-time favorite for many looking for a rollerball-like dark line, but in exchange for darkness you get smearing and a fair bit of “tip crud”.

Finally, why is the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 not on the list? Isn’t it the “best rollerball replacement option”? Not anymore, at least not to me. I personally find the Easyflow too oily, and it tends to gum up around the tip and leave streaks on the page. I consider both the P900F and the Jetstream to be superior options for pens that take Parker-style refills, but those who value “smoothness” above all else may still want to consider the Easyflow.

How about you? Is there a ballpoint refill option that I should be considering that doesn’t appear on this page? I’m interested, so leave a comment!

While this post does contain links to Amazon and other third parties, there are no paid affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported exclusively through purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.