2024 Year-End Review: My Five Most-Used Pens of 2024

Every December, I recap the previous year by discussing favorites, including favorite new product discoveries, most-used pens, favorite product reviews, and more. Last week, I talked about five favorite product discoveries from 2024: new and new-to-me products that I discovered over the past 12 months. Today’s recap offers my five most-used pens from this year. There are some old favorites on this list, which isn’t really surprising since it’s been such a busy year, and when I’m busy I tend to default to my “workhorses”, but there are also a couple of new entries.

1. Lamy 2000: Fountain Pens and Rollerball. The Lamy 2000 fountain pen continues to form the core of my everyday writing rotation. It’s long been my favorite pen, both because I enjoy the writing experience and because, as an understated design classic, it’s always pleasant to look at. This past year, I added the limited edition “Pine” version of the fountain pen, and I also began using the rollerball once I discovered the Ohto CR-305 .5mm refill - a low-bleed rollerball refill that’s causing me to reconsider rollerballs as an option once again.

2. Pilot Custom 823. These pens hold so much ink, and they’re so convenient for travel, that I rarely go any period of time without having one inked up. This year I’ve primarily used my Amber medium that has a Mark Bacas blade grind (sort of a Naginata/soft-architect).

3. Tom’s Studio Lumos Write. The Lumos Pro Duo is cool, with it’s double tip, but since I use my fineliners mostly to write, not draw, the single-tip Lumos Write model is my pen of choice. This model is a bit less expensive than the standard Lumos, and comes with a smaller set of firmer writing tips. I’ve been using either standard black ink or the Tom’s Studio “Midnight” fineliner ink in this pen, with good results.

4. Montblanc 146 UNICEF Edition. Sure, it’s basically a “boring” standard black Montblanc 146 with platinum trim, but this particular pen sports an excellent “Perspective” grind from Gena Salorino at Custom Nib Studio. It’s their version of the Naginata-style grind, and makes for an excellent everyday writer that I find more practical than an architect.

5. Tactile Turn “Vice” Short Side-Click. I don’t know why I like this particular pen so much - it’s probably the 1980s Florida connection - but regardless of the reason, it’s been a constant companion since I picked it up this summer. I still feel strongly that the “Short” version of the Tactile Turn Side-Click has the best balance for me personally. The fact that it accepts Parker-style refills makes the Side Click a versatile choice for those who need a durable EDC ballpoint.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re interested in talking inks and seeing our swatches and growing selection, come see us in-person! We’re open this week Thursday-Sunday, and otherwise by appointment.

2024 Year-End Review: Five Favorite Discoveries from the Past Year

It’s mid-December already, which means that it’s time to start recapping 2024. Each year, I revisit my previous content and pull out some favorites, including favorite new product discoveries, favorite reviews, favorite trips, and more. To kick things off I’ll walk through my top five “new discoveries” of 2024. Not all of these are actual new products, mind you, as many of these are things I’ve personally overlooked and which were brought to my attention by friends (the AL-Star mechanical pencil and S20 ballpoint). Others are entirely new product categories, like the refillable fineliners. Even if you’ve been a stationery fanatic for multiple decades, there are always new things to discover, which is what I love about this hobby!

1. Lamy AL-Star .5mm Mechanical Pencil. A controversial discovery, to be sure, since the Safari/Al-Star grip section draws strong opinions from mechanical pencil fans, but I absolutely LOVE this pencil. It’s been on my desk ever since I reviewed it earlier this year. The wider-diameter barrel is comfortable to use for longer writing sessions, and the triangular grip works for how I hold a pencil. (I’ve even found that I can rotate it as necessary.)

2. Refillable Fineliners. I have yet to find a variation on this stationery category that I haven’t enjoyed. Whether it’s the Tom’s Studio Lumos, the Tom’s Studio Wren, or the semi-disposable Kuretake and Kakimori versions, I’m currently using them all and have an entire pen case devoted to them.

3. Pilot S20 Ballpoint. My ballpoint find of the year, which I discovered when a friend from our local pen club gifted one to me. Featuring the Dr. Grip “Cocoon” ballpoint refill with “Acro-Ink” technology, as well as an uncommon hourglass shaped-barrel that literally molds itself to your hand, I’m starting to prefer this pen even over my beloved Lamy 2k ballpoint…

4. Good Made Better “Jester” Pocket Pen. Dan from Good Made Better launched his initial pair of fountain pen designs at the 2024 Chicago Pen Show, and knowing just how good GMB products tend to be, I insta-bought one in a beige and black mottled ebonite with a matte finish. The Kickstarter appears to have been a success, and I can’t wait to see these pens hit the general market. (Also, if you’re looking for reading and/or writing-themed gifts this year, Good Made Better is an excellent place to shop!)

5. Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage Gel Pen. While I’m not a big fan of the standard Zebra Sarasa (as in, the kind you find a big box office supply stores), the Sarasa Grand Vintage is a Japanese import that writes differently from this pen, and comes in a wide range of cool vintage-inspired colors. Best of all, the barrels and the inks match, and feature black-infused tones that make your writing more interesting while remaining subtle enough to use for work.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re interested in talking inks and seeing our swatches and growing selection, come see us in-person! We’re open this week Thursday-Sunday, and otherwise by appointment.

Plotter Bible Size: Embracing the Single-Use Notebook

I’ve cycled through a few Plotter binders, looking for my ideal size. For everyday work, I’ve settled on A5 as the best combination of portability and practicality. My Plotter Mini 5 serves as my wallet, which has a “security blanket” notebook incorporated into it for capturing those stray thoughts which in years past probably would have gone into a Field Notes or other pocket notebook. The sizes I’ve struggled the most with, however, are the Narrow and Bible. I ended up selling my Narrow Plotter binder, simply because it was too “in-between”: too tall for the kind of portability I expected, and not quite wide enough to do the same kind of writing I can do in a Traveler’s Notebook. Now, what about the “Bible Size”?

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The Plotter Mini 5 (which started it’s life as Grey Pueblo leather) atop my olive green Bible Plotter. For those who will ask, the pencil in the notebook is a Pilot Birdie mini-pencil (and there’s also a pen/pencil combo version).

The “Bible Size” Plotter binder measures approximately 4.5” x 7”, with the refill pages measuring roughly 3.5” x 6.75”. So it’s roughly the same height as the Plotter Narrow but offers a few more inches of width to allow for more flexibility with writing. When I picked up this olive leather limited edition last year, I really wanted to make this my primary Plotter, but it’s just too small for day job and research notes, plus I love being able to easily hole-punch A5 paper and use it in the larger Plotter.

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The Bible-Size Plotter does, however, work great as a shop notebook that houses my ink swatch catalog and restock lists. Whenever new inks arrive, I immediately swatch one bottle and add it to this “master catalog” at the same time I swatch the inks onto Col-o-ring Cards. One of the best decisions I’ve made so far as a (fledgling) shop owner has been this master ink book that I control: the swatch book that sits out on the shelf tends to be easily damaged, with cards torn, smudged, or stolen - yes, people do take the swatch cards both in-store and at shows - and there’s nothing worse than having someone ask to see a swatch of a specific color only to discover it’s gone. If that happens, I have my backup, which also comes in handy for personal color comparisons and reviews.

I’ve also discovered that it’s essential to maintain a central a location for a “running list” of items that need to be restocked on subsequent orders. Some would say that this list should be kept electronically, but I rarely have my computer near me in the shop, and I hate having to constantly pull out my phone. While most of this particular Plotter binder is used for ink, there’s also a dedicated section in the back for reorder notes.

Those of you who have been following our Diamine Inkvent and Colorverse Colorvent reveal on Instagram may have noticed this paper, which is Midori MD Cotton with letterpress lines, sized for Plotter. I’m not seeing these currently on the Plotter USA website, so they may be pen-show exclusives. MD Cotton Paper is one of my favorite paper for swatching inks since it shows off color quite well.

While it might seem like a step back from my overarching goal of limiting the number of notebooks I’m using at any given time, sometimes the most efficient solution is to add a separate stand-alone notebook to handle a specific task. I’ve been using my “shop notebook” for a couple of months now and I think it’s going to stick. I’m continuing to work through my planner/journal setup for 2025, experimenting with test runs and sample layouts in December. I’ll plan to do a full “Notebook System” layout around the new year, which will feature my condensed 2025 notebook lineup centered around moveable pages (i.e. disc and ring-based systems). For a discussion of how I fared with my 2024 lineup and what I’m looking to change, check out this recent post here.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re interested in talking inks and seeing our swatches and growing selection, come see us in-person! We’re open this week Thursday-Sunday, and otherwise by appointment.

Ask TGS: Five Reasons I Love Fountain Pen Day Weekend!

I say “Fountain Pen Day Weekend”, because the celebration always starts early and keeps going through Sunday night. Today’s post might be relatively brief, because we’ve seen a steady stream of customers in the shop on Thursday and Friday, and I’m looking forward to a busy Saturday, which is always our busiest day anyway! It’s always fun to go to work with this particular business, but here are five reasons why I feel Fountain Pen Day is important and why I continue to support the annual event:

1. Building a Greater Sense of Community. I truly do hope that Fountain Pen Day remains something more than just an early “Black Friday,” because it’s important to take a day to remember that there’s a large community of enthusiasts around the world that values writing by hand and what it represents. While those of us who are able to visit a pen show or two (or seven) annually get this fix in person, for many that’s not possible, and Fountain Pen Day might be the next best thing.

2. A Reason to “Go Shopping” in Your Own Collection or Stash. I personally choose three or four pen and ink pairings from my personal collection that I haven’t used in far too long, and rediscover why I enjoy them. It’s a bit of an annual tradition during the week leading up to Fountain Pen Day to clean out everything I currently have inked and choose a fresh set that will close out the year. Do you have any Fountain Pen Day traditions?

3. An Excuse to Try New Writing Styles. Another “tradition” is that I choose a new-to-me writing instrument, ink, paper, or other writing-related accessory to broaden my horizons. This year it’s been the fine fibre-tipped brush pen. While I’ve spent most of the year getting deep into the refillable fineliner category, I recently inked up the Kuretake Karappo fine brush pen and really enjoyed it. It’s slightly firmer than a traditional brush pen, so you can use it for actual writing while still maintaining a touch of line variation.

4. Save Some Money. Yes, sometimes it’s nice to get a price break, especially if you’re trying a new brand or style of pen. While I always offer as much of a discount as I can for Fountain Pen Day, this year I wanted to do something to help beginners find their way in the increasingly crowded and confusing paper segment. Customers have asked for a fountain pen friendly paper “sampler” that allows them to try out various brands without having to purchase full notebooks or writing pads, so I assembled a limited number of them containing some of our more popular paper offerings. If this product gets a good reception, I’ll try to expand the selection and add it as a regular item.

5. An Opportunity to Support Your Local Artisans and Retailers, and Smaller Manufacturers. While it may seem self-interested since I’m a retailer and business owner in this space, I feel an obligation to remind everyone that this is a hard business. Margins are low and smaller retailers and makers face competition every day from bulk sellers, discounters, and the online giants of the world that encourage indiscriminate buying of “all the things” as opposed to more considered purchases of items that are both useful and well-made, and will serve you well for a long-time. I’ve always tried to focus both the site (and later, my shop) on this latter category. Every holiday season, whether it’s Fountain Pen Day or Black Friday, remember that where you spend your dollars matters, and if there’s a brand or maker that you love and want to remain in business, be sure to support them when it counts.

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While our supply of Fountain Pen Day Swag is running very low, we do have a few buttons and bookmarks remaining. I will continue to add these to orders placed through the weekend. Be sure to check out this post for all of our Fountain Pen Day specials.

Our brick-and-mortar location is open today from 10am - 6pm, and we’re continuing our 10%-off promotion on most brands through Sunday night at 11:59pm, U.S. Central Time. Keep your eye on this page here for updated hours and details on our location. Our door is along the walkway behind the “Flex Alarms” office!

My 2025 Techo Kaigi: A Mostly Fond Farewell to Hobonichi

As is natural in October, when planners go on sale for the coming year, I've been reviewing my current notebook setup and thinking about what I liked, what I disliked, and most importantly, how I can adjust my setup to better meet my needs in 2025. "Techo Kaigi" is a Japanese expression that refers to the figurative meeting you hold with yourself to address these issues. So, you can say I’ve been in back-to-back meetings with myself since October 1 trying to figure these things out!

I had chosen 2024 for an experiment of sorts: I would purchase three different styles of the popular Hobonichi planners: the Hobonichi Cousin A5 (Day-to-a-Page); Hobonichi Weeks Mega ("tall skinny" format week-to-a-page with room for notes); and a standard Hobonichi A6 (Day-to-a-page, to be used as a journal). While I didn't expect to reliably write in each of these on a daily basis, with the possible exception of the Cousin, I did manage to use each planner consistently for stretches of time, giving me a sense of what format and layout I liked best. After a full year with Hobonichi, I don’t think I’ll be making any permanent additions or substitutions to my usual carry. Here’s why:

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My 2024 carry: Hobonichi A5 Cousin in my Roterfaden A5; Hobonichi Weeks in an aftermarket leather wallet/case; and a Hobonichi A6, which served as my journal and eventually went into it’s own leather cover.

What Can I Rule Out Immediately? The Classic A6 Hobonichi Techo

This decision isn't so much a reflection on the Hobonichi itself, but rather a realization that the A6 size doesn't work for me as either a planner or journal. A6 is a "between" size for me, meaning that it doesn't offer me enough space to fully flesh out my thoughts on a day, yet at the same time leaves too much white space if I simply want to micro-journal, jot a few thoughts down and/or habit track. I enjoy having a longer-form journal, but I have a lifetime supply of very nice standard A5 notebooks and composition books (including some gorgeous examples I've collected from Choosing Keeping and other shops) that I look forward to using.

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Two Choosing Keeping Notebooks Purchased in London.

Daily Work Planner/notebook: I need more flexibility Than the HobonicHi Cousin Offers

Of the three planners I purchased for 2024, I used the Hobonichi Cousin A5 the most - everyday in fact. I loved having the full day on one page, with the time stamped left-hand column used for time-blocking alongside plenty of space to take notes. The downside? This thing is BIG. Even if I had opted for the Hobonichi Cousin Avec (which is the A5 Cousin broken into two 6 month segments), I still would find myself carrying around a hefty notebook filled with used pages that can't be disposed of or reorganized easily.

For 2025 I plan to return to a ring or disc-based system using either my William Hannah A5 or Plotter A5 binders. If I can find a compatible refill that features a day-to-a-page layout, I will go with Plotter, since I love the minimalist aesthetic and don't plan to carry more than a week or two of pages at a time. The benefit to me of both the Plotter and William Hannah systems is the ability to easily discard or archive pages that I don't need anymore, while also being able to insert blank pages if I need more space or want to keep additional papers and notes organized chronologically by day. If you have a recommendation for a day-to-a-page Plotter-compatible refill, please let me know! I’m looking.

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That said, if you don't need this sort of page-level or daily flexibility, and don't mind carrying around a larger book, the Hobonichi Cousin is an incredibly versatile planner with at least three different calendar layouts (monthly, weekly, day-to-a-page) that offer planning, journaling, and habit-tracking functionality. The Cousin can definitely be your one-stop-shop, especially if you're comfortable keeping your work and personal life in a single book. I 100% recommend it as an excellent product, but it sadly doesn’t meet my exact needs.

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The Standard Size Traveler’s Notebook is just a bit taller and wider than the weeks, while not sacrificing the tall/skinny format I love so much.

I'm Really Torn on the Hobonichi Weeks, But I'm Moving Back to a Traveler's Notebook

I loved the Hobonichi Weeks, but I'm probably still moving on. Why? I've been using this smaller notebook to track certain things such as exercise, reading, household tasks, and other random notes and observations that I want to keep organized in a "dated" format but separate from my work life. While I love the week-on-two pages layout, which is similar to the Traveler's Company "Weekly + Memo" format, I need just a touch more space as I found myself coming up short at times in the Hobonichi Weeks. As a result, I'll probably be returning to a Standard-size Traveler's Notebook, especially since that will give me the ability to add on additional notebooks and accessories (like pouches) to streamline my carry. I've already set aside a 2025 Weekly+Memo refill set for myself. You can read more on my previous Traveler’s Notebook setups here, and I’ve missed them badly during the past year.

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The Weekly+Memo Format works extremely well for me as a personal planner/logbook. I’ve never used a dated Traveler’s refill before - this year will be the first.

Summary: How Do I Envision My 2025 Daily Carry?

I have multiple occupations and many different personal interests, so my exact "daily carry" changes, depending on what I'm doing. On a typical day, however, my briefcase or backpack will likely hold three main items: the work planner/notebook (whatever it ends up being), a personal Traveler's Notebook, and a Roterfaden binder containing individual notebooks that house anything from my personal journal to scratch notebooks to project-specific refills. If you've been following this site over the years, you've probably noticed that the overall nature of my setup hasn't changed much: I usually go with three modular notebooks or binders, though I have played around with different formats and brands. For 2024, I hadn't used Hobonichi in a few years, and wanted to revisit the brand on a broader level to see if I should incorporate one of the many formats into my hybrid system. Overall, even though I don't plan on making any long-term changes, I did enjoy the experiment!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoy our pen and stationery-related content, please consider supporting us by shopping directly or pledging. Many thanks for reading!