Sunday Reading for May 2, 2021

1. Galen Stack and Store Pen Trays: Great if You Come with the Right Expectations (via UK Fountain Pens). Stackable pen trays are a category of storage options that really have been limited to the serious collector. Galen’s new option looks interesting, though the finish seems a bit rough. Like most Galen products, I expect it will improve as they make more.

2. High Street Fountain Pens for a Fiver (via Dapprman). I must say, this is quite an impressive collection of inexpensive fountain pens that can be purchased in standard office supply stores. Options in the U.S. are much more limited, especially where I am.

3. Galen Leather Tomoe River Notebook (via Pencilcase Blog). Dries reviews Galen’s leather-bound Tomoe River notebook, which is one of a few ways you can still get your fix of old Tomoe River paper.

4. What’s in a Name? Featuring the Fountain Pen Revolution Quickdraw (via Penquisition). I’ve never used a pen from Fountain Pen Revolution, but they’ve received much praise in the past from those who like their flexible steel nibs, and now they apparently have a stub.

5. Custom Paper Sample Pack Updates (via Fountain Pen Love). If you didn’t know, John offers sample packs of fountain pen friendly paper in his shop. He’s recently updated his offerings to include additional varieties.

6. Pencils!?!?!? (via FP Quest). Curiously, the reason that I enjoy using pencils is because they aren’t fountain pens. Sometimes I find myself getting distracted by whatever pen I’m using, and I just want to write with something different to force myself to refocus.

7. Colorverse: The Standard Model (via Well-Appointed Desk). I picked one of these up last year, and have yet to make my way through it. I was actually surprised to see that none of the inks inside were glistening, which should make them all highly usable to me. Need to crack it open!

8. Montblanc Homage to Napoléon Bonaparte Blue Ink (via Gourmet Pens). This looks like a very attractive ink, but it sometimes seems like Montblanc has really focused on standard blues in their special and limited edition ink series.

9. Some Housekeeping Out of Hanover (via Pelikan’s Perch). I was not planning to pick up one of this year’s M205 releases, but this is an odd development. It will be interesting to see how people react once the actual pens are in-hand.

10. TRU RED Explore Journal Review (via Pen Addict). Staples.com sent me some samples of TRU RED products for review, and after reading Brad’s write-up I’m intrigued to dive into this particular notebook, especially after my fairly good experience with some of their other products I’ve reviewed.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, the big news was that I revamped my “Best Pen” Recommendations for 2021. This is the first time in a couple of years that several of the lists saw significant changes, including some new additions to my “Personal Favorites.” I also published Part II of my “Exploring Iroshizuku” series, reviewing Asa-Gao, Murasaki-Shikibu, and Ajisai, the latter two being inks I’ve never really uses much, if at all. Finally, since I’m now an authorized retailer of TWSBI products, I went ahead and swabbed all of the TWSBI Inks, including not only their standard lineup but also the Six Ink Set. This week’s Deals & Drops post featured the new “Honokalani Maile Lei” fountain pen from Kanilea Pen Company, as well as several restock notifications from the Curated Shop and elsewhere.

This Week in the Curated Shop

I recently received a large restock of Midori MD Notebooks and covers, Tombow and Uni Woodcase Pencils, and TWSBI Fountain Pens and Ink. I have exactly one remaining Caran d’Ache Ecridor Racing Pencil, as well as one remaining Klein Blue Léman Fountain Pen (with the limited edition ink). Look for some fun new products to arrive in the coming weeks, which I will list as I receive them!

TWSBI Eco

TWSBI 580 Rose Gold

Caran d'Ache 849

Pencils!

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups, which took place on Friday and was a lot of fun. We discussed our thoughts on pen shows restarting, recent arrivals in our personal collections, and more. I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!

Sunday Reading for April 25, 2021

1. Ultem and Urushi (via UK Fountain Pens). Anthony takes a look at two gorgeous new arrivals, both unique and different.

2. Colorverse Season 7 Full Line (via Well-Appointed Desk). Jesi reviews all of the inks in Colorverse Season 7. I’ve given up on trying to keep track of all the different options Colorverse has now, but if you’re a fan of sheen and shimmer inks, be sure to check these out.

3. Desiderata Pen Co. BAMF (via Left Hook Pens). Desiderata, based in Chicago, makes small-batch pens featuring handmade filling systems and a nib section that can accept Zebra G calligraphy nibs.

4. Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pen (via Gourmet Pens). I need to get my hands on one of these once demand settles down. Another hit from Ian!

5. Visiting the Visconti Homo Sapiens Tuscan Hills (via Penquisition). I’m not a huge fan of swirled acrylic - it has to be done exactly right to tempt me - so for that reason I’ve never picked up one of these special edition Homo Sapiens fountain pens. This green one might be the first, but I’d like to see it in person.

6. Esterbrook Journaler Nib (via Rants of the Archer). I didn't realize that the Esterbrook Journaler nib was actually the first of an anticipated series by Esterbrook. The Journals, by Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studios, is a medium stub/cursive italic.

7. Replacing the Sac in My Father’s Parker Duofold Senior (via Dapprman). Learning how to re-sac vintage fountain pens can absolutely change how you approach this hobby, since you no longer have to pay for expensive restoration yourself. Just be sure to read up on instructions before beginning work and leave the extremely valuable/sentimental pens to the pros until you have enough experience.

8. Finished a Pilot Hi-Tec-C Refill (via Writing at Large). Huge accomplishment! I’ve never done this.

9. A Few Thoughts on Getting Started with a Bullet Journal (via Fountain Pen Love). Bullet journaling is wildly popular, but it can be intimidating to get started. John’s guide has suggestions for both techniques and notebooks.

10. Opus 88 Omar (via Pen Addict). Sarah reviews the Omar, Opus 88’s giant “ink tank” of a pen that’s becoming one of my key recommendations for those who want something that will let them write for basically forever.

In Case You Missed It….

The big news from this week is that I did a hands-on post with the relatively recent TWSBI Diamond 580 Smoke and Rose Gold II fountain pen, which I’m now happy to be offering in The Curated Shop. (More on that below). I also updated my previous review revisiting the Pilot G2, to discuss some recommendations for pen bodies that take the G2, plus I figured out how to get a Pentel Energel into my Sunderland Machine Works MK1. Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops featured an Earth Day theme, focusing on Earth-inspired and eco-friendly products.

New In the Curated Shop: TWSBI!

I dropped some big news (well, at least for me) yesterday: I’m now authorized to carry TWSBI and have added certain select products to the shop, including Diamond 580 fountain pens, ECO fountain pens, and bottled inks. In terms of limited and special edition changeovers, I’m down to my last batch of this year’s Caran d’Ache Claim Your Style pens, which won't be coming back after the new ones arrive, and still have a few of the latest Crayons de la Maison Caran d’Ache pencil sets.

TWSBI

Caran d'Ache

Pencils

Notebooks

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups, the next of which will take place this coming Friday, April 30 at 8:00pm Central Time (it got bumped a week due to my second dose of Covid-19 vaccine) and will feature a special announcement. The last few have featured some really fun discussions! I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!

Sunday Reading for April 18, 2021

1. Sailor 1911 Profit Junior, Profit Jr., and Lecoule (via Rants of the Archer). Sailor apparently is building out their entry-level fountain pen lineup. I have not yet seen some of these pens widely promoted in the U.S., but since the Profit Junior arrived as the Procolor I expect they are on the way?

2. The TWSBI Draco: I Had My Doubts (via From the Pen Cup). I enjoy seeing TWSBI experiment with smaller runs and different designs. That’s how innovation works - testing out small batches of new materials in new formats. Based on Mary’s pictures, the Draco looks great. More rose gold please!

3. TRU RED Mastery Journal Review (via The Poor Penman). For a widely available big-box supply brand, I’ve found TRU RED products to be of surprisingly high quality, though the paper varies depending on the specific item. (Some of the spiral notebooks had great fountain pen friendly paper; others behaved more like the notebook reviewed here.)

4. Sailor Black: Ink Review (via Scrively). It’s uncommon to find reviews of “standard” blue and black inks made by the major pen brands. Here, you not only have a review of a very good standard ink, Sailor Black, but from a lefty’s perspective.

5. Schon DSGN Ultem Pen, Colorverse Space Laika (via Penquisition). I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these. They’re currently in high demand and short supply, so it will likely be a pen show acquisition once shows resume, currently slated for the fall.

6. Let’s Take a Look at Paper Color (via Fountain Pen Love). Color variations in paper is one of those topics that doesn’t get written up very often, if at all, and it made me happy to see this article. I’m in the market for some light blue writing/typewriter paper, btw, in case anyone has any recommendations for me….

7. DIvine Design: The Visconti Divina Elegance (via Penquisition). I had no idea the Divina full size was such a large pen!

8. Caran d’Ache 849 Claim Your Style (via Bleistift). As a huge fan of the Caran d’Ache 849, I really need to look into getting one with my initials engraved. Also, I get a lot of questions about hacking gel refills for the 849. This article includes a brilliant video addressing that topic.

9. Caran d’Ache 849 Claim Your Style (via Well-Appointed Desk). Many thanks to Ana for reviewing the 2020 Claim Your Style release in “Veronese Green”. (Disclaimer: I sent it to “The Desk” for review.). I still have some of last year’s models, but once they’re gone, they’re gone so act quick if you like the 2020 colors. 2021 should be on the way in the next couple of months.

10. Penluxe Masterpiece Grande Koi Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). Taiwanese maker Penlux has been expanding rapidly over the past several years, releasing different variations of their “Masterpiece Grande” pen last year. It sounds like the quality is good, making this another reasonably priced brand to watch.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I started a new project: working my way back through Pilot’s Iroshizuku line of inks. This week I revisited Yama-Budo, Kon-Peki, and Shin-Ryoku, three of the most popular colors. It will take me a while to write through all of these, but please keep an eye on the blog throughout the year because I’m excited for this challenge! I also took an extended look at the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen, the first time I’ve given this particular pen a stand-alone post. Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops spotlighted the new Lamy AL-Stars and the Faber-Castell Neo, both available from our friends at Vanness Pens.

This Week in the Curated Shop

Wow, those sold fast: I’m down to one Caran d’Ache Ecridor “Racing” .7mm mechanical pencil. I’ll try to get more, but the ballpoint is already on backorder. I hope they decide to make the black-chrome Ecridor a regular addition to the Caran d’Ache lineup. I also have a bunch of the Rhodia Composition Books in stock, as well as some new stamps and reading accessories from WMS & Co.

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Rhodia

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Clairefontaine

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Caran d'Ache

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WMS & Co.

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups, the next of which will take place this coming Friday, April 23 at 8:00pm Central Time and will feature a special announcement. The last few have featured some really fun discussions! I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!

Sunday Reading for April 11, 2021

1. Review: Lamy Safari Savannah & Terracotta Special Editions (2021). These might be the best special edition Safaris Lamy has made (and yes, I know it’s been done before).

2. Esterbrook MV Nib Adapter (via Rants of the Archer). Though I’ve never been a vintage Esterbrook enthusiast, the MV Nib Adapter was a brilliant way for “new Esterbrook” to merge the original company with the new. I also need to get some new vintage nibs once shows reopen.

3. Lamy Aion Dark Green (via FP Quest). Ray picked up one of the new Dark Green Lamy Aions, and while this isn’t my favorite model Lamy has made, I love a good dark green edition of anything.

4. Uni-Ball Signo Needle 0.38 Review (via Writing at Large). A Signo DX with a needle tip instead of a conical tip? Sign me up? The needle point is pretty much the only thing that keeps me coming back to the Pilot Hi-Tec-C, so if this one takes off and becomes easier to find….

5. Platinum Curidas Urban Green Retractable Fountain Pen Review (via SBRE Brown). I need to break my Curidas pens out for a revisit - it’s been a while since I’ve used them, and I hear that Platinum has made efforts to get the cracked feed issues under control.

6. Holbein x Rotring 600 3-in-1 120th Anniversary Pen (via Bleistift). A Rotring 600 multi pen? In white? Why can’t we have these things regularly instead of via boutique Japanese store-exclusives? Why?

7. Narwhal Schuylkill Porpita Navy (via Dapprman). Yet another Narwhal review, and the brand remains on my “to check out” list. These non-standard colors interest me more than their general acrylic pens. This is a very thorough review and addresses some quality control issues with the pen, that don’t necessarily get much press elsewhere.

8. My Way or the Cahier (via Pete Denison). Cahiers, or slim paper notebooks, have their roots in student exercise books that so many of us remember fondly (or not). They’re a classic piece of stationery and I’m glad to see Pete has a new post up!

9. Robert Oster Pen Chalet Exclusives (via Well-Appointed Desk). Pen Chalet now has four new Arizona-inspired Robert Oster inks! Ana has swatches up over at the Desk.

10. Pilot Custom 823 #15 FA Fountain Pen (via Gourmet Pens). Azizah has a review of the Pilot Custom 823 - a favorite ink tank - paired with Pilot’s modern “flex nib” (which actually does offer a fair amount of flex for a modern pen.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I revisited the Pilot G2, which has long served as one of my workhorse gel pens. Is it as good as I remember? For the most part, yes, and I’m still quite fond of the .38mm refill. I also reviewed the Retro 51 Tornado Pencil, which gets much less attention than the Retro 51 Tornado Rollerball but is a very interesting, unique piece of stationery in its own right.

This Week in the Curated Shop

As noted in this week’s Deals & Drops post, we now have a lot of mechanical pencils available, as well as a new line of Essential Office Supplies, such as high quality disposable ballpoints from Caran d’Ache. As many of us are vaccinated and prepare to head back into the office at some point over the next several months, we will find ourselves needing to restock our drawers and supply cabinets, and perhaps also refresh our workspaces with some new desk accessories and a fresh notebook! Check out the Curated Shop for these and more!

Hightide Sandglasses

Rhodia Webnotebooks

Clairefontaine 1951

Caran d'Ache Fountain Pens

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups. The last few have featured some really fun discussions! I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!

Sunday Reading for April 4, 2021

1. Leonardo Tredici Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). Now they’re making a faceted pen? Thirteen facets? In Hawaii and Arlecchino acrylic, two of my favorite materials? My wallet hurts already.

2. Muryō Bullet Journal Indexing System (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Looking for an “add on” to create a bit more structure for you bullet journaling? You may want to consider this card-based system.

3. The Scale of Paper Absorption: Part 3 (via Left Hook Pens). I’ve gotten back into paper recently, and have been enjoying reading through all the various experiments people conduct on different notebooks and paper brands.

4. Narwhal Original Demonstrator (via Rants of the Archer). Yet another Narwhal review! I need to get my hands on one of these. While I occasionally here reports of a bad nib, on the whole performance seems to be consistently good.

5. National Pencil Day: Vintage Treasures in Old Stationery Stores (via Writing at Large). Wow, a haul of old Mongol No. 2 pencils in the wild!? Given the pencil craze going on here, you’d never find that in the U.S.

6. Pandemic Hobbies and the Great Depression (via CNN Wellness). What hobbies have you picked up over the past year that you plan to continue into the future? Reading and gardening for me.

7. Carriage House Papermaking Kit (Part 2 of 2) (via Pen Addict). Susan continues with her papermaking adventures!

8. Paper Review and Giveaway: Musubi Cosmo Air Light Notebook (via Well-Appointed Desk). Lots of people are reviewing the new Musubi Folio notebooks featuring Cosmo Air Light Paper, and there are several ongoing giveaways presenting an opportunity to win one of these. (See details below for our own review and giveaway).

9. Wingback Mechanical Pencil Kickstarter Review (via Ed Jelley). UK-based Wingback has followed up on their successful pen project with a high-capacity, ergonomic machined mechanical pencil.

10. The Case for Not Listening to Music When You Work Out (via Art of Manliness). Something I’ve been thinking about lately is the lack of quiet in my life (especially in a house where everyone’s been “at home at all times” for over a year).

In Case You Missed It….

This week I reviewed two products, one old and one new. For National Pencil Day, I reviewed the Ohto Sharp Mechanical Pencil, which I found to be an appropriate celebratory review since the Sharp literally bridges the gap between mechanical and woodcase pencils. I also reviewed the new Musubi Folio Notebook featuring Cosmo Air Light Paper, and I’m running a giveaway! Visit the post for full details. Finally, I looked at five of my favorite Traveler’s Notebook accessories, most if not all of which I use in my own setup.

New This Week in the Curated Shop

First of all, through 11:59pm this evening, we are running an Easter Sale in the Curated Shop! Through Sunday, take 10% off all Curated Shop orders using the coupon code “SPRINGTIME”. What to use your discount on? If you’re looking to celebrate Easter, Passover, or simply the arrival of spring, then check out the Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 ballpoints and mechanical pencils, which come in a wide array of bright colors and even a “Swiss Cross” version! I’ve also begun stocking more everyday office supplies, such as the high quality Caran d’Ache Eco click pens, including one made from wood chips generated by the Caran d’Ache pencil-making operation!

New Pencils!

Eco Ballpoints

Engineer Notebooks

TRC Brass

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups. The last few have featured some really fun discussions! I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!