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The Gentleman Stationer

Vintage Living in the Modern World.
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Sunday Reading for July 17, 2022

July 17, 2022
  1. Gioia Alleria (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I’ve not tried a Gioia fountain pen, and the aesthetic isn’t really something that’s in my wheelhouse, but I’ve seen nothing but good reviews in terms of their quality.

  2. Thin Strokes, Thick Strokes: 1.1mm Lamy Stub Nib (via KraftyKats). Chloe has a guest post this week from A Fleeting Ripple (another great blog you should be following). Honestly, the standard Lamy 1.1mm stub shouldn’t be as good as it is, yet I find myself reaching for it periodically as well.

  3. Water Lilies: Giant’s Pens (via A Fleeting Ripple). I have a pen on order with this same resin (Water Lily Koi), and it’s also interested to read about yet another newer artisan maker!

  4. A Currently Inked That Is Currently Sharing (via mnmlscholar). I can’t go on enough about how enjoyable it is to have a pen club, either local in-person or either online, where you can share your love for stationery with other like-minded people! (Especially if you don’t have anyone in your family, at work, or in your close circle of friends who loves stationery as much as you do.)

  5. Pens That Make You Go Ooh (via Dapprman). I think one of my own goals as I reevaluate things is to make sure I write with all my pens. Especially those pens I love and have kept because they both write well AND are visually appealing.

  6. Graf von Faber-Castell “Perfect Pencil” (via Scrively). An iconic product, but is it super-functional from a usability perspective? Maybe for some people but probably not for me.

  7. Otto Hutt Design 04 Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). Otto Hutt has been getting more exposure lately, especially how good their nibs are. Some of their designs are a bit too slim for me.

  8. Nespresso + Caran d’Ache Fixpencil (via Bleistift). I wish I had kept one of these for myself when I had them in the shop. I do love the orange finish, even if I would definitely have replaced the Nespresso recycled lead with a 2B Technograf.

  9. Ink Review #1859: Scribo Grigio (via Mountain of Ink). As discussed a bit further below in today’s post, I’ve been using Scribo Ink lately, and Scribo Grigio is a personal favorite.

  10. Curnow A5 NEW PAPER Inserts (via Well-Appointed Desk). Known as being among the first to use Tomoe River in pocket notebooks and handmade journals, Curnow Bookbinding has started experimenting with new papers.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I had two posts: a follow-up look at the Lamy 2000 Multipen (or “4 Color Ballpoint), more than five years after I first reviewed this particular pen. I also reviewed another Scribo ink I’ve been using, Verde Prato, which is a quite functional bright green.

Only a couple of these are left in T.G.S. “Gently Used”!

Visit the T.G.S. Curated Shop for Reduced Pricing Storewide!

We’re selling down a lot of our inventory as we refocus the shop going forward, so take advantage of 10% off pens, pencils, and paper (some exclusions will apply) from now until the D.C. Pen Show. The discount automatically applies at checkout, so no coupon code is necessary. Also, there are still a few pens left in the “Gently Used” section of the website. These have gone relatively fast, and I’m happy to see pens going to homes where they will be used and loved!

Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

I would love for the T.G.S. Patreon to become the primary method of support for T.G.S., and have tried to streamline it. I’ll also need to be a bit more vocal about its availability and what it offers. As of yesterday, I’ve streamlined the Patreon to two tiers: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens.

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Holiday Reading for July 4, 2022!

July 4, 2022

Happy Fourth of July, for those in the U.S.! Enjoy the long weekend!

  1. 2022 St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). It’s hard to compete with Kimberly’s incredibly comprehensive pen show reviews! This is a great write-up of St. Louis, and it highlights a concerning trend - the lower attendance at the smaller/medium-sized pen shows due to the current expense and difficulty of travel, lingering COVID concerns, and general economic unease.

  2. What Happens When the Desk Goes to a Pen Show (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana has another St. Louis Pen Show report, plus an announcement regarding an XXL Col-o-ring, the Folio!

  3. A Play in 3 Acts: Leonardo Momento Zero Prisma (via A Fleeting Ripple). Rainbow-anodized trim certain is having its moment right now, as this post points out, and the frosted material is certainly a different take.

  4. Caran d’Ache 849 Gold Bar (via KraftyKats). Many thanks to Chloe for reviewing the Caran d’Ache 849 “Gold Bar” ballpoint pen. We still have a few in stock, and they’re eligible for the 4th of July Sale (see details below).

  5. Vinta Limited Edition Inks (via Mountain of Ink). Be sure to check out that Vanness Pens “Sodalite”! It’s a great ink.

  6. Birmingham Pen Co. Antique Sepia (via Macchiato Man). These dual-tone, multichromatic, double-shading, whatever-you-want-to-call-them inks are becoming increasingly popular. Though I haven’t spent much time reviewing Birmingham Inks (and I know I should), the ones I’ve tried have been mostly excellent.

  7. Write Notepads Pocket Notebook - Ledger (via KraftyKats). Chloe also reviews some Write Notepads paper, which we also stock and as she discovers, it’s incredibly fountain-pen friendly!

  8. Enameled Sakura (via Rachel’s Reflections). An Ironfeather Creative pen is definitely on my list of things to look for at my remaining pen shows this year. This carved pen with a sakura theme is gorgeous.

  9. BENU Euphoria Scent of Irises (via Dapprman). If you’re a fan of extremely interesting materials, BENU pens should be on your radar. I have irises in my front yard so this particular design caught my eye.

  10. Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Limited Pens Korea (via SBRE Brown). Wow, that pen features a beautiful material. Stephen was definitely luck to get one of these!

In Case You Missed It…

Last week on the blog I reviewed the Nebula Note “Casual Note” notebook, which not only features excellent paper but has PERFORATED PAGES, something that I want to see more often in high-end notebooks. I also wrote a piece on my evolving thoughts on eyedropper fountain pens, and why I’ve decided to narrow the scope of pens that I convert to eyedroppers.

T.G.S. Curated Shop Announcement and Site Updates

As I posted on Thursday, we are generally reducing our inventory and streamlining our shop. This includes clearance pricing on many items and a “SUMMER” Coupon code to take an additional 10% off through tomorrow, July 5. We haven’t decided to what extent we want to keep a stand-alone shop going - everyone in our house is pretty overwhelmed right now with work/family/life obligations, and given that the original goal was to enable us to design our own exclusive and special editions of well-loved products, there might be a way to do this (i.e., via retail partnerships or third-party fulfillment) that gives us more flexibility. For now, continue to shop T.G.S. Curated, enjoy our Fourth of July Sale, and look for more announcements during the second-half of 2022.

Meanwhile, we are fully stocked on Lochby, including some new colors of favorites! See the link below and be sure to check out the new colors of the Tool Roll and the recently arrived Venture Pouch!

Lochby
Lochby
Traveler's Company
Traveler's Company
Platinum Desk Pen
Platinum Desk Pen
Maruman
Maruman

Patreon Announcement!

I would love for the T.G.S. Patreon to become the primary method of support for T.G.S., and have tried to streamline it. I’ll also need to be a bit more vocal about its availability and what it offers. As of yesterday, I’ve streamlined the Patreon to two tiers: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. I just uploaded a huge batch of pens, inks, paper, cases, and accessories yesterday and there is stuff remaining!

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Vacation always ends far too soon.

Holiday Reading for June 20, 2022

June 20, 2022
  1. My First Show: The Dutch Pen Show (via A Fleeting Ripple). I love reading about people’s reactions to attending their first pen show, especially the sense of overwhelm when they see how much pen stuff can actually exist in one place!

  2. Review Madness and an Ink Vial Hack (via KraftyKats). If you have trouble with filling or dipping pens from standard plastic ink sample vials, Chloe has an interesting hack here to hold your ink bottles steady when filling.

  3. All Geared Up for Commonplace Notes (via mnmlscholar). Catching up on my commonplace book is definitely on my list of things to do, now that I’m back from vacation.

  4. Vintage Sheaffer Research (via Rachel’s Reflections). I get a lot of questions seeking help identifying specific models of vintage pens, so people might find Rachel’s discussion of her research techniques helpful.

  5. On Journaling and the Meditative Aspects of Writing (via S.B.R.E. Brown). Reviews are fun, but it’s definitely interesting to dive into the “why” and think about how analogue tools help us out in our daily lives.

  6. Dominant Industries Autumn Forest (via Well-Appointed Desk). The one Dominant Industries Ink that I’ve been truly coveting and haven’t gotten my hands on yet.

  7. Kaweco Premium Steel Fountain Pen Nib Review (via Pen Addict). I really wish Kaweco would simply increase their prices to account for necessary quality control and give people a guaranteed writing experience out of the box.

  8. La Couronne du Compte (Diamine) Vert Sapin (via Machiatto Man). An interesting Diamine Ink with a lot of sheen. Yagan’s ink reviews are incredibly thorough, to say the least!

  9. Preview of Montblanc Glacier Collection (via Gourmet Pens). Just take my money already.

  10. M605 Tortoiseshell Black (via Pelikan’s Perch). Pelikan’s latest Tortoiseshell release is beautiful, and I’m excited to see them release more in the M600/M605 size.

In Case You Missed It….

I was out of town this past week, so I did what I always do when I’m on my annual summer vacation, which is post a series of recaps/reflections on my favorite products from the past six months. Part I discussed my Top Five Product Reviews, Part II discussed my favorite new products added to the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and Part III talked about my favorite acquisitions of 2022 thus far.

This Week in the Curated Shop

I’m basically playing catch-up on shipping today and tomorrow, since so many of you were kind enough to continue to support me even though I was off for a week! I truly appreciate it. Look for some new product arrivals and restocks in the coming weeks, but for now we are still well-stocked on favorites and some remaining special releases!

Caran d'Ache
Caran d'Ache
Traveler's Company
Traveler's Company
Midori MD Light
Midori MD Light
Reading Accessories!
Reading Accessories!

Help Support T.G.S. and Consider Joining the Patreon!

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here.

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Vacation Reading: Week of June 13, 2022

June 13, 2022
  1. Where Lamy Daren’t Go…. (via Penquisition). I will now purchase both of this year’s Safari releases, since Evan has shown us what is possible with some tinkering and a little bit of courage.

  2. BlueDew Flex Fountain Pen: Too Good To Be True? (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). For those looking for dip-nib-style flex, Kimberly reviews another option from a brand I’m not familiar with.

  3. Comparing Common Nib Grinds (via Rachel’s Reflections). An excellent illustration of the differences in some of the more common nib grinds, showing both how the nib is modified and how the modification changes your handwriting.

  4. 12 for 12: Our 12 Favorite Products for Our 12th Anniversary (via Well-Appointed Desk). Congratulations to Ana and team for this milestone, and thanks for including us!

  5. Flexibility and Searchability in Taking Notes (via mnmlscholar). I love the science/art of notetaking, especially reading about how people archive their notes for later cross-referencing.

  6. Romillo No. 7 Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). These pens, which feature handmade nibs, continue to fascinate me, even though they tend to require a lot of tinkering, from what I hear.

  7. An Ode to Cheap Pens: Faber-Castell Grip Fountain Pen (via A Fleeting Ripple). I’ve long believed that Faber-Castell makes some of the best inexpensive fountain pens available. They unfortunately have always received far less attention than I think they should.

  8. IWI Colors of Nature Slight Snow (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). I love dusky purples, though this one appears to me (or my screen) as more on the pink side. Either way, it’s an interesting color that should still be legible despite the desaturation and shading.

  9. Cult Pens Diamine Flower Inks Set Exclusive (via Dapprman). Diamine is releasing a new set of flower-themed inks. I loved the first set and will probably try to pick these up as well.

  10. Stilo&Stile x Leonardo Momento Zero Prisma Fountain Pen (via Gourmet Pens). Leonardo is now getting on board the prismatic/rainbow anodized train. I’m not sure this particular design is for me but everything they do is great quality.

In Case You Missed It….

Last week on the blog I published a piece on enjoying a hobby in the midst of an economic downturn or other financial pressures, something we all unfortunately have to do the longer we pursue a passion because, well, life happens. I also reviewed one of my favorite new nib grinds - the “Perspective” nib from Gena Salorino from Custom Nib Studios. If you appreciate versatile nibs that give you many different writing options in a single package, you absolutely need to check this one out.

This Week in the Curated Shop

I’m on vacation, so our usual 2-3 business day shipping time will be extended to 5 business days. That said, we’re still processing orders and any orders placed during this window will go out promptly on my return, with some extras included such as stickers, ink samples, etc.. We’re fully restocked on Midori MD Paper, including the Limited 70th Anniversary MD Light Notebooks and Fountain Pen & Ink Sets, and we also still have plenty of Lochby Quattro Four Pen Cases, Pocket Journals, and Tool Rolls! Check out even more links below.

Caran d'Ache
Caran d'Ache
Traveler's Company
Traveler's Company
Platinum
Platinum
CW&T
CW&T

T.G.S. From The Archives

Vacation week seems like a good time for a reminder to check out the 2022 “Best Pens” list, updated to reflect recent preferences. Enjoy!

Many thanks for your support of The Gentleman Stationer! We rely entirely on purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program in order to keep the site going. If you enjoy the content, please consider visiting our shop or pledging! Even the smallest of amounts helps!

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Sunday Reading for May 29, 2022 (Memorial Day Weekend Edition)

May 29, 2022
  1. Solace in Pens (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). With each day seemingly bringing worse news, what can you do to cope? This excellent article discusses incorporating pens into a self-care routine.

  2. I Am Bitter: Lamy Aion (via a fleeting ripple). This pretty much sums up my feelings about the Aion as well. While the color of this green version is gorgeous, there’s a lot about the design I simply don’t enjoy as I find it uncomfortable to use.

  3. Wearingeul Stonecutter’s Song (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). This sepia/brown/grey color is one of the more intriguing inks I’ve seen from Wearingeul. I have yet to place an order.

  4. Aderillium Inks (via Well-Appointed Desk). I now have three Anderillium inks, including the Chicago Pen Show special release, all of which I’ve found to be well-behaved and enjoyable to use. Look for a review soon.

  5. ScriBo Grigio (via Dapprman). So far, this is my favorite of the ScriBo Inks, though I’m in the process of working my way through other colors. I absolutely love the grey-blue tint.

  6. On Fountain Pen Nib Sizes, #5, #6, #7, #8 (via S.B.R.E. Brown). Fountain pen nib sizing can be confusing. This video walks through the differences and the numbering system.

  7. Robert Oster Cities of America: Chicago Ink Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). While I’m a little tired of the “cities and states of America” theme that seemingly every ink company has been trying to run with these days, I should’ve picked up a bottle of this ink in Chicago.

  8. Hey, Where’d You Go? (via EdJelley). For those who have been missing Ed’s reviews, he’s still writing, just not at his own site. Check out this post to see where you can follow his work.

In Case You MIssed It…

This week I took things back to basics, writing this piece on Fountain Pen Maintenance: How I Clean My Pens. I also wrote a piece on one of my latest custom nib grinds that I received from Mark Bacas, a Predator Hybrid featuring an ultra extra-fine point on the “normal” end and a wider, brush-like point on the reverse.

New This Week in the Curated Shop, Plus a Memorial Day Weekend Special!

We’ve had a lot of new stuff hit the store over the past two weeks, including pens from Platinum, a boatload of new washi tapes and snail mail accessories from iLootPaperie, and more. This week, we’re also running a Memorial Day Weekend special, where all orders placed in the Shop through Monday (5/30) will receive a free “extra,” which could be a pencil, pen, ink sample, stickers, accessories, or even something like a bottle of ink! While there are no official “tiers” to this promotion, bigger orders will receive a bigger add-on. I have a ton of cool stuff to give away as I clean out my workspace and storage, so be sure to take advantage.

Caran d'Ache
Caran d'Ache
Midori MD
Midori MD
Platinum
Platinum
Washi Tapes
Washi Tapes

AND Don’t Miss Our Memorial Day Weekend Giveaway!

We’re running yet another giveaway, with more to come! See the post for details, but this week’s giveaway features products courtesy of The Well-Appointed Desk Shop and Skylab Letterpress, including some cool notepads and Col-o-ring notebooks! The giveaway closes end of day Monday, Central U.S. Time. (After which it will be replaced by another!)

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