Deals & Drops: Post-Pen Show New Arrivals! Platinum, Field Notes, Caran d'Ache & More

September 2, 2021

There was a pile of boxes awaiting my return from the San Francisco Pen Show, including a fresh shipment of Limited Edition Platinum Preppies from Luxury Brands USA (the Platinum Distributor), the brand new Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pens, a huge box of TWSBI Swipes and TWSBI Ink, the Field Notes “Trailhead” Edition, AND two new versions of the Kokuyo Sketch hardcover pocket notebooks: the dot grid “Trip Book” and the top-bound “Offset Book”. I’m finally up to date with loading everything into inventory and onto the site, so happy shopping!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we carry. By shopping with us, 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!

Platinum Preppy Wa Limited Edition Fountain Pen. Platinum recently released the Preppy Wa, a special version of their Preppy cartridge fountain pen decorated with six different traditional Japanese patterns, all with unique symbolism. The Preppy is a great pen, for users both new and old, because even at this low price point ($7?!), it features Platinum’s Slip ‘n Seal technology that prevents the pen from drying out. (Review here.)
Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball. If early sales are any indicator, Caran d’Ache has a hit on their hands with the new 849 Rollerball, a larger-diameter version of the 849 ballpoint. In fact, you don’t have to use this one as a rollerball at all since it accepts the Parker-style refills of your choice.
TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen. These things were so popular in San Francisco that I ended up having to sell my demo pens. I have both the Smoke and Prussian Blue versions back in stock in all nib sizes, in addition to the full range of TWSBI cartridges and bottled ink.
Giuliano Mazzuoli Nuovo ITALIA Ballpoint/Mechanical Pencil. I appreciate practicality, and you can’t get much more practical than a high quality ballpoint that comes with three different color refills AND allows you to swap in a .7mm mechanical pencil insert. Throw in a design with historical significance, and you have a product tailor-made for the Curated Shop. Full write-up here.
Field Notes “Trailhead” Edition. Field Notes recently released their latest quarterly edition, a stunning combination of dark green and orange featuring a linen-textured cover and ORANGE staples! The back covers feature illustrations of North America’s three most famous trails, the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest, and the Continental Divide.
Kokuyo Trip Book and Offset Book Hardcover Pocket Notebooks. These long-format hardcover pocket notebooks have developed a cult following in both Japan and the United States, and now I can offer a dot grid version (the “Trip Book”) as well as a top-bound “Offset” version.

I made a short video comparing the Rollerball to the Ballpoint. Check it out here.

Be sure to check out those orange staples!

Introducing the Caran d'Ache 849 Rollerball

August 31, 2021

Caran d’Ache recently announced, and I’m now proud to offer, the Caran d’Ache 849 in a larger-format rollerball pen, which accepts any Parker-style refill, including ballpoints. Approximately the same size as a Retro 51 Tornado, this latest entrant into the Caran d’Ache 849 lineup provides a larger option suitable for those who may find the standard Caran d’Ache 849 too narrow. The 849 now offers something for everyone!

Caran-d'Ache-849-Rollerball-in-Hand.jpeg

Available in five different colors (black, white, grey, red, and navy blue), the pen sports a matte finish, with the texture particularly pronounced on the black and grey versions. Priced at $48 each, you can now purchase directly from the T.G.S. Curated Shop!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Caran d’Ache.

All five colors, from left: grey, white, black, red, and blue.

First Impressions: The TWSBI Swipe is a Steal

August 3, 2021

Last week, TWSBI released their new “Swipe” fountain pen, which is the first TWSBI pen to utilize a cartridge/converter filling system. But this isn’t your typical C/C fountain pen - the Swipe ships with not one, but two different style converters, plus a cartridge. Not only does this represent great value, since most companies make you pay $5 for the privilege of purchasing a single converter separately, but TWSBI has adopted a larger, high-capacity design that’s 2-3 times as large as your typical standard international converter. (Just take a look at the pics!)

All this is included with your purchase. The spring can be used for extra security if you want to ensure that your cartridge stays seated in the pen barrel, though it’s not essential. You simply drop the spring into the barrel behind your cartridge.

My favorite of the two TWSBI Swipe Converters is the plunger-style converter, like the filling system in the TWSBI Go fountain pen. It’s easy to both fill and flush.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Gentleman Stationer (@gentlemanstationer)

The TWSBI Swipe Converter, bottom, compared against a standard international converter, top. I’ve not taken an official measurement, but I’ve read elsewhere that the Swipe converter holds well over 1ml of ink.

I’ve been writing with the Swipe for three days straight, and so far I love it. It’s lighter than the ECO due to the absence of the piston, while offering a similar writing experience since they use the same nib. While I initially had concerns about the clip, it fits just fine over a shirt pocket and holds the fabric securely.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Frankly, the TWSBI Swipe could be a game-changer in the sense that many oft-recommended pens at the sub-$30 price point are now arguably a less attractive proposition because you have to pay to purchase a converter separately. The TWSBI Swipe is priced at $26.99, and it’s hard to find something competitive in terms of value or versatility, given everything that is included in that purchase. A 10-pack of cartridges can also be purchased for $6 in three different colors, and they ship in this great business card style clamshell case. Both the pens and cartridges are now available in the shop!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of TWSBI and all other brands we carry. By shopping with us, 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!

New Arrivals: Caran d'Ache 849 Claim Your Style, Edition 3!

August 2, 2021

On the heels of the latest Caran d’Ache Nespresso releases, Caran d’Ache has announced the latest entry in their “Claim Your Style” series of 849 ballpoints. The Claim Your Style releases always offer six unique color schemes, and this year is the first Caran d’Ache has offered a monochrome look as opposed to mixed-and-matched colors. The current options include “Night Blue,” “Ice Blue,” “Moss Green,” “Scarlet Red,” “Tangerine,” and “Violet.” While I may have a hard time choosing a favorite this year, the dark blue and the green are both absolutely stunning. Fans of the first Claim Your Style edition will appreciate that Caran d’Ache has returned to a slightly more matte finish on these pens (which is especially pronounced on the Moss Green, shown above).

Shown here from left: Violet, Ice Blue, Scarlet Red, Tangerine, Moss Green, and Night Blue. I love the more muted tones.

The latest Claim Your Style pens are now available in the Curated Shop, priced at $39 each. I also still have a handful of Edition Two pens remaining, with special pricing. And, yes, for those of you who want to mix and match parts, I don’t see any reason why you can’t swap clips and buttons between pens (though it’s not “officially” supported).

New Arrivals: TWSBI Swipe Is Now In Stock! Plus Caran d'Ache Nespresso and More Sunderlands!

July 29, 2021

In addition to the launch of the Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 pencils, this week also saw the arrival of the much-discussed TWSBI Swipe, TWSBI’s first cartridge-converter pen. We received our initial shipment, plus TWSBI cartridges and an ink restock! You may also have seen my Instagram announcement that several new products (mainly red inks from last week’s sampling), have been added to the “Gently Used” page. While those items come from my personal collection, they can be combined with shop orders to take advantage of the free shipping offers.

TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen. Many were wondering, “Will TWSBI ever release a cartridge-converter fountain pen? Well, now the wait is over. The Swipe arrived on the doorstep yesterday afternoon, and they are now live and ready to ship. We also have cartridges and the full range of TWSBI bottled ink, with the 1790 Colors now available for purchase individually!
Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Fixpencil. As I discussed in yesterday’s post, for this year’s collaboration with Nespresso, Caran d’Ache decided to go in an entirely new direction, releasing a limited edition version of their iconic Fixpencil.
Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Swiss Wood Pencils. In addition to the Fixpencil, Caran d’Ache decided to release a set of special edition Swiss Wood pencils, featuring three metallic capsules, a special imprint, and graphite made from 25% recycled coffee grounds! (Don’t worry, I tested them out and to me, the pencils write like any other Swiss Wood!)
T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 Exclusive Edition. Our exclusive collaboration with Pennsylvania-based Sunderland on a bead-blasted, matte-black and red version of Sunderland’s signature EDC gel-rollerball pen is back in stock! If you’re wondering why we chose this particular model for our second store exclusive, you can read my write-up here.
Write Notepads Spiral and Reporter Notebooks. I’ve fully restocked on Write Notepads Spiral and Reporter Notebooks, in all colors! This paper is among my favorite for everyday writing, and if you want an example of how it can show off fountain pen ink, look no further than my recent ink color comparisons.

Traveler's-Company-Passport-Refills.jpeg

Back to School/Work Season Is Upon Us - Don’t Forget to Check Out Our Notebook Systems and Reading Accessories!

School starts for us in less than two weeks - I know, I can’t believe it snuck up like that. If you’re headed back soon (to work or school), be sure to check out our ranges of notebook and organizational systems, including notebooks, refills, and accessories from Traveler’s Company, Midori MD, and now Stálogy! We also stock a wide assortment of reading accessories, including Book Darts page markers (one of my absolute favorite items we carry in the shop), and desk accessories from Hightide Co. and WMS & Co.