Thursday Drops: Full TWSBI Restock, Caran d'Ache 849 Rollerballs and Ballpoints, and More!

In addition to the TWSBI Swipes in Pear and Salmon that dropped Tuesday, I also received a fresh restock of most of the TWSBI models, including the always popular TWSBI Vac700R Iris and the Diamond 580 in Smoke and Rose Gold. We also have the full lineup of the Caran D’Ache 849 Rollerballs, as well as the “Pop Line” 849 Ballpoints in Black Code, Gold Bar, and Brut Rosé. While the Brut Rosé is the one I can’t keep in stock, the Black Code remains my favorite and the Gold Bar the under-appreciated sleeper of the group. All of these pens make for exceptional workhorses!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of TWSBI, Caran d’Ache, and all other brands we stock.

1. TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen. As noted earlier this week, we now carry the TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen in all four colors, in all nib sizes. The Swipe’s biggest selling point, in my opinion, is that for well under $30 it puts you in a position to use cartridges OR bottled ink without any add-on purchases. It ships with not one but TWO converters. Read more here.

2. TWSBI Vac700R Iris. Setting aside the unique “Iris” finish on the trim, this fountain pen features a redesign of the original TWSBI Vac700 filling system, with adjustments made to the shut-off valve in order to ensure better ink flow. Additional details in my full write-up of this pen.

3. TWSBI Rose Gold Fountain Pens. By far the biggest TWSBI sellers currently in the Curated Shop are the TWSBI 580 in Smoke and Rose Gold, as well as the Smoke/Rose Gold Eco and the White/Rose Gold Eco. My personal TWSBI daily carry tends to be the Smoke 580 - I absolutely love this trim!

4. Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball. Last year’s big release from Caran d’Ache remains a top seller, with my personal carry a grey version fitted with a Uniball Jetstream Parker-style refill. Those who like a ballpoint but feel that the standard 849 is too narrow should try the rollerball - don’t be put off by the “rollerball” stock refill as any Parker-style ballpoint cartridge will work.

5. Caran d’Ache 849 “Pop Line” Ballpoints. The Black Code, Gold Bar, Original, and Brut Rosé versions of the classic 849 were originals in the T.G.S. Shop, and remain among my favorites. Don’t sleep on the Gold Bar!

View fullsize

New Arrivals: TWSBI Swipes in Salmon and Pear!

A quick update for your Tuesday morning: We’ve received a TWSBI restock and we now have the TWSBI Swipes available in all nib sizes and all colors, including Smoke, Prussian Blue, Salmon, and Pear Green. The Salmon and Pear Green pens are eye-catching, especially if you decide to match them with one of the TWSBI inks.

You can read our full write-up of the Swipe here. In short, we think the Swipe makes an excellent daily driver for new and experienced fountain pen users alike, mainly because it ships with two different types of converters as well as a TWSBI cartridge. Available now, priced at $26.99. Note that as of this morning, we are now restocked on most TWSBI models, including the super-popular Vac700R Iris!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of TWSBI and all other brands we carry.

New Arrivals: Midori 70th Anniversary Fountain Pen Sets

As Midori celebrates its 70th Anniversary, it’s releasing a range of special editions from its product line, and the first to arrive include these limited edition Midori MD Fountain Pen and ink sets. Last year Midori released their own MD fountain pen in a color scheme designed to match the overall MD aesthetic, and for their 70th anniversary, they’ve released a transparent version of the fountain pen sold in a set with a converter, a cartridge, and a 30ml bottle of either grey, blue, or orange ink. (You may note that these color options are the same colors Midori offers in their colored pencils - points for continuity!)

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Midori 70th Anniversary fountain pen sets are available as of this morning in the shop for $65. I only have a handful of each color and as with past Midori anniversary products and special releases, they likely won’t be around for long.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Midori and all other brands we stock. In addition to the fountain pens discussed here, we carry the full range of Midori MD notebooks, writing paper, pencils, and other desk accessories, including fountain pen friendly sticky notes and planner stickers that allow you to transform any notebook into a planner, and more!

Shop Update: Paper for Letter Writing

Even though I failed to get my act together in time to participate in NaNoWriMo last month, I’ve tried to do better with my letter writing, especially now that I have access to a ready stream of paper that’s more appropriate for casual letter writing. I’ve never been one for dedicated “stationery sets,” other than correspondence cards that people have sent me over the years, preferring to rely on standard writing pads that offer more writing space. (Hey, when I do write letters, they tend to be longer.) If you’ve ever received a letter from me, you’ll know that I prefer three types of paper: Clairefontaine Triomphe, Midori MD Cotton, and standard 52gsm Tomoe River paper (which is currently hard to source due to manufacturing changes). What do I like about these specific papers? They’re all “standard” enough to be both readily available and reasonably priced, while still maintaining that classic “vintage stock” feel that’s nicer than a standard legal pad, for both the writer and the recipient.

We’re happy to carry most of these papers in the shop, along with a few other quirky options.

View fullsize

Bright-white Clairefontaine Triomphe paper really shows off the ink!

Clairefontaine Triomphe

Available in both blank and lined formats, I would call Clairefontaine Triomphe my workhorse letter-writing paper of choice, since it’s both readily available, inexpensive, and ink-friendly. I love that it’s sold in bound writing pads, so you can use it for general writing and notetaking as well as correspondence. Available now in both A4 and A5 sizes, starting at only $5 USD.

Midori MD Writing Pads (MD Cotton and MD Standard)

If you favor more absorbent paper than Clairefontaine, or if you sometimes enjoy using pencils to write your letters, Midori MD Writing Pads are an excellent option. The unlined MD Cotton Paper has the best overall feel of any writing paper out there (in my opinion) and my only regret is that they don’t make it with a ruling. At the end of the day, I’ve simply adapted to using unlined paper. As I’ve mentioned before Midori MD pads are excellent for letter writing, and they can pull double-duty as a desk pad since they are bound on two sides and can be turned into a landscape orientation to fit beneath a keyboard. Available in both A4 and A5 sizes, starting at $10 for MD Cotton and $12 for standard Midori MD.

Life Noble Note and Bank Paper

While Japanese Stationery Company “Life” sits outside the stationery mainstream, receiving less attention than peers like Midori, many people find their paper equally as good and it’s developed a cult following. Their “Noble Note” 100-sheet writing pads come in blank, lined, and grid rulings. Personally, I find Life’s standard paper to behave closest to standard Midori MD, though perhaps with a bit more texture? If you favor toothier, more absorbent paper, check out their heavier, vintage-style Bank Paper. Available in A4 size, starting at $26 for a 100-sheet pad of Noble Note, and $28 for a 100-sheet pad of Bank Paper.

WMS & Co. ColorPads

Though color-coated paper is extremely hit or miss with fountain pens, I’ve had a lot of fun lately sending notes on the ColorPads from WMS & Co, mainly using ballpoint pen and pencil. (Colored Pencil looks exceptionally good on the grey paper.) I have one of the “Large Square” ColorPads on my desk at work, which I use for both taking notes and sending professional correspondence (thank-yous, cover notes, etc.). The best part is that all of the WMS & Co desk pads contain a minimum of 185 sheets of paper, so they’ll basically last forever. Available from $25.

WMS & Co makes writing pads in a variety of shapes and sizes. I’ve been using the large square ones (center) for work cover notes and casual correspondence.

Disclaimer: The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands shown here. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Shop Update: Grades of Graphite, from 6B to F

Headed into 2022, one stationery niche I wanted to be sure continued to thrive was graphite, and that pencil lovers continued to have an outlet to purchase pencils in all grades of graphite, both individually and by the dozen or in a set. We recently filled out our selection of pencils on offer in The Curated Shop, and now feature a range of high-end pencils from multiple brands in hardnesses ranging anywhere from 6B to F.

On the darker end of the scale, we offer pencils in the 6B to 3B range, including a pencil set from Midori MD that features five different pencils in 6B, 4B, 2B, B, and HB hardnesses, along with pencil caps and a sharpener. Fans of softer graphite may also want to check out the Tombow Mono and Mitsubishi Hi-Uni, both of which are available in the dark-but-still-usable 2B and B grades, as well as the 3B Caran d’Ache Edelweiss. We’ve recently added the Tombow 2558 in “B”, so there’s now a darker option to this everyday workhorse.

A little behind-the-scenes look at our pencil shelf!

As mentioned above, nearly all of our pencils are available individually or by the dozen, in addition to a handful of pencil sampler or gift sets from Midori and Caran d’Ache and, of course, erasers and sharpeners. Visit the T.G.S. Curated Shop to check out the full range, along with our curated selection of pens, paper, and desk and reading accessories.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by reader contributions and purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more! The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of TWSBI and all other brands stocked.