Thursday Drops: Dip Nibs, Clipboards, Field Notes, and a Lot of Random Fun!

We have a somewhat random mix of new arrivals this week! First up are the Tom’s Studio “One Dip” Dip Nibs that I posted about on Tuesday, which combine a conical metal dip nib with a thumbscrew-style mechanism like that found on lettering or ruling pens. We also have stock of a couple new accessories from Roterfaden. One is an A4 clipboard that can be used as a stand-alone writing surface (always useful), or as a backing board for the long back pocket in the A4 Taschenbegleiter. The other is a new refill: a “To Do” list-style notebook that’s a slimmer version of the classic Roterfaden A5 refill, and features perforated list-style pages that can be detached.

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Last week we received the new TWSBI Vac700R Kyanite Blue, a full restock of the TWSBI Swipe in popular nib sizes, and TWSBI bottled ink in the large 70ml bottles. We also completely restocked on Field Notes notebooks (in addition to purchasing a formal display for the shop, which I’m thrilled about)!

Finally, an update: I will not be attending the San Francisco Pen Show, as we had to say goodbye to one of our longtime family dogs this week. Given the timing, the show wouldn’t be much fun, and since I didn’t have a table it was an easy decision to make. Orders will not be delayed due to pen show travel, and for those in town, I plan to hold shop hours on Friday afternoon and Saturday. Many thanks for your understanding!

1. Tom’s Studio One-Dip Nibs in Brass and Stainless Steel. Conical metal dip nibs have emerged as a popular category among artists and calligraphers, and fountain pen enthusiasts also enjoy these for ink sampling and testing. Adjust the dial/thumbscrew to modify the ink flow and line width.

2. TWSBI Vac700R Kyanite Blue Fountain Pen. TWSBI has become increasingly adventurous with their anodization, and the Kyanite Blue Vac700R features a gorgeous matte-blue clip and two-toned nib.

3. TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR “Iceberg Blue” Fountain Pen. If you favor cooler, “glacier” blues, check out this TWSBI or Lamy’s “Glacier” Studio release.

4. Platinum Preppy Wa “Modern Maki-e” Limited Edition Fountain Pens. The second series of Platinum’s “Modern Maki-e” Preppy Wa features six new designs inspired by Japanese tradition and folklore. I wrote a piece yesterday on why I like this series and my favorite pens from the most recent release.

5. Kaweco Collection Sport Fountain Pens, Including Pearl and 2024 Apricot Pearl. Kaweco has discontinued the “Pearl” Sport from their standard lineup and we still have a few left. We also still have stock from several other Kaweco Collection releases, including this year’s Apricot Pearl.

6. Roterfaden A4 Clipboard. We’ve carried clipboards in the shop on and off over the years, and the most recent version we’re testing is an inexpensive recycled chipboard/cardboard version from Roterfaden, which is sized A4 and designed to fit in the back slot of the A4 Taschenbegleiter, in addition to serving as a stand-alone writing surface.

7. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Covers and Refills. We still have stock of many popular Roterfaden formats, including A5 and a couple remaining smaller A6 versions. If there is a specific size/color you are looking for that is sold out, please send us a message and we are happy to work out a pre-order for our next shipment. (This also helps guide our purchasing decisions as it gives us insight into what models people like.)

8. Field Notes “Index” Edition Plus a General Restock. The Field Notes “Index” Edition features two different options: a “Pack A” that includes two log books for tracking whatever you desire, and a “Pack B” with a ledger and date book. We also have additional stock of most other standard editions, including favorites like the Front Page Reporter Notebooks and the Heavy Duty edition.

9. Midori MD Pads and Notebooks. Midori MD paper is one of our top sellers and top recommendations for fountain pen friendly paper, and their selection goes beyond standard writing pads and bound notebooks to include their excellent Memo Block desk pads and convenient sticky notes.

10. Nakabayashi Paper. We have all sizes of Nakabayashi Paper available in the shop, including Logical Prime, Logical Air, and the softer Yu-Sari that they’ve designed specifically to offer an excellent feel when writing with fountain pens. (All of them handle ink extremely well.)

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New Arrivals: Tom's Studio One-Dip Nibs!

Brass and stainless metal dip nibs are exceedingly popular among fountain pen and ink enthusiasts. Many love them for calligraphy, lettering, and artwork (their originally intended uses), while others use them for journaling and sampling their ink collection. While Kakimori makes the most well-known example of this type of product, Tom’s Studio has recently released what they call the “One-Dip Nib”, which is similar to the Kakimori-style dip nib but incorporates elements of traditional lettering and ruling pens by allowing you to adjust line width and ink flow using a thumbscrew/dial. (“One Dip” refers to the ability to fill a full A4 page with one dip of the nib, though this will of course depend on how you set the line width and what ink you use.)

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The Tom’s Studio One-Dip Nib will fit most standard “straight” nib holders that use a metal or rubber clutch mechanism.

We have a handful of these nibs available for purchase in both brass and stainless steel, and they are sold both as individual nibs and with a black acrylic straight nib holder. We are also fully stocked on other Tom’s Studio products, including the Lumos series of refillable fineliners, the Studio Pocket fountain pens, pre-ground specialty nibs (including the architect), and bottled fountain pen ink. While I may have some of these items with me at the San Francisco Pen Show, if any remain at the end of the week, I don’t have an official table at the show so please reach out to make any arrangements for show delivery.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

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Thursday Drops: TWSBI Vac 700R in Kyanite Blue Has Arrived, Plus A Swipe Restock and More Vacuum-Filler Mania.

TWSBI’s latest Vac700R release, Kyanite Blue, has arrived, and it’s our first major release since we’ve moved into the new space! (For those of you in Nashville, you’ll soon be able to see this one in person, along with all the other TWSBI options pictured above.) We’re also fully restocked on the TWSBI Swipe line in all nib sizes, as well as Tom’s Studio Lumos Pens and fountain pen inks from both TWSBI and Tom’s Studio.

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For those of you attending the San Francisco Pen Show next week, you can place an order for show delivery by selecting “local pickup” at checkout and sending me a message letting me know that you will be attending the show. Please note that I will be unable to deliver large paper orders and heavy items due to suitcase restrictions. All orders placed for shipment by close Wednesday, August 21 will go out before I leave for the show. Also, Nashville-area residence can now place orders for pickup at our physical location, as this has been added as an option at checkout.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

1. TWSBI Vac700R Kyanite Blue Fountain Pens. TWSBI’s latest release is a gorgeous Vac700R with deep blue anodized trim (including an accent on the nib)! For those who are curious, it’s a deeper blue (and less green) than the Diamond 580 ALR in Prussian Blue.

2. TWSBI Vac700R Iris Fountain Pens. One of the benefits of moving is that you discover additional stock that somehow slipped through the cracks. As it turns out we had several Vac700R in the “Iris” finish that were not listed on the site but which are now available.

3. TWSBI Vac Mini Fountain Pens. The Vac Mini is an undersung workhorse of a pen that’s an excellent travel companion. Featuring the same shutoff valve as the larger Vac700R, it’s an excellent airline companion.

4. Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pen. Personally, I view the Pilot Custom 823 as the pinnacle of vacuum-filling fountain pens. We have one smoke model with a broad nib, but are in the process of restocking all colors.

5. Nahvalur Original Plus Vacuum Fillers. Don’t miss out on the Matira Quartz and Lovina Graphite vacuum-filling Original Plus models, which pair rose gold trim with a touch of shimmer in the acrylic.

6. TWSBI Bottled Ink. TWSBI’s standard colors come in large 70ml bottles and are some of the best workhorse inks on the market. I especially enjoy the Midnight Blue and Blue-Black as classic everyday writers.

7. Anterique Brass Ballpoints in New Colors. We have five new colors of Anterique Brass Edition ballpoints in stock, as well as over a dozen new versions of the standard Anterique ballpoints that have proven so popular over the past year. Remember that you can mix and match parts between all of the various Anterique pens to create your own color combinations!

8. Anterique Mini Brass Ballpoints. This new pocket-sized ballpoint from Anterique is set to become a pocket notebook favorite. (I already have the clear red version tucked into my Plotter Mini 5.) Standard acrylic versions are also available.

9. Tom’s Studio Lumos Brass Fineliner Pens. Tom’s Studio has released this gorgeous special edition brass version of the Lumos refillable fineliner. You can read more about how these pens work here, and I love them for many of the same reasons I enjoy fountain pens, with just a touch more convenience for certain situations.

10. Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Inks. Don’t sleep on the Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks, which are low-maintenance and come in a wide-range of muted colors. The greens and blues are especially good (i.e., “Mallard” and “Loch Ness”).

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New Arrivals: Anterique Mini Ballpoint Pens, Including Brass Editions!

Anterique’s low-viscosity ballpoint pens are one of my favorite go-anywhere options for those situations where I need a durable everyday writer, and now they’ve released a pocket-sized version of their Standard and Brass Edition pens! The Anterique “Mini” will fit just about anywhere, and is perfect for clipping to your pocket notebook, Plotter Mini-5, or Traveler’s Passport-sized Notebook for writing on the go.

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My clear red mini with one of my takeaway rarities from last week’s D.C. Pen Show!

Currently, the “Brass Edition” Mini is available in five different “clear” colors (crystal, yellow, blue, red, and green), and the standard Mini in nine colors. Note that these parts are all interchangeable with the components of all other Anterique Pens: for example, if you’d like to make a “Danube Blue” brass pen, you can combine the upper part of a standard “Danube Blue” ballpoint with the brass barrel of the mini or standard-sized brass edition pen. The mini pens do take a shorter refill than the standard Anterique “Mach Ball”, though it uses the same low-viscosity ballpoint ink and .5mm tip.

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Comparison photo of the four different styles of Anterique pens, from left: Standard ballpoint, mini ballpoint, Mini Brass Edition Ballpoint, and full-sized Brass Edition Ballpoint.

In addition to the new mini-sized Anterique pens, we have new colors of the standard-sized pens, as well as new full-size brass options! Be sure to check these out as Anterique is constantly adding new variations to their existing product line.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Many thanks for all your support!

Thursday Drops: New Colors from Anterique, Tom's Studio Lumos Brass, Tokyo Traveler's Notebooks and More!

Things are finally getting back to normal, at least on the back-office side. We’ve restocked on several favorite brands, including Tom’s Studio and Anterique, including a new limited edition Brass Lumos fineliner and several new colors of the standard and brass edition Anterique ballpoints. Don’t forget to check out the new Cactus-leather Roterfaden KL_24, as well as our dwindling stock of the Traveler’s Notebook Tokyo Edition.

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I’ve also opened up local pickup for the new location. If you are located in or traveling to the Nashville, Tennessee area, you can now pick up your order in person during specified hours or by appointment. After placing your order, you will receive an automated confirmation e-mail with details and I will follow up. We’re not quite ready for people to stop by to browse in person, but I will post hours as soon as we are fully set up, which will likely be September 1.

Many thanks to everyone who has supported TGS as we grow! The physical location is an exciting new development that should allow us to expand the range of products we can offer as well as provide a location to host events, etc.

1. Traveler’s Notebook Tokyo Limited Edition. The 2024 Traveler’s Notebook limited edition features a black leather cover adorned with the symbols of Tokyo, in silver. We have a handful of these left, and we’ve also restocked on nearly all Traveler’s Company refills and accessories.

2. Tom’s Studio Lumos Refillable Fineliner, Brass Limited Edition. The Tom’s Studio Lumos pens are one of the surprise hits from 2024 in our shop, though I probably shouldn’t be surprised since a refillable fineliner pen that allows you to use fountain pen ink is a fantastic idea. Now available in Brass, in standard Lumos, Lumos Pro Duo, and Lumos Mini versions. Read more on the Lumos and how it works here.

3. Tom’s Studio Lumos Pens, Standard Colors. We’ve also restocked on the standard Lumos pens in most colors, including the single-tip Lumos Write which comes with firmer marker-style tips if you prefer that feel for writing. (Personally I enjoy the softer standard Lumos fineliner tips as well, which are similar to a micron pen.)

4. Tom’s Studio “Studio Pocket” Fountain Pens. The Tom’s Studio pocket fountain pens feature a faceted cap design and allow you to easily swap the standard fine or medium nibs with one of the Tom’s Studio specialty nibs (the Architect is one of the better off-the-shelf architect grinds I have tried). Read more on our initial impressions here.

5. Anterique Ballpoints. These Japanese low-viscosity ballpoints take the classic click-pen design and upgrade it to something that’s refillable and can be used everyday. From a thicker plastic barrel to a higher quality knock to an excellent refill, even the basic plastic versions are fantastic pens, and they come in dozens of colors.

6. Anterique Ballpoints, Brass Editions. The heftier brass versions of the Anterique ballpoints feature the same general shape and refill, only with a machined brass barrel. The back part of the pen is interchangeable, so you can indeed swap colors.

7. Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Inks. Tom’s Studio makes a line of excellent inks to go along with their Lumos refillable fineliners and fountain pens. These are standard water-based fountain pen inks (no shimmer) and stand out because it’s a relatively muted color palette across the line.

8. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter KL_24 Cactus Leather Model. These didn’t arrive in time for me to have them ready to go in D.C., but there is a new vegan-friendly option in the Roterfaden lineup! This one features a soft cactus leather exterior and a new interior brushed cotton liner with zippered pockets and sleeves.

9. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter LTD-022. The Taschenbegleiter that many people were looking for in D.C. (which I forgot to pack) was this standard black leather and red elastic. The Taschenbegleiter V-19 is the vegan-friendly version with a cover made from black danceflooring material.

10. Lochby Covers and Cases. All Lochby products are back in inventory following the D.C. Pen Show, ranging from the A5 Field Journal to the Tool Roll to the reversible Venture Pouch.

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