Pencil Review: Retro 51 Tornado Pencil

I’ve held off writing much on Retro 51 over the past year because I wanted to first see what was happening with the future of the company. As many of you may have heard, Retro 51 announced last year that their owners were retiring, and that the company would be “wound down” over the first six to nine months of 2020. Many were surprised - and a bit puzzled, to be honest - as Retro continued to roll out a seemingly endless stream of special and limited editions, store exclusive pens, and new products throughout the year, only to announce in January 2021 that the company wasn’t closing after all, that it was being acquired by new ownership, and that most of the staff would stay on to maintain continuity of operations.

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The Retro 51 “The System” Pencil designed by my friend, Mike Dudek of Dudek Modern Goods and The Clicky Post. I have a pen/pencil set, and it’s probably my favorite of all the Retro 51s.

While Retro 51 has never been one of my main collecting interests, the possibility of any pen company shutting down made me sad. While I’m glad to see the pens will still be available, and presumably all the Retro employees will keep their jobs, I will admit to some unease about how the company took an entire year to announce the “change in plans,” presumably knowing that fans were snapping up Retro 51 pens as “last chance” purchases because - as far as they knew - Retro 51 was shutting down. For now, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt until we know more details about what happened over this past year and the plans new ownership has for the company.

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Shown here in-hand, the Retro 51 “Albert” pencil from the Vintage Metalsmith Collection.

But back to the substance of today’s review: the Retro 51 Tornado Pencil, a somewhat unique writing instrument that’s often overshadowed by its (much) more famous sibling, the Retro 51 Tornado Rollerball. Shape-wise, the pen and pencil versions of the Tornado are identical, save for the large (and very good) eraser on the pencil. The pencil even uses the same twist mechanism to retract the lead, which is an ultra-wide 1.15mm. In terms of weight and balance, the Tornado Pencil and Rollerball feel nearly identical, so if you’re a fan of one, you’ll like the other. IF you can get past the lead size….

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Twist mechanism and eraser.

That brings me to the main downside of this product. A 1.15mm mechanical pencil lead is extremely broad - almost as broad as a leadholder pencil, but still too narrow to sharpen in a lead pointer. That leaves you with a rather blunt pencil point. For me, it limits the utility because I can’t write small, and annotations/marginalia while reading are my primary use case for mechanical pencils. You also won’t find many refill options other than the Retro 51-branded option, as 1.15mm is an odd size, and you’re typically stuck with standard HB grade without the option to go darker or harder.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Overall, the Retro 51 Tornado is a good mechanical pencil, and I keep a couple in my collection. Since I enjoy writing small, the lead size on the Tornado Pencil makes regular use a challenge, despite the functional twist design and quality build. When I do use this pencil, it’s typically to jot quick notes to myself. Those with larger handwriting, or who prefer a broader pencil point for things like drawing, may not be bothered by the lead size, and if you find standard woodcase or mechanical pencil barrels too narrow, you may appreciate the more substantial Tornado.

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Writing sample shown here against a Rotring 800 with a .5mm lead. Paper is the Write Notepads Engineer Notebook.

Retro 51 Tornado Pencils are available for purchase individually, or as part of a pen/pencil set, from most Retro 51 dealers such as our friends at Vanness Pens. stand-alone pencils are priced between $40-45 and sets anywhere from $60-80, depending on the edition. This pricing is consistent with most high-quality mechanical pencils and the Retro 51 Tornado Rollerball, which I consider good value. Refills are somewhat difficult to find, given the uncommon lead diameter, but are mostly available from Retro 51 dealers.

Further Reading on Retro 51

I’ve not written much on Retro 51 in the past, but I have previously reviewed the Retro Collection Desk Set, as well as a piece comparing the Tornado Rollerball and the Baron Fig Squire. Even though I don’t use it as much as other rollerballs these days, I should eventually do a stand-alone review of the Retro 51 Tornado Rollerball.

Review Revisited: Is the Pilot G2 Still A Good Pen?

One of my major “pandemic projects” has been to bring the content on this website up to date: deleting years-old announcements and “deals” posts containing outdated links, advertisements and sponsor posts from companies no longer in existence, and other material that’s basically clutter and makes it more difficult to find truly useful content. In the process, I’ve come across many reviews that I hadn’t read in several years, including this piece from nearly five years ago in which I discuss my appreciation for the Pilot G2, and even call it my personal favorite gel pen. It’s time to revisit to see whether this opinion still holds true.

Short Answer: I Still Like the Pilot G2 Overall

For the most part, my original review holds up. While I’ve never been on board with the G2’s moniker as the “World’s Best Pen” or “World’s Most Popular Pen” or whatever, I also don’t believe that it deserves the shade thrown its way. For a pen that most people can find in their corner grocery store, the G2 is quite good and, in my mind, serves the same role as the Bic Cristal: a classic pen that’s almost universally available with a refill that provides a consistently decent writing experience whenever you need to just get some work done. For that reason, I continue to keep a handful of Pilot G2s in my desk. While the standard plastic G2 body has zero character and isn’t particularly comfortable, for a small amount of money you can upgrade to the G2 Limited, which offers a better grip and balance for less than $10. I still own two.

The G2 does an excellent job of preventing evaporation from the cartridge, presumably due to the plastic cap and whatever material Pilot uses to seal off the ink. The refill on the right is from a Signo 307, which shows significant evaporation. Both of these pens were left sitting for 2-3 years.

The G2 Vs. Everything Else

The biggest downside to the G2, at least as sold, is the design. Companies such as Uni and Pentel have the clear edge in terms of ergonomics. I simply don’t find the standard G2 grip that comfortable, and the standard pen body feels insubstantial. That said, what really interests me is the refill. The G2 continues to impress with its combination of availability, durability, and consistency. Is it a “great” writing experience? No. Will the G2 consistently offer a “good” writing experience, even in a pen that’s spent a couple of years unused in a desk? Based on my track record with this pen, the answer to that question is yes. With one or two exceptions, all of the G2s that I pulled out of my various stationery drawers wrote immediately, without any dryness or skipping, and when I checked the refills for evaporation I found that the G2s had much more ink remaining than its competitors, including the popular Pentel Energel and Uni Signo 307, the latter of which experienced significant evaporation after a couple of years. (Evaporation can cause gel ink to become sticky and blob and smear easily, which makes for a very unpleasant writing experience.)

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Finally, I did notice some discrepancies in performance between the various G2 tip sizes. Curiously, all of the “problematic” pens (i.e., skipping and dryness) contained blue .5mm refills. The .7mm and .38mm G2 refills performed flawlessly across the range of available colors. I’m not going to draw any firm conclusions from this, as it’s not a representative sample and YMMV, but I did make that observation. The .38mm tip size has become my current favorite.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The G2 remains my favorite inexpensive “office supply” gel pen. The combination of low cost, generally reliable performance, and the refill’s compatibility with a wide rage of different custom pens make it a quality option to have in your stationery cabinet. While the limited color options can be a considerable downside, the Pilot “Juice” range features the same refill format, though the pen itself is a bit more slender and less comfortable to use (in my opinion).

As I mentioned above, you can purchase a Pilot G2 anywhere. If you’re looking for the .38mm version, or one of the non-standard colors such as orange, burgundy, or blue-black, you may need to search around online, though I have occasionally seen them at big box office supply stores. G2 refills also ship standard in many custom machined pens, including Tactile Turn and Sunderland Machine Works. If you enjoy the G2 refill but can’t stand the default plastic housing, consider upgrading to Pilot’s G2 Limited or a third-party custom pen.

Disclaimer: The Pilot G2 products featured in this post were purchased with my own funds, for my own personal use. This post does not contain affiliate links. If you wish to support The Gentleman Stationer, please consider supporting us on Patreon or via The Curated Shop. Many thanks!

In the Curated Shop: Essential Office Supplies

While I’ve only ventured back into the “office” office (i.e., not the one at my house) a handful of times over the past year, when I was there I did notice a number of my pencils, ballpoints, and gel pens left unattended during this time had dried up or gone missing. I also realized that the office had by default become the repository for second and third-tier review samples - pens I had picked up for review purposes, in many cases years ago, and don’t actually want to use. It was plainly time for an overhaul and an upgrade.

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Since office pens and pencils do tend to walk off my desk or get borrowed by co-workers, I don’t invest a lot in the pens I keep there. At the same time, I need something reliable that’s pleasant to work with. As I expand The Curated Shop, one category I plan to build out is “Essential Office Supplies,” a selection of high quality, yet relatively inexpensive, pens and pencils that you don’t have to overly fret about taking to or leaving at the office. Currently, the selection ranges from disposable Caran d’Ache Eco click pens (one version of which is made from reclaimed wood shavings from the pencil-making process), to woodcase pencils, to relatively inexpensive refillable ballpoints and mechanical pencils such as the Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 series.

You can check out these and many more quality Caran d’Ache products in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Caran d’Ache and all other brands sold. Many thanks for your continued support!

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!

Notebook Review AND GIVEAWAY: Musubi Folio Cosmo Air Light

While Atelier Musubi has established a well-deserved reputation as a maker of high-end handbound journals made from unique and/or vintage fabrics, they recently launched the Musubi “Folio” series, described as “notebooks for the everyday.” Because the Folio notebooks are intended for everyday use, they come in at a lower price point, all while maintaining Musubi’s high standards in terms of quality construction and materials.

Introducing Cosmo Air Light Paper

What had me most eager to test this particular notebook, however, was the paper. In addition to 52 gsm Tomoe River and 88 gsm Bank Paper, Musubi has released a version of the Folio notebook that contains Cosmo Air Light, an exceptionally fountain pen friendly paper that has recently begun to capture the attention of the pen community, much in the same way that Tomoe River did years ago. While Cosmo Air Light has been somewhat difficult to find in notebook format, that is changing as supplies make their way to manufacturers.

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Writing Sample: Cosmo Air Light achieves high sheening and shading by allowing the ink to spread out slightly on the page (without feathering). As a result, extra fine and needlepoint nibs may write a broader line than on other papers.

Musubi describes Cosmo Air Light paper as having an “upper middleweight thickness” - thicker and more absorbent than Tomoe River but not as thick/absorbent as bank paper. In terms of paper that I use regularly, I might compare the weight of Cosmo Air Light to the paper used in Write Notepads spiral bound notebooks. Though both handle fountain pen ink without bleed or show-through, the Write paper is a bit more absorbent and doesn’t showcase ink color, sheen, or shading in the same way as Cosmo Air Light. Inks look incredibly vibrant on this paper.

A writing sample with non-fountain pens. As with Tomoe River, you will want to give gel and rollerballs a few moments to dry (see smear test above), but there was no smearing days later. Also, unlike Tomoe River, gel pens and rollerballs saw absolutely no bleed through on the Cosmo Air Light. For how I use notebooks, Cosmo Air Light is likely a superior product because it’s more versatile.

In terms of texture, Musubi compares writing on Cosmo Air Light paper to a “velvety dry erase board.” While the paper is more absorbent, with better dry times than Tomoe River, it retains a slick feel yet still has a touch of tooth or drag, which I didn’t find unpleasant. I even tested this paper with rollerballs, ballpoints, pencils, and gel pens, and found the experience largely positive. While this notebook is clearly intended primarily for fountain pen use, I didn’t get the sensation of “writing on a magazine” that others have described. With non-fountain pens, I might compare it to Yupo or Rite-in-the-Rain waterproof paper, only with more texture that creates a much better everyday experience, IMHO.

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A subtle, but highly useful design touch: page numbers placed in the lower right-hand corner of the cross-grid paginated notebook.

While the lined notebooks do not feature the page numbers like the cross-grid version, the top and bottom lines feature spaced dots to allow you to write headers, draw margins, and/or number pages, should you so desire. Again, these notebooks were designed with maximum versatility in mind.

Notebook Specifications

The Musubi Folio notebooks are bound in Japan by a small, family-owned bindery (as opposed to in-house by Musubi in Singapore) and sized to fit Musubi’s forthcoming “Tomo” notebook covers. Featuring 208 pages of Cosmo Air Light paper, you will get ample use out of this notebook. (If maximizing your page count is important to you, 384-page Tomoe River versions are also available.) The Folio notebook features a semi-rigid cotton cover with a linen texture, and should fit most A5 notebook covers in addition to the Musubi Tomo system.

The Smyth-sewn binding easily lies flat, and since it’s sewn, not glued, should hold up to long-term use.

Takeaways, Where to Buy, and Giveaway Details!

The Musubi Folio notebook is an excellent addition to Musubi’s product lineup, which should help make their goods more accessible to the broader pen community. Cosmo Air Light paper, as expected, performs exceptionally well with fountain pens and presents another alternative for Tomoe River fans who for whatever reason are not happy with the new formulation. I would clearly characterize Cosmo Air Light as “Tier One” fountain pen friendly paper that you can use without concern for things such as bleeding, feathering, or show-through. That said, those particularly sensitive to tooth or drag on paper, as well as those who value the ability to write an exceptionally fine line, might consider trying a sample of Cosmo Air Light prior to investing in a full notebook. It’s a unique paper with no clear comparison in terms of feel.

You can purchase Musubi Folio notebooks directly from Atelier Musubi via their website. Prices are listed in Singapore Dollars, and depending on the exchange rate, the Folio Series notebooks will run you $30-35 USD. As I’ve said before in my prior reviews, Musubi notebooks are not inexpensive, but the superb quality and company mission statement leave me with no regrets every time I purchase from the Atelier. Finally: giveaway details! In addition to the review unit, Daryl was kind enough to send me a second notebook to give away to readers. See below for full Terms and Conditions, and use the Gleam App to enter. I will pick and contact a winner after the giveaway closes at 11:59pm EDT on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

Many thanks to Daryl at Atelier Musubi for providing these two notebooks free of charge for review and giveaway!