New Arrivals: Traveler's Company Mid-Year (July) Start Planner Refills!

May 21, 2021

If there’s one product that I’ve leaned heavily on during this past year, it’s been my Traveler’s Notebook. Currently, it serves as a combined Planner/Life Log/Journal/Notebook/Commonplace book, all combined into a compact and versatile format that allows me to carry what amounts to my entire working life around with me at any given time, especially as I prepare to start traveling again. Arriving just in time for an eventful (hopefully in a good way) second half of the year are dated Traveler’s Notebook Planner Refills with a July 2021 Start Date. In the Standard Size, we have both Weekly Vertical and Weekly + Memo dated formats, and in the more compact Passport Size we have the Weekly Vertical.

The Undated Weekly Vertical Planner Refill.

Personally, I find the Weekly + Memo format insanely practical, providing a versatile week-on-two-pages format that lets you keep your schedule on the left-hand page while taking notes, making lists, logging daily activities, or even keeping a short-form journal on the right. I’m currently using an undated version (pictured), but since I’ve been using it regularly, I will likely switch over to one of the “July Start” dated formats once my current refill runs out next month.

If you’d like to read more about how I use my Traveler’s Notebook (which is a Blue Standard Size), you can check out this post, and read more about my five favorite Traveler’s Notebook Accessories here. The T.G.S. Curated Shop carries the full range of Traveler’s Company products, including Traveler’s Notebooks, Refills, and Accessories (including pens).

The Gentleman Stationer and the T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Traveler’s Notebook Products.

Pen Review: Tibaldi N.60 in Samarkand Blue

May 20, 2021

Italian brand Tibaldi has a long and storied history in the pen industry dating back to 1916, when it was founded in Florence. Over the years, Tibaldi pens have alternated between prominence and obscurity, most recently achieving a degree of fame/infamy for their absolutely gorgeous - and now scarce and absurdly expensive - “impero” celluloid. After several changes in ownership and management over the years, I understand that Tibaldi is now owned by the Aquila family, which per the Tibaldi website also has an ownership stake in Montegrappa. Given that Tibaldi has been headquartered in Bassano del Grappa (home of Montegrappa) since 2004 (as well as the line of pens released at some point dubbed “Tibaldi by Montegrappa), it’s clear to me that there is common ownership and that Tibaldi is a Montegrappa “sub-brand,” though I can’t find anything online where the companies expressly confirm that relationship.

Until I started researching this review, I was actually unaware of the relationship between these two Italian pen companies, but now that I think about it the business strategy kind of makes sense. I enjoy Montegrappa fountain pens, especially the materials they use, but they do get knocked for their high (some would even say astronomic) price points, even on their introductory or “lower-end” offerings. Since Tibaldi pens seem to top out at less than $250 (and even under $200 depending on where you buy), I would surmise that the strategy is to protect the “premium” image of the Montegrappa brand by releasing a more accessible line of pens under the Tibaldi moniker. It’s not a bad strategy, though I do think Tibaldi might have an easier time catching on if more people readily understood the connection to Montegrappa, an established modern brand.

Design and Build Quality

Any time a pen company releases a fountain pen featuring blue-flecked tortoiseshell material, either celluloid or acrylic, I’m going to buy it. (Don’t ask me - it’s one of those things.) This material reminds me of the blue tortoise celluloid used in my Faggionato Petrarque, though of course this Tibaldi uses acrylic and not celluloid. Regardless, the material is beautiful. The pen itself features a classic vintage-inspired design, reminiscent of various vintage fountain pens from Tibaldi and other brands. The triple cap band is a nod to some of my favorite vintage pens (though this Tibaldi is of course much larger - more on that below). The Tibaldi N.60 shows very little in the way of branding, with only a subtle “Tibaldi” engraved right above the cap band.

Build quality seems solid. The metal clip feels secure and tight, and the cap threads are smooth, opening with less than two turns. Inside the barrel, the acrylic is thick, with just enough room for the converter to fit without rattling.

Tibaldi N.60 Posted

Tibaldi N.60 Unposted

Nib and Overall Writing Experience

The N. 60 is, to me, a larger pen, though in terms of modern sizing it’s best characterized as a mid-size pen. It posts securely, though feels a touch top-heavy when you do post. Most people will probably write with this one unposted. The section is on the shorter side, causing me to tend to grip the threads when writing, though because the threads aren’t sharp I never experienced any serious discomfort.

The nib is where Tibaldi has attempted to distinguish itself from other brands targeting the $150-200 price bracket. While there is nothing necessarily special about the stainless steel nib itself, Tibaldi has paired it with an ebonite feed, typically the hallmark of much more expensive Montegrappa pens. The presumptive benefit of more consistent ink flow, however, doesn’t really appear here. While my N.60 isn’t a dry writer, I’m not sure I can discern that much of a difference between this nib and any other stock Bock or JoWo nib paired with a standard plastic feed. I did experience a couple of hard starts when the pen was new, but those have largely disappeared following a short break-in period of me writing with the pen consistently.

Writing sample with a stainless steel medium nib, Sailor Ink Studio 140, on Write Notepads Dot Grid Paper.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

If I had to point to one thing that would make the Tibaldi N.60 worth buying, it’s the materials Tibaldi has chosen, particularly the “Samarkand Blue” and the “Amber Yellow”, as well as certain design touches such as the triple cap band which give the N.60 a higher-end feel than its price point would suggest. Otherwise, I feel like the N.60 struggles to distinguish itself from its competitors in terms of writing experience, and I guess I expected a bit more ink flow from my ebonite feed. Don’t get me wrong - this isn’t a bad pen, and if you love the look of it, you will get a nice writer that feels built to last. If I had to pick a pen for a close comparison, I would say that the N.60 strikes me as a more upscale Levenger True Writer, which many people love, and which shares some of the same design language.

Similar materials: I like the Samarkand Blue acrylic almost as much as the “Honey Noire” on my Conway Stewart Model 100.

I purchased the pen featured in this review from Appelboom, which carries the full line of Tibaldi pens. The Tibaldi No. 60 is currently priced at around $175, depending on the exchange rate, and in addition to the “Samarkand Blue” model shown here, comes in black and three other marbled colors: Ruby Red, Emerald Green, Amber Yellow, and Emerald Green.

Disclaimer: This post does not contain affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported via pledges from the T.G.S. Patreon Program and sales through the T.G.S. Curated Shop.

Codex-style bindings are among my favorite, as they allow a notebook to lie completely flat.

New Shop Arrivals from Midori MD + Tomoe River, Plus a TRU RED Giveaway!

May 18, 2021

Looking to restock on fountain-pen friendly paper, perhaps in a format that’s a little different? This past week saw two new products arrive in the Curated Shop: the Midori MD Notebook Journal in a “Framed” blank layout, as well as the oversized, 350+ page Codex day-to-a-page journal! Both of these are awesome additions to the Midori MD notebook lineup, especially for those who like to journal. In addition, we are fully restocked on Tomoe River Paper loose sheets, now including A5 size in 52 gsm, white and cream. As before, A4 size is available in both 52 and 68 gsm versions.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Midori MD Paper, including Midori MD Cotton, as well as Tomoe River paper.

TRU RED Giveaway Pack Courtesy of Staples.com!

Last week I reviewed a recently released product from TRU RED, the Starter Journal from TRU RED’s Expert Notetaking Collection. You can read the review here. Our friends at Staples.com were kind enough to send over some additional products for giveaway, including not just a Starter Journal but a pack of their Quick Dry Retractable Gel Pens and Rollerballs! As with all T.G.S. Giveaways, you can enter using the Gleam widget below. The giveaway is open to anyone 18+, and will run through Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 11:59 pm Central Time. See the Gleam widget for full details, terms and conditions.

Trying out Nespresso in its various forms.

Sunday Reading for May 16, 2021

May 16, 2021

Progress Over Perfection: The Venvstas Magna CC (via UK Fountain Pens). Apparently the proverbial heads have rolled over at Venvstas, and there is new management in charge. The results? A much better pen. Check out Anthony’s reviews for details.
Otto Hutt Design04 Wave White and Rose Gold (via Rants of the Archer). Otto Hutt is literally all over the place these days! I had not seen the Design04 compared against other pens, and it’s interesting to see that this particular model isn’t as small as I originally thought.
Inkuisition - Birmingham Pen Company (via The Poor Penman). Birmingham Pen Company apparently has released a couple of different ink formulations that reduce dry times and supposedly work better on inexpensive paper. This article tests out a couple of those claims.
Victoria’s Journals Smyth Fashion Flexy Dotted Bullet Journal (via Rants of the Archer). I only wish journals/notebooks like this were available in our local bookstore!
Pineider Arco Blue Bee (via Dapprman). I absolutely love the look of this material, regardless of whether it’s true “Arco” or not. I did not personally experience quality control issues with my loaner “Quill” nib, but apparently they are out there. This thorough review is worth reading if you are considering a Pineider.
Sailor Pro Gear Cocktail Kure Azur (via Pen Addict). Susan reviews this gorgeous transparent Pro Gear from Sailor’s “Cocktail” series - if only they could focus on keeping these exceptionally popular and well-designed colors in the main lineup.
TRU RED Starter Journal (via Mountain of Ink). Kelli also takes a look at the TRU RED Starter Journal, from Staples and Staples.com affiliated brand TRU RED. For my own look at this product, check out the links below.
Link Love: Cat(ch)-22 Edition (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana’s discussion of Instagram here struck a chord with me, as I’ve been reconsidering my own commitment to the platform. I don't have a lot of time to devote to things like “Reels” and “Stories,” which makes it difficult to get any traction in the algorithm. Since my first love has always been writing and text-based interaction, I’ve tried to be more active on Twitter and now, Reddit, including r/fountainpens and the new r/gentlemanstationer. More on that below.
Kunisawa Executive Ring Notebook - Fountain Pen Friendly! (via Gourmet Pens). I reviewed Kunisawa notebooks a couple of years ago, but found the paper inconsistent. That issue has since been remedied.
Modern Fuel Adjustable Bolt Action Pen Prototype Preview (via Ed Jelley). Modern Fuel, makers of the Modern Fuel mechanical pencil, have been working on a bolt action pen that takes a wide range of refills. They’ve blown through their Kickstarter goals, apparently.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I published a post on some of my favorite ballpoint refills, and I already have a list of more pens to check out, based on your comments and submissions! I also reviewed the TRU RED Starter Journal, a product from Staples and Staples.com-affliated brand TRU RED. Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops spotlighted a new collaboration between Vanness Pens and Shawn Newton, as well as some ideas for accessorizing your office as many of us prepare to go back to work.

New This Week in the Curated Shop

This week, I received new stock from Midori MD, including the blank/framed version of the MD Notebook Journal, as well as dot grid and blank MD Notebook Journal “Codex” versions! The latter features 368 pages of Midori MD paper - a page per day, if that’s how you choose to use it, and a lay flat binding. Note that this particular journal is not compatible with standard Midori MD Notebook covers.

Hightide Sandglasses

Mark'Style Ballpoints

TWSBI

Midori MD

Visit T.G.S. on Reddit, and Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

As I noted above, I’ve been trying to expand into social media beyond Instagram, due to my dissatisfaction with the direction that platform is taking. Currently, you can also engage with me on Twitter, Facebook, and now on Reddit. (Honestly, I’m active on Twitter and Reddit moreso than Facebook, but I do read all the Facebook comments, eventually.) Mainly, I’m doing this because of Instagram’s algorithm-driven approach that buries content unless you’re endlessly posting to their various formats (“Reels,” Stories, posts, etc.) and actively monitoring your account to where you’re basically having to respond to comments and DMs in real time. This is impractical, because as Ana points out, you end up spending all your time on their platform and not actually writing or running your business, and then most of this content is temporary (24hrs) and you have to jump on the “hamster wheel” again. Many people just want an easy way to receive updates on when I post new content to the blog. Twitter and Reddit allow me to do that reliably. I plan to continue using Instagram, because it can be fun. I just don’t intend on doing more to just “play the game.”

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. We’ve discussed our thoughts on pen shows restarting, recent arrivals in our personal collections, and more. 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: Staples TRU RED Starter Journal

May 15, 2021

You may have noticed that Staples.com has been actively promoting a new range of notebooks, journals, and office supplies from the “TRU RED” line, which I first reviewed a couple of years ago. I’ve been seeing these products featured everywhere, and as expected, they eventually reached out and asked me to take a look! While my review package contained a couple packs of standard rollerball and gel pens, what truly caught my eye was the large hardbound journal dubbed the “Starter Journal,” from the TRU RED “Expert Notetaking Collection.” It didn’t disappoint.

The front cover of the Starter Journal includes a slot to hold business or index cards.

Quality hardbound (or casebound) notebooks are relatively difficult to find, especially at an accessible price point. While some people dislike them because they don’t lie flat, I appreciate the format because they offer a reliable, not to mention attractive, way to archive your notes and journals long-term: alongside your books on your bookshelf. When I saw that the Starter Journal actually included a peel-off sticker that you can use to label and organize your notebooks for posterity, I was intrigued.

Other features include a sturdy elastic band to keep the notebook closed, as well as another loop to hold folded paper, tickets, etc., and a pen loop.

The journal/notebook itself measures 8” x 10” (in-between A5 and traditional “letter”), and the grey textured hardcover is thick and has a nice “hardback book” feel to it. The Starter Journal also includes various elastic straps to keep the journal closed in your bag and secure loose papers and a pen, and contains 192 pages of what is described as narrow-ruled “premium heavyweight paper” (more on that below) which alternates every five pages between perforated to-do lists and sketching pages. It’s a useful format that strikes a nice balance between structure and flexibility.

It’s no secret that we at T.G.S. are big fans of notetaking, and especially enjoy getting into the nitty gritty (some would say “minutiae”) of notetaking techniques and methodologies. The promotional material provided by Staples.com alongside this review sample therefore grabbled my attention when they indicated that the team at TRU RED “spent two years studying note taking techniques of the most brilliant minds like Leonardo da Vinci and Charles Darwin and innovators like Richard Branson.” Now does this mean that the same notetaking techniques that worked for some famous person will automatically work for you? No, of course not, but I enjoy products that make an effort to teach something, or at least offer some guidance with integrated tips and tricks that might encourage more efficient and useful notetaking. In addition to the Starter Journal, the TRU RED “Expert Notetaking Collection” includes three additional styles (Pocket, Expert and Mastery) all tailored to complement different styles of note taking.

So how about the paper? Honestly, it performed much better than I would have expected from a mainstream notebook at this price point. What TRU RED describes as “premium” paper will work best with gel and ballpoint pens, though I had absolutely no issues with TWSBI fountain pen ink, and Iroshizuku Ajisai had only some minor “pinpoint” bleed through that wouldn’t prevent me from using both sides of the page. I would offer a caveat to this evaluation: My experience has been that TRU RED paper can be inconsistent with how it handles fountain pens. One product might work fine, others not so much. That’s to be expected in a larger line where the paper is likely not obtained from a single source or milled by the company directly. In short, I wouldn’t purchase this journal/notebook expecting to be able to use it with every fountain pen ink out there - especially those that are extremely wet or super-saturated - but standard inks should be ok. (In my experience, rollerballs bleed through pretty much everything. This paper performed better than most, and while there was some slight bleed - moreso than with fountain pens - it again would not prevent me from using both sides of the page.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

TRU RED has made a very nice hardcover journal/notebook. Though I personally would not use all of the various notetaking features, those who attend a lot of collaborative brainstorming sessions, sketch in their notebooks, and regularly have to summarize action items and talking points may find this to be a helpful addition to their workflow. I’m certainly glad to see this level of creativity coming from larger, “mainstream” office supply companies like Staples and Staples.com.

Currently priced at $17.99, the “TRU RED” Starter Journal (and all of the TRU RED products, for that matter) strike a nice balance in terms of price and quality. If you’re interested in reading further and trying out one of these notebooks, check out Staples.com. Select items from the TRU RED lineup may also be available in stores.

Disclaimer: This product was provided by Staples.com for review, free of charge. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. This post does not contain affiliate links and The Gentleman Stationer does not earn from any referrals.