Sunday Reading for July 11, 2021

July 11, 2021

Updating My Top 3 Pens for 2021 (via UK Fountain Pens). In his installment of Appelboom’s popular video series, Anthony shows off his top three pens from 2021, including one major new addition to his collection.
England v. Italy (via Dapprman). Great choices for each side!
Scribo Arancio di Sicilia (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). I have essentially the entire range of Scribo inks here in my office, ready for review, and after seeing the pictures of this orange it will definitely be one of the first I ink up.
Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen Black (via Rants of the Archer). In addition to some of their more wild designs, like the “Skittles” pens, Gravitas has an entry level model as well.
Profolio Oasis Summit Notebook Review (via Fountain Pen Love). I’ve not used the Profolio notebook series before, but the paper looks quality and the ruling on this one interesting.
Monteverde Jungle Collection Part I and Part II (via Mountain of Ink). Monteverde is at it again, releasing yet another set of interesting ink colors. While I’ve not used their pens much, their inks are generally high-quality.
Sailor Pro Gear Slim Mini Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). I owned a couple of Pro Gear Minis, back before I sold off a large chunk of my Sailor collection. These are very nice pens, especially if you value a pen that can go from compact to nearly full-size when posted.
Fountain Pen Quest Trail Log (via FPQuest). Ray has written a lot lately about his dark green Lamy Aion, and I have to say, despite the Aion not being one of my favorite entries in Lamy’s lineup, this pen looks really nice.
Platinum Procyon Review (via Pen Addict). Brad reviews the Platinum Procyon. I know that many people find this pen “boring,” but I find the shape insanely comfortable - moreso than the Preppy or Plaisir.
Lennon Toolbar Egret Paper (via Well-Appointed Desk). Let the Tomoe River replacement wars continue!

In Case You Missed It….

The big news on the site this week was the launch of my most recent product collaboration, a store-exclusive Sunderland mk1 gel/rollerball pen in bead-blasted matte black and red! I followed up with a post yesterday on why I chose this particular pen and design. I also wrote a quick review on a “workhorse ink” I’ve been using recently, TWSBI Blue-Black.

This Week in the Curated Shop

In addition to launching the Sunderland pen, this week I added Stálogy notebooks/planners to the store! Available in two sizes, A5 1/2 year and 365 days, Stálogy notebooks are quite popular - the Instagram response surprised me! - probably because they can double as a traditional grid notebook or undated planner. On the pen side of things, TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR “Prussian Blue” fountain pens arrived, as well as TWSBI ECO “Lilac” fountain pens.

TWSBI

Traveler's Company

Quo Vadis

Rhodia

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. 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 and T.G.S. collaborations, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!

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Considerations in Choosing a Store-Exclusive Pen

July 10, 2021

This was an exciting week, representing a big milestone for T.G.S.: My first collaboration with a penmaker on a shop-exclusive pen! I realize that this isn’t anything particularly unique - pen bloggers, podcasters, Youtubers, Instagrammers, you-name-it, have been collaborating with makers and manufacturers for years on exclusive designs and colors. But I’ve held out until now. Today I want to talk a little bit about why I ultimately decided to take the plunge, the process I went through, and factors I considered before I partnered with Sunderland Machine Works on the new T.G.S.-exclusive Sunderland mk1.

Going with a Store Exclusive Pen over a Limited Edition

The first decision I made, long before I chose a specific pen, was that I wanted a store-exclusive pen to sell for the long-haul, as opposed to a limited edition. It’s not just that I don’t like the “limited edition” marketing strategy, it’s also because taking that approach is inconsistent with what I want my site and my store to be about. If I put the effort and consideration into choosing a product to carry - especially if it’s something that I helped conceptualize - it’s important to me for that product to be available to anyone who wants to get one (at least for as long as it’s economically feasible for me to continue to have the pens made).

It was extremely important for me to choose a pen design that fits into most notebook pen loops, since the Sunderland mk1 fits into my personal rotation as a note-taking and “on the go” writing pen.

Choosing a Truly EDC-Friendly Design

In line with this goal, for my first collaboration I wanted to choose a design and model that would appeal to the widest possible range of pen users under the broadest array of circumstances. To that end, a fountain pen was out. Despite a large community of enthusiasts, most people - even fountain pen lovers - still use a gel pen, rollerball, or ballpoint for much of their everyday writing. These days, the gel pen has overtaken both rollerballs and ballpoints as the standard “office pen” of choice. So a pen built around one of my favorite gel refills - the Pilot G2/Juice - was a natural choice.

Similarly, when I refer to a pen being “EDC-friendly,” I’m referring to “everyday carry” in the literal sense that it’s a pen that can be used every day as a pen. While durability is a key consideration, I’m not really concerned with the pen being able to double as a glass-breaker, withstand explosions, being run over by a truck, etc. The Sunderland mk1’s streamlined shape was designed for maximum writing comfort, especially the hourglass-shaped section and internal threads. It’s slim and light enough to carry in a shirt pocket, and will fit in most notebook/planner loops, including the loop on my Traveler’s Notebook.

Choosing a Price Point

Finally, I wanted something at a price point accessible to most people. While it’s not inexpensive to produce a pen durable enough for everyday use - especially once you get into special finishes like the bead-blasting and DLC-coating used here, all of which require extra steps in the manufacturing process - $110 is appropriate for something intended not as a collector’s piece, but an everyday “workhorse” that should last for years, if not decades.

I hope you all enjoy the new T.G.S. collaboration pen with Pennsylvania-based Sunderland Machine Works. I certainly enjoyed working on this project, and my plan is for it to stick around in the shop for as long as readers and customers remain interested. A huge shout-out to my Patreon supporters, many of whom were instrumental in providing early feedback on the design and whose donations allowed me to fund this project on the front end. You can check out the pen for yourself here, and if for whatever reason this T.G.S.-exclusive color scheme doesn’t do it for you, visit Sunderland Machine Works for the full range of their offerings.

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T.G.S. x Sunderland mk1 Pens Are Now Available For Purchase!

July 8, 2021

As of early this morning, the pens are live in the shop! I’m quite excited to hear what people think of this collaboration with Pennsylvania-based Sunderland Machine Works. The Sunderland mk1 might be my favorite machined pen of all time, and for this special store exclusive we chose a bead-blasted, matte black finish with a bead-blasted DLC-coated clip. The section is a matte red/burgundy, with the overall color scheme designed to evoke the T.G.S. burgundy & black. Note that this will not be a “limited” edition - we commissioned an initial run of 50 pens, and I received the first half or so this week with more on the way. So if it sells out, don’t worry, I can and will get more! Visit the Curated Shop to purchase. All pens ship with a black Pilot .7mm G2 refill, and will also accept MB rollerball and fineliner refills. To read more about why I love the Sunderland mk1, check out my review of their standard model.

A key selling point of the Sunderland mk1 is the lack of any external threads that might interfere with your grip. The threads are actually inside the tip of the pen! — A key selling point of the Sunderland mk1 is the lack of any external threads that might interfere with your grip. The threads are actually *inside* the tip of the pen!

All orders automatically qualify for free domestic U.S. shipping, so be sure to combine your order with any other items you have your eye on in the shop! We carry a wide range of pens, paper, and desk and reading accessories. Recently, we also added the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR in “Prussian Blue,” as well as the new TWSBI ECO Lilac, to our offerings!

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!

Workhorse Inks: TWSBI Blue-Black

July 7, 2021

I’ve been doing more ink reviews lately, probably because I’ve been doing more writing (including a heck of a lot of writing on cheap paper). One of my most frequently used “workhorse” inks has been TWSBI Blue-Black, a modern iron gall blue-black ink in the tradition of classic Pelikan Blue-Black, Lamy Blue-Black, and old-formulation Montblanc Midnight Blue.

Admittedly, this isn’t a flashy ink. The blue-black color goes on dark and dries to the steel blue color that you may recall seeing on vintage business documents. The big advantage is that iron gall inks tend to perform quite well on even the cheapest recycled copy paper and legal pads. I’ve managed to use this ink in a broad nib at work with decent results, whereas most fountain pen inks are unusable on our stock office paper. Iron gall inks also show good water resistance, so you’re writing will be protected against water (and coffee) spills. See below for an example of how well the TWSBI Blue-Black does after a dunk in a glass of water.

I think TWSBI describes this ink as “water-resistant” out of an abundance of caution. I soaked this writing sample in a glass of water for 5 minutes. I would consider this, in my own personal terminology, “waterproof”. This is HP 28lb copy paper.

But Won’t Iron Gall Inks Hurt My Pens?

One persisting “myth” of pendom is that iron gall ink will corrode your pens. While it’s true that you should exercise caution with vintage and homemade iron gall ink, as well as some of the stronger calligraphy formulations, most modern inks made specifically for use in fountain pens are safe to use provided you practice decent pen hygiene and flush your pen periodically. Even then, I’ve had TWSBI Blue-Black loaded into this Diamond 580 ALR Nickel for a couple of months, and there has been no clogging, staining, or corrosion.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

TWSBI Blue-Black has earned itself a place in my rotation as a go-to work/office ink, and I’ve had at least one pen inked with it for the past year or so. At $15.99 for a giant 70ml bottle, you’ll also get your money’s worth. You can purchase TWSBI Blue-Black ink, as well as other TWSBI products, in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Recently, we added the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR in “Prussian Blue,” as well as the new TWSBI ECO Lilac, to our offerings!

Rhodia’s classic writing pads are available in both letter and A5 size, including dot grid, graph, and lined rulings.

Classics of Stationery: Rhodia Pads and Notebooks in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

July 6, 2021

While I’m always glad to see new paper brands emerging, and stationery enthusiasts nerding out over the latest and greatest new specialty fountain pen paper from Japan, the downside is that the constant search for the “next best thing” causes you to overlook the excellent (and often less expensive) options that are already available. Case-in-point are fountain-pen friendly pads and notebooks from French stationery company Rhodia, whose paper comes from the same mill as sibling company Clairefontaine. While I don't see much of a difference at all in performance, Rhodia products feature a more understated (some might say “office friendly”) black and orange design, as opposed Clairefontaine’s bright pastels.

We’ve chosen to stock our shop with a select group of Rhodia products, ranging from the ever-popular Webnotebook and Writing Pads, to the recently released Rhodia Composition Book, a more upscale, fountain-pen friendly take on the American classic. Visit the T.G.S. Curated Shop for our full selection of Rhodia products, along with Clairefontaine and Quo Vadis notebooks. Remember that all domestic U.S. orders over $75, and all international orders over $250, ship free!

You can read further on what we consider fountain-pen friendly paper, and why we choose to stock the brands we sell, via these links. Many thanks for your continued support!