Kokuyo offers five different rulings, including three different grid widths.

Kokuyo PERPANEP "Zara Zara" Paper: Funny Name, Great Paper!

September 30, 2021

Ok, I’ll get this out of the way first. What’s behind the naming convention here? According to Kokuyo, “PERPANEP” is an anagram of “Pen” and “Paper,” designed to reflect the new product’s emphasis on paper feel in addition to writing performance. Kokuyo is one of the largest Japanese stationery manufacturers, and already has a broad lineup of paper. PERPANEP looks like an attempt to target the higher end of the market with high quality paper that offers multiple options for both paper texture and ruling.

You’ll have no issues getting the PERPANEP notebooks to lie flat.

Kokuyo PERPANEP products are quite understated, taking a page from the Midori design book. The notebooks feature grey covers with a white cheesecloth binding, and hold 60 pages/120 sheets of slightly off-white 75gsm paper. Functionally, these notebooks are straightforward workhorse stationery, featuring excellent quality paper, a flexible binding that allows the notebook to open completely flat, and five different rulings. It’s a versatile product, as you can choose from .4mm dot, .3mm grid, .4mm grid, .5mm grid, and a .6mm steno ruling.

While PERPANEP paper comes in three different paper variations - smooth, ultra smooth, and textured, I decided to stock just the textured (“Zara Zara”) because it was, for me, the only version that performed consistently well with fountain pens, meaning that it had zero feathering or bleed through. I brought one of these notebooks to the last meeting of the Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club last week, and we could not get this paper to feather or bleed even with our wettest writers. I would compare the paper feel to Fabriano or Baron Fig in terms of texture, but the performance to Midori. It’s that good. Dry time is pretty decent (10-15 seconds with the inks I tried).

Kokuyo PERPANEP Paper is currently available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, priced at $14. If you’re interested in reading further on fountain pen friendly paper, check out this brief guide to the “hierarchies” of paper, which I try to keep updated as I discover and review additional brands.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we carry, including Kokuyo.

Favorite finish: I do wish Caran d’Ache would introduce this matte grey finish to other models in the 849 lineup, or even the Fixpencil!

Hands-On Review: The Caran d'Ache 849 Rollerball (or "XL Ballpoint"?)

September 29, 2021

Caran d’Ache’s latest release has started to gain more traction than expected, as reviewers have reacted positively to the (much) larger design and pen enthusiasts also embrace it. The curious part to me, however, is that while Caran d’Ache released this pen as what they called the “849 Rollerball,” some retailers are actively promoting this pen as the “XL Ballpoint.” The reason is simple enough: the pen takes a Parker-style refill, and there are enough gel, ballpoint, and rollerball options out there to place the 849 Rollerball in the same ballpark as versatile workhorses like the Retro 51 Tornado and Baron Fig Squire, both of which also accept ballpoint and gel Parker-style refills. Today I’ll take a closer look and talk a bit about why the 849 Rollerball has become one of my most-used everyday writers over the past few weeks.

Comparison to the Classic 849 Ballpoint

The first thing I wanted to know when Caran d’Ache first announced the 849 Rollerball was how the pen compared size-wise to the standard 849 ballpoint pen, a favorite of mine that serves as my go-to “click pen” probably 80% of the time. The Caran d’Ache 849 serves as the company’s flagship writing instrument, and is reissued every year in a wide array of special and limited edition finishes and collaborations. I have dozens of these pens, and it’s rare that you’ll find me without one clipped to my shirt pocket or in the pen slot of my notebook or planner.

Caran d’Ache says the 849n Rollerball is 28% larger than the 849 ballpoint. I had it pegged at closer to 50. Astoundingly, I didn’t notice much increased weight since the pen remains very well balanced.

So why mess with a formula that’s worked for decades? The downside to the standard Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoint is that while it works exceptionally well as a portable “jotter” pen - perfect for taking quick notes, writing checks, signing things, etc., it’s relatively slim and some might find it uncomfortable for longer writing sessions. The Caran d’Ache 849 rollerball maintains the hexagonal barrel shape - which I find comfortable - but is 28% larger without adding much weight. If I’m looking to take 2 hours worth of notes in a meeting, or spend a half-day marking up documents, I will take the 849 Rollerball option. If it can be done without adding too much weight and throwing off the balance of the pen, I find a larger barrel much more ergonomic.

I enjoy hexagonal barrels, especially where, as here, they aren’t too sharp.

The second reason is the refill. While I personally enjoy the proprietary Caran d’Ache “Goliath” ballpoint refill that ships standard in the 849 ballpoint, and Caran d’Ache is finally releasing the Goliath in more colors and tip sizes, you’re pretty much stuck with it as your only option unless you want to hack other refills and/or purchase a custom adapter from a third party. (I understand some people have had luck with certain brands of Parker-style refills in the 849 ballpoint. I have not. All of the Parker-style options I have tried are too long.)

The refill is very easy to swap out. You simply unscrew the knock and drop in the new cartridge.

The 849 Rollerball, on the other hand, is designed around a Caran d’Ache Parker-style rollerball cartridge, which in and of itself is a very nice writer that I could use regularly. It bleeds much less than the Schmidt refills that ship standard with the Retro 51 Tornado and the Baron Fig Squire, and I would definitely consider substituting this refill if you find the Schmidt too wet. That said, for daily use, I immediately swapped in the Uni Jetstream SXR-600 in .5mm, one of my favorite Parker-style options that also lives in several of my Baron Fig Squires. This hybrid ballpoint-gel refill has a fine tip that allows me to write small, dries quickly and has performed flawlessly in pretty much any pen I’ve tried.

Nothing too exciting here in the writing sample department (black rollerball refills, and all). Paper shown here is the Write Notepads Engineer’s Notebook, which also comes in pad form.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Caran d’Ache has done a nice job of updating the 849 lineup over the past several years, building on its history and maintaining the classic “hex pencil” barrel shape while also adapting to the needs of new formats. For example, the 849 fountain pen includes a cap and a rounded section, yet it doesn’t take away from the inherent “849-ness” of the pen. Similarly, they made the rollerball larger to better adapt it to longer writing sessions - something rollerball users tend to appreciate more, in my experience - though again the pen still feels like a Caran d’Ache 849.

From left, the Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint, the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball, and the Retro 51 Tornado.

I also think Caran d’Ache nailed the price point on this pen. At just under $50 at most retailers, the 849 Rollerball is competitive with the Retro 51 Tornado and the Baron Fig Squire, its two primary “competitors.” (I would put “competitors” in quotations because these are all very different pens, and you can’t go wrong with any one option. It just depends on which shape and/or aesthetic you prefer.)

Available colors, from left: matte grey, white, matte black, red, and blue.

Most Caran d’Ache retailers are stocking the 849 Rollerball, including our own T.G.S. Curated Shop, which has the pen priced at $48. Currently, the 849 Rollerball is available in five colors: a matte grey, a matte black, red, blue, and white. My personal favorite at the moment is the matte grey, which I selected for my own personal pen, with the white version a close second. All of the options look great, however, and I can’t wait to see whether Caran d’Ache introduced additional colors, or even makes the 849 Rollerball available for collaborations.

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!

Restock Tuesday! Clairefontaine French-Ruled Paper, Washi Tape, and Enamel Pins!

September 28, 2021

Yesterday I received a fresh shipment of Clairefontaine French-ruled paper, which should be a relief for those of you who have been asking for a restock. I currently have Clothbound, Stablebound, and Wirebound notebooks all ready to ship, in addition to more Quo Vadis Habanas, which feature Clairefontaine dot grid paper. I’m also happy to introduce a new round of select washi tapes from iLootPaperie, as well as a new snail mail-themed enamel pin that you can proudly wear to show your love for written correspondence and the postal service! Finally, I’ve brought back the best-selling “science matters” enamel pins. Happy Shopping!

The A5 Clothbound Notebook might be my favorite Clairefontaine item that I carry.

There are some gems in this latest washi restock!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all products sold.

This week’s deskscape: Trying to get back on the journaling horse.

Sunday Reading for September 26, 2021

September 26, 2021

SCRIBO Piuma Impressione with EEF Nib (via UK Fountain Pens). Anthony reviews the latest from SCRIBO, including their new needlepoint nib. While I do understand that some nibs need time to “break in,” I’m also wondering why nib are going out the door that won’t write at all?
The TWSBI Swipe (via Left Hook Pens). A great review of a great little pen, whether you’re an experienced pen user or just looking to take the fountain pen plunge.
Visconti Homo Sapiens Evolution with the Chromium Nib (via Dapprman). A really interesting and creative design from Visconti, though possibly hampered by production issues and functionality.
Pilot Custom 823 and Custom 845 (Urushi) (via Scrively). This is an excellent video overview of two pens that are “grails” for many.
Getting to Know the Nomi Notebook (via Penquisition). Evan reviews an interesting product that hopes to balance environmental sustainability with quality stationery.
Ferris Wheel Press Brush Fountain Pen (via Macchiato Man). Yagan has a very thorough review of the Brush fountain pen from Canadian company Ferris Wheel Press, which has been cultivating a higher profile in the community over the past several months.
Giants’ Pens Maple and Resin Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). I’m discovering all sorts of pen companies that I never heard of before. This pen from Giants’ Pens in the Netherlands is beautiful.
Ink Overview (Esterbrook Inks, Part I) (via Macchiato Man). Yagan takes a look at some of the new Esterbrook Inks, with multiple writing samples using different pens and papers.
Private Reserve Old vs. New Part 2 (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana looks at the new Private Reserve inks, since their re-release, and how they compare to older formulations.
Gravitas Skittle Fountain Pen Matte Finish (via Pen Addict). I need to get my hands on a Gravitas Pen soon. That design (and especially the finish) are calling to me.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I published my thoughts on Stálogy Paper, after using one of their Half-Year notebooks for two months in my work planner. I also launched the first part of a HUGE project I’ve been working on for several months now: the first installment of an easily navigable content archive, which pulls together most of the fountain pen reviews on T.G.S. from over the past 7 years. Go get lost in the last decade’s worth of pen reviews!

Curated Shop Pen Show Specials

Since I couldn’t attend the Dallas Pen Show, I’m running a tiered gift promotion this week in the shop, with special add-ons for $50 and $100 orders. I’ll extend it through Sunday today. I’ve also had a ton of restocks on various product lines, including Traveler’s Company and Midori, and I’ve added the Maruman Mnemosyne line as a brand. All of these make great workhorse notebooks and paper!

Kokuyo Trip Books

TWSBI

Mnemosyne

Midori MD A4

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 and features the inks that I’m selling off as I thin out my personal accumulation.

Introducing the New and Improved T.G.S. Review Archive

September 25, 2021

One thing that has frustrated me beyond compare is the inability of readers (and myself) to easily search the eight years’ worth of T.G.S. review content. I finally couldn’t take it anymore, and for the past month I’ve been working on building an organized archive of past T.G.S. pen reviews. I’m happy to let you know that the new archive is now available to search, and I plan to do the same with non-fountain pens, inks, and paper in the future.

I have organized this review archive by brand, albeit with most small-batch and artisan makers grouped into their own section, which sits at the top of the page. My recommendation is that you go there first, as that’s where the most exciting stuff is happening these days. Enjoy!

You may notice that some brands are missing from this list. That is either because I have not yet reviewed pens made by the brand in question, or I haven’t yet located the past content. The archive is, and will forever remain, a work in progress as I don’t aim to stop reviewing anytime soon!