2021 Year-End Review, Part I: Favorite Products Reviewed

December 15, 2021

Every year I do a series of recaps in which I discuss my favorite posts from the past twelve months, broken down into various categories. Well, since we’re about two weeks out from 2022 (!?!?!) I figure it’s time to get things rolling. First up is my list of five favorite products reviewed from 2021, in no particular order. I’ve looked at a lot of great pens this year, but these five stand out in my mind as particularly memorable. Enjoy!

The Ultem-ate EDC? Reviewing the Schon DSGN Ultem Pens in Black and Amber. My Schon DSGN Ultem pens have been inked up ever since the San Francisco Pen show (eyedroppered, with custom nibs, of course), and stand out as my favorite acquisitions of 2021. The Black and Amber Ultem pens have now been joined by the “Peek” version.
Workhorse Pens: Opus 88 Fountain Pens Offer Maximum Versatility. Similar to the Schon DSGN Ultem pens, I’ve rarely not had an Opus 88 pen inked this year. Once I got over my fear of modifying nib units, they’ve become a pen case staple.
First Impressions: The TWSBI Swipe Is a Steal. TWSBI’s latest fountain pen model might be my favorite. From the design to the price point, the TWSBI Swipe is an all-around great buy for a low-cost workhorse. (Not to mention that the U.S. market receives two converters in the box, where many manufacturers don’t even include one.)
What Makes a Great Anniversary Edition: Kanilea Pen Company Honokalani Maile Lei. Kanilea Pen Company celebrated their fifth anniversary this year - a huge milestone even if they didn’t get to celebrate it at a pen show, as we all hoped! I love the addition of the “Maile Lei” sterling silver band, which is now being offered as an option on other pens.
First Impressions: Hands on with the New Parker 51 Fountain Pen. I couldn’t resist putting this one on the list, not necessarily because I think the new Parker 51 is one of the best fountain pens released this year (it’s not), but simply because this post offered me endless hours of entertainment from reading the comments. The level of vitriol this pen inspired is legendary, and serves as a reminder that regardless of how much we have emotionally invested in this hobby, “IT’S JUST A PEN, PEOPLE!”

Opus 88 Nibs from Platinum, Franklin-Christoph — Opus 88 fountain pens get really interesting, really fast once you figure out how to do things like swap in specialty nibs (including non-Jowo nibs from other brands).

Stay tuned for more recaps as I wind down the year! While the pen show season remains “in flux,” given the state of the world, I’m always hopeful of a return to relative normalcy, whatever that may look like. Regardless, I plan to be here reviewing pens, pencils, paper, and other fun stuff for the foreseeable future!

This post does not contain affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases made through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and reader contributions. By shopping with us directly, 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!

Hightide Marbled Melamine Pen Tray — These Hightide Pen Trays are long enough to hold a freshly sharpened Blackwing! Shown here in Mustard.

Just Landed: More Hightide Desk Accessories!

December 14, 2021

To complement our current lineup of useful desk accessories from Hightide Co. (including a fresh restock on Sandglasses in all sizes), we’ve decided to introduce these beautiful marbled melamine pen trays, which can serve as the perfect desktop catch-all for pens, pencils, sharpeners, sticky notes, paperclips, and whatever other loose items tend to accumulate in your workspace. Available now in three colors: Mustard, Grey, and Ivory, and priced at $14 in the Curated Shop!

After a bit of a hiatus (and many requests), we’ve decided to bring back the Penco Clipboard “of the Old School,” which is a fiberboard clipboard that’s about as “old school” as you can get. Now available in two sizes, A4 and A5, priced at $8 and $10 respectively.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold. By shopping with us directly, 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!

Pen Review: Pininfarina PF Two Fountain Pen

December 11, 2021

One relatively new release that caught my eye at this year’s San Francisco Pen Show was from a brand that had never previously interested me: Pininfarina Segno, a branch of the famed automotive design firm Pininfarina. Over the years, this Italian brand has become known for their quirky modern writing instruments with an industrial or automotive inspiration (which is not surprising given the brand’s origins and association with makers such as Ferrari).

The pen I’m looking at today offers Pininfarina design at a relatively accessible price point. The “PF Two” fountain pen is part of Pininfarina’s “Design Writing” Project, which they describe as a “collection of unique accessories thought to go above and beyond mere utility, where the product’s essential function is just the first step.” In other words, this pen is marketed as a design piece in addition to a solid writing instrument. Of course, whenever you go above the $200 price point, you’re paying for design, but at around $230, you’re not that much higher than the $150-200 price point most manufacturers are targeting these days for their high-end steel nib pens. Those looking for a workhorse pen with a unique look could do much, much worse than considering the PF Two.

Pininfarina PF Two Packaging — The pen’s unique design extends to the packaging: an aluminum sleeve with a padded insert. I’m not sure that I’d reuse the case for everyday carry, but if you store your pens long term in the original packaging, it will hold up and protect your pen.

Build Quality

The PF Two features an anodized aluminum body, in either black or light blue. It has a streamlined shape with flattened, angled ends, reminding me of a more industrial-looking Waterman Carene. The spring-loaded clip is flat, and lies flush with the body of the pen inside a single facet that functions as a roll-stop. the end result is a sleek, modern design that’s adventurous without losing any functionality. Honestly, it’s exactly what I like to see from makers in an industry where it sometimes seems like everything that can be done design-wise has already been attempted, and the focus has shifted solely to reissuing the same pens in different materials. The build quality also impressed me, from the black anodized finish, to the polished clip, to the well-tuned JoWo No. 6 nib. The magnetic cap closes securely and perfectly flush with the barrel.

Pininfarina PF Two Clip Flush — The clip on the PF Two sits flush with the pen when not extended.

Pininfarina PF Two Clip Extended — To extend the clip, press down on the finial. Despite its thinness, the clip actually did a fairly good job of holding this heavy pen to the front of a notebook. Given the relative heft of the PF Two, however, i’m not sure how much I’d rely on this clip to secure the pen to a bag or shirt pocket.

Writing Experience

In terms of a writing experience, I have to mention the nib first. In an era where JoWo stainless steel nibs have become the default option for pens under $250, it’s easy to lump these into a single category and bypass any particularized discussion. I won’t do that here, because the nib on this PF Two is one of the smoothest, well-tuned JoWo stainless steel nibs I’ve ever written with, on par with ones I’ve received from Franklin-Christoph (all of which are tuned by hand prior to shipping). Now, Pininfarina describes this nib as a “calibrated nib, which guarantees a long ink life, protecting it from atmospheric pressure and temperature.” I don’t really even know what this means - it’s likely just marketing speak for “we tuned the nib” - but I do have to agree: they did something to it, and whatever their process is, it works.

The PF Two is also very well-balanced. Since you cannot post the pen, this is important, and the pen has just enough heft to make it comfortable. The grip section offers enough texture to prevent your hand from slipping, though keep in mind that there is a rather sharp step from the barrel to the section. Given how I grip the pen, it didn’t pose any issues for me, and in fact I never even noticed it when writing.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Pininfarina PF Two is a well-made modern fountain pen that offers famed Pininfarina design at a price point that should be relatively accessible to many pen enthusiasts. I won’t say that this is an “inexpensive” pen at more than $200, but it’s in the same ballpark as the Montegrappa Fortuna, Montegrappa Miya (with the steel nib), and the standard Leonardo Momento Zero and Momento Zero Grande.

Pininfarina PF Two Comparison — The Pininfarina PF Two (second from right) shown here next to, from right, a Waterman Carene, Diplomat Aero, and a Lamy 2000.

You can purchase the Pininfarina PF Two fountain pen from The Pleasure of Writing and other Pininfarina retailers. As I mentioned above, this pen typically retails for a street price of around $230 (with an MSRP of $295). In addition to the fountain pen, ballpoint and rollerball versions are also available. Many thanks to the team at The Pleasure of Writing (formerly Bittner), for loaning me this pen for review purposes. While I need to send this particular pen back following the review, I’m eyeing a light blue version for my own collection at some point in the future.

This post does not contain affiliate links. I was not compensated for this review, and the pen featured here was loaned to me for review purposes. Many thanks to The Pleasure of Writing for making this review possible!

Deals & Drops: Holiday Shipping Update/Cutoff and Last Call on Low-Stock Items

December 9, 2021

Now that we’re about two weeks out from Christmas, I probably should provide an update on where I am, shipping-wise. I’m happy to report that I’ve managed to stay on top of orders despite being historically busy (thank you, everyone!) and have mostly managed to get everything out the door within 2-3 business days of an order being placed. If you have not received an order confirmation, let me know. That’s likely due to the Amazon Web Services outage that took place earlier this week, that prevented my shipping software from sending automatic updates. It didn’t actually affect me getting anything out the door so your orders should be on the way.

While I of course can’t guarantee that a carrier will deliver anything by a certain date, I suspect that all orders placed by early to mid-next week will arrive by Christmas. In addition to the new arrivals from Life Stationery and CW+T, I wanted to highlight in today’s post some low-stock and last-call items that are either going away forever because they’re limited, or may be subject to a lengthy restock period. You’re also doing me a solid by clearing some of the older special and limited editions out to make room for new arrivals, since I’m already having to start my buying for 2022! In addition to the items featured below, please check out the 2021 T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide!

All links to the T.G.S. Curated Shop, unless otherwise noted. By shopping with us directly, 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!

Platinum Preppy Wa Limited Editions. I am down to the last few Preppy Wa limited edition pens, in a few of the colors. If you’ve been sleeping on these, what’s left is all there is, though I do hope that Platinum continues to issue limited edition versions of the Preppy fountain pen in the future.
Caran d’Ache Ecridor Racing Mechanical Pencil. The Ecridor “Racing” series is one of the best-looking releases from this past year, combining black chrome with a red racing stripe in an automotive-inspired design. I have exactly one mechanical pencil remaining in stock.
T.G.S. x Sunderland Special Edition MK1 Rollerball Pen. I won’t be restocking these until after the first of the year, so if you’ve had your eye on one for the holidays, or don’t want to wait, I only have a few left.
Most WMS & Co. Reading and Desk Accessories. While these are favorites of mine and I will certainly restock them, I’m currently low due to this entire range making exceptionally thoughtful holiday gifts for readers and home library enthusiasts. Last year I did almost all of my own Christmas shopping from the WMS & Co. lineup. (and the gifts were a hit!)
Mazzuoli Nobile ITALIA Ballpoint/Mechanical Pencil Combination Set. My favorite from the Giuliano Mazzuoli lineup, the ITALIA combines history with with a practical design. The pen/pencil ships with three different Schmidt Easyflow ballpoint refills and a .7mm mechanical pencil insert for maximum versatility.
Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 Swiss Cross Edition. The Infinite series is one of the better-kept secrets in the Caran d’Ache lineup and a surprise best-seller, and the Swiss Cross version might be my favorite. I have a couple of the mechanical pencils left in stock. Check out the standard Infinite series here.
Field Notes “Fifty” and “Trailhead” Editions. We tend to be selective in which Field Notes editions we stock, and these are two of the best that we’ve seen in a while. (“Trailhead” might be my favorite from the past couple years, actually.) We didn’t buy many of these and once they’re gone, we won’t restock.
Wilco x Field Notes Box Set. Know any Wilco fans who might appreciate this collection of six Field Notes pocket notebooks designed in collaboration with the members of the band? I have exactly one and probably won’t restock this one.
Penco “Perfection Light” Pocket Ballpoints. While the Penco “Perfection” Brass Bullet Pen has been popular, we’ve been selling a lot of the lightweight plastic version, which also takes a universal D1 refill. We’re down to two colors and will try to restock in the future, but it may be a little while.
Traveler’s Company “Travel Tools” Special Edition Refill. This special edition cover uses high quality Midori MD paper, perfect for all Traveler’s Notebooks and “Traveler’s-sized” covers. I picked up a bunch of these while I could, but haven’t done a great job of putting them out there. I love the cover design!

Stock-up Obsession: "B" and "2B" Pencils

December 8, 2021

When CW Pencil Enterprises announced earlier this year that it was closing, my first instinct was to stock up on their store exclusives and those items that you couldn’t easily get elsewhere. In addition to their custom pencil pouches, a copy of Caroline’s book, and Billy Reid desk accessories tray, I made a huge purchase of a bulk box of 2B Camel pencils. I don’t think it’s a full gross, but it’s something like 100 pencils and I don’t see myself using these up anytime soon. Why this particular purchase, you might ask? Because I’ve settled on 2B as my perfect graphite hardness.

Camel 2B Pencils CW Pencil Enterprise Edition — There’s nothing like the look of a bulk box of pencils. All that untapped potential….

Orange caps on a box of a dozen Staedtler Noris 2B pencils.

Now, all true pencil lovers understand that the graphite hardness scale can vary significantly between brands and regions. A Japanese “HB” pencil, for example, might feel identical to a German 2B, and leave nearly as dark a line. I tend not to dwell too much on these differences, however. If there’s a “B” or “2B” version of any pencil available, it’s what I’ll buy, and chances are, it will work very well for me, striking the right balance of darkness and usability (meaning that the graphite won’t smear across the page).

Both the Tombow 2558 HB and Uni-Mitsubishi 9850 HB leave a smooth, dark line, especially for an HB-grade pencil, but they still don’t quite touch the darkness of the Staedtler Noris 2B, much less the extremely dark Camel 2B.

So what are my favorite 2B Pencils? Well, the 2B Camels that I picked up are wonderful, with their streamlined eraser that sits flush with the barrel. You get the look of an eraserless, “capped” pencil without losing any functionality. (See the pics below for how they do this - I always wondered “how much eraser” you actually get - turns out its a lot.) I’ve also grown fond of the 2B Staedtler Noris, that classic German school pencil that’s seemingly everywhere in Europe but difficult to find in the U.S. The 2B version has an orange cap, to differentiate it from the red, yellow, and black HB that’s typically considered the “standard” Noris. And though not a true 2B - some say more like a 4B but nobody really knows what the heck they are - I’m partial to the Blackwing Matte (or the Blackwing MMX, or “Original,” or whatever you want to call it). Sure, it’s soft, but for some reason I find the “softest” Blackwing maintains its point much better, and smears less, than the Pearl. Mechanical pencil refills are a no-brainer, with most brands offering “B” and “2B” options in both standard mechanical pencil leads and leadholder refills. That’s my default choice.

Now I just need to work on stocking some “B” and “2B” pencils for the shop. If anyone has a contact at Camel, hit me up! These are quite difficult to find anywhere else and I would hate to see them become even more difficult to obtain. I’m having visions of a red Camel with a black eraser….

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. All products pictured in this review were purchased with my own funds, for my own use. Purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop support 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!