Thursday Drops: Platinum Carbon Desk Pens in Black and Red!

When I ordered these Platinum Carbon Desk Pens a couple of months ago, I knew I was going to stock them but didn’t bother to read closely enough to realize that they came in both black and red/burgundy, my two favorite colors. Here’s to happy coincidences! These excellent modern versions of a classic vintage desk accessory are now available for purchase in the shop, and the best part is that the stand-alone pen costs only $13. You can pair it with a base/stand for only an additional $20, giving you a fully functional desk pen set for just $33!

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The Platinum Carbon Desk Pen, shown here in black in the stand (both pieces sold separately).

We are gradually building out our selection of fountain pens on offer, with a goal of focusing on those pens that are not only fun to use but offer solid value as everyday writers. To that end, we believe that the Platinum Carbon Desk Pen fits nicely into that category, and look forward to adding additional Platinum Pens in the future.

1. Platinum Carbon Desk Pen. Featuring an extra-fine gold-tone stainless steel nib and Platinum’s Slip-and-Seal cap technology, I was absolutely blown away by how well this pen wrote straight out of the box. Available in both black and red, and ships with one cartridge or Platinum ink in black or red to match the pen.

2. Platinum Carbon Desk Pen Base. Looking to recreate that vintage desk-scape? Start with a full desk-pen set. Available in black only (but it still looks outstanding paired with the red desk pen).

3. Midori MD Notebook Light Series. This week we also added the Midori MD “Light” Notebooks to our lineup, which feature the same excellent MD paper sold in packs of three slim format, 24 sheet/48 page notebooks. There is also a 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Set that was released this year, which includes seven different A5 notebooks featuring different color grid ruling and matching threaded bindings.

4. Midori 70th Anniversary 5-Year Diary. The recycled green leather binding on the limited five-year diary is gorgeous. I’m breaking out my own journal that I unfortunately let lapse, now that I have a place to work once again.

5. Midori MD Fountain Pen. This sleeper of an entry-level fountain pen deserves more attention, and it’s all because of the nib, which is slightly downturned to accommodate those who might write with a heavier hand. Even if you don’t, it’s super smooth. Read more here.

6. Traveler’s Company Brass Fountain Pen. Long one of my favorite pocket pens, my “Factory Green” fountain pen stays in regular rotation, along with my classic brass ballpoint.

7. TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pens. This past year TWSBI released a cartridge-converter fountain pen for the first time, and the result has frankly been spectacular. Purchase of any TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen includes a cartridge and TWO different converters, so right away you’re ready to use either cartridges or bottled ink. We currently have all colors in stock, including the new Salmon and Pear.

8. TWSBI ECO Jade Fountain Pen. The rumor is that TWSBI’s ECO Jade release won’t be available for much longer. We still have a couple in stock.

9. TWSBI Vac700R Iris Fountain Pen. In addition to ensuring that we span the range of price points in our fountain pen offerings, we also wanted to span the range of filling systems, including a high-capacity vacuum-model. It helps that the “Iris” finish on the Vac700R is quite nice to look at. Check out the full write-up of this pen here.

10. TWSBI 580ALR Fountain Pens. TWSBI’s flagship 580 piston filler has been around in some form or fashion for 10 years now, but the best thing they’ve done - in my opinion - is release the pen with anodized aluminum trim and the textured metal sections. What’s you're favorite color? For me it’s a toss-up between the Navy and the Prussian Blue.

Notebook Review: Nina Cosford Sketchbook and Rediscovering Blank Notebooks

I’ve never been a huge user of blank notebooks, always opting for at least a dot grid, which to me offers a good balance of flexibility with some minimal structure for notes. As I mainly use my stationery for taking notes or journaling, I’ve never really needed a “sketchbook,” per se, but I do keep one or two blank notebooks lying around to test pens and inks, especially with crazy nibs. When Nina Cosford, a well-known illustrator based in the U.K., reached out and asked if I’d like to review her sketchbook, I was in the middle of a “make-an-inky-mess” project and thought this looked like an intriguing thing to review, even if it’s a bit outside-the-box in terms of what I normally write about. I’m glad I took this particular project on, as this sketchbook features excellent 100gsm paper that I plan to use frequently going forward.

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The Nina Cosford Sketchbook as a Project

As I mentioned above, Nina Cosford is an illustrator and lifelong sketchbook enthusiast, who, unable to find that “perfect product” - something we can all relate to - set out to create her own! The result is this roughly 7” x 9” sketchbook that contains 80 sheets of plain, slightly off-white 100gsm paper bound in a softcover vegan cover with a red elastic band. (I would compare the size to the “F2” Midori MD Cotton notebook, maybe slightly smaller.) It’s a simple, understated working sketchbook that feels durable and contains excellent paper. You can read more about Nina, her work, and the process she went through in developing this sketchbook on her website.

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This slightly off-white paper shows off shading nicely!

As you all know, I usually work in fountain pen ink, so when I tested the sketchbook my biggest concern was how well it would perform without bleedthrough or feathering on very wet nibs. I shouldn’t have worried - Nina Cosford is a Caran d’Ache ambassador who works in marker and other media that requires quality paper, and this sketchbook held up very well to whatever I could throw at it. The paper shows off ink properties quite nicely, including shading and shimmer.

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This sketchbook uses a 100gsm paper that feels coated, so it resists feathering and bleedthrough. You would really have to layer the ink on in order to get this paper to bleed, especially since it was designed to work with marker.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I really enjoyed trying out this sketchbook and can definitely see myself using it in the future for ink testing and drawing/doodling with pens, inks, and other media. Honestly, I’m trying to expand my repertoire to include more creative journaling, since I feel that all I do is work lately and I really want to get back to playing around with my stationery “just for fun.” You can purchase the Nina Cosford Sketchbook directly from her website, priced at $16, which is quite reasonable given the quality. If you enjoy sketching or journaling in mixed media, and especially if you enjoy using fountain pens or markers, this sketchbook makes for an excellent option whether you use it for art or writing or both.

I was provided this sketchbook free of charge, as a review sample. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

New in the Shop: Midori MD Notebook Light in Three Sizes

Last week we released the limited edition Midori 70th Anniversary set of the Midori MD Light Notebooks, but we are now happy to announce that we have stocked the whole line, in three different sizes: A5, A6, and B6 Slim. The Midori MD Notebook Light lineup is sold in packs of three 24 sheet/48 page notebooks, in three rulings grid, lined, and blank. These are perfect for refilling notebook covers and systems that accept thinner refills, such as the Lochby Field Journal, and they are light enough so that you can fit two volumes in a standard Midori Cover.

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We still have 70th Anniversary Notebook Light Sets in stock! These have matching

The Midori MD Notebook Light series is available now in the Curated Shop and is priced from $8.50 to $12.75. The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Midori products, as well as all other brands stocked.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Enter the T.G.S. 10,000 Follower Giveaway, Featuring Sunderland and SchonDSGN!

First of all, I wanted to offer a huge thanks to everyone who has supported The Gentleman Stationer over the past eight years, whether here on the blog, on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other various social media sites where we maintain a presence! I’ve enjoyed getting to know many of you in “real life,” including at pen shows, and look forward to being a part of this community for years to come. This giveaway features three prizes: (1) a T.G.S. x Sunderland mk1 rollerball; (2) a Schon DSGN “Pocket Six” fountain pen in the “Fall Feelings” finish, with your choice of steel No. 6 nib, graciously contributed by Ian; and (3) a T.G.S. Swag Pack of buttons, stickers, and probably a few other small items. Enter using the Gleam widget below. The Giveaway will run until 11:59pm U.S. Central Time on Sunday, May 22, 2022. Once it closes, I will draw three winners, one for each prize, in the prior order. While this Giveaway is open worldwide, please note that your ability to receive the prize depends on shipping regulations and the cost of shipping, which you may be asked to cover.

Many thanks for all your support!

The contest is powered by Gleam using the widget below. I do not use any entry information from this contest for marketing or any purposes other than the giveaway. Please see the Gleam widget for full terms and conditions.

Workhorse Pens: Metal Pens as Workhorse Pens

I talk a lot about unintentionally accumulated “mini-collections,” where I buy a lot of a seemingly-random type of pen over a period of months (or years) and then decide that the accumulation wasn’t really random at all, but rather says something about my changing needs and work habits. Over the past two years, I — like the rest of the world — have been working remotely, either from home, or outside or in a corner of the local library. A recent review of my collection shows that since that first quarantine period in early 2020 (and probably starting slightly before that), I’ve picked up more metal pens, especially pocket pens, since they’re durable and useful for working on the go.

I’ve not been a huge proponent of machined or all-metal pens in the past, generally finding them heavy and awkward, but in recent years certain makers have revolutionized the writing experience by using different machining techniques to reduce weight and improve the ergonomics, particularly with respect to the grip section. If you enjoy the look of a machined pen, fountain or otherwise, you no longer have to sacrifice comfort and usability over long writing sessions. Today I’ll discuss a few considerations that I take into account when selecting a metal pen, all of which relate to their usability as daily writer (or “workhorse”).

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The Baron Fig Squire in brass is quite heavy, but still comfortable to write with due to the contoured “teardrop” shape.

Balance

To me, the balance of a pen is far more important than the overall weight. A heavy, well-balanced brass pen can be more comfortable for me to use than an oversized resin pen that’s been manufactured solely for purposes of “looking big and expensive” without any concern for usability. I use the term “balance” to refer to how the pen sits in my hand when writing, but be aware a certain pen may feel different from person to person, depending on things like hand size and underlying conditions such as arthritis. Metal pens that I consider particularly well-balanced given my average hand size include the Baron Fig Squire, with it’s contoured shape that places most of the weight towards the middle-front, as well as the Schon Full-Size Fountain Pens, aluminum pens which are so light and well-balanced that you can even post the cap without sacrificing comfort - something you rarely see in the machined pen universe.

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The Schon DSGN Full-Size Fountain Pen has become one of my favorite designs of all time. I know that’s lofty praise, but rarely a day goes by when I don’t use this particular model.

Weight Reduction Machining

Weight remains a significant consideration. In recent years, makers have been machining the walls of their pens thinner to control for this factor. Thus, while I consider balance to be more important overall, for something like a thicker fountain pen that has to be wide enough in diameter to hold a converter, you won’t be able to achieve good balance without paying close attention to weight, even with lighter materials such as aluminum and titanium. Favorite makers of mine who have done excellent work in this regard include Ian Schon (see the Full-Size Fountain Pen, discussed above), and Matthew C. Martin. Though not currently in production, the titanium version of the Gist 2.0 fountain pen by Tactile Turn is also a delight to use, as well as the bullet-style metal fountain pens made by Traveler’s Company (and the ballpoint).

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A Comfortable Grip Section

When you mention “metal pens” to many fountain pen enthusiasts, they envision a smooth section that becomes slippery as you write for longer periods of time. While that problem still exists for those of us that tend to use a tighter grip, many companies have introduced a slight texture to their sections in the form of machined grooves or the application of a matte finish. One of the more comfortable sections I own, machined or not, is the longer, ridged section on my brass Schon DSGN Pocket Six.

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I’m glad I sprung for the elongated grip section (though the standard smooth section is also excellent).

The end result of all this is that I no longer necessarily look at metal pens as occupying their own category or product segment, separate from "normal pens.” I find the pens mentioned here indistinguishable, usability-wise, from traditional celluloid, resin, or acrylic pens, and some are in fact even more comfortable. If you’ve been considering a metal pen, but have been put-off by potential weight issues, please reconsider, especially if you have the opportunity to test out one of these pens at a pen show or local pen club.

Further Reading

If you’re interested in reading more about the idea of “workhorse pens,” you can check out the rest of this series here. The “Workhorse Pens” series of blog posts explores those pens that I love to use for, well, actual work, and contains longer write-ups on how and why I enjoy these particular pieces from my collection.

I purchased all of the pens featured here with my own funds, for my own use. This post does not contain third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.