2022 San Francisco Pen Show Recap, Day 1

Is it possible to get the entire pen show weekend experience on a single day? It might be. Day One (Friday of the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show was a whirlwind of shopping, seminars, and of course visiting with friends - some of whom I’ve not seen in person in several years. After commenting that the 2022 D.C. Pen Show had a somewhat lackluster energy, especially where it came to organizing and promoting non-shopping related activities such as classes and seminars, I was ready for a different experience, and after only a day I can say that the San Francisco Pen Show delivers.

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Three different sizes of Plotters, ranging from A5 (left) to Narrow to Mini 5. The Mini 5 size is a show discovery that I would not have discovered had I not attended the San Francisco Pen Show in person.

If You’re At All Interested in Japanese Paper and Notebook Systems, Try to Attend the San Francisco Pen Show.

Disclaimer up front: I’m a bit biased, since you all know that I am a longtime notebook/planner/paper enthusiast as well as a Midori MD and Traveler’s Notebook dealer, but this particular show has been a bit of an ultimate holiday for me. Not only does the vendor roster feature Traveler’s Company, Plotter USA, and Atelier Musubi (all makers of excellent notebooks that use high-end paper), but I had the opportunity to sign up for a time slot with Plotter and have them make a semi-custom A5 binder for me out of a selection of show-exclusive leathers. I opted for “Yellow”, which has more of a natural look that should age with a nice patina.

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But what to do with all of this paper? While I use most of my notebooks for work notes, journaling, and writing, I’ve been trying to incorporate more creative use of my pens and inks. So I signed up for both of my friend Leigh Reyes’ workshops this weekend, the first of which (“Mad Scientist Mode ON”) was yesterday. The focus of the course involved experimenting with inks, papers, and other tools in counterintuitive ways to create different effects (i.e., spritzing ink drawings with bleach). Leigh also taught us how to make our own shimmer and “special effects” inks by adding shimmer particles of various colors and even glow-in-the-dark compounds!

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By using micah particles, you can create your own shimmer ink by adding shimmer to your own favorite colors. (Use caution when introducing your own mixtures into fountain pens - this was done with a refillable fiber-tipped marker.)

What’s on the Agenda for Today?

In addition to trying to meet up with more friends and acquaintances, including saying hello to as many different Patreon supporters as possible, I’m attending a free seminar put on by Plotter USA titled “Beginners Guide to System Techo,” a 1.5-hr walkthrough of all the various ways in which the Plotter and its intricately detailed, versatile refills can be used. (I suspect that a lot of the concepts will translate directly to other notebooks/planners as well.) Many of you have requested specific site content discussing how to maximize the potential of your Plotters, Traveler’s Notebooks, and Lochbys, so I’m hoping to learn more and get some ideas so that I can better understand and recommend the products that I use and sell myself.

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Be sure to stop by the Plotter USA Table!

I also plan to attend a paid class by Taizo Yamamoto (Yamamoto Paper) and Bruce Eimon, titled “Every Paper has an Origin Story,” discussing the histories, use, and properties of all sorts of specialty Japanese paper. While this specific class is currently full, if you’re in the area and considering attending the show, be sure to check out the class and seminar rosters on the show website. Stay tuned for more updates, and of course I’ll have a full recap this week with more pictures and general takeaways from San Francisco!

Show refills and the Traveler’s Company Art Toolkit from the Traveler’s Company booth.

T.G.S. Store Update!

If you can’t partake in the fun at the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show, we recently restocked on the full range of Midori MD and Traveler’s Company notebooks and accessories. There’s a vibrant culture that has developed around all of these brands, which you really appreciate at a show, especially the degree to which people use the products as designed, and integrate them into their everyday lives. It makes me proud to be associated with companies like these!

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

Thursday Drops: Pre-San Francisco Restock on Midori and Traveler's (Plus TWSBI Glow Green)

Pen show long weekends are always popular shopping weekends (regardless of whether you’re attending the show!) so I took the opportunity to restock on favorites in our core lines, including TWSBI, Midori MD, and Traveler’s Company. Most nib sizes in the Diamond 580 line are now in stock, in all finishes, and we have fresh stock of all Midori MD leather covers, as well as Midori MD Cotton Paper! Finally, there are a handful of TWSBI ECO Glow Green preorders still available, with at least one pen in all nib sizes.

Happy shopping! Please note that any orders placed today (8/25) through the weekend will begin shipping Monday, upon my return from the San Francisco Pen Show.

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

1. TWSBI ECO “Glow Green” Preorders Are Live. My shipment of Glow Green ECOs - yes, they glow in the dark this time! - is due to arrive late tonight or early tomorrow, and orders will start shipping Monday. These have sold fast, though I do have at least one remaining in each nib size.

2. TWSBI Diamond 580 “Iris” Restock. In addition to the “Glow Green” ECO, we have a full stock of the Diamond 580 and Vac700R pens available in the Iris finish, along with additional stock of many popular nib sizes in other finishes.

3. Midori MD Cotton Writing Pads. Midori MD Cotton writing paper is among my favorite, since it’s incredibly ink friendly and relatively quick-drying due to its absorbency. The MD Cotton Paper has been a longtime shop favorite, so we really stocked up this time.

4. Midori MD Cotton Notebooks. Similar to the MD Cotton Writing Pads, we have a hard time keeping these notebooks in stock. All sizes currently available.

5. Midori MD Writing Pads (Graph and Blank). In addition to the MD Cotton, we have standard Midori MD Paper in both graph ruling and blank format.

6. Midori MD Leather Notebook Covers. There has been a strong demand to bring back the Midori MD undyed leather goatskin covers, which are not only durable and made to last for many years, but will develop their own patina as they age. We have these in sizes ranging from A6 all the way up to A4. These are intended to hold one MD Notebook in their respective size, or two MD light notebooks.

7. Midori MD A7 Sticky Memo Pads. These useful paper pads combine larger memo pads with sticky notes in several different formats of fountain pen friendly paper. We now have the full line in stock, including dot grid.

8. Traveler’s Notebook 2022 Limited Edition Sets. We currently have a few of the “Traveler’s Airline” sets available, which contain a special standard-size blue cover plus airline-themed accessories that you aren’t able to get outside of the limited set. When these are gone, that’s it for 2022. (We also have one Traveler’s Records set and one Traveler’s Train in passport size.)

9. Traveler’s Notebook Standard Size Starter Kits. Not interested in the limited sets? As of yesterday, we are fully restocked on standard colors and most accessories.

10. Clairefontaine Looseleaf French-Ruled Paper. As I was reorganizing the other day, I realized that I still have a handful of the “double booklets” of Clairefontaine French-ruled paper!

Top Five Pens for Planner Use

Since I’m getting ready to leave for the San Francisco Pen Show, and a large part of that show is devoted to planner/Japanese techo notebook systems, I’m loading up nearly all of my notebook covers with different papers, refills, and accessories to have available for both after-hours show-and-tell as well as several classes I’ll be taking. I’ve also been working on better organizing my various notebooks and planners to ensure that everything I’ve decided to keep following my “great summer purge” gets used for a specific purpose. When you’re playing with this many notebooks, it’s hard to avoid thinking about pens - namely, what’s the best “planner pen” or pen to keep alongside your primary everyday notebook system or system techo? Here, I talk about five select pens that are excellent for this type of use, with the selections driven primarily by size, versatility, and the ability to let me write small in compact spaces.

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The pens discussed here, clockwise from left: Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint, TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen, Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint (standard version), Pilot Capless Decimo, Pilot Hi-Tec-C-Coleto Lumio, and the CW+T Pen Type-C (in front).

1. Fountain Pen Recommendation: Pilot Decimo. For “planner purposes,” and for most writing in general, I remain a fan of the Pilot Decimo over the larger standard Vanishing Point. Not only is the Decimo easier to slip into pen loops in notebooks and planners, but I find the slimmer body more comfortable to write with and easier to manage with one of Pilot’s excellent EF or F nibs. In addition to compact size, one other attribute I look for in a “planner” fountain pen is a high-capacity cartridge, so that I can carry a few with me when traveling and not have to worry about constantly refilling in a hotel, on an airplane, or even at the office. Of course, if you prefer a slightly larger pen, the standard Vanishing Point is excellent and uses the same Pilot proprietary cartridges, but it may be too wide to fit in certain pen loops.

2. Fountain Pen Recommendation: TWSBI Swipe. Since it’s release, the Swipe has continued to surprise me with how much I enjoy this pen. I keep my Prussian Blue Swipe with an EF nib tucked into one of my “go” notebooks at all time. While TWSBI made it’s name with piston fillers, the Swipe added cartridge/converter capability to the lineup, and TWSBI also offers a high-capacity ink cartridge though some might find the color selection basic. The Swipe is currently available in four distinct colors (all currently available in the T.G.S. Curated Shop), and I understand that more are on the way as the company continues to expand this segment.

3. Ballpoint/Gel Recommendation: Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint/Multi-Pen. Personally, I feel strongly that every stationery enthusiast - and particularly those who use their pens and notebooks for work, research, school, and other “productivity-related” functions - have at least one mutifunction pen in their collection. I enjoy the Lamy 2000 version due to its refill versatility (it accepts D1 refills) and streamlined look. I recently revisited my original review of this pen, and as you can see, it’s received a lot of use over the years.

4. “Writing Small” Recommendation: Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto. Ok, many people don’t like to recommend the standard Hi-Tec-C gel pen since the full-size refill can be extremely temperamental if you get a bad one. That said, I’ve had good luck with the Coleto multi-pen refills (Pilot also offers a Coleto mechanical pencil insert), which are available in tip sizes ranging from .3mm to .5mm. The .4mm version is my personal preference as it strikes a good balance of smoothness and precision. If the ability to change colors on the fly isn’t important to you, CW+T makes a flat “bookmark” pen (the Pen Type-C) that accepts single Coleto refills.

5. General Form-Factor Recommendation: Traveler’s Company Brass Pens/Pencils. Since they’re designed to complement the Traveler’s Notebook lineup, it’s only natural that the compact and durable Traveler’s Brass pens (and pencil) would make their way onto this list. Borrowing from the vintage “bullet pencil” format, Traveler’s Company makes pencil, ballpoint, fountain pen, and rollerball versions, with the ballpoint being my personal favorite due to its excellent needle-tip refill and fast-drying ink. (Editor’s Note: If you’re at the San Francisco Pen Show this weekend, stop by the Traveler’s Company booth to customize your own limited edition Brass Ballpoint in two show-exclusive colors!)

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Assuming I don’t hit the bag weight limit (and/or can get my carry-on closed), all of these are coming to San Francisco with me this week.

Pen Recommendations Looking Forward

I’m considering revamping my “Best Pens” list to include new categories organized around different use cases. For years I’ve had the list organized by price point and/or product category, which tends to focus more on the process of acquisition rather than what one does with the pen once it’s purchased. Lately, most of the questions I get seek recommendations on a pen for a specific use case, not in a particular price bracket. Stay tuned as I work through a few more of these questions and perhaps look for a revised/expanded general resource in the future.

This post does not contain links to paid sponsors or affiliates, though a few of the pens on this list may be stocked in some form in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

In the Shop: TWSBI ECO Glow Green Pre-Sale Starts Today!

You asked, TWSBI answered! After most retailers received questions about whether or not the TWSBI ECO Jade would glow in the dark (it didn’t), TWSBI has released the “ECO Glow Green”, a true glow-in-the-dark fountain pen. Expose it to sunlight and watch it glow! As with all TWSBI ECO fountain pens, this one is priced at $32.99. Available for pre-order now. We also have stock of the recently released TWSBI Diamond 580 Iris, the TWSBI ECO Transparent Yellow, and the TWSBI Diamond 580 Rose Gold II in White.

Please note: This is a Pre-Sale. You can go ahead and purchase now to reserve your pen, which will ship upon my return from the San Francisco Pen Show the evening of Monday, August 29. (Pens arrive later this week.) The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of TWSBI and all other brands sold.

Sunday Reading for August 21, 2022

1. Reflections on My Second D.C. Pen Show (mnmlscholar, guest post). There will be a few more D.C. Pen Show recaps trickling in this week. It’s a big show and takes time to process everything that you saw!

2. 2022 DC Pen Show, Part 6 (via Rachel’s Reflections). Rachel has an update on the status of Noodler’s Ink, as announced in D.C.

3. DC Pen Show 2022 Chat (via Gourmet Pens). I missed Azizah in DC, but be sure to check out her video recap!

4. Lamy NYC - A Quick Visit (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Even though I rarely purchase anything, I enjoy visiting the Lamy store whenever I’m in the area.

5. Gravitas Sentry Fountain Pen (via The Pencilcase Blog). Dries reviews the Sentry, a more substantial version of the Gravitas “Entry”. After handling at the D.C. Pen Show myself, I can say that I prefer the larger Sentry.

6. Paper Mind Cosmo Air Light Hardcover Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I love seeing what The Paper Mind has done in terms of making some of these more uncommon (and typically expensive) Japanese papers more readily accessible. I also enjoy seeing more hardcover notebooks.

7. Surprise: Diamine Blue Black (via A Fleeting Ripple). Sometimes the most basic inks in our collection surprise us and become our favorites.

8. Kickstarted: BigiDesign Dual Side Click Pen (via The Poor Penman). BigiDesign is at it again, with another refill-friendly EDC pen. Be sure to check this one out, as they are endlessly tinkering and refining the concept.

9. ScriBo Write Here (via Dapprman). Personally, I think the design of this ScriBo store exclusive (and the first ScriBo pen in general) needs to be resurrected.

10. J. Herbin 1670 Shogun (via Mountain of Ink). I don’t usually go for the J. Herbin 1670 series as they’re a bit outside of my typical use case, but I’m a sucker for grey-browns.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I took at look at the recent trend of Titanium Nitride-plated “Iris” or “Rainbow” finish pens that have become so popular lately, as applied to several different models. I also reviewed the Galen Leather “Magnum Opus” case, in two different versions (zippered and non-zippered).

This Week in the Curated Shop

I will be headed to the San Francisco Pen Show on Thursday, so if you have your eye on something in the shop and would like it to ship before then, please get your orders in by Wednesday morning. I won’t have a table at the show, but I will be there through the weekend (Thursday night, leaving Monday), and will have some fun stuff with me, perhaps including a redux of the show exclusive cards and coupons. This week, we featured restocks of the brass pencil sharpeners and replacement blades from M+R, as well as a lot of pencils and pencil accessories (including Swiss Wood 10-packs, several of which I found and had not entered into inventory). We still have plenty of the latest releases from TWSBI, Caran d’Ache, and Platinum, links below.

TWSBI

Caran d'Ache

Platinum

Mnemosyne

Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

I would love for the T.G.S. Patreon to become a core method of support for the T.G.S. website, and have tried to streamline it. I’ll also need to be a bit more vocal about its availability and what it offers. The Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens.