The Traveler’s Cafe 2023 Pencil Boards are in!

Thursday Drops: It's 2023 Planner Time! Planner Refills, Planner Pens, Meeting Notebooks and More!

November 10, 2022

I’m sticking with the Traveler’s Notebook system for my own 2023 work planner, but I believe I’ll be going back to the Week + Memo Planner refill, as opposed to my cut-down Stalogy. I miss this particular format, and also want to dive back in to some of the other Traveler’s refills. We currently have dated (2023) and undated Traveler’s Notebook planner/diary refills stocked in the shop, in both Standard and Passport sizes.

We still have some limited Fountain Pen Day swag! All orders ship with a bookmark until they run out.

We’ve also recently added a limited number of the 2023 limited edition Traveler’s Notebook pencil boards in the Passport size, as well as Rhodia Meeting Notebooks for more efficient note taking. I enjoy using meeting layout paper, not just for meetings per se but also for any sort of research where I want space to summarize or analyze notes. Happy Shopping!

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

Traveler’s Company 2023 Diary Refills in Standard and Passport Sizes. Whether you prefer the Weekly + Memo, Weekly Vertical, or Monthly layouts, we have you covered. If you’re looking to start an entirely new planner setup in the coming year, we also have the full array of Traveler’s Notebook covers, refills, and accessories!
Traveler’s Company 2023 Limited Edition Passport Pencil Boards. Use these cool pencil boards as a writing surface, bookmark, stencil, or even a ruler. Featuring a “Traveler’s Café motif”, these are an inexpensive addition to make your Passport-size Traveler’s Notebook even more functional.
Midori MD Journal “Codex” 1 Day 1 Page. Fans of the Midori MD system looking for an undated “planner” notebook - or simply a daily journal - will want to consider the “Codex”. It features 360+ pages of versatile, fountain pen friendly Midori MD paper in both blank and dot grid layouts. You can easily add calendar functionality using the Midori MD Diary Stickers.
Big Midori Notebooks in F3 (MD Cotton) and A4 (MD). I’ve been asked to keep the larger bound notebooks in stock, and I plan to because they keep selling! The Midori Cotton paper is one of my favorite for fountain pens, as it’s soft, absorbent, and ink friendly. Both the cotton and standard papers only come in blank layouts, though most people who want a notebook this big love the versatility of blank paper.
Write Notepads “Meeting Notebooks”. A riff on the “Cornell-style” of note-taking, I‘ve been using a lot of meeting-style paper lately, for both actual meetings and research notes where I copy down passages on the right-hand side, and then summarize my notes and analysis in the left-hand column.
Rhodia Meeting Notebooks. We recently added Rhodia’s giant A4 meeting notebook, which is a great platform for taking and processing meeting notes, especially if you want to use a fountain pen. Big bonus point: the pages are perforated, allowing you to tear out sheets for filing and/or scanning.
Lochby Field Journals. Looking for a high-quality, durable journal cover that’s not made of leather? The Lochby Field Journal holds up to six Lochby A5 refills, or a multitude of other A5 notebooks depending on size. I still have a healthy stock of the Lochby 68gsm Tomoe River refills, so if you’re a fan of that paper, stock up as I don’t know how long the current stock will last….
Hightide Attaché Fountain Pen. Looking for a compact fountain pen for your planner or journal? These small fountain pens in Japanese stationer Hightide’s signature marbled acrylic are beautiful, practical, and a good value. Four colors available: Black, Navy, Green, and White.
TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen. The versatile TWSBI Swipe is a slimmer cartridge-converter fountain pen from TWSBI that ships with two different converters (pump-style and twist), as well as an ink cartridge. TWSBI has begun releasing the Swipe in different colors, for a total of four in the current lineup. This slim pen makes a regular appearance in my pen loops attached to my journals and notebook covers.
Platinum Plaisir Aura Special Edition 2022. Many thanks to Ana over at the Well-Appointed Desk for reviewing the Plaisir Aura in “Merry Pink”! I’ve enjoyed seeing Platinum bring the limited/special edition game to its more price-accessible fountain pens like the Plaisir and even the Preppy!

Unfortunately, these Traveler’s Company ballpoints in the exclusive colors were exclusive pre-orders from the San Francisco Pen Show. If they sold well, hopefully they may be coming to the standard lineup?

My Annual Paen for the Ballpoint Pen

November 9, 2022

Now that we’re all fully saturated with fountain pen purchases and fountain pen-related content after last week’s Fountain Pen Day celebration, why don’t we talk about something a bit different? I often get asked, “If you’re not writing with a fountain pen, then what are you using?” The answer is that it’s almost always either a ballpoint pen or a pencil, with ballpoints stealing an increased role from the gel pens and rollerballs in my collection. Today I’ll discuss five reasons why I enjoy ballpoint pens, particularly for work-related writing and annotation.

Ballpoints are true “write anywhere” pens. If you need to get work done, and you don’t want to worry about the kind of paper you’re using, the ballpoint gives you the most versatility. For many, office copy paper is tissue-thin (like mine), and sometimes you’ll want to annotate something like a shiny-sheet magazine article or professional journal. Ballpoint is pretty much your only option.
Ballpoint ink dries quickly and offers permanence. Taking a lot of notes on documents where you need to flip through pages, and don’t want to worry about your fountain pen ink smearing? Not only does ballpoint ink dry near-instantaneously, but it’s also waterproof, which is why many in the medical and legal professions are actually required to use ballpoint pens on a daily basis in certain contexts.
Needle-tip ballpoint pens are excellent for annotation. I would say that half of the ballpoints I currently have in rotation are Japanese needle-tip ballpoints that I use to write in my Plotters (particularly the Mini-5 model), and to take notes in books that I’m reading. My number one recommendation for this category has always been the Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint and the arrival of my pen show special editions, pictured above, is actually what prompted this post. Smaller pens such as the Traveler’s ballpoint and the Penco Perfection series clip easily to a pocket notebook or paperback, allowing for portability and ease of deployment, but if you prefer something larger, consider any of the pens that use the Ohto needle-tip ballpoint refill, such as the Mark’style “Tous les Jours.”
Refills can last for years, and are relatively inexpensive. Though more expensive on a per-cartridge basis than fountain pen ink cartridges, ballpoint refills last much, much longer. (They similarly last much longer than liquid-ink rollerball refills, which I consider to be among the worst value propositions.) I currently have ballpoint pen cartridges that have been in use for years, with the “Goliath” cartridge in the workhorse Caran d’Ache 849 leading the way, and needle-tip pens using so little ink to the point that the refill in my first Traveler’s Ballpoint is still halfway full despite three years of use.
Ballpoint pens are largely distraction free. I say “largely” only because many ballpoints are click-pens, and the knock can serve as a fidget device both annoying and fascinating, but a ballpoint often allows me to focus on highly technical work or writing more than a fountain pen. Despite best intentions, it’s easy to find yourself more focused on the nib, ink, finish, etc. of a fountain pen than on the writing you’re actually doing. With a ballpoint, there just aren’t as many variables.

For all of these reasons and more, if someone asks me for a “nice pen recommendation” for a person who’s NOT already a known fountain pen user, that recommendation will almost always include one or more ballpoint options. As we enter the holiday gift season, it’s especially important to pay close attention to the needs of the person you’re buying for - while many of us love our fountain pens, they aren’t for everyone, and a nice ballpoint could be the best option for them. Stay tuned for more recommendations and discussion in the full holiday gift guide, coming later this month.

Ballpoint pens I’ve used over the past week, from left: The Caran d’Ache 849 (first two); Rotring 600 ballpoint, old Levenger edition; Studio Neat Mark One (with Schmidt Easyflow ballpoint refill); Bic Cristal; Caran d’Ache “Infinite” ballpoint, which I actually consider one of the biggest steals on the market right now; the Lamy 2000 ballpoint, and my two new Traveler’s pens.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by sales through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon program. If you’re interested in shopping for a quality ballpoint pen for yourself or a gift recipient, we’d appreciate your support!

Tuesday Drops: A New Batch of Gently Used Items!

November 8, 2022

One of the benefits that T.G.S. Patreon supporters receive is first access to periodic batches of gently used pens, inks, and papers. Most of these items are pens I’ve acquired over the years for review, product testers or samples for the store, and pens from my personal collection which I no longer use so I’ve decided to contribute for sale in order to fund the site. After Patreon has had their pass, I move items to the “Gently Used” Section of the main T.G.S. website, where they will be available for purchase by the general readership. This morning, I moved over a handful of gently used items, most of which are like new and some of which are still in the wrapping, including a couple of nice limited editions.

I launched the Patreon almost three years ago because I didn’t like running third-party ads on the site and continuing to depend on affiliate marketing. Thanks to the Patreon and the success of the T.G.S. Curated Shop, we’re now fully self-sufficient! If you’d like to learn more about Patreon, which has both a $3 and $5 monthly tier for supporters (with a full-year prepaid discount available), check out the main T.G.S. Patreon page. Many thanks to all of you who have supported T.G.S. over the years!

I have a lot of evaluation and review in my near future!

Sunday Reading for November 6, 2022

November 6, 2022

Fountain Pen Day: Pens I’d Run into a Burning Building For (via A Fleeting Ripple). Last week was Fountain Pen Day, when the community gathers each year to celebrate our favorite writing instruments. I’ve enjoyed reading how everyone celebrates, this post included.
Fountain Pen Day Giveaway! (via Well-Appointed Desk). You have until Tuesday to get in on this KWZ giveaway, with two of their best-known inks.
A Pilgrimage to NYC’s Fabled Yoseka Stationery (via mnmlscholar). I’ve yet to visit Yoseka, but it’s top of my list for the next time I’m in NYC.
Flax Pen to Paper - Road Trip! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I enjoyed getting to meet the Flax team in San Francisco, and look forward to visiting their shop next time I’m in LA.
2022 Scriptus Pen and Writing Show (via Rachel’s Reflections). Scriptus is the single-day show in Toronto, which content-wise looks like an amazing show but the crowds were certainly something to behold.
Travel First Class with the Onoto Magna Greenwich (via UK Fountain Pens). Ok, so I need to pick up an Onoto for review. The GMT function probably doesn’t interest me from a pen perspective, but it’s still a creative addition.
Pocket Size Review: Benu Minima Skulls and Roses (via Penquisition). It’s been a while since a Benu has grabbed my attention, but these did immediately. I may have to pick one up.
Ink-a-Pet: Sleeping Cat and Little Penguin (via KraftyKats). Chloe reviews the Ink-A-Pet ink vial holder, which appears to be the product that every true pen and ink enthusiast never knew they needed. Plus the post has a discount code!
Cartier Pasha Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I have a custom pen that features a vintage Cartier gold nib, which I absolutely love. The nibs are indeed on the smaller side but they’re excellent writers.
Finer Things: Ferris Wheel Press Ink Collection (via A Fleeting Ripple). Ferris Wheel Press has been killing it lately with their latest ink series in some extremely interesting colors.
A Few Bloggiversary Thoughts (via Fountain Pen Blog). I always love reading blog origin stories and what drew people to this hobby.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I took a second look at the Aurora Optima fountain pen, and also looked generally at why I like this pen so much: the style. I also reviewed the Opus 88 “Minty,” a new model from Opus that’s been making the rounds, and shares the same general “streamlined flat top” profile that I enjoy so much with the Optima.

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Enter the Fountain Pen Day Giveaway and Take Advantage of the Ongoing Promotions: They End Tonight at 11:59pm CT!

The big news this week in the shop was the launch of our various Fountain Pen Day offers, plus a general discount of 10% on most items. Visit the Fountain Pen Day post for details. We also added a bunch of new products from Hightide Japan to the Curated Shop, including the “Attaché” pocket fountain pen, as well as new colors and designs of the melamine pen trays, a restock of the Sandglasses in the larger sizes, and all colors of the folding metal bookstands. Stay tuned as we gear up for the Holiday Shopping Season (which may already be underway)!

Penwell

Hightide Pens

Opus 88

Traveler's Company

Consider T.G.S. Patreon - New “Gently Used” Items in the Patreon Shop!

For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation via shop purchases, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5 (with a discounted annual option) 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. For Fountain Pen Day I added a handful of pens, as well as the last of my pocket notebook stash, to the Patreon store, which backers will want to check. (Reminder that those items which made it through Patreon become available to the general readership!) Many thanks to all of you who already decided to back via Patreon. Your support means the world to me!

Pen Review: Opus 88 Minty Fountain Pen

November 5, 2022

I’m not sure if you could call Opus 88 fountain pens a “guilty pleasure” of mine, but they’ve certainly taken on a much larger role in my personal pen rotation over the past few years. From the time I first discovered the ebonite + acrylic Koloro demonstrators, to recently when I’ve been partial to the larger Omar and Jazz pens, I’ve been enamored with the high-capacity Japanese-style eyedropper filling system, which previously was only widely available in extremely high-end urushi and maki-e pens from companies such as Danitrio. Recently, Opus 88 has been expanding their lineup to include pens with more of a focus on design, incorporating different materials and color combinations that has enhanced the brand’s appeal and turned Opus 88 into a major player in the $90-200 price segment. The pen I’m reviewing today, the Opus 88 “Minty” fountain pen, is one of those recent releases.

Design and Build

Last week I posted some photos of the Opus 88 Minty in my post revisiting the Aurora Optima, since these pens share a common design profile, which I would characterize as a “streamlined flat-top.” It’s a classic, vintage-inspired design that, at least to me, never gets old, especially when paired with materials such as the “cracked ice”-style acrylics that Opus 88 chose for this pen.

The Opus 88 Minty comes in two colors: “Light Green” and “Orange”, which despite their names I would characterize as more of a teal blue and a coral/salmon, respectively. They’re beautiful colors, especially the orange. I also like the double band of color on the finials.

As an acrylic pen, the Minty is lightweight despite its relatively large size. Surprisingly, when placed next to the clear Opus 88 Demonstrator (pictured below), the Minty is only ever-so-slightly shorter, yet due to the streamlined design it feels much more compact in the hand. It also features a longer concave grip section, with shorter, more compressed threads that don’t interfere with my grip when writing. In fact, I hardly ever feel them.

While most of the Opus 88 fountain pens that have been transparent demonstrators, the Minty has an ink window to offer visibility into your ink supply.

What is a Japanese-style eyedropper? You fill the pen with ink directly into the barrel, and operate the end cap like a piston to open/close a valve that allows ink to flow to the nib. This system prevents leaking and ink burping that sometimes plagues eyedropper pens, especially during travel.

Writing Experience

Opus 88 offers an exceptionally good writing experience across the board, and I don’t think I’ve actually had a poor experience with any of their pens (though some of their designs work better for my hand size and shape than others, from a comfort perspective). This particular model is a great workhorse, suitable for longer writing sessions, not just due to the large ink capacity but the rounded shape. The tapered barrel allows you to post the pen, and even though it’s longer, it’s so light you don’t notice the extra weight.

While some might consider the Opus 88’s stainless steel JoWo nib unremarkable, in my opinion it’s a fine selection for a pen at this price point, and as discussed below, it adds versatility to the pen that leaves it open to modification, if you so desire. JoWo nibs themselves are rock-solid writers, and if you’ve been in the pen hobby for any length of time you’ve probably started to accumulate at least a handful of different JoWo-threaded units that you can swap between pens.

Overall Versatility and a Note on Modifications

Though I don’t recommend pen modifications to anyone unless you’re willing to accept responsibility if something goes wrong, one of my favorite aspects of the “Opus 88 experience” is the versatility. Like the Opus 88 Omar and Jazz fountain pens, you can swap out the stock Opus 88 JoWo nib with any other JoWo nib unit, or one of the JoWo compatible housings from Flexible Nib Factory, which allow you to use nibs from other brands such as Platinum, Pilot, Sailor, and more. (The green Minty pictured here features a Pilot PO (”Posting”) nib that I appropriated from a stock Custom Heritage 912 purchased years ago.) Another modification I’ve played around with is removing the clip, which gives you the option of creating a more streamlined pen. Again, proceed with any modifications at your own risk, as it definitely (and justifiably) voids your pen warranty.

On my orange Minty, I left the extra-fine JoWo stainless steel nib in place. The green one I outfitted with a Pilot PO nib using a replacement nib housing purchased from Flexible Nib Factory.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Minty is a welcome addition to the Opus 88 lineup, and I hope Opus 88 does more with this shape/model going forward, perhaps in other materials and with a clipless option. I liked this particular pen so much that after Opus 88 sent me two samples for review, I inquired about adding this model to the Curated Shop, and I’m happy to have a handful of these pens available for sale. They fit the profile of exactly what I’m looking to carry going forward: well-built, versatile workhorse fountain pens that won’t break the bank.

Please note that we are continuing our Fountain Pen Day sale and promotions/giveaway through the weekend! Until tomorrow (November 6, 2022), take an additional 10% off your order using the coupon code “FOUNTAINPEN” at checkout, and receive a complimentary ink sample with all fountain pen purchases, including the purchase of any Opus 88 fountain pen.