I’m looking forward to supporting more local independent makers near me, such as Pens by Pasquale (Nicholas Pasquale) and Happy Cactus Studios.

Best Wishes for 2023: Reflections on 2022 and Where the Community Goes From Here

January 11, 2023

Last year around this time I wrote a piece that, looking back 12 months later, sounded more frustrated than I probably intended. That said, after a difficult 2021, in which everyone - companies and community members alike - were trying to navigate the world post pandemic and just keep their businesses afloat, I felt like we needed a reset. Did 2022 accomplish that? What should we expect from 2023? Let’s check in and take a look.

Goal One: I’m Enjoying Pen-Based Social Media Again

Setting aside Twitter (which I’ve never used as a primary T.G.S. social media channel other than to announce blog posts) pen-related social media seemed to be a more positive experience in 2022. I spend most of my T.G.S. social media time on Instagram, and over the past year my feed has seemed much more focused on promoting independent makers, smaller retail outlets, and creators. Part of this is intentional, in terms of the accounts I’ve decided to follow and how I’ve narrowed what I view on my feed, but another major factor is the overall community emphasis on smaller businesses and independent creators (more on that below).

Goal TWO: A Proliferation of Independent Retailers and Makers

If I had to remark on one trend that seemed to absolutely explode in 2022, it was the emergence of dozens of new independent makers and small retailers. A big part of this was likely the decision by many to go full-time (or at least go public) with their stay-at-home projects from the pandemic years, resulting in a wealth of new penmakers, ink brands, and curated retail shops offering a range of choice that previously has not been available. Reading through the year-end blog recaps summarizing favorite acquisitions, I’ve realized that there are so many independent makers that I haven’t yet experienced. I’ve also been fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of multiple penmakers in my own town, many of whom have been turning for years at a very high level of quality and are only now discovering the online pen community and bringing their creations to a wider audience.

Goal Three: Less Hoarding

Personally, I acquired much less in 2022, and what I did purchase for my personal collection/use was done in more intentional way, after first considering how I would use it and the role it would play in my collection/everyday rotation. My ink accumulation is WAY down after a series of sales, and I’m in the process of reducing my pen accumulation by half. In general, I’ve noticed less online discussion about ink and special edition hoarding, though there are still frustrating accounts of people snapping up pens such as the coveted Bungubox Fujiyama Blue Pilot 823 and immediately trying to flip it on eBay for 3x the price. Don’t be that person. Please.

I’m looking forward to adding many new independent brands to the Curated Shop in 2023.

I’m Not Changing My Wishes for 2023 at All

I delayed writing this follow-up for a week (we are almost halfway through January), because I couldn’t think of anything new to add to my list. I finally decided to go ahead and post this because that may very well be the point: I’m content with the direction in which things are moving and would like to see this trend continue. While I’m always excited for pen show season, I absolutely cannot wait for the upcoming year. So many people are doing shows, and at the moment I plan to be at the 2023 Baltimore Pen Show as well as the Arkansas Pen Show, with more dates to be determined in the near future. Stay tuned!

I’m hoping that the overwhelming majority of the pens added to my collection in 2023 are like these!

You CAN Take It With You: XS Stationery Kits from Midori

January 10, 2023

Let’s face it, all of us sometimes wish we could carry our entire desk with us wherever we go, keeping handy a pair of scissors, some glue, a stapler, and maybe even some white-out tape. If you’re someone who is actually carrying one or more of these things with you daily, the Midori XS Stationery Kit may be of interest! Available in both black and white, the small zippered clamshell case includes six different desk accessories (shown above clockwise from top left): (1) tape measure; (2) correction tape; (3) glue tape, or double-sided sticky adhesive; (4) pocket scissors; (5) a craft knife; and (6) a stapler. Each fits into its own slot in the included case, pictured below.

Honestly, between shipping packages and home renovation, the thing I find myself reaching for the most is a tape measure, and if you like to work in centimeters, this tiny pocket-sized role of measuring tape can be a lifesaver. The Midori XS Stationery kit sells for $44 and is currently available in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. In addition to these and other desk accessories, we carry the full range of Midori pens and pencils, as well as Midori MD Paper. Refills for the correction and glue tape will be available in the near future, along with individual items from the kit.

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

Sunday Reading for January 8, 2023: A Long One

January 8, 2023

2022 Penwrapped (via Leigh Reyes). If Leigh has a post up, of course it’s going to headline. You should sign up for next year’s pen show courses right now.
My 2023 Theme: Release (via From the Pen Cup). Love the theme, Mary!
2022 Pen Show Recap & What’s Next for 2023 (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Not a lot to disagree with here! I hope Kimberly keeps up with her show rating system this year.
Pen Resolutions Tag 2023 (via Rachel’s Reflections). Resolution for 2023: Read Rachel’s blog more regularly, because I always discover new makers in her articles.
Putting Pen to Paper (via Fountain Pen Love). Welcome back John! It’s always fun to see how people have been using their pens over the past year.
Pen Review: Schon Full Sized Peek-A-Boo Pen (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Peek attracts strong opinions - people either love the taupe/beige appearance or find it boring. I own two Peek pens, so you know where I fall.
Wancher Sekai Tsugaru Urushi Midori-Age (via Rants of the Archer). I have one of these pens as well, and have been holding it back for review because I was told they weren’t yet available. I guess that’s changed!
Hack Idea: A Traveling Dip Pen (via Well-Appointed Desk). A portable dip pen has become a must-have addition to my pen show travel kit.
Pilot 78G Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). I owned a Pilot 78G years ago, and found it to be a very nice budget fountain pen, especially with the available broad stub.
Ink of the Week (via Fountain Pen Love). People attempt all sorts of systems and techniques to make sure all of their various pens and inks get used. I love reading these posts and coming up with my own “system experiments.”
The New Year Diary, 2023 (via Fountain Pen Blog). Could Moleskine be moving to more fountain pen friendly paper in certain of their releases?
Diamine Writer’s Blood on Kokuyo Perpanep Zara Zara (via Inkredible Colours). I was more excited by the name of this ink rather than the ultimate appearance. The color, while nice, doesn’t necessarily have that “blood red” tone I’d be looking for but Diamine does have many other options in the same color family.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I continued to talk about some of my 2023 goals and aspirations, including developing a more consistent journaling/writing habit over the coming year. Related to this last post, I published a short shop list of items that I enjoy and/or recommend for journaling. And last but not least, the first review of 2023 is live: Ranga ebonite fountain pens, where I look at both the Abhimanyu and Bamboo models.

Guess what arrived along with our Midori/Traveler’s Restock?

This Week in the Curated Shop

In addition to the Kokuyo Field Notebooks pictured above, we are fully restocked on most Midori and Traveler’s Notebook products, including the Midori MD Codex, Midori Multi-Year Journals, and nearly all of the Traveler’s Notebook Specialty Paper refills and other accessories (with the exception of the B-Sides and Rarities, which continue to be in short supply and on backorder). Before the end of the year, we also received a restock of the TWSBI Precision line of technical ballpoints and mechanical pencils, which have impressed me with their solid build and design. Look for a review of these in the future, and stay tuned for new 2023 arrivals! Finally, several new items hit the T.G.S. “Gently Used” sale page. These can be combined with Curated Shop orders to reach the free shipping threshold of $75.

TWSBI

Midori

Pencils

Gently Used

A T.G.S. Patreon Ask

In a special post from earlier in the week, I talked about T.G.S. Patreon and how the support/membership program will expand in 2023 to include not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content, including the potential return of Digital Divide. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing.

New-to-Me Pen Brand: Ranga Fountain Pens

January 7, 2023

As the years go by, it gets harder to write truly fresh review content because, eventually, you get to a point where you’ve reviewed most major pen brands and you learn that much of what is released into the market is either duplicative of something else a company has already released (i.e., a “limited edition” that’s simply a different color) and/or that even most “new” designs are derivative of others. Having done this for going on nine years, it’s rare that I find an entire brand that I’ve never reviewed, much less tried, but for some reason that’s how it ended up with Ranga.

Premium red woodgrain (sometimes called “rosewood”) ebonite: one of my favorite materials.

Ranga is a family-run Indian manufacturer that has been hand-making pens for more than 50 years, and has sold through various retail outlets in the United States. Currently, their main U.S. retailer is Peyton Street Pens, whom I always visit at the San Francisco Pen Show. Teri and Nivardo have a ton of unique finds at their table, including exclusive designs and custom nib grinds that they offer on their pens. I’ve admired the selection of Ranga ebonite pens before, but never had money left in the budget at the end of the show to take one home. That changed this year, especially since I found myself short of pens to fill a nib grinding appointment with C.Y. of Tokyo Station Pens.

The Ranga Abhimanyu (left) compared against the Ranga Bamboo (right)

Ranga Abhimanyu and Ranga Bamboo

I chose two very different Ranga models to test: the Abhimanyu, which is a smaller streamlined fountain pen with peaked ends somewhat reminiscent of a Nakaya Piccolo but with a more pronounced shape; and the Bamboo, which, as you might have guessed, is shaped like a piece of Bamboo. I opted for premium ebonite on both pens, with the Abhimanyu featuring a black and yellow pattern (which combined looks almost dark green) and the Bamboo a red woodgrain pattern (which I’ve seen described as “rosewood” elsewhere).

The sections on both of these Ranga pens are exceptionally comfortable.

The Abhimanyu and Bamboo fountain pens are distinctive designs, so you can’t really compare them. I personally love both, but one design/shape may appeal to you more than others, and if neither of these does it for you, Ranga has close to a dozen more different shapes and sizes available. I will say that the fit and finish on both pens is exceptionally good for the price point. It’s almost unheard of to find handmade, premium ebonite fountain pens of this quality for $100 or less. As you might expect, the pens are cartridge-converter, but like most ebonite pens they are safe to eyedropper provided that you apply silicone grease to the threads.

I can’t pick a favorite. The Abhimanyu probably lends itself more to everyday writing, since it’s a compact pen that slips easily into a pen case or sleeve, plus it caps and uncaps with two turns, as opposed to the Bamboo which can take a bit of effort due to the longer section. The Abhimanyu also posts, though not deeply and some may find the posted pen unwieldy. The Bamboo makes an excellent desk pen, and I’ve been using it for longer journaling sessions at night and also for longhand drafting when working from home.

The Ranga Bamboo in-hand. This pen does not post. (Technically, it can, but it’s ridiculously long and I can’t imagine anyone can actually use it this way.)

Writing Experience

I would consider Ranga fountain pens “user grade” pens in the best sense: They are exceptionally comfortable for longer writing sessions, mainly due to the length and shape of the section. On both models, the longer section offers plenty of room to grip the pen without running afoul of the threads, and on the Bamboo in particular, the grip area is slightly concave, which I find helps compensate for the weight of the larger body and gives the pen a nice balance. Ranga pens all take standard No. 6 JoWo nib units, so you can use the included nib as shipped, easily have the nib ground, or swap in another JoWo nib unit from a brand such as Franklin-Christoph, which I did here on the Bamboo.

Ranga Abhimanyu posted. The pen is long, but the cap is extremely lightweight so I can use it comfortably as needed.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’ve become something of an ebonite pen enthusiast over the years, with multiple pieces in my collection ranging from lacquered Nakayas to a custom Shawn Newton Prospector to the Nahvalur Nautilus piston filler. Ebonite has a feel to it that is difficult to duplicate elsewhere, reminiscent of the warmth of vintage celluloid (though much less expensive). Opting for ebonite over the more common acrylic or resin can allow you to purchase a unique looking pen with a premium feel at an exceptional value - both of the Ranga fountain pens shown here cost $100 or less. The Bamboo in premium ebonite sells for $100, while the Abhimanyu in premium ebonite retails for $89. Standard ebonite versions are $80 and $72, respectively, with some acrylics also offered. Suffice to say, both models have impressed me and I won’t hesitate to pick up another Ranga if a pen jumps out at me in San Francisco this year.

Most of my ebonite pen collection, clockwise from top: Peyton Street Pens Custom by Teri, “Navigator by Stacey Robinson, Nahvalur Nautilus in Stylophora Berry; Nahvalur Nautilus Pen Show Edition 2022; Ranga Abhimanyu; Ranga Bamboo; Shawn Newton Prospector in Nikko Ebonite.

Ranga pens can be purchased in the U.S. from Peyton Street Pens, where I acquired the pens pictured in this review. To the extent Peyton Street doesn’t have exactly what you’re looking for, you can also order directly from Ranga in India via their website.

I purchased the pens featured in this review with my own funds. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Learn more about T.G.S. Patreon here, and don’t miss our periodic “Gently Used” sales.

I teased these blotter cards on Instagram earlier in the week. If you like to keep a blotter card to help with slow-drying inks, etc., or simply to use as an attractive bookmark, I’m including one blotter with each order until they’re gone. (Once they run out, I’ll include something else such as a piece of TGS Swag like a button or sticker.)

Thursday Drops: Journals, Planners, and Journaling Supplies

January 5, 2023

It’s no secret that I’m going to lean hard into my journals and planners this year, as 2023 is shaping up to be a busy (yet exciting!) one and I need whatever help I can get to keep myself on track. To read more about what specific notebooks and planners I’m using for this coming year, check out last week’s posts about my personal setup, and also yesterday’s post about journaling goals.

My 5-year Journal is going to look a little funky for the next few days. 2023-ish.

Today, I’m revisiting some of my favorite tools and accessories specifically for writing and journaling - a product category that, at least in my mind, forms the core of the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Enjoy!

UPDATE: I moved several unsold items from the Patreon Sale Page into the main TGS “Gently Used” Page.

Midori MD Codex 1 Day 1 Page Notebook. Journalers, planners, and those devoted to a poem-a-day writing regimen love the Midori MD Codex, which is a large Midori MD Paper notebook that contains 360+ pages to use however you wish. Available in blank or dot-grid formats.
Midori Multi-Year Journals. One of my personal favorite products by Midori, the multi-year journals come in three, five, and a whopping ten-year format. A fresh restock just arrived so these are ready to ship.
Traveler’s Notebooks. The Traveler’s Notebook is one of the single-greatest journals out there, due mainly to its versatility and the ability to customize it to be whatever you want. Choose from a wide range of papers, including Tomoe River (“Lightweight”), Sketch Paper, Watercolor Paper, Kraft Paper for scrapbooking, and more.
Write Notepads Classic Hardcover Notebook. Those seeking a traditional clothbound hardcover book to save for posterity will want to consider this offering from Write Notepads.
WMS & Co. Sterling Modern Page Markers. While I was counting inventory this past weekend, I discovered that I had an extra set of these handmade sterling page markers, perfect for use as a bookmark or page marker in your notebook or journal.
Field Notes “Ignition” Edition. This special release from Field Notes features a three-pack containing two 26-week datebooks plus one “Checklist Journal,” for those who may appreciate a pocket journaling or planning alternative.
Hightide Sandglasses. One of the key ways I use my sandglass is to time working sessions to ensure that I take regular breaks, and it’s also a great way to break out 30 or 15-minute journaling sessions. Hourglasses are “gentle” timing devices, so there’s no jarring electronic buzzer or phone alert when it’s finished.
Penwell Pen Stand. I keep a Penwell with one fountain pen parked in it at my “journaling station” where I do most of my writing by hand. The Penwell we offer is an exclusive “Aged Red” finish that Good Made Better creates for us here at The Gentleman Stationer, recently reordered to ensure that this is a standing offer for the foreseeable future.
Caran d’Ache Bicolor Pencils in Yellow/Graphite or Red/Graphite. One of my personal core journaling tools that I use when I read, allowing me to highlight and annotate passages and make marginalia, then copy the passages into my commonplace book.
Washi Tape! Are you into creative journaling, or do you like to tape mementos such as photographs, ticket stubs, and other memorabilia into the pages of your journal? Washi tape (Japanese masking tape) is not only functional, but it’s a fun way to personalize the look of your journal or notebook.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.