Thursday Drops: Kaweco Sport Fountain Pens, Kaweco Sketch-Up Clutch Pencils, and More!

The big news this week is that The Gentleman Stationer is now an authorized retailer of Kaweco! We currently have pens from the Classic Sport and the Skyline Sport product lines, as well as two models of the “Sketch Up” Clutch Pencil in Brass and Black/Yellow SoftFeel. We decided to start with the Kaweco Sport because quality pocket pens are something I value, as well as a product category that has been very popular with our customers. Look for more versions of the Kaweco Sport and other products from the Kaweco line to arrive soon.

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The Kaweco Sketch Up Clutch Pencil in Brass.

As we announced earlier this week, we have fully restocked on TWSBI, including some of the last ALR “Punch Pink” and AL “Rose” Diamond 580 Fountain Pens, which are being discontinued and probably won’t be available again for some time. (TWSBI does tend to rotate colors every few years, but there’s no guarantee that these exact shades will reappear.)

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

1. Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pens. How do I not own a “Bordeaux” Sport yet? Sometimes the original flies below the radar, and for me the Classic Kaweco Sport is one of those pens. At only $25, these pocket pens represent great value. Kaweco cartridges are available separately.

2. Kaweco Skyline Sport Fountain Pens. Now I DO have multiple Skyline Sport fountain pens in my own collection, and have owned basically all of these nontraditional, more muted colors over the years. My daughter picked the Mint Skyline Sport for her first pen.

3. Kaweco Sketch Up 5.6mm Brass Clutch Pencil. It’s shorter length prevents the brass from being too heavy, and the finish will patina nicely with age. Refill with 5B Kaweco graphite leads, highlighter leads, or swap in a brass Kakimori dip nib?

4. Kaweco Sketch Up 5.6mm SoftFeel Black and Yellow Clutch Pencil. When I saw these pencils on the “discontinued stock” rack in New York back in February, I had to have them. For whatever reason, this “SoftFeel” rubberized material won’t be made going forward, per the distributor, and I love it in the Sketch Up. Get them while you can.

5. Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pens. Now available in all colors, Pilot’s 14k workhorse features the high-capacity CON-70 pump converter for one of the best all-around everyday writing experiences under $200. Pilot nibs are astonishingly good, and the “Blue Stone” pen hasn’t really left my side for the past week.

6. Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pens. If I ran Pilot, I’d make the Custom 823 more of a focus, because it’s that good. The high-capacity vacuum-filling system can be a bit intimidating to look at, but it’s fairly simple once you get the hang of it. Check out this Youtube video for a demonstration.

7. TWSBI Diamond 580 AL Rose Fountain Pen. I screwed up and sold my original red TWSBI 580 many years ago, and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the AL Rose come back out. I nearly missed picking these up again for the shop.

8. TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR “Punch Pink” Fountain Pen. The “Punch Pink” TWSBI 580 features the textured ALR grip, and has a reddish-pink hue that’s somewhere between a true pink and a red. “Punch” is actually a good name, now that I think of it….

9. Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Inks. In addition to Pilot pens, we’re happy to add the Iroshizuku line of bottled fountain pen inks to our store. These are some of the best all-around inks on the market, and the wide array of unique colors are based on the scenery of Japan.

10. TWSBI Fountain Pen Inks. We have all of the TWSBI bottled inks and cartridges available once again, including the six-bottle sets of the 1791 inks!

Five Things You Can Do To Introduce New Users to Nice Pens

This is a bit of a different post this year, following up on trips to three different pen shows (Baltimore, Arkansas, and - this past weekend - Atlanta), all of which had a large contingent of new users. If you saw me at the show this past weekend, you probably noticed that I had my own “new user” in tow, as my nine-year old daughter accompanied me to her first pen show (well, really the first pen show that she can remember). It was a big hit, especially judging from our haul below! I thought it might be fun to do a post in which I discuss my own thoughts on introducing new users to this passion of ours. And if you’re a new user yourself, hopefully you can find something here that might interest you!

1. Start with Paper. There are many more people interested in notebooks and planners than there are people really into pens. I’ve found that one of the best ways to show someone why I’m so passionate about stationery is to ask them to write with a good notebook or writing pad, and compare it to the paper they’ve been using that they either stole from their office’s supply cabinet or picked up for a couple of dollars at a big-box outlet. My favorite brands for this sort of experiment are Maruman Mnemosyne and Clairefontaine, since these brands are less intimidating both price and design-wise, making newbies less nervous about using them (and buying more).

2. Start with a Non-Fountain Pen. Retro 51 is a great “gateway brand” for nice pens, featuring both fun designs and a quality refill. (My daughter’s first pen was one of Brad’s Shiba Retro 51 rollerballs.) Ballpoints are also great. At this year’s San Francisco Pen Show, I ordered personalized Traveler’s Company Ballpoint Pens in limited edition colors for all of my family members, and they were a huge hit. Again, the goal here is to start someone with a pen that’s not intimidating and where there’s little-to-no learning curve from something that they’re already familiar with.

3. Give Someone a Pen from Your Collection. If they’re insistent on trying a fountain pen, give them a pen from your collection that you’re not using anymore. One of my colleagues at work bugged me for weeks to let her try a fountain pen, and I finally decided to just give her a Lamy Safari that I had at home and hadn’t inked up in a while. She loves it. For someone who hasn’t used a fountain pen at all, and is on the fence about them, gifting that person a pen may work out better in the long run because you remove the frustration that might result from someone feeling like they “wasted money” while they figure things out.

4. Take Someone to a Smaller Pen Show or a Beginner-Friendly Store. This is especially important if you’re trying to introduce a child to fountain pens. Smaller shows tend to be easier to navigate, and aren’t so large that they’re overwhelming to new users like D.C. or San Francisco. Vendors and attendees both seem less stressed, and can take the time to explain things to children (and new users in general). If you have a local “beginner-friendly” store - meaning that the store has both a friendly, helpful proprietor as well as products available for people to hold and try - that’s a great place to start. For this reason, the Arkansas Pen Show is an excellent show for first-timers, as you have both the show itself and Vanness Pens available to visit locally.

5. Don’t Treat Your Pens as “Ultra-Precious” Around Others. I always keep a Platinum Preppy, Platinum Plaisir, or TWSBI Swipe fountain pen inked up and available for people to try if they ask. I also make sure that people see me using my stationery, whether it’s my beat-up Traveler’s Notebook, or my ink-stained Nanami-paper Café Note and Lochby Quattro. Anybody who visits me at my house is free to sort through the piles of stuff I have in my office, with anything truly fragile or valuable put safely away to just avoid the issue entirely. If people see pens, paper, and related accessories as tools to be used in the real world, as opposed to fussy fetish objects to be collected and babied, they’re more likely to develop an interest themselves.

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That said, you may want to just disregard everything I said above. My daughter visited the Atlanta Pen Show and after spending an entire day there wanted nothing other than vintage dip pens, and eyedropper fountain pen, and inks with extreme shimmer and sheen.

To read more on my pen recommendations for beginners, check out the T.G.S. “Best Pens” list, which is in the process of being updated for 2023 and should be slightly refreshed sometime this month. Also, if you’re interested in learning more about paper (and specifically, fountain pen-friendly paper), check out this post, which has a vibrant comments section with tons of recommendations in addition to the brand that I discuss. Now excuse me while I’m off to ink up someone’s new eyedropper….

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and Pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain affiliate links or paid third-party advertising.

New Arrivals: TWSBI 580 ALR Punch Pink and TWSBI 580 AL Rose Fountain Pens, Plus a Saffron Restock!

Since you all cleaned us out of most of our top-selling TWSBI models, between pen shows and the series of recent new releases, we had to do an “emergency” restock! Many items have been marked as “out-of-stock” for some time, so it’s best to do a quick round-up of what’s available:

1. TWSBI ECO Persian Green. The latest TWSBI ECO is in-stock and ready to ship. I love the mid-century modern vibes that this particular color gives off.

2. TWSBI ECO-T Saffron, for those of you who couldn’t grab one in Baltimore! Based on color alone, this is my favorite TWSBI release to date. The shape of the grip and cap on the ECO-T is subtly different - read more about it here.

3. TWSBI Diamond 580 “Iris” Models in all nib sizes.

4. TWSBI Precision Ballpoint Pens and Mechanical Pencils.

5. TWSBI Inks and Ink Cartridges, including the TWSBI 1791 inks in all colors and the six-ink Sets.

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Honestly, I keep waiting for one of the new TWSBI designs to - well, maybe not flop, but simply “not wow” - but it hasn’t happened yet. The ECO-T Saffron and ECO Persian Green are both available now.

Last Chance to Get a TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Punch Pink or 580 AL Rose

Long ago, TWSBI released both red and orange Diamond 580 models, which I now regret passing along in the spirit of “catch and release”. When I placed this last TWSBI order, I noticed that some stock remained of the Diamond 580 ALR “Punch Pink” and the Diamond 580 AL “Rose” models, which are available in VERY limited quantities in the shop, in specific nib sizes. Once these are gone, they’re gone, so this is a “last chance” opportunity, unless TWSBI decides to release a similar color down the road.

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The TWSBI Diamond 580 AL Rose and the ALR “Punch Pink” can be difficult to tell apart in some of the online photos, but this one shows the difference. The “Punch Pink” is much more of a reddish pink, and has the ALR texture on the grip plus a matching anodized cap band. The AL Rose is more of a true red, with a smooth section.

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

Introducing T.G.S. "Currently Inked!" Let's Start Off with the Pilot Custom 823 and Parker 51

I’ve been wanting to introduce some additional video content to the site and related channels for some time now, so this morning I filmed a short video in which I ink up two new pens for the week: My Amber Pilot Custom 823, and my newly acquired Parker 51 that I picked up at the Arkansas Pen Show a couple of weeks ago. Both of these pens have interesting filling systems, and I actually get a lot of questions about how the Custom 823’s vacuum-filling system works. Check out the video here over at the T.G.S. Youtube Channel. (Yes, we have one!)

This particular video contains bonus content in which I spill ink on myself. Yes, it still happens, even after all these years!

Disclaimer: The Gentleman Stationer is now an authorized retailer of Pilot Pens and Inks.

Sunday Reading for April 2, 2023

1. Atlanta Pen Show Weekend (via Well-Appointed Desk). I won’t make the show on Sunday - have to go home and get cracking on those taxes! - but if you’re in the area be sure to visit Ana at the Vanness Pens Table and Jesi at Dromgoole’s.

2. In Defense of the Slow, Inefficient Read … and the Long Point Pencil (via mnmlscholar). I’m glad to see that at least one other person has rejected the seemingly ubiquitous urgings for us all to become “speed readers”, as opposed to actually processing what choose to consume.

3. Platinum 3776 Coarse Nib Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Platinum’s new “Coarse” nib has received a lot of attention lately, particularly as a platform for custom nib grinds since it has a lot of tipping material.

4. Awol: A Quick Life Update (via A Fleeting Ripple). It’s amazing how much difference a change of scenery can make to those of us who love our analog “stuff,” and how this can affect our happiness with where we live.

5. Shibui North Pocket Fox (via Rachel’s Reflections). I’ve never heard of this brand, but I love the pattern on the nib.

6. f-inks F1 SS316 Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). A new fountain pen brand from the Philippines is launching? Here’s one that looks worth monitoring, as I generally love pens with this specific shape.

7. Caran d’Ache “Ultra Violet” Ink Review (via Scrively). Another blog that will be writing “lefty-specific” ink reviews, for those of you with overwriter concerns about fountain pen inks and whether they will smear.

8. Itoya Profolio A5 Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). I recently had a chance to try out the paper in these notebooks and came away enjoying it. If you enjoy paper like Clairefontaine Seyes-ruled, consider giving this one a try.

9. What I’m Using This Week (via From the Pen Cup). Cool idea from Mary on how to make sure you’re rotating through all of the pens and pencils in your collection!

10. Traveler’s Short Trip Passport Size (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you visit the Traveler’s/Plotter table at a pen show, often you’ll find some Japan-only or more “experimental” refill options, like this short-version.

People shouldn’t sleep on the Laban Inks - they’re excellent. (Burkina Leonardo not included with purchase;))

In Case You Missed It…

This weekend I took a quick trip to the Atlanta Pen Show as an attendee-only, with my daughter. It was a lot of fun bringing her to her first “real” pen show, and I may write a feature at some point about introducing kids to fountain pens and how to introduce them to shows. Earlier in the week I reviewed two additional inks from the Laban “Greek Mythology” Ink series, Poseidon Green and Hera Dark Green, both of which are excellent everyday users in an ink line that’s increasingly becoming a staple for me.

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The Pilot Custom 74 (left) and the Pilot Custom 823 (right) fountain pens feature two of the most consistent, reliable nibs available.

Big News from the T.G.S. Curated Shop: Introducing Pilot Pens and Ink!

Though it’s been overshadowed a bit by Atlanta Pen Show travels, on Thursday we announced that The Gentleman Stationer is now an authorized retailer of Pilot Pens and inks, starting with our favorite Custom 823 and Custom 74 fountain pens and the entire line of Iroshizuku Inks! Our focus as retailers is on pens that you can use “all-day, every day,” and you can’t do much better than one of Pilot’s “Custom Series” as your daily workhorse. Check out our Thursday Drops post for the full list of new arrivals, which also includes the recently released TWSBI ECO “Persian Green”.

Pilot

TWSBI

Platinum

Life Stationery

Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!

T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. 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. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! Our next meetup will be at our typical time, which is the third Saturday of every month at 8:30pm U.S. Central Time. Details are circulated through the Patreon feed, so Patreon members should be sure to sign up to get updates/alerts.