Thursday Drops: Caran d'Ache and M+R Restock, Plus the Lamy Pico!

April 13, 2023

Many of you have been requesting a restock on Caran d’Ache goods (especially the Black Code and Original ballpoints), as well as M+R Sharpeners like the long-point Castor & Pollux and the refill blades. They’re all here and ready to go as of this morning, in addition to new everyday carry ballpoints from Anterique Stationers and Lamy. Enjoy!

P.S. - Don’t forget to check out the “Best Pens” list, updated for 2023!

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

What’s your favorite color of the Lamy Pico? Maybe the eye-searing Neon Pink?

Caran d’Ache 849 Black Code Ballpoint Pen. Even though it’s not specifically made for our shop, the Black Code Ballpoint was the first product that I regarded as a “signature” T.G.S. design. I love the look of this pen and it’s a great everyday carry.
Caran d’Ache 849 “Original” Ballpoint. Second only to the Black Code among T.G.S. Curated Shop top sellers from the Caran d’Ache line! This ballpoint features a brushed aluminum finish, yet it’s coated so you don’t get the raw metal feel (or smell).
Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball. The 849 Rollerball is a versatile pen that ships with a Parker-style Caran d’Ache Rollerball refill, but can easily be transformed into a larger version of the 849 ballpoint using any Parker-style ballpoint or gel cartridge.
Caran d’Ache 849 Fountain Pens. The Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen makes another excellent everyday writer, and fits in many notebook and planner “pen slots” due to its slimmer size. The stainless steel nib is unique in that it can have just the slightest bit of spring to it, especially in the narrower nib sizes. Additional Caran d’Ache ink cartridges sold separately.
Lamy Pico Pocket Ballpoint. One of the best pocket pens on the market, in my opinion, the Pico expands from palm-sized to a comfortable full-sized ballpoint pen. The M22 refill writes a smooth dark line.
Anterique Stationers “Mach Ball” Ballpoints. One of my favorite new discoveries from the past several months, especially if you love finer-points. Be sure to check out the Brass Edition.
M+R Castor and Pollux Long-Point Pencil Sharpeners. The Castor is more of a traditional long-point pencil sharpener, but the Pollux creates the signature “concave” curved point that so many people love. Though they typically require you to use good graphite, you can’t get this long of a point from many handheld sharpeners.
Caran d’Ache Fixpencil 884. The colorful Fixpencil 884 features the same 2mm graphite lead as the standard black Fixpencils. Though it’s sometimes referred to as the Fixpencil “JR”, it’s the same size.
Caran d’Ache Infinite Mechanical Pencils. I managed to grab a handful of these in a couple of the remaining standard colors, plus the Swiss Cross motif. I’ve been told the pencil is now discontinued.
Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 Ballpoint Pens. This inexpensive, yet high-quality, pen from Caran d’Ache made the T.G.S. Best Pens list this year. As far as standard ballpoint refills go, the one in this pen is great.

The Best Pens List, Updated for Nine Years of T.G.S.!

April 12, 2023

I can’t believe that next year (2024), The Gentleman Stationer will be ten years old! Each year, to celebrate our “blogiversary,” I update the “Best Pens” list. While this list hasn’t changed much over the past couple of years, I always find one or two things to add, and this year mainly features some surprise additions to both the “Disposable Pen” section and the “Refillable Ballpoints” section. Be sure to check them out, and as always, past lists remain available so that you can see how my preferences and recommendations have changed over time.

So why do I think the lists have remained the same? Probably because as far as mainstream pens are concerned, there really hasn’t been much in the way of true innovation, but rather a focus on fine-tuning existing designs. In my opinion, much of the creativity these days comes from independent makers, who I’ll never include on a “ranked” list like this simply due to the highly individualized, bespoke nature of their work. I plan to write more on this in the future. Happy reading!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. To the extent third parties are linked to in the Best Pens list or elsewhere, it is being done on a non-affiliate basis.

New Arrivals: Anterique Ballpoints and Lamy Pico Pocket Pens!

April 11, 2023

Following the announcements of new fountain pens, clutch pencils, and more, it’s ballpoint week here in the T.G.S. Curated Shop! A good ballpoint pen has become one of my core everyday writing tools, and as ballpoint ink technology continues to improve, you no longer have to deal with the stickiness and smearing of traditional oil-based ballpoint pens. We’ve recently added a line of pens from Anterique Stationers of Japan, which use an excellent .5mm “Mach Ball” low-viscosity refill and comes in two different formats: a vintage-inspired click-pen design, as well as an upgraded “Brass Edition” with a machined brass barrel. As an added bonus, the parts of the Anterique pens are interchangeable so you can create your own perfect color combination. Standard pens start at $5.50, with the Brass Edition priced at $29.

For this week’s “Currently Inked” video, we looked at both the Anterique lineup and a bonus surprise that arrived in the mail from WMS&Co. I’ve been more active on the Youtube Channel recently, so please give a follow there if you enjoy the video content, which will include more “hands on” demonstrations than is possible here on the blog.

Over the past couple of weeks, you may have noticed that we are now authorized retailers of select pens from Pilot, Kaweco, and now, Lamy! The first Lamy pen has arrived: the Lamy Pico pocket pen, which is an excellent EDC pocket carry option that extends from a compact 3.5” to a full 5”. We reviewed the Pico years ago, and it’s held up so well that we wanted to add it to our curation. Available now in multiple colors for under $40.

The Lamy Pico is simply one of the best Pocket ballpoints available.

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

Sunday Reading for April 9, 2023 (PLUS a Weekend Shop Promotion!)

April 9, 2023

2023 Atlanta Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Atlanta is always a great regional/local pen show, and if I hadn’t just spent a month traveling basically nonstop, I definitely would have gone for the entire weekend. Kimberly’s recaps are spot-on and thorough.
In Defence of Writing by Hand (via KraftyKats). Despite our best efforts here, the world continues to digitize. Personally, I think the key is to do so thoughtfully, and to maintain an analog space in your life where it makes the biggest difference for you.
Using the Hoard (via From the Pen Cup). What better way to preserve the art of writing by hand than using your notebook hoard!
Il Papiro J2 Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I love marbled paper. Enough said.
Early Thoughts on the Conklin Mark Twain Crescent Filler Fountain Pen (via Fountain Pen Blog). I’m not a huge fan of modern Conklin pens, but at the same time I’m glad this particular model continues to exist.
The Kaweco Student (via Left Hook Pens). Kaweco’s student pen has developed its own following, and I’ve enjoyed the weight and shape of the section in the past.
Ink of the Week - Kaweco Smokey Grey (via Fountain Pen Love). I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Kaweco inks are extremely underrated.
Ellington Pens Review (via SBRE Brown). Ellington Pens get the SBRE Brown treatment.
How To Distinguish the Upcycled from the Wood-Cased Noris (via Bleistift). I haven’t written much about Staedtler’s decision to move to an “upcycled” - read, Wopexified - version of the Noris. This makes me sad, but I guess on a certain level it’s inevitable.
Notebook Review: Cortex Sidekick Notepad (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’ve been wanting to check out the Sidekick for some time now, but at $40 each, the price has served as a bit of a barrier. I’m not above spending on expensive notepads and notebooks, but at this price, the page count for the dollar amount has me a bit concerned, especially since that’s before taxes and shipping to many areas. That said, Cortex Brand products are well-designed and of excellent quality.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog - and on the until-now-semi-dormant Youtube channel - I spent the week getting caught up post-pen show. I wrote a short piece on five things that you can do to help introduce new users to nice pens, and I also took a look at the Kaweco Sketch Up Clutch Pencil, one of the many new Kaweco products we’ve recently added to the shop. To kick the week off, I filmed a short video titled “Currently Inked”, which was a quick look at two pens that I inked up for this week: the Pilot Custom 74 and a vintage Parker 51. I’ve decided to start working on some more video content since there are certain things that can be difficult to show/explain in writing. These will be posted both to Youtube and to Instagram Reels/Stories, though I’m not sure about frequency yet.

WEEKEND PROMOTION: Spend $50 in the T.G.S. Curated Shop and get a free Anterique Ballpoint Pen in one of the five colors above. Spend an additional $50 and get a pen in a different color. These pens are excellent, and I plan to make them a fixture going forward. Valid through Sunday. **[For those who missed the promotion, the Anterique pens are now live in the shop!]**

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

There’s been a seemingly never-ending wave of shop arrivals, mainly due to orders placed back in January and February when I was taking several buying trips and thinking that these would all be staggered somewhat. Turns out that all the new products arrived at once and I still have more to go! This week saw a huge TWSBI restock, including some additions of “last call” items like the Diamond 580 ALR “Punch Pink” and AL “Rose”, plus a restock on the ECO Saffron and newly arrived ECO Persian Green. The biggest news dropped Thursday, with Kaweco arriving in the shop, including Sport fountain pens, Sketch Up Clutch Pencils, and Inks! Stay tuned for more big news on our expansion this week.

Kaweco

Pilot Pens

Iroshizuku Inks

TWSBI

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.

Why Clutch Pencils Are So Versatile: The Kaweco Sketch Up Clutch Pencil

April 8, 2023

When I decided to stock Kaweco, it wasn’t necessarily to carry their iconic Sport fountain pen (though it’s a favorite). It was the “Sketch Up” clutch pencil. While I’ve previously written about clutch pencils / leadholders like the Caran d’Ache Fixpencil - which is geared toward writing and originally designed as a wartime replacement for the standard woodcase pencil - the Sketch Up uses thicker 5.6mm leads intended for drawing. How can you use one of these pencils, if you’re not an artist or sketchnoter? Let’s take a look.

The brass version of the Sketch Up is shiny when new, but will develop a cool patina as it ages.

Intended Use No. 1: A Sketch Pencil for Drawing

As mentioned, the first use for a clutch pencil like the Sketch Up is as a drawing tool. Each pencil ships with one 5.6mm 5B lead, which is very soft and very dark, perfect for blending. What it’s not great for is writing, unless you write very large, but again that’s not the intended use. I’ll take this opportunity to discuss the main question people have regarding this pencil and its refills: Whether you use it for drawing or writing, how do you sharpen a lead this big? Use the excellent integrated sharpener inside the cap, which unscrews. While I don’t really bother with sharpening when I’m using clutch pencils for highlighting because I like a broader edge, the cap contains a good lead pointer. For a demonstration of how the clutch mechanism works, and how to sharpen using the cap, I thought it would be easier to do short videos, which I’ve linked to here.

The Kaweco Sketch Up loaded with a pink highlighter lead.

Intended Use No. 2: A Highlighter/Drylighter

My own primary use case for the Kaweco Sketch Up is as a highlighter. I’ve long favored so-called “drylighter” pencils over traditional liquid ink highlighters, since they don’t dry out, don’t bleed through thinner paper, and work better with less-waterproof inks like fountain pen ink and gel ink. The Sketch Up serves as a nice, compact refillable highlighter that’s a more sustainable option than woodcase drylighters or plastic highlighter markers. Most brands sell highlighter refills for their clutch pencils in addition to standard graphite, and Kaweco highlighter refills are sold in packs of three.

I wrote pretty hard here to try to get it to smear, and was only able to get the slightest smearing on the still-wet gel pen. For everyday highlighting I’ve found these to be great.

Not-So-Intended Use No 3: A Dip Nib Holder

I may get into a bit of trouble for promoting an “off label” use of the Sketch-up, but what had me the most excited about this product was the ability to use it as a holder for my Kakimori Brass dip nib. I love the idea of carrying a dip pen with me to meet-ups and pen shows, but longer handles are inconvenient and portable versions such as the Drillog are expensive and perhaps don’t lay enough ink on the page. Many people use dip nibs for drawing as well, adding to the versatility of the Sketch Up as an art tool. To see how the Sketch Up works as a dip nib holder, check out this short video.

The Sketch Up is handy for sampling fountain pen inks, such as the Kaweco Palm Green shown here.

A couple of people have asked whether or not the Sketch Up will fit dip nibs other than the Kakimori conical-style nib. I’m not a heavy dip pen user other than this particular tool, but I did experiment with a Zebra G and it seems to work. I make no representations otherwise, YMMV. Also, I do feel a need to issue a disclaimer: The clutch mechanism on the Sketch Up is made of metal. When using this pencil as a dip pen, be sure to clean and dry the mechanism after use, and try to minimize any ink or water leaking into the interior of the pencil. Otherwise you may see some corrosion.

The Sketch Up fitted with a Zebra G dip pen nib. (And that crazy grey ink in the bottom right is Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same. I just realized how good that looks….)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I plan to keep the Kaweco Sketch Up in stock alongside other clutch-style pencils such as the Caran d’Ache Fixpencil and perhaps a few other styles. I’ve long carried one of these as a key highlighting and annotation tool, and the added versatility of using this particular model as a portable dip nib holder for playing around with inks at pen club and pen shows is an added bonus. I may even break out the 5B lead from time to time when I’m drawing with my daughter.

The Sketch Up fitted with the Kakimori Brass dip nib.

The Kaweco Sketch Up starts at $21 for the “Softfeel” black and yellow model (which I chose for my own carry and which is shown in most of the photos here), and runs $38 for the brass version, which will develop a nice patina as it ages. As mentioned, the T.G.S. Curated Shop carries both the pencils and the Kaweco lead refills in both the 5B graphite and the highlighter versions. We are now authorized Kaweco retailers and look forward to stocking more of their pens, pencils, inks and accessories going forward!

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