New Arrivals: Retro-inspired Pencils from Penco!

One of the many reasons I love Japanese brand Penco/Hightide is their retro designs and vintage-inspired stationery products. In addition to the mini-drafting pens and pencils, as well as the series of “Perfection” Bullet Pens, we can now offer the “Prime Timber 2.0” leadholder mechanical pencil, and the “Passer’s Mate” .5mm mechanical pencil that is sure to take you back to middle school!

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Four different finishes of the Penco Prime Timber 2.0 (Grey, Navy, White, and Red), shown packaged with a lead pointer.

The Passer’s Mate comes in 12 different colors, and is refreshingly affordable at $3.50. The Prime Timber is a sturdy, well-balanced leadholder that clicks to advance the lead - as opposed to the usual gravity-driven clutch mechanism. It also ships with a lead pointer complete with receptacle to catch graphite shavings. Prime Timber 2.0 is available in four different finishes at $16. Available now!

We’re traveling this week, so any orders placed in the shop will have a 3-5 business day processing time instead of the typical 2-3, and will ship upon my return. As always when I travel, orders placed during “away time” will include extras like pens, pencils, or ink samples to accommodate for any short delay.

Catch Up on "Currently Inked," Our Series of Short Youtube Videos!

While The Gentleman Stationer features primarily written content, I have made an effort to update our Youtube Channel over the past month, reorganizing and refreshing some legacy content, posting some new shorts, and releasing a series of videos most Mondays titled “Currently Inked,” in which I look at a new shop arrival or a pen/ink/notebook I’m currently using. The latest entry is a video companion to last week’s post on hacking Caran d’Ache refills, which demonstrates the three hacks I talked about on the blog.

Certain items lend themselves better to video demonstration than others, and Youtube content will hopefully be complementary to what you find here on the blog. If you’re on Youtube and find our content helpful, please consider subscribing, as it helps us grow and increase our reach across all channels!

Want to See a Specific Video? Let Me Know!

Many of you have been kind enough to send in suggestions of specific demonstrations and comparisons that you’d like to see in a video. I love this kind of input, so please keep it up, either through the “Contact Me” link, the comments, or a DM. I receive a lot of e-mail, so it sometimes takes me a bit to respond, but I do read (and greatly appreciate) all of your comments and correspondence.

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

Sunday Reading for May 7, 2023

1. Too Much Information: Why Personal Knowledge Management Is Hard (via Analog Office). I’m making a concerted effort this year to get a handle on my personal knowledge management system, and this hit home.

2. A Fine Line: Rotring Isograph Technical Pen (via A Fleeting Ripple). Believe it or not, I’ve never tried one of these pens, as they’re not really in my use case - pure writing as opposed to drawing - but I’ve always admired them and found them interesting.

3. Papersmiths Primo in Coral (via KraftyKats). This looks like an Ohto-made pen, down to the needle-tip gel refill!

4. Midori MD Cotton Notebook (via Blake’s Broadcast). Will Midori ever bring the MD Cotton Notebook back in the standard sizes? I hope so, since this paper is a personal favorite for use with fountain pens and inks, and a top seller in our shop.

5. Pelikan M605 Tortoiseshell Black (2022 Special Edition) (via Scrively). This is the one Pelikan that’s tempted me over the past year.

6. Honey Sweet: Galen Leather Zippered Magnum Opus Pen Case (via A Fleeting Ripple). The Galen Magnum Opus is currently my own favorite 12-pen case capable of going anywhere.

7. That’s a Mighty Bold Kit for Such an EF-loving Writer (via mnmlscholar). Sometimes you just have to mix things up a bit, no?

8. Logical Swing Notebook Review (via Fountain Pen Love). I’m planning to start testing the Nakayabashi Logical Prime paper this week - the Logical Swing is the lower-cost option.

9. SF Now + *Noted - NOT a Pen Show! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). “To the trade” retail shows are extremely interesting to attend, because you tend to see products that either haven’t made it to retail yet or fall outside of the mainstream that tends to get so much attention on social media.

10. #21PenQuestions (via Well-Appointed Desk). What a great idea! This should be a new trend for the pen community.

Laconic: The stationery system for the bookmark obsessive.

In CaSe You Missed it…

This week on the blog I did something I haven’t done in a while, and which is a bit out of character for this site: I wrote a post about refill hacks! Specifically, refills that I’ve managed to make work with the Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoints and rollerballs. I also wrote a short overview of a newly discovered notebook system: the Laconic Style system of A5 notebook refills, covers, and, yes bookmarks. Stay tuned as I’ve pulled a few of these to try to use myself as I get more familiar with their offerings.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Travel Week!

I updated the shop pages to reflect that I’m traveling this coming week (as of Yesterday), so any orders placed in the shop will have a 3-5 business day processing time instead of the typical 2-3, and will ship upon my return. As always when I travel, orders placed during “away time” will include extras like pens, pencils, or ink samples to accommodate for any short delay. In the meantime, we have a continuing stream of new arrivals that are available for order, including new arrivals and restocks from Nahvalur, Lamy, and Lochby, in addition to some remaining Paul Smith x Caran d’Ache Pens.

Laconic Tokyo

Caran d'Ache

Kaweco

Pilot

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! Details of our May meetup will be circulated through the Patreon feed, so Patreon members should be sure to sign up to get updates/alerts.

Notebook Systems: Introducing Laconic Tokyo

If I had to describe the Laconic Style notebook system, I would best characterize it as a modular, full-size A5 version of the Kokuyo Jibun Techo. (For those unfamiliar, the Jibun Techo is a dated planner/journal system that combines elements of the Hobonichi Techo with the “tall/slim” format of the Traveler’s Notebook.) The beauty of this particular notebook system is it’s customizability. You can choose from ten different 60-page A5 notebook refills, including four different planner formats (daily, weekly, monthly, or “100 days” with two days on each page), four “productivity” formats (To Do, Meeting, Spreadsheet, and Gantt Chart), and two "Lifestyle/Creativity” formats (Thinking and “My Life,” which some may recognize as similar to the “Life Book” component of the Jibun Techo).

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The full range of colorful Laconic covers!

While Laconic makes their own plastic notebook cover, capable of holding two refills, the beauty of this system is that the standard A5 size allows you to expand far beyond that using a system cover/organizer like the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter or the Lochby Field Journal (which holds up to six of these softcover A5 refills). For example, you could select a Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar, and Daily Journal for your “Planner” section, and combine that with Meeting, To Do, and a “Thinking” refill for brainstorming sessions. All of the planner refills are undated, and therefore flexible for those who might skip a day/week/month every now and then.

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You can fit up to two of the A5 Notebooks into the Laconic Style plastic covers.

So how’s the paper? I’ve been testing a Monthly refill since I first spotted these at NY Now back in February, and I would compare the paper to standard Rhodia or Kokuyo Campus. It will work fine with most fountain pens in fine or medium nibs, though extremely wet inks and wider nibs (and particularly a combination of the two) will see some bleed-through. That said, I’m not sure it will be an issue for those drawn to this particular planner, because it’s plainly intended for those who write small. (To that end, a Lamy 2000 EF nib with Pilot Iroshizuku Shin Kai gave me no issues.)

Bonus: Laconic Style Bookmarkers

Honestly, even moreso than the notebook system, what really caught my eye were these Laconic “Bookmarkers,” a set of eight different bookmarks in various formats that allow you to take notes while you read or write in your journal.

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The Laconic Style Bookmarkers in all the various layouts.

The Bookmarkers are sold in packs of 24, and fold over the page to prevent slippage. It’s also occurred to me that the “Planner” and “To Do” bookmarks could be taped or pasted into a bullet journal or other notebooks to add functionality. Personally, the “Reading Memo” layouts appeal to me the most, but I’ve kept a set of each for myself and since I churn through bookmarks fairly regularly I’m sure they’ll get plenty of use.

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As with most notebook systems, all of the Laconic products are designed to work together.

Takeaways and Further Reading: Where Does Laconic Fit in the overall universe of notebook systems?

In the grand scheme of things, Laconic probably fits somewhere in between a single notebook system (each of these refills can be carried individually) and a modular notebook system, because you can combine them in a multi-refill cover to create a planner/organizer/journaling system tailored to your own needs. Laconic Style covers, notebooks, and bookmarkers are available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and they’re actually quite inexpensive, starting at $5 for a pack of 24 bookmarks, and individual notebooks priced at $6.

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The largest Laconic Zippered case is large enough to accommodate an A5 notebook or two.

I’ve previously written several pieces on “System Techo” and the different types of notebook systems available. If you’d like to read more, see below:

• Part I: What Is a Notebook System/System Techo

• Part II: Plotter is NOT a Planner!

• Part III: Traveler’s Notebook and the “Modular Approach”

• Part IV: Single Notebooks, or the “Non-System System”

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We are an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Laconic. Please note that due to scheduled travel, orders placed after noon, U.S. Central Time on Saturday May 6, 2023 will have a 3-5 business day processing time. As always, we appreciate your support and slightly delayed orders will include extras!

Thursday Drops: Big Lochby and Lamy Restocks, New Nahvalur Original Plus Fountain Pens, and Paul Smith x Caran d'Ache!

This week we received two long-awaited releases: The Nahvalur Original Plus “Matira White” and “Lovina Black”, featuring rose gold trim, as well as the fourth Caran d’Ache + Paul Smith collaboration! We’ve also restocked on Lochby Venture pouches, Lamy Cursive nibs, and several models of Lamy pens. Note that we will be traveling starting Saturday night (family wedding), so order fulfillment may be 3-5 business days next week as opposed to your typical 2-3. If there’s something you’d like to have in your hands next week, please get your orders in by Saturday (May 6) at noon. Happy Shopping!

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Oh, and did I mention that we have more Kaweco Sketch-up Clutch Pencils in new colors, as well as a “Softfeel” restock? The highlighter leads are also restocked.

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

1. Nahvalur Original Plus Rose Gold Fountain Pens. Nahvalur (formerly “Narwhal”) re-released their “Original” Fountain Pens in vacuum-filler form earlier this year, and recently followed up with a rose gold version that sold out quickly. We managed to get some additional stock in both the Matira White and Lovina Black. Read more on the Original Plus and it’s filling system here.

2. Caran d’Ache + Paul Smith Limited Edition 849 Ballpoint Pens. The Caran d’Ache / Paul Smith collaborations have been something of a tradition over the years, but the last one was released in 2020, so it’s been a while. This release features six different two-toned barrels in signature Paul Smith colors.

3. Lochby Venture Pouch Restock in All Colors! Those of you who came to see us at the Baltimore and Arkansas pen shows loved the Lochby Venture Pouches, and we now have more, in all colors. These reversible pen pouches feature a “standard” pen pouch on top, and open up to reveal a slotted pen case on the bottom. Read more here.

4. Lamy Cursive Nibs. I can say one thing - Lamy USA works fast. You all cleared us out of Lamy Cursive nibs in less than a week and we received more yesterday. You can read about this specific nib here, and upon request, I am happy to install one for you on any compatible Lamy pen purchased from our shop. Just send a message through the “Contact” link at the time you place your order.

5. Lamy 2000 Multipens. A not-surprising best seller has been the Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint (their Multi-Pen), and we recently received a restock. This pen takes standard D1 refills, so you can either use Lamy’s excellent stock options or replace them with the D1 refill of your choice. The Lamy 2000 Multi Pen is a personal favorite and I’ve written about it a lot over the years.

6. Nahvalur Fountain Pen Inks. There hasn’t been much attention paid to them so far, but Nahvalur is releasing their own line of fountain pen inks, including these four nicely muted colors that are in offbeat shades I’ve enjoyed, especially the “Dark Forest”.

7. Lochby Field Journal A5 Refills. As long as Lochby has a stockpile of the 68gsm Tomoe River paper, I’m going to continue to carry these excellent A5 softcover notebooks! Five different rulings available, including dot, plain, lined, wide lined, and planner.

8. Midori MD Light A4 Notebooks. These slim A4 notebooks are sold in packs of three, in different rulings, and fit the standard Midori MD A4 notebook covers in PVC, Paper, and Leather. (You can get two notebooks in a cover by using the front and back cover slots.)

9. Midori MD Block 500 Sheet Notepads. These Midori desk pads feature 500 sheets of fountain pen friendly MD paper in blank, ruled, and grid format. The block pad measures 4x4”, around the size of a large post-it.

10. Expanded Inks and Refill Selection. In response to reader/customer requests, we’ve made an effort to expand our selection of bottled inks, and we also offer compatible refills for nearly every pen and mechanical pencil that we sell.