New Arrivals: Write Notepads Restock, and Notebooks from WMS & Co!

We’ve been running low on our Write Notepads Stock, so last week we put in for a shipment of Dot Grid Spiral Notebooks, Reporter Notebooks, and more of the long-time favorite “Chesapeake” Pocket Notebooks. We currently now have most colors available, with the Dot Grid Notebooks available in Forest, Coral, and Arctic Blue for the first time.

We also received a small number of pocket notebooks and journals from WMS & Co., makers of the famously large desk pads, color pads and calendars. As it turns out, they make a pocket “jotter” set containing their griege (grey) paper, as well as jotters and larger journals with covers featuring vintage French stationery ephemera.

Many thanks for all your support, and welcome to Summer!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Write Notepads and WMS & Co.

Sunday Reading for May 28, 2023

1. Mid-Year Stationery Review (via Well-Appointed Desk). Laura walks us through what stationery she’s been using in 2023 so far, and I’m happy to see the Midori MD 5-Year Diary has staying power!

2. Montblanc Heritage 1912 (via The Stationery Pen). One of the pens that I consider the pinnacle of modern Montblanc design, and their modern take on a safety-filler fountain pen.

3. Kaweco Dia2 (via Dapprman). I love the vintage styling of the Kaweco Dia2, but honestly have been (pleasantly) surprised at how well this pen has done over the years. To me, this seems like the perfect vehicle for Kaweco to expand their gold nib offerings by selling the Dia2 with the upgraded nib. These larger pens can support a higher price point.

4. Gioia Bellavista Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Gioia pens aren’t really my style, but I found the information about the “lost wax casting” techniques interesting.

5. Sailor 1911L 4am Fountain Pen (via Pen Addict - Sarah). One of the strangest names Sailor has ever come up with for a special edition does look pretty great.

6. Ink Battle: Colorverse and Lamy (via Rachel’s Reflections). How do you choose between inks from different brands that look the same but inevitably both end up in your collection?

7. Notebook Review: Dingbats* A5 Wildlife Notebook (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). I’m glad to see Dingbats* still around, with their fountain pen friendly paper and perforated pages!

8. Hakase NJ15A Unboxing (via Dapprman). I’ve heard much about Hakase fountain pens, but never seen one. Follow along with this unboxing!

9. Building Back My Paint Box (via Writing at Large). Though I’m not a painter, I’ve always been curious about how to assemble a watercolor set.

10. Anticipation (via From the Pen Cup). Picking inks and filling pens - one of the most enjoyable aspects of this hobby.

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Five different installments of our instructional YouTube series, “How to Fill a Fountain Pen”, are now available!

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog (and, should I now add, the revitalized YouTube Channel?), I posted several pieces of content that I’ve been working on for a while. The first is one of the longer reviews I’ve published this year - a look at the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad, which is one of the nicer desk pads I’ve used though it comes at a price. I also published a list of My Favorite Fountain Pen Inks for 2023, a supplement to the “Best Pens” list that gets updated annually. Finally, we’ve been steadily adding more video content to our YouTube channel, which we hope to be able to use to complement the written resources on our site. Be sure to check it out at the links above and give us a follow to help us grow!

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We’ve also restocked on products like the Write Notepads Dot Grid Spiral, which is now available in new colors!

Don’t Miss Our T.G.S. Curated Shop Memorial Day Weekend Promotion!

Through Monday, May 29 at 11:59pm CT, take 10% off your order using the coupon code “SUMMER23” at checkout! I always view this weekend as the official start to Summer. Some exclusions apply (including TWSBI, which can’t be discounted), but most items in the store will be eligible, including our wide range of desk pads and other fountain pen friendly paper.

Laconic Tokyo

Nahvalur

TWSBI ECO-T Mint

TWSBI Mini Grape

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!

The Gentleman Stationer's Favorite Fountain Pen Inks, Inaugural Edition (2023)

While I publish an annual list of "Best Pen" recommendations, inks are far trickier, made especially difficult by the dozens of brands and thousands of different colors now available, which wasn't the case when I first started TGS. Over the years, I've done a few lists of my favorite inks for specific purposes, such as office use and annotation, but have shied away from anything more categorical. Then I had the idea: What if I made a list of my current preferred ink for each color category, which I could easily update over time? Here are the rules I came up with:

1. The ink has to be available. No limited editions that are impossible for people to find because that's no fun to read. (Those can have their own list, if people are interested.)

2. Broad color categories only with no sub-categories. Keep it simple. Here, I've organized this initial list with 12 slots that loosely tracks the major colors that pen companies typically include in their lineup.

3. I have to have used the ink in multiple pens over the past year. Some of these inks have been used more than others (brown and yellows don't actually get much time in my rotation), but generally, frequency of use + simple joy determines whether an ink makes the cut.

Here we Go! Fountain Pen Inks of Choice by Color (2023)

Blue: Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-gao. I sometimes go far too long without using this particular ink, but whenever I use it to fill a pen I wonder why I don't just keep a bottle of it on my desk. A bright royal blue that borders on "electric," but is still professional enough to use at the office. It reminds me of Waterman blue that doesn't fade to a duller color after drying.

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Black: Lamy Black. When choosing a black ink, some go for the darkest line possible, but not me. I prefer some shading and undertones, especially the purple cast that Lamy Black has when it dries, which gives the ink added depth.

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Blue-Black: Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo. The name translates as "Moonlight", and though I can't exactly explain why, it fits this shade of ink perfectly. Tsuki-Yo leans more blue on the blue-black scale, and exhibits a slight red sheen on some papers. As one of the longest-running inks in my collection, which at the moment I have loaded into three pens, Tsuki-Yo might be my favorite of the Iroshizuku Inks and one of my favorite inks of all time.

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Turquoise: Kaweco Paradise Blue. Some of you may be surprised to see two Kaweco inks on this list, but I absolutely love Kaweco's ink offerings and find them extremely underrated. The inks are vibrant, low-maintenance, and inexpensive, and the fact that they come in both cartridges and bottles ensures that you can use them in your Kaweco Sports as well as your piston fillers.

Green: Kaweco Palm Green. I consider Kaweco Palm Green to be of the most underrated inks of all time, not just in the Kaweco lineup. It’s a beautiful rich color that I use regularly even if it can take a bit of time to dry.

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Red: Dominant Industry Romania Red. If you were going to have a blood-red vampire-themed ink, it would be this one. This bold, rich color flows well, dries quickly, and doesn't create nib crud. Vampire-themed inks cannot be “pink”, which seems to be a hot topic of conversation these days. Fight me ;)

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Burgundy: Montblanc Burgundy Red. The hardest color for me to choose (since most of my favorite burgundy inks are limited editions). I finally went with standard Montblanc Burgundy Red. Though perhaps not as vibrant as some of Montblanc's special edition burgundies, it's a consistently good performer that's a favorite standby.

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Orange: Laban Apollo Orange. This orange has been making its way through my orange and yellow TWSBI demonstrators for the past six months. Inspired by the Greek God Apollo, whose symbol traditionally is the sun, this is a “pure orange” ink with a slight tinge of red to help with the legibility.

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Yellow: Anderillium American Goldfinch Yellow. The first yellow ink I've found that's truly legible, due to its gold/goldenrod hue, American Goldfinch Yellow can be used for actual writing in addition to highlighting and annotation.

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Brown: Laban Demeter Brown. A dark brown, but not quite a brown-black. For my brown inks, I tend to enjoy the darker browns and sepias, because they take on a vintage look as they dry.

Purple: Waterman Violet. Not "Tender Purple" or whatever they're calling it these days. Violet. Be warned that of all the Waterman inks, this one has a tendency to stain, so be sure you don't mind your converter (or clear demonstrator) having a slight purple tint long-term. (Definitely do not use in light-colored celluloid pens.) That said, it’s one of the most vibrant purple inks out there, and when I want my writing to stand out, this is my choice.

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Grey: Scribo Grigio. I've been on a massive grey ink kick over the past year, and I keep returning to Scribo Grigio. While some might argue with me on this point and call the ink more of a blue-black, I'm going with grey here and the blue tint is what makes it interesting.

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Pink: Laban Aphrodite Pink. This final color is extremely difficult, but at the end of the day I have to go with Aphrodite. Some would say this isn't a pink ink at all, but the criteria here dictate that I have to stick with an ink that I've actually used over the past year. In the pink category, this is the clear winner.

Some of the aforementioned inks we sell directly in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, where we are running a Memorial Day Weekend Promotion (10% Off) with the code “SUMMER23” at checkout. Otherwise I have linked to retailers who are friends of mine. This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links.

Thursday Drops: Breaking Down The Desk Pad, By Category

In yesterday’s post, I looked at what might be the current pinnacle of the “Desk Pad” product category: the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad. While the Sidekick makes for an exceptional work tool, as I mentioned yesterday, it’s a specialized piece of stationery designed to serve a specific role in your workflow, and therefore may not work for everyone, especially if you use paper in large quantities. The T.G.S. Curated Shop stocks an array of landscape desk pads and landscape-style notebooks intended to meet a more diverse range of needs.

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WMS & Co. Calendar Pads, in Full and Keyboard size.

Category 1: Landscape-Style Planners and Calendar Pads

From spiral bound notebooks that can be used as a traditional planner to tear-off desk pads that sit beneath a keyboard, undated calendar products are flexible tools you can use to organize your workweek appointments, or collect your notes and to-dos day-by-day. For a portable solution akin to the Sidekick (i.e., a durable product you can carry between meetings and locations), consider the Write Notepads Weekly Planner, which features a week-on-two pages layout in a landscape format. Other flexible options include the WMS & Co. Planner Desk Pads, which are tear-off writing pads that come in two different sizes (Full and Keyboard), both featuring a weekly calendar layout.

The Write Notepads Landscape Ruled Notebook in Pistachio

Category 2: Landscape-Style Spiral Notebooks

Some people prefer a sturdy spiral notebook that keeps their notes in one place and allows for archival retention, whether as a matter of personal preference or a work requirement. The Write Notepads Landscape Notebook has long been one of our top selling products, and features a unique lined ruling that runs horizontally. (Pro tip: If you want a Landscape Notebook with dot grid ruling, all you have to do is turn the standard Write Notepads Dot Grid spiral notebook sideways - there’s no header, just a blank page, so they work in either landscape or standard “mode”.) Similarly, Maruman’s Mnemosyne line of spiral notebooks features a landscape layout for certain rulings, including their grid and blank notebooks.

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Soft Midori MD Cotton Paper is not only fountain pen friendly, but excellent for pencils.

Category 3: Blank Writing Pads

We carry a wide array of blank desk and writing pads, all of which work well with a range of writing instruments, including fountain pens. Favorites include the Midori MD and Midori MD Cotton pads, which are glue-bound on two sides for added durability and are designed to be used as either landscape-style pads beneath a keyboard or as a standard notepad with a vertical orientation. In addition to their Planner Desk Pads discussed above, WMS & Co. makes a selection of blank desk pads for standard notetaking, including versions in different shapes and colors.

Do you have a favorite brand of desk pad that you think we should carry? We’re always looking to bring in new lines and products, so please let us know!

Just a reminder that through Monday, May 29 at 11:59pm CT, we are running a Memorial Day Weekend Sale! Take 10% off all shop orders using the code “SUMMER23” at checkout. Some exclusions (i.e., TWSBI) apply.

The Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad: Hype or Innovation? A Bit of Both

Since the release of the Baron Fig Mastermind in 2017, I've paid close attention to the "landscape desk pad" segment of the stationery marketplace, because as I mentioned in my review of that product, this particular category holds a special place in my productivity-stationery-loving heart. There's no set of circumstances under which I don't have a pad of paper sitting below or to the side of my keyboard when I'm working on the computer, and I often prefer a "landscape" (i.e., horizontal) layout when I'm drafting documents longhand. So how does the recently released Sidekick Notepad from Cortex Brand measure up to the significant hype it’s received? Let’s take a look.

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The foldover cover, complete with Cortex “Brain” logo.

A Second Original Product from Cortex Brand, an Offshoot of the Cortex Podcast

Rarely does a paper product - much less something like a desk pad - generate significant attention in "mainstream" internet and YouTube circles, but with the release of the Sidekick Notepad, Cortex Brand has achieved just that. Not only am I starting to see this product broadly advertised on social media, but it’s also been reviewed in publications such as Inc. While it may not be “the best productivity tool I’ve used yet” (as Inc. somewhat hyperbolically proclaims), Cortex Brand definitely has something with their stationery product line, and they’ve certainly accomplished their stated goal of designing a product capable of standing alone, independent of a podcast audience. Whether that ends up being the case remains to be seen, but the Sidekick Notepad is a great product that fits a niche many stationery manufacturers have largely ignored.

Those unfamiliar with Relay.fm’s Cortex Podcast but interested in discussions of the intersection between digital and analog in work and everyday life should give Cortex a listen. Hosted by Myke Hurley (of The Pen Addict podcast) and CGP Grey (of the eponymous YouTube Channel), I've been a semi-regular listener for years, and previously reviewed their Theme System Journal, which has been helpful to me at various points over the past few years as I've navigated some life changes which required a more structured journaling experience. The Sidekick Notepad is the second product wholly designed by Cortex Brand, which borrows some visual design elements from the Theme System Journal and generally builds on a common theme of offering products designed to assist users is capturing thoughts and ideas in a structured - but not overly structured - format that helps translate raw material into action items.

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I also want to comment on the print quality. The printing on the dot grid and the To-Do list are exceptionally clean and legible.

Layout, Build Quality, and Specific Workflow for Which this Product is Designed

Straddling the line between notebook and notepad, the Sidekick Notepad is a 12 x 7” (roughly A4) covered writing pad that features a dot grid layout with a to-do list column on the right-hand side. The design and build quality is exceptional. Featuring 60 sheets of thick, fountain pen friendly Munken Lynx paper, I've had no issues with fountain pens or rollerballs feathering or bleeding through the pages. The cover is constructed from a paper called "Extract" made from recycled coffee cups, and the entire notepad is hand-assembled by a print shop in London using a combination of modern and traditional techniques. I want to call out three specific points that I believe makes the Sidekick Notepad a well-made stationery product:

• The Munken Paper Doesn't Curl. Those of you who regularly use desk and legal pads know what I'm talking about. Over time, resting your arms on the pad and/or carrying them in a briefcase can cause the paper to curl at the edges, resulting in a beat-up look that detracts from an otherwise clean, professional design. That's not a factor with the Sidekick, helped by not only paper quality but the fold-down cover.

• The Perforations Tear Easily and Cleanly. This one's self-explanatory, but it's a big deal to me. I dislike desk pads and legal pads with messy perforations that leave bits of torn paper stuck to the top of the binding.

• The Cover Looks Professional and Is Sturdy Enough to Travel. I love the Baron Fig Mastermind, but my major complaint is that it's hard to transport the pad in a briefcase between locations without the paper getting torn to shreds and bent. There’s also a flimsy backing board so the entire pad tends to curl over time. The Sidekick Notepad solves this problem by adding a durable cover that folds back underneath the pad when in use, as well as a sturdy backing board that keeps the pad flat and should hold up to a significant amount of daily use. This sort of durable construction is a major value-add for me, and what may keep me using this product going forward.

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Check out the perforations! I also like the subtle branding.

How is this product intended to be used? Based on both the layout and the explanation given on several different episodes of Cortex, the natural use case is as a GTD-style capture device. The Sidekick Notepad sits beneath your keyboard (or in front of you at a meeting), and as you jot notes you further refine them into to-dos and action items that you can then incorporate into your bullet journal or digital to-do manager. It's a clean, straightforward workflow. While you can also use the Sidekick for standard notetaking or writing, you'll probably want to seek out something slightly more cost-effective, as I'll discuss below.

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A huge part of the Sidekick’s allure is its aesthetic, as well as the functionality. Not only does the cover protect your notepad and add a layer of privacy if you want to cover your writing during meetings or when you step away from your desk (a big plus for me), it just looks better as it’s used compared to other pads that can start to seem tattered after they’ve been used for a while.

Price: At $35 (Before Shipping), the Sidekick Notepad May Be Prohibitively Expensive for Some

A large section of this review has to be devoted to the price point at which Cortex Brand sells this product, because the main drawback is expense. The Sidekick Notepad costs $35 for one notebook, with shipping for a single notebook costing an additional $10-15. Cortex Brand uses Cotton Bureau for fulfillment, which results in a somewhat incongruous situation where a product made in the U.K. is shipped to the U.S. for fulfillment, and U.K./European customers bear the brunt of international shipping on a U.K.-made product. I will note that, at least for U.S. consumers, purchasing this product in bulk evens out the shipping. Ten notebooks currently results in a shipping charge of $16.74 (more than reasonable), which brings the per-unit price (shipped) to roughly $36.60 - expensive, but hardly unprecedented given the prices enthusiasts pay for Japanese brands such as Life Stationery. The larger question is whether NON-stationery nerds (i.e., just regular nerds and professionals) who aren’t already Cortex fans will pay this much for a disposable writing pad that’s NOT intended to be retained long-term, and whether the reason for the price point is adequately communicated outside the Cortex Podcast audience.

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The specifications on the notebook are high quality, and it shows once you have the product in hand.

In addition to discussing the demanding product specifications and lengthy design/prototyping process, on the podcast Myke and Grey talk about how they are trying to create a company targeting consumers beyond those who already listen to the Cortex Podcast. While they have absolutely nailed the design and build quality, the primary roadblock to the Sidekick Notepad achieving true "mainstream" success outside the Cortex listenership is that you have to listen to the podcast to fully appreciate what they were trying to accomplish. You can’t really evaluate the Sidekick as “just a notepad,” but rather as a tool that’s intended to be used in a specific way.

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I’ve had no issues using fountain pens on either the Sidekick Notepad or in the Theme System Journal. I love this paper and would like to see it used more.

Personally, prior to listening to two different Cortex episodes discussing the Sidekick Notepad, I had passed on purchasing and reviewing this product. A long-time friend and reader asked me to reconsider, and was kind enough to send me one of the multiple Sidekicks she had purchased. The fact that someone was enthusiastic enough about the item to not only buy multiples but to donate one so that it could be reviewed was the first factor that caused me to reconsider my position here. My perspective further changed after I was actually able to hear the story and philosophy behind the product, and understand that it would supplement, not replace, certain items already in my workflow.

The backing board is substantial and durable, something that’s not as common as you might think but adds a lot of value to the quality of the experience.

Takeaways and Where to Buy, Along with A few less costly Alternatives

As noted, you can purchase the Sidekick Notepad via Cotton Bureau for $35. I enjoy this product and will probably pick up a few more, especially since at some point I will be placing a reorder for the Theme System Journal, and one of the Cortex Brand Mark One pens. It of course helps that the Sidekick's layout fits nicely with how I already take notes at my computer, and my own work situation (moving between setups at home and in a physical office). At $35 per unit, the Sidekick will be price prohibitive for certain consumers - especially those who don't want/need the note + action item layout - but understanding the product's intended audience and use-case, a market for a high-end notepad like this one definitely exists.

Slimmer than most, the Sidekick Notepad will fit beneath a keyboard and will be versatile enough to use in most locations. Shown here atop a standard A4 Midori MD Writing Pad.

Who is this product NOT for? Those who burn through 5+ sheets of paper on a daily basis, or who only use desk pads for taking lots of notes and drafting documents. If you're someone who prefers (or is required) to retain notes long-term, you might consider a spiral bound landscape notebook like those sold by Write Notepads or Maruman Mnemosyne, both of which contain fountain pen friendly paper and are generally less expensive. Those looking for a more straightforward tear-off writing pad without the special formatting can get a similar experience from the Baron Fig Mastermind, or a Midori MD or MD Cotton writing pad, again at a lower per-unit price. It goes without saying that none of these products are "cheap" by any stretch - if you appreciate quality paper, you'll need to pay for it, as these days good stationery is simply not made in the quantities necessary to keep prices at a commodity level.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This product was donated by a reader for review and was not funded or sponsored by Cortex Brand. This post does not contain links to affiliates or third-party advertisers.