For your Friday night enjoyment, a new episode of “Currently Inked” is live over on the YouTube Channel, where we take a hands-on look at our Hinze Pen Collaboration and “Summer Sangria” Ink! Happy Weekend!
Thursday Drops: Pre-Pen Show Details and Mid-Year Restocking on Midori, TWSBI, and More!
In addition to the new arrivals from earlier this week and the launch of our T.G.S. x Hinze Pen Collaboration, we’ve begun the process of stocking up on inventory for the upcoming D.C. Pen Show and the San Francisco Pen Show! We plan to have our own table in San Francisco, and will be behind the table with our friends at Vanness Pens with a small selection of T.G.S.-exclusive goods in D.C. If any Hinze Pens remain, I will bring them to both shows, but please note that we are over halfway sold through this initial run so I don’t expect there to be a large selection left at that point.
Also in preparation for the D.C. and San Francisco Pen Shows (i.e., to “free up funds” :)), I’ve reactivated the “Gently Used” page with some notebooks and assorted stationery I found as I’ve been sorting through my own personal accumulation. Some are sealed, some are opened, but the notebooks are all unused. There are some less common Baron Fig notebooks and other assorted items that I’m just not going to get around to using. Everything can be combined with general purchases from the shop!
T.G.S. x Hinze Pens Special Edition Fountain Pen + “Summer Sangria” Ink. We’ve collaborated with our friends at Hinze Pens to create this special release version of their “Elementar” fountain pen, complete with a black nano-ceramic nib and a limited edition red fountain pen ink that will only be sold with this initial run of pens.
Stalogy Notebooks (including 2022 and 2023 Special Colors). We now have a large selection of 356-Day and 1/2 year Stalogy notebooks in the shop, in all colors including whatever we could get of the special edition covers in colors like “Fog” and “Forest.”
Stalogy Calendar Stickers. Similar to the undated Midori MD Diary Stickers but with a bit more structure, these removable calendar stickers can help you turn your Stalogy notebook (or any notebook of your choice, actually), into a more structured planner.
Anterique Stationers Ballpoints and Mechanical Pencils. I plan on bringing these excellent ballpoints and mechanical pencils to both shows, and will have them for sale across the full color spectrum! Honestly, I can’t wait to see the reaction to these pens in person. Most people wonder how you can improve upon the basic “click pen” mechanism, and then they feel these.
Midori MD Dip Pens. If you’re seriously into fountain pen inks, you should have at least one dip pen that allows you to sample and compare inks without having to repeatedly ink and clean multiple fountain pens.
Laban Greek Mythology Inks. We’re fully restocked on what’s probably my favorite current ink line, now including the insanely popular Aphrodite Pink (which isn’t really pink?) that nobody can keep in stock.
Midori MD A4 Notebooks. It’s a toss-up between the Midori MD A4 notebooks and the standard A5 for our most popular everyday notebook! Note that both the A4 and the F3 Midori MD Cotton Notebook (the largest one) both fit the Midori A4 Notebook Covers.
Midori MD Light Slim Notebooks (All Sizes). For those looking for a slimmer notebook that can fit different cover systems such as those from Roterfaden or Lochby, in addition to the Midori MD covers, check out the MD Light series. All sizes are available, including A4 with rulings!
Midori MD Light 70th Anniversary Set. We still have stock of the 70th Anniversary MD Light Notebook Sets, which contain 7 different A5 notebooks, each with a different color thread binding and matching grid ruling.
Lochby Venture Pouch. While I’ll also be bringing the rest of the Lochby system to both shows in various quantities, one of the top sellers at pen shows is easily the reversible “Venture Pouch”: a traditional pen pouch on the top, and a zippered pen/gear case when you flip it over. Because the Lochby Gear can be a bit difficult to visualize without seeing it in person, I’ve also started the process of uploading demonstration videos I’ve done to the YouTube Channel, and will be filming more in the future.
We always love to hear from readers! Come see us in D.C. and San Francisco!
Pen Review: Newton Pens Hale Fountain Pen
When it comes to custom penmakers - especially those who display at pen shows - Shawn Newton is one of the originals. We've both been involved in the pen hobby/business for around the same amount of time (going on 13+ years?!?) and I've enjoyed watching Newton Pens grow and Shawn's lineup of pen models expand! To read more on the story behind Newton Pens, you can check out their website, as well as my earlier review of the custom Newton Shinobi I commissioned many years ago.
What makes the Hale unique is that the cap threads on to the very tip of the section and sits flush, compared to a typical fountain pen where the section sits inside the cap. See the comparison photos with the Newton Orville, below.
The pen I'm reviewing today is the Newton "Hale", a cylindrical-bodied pen with a short cap that first caught my eye at the 2021 Chicago Pen Show. This year, Shawn kindly let me take one home from Arkansas for review. It may not go back. I discovered that I actually enjoy this style of pen ("Short-cap pens"?) and it's possibly opened up a new category of products for me to try.
This “short-cap” style is a recent trend in penmaking, with many penmakers introducing variations on pens where, as here, the cap attaches to the end of the grip section, and, sometimes, where the pen features no traditional grip section at all and you hold the pen by the barrel. (Check out these pens from Tesori/HelloTello Studio, Mayfair, and Franklin-Christoph as additional examples.) The Hale does have separate grip area, though it's nontraditional in that it features a slightly tapered hourglass section that ends up flush with the rest of the pen and cap.
The Hale isn't just visually interesting - I find it insanely comfortable to write with. Initially, I had my doubts about this particular shape, but it didn't take long for those concerns to disappear, at least with the Hale. This slightly contoured grip area works for me, and the pen is well-balanced. For purposes of this review, I chose a "Concord"-style nib unit ground by Mark Bacas, which has a VERY fine tip akin to a Pilot PO ("Posting") nib. This style of pen, with a wider grip, offers a lot of control over your handwriting - or at least it feels that way to me - particularly important when you are writing with such a fine point.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
Count me a fan of the Newton Hale! Shawn's designs are well thought-out and well-executed, and this pen is no exception. The particular material used in the pen shown here is the same used in pens like the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande "Girasole/Sunflower", and one of my personal favorites. While I didn't use a Newton Pens nib for this review, it's worth mentioning that Shawn tunes all of his nibs before the pens ship, and they generally write very well.
From Left: Newton Pens Hale, Newton Pens Orville, and Newton Pens Shinobi.
The Hale starts at $170, featuring a stainless steel JoWo No. 6 nib unit. Shawn typically has inventory available for purchase on his website and at shows. While you can also commission fully custom pens, Shawn's a busy man and has quite the wait list, last time I checked! Personally, I enjoy shopping his show stock. Between shows he keeps busy making pens, and part of the fun for me is selecting from the various options he's chosen to make for himself. Come visit Shaw Newton and Newton Pens to see the Hale for yourself at the upcoming D.C. Pen Show, which will be held from August 3-6, 2023!
The pen featured in this review was loaned to me by Newton Pens for review purposes, and I was not compensated for this post. 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 support the site, please consider visiting our store and checking out our offerings, including our recent product collaborations!
New Arrivals: Midori MD Dip Pens, Stalogy Notebooks, and Laban Aphrodite Pink!
At customer request, we’ve also started adding some dip pens to the shop. The first to arrive are the Midori MD dip pens, featuring the same super smooth nib as on the Midori MD fountain pen. I’ve been using this pen to swatch inks, and am very much enjoying the hexagonal holder, which is apparently made from a blend of paper and plastic and has a unique tactile feel. The nib on this dip pen has a medium point, and it’s intended for standard writing/ink testing as opposed to calligraphy.
Stalogy Notebooks are also back in the shop, including the 2022 and 2023 limited edition covers in both 1/2-year and 365-day formats. Colors include, from left, Cream, Forest, Salvia, and Fog.
Finally, yesterday’s pleasant surprise was the arrival of a full box of Laban’s Aphrodite Pink ink, the perpetually backordered favorite color from this ink series! We now have a full restock of all colors of the Laban Greek Mythology Inks, available to ship immediately.
Is it a pink? Is it a red? Is it a “Brown Pink?” However you describe it, I absolutely love this color and it’s long been a go-to when I want to write with something interesting.
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including the brands sold here.
TWSBI Orange-Yellow “Rainbow”!
Sunday Reading for July 9, 2023
Nib Comparison: Lamy 14k Extra Fine & Lamy 14k Perspective Grind (Custom Nib Studio) (via Line Variation). This article checks all my boxes: an homage to Lamy’s 14k gold nibs AND a comparison between the Naginata-style “Perspective” grind and an architect.
21 Pen Questions: 21 Pen Answers (via A Fleeting Ripple). I love how widely this “challenge” has spread!
Make All the Notebook Pages Perforated? (via Stationery Pizza). YES.
On Tomoe River Paper Planers, Bullet Journaling, and Aesthetic Dissonance (via Analog Office). I’ve also long been a fan of the “early” version of bullet journaling, and have actually used what turned out to be a modified version of the system long before it became the juggernaut that it is today. Also, the Tomoe River planners featured in this article look interesting.
Ghosts of Planners Past: Bullet Journaling (via Writing at Large). A pretty accurate run-down of the current state of Bullet Journaling and how it can be used. I think part of the beauty of the system is that it can be as simple or involved as you want - if you find adorning/decorating your planner is relaxing and meditative, go for it! If you want simple, straightforward lists to track tasks and plan effectively, that’s there as well.
TWSBI ECO-T Saffron (via Scrively). A video review of the TWSBI ECO-T, which is the standard ECO with a subtly triangular grip section - like the Lamy Safari, but without sharp-ish edges.
In Praise of Bookmaking (via From the Pen Cup). I’ve always been fascinated with bookbinding, and have been following Johnny’s adventures over at Pencil Revolution Press. (In fact, like Mary, I just bought two.)
Ranga Premium Ebonite Abhimanyu Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). If you’re going to the San Francisco Pen Show, be sure to check out the selection of Ranga Pens at the Peyton Street Pens table. They got me (twice) last year.
Endless Explorer Refillable Cactus Leather Journal (via Well-Appointed Desk). While their experimental designs tend to draw strong opinions, I love the experimentation, especially with this non-leather material.
Delfonics Rollbahn Horizontal Spiral Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). Chalk up another win for team “landscape notebook”?
In Case You Missed It…
This week on the blog, it was all about me! (I only say that halfway tongue-in-cheek.) No, seriously, I answered the #21penquestions challenge, and then published a follow-up in which I answered #5morepenquestions that I found myself wanting to talk about while completing the original post.
This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - TGS x Hinze Is Available!
The big news this week was the general launch of our fountain pen collaboration with Hinze Pens and Starry Night Resins! We still have pens available in all nib sizes, as well as bundles where you can pair your pen and limited edition ink with a T.G.S.-exclusive Penwell in “Aged Red”. (Note: We still have one pen available with a Crimson 1.1mm stub nib!) This week, the TWSBI ECO “Heat” launched, alongside a general TWSBI restock that topped off most models and nib sizes, so we should have nearly everything in the lineup available!
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! [Note: we currently have gently used / open box samples available for purchase in the Patreon Shop, including some older limited edition Baron Fig items and notebooks, so now may be a good time to join!]