Pen Problems: Do You Feel Compelled to Match Pens and Inks?

July 15, 2023

So despite my best efforts to limit the number of pens that I keep inked at any given time, this (see above) happened. Again. Honestly, it’s kind of unavoidable given the nature of what I do. I’ve come to accept that things will get out of hand, and that periodic “resets” are required. The good news is that many of these pens are almost written dry, and I’ve already rinsed and cycled out three or so this morning.

My Mid-Year “Currently Inked” list. This needs to get cut in half quickly.

Which brings me to an interesting question (to me, at least), that I considered as I wrote out this mid-year “Currently Inked” list: Do most people try to match their pens with specific ink colors, or even specific inks? I’ve definitely noticed certain patterns to how I tend to ink pens:

Black pens or clear demonstrators (but not color demonstrators) are typically “inkable” with any color.
Any delicate vintage pen or pen with stainable material such as celluloid tends to get inked with a blue, black, or blue-black ink.
Brightly colored pens are almost always matched with the same color ink. For example, in the picture above, my Sailor Pro Gear Kure Azure is inked with Caran d’Ache Hypnotic Turquoise - an almost perfect dead-on pairing. Similarly, purple pens are almost always matched with purple inks. (The TWSBI Diamond Mini in Grape gets Waterman Tender Purple. I say “almost” because my Jason Neil Penworks Tucker, which has purple accents, is currently inked with Laban Hera Green, and for some reason this pairing really seems to work.)
The closest I have to a “dedicated ink” for a specific pen is Pilot Blue-Black for all of my Pilot Vanishing Points and Decimos, and either Iroshizuku Shin-Kai or Tsuki-Yo for my Lamy 2000 100th Anniversary Bauhaus Blue. For whatever reason, these specific inks fit the “workhorse” nature of the pens, and I rarely deviate.

Do you have “rules” for inking pens? Feel free to share them in the comments! And for those curious, here is the full typed list of the pen and ink combinations in my “Currently Inked” list pictured above, if you can’t read my handwriting. :) Where I’ve reviewed the pens or otherwise have a listing/content on the site, I’ve linked to it here. Otherwise you may be able to guess what I’m working on and what might be coming soon!

Montblanc 146 UNICEF Edition, Medium “Perspective” Nib with Laban Hera Green Ink
Lamy 2000 Bauhaus 100th Anniversary fountain pen, EF nib, with Iroshizuku Shin-Kai
TGS x Hinze Pens Elementar Special Edition, EF nib, with “Sangria Red” Ink
TGS x Hinze Pens Prototype, medium nib, with “Sangria Red”
Opus 88 Jazz with medium Platinum 3776 Nib, with Herbin Poussière de Lune
Conid Bulkfiller Kingsize, medium titanium nib, with Nahvalur Dark Forest
TWSBI Diamond Mini in Grape, fine nib, with Waterman Tender Purple
Desiderata Pens Soubriquet in Briar Ebonite, Zebra G dip nib, with Vinta Armada
Vanness Pens x The Good Blue “Titanium Blue” Special Edition, fine titanium flex, with Papier Plume “Iron Lace”
Nakaya Decapod in Kuro Tamenuri, soft medium nib, with Platinum Blue-Black
Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with PO Nib, with Iroshizuku Shin Kai
Platinum Matte Curidas in Matte Blue, medium nib, with a Platinum Mix-Free red mix
Franklin-Christoph Model 66 Stabilis, medium SIG stub, with Iroshizuku Asa-Gao
Sailor 1911 Black Luster, fine nib, with Sailor Souboku Pigmented Blue-Black
Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black, fine nib, with Sailor Souboku Pigmented Blue-Black
Sailor Pro Gear Kure Azure, medium fine nib, with Caran d’Ache Hypnotic Turquoise
Red Dragon Pen Company Custom in Parker Blue Velvet Cellulose Acetate, Franklin-Christoph medium SIG, with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo
Pilot Custom 823 in Amber, Bacas medium blade grind, with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo
Pilot Mustard Vanishing Point (Import), fine special alloy nib, with Pilot Blue-Black
Pilot Custom 74 in Blue Stone, medium nib, with Pilot Blue-Black
Newton Pens Orville in Conway Stewart Turquoise Fleck, medium nib, with Laban Demeter Brown
Jason Neil Penworks Tucker, medium nib, with Laban Hera Green

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

A New Episode of "Currently Inked" Is Live! Hands-on with our Hinze Pen and "Summer Sangria" Ink!

July 14, 2023

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!

July 13, 2023

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.

TGS Pen Show Table — We always love to hear from readers! Come see us in D.C. and San Francisco!

Pen Review: Newton Pens Hale Fountain Pen

July 12, 2023

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.

Newton Hale Fountain Pen Section — 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.

Newton Pens Hale, Orville, and Shinobi — 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!

July 11, 2023

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.