2024 Update to the "Best Pen" List: Top 5 Mechanical Pencils

Or maybe I should now say “Best Pen/Pencil” list? Earlier this month I teased some impending updates in the form of Mechanical and Woodcase pencil categories, and the “Mechanical Pencil” category is now live. I was waiting on an initial shipment of this favorite shown below to arrive before I launched, but overall there shouldn’t be too many surprises on the list! Enjoy!

If you don’t need the automatic lead advancement mechanism of the Kuru Toga Dive, the Pentel Sharp Kerry gives you a capped mechanical pencil option at a more reasonable price point.

Thursday Drops: Traveler's Notebook "Tokyo Edition," Stalogy 2024 Special Editions, TWSBI Pre-orders and More!

A while back I mentioned that April can be like the holiday season for stationery lovers, and this week is no exception. Starting today, the 2024 Limited Edition Traveler’s Company “Tokyo” Notebook Sets and accessories are available for purchase, along with the 2024 Stalogy Special Edition 1/2 Year Notebook in white and new Tomoe River Paper options. These refills will fit most A5 notebook system covers from brands such as Lochby and Roterfaden, making them great options for setting up a new system or expanding your existing setup.

TWSBI Pre-orders are also open for the Caffé Bronze ECO fountain pen. The Indigo Blue + Bronze ECO has been one of the best-selling TWSBI pens of the past couple years - so much that it sold out and TWSBI had to make more. If you’re into the muted color palette like I am, you’ll love this latest coffee-themed release. Links to all these and more below!

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

1. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Edition Traveler’s Notebook Starter Set. This year, Traveler’s Company gives us a black leather Traveler’s Notebook with Tokyo-themed artwork. Each set contains a Standard-sized notebook cover with a Tokyo-themed blank MD Paper refill.

2. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Brass Pencil. I love that Traveler’s Company is releasing additional limited edition writing instruments. This year’s release is one of the Brass Pencils, and you better believe I snagged one of these for myself.

3. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Edition Refills. You can also purchase additional Tokyo-themed limited edition refills, including a second blank MD-paper refill as well as a “Postcard” refill that contains detachable postcards made from heavy Watercolor stock.

4. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Brass Charm Set. A set of two brass charms to add to your Tokyo Traveler’s Notebook, or your existing setup! The “Taiyaki” (fish) charm is designed to slide onto the belly band of your notebook, while the Sakura (cherry blossom) charm attaches to the bookmark.

5. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Sticker Set. This year’s limited edition Tokyo-themed sticker set features some great artwork to adorn your Traveler’s accessories (or your laptop).

6. TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze Edition (Pre-Order). A coffee-themed TWSBI? I’m in. This pen is currently available for pre-order and should start shipping as soon as the pens arrive early next week. Reserve yours now! Additional Indigo Blue + Bronze pens are also available for immediate shipping.

7. Stalogy A5 1/2 Year Notebook, 2024 Special Edition Release in White. This year’s Stalogy limited edition is a bright white A5 1/2-year notebook, featuring Stalogy’s classic grey grid layout with versatile headers that can be used as an undated planner or classic notebook.

8. Tomoe River Paper (Notebooks and Pads). Tomoe River paper is back! While we’ve long had the Lochby A5 refills that feature the 68gsm paper, we now offer 52gsm Tomoe River Paper in the Sanzen formulation, in both cream-colored writing pads and A5 notebooks in dot, graph, and plain rulings.

9. Uni Mitsubishi Jetstream “Bamboo” 4&1 Multi Pens. One of my personal favorite multi pens, the Jetstream “4&1” multi pen contains four excellent Uni Jetstream low viscosity ballpoint refills (black, blue, red, and green), as well as a .5mm “Sharp” mechanical pencil.

10. Tom’s Studio “Studio Pocket” and “Studio” Fountain Pens. While the Architect nibs have sold out (both on my site and elsewhere), we still have the standard fountain pens as well as the “Pro Flex” and “Italic” nibs in limited quantities. We plan to restock on the nibs as soon as possible.

Pen Review: Tom's Studio "The Studio Pocket" Fountain Pen (and Architect Nib!)

So why did I choose to review this relatively new, niche product during the T.G.S. 10th Anniversary month? Because it provides a great example of just how much the community has changed in the past decade-plus, both from an enthusiast and retail perspective.

In the early 2010s, when I first rediscovered fountain pens and stationery as a serious interest, the range of available products was still limited to your traditional "legacy" brands (Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Montblanc, Aurora, Omas, etc.). Sure, there were a lot of great pens available - including many I wish I had purchased at original retail and currently covet a great deal - but the market lacked many of the offbeat, original designs from smaller makers at a lower price point. There certainly weren't many "pocket" fountain pens available, as that product category didn't take off until Kaweco expanded the Sport lineup and began introducing other popular designs such as the Liliput.

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Today, smaller brands from independent makers and/or designers proliferate, such as Tom's Studio, which started out as a very small calligraphy-focused maker but which has gradually expanded into fountain pens, refillable fineliners, fountain pen inks, and even a recently released mechanical pencil. I reviewed the "Lumos" fineliner pens a week or so back, and in the meantime have been looking at two different fountain pens: the "Studio" and "Studio Pocket".

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The most interesting design aspect of the Studio Pocket fountain pen is that there are no threads on the cap or barrel. The cap closes using two o-rings embedded into grooves in the barrel section, and this is also how the pen posts. (While o-rings are made of rubber and won't last forever, this type of generic black o-ring is easily replaceable.) Thus far, I've had no issues with the cap staying on the pen or the pen posting securely. I love that there are no threads to interfere with the grip.

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Second, when you post the Studio Pocket, it extends to a much larger writing instrument that you typically see with pocket fountain pens. Made from machined aluminum, the faceted cap adds length without adding much weight at all. The pen rests comfortably in my hand and feels well-balanced. Sometimes manufacturers go for designs that are visually interesting but don't really end up working in the "real world" - i.e., when you actually want to write with the pen. This isn't such a situation. Per their own website, Tom's Studio pays careful attention to things like balance and ergonomics. It's not just lip service.

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So far my experience writing with the Tom's Studio "Studio Pocket" has been largely positive. In addition to the o-ring posting mechanism, a hallmark of the pen is the long textured section, which is intended to make the Studio Pocket usable regardless of how you hold your pen. The texture comes from machined micro-grooves, which are increasingly common in the machined pen world as a way to minimize the slippage that will inevitably occur with an untextured metal grip.

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But What About That Architect Nib:)

Yes, the Architect nib. In recent months, Tom's Studio has received much attention for their interchangeable nib units, which now includes a "Pro Flex" (Zebra G Calligraphy setup), a "Semi-Flex" (your typical stainless steel nib with a longer slit down the midde), a "Cursive Italic" (which I've found to be more of a traditional italic, but that's a matter of preference), and the Architect. So far, the Pro-flex and Architect Nibs are the best of the bunch. This is an amazingly smooth, broad architect-style nib, which at $19 offers incredible value, especially to those who have never tried an architect nib and have been hesitant to send a prized pen off to a nibgrinder simply to experiment. For those new to fountain pens, an architect nib is ground to a wedge-like shape, with narrower downstrokes and broader cross strokes. (You often hear it described as a "reverse stub.") Please note that Tom’s Studio nibs are only compatible with Tom’s Studio pens. These are specially made to fit the Studio and Studio Pocket, and while you may be able to swap them into different housings, I have not experimented with this and it’s not an advertised feature.

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I've found broader architect nibs to be more forgiving of writing angles, making this a better option for a stock nib than a finer grind as it should work for more people.

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You can read more about why I enjoy architect-style nibs (as well as other nib grinds) in this post. Over the years, the architect has become a favorite custom grind of mine, and it seems crazy that you can now get a stock architect that’s this good at this price point. The narrow downstrokes are compatible with my smaller handwriting, and I love the angular look it lends to my notes. The writing sample shown here is with the stock Tom’s Studio black ink cartridge on Clairefontaine paper.

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The Studio Pocket is a pocket fountain pen, and marketed as cartridge-only. Each pen ships with a converter/syringe device that you can use to refill your spent cartridges with the ink of your choice.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I've been thoroughly enjoying the Studio Pocket, which I opted for in the dark purple "Iris" color. I immediately swapped out the stock fine nib and have been using the Architect's nib nearly exclusively, and I'm fairly confident it will remain installed in this pen indefinitely. The more I use this pen, the more I appreciate the faceted design. It's both a roll-stop and a satisfying fidget toy to roll around in your hand!

The Studio Pocket comes in seven different colors. From left: Black, Sage, Ivy, Wisteria, Iris, Mulberry, and Blush.

We've recently launched Tom's Studio as a brand in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and it's been a popular addition. The Lumos fineliners sold out nearly immediately, and we plan to restock them as soon as possible. On the fountain pen side, we have both the original "Studio" fountain pen and the "Studio Pocket" shown here. We currently offer the Studio Pocket in either a fine or medium nib, priced at $108. Specialty nibs are sold separately, though with our next order we may consider stocking the fountain pens with the specialty nibs installed. (That's a bit of an investment, so it totally depends on the overall level of interest.) I do think that $108 +$19 for a pocket fountain pen with two nibs, one of which is a pre-ground architect, represents a decent deal, especially if you're experimenting for the first time with an architect nib and don't want to lay out $50+ for a custom grind.

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

TGS Anniversary Promotion: Bonus Stickers and a Giveaway!

T.G.S. is 10 years old this month! To celebrate our “bloggiversary,” (or “webbiversary,” or whatever you want to call it), we’re going to be giving some some stuff away and running a TGS Swag/Sticker promotion in the shop. Through the end of the month, all T.G.S. Curated Shop orders that qualify for free shipping are going to receive one of our large 3” holographic water-bottle stickers, while supplies last. If we run out of stickers, we’ll substitute a couple coasters, an acrylic pin, or something similar. As a reminder, all orders over $75 qualify for free shipping in the T.G.S. Shop, and no coupon code is necessary as we’ll just add the items to your package when we ship. There’s plenty to check out in the shop, as we’ve recently received a fresh shipment of Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters, new releases from Lamy and Kaweco, as well as some offbeat multi pen and gel pen items from Uni!

Don’t Miss Our Giveaway Courtesy of Scriveiner!

UK-based Scriveiner fountain pens recently sent me a box full of fountain pens and rollerballs, some of which I am retaining for review purposes, but others that I’m going to be giving away two fountain pens as part of our 10th Anniversary festivities! All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this blog post or like the Instagram post that will go up today. For the comment, share your favorite T.G.S. review or a favorite pen that you learned about through T.G.S.! It’s always fun to hear what content people have found helpful. Winners will be drawn by assigning a number to all comments and likes and choosing winners via a random number generator. This is open to all but international winners may be asked to pay shipping.

As always, thanks for reading!

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

Sunday Reading for April 21, 2024

1. 2024 Atlanta Pen Show Highlights (via Olive Octopus). Sounds like Lisa had a great Atlanta Pen Show! I was sorry to miss this show, especially given all the different makers who were there.

2. What Am I Talking About When I Talk About Paper? (via The Poor Penman). For fountain pen and paper newbies, some of the terms thrown around can be baffling. Posts like this one are incredibly helpful!

3. Best Kaweco Ever? The Kaweco Art Sport (via Figboot on Pens). While there are seemingly endless versions of the Kaweco Sport out there, this year’s Art Sport might be my favorite, at least aesthetically. Kaweco crushed it with the four resins chosen for this year’s release.

4. The Sadness of Finishing a Notebook (via A Gathering of Curiosities). A great essay on completing projects and appreciating your experience with things for what they are, which also goes for products with a finite lifespan like notebooks.

5. Pursuing Perfect Planners (via Line Variation). Yet another vote in favor of multi pens for planner purposes!

6. Paper System Changes (via Rachel’s Reflections). Do you use a notebook-based or binder-based paper system? I’m also moving more and more towards binder-based, but it can be challenging if you don’t have a clear strategy for organizing and archiving.

7. Budget Watercolor Sets for Art Journaling and Urban Sketching (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Many people use their notebooks and journaling for art, including watercolors, and often ask for recommendations on inexpensive or starter watercolor sets. Here’s a great resource!

8. Journalize Mirror of the Sky (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Ok, just when you thought the ink companies couldn’t get more creative with their packaging or ink properties….

9. You Can Only Keep One: The Pen Edition (via Well-Appointed Desk). I havent’ decided whether I’m going to “play” this hashtag or not….

10. M1000 Renaissance Brown Special Edition (via Pelikan’s Perch). There are a few Pelikans that I regret not picking up over the years, including the M800 in the “Renaissance Brown” finish. I don’t have a M1000 - is this the year I finally take one home?

I came away from my review of the Lamy AL-Star rollerball pleasantly surprised!

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I reviewed some of the new releases that hit the shop this past month, including the Lamy AL-Star pens (and pencil) in the 2024 “Fiery” and “Aquatic” finishes, and the one I’m most excited about, yesterday’s first impressions of the Kaweco Sport Piston Filler. Don’t forget to keep checking the YouTube Channel as I plan to introduce more video-content in the coming weeks.

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

The big news this week was the arrival of a fresh shipment of Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters in A4 and A5 sizes. The A4 size has been a surprise hit, as so many people love a larger-format notebook yet it tends to be neglected by mainstream manufacturers. Fortunately, Roterfaden steps in and makes a wide array of these hybrid notebook covers/portfolios that form a core part of my personal rotation.

We’re also very excited to introduce some limited versions of the Jetstream 4&1 Multi Pen, which is an all-time favorite everyday utility writer. These pens ship with four different refills (black, blue, red, and green) plus a .5mm mechanical pencil! We’re also working on adding some higher-end gel pen offerings, with the Uniball One currently in the shop, again in some special finishes that include muted pastels and “Earth texture”.

Roterfaden

Uni Mitsubishi

Kaweco

Tom's Studio

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