Sunday Reading for May 19, 2024

May 19, 2024

Kaweco Sport Piston (via Figboot on Pens). David gives his thoughts on Kaweco’s latest Sport release, with a very comprehensive video walkthrough of the Sport Piston Filler.
Do Less, Swatch More, Use More, Repeat (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Do you swatch all your inks? If so, how do you use the swatches? Do you refer to them often?
BIGiDESIGN USA Fountain EDC Review (via Writing at Large). Seems like I missed this release. Has the Ultem craze passed us by, as I don’t recall this one getting much in the way of announcements? I’m sure this particular pen - launched via Kickstarter - will receive some additional tweaking and iterations, as with most BIGiDESIGN products.
Meet and Greet with the Visconti Opera Gold (via Line Variation). Visconti is one of those brands that has never really captivated me in the same way as others, but certain of their models have a consistent following, including the Opera and the Homo Sapiens. The Opera is one of Visconti’s larger pens.
Sharing a Custom Silver Nib (via SBRE Brown). Why has silver not caught on as a nibmaking material (other than cost)? I’d be curious.
Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Fountain Pen Review. Fewer things are more fun to play around with than a Pilot Parallel. From calligraphy to nib modifications, they’re an inexpensive way to explore different ways to enhance your handwriting.
Pelikan P10 Twist - A Quick Look (via The Poor Penman). I wish Pelikan would start re-issuing some of their lower-priced entries from years past. This particular pen is apparently available as “new old stock” from certain retailers.
Alwych Notebooks Discontinued (via Notebook Stories). I hope not! While I’ve never used these personally, I’ve always admired the aesthetic and the concept.
Randomizing Pen and Ink Choices (via Pen Addict). I might try this once but I’m way too much of a control freak to have this become “the way”.
Sailor Manyo, Anniversary Set (via Well-Appointed Desk). The Sailor Manyo line is expanding yet again! I have a few Manyo inks but have had trouble keeping up with all of the Sailor releases.

Six Blackwing Pencils from the Chicago Pen Show — Six Blackwing Pencils picked up at the Chicago Pen Show! (Yes, I’m both a dealer and a “collector”, though these will get used.)

In Case You Missed It… (And Don’t Miss the Giveaway!)

This week on the blog I swatched and offered my thoughts on the entire line of Tom’s Studio Inks. We’re also giving away two bottles, so be sure to read all the way to the end of the post for details on the giveaway, which closes at 11:59pm CT tonight. I also published the last installment of the 2024 “Best Pens” update, which was a list of - well - woodcase pencils. These updates are likely done for the year, so enjoy!

For those of you who aren’t aware, I’ve been posting additional video content over on the T.G.S. YouTube Channel! This week I looked at two of my favorite multi pens: the Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint and Uni Jetstream 4&1 in Mimosa Yellow.

Favorite Multi Pens Uni Jetstream 4&1 Collection, shown on Toyooka Craft Pen Tray

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

In addition to the launch of the Raymay Patalino collection of pen cases, we restocked on most Tom’s Studio products, including the Lumos refillable fineliners in most sizes (including the new Lumos Mini), the pre-ground Architect nibs, and of course the entire line of bottled ink. We also have the latest TWSBI release, the ECO Caffé Bronze, Diamond 580ALR Matte Black pens, and the latest Blackwing Volumes Release: the Jerry Garcia pencils in the soft graphite.

We’ve expanded the shop fairly quickly over the first half of the year, and there have been many new arrivals and releases in March and April alone. We still have remaining stock of many of them, so please do check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for a summary of what’s left!

Pilot Pens

Blackwing

Roterfaden

Tom's Studio

What’s Up with TGS Patreon? What a subscription will get you

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which also includes access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

Pen Show Pens from First Half of 2024, shown on my desk — This month’s Patreon update included a few words on some of my pen show acquisitions so far this year!

Best pencils cover image recommendations on desk

Closing It Out: The 2024 "Best" List Is Complete! Now With Woodcase Pencils

May 18, 2024

As part of my “10 Years” of TGS retrospective, I wanted to overhaul and fill out what I’ve called the “Best Pens” list, though by adding mechanical pencils and woodcase pencils to our comprehensive list of recommendations I probably should try to name it something else. (Another project for another day!) As of this morning, the list now features a series of woodcase pencil recommendations. These aren’t necessarily lists of “my favorite” pencils, but rather the pencils I’m comfortable recommending to those looking for an everyday user, or for those looking to try out quality pencils for the first time. You can check out the full list here, but the pencils that ended up in the pencil section include:

The Tombow 2558, which I consider the best all-around “yellow/orange No. 2 office pencil,” with an outstanding eraser.
The Caran d’Ache “Edelweiss” series, which comes in either HB or 3B hardnesses and costs less than $1.
The Musgrave Tennessee Red or Tennessee Round, which is the only pencil I’m aware of currently made from Eastern Red Cedar, and certainly the most “aromatic” of the group.
The Blackwing 602 or Blackwing Natural, which feature the “firm” and “extra firm” graphite formulations that probably work best for most people.
The Uni Hi-Uni 2B, which I consider the premiere Japanese graphite pencil in terms of wood, graphite core, and lacquer finish. If you’re a fan of lacquer-capped (no eraser) pencils, it doesn’t get much better than this.

For an interesting comparison, see this “Top 5 Pencils for Everyday Writing” list I did back in 2016. There’s still some overlap, but a few of the pencils on this original list are either no longer widely available or have experienced a manufacturing change.

A note on Recommendation lists and how they relate to the T.G.S. Shop

For each entry on the list, I typically link to a review that I’ve done of the product, and then provide a link where the product can be purchased. For many of the pens and pencils that appear on the list, that link is now to our own store. I do want to clarify: This list predates the shop by many years (you can see link to prior versions at the bottom of each rendition), and has provided the blueprint for how we’ve built out our shop, not the other way around. Back in 2020, I set out to create a curated retail experience as an alternative to the referral link and ad-supported revenue model that was prevalent at the time. My goal has always been to sell directly only those things that I’d recommend myself, so some overlap is inevitable. For those items that we don’t sell, our primary retail partner is Vanness Pens, or I’ve linked directly to the specific maker.

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

New 2024 Additions and Arrivals — So many new arrivals! (And no, my new Waterman Exception is not for sale.)

Thursday Drops: All the New Pens and Inks So Far, Plus Pen Storage! (And Maybe a Giveaway?)

May 16, 2024

2024 has been a whirlwind of a year. So much has happened in the past five months, including four pen shows, countless new releases, and shipping LOTS of orders! To recap a bit, we still have some remaining stock of 2024 new releases and special editions, and will restock as we can. We’ve also been swimming in a bunch of new arrivals as our shop expands, including everything posted Tuesday (Patalino and Kept cases).

Kaweco Sport Fountain Pens and Ballpoint

Overall, this has been a great year for Lamy and Kaweco releases. I’ve personally enjoyed the new Kaweco pens, particularly the Art Sport, and TWSBI has been regularly releasing excellent new color/trim combinations to the point that I sort of wish they would slow it down because my own pen cases are getting full!

Finally, don’t miss the giveaway included in yesterday’s post on the line of Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks! You can win a bottle of “Cassis” or “Strawberry Jam” - red of course!

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Fountain Pen. We have some remaining stock of the initial release of the Kaweco Sport piston filler, which ships in a set with a vintage-style bottle of blue ink. Check out my YouTube video in which I walk through this fun new addition to the Kaweco lineup!
Kaweco Collection Apricot Pearl Sport Fountain Pen. This year’s Kaweco Collection features a translucent AND pearlescent orange acrylic. It’s a beautiful pen and a great addition to the “Collection” Sports.
Kaweco Art Sport Fountain Pens. I want to see Kaweco do more with the Art Sport line. The “Terrazzo” finish has been inked up and in my pen case pretty much non-stop since these arrived late last year.
Blackwing Volumes 710 “Jerry Garcia” Edition. These colorful matte-finish pencils feature Blackwing’s softest core, which is coincidentally my favorite.
Traveler’s Company “Tokyo” Limited Edition Pencil. We have a handful of this year’s limited edition Traveler’s Company Pencil, though the notebooks and refills remain sold out and subject to re-order.
Lamy Safari “Pink Cliff” and “Violet Blackberry” Special Editions. These are two of my favorite Safari releases in a long time. It’s been difficult to choose a favorite between the two, but Pink Cliff is the one that’s stayed inked up. We also have both limited edition matching inks available.
Lamy AL-Star “Fiery” and “Aquatic” Special Editions. These turned out to be some pretty stunning finishes. The AL-Star lends itself to nice blues and reds, given the brushed metal construction. We also acquired a shipment of prior years’ editions as well.
TWSBI Special Editions, Including the Caffé Bronze ECO. TWSBI has been on a tear this year, and we have stock of nearly all recently released special editions that include the ECO Caffé Bronze (with bronze-toned trim!), the ECO “Dark Sapphire”, the ECO Creme and Rose Gold, and some remaining stock of the Kai Piston Filler.
Tom’s Studio Pens. We have all sizes of the Lumos Fineliners back in stock, some remaining colors of the Studio and Studio Pocket, and a fresh restock of the pre-ground fountain pen nibs, including the Architect!
Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Inks (Also Suitable for Lumos Pens). We now carry the full line of Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks (currently at 19 different colors), per the note above and yesterday’s post that walks through the entire lineup!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized reseller of the brands featured here.

Tom's Studio Ink Swatches — We’re giving away two of the colors pictured here! Check out yesterday’s blog post and our Instagram account for details!

Testing an Entire Ink Line: The Tom's Studio Bottled Fountain Pen Inks

May 15, 2024

How do you actually test an entire line of ink? Honestly, you really can’t, at least not in a reasonable amount of time. The only way you can truly “get to know” a specific ink, with all its various advantages and disadvantages, is to write with it for an extended period. While it’s certainly fun to try, it’s hard for any reviewer or retailer to do that with every ink from a specific brand, no matter how much writing they actually do. For that reason, I try to avoid making categorical pronouncements about ink brands as a whole, and do my best to write with as many different inks as I can, for as long as I can, and given an informed judgment. When you’ve used hundreds of fountain pen inks over the years, you can get a pretty good sense of how an ink will ultimately behave from your swatch book!

Tom's Studio Ink Swatches Nos. 060, 1-12 — From the Top: Pigmented Black (060); Deep Black (01); Raspberry Sorbet (02); Neptune (03); New Forest (04); Cassis (05); Strawberry Jam (06); Mallard (07); Loch Ness (08); Constellation (09); Dove Grey (10); Iris (11) and Juniper (12). The Pigmented Black ink is water resistant.

I’ve spent the past week or so swatching and testing a new line of nineteen different Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks, and I absolutely love some of these colors. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Tom’s Studio is a UK-based manufacturer of fountain pens, dip pens, inks, mechanical pencils, and other assorted fine writing and calligraphy supplies. I was initially hesitant to order these, since many inks sold by calligraphy-focused companies tend to be thinner and somewhat watery, in order to emphasize shading in flexible nibs. There’s nothing wrong with this, and many people enjoy such inks, but for my use case I tend to favor more saturated inks that emphasize legibility. As it turns out - no such concerns here.

Tom's Studio Ink Swatches, Nos. 13-18 — From Top: Mulberry (13); Marianas (14); Rambling Rose (15); Sunny Teal (16); Damson (17); and Marmalade (18). Some of these inks show a touch of sheen around the edges, but none of them are “sheen monsters” and none of them smear once dry.

I’ve been thrilled to discover that most of the inks in this line are well-saturated, but not so much that they smear or suffer from long dry times. My swatch book is a Midori MD Cotton F3 notebook, which handles fountain pen ink well while being semi-absorbent, so it’s a reasonable approximation of most paper that I use on a daily basis. The colors actually tend to be on the muted side, which suits my style, and I’ve found at least a half-dozen in this line that I could see turning into everyday writers. As a bit of a fun experiment, and to showcase my favorites, I thought it might be interesting to pair several of these new inks with my latest Chicago Pen Show acquisitions! Here’s what I chose:

Edison Jameson in Bexley Scheherazade Acrylic: No. 12 “Juniper”

Tom's Studio Juniper with Edison Jameson Fountain Pen — This gorgeous Edison Jameson in new old stock Bexley Scheherazade Acrylic was the 2024 Chicago Pen Show Exclusive!

Tom's Studio Juniper No. 12 Close-Up — Tom’s Studio “Juniper” is so dark that I’d call it a purple-black. This pen needs a dark ink, but I like a hint of color!

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper in Beige Ebonite and Clear Acrylic: No. 13 “Mulberry”

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper with Tom's Studio Mulberry No. 13 — There was a touch of an inksplosion when I opened the bottle of “Mulberry” (No. 13), but it’s a great match for this Skogsy Low-Volume Eyedropper in clear acrylic and beige ebonite!

Skogsy Low-Volume Eyedropper No. 8 Nib — These No. 8 nibs are becoming more prevalent in my collection….

Edison Collier in Dragon’s Night Acrylic: No. 8 Loch Ness

Edison Collier Dragon's Night Acrylic with Tom's Studio Loch Ness No. 8 — I’ve wanted an Edison Collier for years! I finally went for this dark, translucent “Dragon’s Night” Acrylic. I chose “Loch Ness” (No. 8) for this pen.

Tom's Studio Loch Ness Close-Up — Loch Ness is a dark teal-black. It might match this pen a bit better if it were just a touch brighter, but I do love the ink!

Newton Prospector in D Squared “Arkansas Abalone” Resin: No. 7 Mallard

Newton Prospector Arkansas Abalone with Tom's Studio Mallard No. 7 — Ok, so this Newton Pens Prospector is gorgeous but pretty much impossible to pair perfectly with any ink. I went with “Mallard” (No. 7), which draws on both the green and purple/blue in the acrylic. I believe this particular pen is sold out but keep checking over at Newton Pens for details.

Newton Prospector Arkansas Abalone Alternate View — The variation and depth in this material is stunning!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Overall, I think I’m really going to enjoy using some of these colors. Personally, the ones that speak to me the most out of this line are the dark blue-greens (“Mallard” and “Loch Ness”), as well as the deeper reds (“Cassis” and “Mulberry”). I suspect the really dark purples (“Constellation”, “Damson,” “Juniper,” and “Iris”) will also prove popular. The Tom’s Studio Inks retail in our shop at $16 for a 50ml bottle. We currently have 19 different colors available. To be clear, these inks are all appropriate for both fountain pens and the Lumos series refillable fineliners.

Tom's Studio Lumos Mini in Ivy with Marianas No. 14 — My Lumos Mini in “Ivy” with No. 14 “Marianas” and a .3mm tip. It’s become my Plotter Mini 5 Pocket Pen of choice.

New Arrivals: Raymay Patalino Cases and SlideNote Covers!

May 14, 2024

We’ve had some requests for additional pen and pencil cases, and have been looking at bringing in reasonably priced options appropriate for everyday carry. While at NYNow back in January, I came across this line of flat stationery cases by Raymay, from their “Patalino” line. Available in three colors and two different sizes, these cases will hold your pens, mechanical pencils, scissors, rulers, and even feature a pocket to hold a large eraser or case of mechanical pencil leads. I like these cases because they pack flat at only 1” thick, making them very convenient for travel and modular packing that you can easily move between bags. The “Small” case starts at $15, and the “Large” sizes at $21. We also have higher-capacity rectangular pouches from the “Kept” line.

Raymay Patalino Cases On Desk Closed in Three Colors — All three colors are currently available in the large size, with black and blue available in the smaller size.

We’ve also had some requests to bring in binders and covers that fit the Clairefontaine looseleaf french-ruled sheets (as well as the other A4 looseleaf and pad-bound paper that we carry). We now have SlideNote covers in the A4 size, which will hold approximately 30 sheets of most A4 paper using a convenient clip binding that allows you to easily swap out and/or rearrange pages.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Many thanks for all your support!