Thursday Drops: Memorial Day Weekend Sale Details and Yes, Another Giveaway!

Memorial Day Weekend here in the U.S. is here, as is the end of school (at least for our household) and the beginning of Summer. So let’s kick off the season with a sale and a giveaway! Now is a great time to kit out a new notebook for your travels or your adventures closer to home, and we’re happy to help you out with that. We are newly stocked on most Traveler’s Company refills, Midori A5 notebooks, Laconic A5 inserts, Tomoe River refills, and more!

For now through Monday at 11:59pm CT, take 10% off your order using the code “SUMMERSALE” at checkout! The code will apply to many different brands in our shop, though some (including TWSBI, Roterfaden, Pilot) are excluded due to manufacturers restrictions. In addition to the discount code, all orders over $75 automatically ship free with USPS.

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Clockwise from top: Scriveiner Fountain Pen; Blackwing pencils (not necessarily representative of the prize pack), and a Lamy AL-Star Rollerball!

We’re also running another giveaway through the weekend: I’m in the process of clearing the T.G.S. HQ out a bit in preparation for a potential move, and there’s no reason the readership shouldn’t benefit! We have three prizes for this week’s giveaway: (1) a Lamy AL-Star Rollerball in the new “Fiery” finish; (2) an assortment of a dozen Blackwing Pencils, some standard, some limited Volumes from my personal back catalogue; and (3) another Scriveiner Fountain Pen that I can pass along now that I have my review of this brand in the pipeline. All you need to do to enter the giveaway is either leave a comment on this blog post or like the accompanying Instagram post featuring the giveaway. I will number all comments and likes and pick three winners using a random number generator.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

1. Traveler’s Notebook Starter Kits and Accessories. Gearing up for your travels? We have Traveler’s Company notebooks and accessories in-stock, including ONE remaining Tokyo Special Edition Traveler’s Notebook that apparently ended up mixed in with our standard stock. A full restock on these editions is still some time away, so at least one lucky customer will be able to take one home! Any remaining 2024 dated refills are now 40% off.

2. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Covers. While we can’t discount Roterfaden, this is still an excellent opportunity to stock up on A6, A5, and A4 notebook refills compatible with this series of organizers.

3. Lochby Field Journal and Related Gear. In the A5 size, we have Lochby notebook covers designed to fit the Lochby Tomoe River 68gsm notebooks, as well as the Lochby Tool Rolls and Quattro pen cases to hold all of your goods!

4. Midori MD Notebook Covers. Whether you want leather, sturdy Japanese paper, or standard plastic covers, Midori’s notebook covers are sturdy and functional, and designed to fit the excellent standard MD Notebooks.

5. Patalino Cases by Raymay. I love these flat-pack cases, which are perfect for pens, pencils, scissors, and more. I tend to move between bags during the week, and modular cases like these allow me to pack my stationery kit at the beginning of the week and simply move it from one bag to the other without much “repacking” involved. The front flap folds down magnetically, and includes a slot for a large eraser, mechanical pencil lead refills, etc.

6. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Special Edition Brass Pencil. We bought a lot of these and still have a few in stock. I love the finish on them, and the orange eraser is outstanding.

7. Craighill Caro Pen. I can’t praise the Craighill Caro Pen enough, as it’s been my constant companion since January. It’s a small pen that takes a D1 refill and attaches to it’s “dock” via a secure garter spring clip mechanism. Available in multiple finishes and perfect for attaching to a bag or keychain. You can read more on this pen here.

8. Tom’s Studio Lumos Mini Refillable Fineliner. The Lumos “Mini” has become my pen of choice to carry in my Plotter Mini 5, as it slips into the pen slot on the Plotter quite well. The standard Lumos pens also make excellent planner pens. We’ve recently added the entire line of Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks to the shop - you can check out my overview of all the colors here, as well as my notes on a few favorites.

9. Anterique Brass “Mach Ball” Ballpoint. An excellent low-viscosity ballpoint pen that can go anywhere with you - including in your planner pen loop!

10. Laban “Greek Mythology” Inks. Some of my favorite colors to have been released during the past several years are included in this ink line, including the unique “Aphrodite Pink”! Laban has new distribution so it’s easier to keep these in stock.

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Pen Review: TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze - What is it About These Muted Colors?

I've not formally reviewed a TWSBI since the release of the TWSBI "Kai" special edition piston filler last year, and it's been longer since I've reviewed a TWSBI ECO, so in light of TWSBI's recent blitz of new pens in a broad assortment of different color and trim combinations, this one's overdue. While I won't rehash much of what I've already written on the ECO in terms of origin, construction, design, etc. (you can read that here), I will say that it's one of my top pen recommendations in the "under $50" category.

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The TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze (left) with Indigo Blue + Bronze (right)

The TWSBI ECO serves as one of the premier value fountain pens on the market. Priced as low as $32.99 for a pen with the standard steel trim, the ECO features a reliable piston filling system and generally appeals to a wide range of enthusiasts, from beginners looking for their first pen to experienced users who want a reliable everyday writer that doesn't break the bank. Over the past few years, TWSBI has gradually introduced variations into the ECO lineup, including the "ECO-T" (triangular section), the ECO Rose Gold (with rose gold trim), and, as shown here, the ECO “BRZ” (with bronze trim). While the rose gold and bronze trims raise the price of the ECO to $49.99, even this still amazes me somewhat as many manufacturers would have tried to price the standard ECO at $50.

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Is “ECO BRZ” a thing now? I like it. Now I need to go matching Subaru shopping.

The pen I’m looking at today features the new bronze-toned trim. The TWSBI ECO "Caffé Bronze", as you might expect from the name, draws on coffee as its inspiration. Featuring the same faceted hexagonal cap and round barrel as the standard ECO fountain pen, TWSBI began experimenting with bronze last year, releasing it for the first time with the ECO "Indigo Blue + Bronze" model. It's proven wildly popular, especially among those looking for something similar to rose gold but perhaps with a touch less red.

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Personally, the combination of light coffee-colored acrylic and bronze trim screams for J. Herbin “Cafe des Iles” ink.

While I enjoy rose gold trim on pens, the bronze adds a new dimension due to its deeper tone. When you combine this trim with a more muted color acrylic, like the light "caffé brown" acrylic used here, you get a pen that's perfectly tailored to my own preferences. For so many years, pen makers and manufacturers have catered to the segment of the community that wants bright, wild acrylics, but what about those of us looking for something a touch demure? TWSBI has done a good job of mixing in crazy colors (see the "Glow Green" and "Glow Purple", which actually glow in the dark) with the more subdued (see the Creme and Rose Gold, Dark Sapphire). I hope this trend continues, and that other manufacturers follow suit.

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Overall Thoughts on the TWSBI ECO and Where to Buy

The ECO has become my default everyday TWSBI because (1) they're relatively inexpensive, and I have a handful of these pens, so don't necessarily need to worry about damage while carrying them around with me or leaving them at my office; (2) the nib writes a reliably wet line; and (3) I can post the cap, which attaches securely to the end of the pen via an o-ring. I can’t wait to see what else TWSBI has coming, as I've enjoyed most of the new additions even if they sometimes make it hard to keep up.

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You can see a trend here: The TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze (center) with my Kaweco Art Sport in Terrazzo (right) and my recently acquired Good Made Better pocket pen.

I can’t say whether these new TWSBI releases are intended to be permanent additions to the lineup or special editions that will eventually be retired - to my knowledge, TWSBI hasn’t specified. In the past, TWSBI has typically released a color and kept it around for a year or so, replacing it with something else once interest wanes. That said, many of the new releases from 2023 and even 2022 are still available to retailers, as I've had no problem restocking so I expect there’s no immediate danger of the 2024 releases disappearing.

If you would like to support T.G.S. directly, you can purchase the TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze from our own shop, along with most other TWSBI products including pens, mechanical pencils, and inks. As I mentioned above, the specific pen shown here is priced at $49.99. All TWSBI ECO fountain pens are piston fillers, and take bottled ink only, so plan accordingly!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We greatly appreciate your support!

Quick Look: Different Grades of Blackwing Graphite (Plus a Bonus YouTube Video)

Blackwing doesn’t use either of the typical graphite grading scales in their pencils. Instead of numbering them 1-4, or H, F, HB, B, etc., they’ve designated their different graphite formulations as “X-Firm”, “Firm”, “Balanced”, and “Soft”, with each core given its own standard production line pencil and rotated through the limited edition “Volumes” line. Last quarter’s Volumes release (Volume 2) even introduced a new “XX-Firm” formulation that’s the closest Blackwing has ever come to a true HB/No. 2 pencil. To date, it’s only available in this special release pencil.

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The two extremes. “Soft” graphite at top compared against the XXF Graphite in the Volume 2, compared against the Tombow HB.

I love Blackwing pencils because even their “lightest” shade of graphite is relatively dark. As a fan of dark pencils, I regularly use most of the standard Blackwings, as well a full pencil chest of their special editions. Despite the darker core, Blackwings retain their points well - even the soft graphite in my favorite “Blackwing Matte” with low-smear performance. My second favorite would probably be the “X-Firm” Blackwing Natural, but that’s more an aesthetic preference than anything to do with performance!

For a fun bonus, check out our latest YouTube video which dropped today, where I look at the Blackwing Pencil Extender and how it works.

As of last month, the T.G.S. Curated Shop is an official Blackwing retailer! We carry the full range of pencils, accessories, and even paper (the excellent “Illegal Pad”) in our curated stationery shop, which is how the site gets supported.

Sunday Reading for May 19, 2024

1. 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.

2. 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?

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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”.

10. 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.

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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.

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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!

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This month’s Patreon update included a few words on some of my pen show acquisitions so far this year!

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

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.