Midori MD Cotton and MD Cotton Square Notebooks Side by Side

Thursday Drops: More Midori MD Cotton Notebooks, New Marks'tyle Colors, and More!

May 30, 2024

Midori MD Cotton Paper is one of my favorite fountain pen friendly papers on the market, and has recently been released in two new formats: A standard A5 notebook as well as a new “A5 Square” format as announced Tuesday. The standard A5 notebook will of course fit the entire line of Midori MD covers, as well as any A5 notebook system such as Lochby and Roterfaden.

Mark'style Days Hexagonal Needle-Tip Ballpoint Pen

After being out of stock, we once again have most of the Mark’style Needle-tip ballpoints and refills, the Mark’style Anterique designs, and all colors of the Mark’style “Days” Gel Pens back in the shop. These pens from Mark’s Tokyo have been extremely popular over the past couple of years and feature a calendar motif as well as excellent Anterique and Ohto refills that dry quickly and write a clean, fine line. UPDATE: As of yesterday we also received an unexpectedly quick Caran d’Ache/M+R restock, including the new Nespresso 849 ballpoints!

Finally, I’ve added a handful of gently used products and “second” products that can’t be sold as new due to minor flaws to the T.G.S. Gently Used page. Patreon members already have had first pass at these, and I’ll be rotating through some additional items in the near future as I clear out space to make room for yet more review and testing item. All Gently Used items can be combined with purchases from the standard shop to reach the free shipping threshold, though they are sold “as is” and not subject to any manufacturer warranty or guarantee since they are used and heavily discounted.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold in the main T.G.S. Curated Shop.

Midori MD Cotton A5 Notebooks. Midori used to have an entire line of A5 notebooks in their MD Cotton paper, and this notebook marks a welcome return to the standard line. One of these went immediately into my Roterfaden as my “working” notebook.
Midori MD Cotton A5 Square Notebooks. Square shaped notebooks are extremely popular in Japan, and it’s fun to see that these are now being released in the states. This particular notebook has partial A5 dimensions, measuring 5.75” x 5.75”.
Midori MD Leather Covers. These undyed leather covers for Midori MD System notebooks develop a patina and age beautifully as you use them. We currently have a couple different sizes in stock, including the A5 Square.
Midori MD Paper Covers. These paper covers from Midori are not really “paper” in the sense you might thing: They’re tear-resistant and designed to last for years and patina and age like leather. Midori recently introduced sturdier versions with hardcover backing inside the A5 size.
Mark’style “Days” Mach Ballpoints. The Anterique line of low-viscosity ballpoint pens represent a new riff on a classic design, and Mark’s Tokyo of course has their own version in nearly a dozen different two-toned “Days” edition. These use the same .5mm “Mach Ball” Anterique refill as found in the standard Anterique pens.
Mark’style “Days” Needle-Tip Ballpoints. These hexagonal woodcase “Days” needle-tips have become a shop staple, and we’ve restocked on all the favorites along with the Ohto refills.
Mark’style “Days” Faceted Metal Gel Pens. These faceted metal gel pens come in a range of primary colors and feature a needle-tip gel refill that writes a .5mm line.
Traveler’s Notebook Brass Ballpoint Pens. Traveler’s Brass Ballpoint Pens are now back in stock, along with refills. These mark one of my favorite portable pocket pens for everyday use, especially for reading notes and carrying with a pocket notebook.
Stálogy Editors Series Water Resistant Covers. We’re building out our Stálogy system offerings! These heavy-duty, stitched Japanese paper covers are designed to fit the Stálogy 1/2-year and 365-day notebooks, and will hold them open as you work.
Stálogy Editors Series Removable Calendar and To-Do Stickers. For those who prefer flexibility in how they work and plan, these stickers allow you to add calendar and to-do list functionality to your notebooks. The stickers are removable and can be moved from page-to-page or even notebook-to-notebook. And of course they work with paper other than Stálogy.

Midori MD A5 Cotton Notebook with Labels — All Midori MD Notebooks come with stickers and labels for easy indexing and archiving.

Pen Review: Skogsy Pens Low Volume Eyedropper

May 29, 2024

Now that we're about four weeks removed from the 2024 Chicago Pen Show, I'm in a position to share my thoughts on the first of several pens I acquired at that show, including the one featured here: the Skogsy Pens Low Volume Eyedropper! Skogsy Pens is run by Zach and Amy Skogsberg, a husband-and-wife team where Zach is the primary maker and Amy can always be found handling the business end behind the table at pen shows! It’s been delightful to get to know them over the past couple of years, and what's amazing to me is that Zach has only been making pens since 2021, yet I've found his pens to be of consistently high quality with unique designs and material combinations. My favorites include Micarta and, as shown here, polished ebonite.

Skogsy Pens Low Volume Eyedropper Uncapped — The combination of polished acrylic and ebonite is gorgeous and immediately when I saw this pen at the Skogsy Pens table I knew that I would not leave the show without it.

So What is The “Low Volume Eyedropper” System

The Low Volume Eyedropper showcases Zach’s creativity and innovation, combining beige and black ebonite for the cap and section with a polished clear acrylic barrel, drilled out to function as an eyedropper. It’s a cool look. For the uninitiated, eyedropper pens can feel intimidating. They typically involve filling the barrel of the fountain pen directly with ink using a pipette or dropper, and sealing the barrel threads with silicone grease or an o-ring. Most eyedroppers hold a LOT of ink, which newer users often perceive as risky because it can cause a big mess if the pen leaks from the barrel or section or "burps" ink out the front of the nib due to changes in air pressure or temperature. The Skogsy "Low Volume" eyedropper is an experimental design that looks to mitigate some of the everyday complications inherent in eyedropper pens, and make them more user friendly.

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper Uncapped In-Hand — While this pen is on the shorter side for me, it’s proportionate enough in terms of diameter to maintain comfort.

The Low Volume Eyedropper - as the name implies - has been intentionally designed to hold a smaller volume of ink than your typical eyedropper in order to limit the amount of ink flowing to the feed and to allow for additional insulation of the ink chamber. (i.e., The smaller the ink chamber, the thicker the barrel, which means more material between the ink and your hand, which in turn limits temperature fluctuations that cause burping.) I understand that some additional modifications have also been made to the ebonite feed and the section to moderate the ink flow - something that can be particularly important with an eyedropper as most eyedroppers are wet writers to begin with and an ebonite feed will exacerbate that issue. I'm pleased to report that that system functions as intended: Even as I've emptied the pen, I've experienced no burping or excess flow as the eyedropper writes toward empty, and the ebonite feed maintains a steady stream of ink that's pretty much perfect for my preferences with a broad nib.

Skogsy Low Volume Capped Pen — The cap/barrel seam sits dead center. The cap is 2.75” long and the exposed portion of the barrel is the same length.

The Pen's Design: Relatively Short and Sweet with a no. 8 magna carta nib

Zach originally got into making fountain pens because he had a hard time finding a size and shape that appealed to him. As he points out in his introduction, compact pens with wider grip and barrel can be difficult to find, especially at an accessible price point. It can be even harder to find a pen with these proportions that features a larger nib - personally I feel that a No. 8 nib simply looks better on a pen of this size than a No. 6. Fortunately, lower-cost stainless steel No. 8 nibs have become more widely available as both JoWo and Magna Carta now supply them to penmakers, with Magna Carta currently the most popular. (Both the Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper and the Edison Jameson that I picked up in Chicago feature these Magna Carta nibs.)

Skogsy Pens Low Volume Eyedropper Nib Options — My pen came with two nib options. The Magna Carta has been installed since the Chicago Pen Show, but I also love that surfboard design on the JoWo No. 6! (Skogsy Pens is located in San Diego.)

I will note that the Magna Carta nibs can need some tuning, which may include not only smoothing but heat-setting the nib to the feed. This process is not terribly complicated for an experienced user to do by themselves, but if you're not comfortable performing minor work on your own nibs I would highly recommend purchasing your pen at a pen show where Zach can adjust your nib in person to fit your preferences.

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper with Magna Carta Nib — The Magna Carta stainless steel nib features no branding. It’s a nice standard broad nib, but….

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper Ebonite Feed — The ebonite feed is what makes the writing experience! Adding extra flow really does up the game here.

The finish on my pen is flawless. The clear acrylic barrel is polished to perfection without any noticeable tool marks, the threads are smooth, and the ebonite on the cap and section shines. And check out that swirl at the top of the cap....

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper showing swirled ebonite on top of the cap — Perfectly centered.

The Low Volume Eyedropper measures approximately 5.5 inches capped, 5 inches uncapped, and 6.5 inches posted. It's a very comfortable length for me to use either posted or unposted, though I think I prefer unposted as the pen feels more balanced. The gently concave, wider-diameter section offers a good grip area, and ebonite is one of my favorite materials to write with because it takes on a warm feeling in the hand. This pen practically begs to be used everyday, and offers an extremely pleasant writing experience over longer sessions at work or at home in my journal(s).

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper Posted in-hand — The cap posts deeply and securely, though I think I prefer to use this one unposted.

What About the Ink and Paper Used in This Review?

In addition to test-driving the Low Volume Eyedropper, I used this review as an opportunity to try out a new ink and rediscover a favorite paper. I've always found brown/beige pens - and definitely clear-barreled eyedroppers - as excellent vehicles for showcasing red inks, so for this review I inked the pen up with Tom's Studio "Mulberry". Mulberry is a gorgeous deep burgundy that is what I consider a "solid color": without shading or sheen but it has a beautiful dark red hue with purple undertones.

Skogsy Low-Volume Eyedropper with Writing Sample of Tom's Studio Mulberry — What is it about brown/beige/grey pens and red inks?

As I mentioned above, the broad No. 8 Magna Carta Nib writes a bold wet line, and I had no issues with the Mulberry feathering or bleeding on the paper I've used here, which is the Blackwing "Illegal Pad". I've written before on my frustration with finding decent, reasonably priced legal-style pads capable of handling fountain pen ink, and I'm glad that Blackwing has now made these pads more widely available. Cool Note: The lined pads shown here feature a legal/steno layout, which is a lined pad with a center dividing line that we attorneys have traditionally used for various purposes such as organizing questions and corresponding answers at deposition or in court, as well as for checklists and research task management.

Skogsy Pens Low Volume eyedropper size comparison — The Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper (center), compared to two pens I’ve recently reviewed: the TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze (right) and the Kaweco Sport Piston Filler (left).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

At the Chicago Pen Show, the Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper was priced at $340, which included a stainless steel Magna Carta No. 8 nib AND an extra Jowo No. 6 section and nib with the Skogsy surfboard design. I consider this excellent value given the craftsmanship and versatility. I have not yet tried out this pen with a No. 6 nib, and I’ll be interested to see whether it changes my perception of the balance or the writing experience.

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper Polished Ebonite Cap showing grain — The polished ebonite showcases a good bit of grain. Polished ebonite is one of my favorite fountain pen materials, and highly underrated.

As of the date of this post, Skogsy Pens does not have any Low Volume eyedroppers listed for sale on their website, as they are in the middle of Pen Show Season and stock needs to be reserved for shows (This is frequently the case with many smaller makers.) If you're interested in this particular pen, you have a few different options: Keep checking their online shop or contact them directly to place an order for a commission, follow Skogsy Pens on Instagram, or even better, visit them at a pen show! They list all upcoming shows online, and will be appearing at the Dutch Pen Show in June, the D.C. Pen Show at the beginning of August, and the San Francisco Pen Show at the end of August.

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper Writing Sample No. 2 — Another writing sample with the Mulberry ink, this time on Midori MD Cotton Paper.

The ink and paper featured in this review can be purchased in our own shop, as we carry the entire line of Tom's Studio Fountain Pen Inks, including Mulberry. You can read more about these inks ($16 for a 50ml bottle) and view swatches here. We also sell the Blackwing "Illegal Pads", which come in packs of two pads (priced at $20) and are available in blank, dot, and classic "legal pad lined" formats.

Did you enjoy our content? Consider supporting us directly by visiting the T.G.S. Curated Shop, or pledging via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We greatly appreciate all our reader and customer support. I purchased the Skogsy pen shown here with my own funds, for review purposes, and was not compensated for this review.

New Arrivals: Midori MD Cotton Square A5 Notebooks, New Stálogy System Accessories

May 28, 2024

This weekend marked the arrival of a new format in the Midori MD Cotton series: the MD Cotton A5 “Square” notebook. Square notebooks are a popular format in Japan, and this notebook measures approximately 5.75” x 5.75” and contains 176 pages of Midori’s excellent, ink-friendly 20% cotton paper. New hardback Japanese paper covers (with more structure than the standard paper) and natural goat leather covers are also available. Check out our full line of Midori MD products here!

Stalogy Notebook with Landscape Calendar Sticker — The “Landscape Format” Calendar Sticker. Other calendar formats and a “to do” list is also available. Extra stickers fit neatly inside the new Stálogy covers.

We’ve also received a shipment of newly released accessories for the Stálogy “Editors Series” A5 notebooks, including durable water-resistant covers specially designed for the 365 and half-year A5 notebooks, as well as new removable calendar and “to do” stickers. The latter allow you to easily format your blank notebooks for planning and task management, and move the stickers around to different pages (or even different notebooks) as necessary. You can view our full line of Stálogy Products, including the recently released limited edition 1/2-year notebook, here.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold. We are supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Stalogy Notebook Grey Cover on 1/2-year Notebooks — These Stalogy covers are understated and will age beautifully. They are stiff enough to allow your 1/2-year notebook to lie flat.

J. Herbin Cafe des Iles Brown Ink Writing Sample

Sunday Reading for May 26, 2024 (Memorial Day Weekend Edition)

May 26, 2024

Registration for the 2024 Pelikan Hubs Now Open (via Dapprman). Big news! Get your Pelikan Hubs registrations in to ensure you can participate in this year’s Hub in your city of choice.
Kyuseido Kakari FS Fountain Pen Review (via SBRE Brown). Ok, so this has inspired me to ink my Kakari back up and maybe do a Conid comparison.
Mad Science Pen Company Beta Type-R Vanness Collaboration Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). Long name, cool pen! I saw these in person at this year’s Arkansas Pen Show and kinda regret that I didn’t get to pick one up.
The Design Process of My Hit List (via Stationery Pizza). Keeping a list of action items/hit lists is one of the most basic organization techniques, and there are dozens of different ways to do it.
Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same Fountain Pen Ink Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Iroshizuku grey inks don’t get enough attention, in my opinion!
Endless Creator Fountain Pen Review (via The Poor Penman). A great review of what is a “1.0 Design”. I still love that Endless took the risk here in putting something kinda weird to market.
Reading and Writing (via Goodwriterspens Blog). What came first/easiest for you?
Piston-happy and Chugging Along (via mnmlscholar). I can relate to the satisfaction of having a full workload and a piston full of ink!
Pen Review #812: Inkebara Sand (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). These Inkebara inks are becoming extremely popular options, and this golden “Sand” color is one of the more popular inks, from what I understand.
Link Love: Visiting The Supply Closet (via Well-Appointed Desk). Let’s just say I’m VERY interested in store setup ideas lately, and this is an absolutely awesome idea for a shop-within-a-shop.

Waterman Laureat Fountain Pen Grip with Ink

In Case You Missed It….

This week I looked at two pens that are very different: First, the recently released TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze fountain pen, which as the name indicates features TWSBI’s gorgeous bronze-toned trim. Second, I took another look at my first fountain pen, the now-discontinued Waterman Laureat, and offered some thoughts on what current pens on the market I find comparable. Finally, I also did a short post comparing the different grades of Blackwing graphite, which I haven’t done in some time and is timely considering the release of the “XX-Firm” variant in last quarter’s Volumes edition.

Also, please visit the T.G.S. YouTube Channel to check out our latest videos, including a demonstration of the recently released Blackwing Pencil Extender!

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Sale and Giveaway!

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and the kick off to Summer! Through Monday at 11:59pm CT, take 10% off your T.G.S. Curated Shop order using the coupon code “SUMMERSALE” at checkout. Also, don’t miss our weekend giveaway, featuring a Lamy AL-Star Rollerball, a Scriveiner Fountain Pen, and a Blackwing Pencil Assortment. Full details on both are in this week’s Thursday Drops post.

We’ve also received the latest release from Midori: the MD “A5 Square” Cotton notebook! Midori is starting to release the MD Cotton paper in some new formats (including a forthcoming standard A5 which has an undetermined arrival date). Now is a great time to stock up on refills for your notebook systems, and we have plenty of A5 notebook options that will fit Lochby and Roterfaden covers, including Tomoe River Paper options and a recent restock of the Laconic layouts!

Traveler's Company

Midori

TWSBI

Blackwing

Now is a Good Time to Check Out T.G.S. Patreon!

We’ve recently shared some news regarding our continued growth with our Patreon members, and have also recently added some items to the Patreon Shop. 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!

My First Fountain Pen Revisited: The Waterman Laureat

May 25, 2024

I write a lot about recommendations for a "first fountain pen", and readers/customers frequently ask me for advice on which fountain pens they should they should buy based on various price points and other criteria. BUT, I realize I haven't written much at all on my own first "nice" fountain pen: the Waterman Laureat.

Waterman Laureat Cap Band — The Laureat features the classic Waterman clip and branding around the cap band.

Waterman made the Laureat during the mid-to-late 1990s, and possibly into the early 2000s. (I'm not a vintage expert - all I know is that it's no longer available and by the time I was back into the hobby in 2010, they had disappeared from store shelves.) I purchased this particular pen in London, in 1999, when I lived in Strasbourg, France and spent many a weekend visiting friends who were studying in London at the same time. As a slimmer pen, the Laureat made for a great introduction into the world of fountain pens because at the time it felt very similar to the "stick" ballpoints and rollerballs that I regularly used in school. It slotted easily into my Filofax pen loop, and the cap was designed to post easily onto the back of the barrel. Despite the lacquered brass construction, the slim barrel meant that the pen maintained a usable weight and decent balance.

Waterman Laureat Nib and Section Up Close — You can make out the ring of ink around the base of the nib. There is also some wear to the gold plating, which is to be expected after 25 years!

Nonetheless, like a few different 1990s-era Waterman pens, the Laureat had one glaring flaw: It is, by far, the messiest fountain pen I have ever used. The Laureat features a friction-fit cap and a ribbed grip that somehow interact to pull a drop of ink from the nib whenever you cap/uncap the pen. The result is a ring of ink around the end of the section, just below the nib, that's not enough to constitute a full-on leak, but is just enough to stain your fingers. You can avoid the issue somewhat by gripping the pen higher up on the section, but I've always accepted this as my "inevitably inky fingers" fountain pen and dealt with it. Waterman pens from this era feature some of the most consistently good stainless steel nibs available, and the gold nibs are among my all-time favorite. (I have at least five vintage or “near-vintage” Watermans that see regular use.)

Waterman Laureat In-Hand — The Waterman Laureat remains an incredibly comfortable fountain pen to use.

Is There a Modern Equivalent of the Waterman Laureat?

There are a couple different options, but in terms of pure feel, the Scriveiner fountain pen that I was recently sent to review (one of which we are giving away!) are close. Scriveiner uses the same lacquered brass barrel design, and while the color options don't feature quite as much depth as the Laureat, the pens don't suffer from the "inky section" issue. Scriveiner pens use Schmidt nibs, which are some of the most consistent steel nibs on the market, and the feel of the medium nib I've been testing actually comes pretty close to the Laureat.

Waterman Laureat with Two Scriveiner Fountain Pens

For those who don't like the weight of a brass barrel, another option would be the Pilot Explorer, which has a similarly slim shape, excellent steel nib and a much lighter feel in the hand. At $25, the Explorer is also much less expensive than the Laureat was (I believe I paid close to $200 for a matching fountain pen/rollerball set?)

Waterman Laureat compared to Scriveiner and Pilot Explorer — Waterman Laureat next to a Scriveiner fountain pen (center) and the Pilot Explorer.

Finally, the modern equivalent of the Laureat in the current Waterman lineup would probably be the Waterman Hemisphere. I haven't used one of these pens, so I have no first-hand experience, but I have not heard of any ink issues like the ones that plagued the Laureat. The Hemisphere appears to feature a similar grip/inner cap to the Waterman Expert, with which I've had no such problems.

Waterman Laureat Scriveiner Comparison — The Laureat next to the Scriveiner, uncapped.

What was your first "quality" fountain pen? Do you still use it? Does it still hold up? Or did you ink it up again after many years only think "What the heck did I ever see in this?" I love to hear these stories, so please drop a line in the comments over this long weekend!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Through Monday May 27, we are running a sale in the shop using the coupon code “SUMMERSALE” at checkout. If you enjoy our content, we greatly appreciate your support!