Sunday Reading for June 2, 2024

1. Estonia Recap, Stationery Edition (via A Gathering of Curiosities). This sounds like a wonderful trip! A Stationery travelogue not focused on acquisition.

2. News on Gravitas - Pen Venture Now the Agent (via Dapprman). Some breaking news here that I’m quite excited to see - Gravitas Pens shipping and customer service/fulfillment apparently will now be handled by Pen Venture out of Romania (who I’ve bought from in the past and found to have excellent customer service).

3. From Sample to Bottle: a Celadon Cat Story (via mnmlscholar). Sometimes samples lead to full bottle purchases. I love Celadon Cat.

4. Considering Binders: Why? and Why Not? (via Stationery Pizza). Binder system vs. stand-alone notebook vs. notebook system? There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but what works for you will mostly depend on how you intend to use your stationery.

5. Smythson Featherweight A5 Spiral Bound Refill Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I’ve yet to try Smythson paper, as it’s a very premium paper option but people love the experience as it’s a stationery classic.

6. Fourth Anniversary (via Inkredible Colours). Congrats on another bloggiversary! I love this anniversary/annual recap format.

7. 7 Years Already?!? (via Pen Addict). Kimberly looks back at her first order after 7 years in the pen community!

8. Pen Research: Vintage Pilot Edition (via Rachel’s Reflections). Have you ever purchased a vintage pen and then had to research where it came from? It’s part of the fun!

9. Diamine Cult Pens Wonders of the World (via Well-Appointed Desk). These inks have been sitting in my Cult Pens cart for quite some time, and I should probably just go for it.

10. Not That Kind of EF, Please and Thank You (via Pen Addict - Sarah). Thank goodness everyone was ok! Terrifying!

In Case You Missed It…

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This week on the blog I reviewed a new pen from a brand I’ve not reviewed before: Skogsy Pens and their Low Volume Eyedropper model, which I picked up at the Chicago Pen Show last month. Since that nib was a broad, and because I’ve been using more broad fountain pen nibs lately, I thought it might also be fun to write a piece on how/why I’ve been trying to branch out from my default medium nib size and try more broad nibs. In short, I love that stainless steel broad nibs don’t necessarily write all that much wider than mediums, but allow you to see the ink properties better.

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop…More Midori!

Some really cool stuff hit the shop this week, including the new Caran d’Ache Nespresso 849 collaboration and some new Midori MD Cotton Notebooks in both A5 and “A5 Square.” Midori’s 20% cotton paper formulation is one of my all-time favorite ink-friendly papers, and these notebooks don’t disappoint. (One of the A5 versions went right into my A5 Roterfaden.) We are also restocked on Traveler’s Company Notebooks, Refills, and Accessories, Caran d’Ache pencils, and pens from Mark’s Tokyo, which are longtime shop favorites! Be sure to check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for a full list of new arrivals and restocks.

Finally, the T.G.S. Gently Used Page is restocked with review samples, store testers, and some gently used pens from my personal collection. These periodic sales have helped fund our expansion, and any purchases can be combined with regular shop orders for free domestic US shipping above $75 USD.

Caran d'Ache

Mark's Tokyo

Stálogy

Cases and Accessories

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!

Fountain Pen Basics: Don't Be Scared of Broad Nibs!

Last year I ran an Instagram poll in which I asked followers to vote on their preferred nib size. By a wide margin, fine and medium nibs won out, which corresponds to what I generally see going out the door in our shop. For today's post I thought I'd talk about my efforts over the past year to branch out beyond my default "medium" nib preference, and specifically my experiments with broad nibs for everyday writing.

Why Many People Avoid Broad Nibs (Including New Users)

If you find yourself in the “scared to try it” category, you’re not alone! Back when I first started using fountain pens, I could never envision myself using a broad nib for everyday writing and waited nearly three years before venturing beyond medium. Why? Here’s what my brain told me:

"Broad nibs are messy because there's too much ink."

"The ink will bleed through the page."

"My handwriting isn't that large."

While all of these statements have an element of truth, in the sense that broader nibs do put more ink on the page, I’ve found that the difference between a medium and a broad is not as pronounced as many believe, especially with standard stainless steel nibs. For sure, a GOLD broad nib can absolutely write very wet - especially when paired with an ebonite feed - but I've come to discover that broad JoWo and Bock stainless steel nibs might actually appeal more to me than the medium. How so?

• As you can see from the writing samples below, the line width on the stainless steel broad nib doesn't require me to increase the size of my handwriting, despite being ever-so-slightly broader.

• While the broad nib definitely writes an "inkier" line, the steel nibs aren't so wet that they cause performance issues - at least no more than a relatively wet medium. This added ink flow actually lends a smoother feel to the nib that I find pleasant for longer writing sessions, and allows me to see more of the ink's properties (shimmer, sheen, and/or shading).

• I go through more ink. I am still reluctant to flush a pen while it's partially filled with ink and prefer to write my pens dry. That said, I also like to rotate through my pen collection regularly. With broad nibs, you'll use more ink, which means more variety!

• Finally, broad nibs are ripe for customization! I’ve started ordering broad nibs with most of my custom pens, and it’s become my default size whenever I pick up a new TWSBI, because I know that if I ever get bored with the round broad nib I can always have it ground to an architect, stub, cursive italic, or Naginata-style/kodachi nib because there’s plenty of tipping available. You can even have a broad nib ground down to a fine or a needlepoint - for the most part, it’s easy for a nib grinder to take a nib down in size, but you obviously can’t go up! Also, where possible, consider experimenting with pens that have interchangeable nib units. In addition to having the nib ground, you can also just swap it out should you not like the experience.

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A writing sample comparing stainless steel medium and broad nibs from the same brands. From top: Broad and Medium Magna carta No. 8 nibs, followed by Broad and Medium JoWo No. 6 nibs. Inks used were from Tom’s Studio, and the paper is Midori MD Cotton.

Give a Broad Nib a Try!

For beginners, TWSBI and JoWo currently make my favorite stainless steel broad nibs and are good places to start. My first broad nib was a TWSBI Diamond 540 that I loved because it wrote just slightly broader than the TWSBI medium, and it was followed by a broad nib unit for my Pilot Vanishing Point (which essentially writes like a medium from many other brands). Pilot and other Japanese brands might actually be an exception to the general rule of thumb that broad gold nibs run wet, as Japanese nibs tend to write narrower than their designated nib size.

So in short, don't be like me and wait three years before you try a broad, especially if you're already using medium nibs. You might find that you’ve been missing out!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoy our content, please consider supporting us directly!

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

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.

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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.

1. 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.

2. 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”.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

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All Midori MD Notebooks come with stickers and labels for easy indexing and archiving.

Pen Review: Skogsy Pens Low Volume Eyedropper

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.)

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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.

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The Magna Carta stainless steel nib features no branding. It’s a nice standard broad nib, but….

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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....

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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!

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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.

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