Sunday Reading for June 9, 2024

1. Sailor’s Newest Fountain Pen! (via Inky Rocks). Sailor’s “Tuzu” has received a lot of attention lately. I need to get my hands on one.

2. Hinze Taschenschift (via Figboot on Pens). These Hinze Micarta pocket pens are always favorites at pen shows. I may have something to show y’all very soon…

3. Wanting and Having (via A Gathering of Curiosities). A beautiful piece about building a pen collection and, most of all, enjoying it.

4. Nib Comparison: Pilot Capless F, FM, and M (via Line Variation). A detailed comparison of Pilot nibs, both in terms of the line written and how the nibs are shaped. And congratulations on the one-year

5. Fountain Pen Review: 2024 Lamy Safari Special Edition Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry (via Rants of the Archer). The more I write with the Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry pens, the more they’ve grown on me. I’m also enjoying the second round of 2024 Safaris - more on those below.

6. Schon DSGN Monoc Nib Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Monoc nib might be the most innovative addition to the fountain pen landscape in years. I’m following closely as Ian continues to add new finishes and nib sizes.

7. Scribo Rosso Melograno (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Scribo inks tend to be overlooked, and it’s unfortunate because some of their colors are absolutely stunning. Plus you get that gorgeous glass bottle.

8. Gravitas Skittle Dinkey (via Dapprman). I have a Dinkey that I picked up at the Los Angeles, and I’ve been enjoying this little pocket pen. Gravitas makes several different pocket pens in various sizes, and the Dinkey makes for a nice mid-sized pocket writing instrument.

9. Doodling with Fountain Pens: Petals Pattern (via Fountain Pen Love). This is a really cool way to use your pens and inks, though one I’ve not experimented much with.

10. Fountain Pen Review: Sailor Pro Gear Slim Follow the Mermaid (via Well-Appointed Desk). This is a great looking limited edition Sailor, and the market bears watching as the price comes down on some of these limited edition’s over the summer.

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In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I wrote a short review of a curious stationery product I discovered while in NYC back in March: the Metacil Pencil, which is one of those “infinity” pencils that doesn’t need sharpening. I was pleasantly surprised at the improvements in the technology over the past few years. I also recapped my travel kit for a short weekend family trip, which included no fountain pens! You can read more on why I built my specific travel kit this way and why I chose the things I did.

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Plus Updated gently used

The new Summer Lamy Safari Special Editions are here! Pina Colada (turquoise/yellow) and Cherry Blossom (pink/red) are both glossy finishes, and since I’m a sucker for anything with yellow on it, a medium Pina Colada went right into my pen case. Check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for the full list of Lamy pens that we have in stock, new Caran d’Ache pens and pencils, and more!

On Thursday I also posted some additional gently used stationery products, including a number of fountain pens from brands including Leonardo, Opus 88, Hightide and more, as well as some limited edition Baron Fig pencils from years ago. I’m clearing out some of my personal stash to raise funds for a couple of new projects I’m working on, which I hope to be able to announce soon! All purchases from the Gently Used Page can be combined with general TGS Curated Shop purchases for free shipping.

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I have a big stash of limited edition pencils that I’m never going to use up, including a handful of each of the pencils shown here! Check out the Gently Used Page if you’re interested. Patreon supporters already have had first pass.

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. 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!

Adventures in Stationery Travel: What, No Fountain Pens?

I took a short trip this weekend for a family wedding, and while it’s been fun to catch up with everyone at night, several different factors combined to turn this into more of a working vacation for me. I knew this would be the case ahead of time, and planned accordingly, though with a bit of a different strategy: traveling light with only those tools that I knew I would use for the next three days. Posts about what products I personally use in my own life every day are among the most requested, so while I have a short break here before everybody else wakes up, I thought I would walk through my pen case, my notebooks, and other accessories with a few words on why I chose them and how I use them.

Five Writing Instruments: No Fountain Pens

On a trip where I know I’ll have little privacy and will therefore struggle to accomplish any enjoyable personal writing, I’ve given up on bringing multiple fountain pens. At most, I’ll take one, and here I’ve foregone a fountain pen altogether in favor of my two Tom’s Studio Lumos fineliners, which offer me the “fountain pen feel” and some colorful ink without having to worry about the pens leaking or burping ink on the plane. Otherwise, I tend to be a ballpoint-mechanical-pencil-multi-pen guy for work travel, and as I’ve become a more seasoned pen addict, have come to appreciate the simplicity of working with these tools when you just want to get stuff done. The Uni Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pen is a workhorse with its four different .5mm tips plus a mechanical pencil, though I’ve also been carrying this yellow and black Uni Kuru Toga Alpha Gel Switch nearly everywhere I go, simply because that grip is so dang comfortable.

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Pen Cases: One for Pens, One for Styluses

The Rickshaw Bagworks Sinclair Model-R remains a favorite for travel, because you can cram a lot into it. The model shown here is the Vanness Pens / Leigh Reyes collaboration, which makes an excellent travel companion because the inevitable ink and coffee stains simply blend in! As I hinted I might on Instagram, I grabbed one of the small Raymay Patalino cases to carry my Apple Pencil, reMarkable Marker, and the Lamy Safari “Twin Pen” Stylus/Ballpoint combo. I actually love having a dedicated stylus case for when I travel, as it eliminates the inconvenience of fumbling around in your bag for a stylus that refuses to stay magnetically attached to the tablet and ends up at the bottom underneath everything else you’ve packed.

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Introducing the Good Made Better Bibliofile! Though it might look a little complicated, the cords and fasteners are actually fairly easy to use. I’ve been carrying this device on an almost daily basis, and when used in combination with modular cases like the Sinclair Model R and Patalino, really cleans up the inside of your bag.

Notebooks and Paper: Planner, Binder, and E-ink Tablet

My “working duo” of an A5 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter (with my Hobonichi Cousin and a Midori MD Cotton A5 notebook) and Plotter A5 binder traveled with me, along with my iPad Pro and reMarkable tablet. I plan to write a follow up post containing additional thoughts on tablets and e-ink devices soon - they have their place in my rotation, but they’ve never replaced certain parts of my paper-based workflow. What I really wanted to preview, however, is a new creation from Good Made Better, which I picked up in Chicago. Made from thick felt and elastic cords, the “Bibliofile” book carrier/protector holds your books and notebooks tightly together when they are in your bag - preventing those oh-so-annoying bent covers and pages while making packing a heck of a lot easier - and it can also serve as a portable bookshelf of sorts when you’re on the road. Like the pocket pen I teased, this is another “experimental” prototype product from Good Made Better that I hope takes off and goes mainstream, but for now you can buy it at pen shows.

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Takeaways

I’m trying to pare down what I carry in my bag when I travel. Letting things sit unused, especially after taking the time to pack and lug them through the airport, creates a sense of anxiety and frustration, and I’ve found that I’m happier and more productive when I’m realistic in choosing the best tools for a trip. I’m seriously considering the idea of having a set “stationery travel pouch” that is always packed and ready to go, even if it means purchasing duplicates of a few key items (like mechanical pencils and multi-pens). A few friends have adopted this strategy, and I’m interested whether others have a specific travel setup that they use by default, simply so you don’t have to think too much about packing. Drop a comment or send me a message!

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

Thursday Drops: New Lamy Safaris in Pina Colada and Cherry Blossom!

In short order, Lamy has released two additional special edition Safari pens for 2024, and this time both new colors are available in fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint, and the .5mm mechanical pencil formats. Of the two new color combinations, the “Pina Colada” (turquoise/yellow) is my favorite, mostly due to the yellow clip and accents, though “Cherry Blossom” (red/pink) is another excellent color combination that’s consistently popular.

In addition to the recently released Safari Pina Colada and Cherry Blossom Special Editions, we have fresh stock of the Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry pens, as well as the Fiery and Aquatic AL-Stars! Additional new releases and restocks are set out below, and don’t forget to check our “Gently Used” page, which has been updated and all items can be combined with the standard shop to hit the free shipping threshold at $75.

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The contrast on both pens is really nice. I’m a sucker for anything yellow, so the Pina Colada is my preference, but Cherry Blossom/Sakura pens are always favorites!

1. Lamy Safari Special Editions in Pina Colada and Cherry Blossom. We currently have stock of the fountain pens, rollerballs, ballpoints, and mechanical pencils. Both colors are currently in-stock and available.

2. Lamy Safari Special Editions in Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry. Don’t sleep on these special editions from earlier in the year, which feature a darker color scheme. It’s nice to see Lamy mix it up a bit!

3. Lamy AL-Star Special Editions in Fiery and Aquatic. The 2024 AL-Star release includes two metallic red and blue options, with matching transparent grip sections. We also have recently arrived stock of last year’s editions in Azure, Cosmic, and Whitesilver, as well as remaining Lilac and Petrol pens.

4. Lamy Special Edition Inks and Dark Lilac. The Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry fountain pen releases were accompanied by two new matching inks, and promptly followed by the re-release (or re-formulation) of Dark Lilac. We have stock of all colors available.

5. Lamy Pico Pocket Ballpoints. The Pico is back in stock, with plenty now available in all colors! One of my all-around favorite pocket ballpoints, the Pico expands from the size of a tube of lip balm into something close to a full-sized writing instrument.

6. Metacil Infinity Pencils. As I discussed in yesterday’s post, “infinity pencils” (which typically need no sharpening) have been around for years, but only recently have companies perfected the tip formulation to where you get a writing experience that’s consistently legible at a 2H hardness.

7. Caran d’Ache Pencils. All of these longtime shop favorites are fully restocked, from the bicolor annotating pencils to the fabulous Swiss Wood. You can read more on our recent Caran d’Ache restock here.

8. Tom’s Studio Lumos Refillable Fineliner Pens. This relatively new product category is one that I want to lean into, as I’ve been using these refillable fineliners on a daily basis for the past few months. I even carry the pocketable Lumos “Mini” in the pen loop on my pocket notebook. Replacements are available for all tips and capillary fillers.

9. Midori MD Cotton Paper in A5 and A5 Square. Midori recently released new sizes of their 20% cotton paper, one of which is a standard A5! The “Square” version is quite popular in Japan, and we not only carry this shape but covers to match.

10. New Stálogy Notebook/Planner Accessories. We have the recently released special edition Stálogy 1/2-year notebook in white, along with the new notebook covers and additional removable planner and to-do stickers! You can now fully customize your Stálogy notebook/planner (though the stickers work on other papers as well).

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Adventures in Weird Stationery: The Metacil "Infinity" Pencil

So-called “infinity” or “forever” pencils have been around for years, marketing themselves as anytime/anywhere writing instruments that never need to be sharpened. The Metacil barrel is made from lightweight machined aluminum, and the tip contains some sort of aluminum alloy, possibly with graphite blended in for added darkness. While the points technically won’t last forever, you can write with them for a very long time without having to replace the tip.

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Though the pencil itself is branded “sun-star,” the packaging has Bandai Namco as the maker.

When I visited Kinokuniya in New York back in March, I picked up a couple of Bandai-Namco “Metacil” pencils on a whim, and found myself pleasantly surprised by how well these things wrote. While they certainly won’t replace mechanical or woodcase pencils in my everyday writing rotation, I see a few reasons why these pencils are increasingly popular for specific use cases:

• No wood shavings or graphite dust. While the sharpening process can be meditative/contemplative and is one of the main reasons I love writing with woodcase pencils, under certain circumstances it can be inconvenient (i.e., when you need to make quick notes in a meeting or find yourself working in a location where there’s no convenient way to clean up your sharpening “mess”). I also give them convenience points for portability, such as when I’m reading on the patio, in a park, or on the beach and either can’t or don’t want to carry a sharpener with me.

• Lighter "2H” grade markings are easy to erase. I like to annotate books and make small checkmarks, etc. in books that I’ve borrowed. These need to be erased prior to the book being returned to its owner. Marks made by lighter-grade graphite and pencils such as the Metacil erase with little effort, making them excellent annotation tools.

• Portability without risk of lead breakage. I’ve been dropping my Metacil pencils into a general stationery pouch without issue. I treat them like a stylus (Apple Pencil, reMarkable Marker, Kindle Scribe Stylus, etc.) and they’ve held up quite well. I wouldn’t recommend carrying these in your pocket, as the point is quite hard and you could accidentally stick yourself in the leg.

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A stand-alone Metacil writing sample on Blackwing “Illegal Pad” paper.

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Another shot of the writing sample on the same paper, compared here to the Blackwing “Soft” core found in the Blackwing Matte pencils. This is basically a comparison between 2H and 4B graphite.

Tips for Writing with Infinity Pencils

There isn’t really a drawback to infinity pencils, other than you don’t get the tactile experience of writing with a woodcase pencil that so many people love. They’re sort of an odd stationery item that will appeal to certain people like myself who enjoy using pencils to mark stuff up but occasionally find themselves in circumstances where they can’t sharpen a woodcase pencil and they don’t want to deal with possible lead breakage and graphite dust that still happens with mechanical pencils and leadholders. As I referenced earlier in this post, I’d generally compare the Metacil hardness to 2H graphite with ordinary use. Writing on a harder surface or paper with more texture will result in a darker line and the best overall tactile feel. Darkness will also increase with added writing pressure. While the inability to sharpen the tip may affect your ability to write smaller script, I’ve found the point size consistently usable, and I have small-ish handwriting.

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I love my red Metacil (as of yet unavailable for me to stock), but I think the “Stormtrooper” white version looks best in person.

We currently have a small test batch of the full-size Metacil Pencils in the Curated Shop, priced at $15, in either a black or white finish. If they do well I’ll try to seek out other colors. “Infinity pencil” technology seems to have come a long way since I first tried these out back in 2015(?), when they were so light you could barely read the mark. The Metacil has actually been something I pick up and write with, and has turned into one of my “porch pencils” of choice.

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While you likely won’t have to replace the tip due to wear for a very long time, the tips screw out for easy replacement. I should have them sourced in the shop soon.

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

New Arrivals: Caran d'Ache + Nespresso 6th Edition, Plus a Pencil Restock

New arrivals in the shop this week include the latest collaboration between Caran d’Ache and Nespresso: the 6th Edition 849 Ballpoint featuring recycled aluminum derived from the midnight blue Kazaar capsule. The Caran d’Ache + Nespresso collaborations were one of the very first special edition lines we chose to stock in the shop, so they have a special place in my rotation and I always look forward to these annual releases! This pen features a matte midnight blue barrel with matching monochromoatic knock and clip, and ships with a medium black “Goliath” refill.

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We generally carry all of the Caran d’Ache special releases and most of the standard line products, including the 4th Edition Nespresso Swiss Wood Pencils, the gradient-inspired “Blue Lagoon” 849 ballpoint and mechanical pencil set, a couple remaining Keith Haring 849s, and the Rylsee Special Edition Fixpencil Lettering Sets. This latest shipment also included a full restock on Caran d’Ache pencils, including the Swiss Wood series, eraser-tipped office pencils, and the red, blue or green Fixpencil 884!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Caran d’Ache Products.

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The Swiss Wood pencil will always be an iconic favorite!