Sunday Reading for June 30, 2024

1. Meet Your Maker: Nic Pasquale, Pens by Pasquale (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I’m glad to see my friend Nic get a profile! His pens are excellent. Commission one!

2. Lochby Venture Pouch & Quattro (via Figboot on Pens). David reviews the two primary cases in the Lochby line, depending on whether you want a zippered pouch or a traditional four-slot case.

3. Ana’s St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). A St. Louis Pen Show review from behind the vendor’s table! I’ve not made the St. Louis Pen Show before. Perhaps next year?

4. Laura’s St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). Laura was able to wander the show for her first pen show in a while! And a wand maker?

5. What Would a Potential Binder Daily Carry Setup Look Like for Me? (via Stationery Pizza). Do you use a binder system? Do you go heavily organized or do you travel light?

6. The Writech Retractable Fountain Pen: Early Thoughts (via Fountain Pen Blog). Many people are trying to get in on the lower-cost retractable fountain pen market, and it’s been fun to see some of the new designs emerge. Will any of them take off?

7. Stationery Crazes (via Rachel’s Reflections). This is a pretty comprehensive list from the past few years.

8. Scriveiner Luxury EDC Stunning Matt Green Pocket Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). I likewise enjoyed my time with the Scriveiner fountain pens, and Scriveiner has been very generous with the community in providing pens for reviews and giveaways.

9. Namisu Nova Titanium Pocket Pen in Ultem (via Dapprman). Namisu continues to release new models, including this pocket pen design.

10. Fountain Pen Shootout Kyuseido Kakari vs. Conid Kingsize (via SBRE Brown). The video that many have been waiting for….

View fullsize

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I reviewed two capped mechanical pencils: the Pentel Sharp Kerry and the Uni Kuru Toga Dive. One is a stationery classic, and the other is a new entrant to the scene (albeit with spotty availability). Who did it better? I also reviewed a vintage fountain pen from my collection that made a sneak guest appearance in the Pentel Sharp Kerry review: the Pilot Myu!

View fullsize

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

The big news from this week was the arrival of the TWSBI ECO-T in a translucent “Eggplant Purple”, which TWSBI has indicated will be a more limited run than other recent releases. We still have stock available to ship immediately but I am not counting on another restock of these. We also received additional colors of the Pentel Sharp Kerry. You can read more about these and other new arrivals in this week’s Thursday Drops post.

TWSBI

Zebra

Uni Jetstream

Lamy

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives!

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!

The Pilot Myu Fountain Pen: What Does It Take for Me to Seek Out a Rare, Somewhat Overhyped Vintage Pen?

I tend to not chase scarcity. My personal collection mainly consists of pens that I’ve purchased with the intent of using them for everyday writing. To the extent something remains in the collection, but doesn’t get used, it’s likely because the pen has become too fragile through age or overuse to withstand the normal wear of my workday. I seldom purchase something simply to say that I own an example, so if it’s in my pen case, I plan to write with it.

View fullsize

The Pilot Myu Black Stripe, which adds a bit more texture to the pen in the form of the engraved vertical stripes.

I also rarely review so-called “unobtanium” (i.e. pens that get a lot of attention but you can’t actually find in the wild at a reasonable price). My goal for The Gentleman Stationer has always been to create a practical resource to help people learn about stationery and fine writing instruments. There’s not much practical value to writing about those vintage pens that are increasingly difficult to find, and when you do, they cost upwards of 10x the original price.

View fullsize

The vintage Myu typically comes with some version of the Pilot CON-20 squeeze converter, making it relatable to most modern Pilot users. The pens also accept modern Pilot cartridges (including the new Iroshizuku cartridges).

You might already have guessed that I’m going to make something of an exception today and talk about one of my favorite vintage pens, the Pilot Myu, which I love to write with but if I’m honest, may like them a bit too much to carry around everyday since I’m not sure I’d be able to replace these pens if something happened. I own two, which date to the early to mid 1970s, and are known for their integrated nibs. By “integrated nib,” I mean that the nib is not a separate unit: the entire pen - body, section, and nib - are machined from a single piece of metal (stainless steel). I can best describe the end result as something of a futuristic cross between a Pilot Vanishing Point and a Parker 51. The lack of any seams between the nib and the rest of the pen body give this pen gorgeous lines. Despite the stainless steel construction, the Myu is fabulously well-balanced, and the cap posts and closes securely.

View fullsize

What Makes the Pilot Myu Special, and Why Write About It?

First, there’s really nothing quite like the Myu currently on the market, and it’s so unique that I don’t begrudge anyone for shelling out the somewhat inflated secondary market prices for these pens. Integrated nib pens were a trend that emerged in the early 1970s, but due to manufacturing difficulties and the declining fountain pen market at the time, never completely took off. Despite the scarcity, I still feel that it’s fair to call the current price point “inflated” because even though they are somewhat rare, Pilot originally intended for them to serve as everyday workhorses at a lower-to-mid tier price point. Several years ago, the Myu received a lot of podcast/blogosphere hype as the “best pocket pen ever made” or something to that effect, and the prices seemingly shot up overnight into the $300-$500 range. I did a recent survey of eBay pricing and saw a few in the $250 range, which feels more realistic but still expensive.

View fullsize

The Myu (right) next to the Pentel Sharp Kerry mechanical pencil.

Second, the Myu is an interesting piece of stationery history because you can still see certain similar design elements in other products that remain available. This week I wrote about the Pentel Sharp Kerry (which is visually similar but may actually predate the Myu), and you can also see bits of the Myu legacy in the monobody Schon Monoc nib, as well as the current Pilot Elite/E95S fountain pen. If you’re a fan of this style of stationery (as I am), it can be quite cool to own the original.

View fullsize

Finally, building a bit off of No. 1 above, the Myu offers a very distinct writing experience that’s much more tactile and “direct” than a typical fountain pen - it almost feels as though you are writing with a metal stylus or etching tool. The nib has zero give (very stiff), though at the same time the medium-fine shown here is a wet writer. Those who love a bit of tooth and a tactile feel to their nib often appreciate the Myu.

View fullsize

Pilot Myu Medium-Fine Nib, Caran d’Ache Hypnotic Turquoise ink; Write Notepads Paper.

Takeaways and Should You Buy One?

The Myu remains one of the more unique fountain pens in my collection, and possibly one of the top five most iconic pieces of stationery, vintage or modern, that I own. While I have two of them, I bought them a year or two before the surge in popularity, and the current price point might be more than what many people find reasonable for a vintage pen that can be difficult to repair. Case in point: certain Myus (including the silver one shown here) have a tendency to leak around the clutch mechanism (“teeth”) at the bottom of the section. This issue can be fixed, but not many know how to do it. Years ago I was referred to someone via Fountain Pen Network who fixed my pen, and it writes well now, but if this problem were to arise again I’d likely have to hunt down a new repair person. Though an element of risk exists with any vintage pen purchase, less common pens like this one can feel riskier unless you know someone who can work on them.

View fullsize

Though longer and slimmer than a Kaweco Sport, I would still call the Myu a pocket pen, though given the age and relative value of this pen I have never used either of my Myu’s for actual pocket carry.

So should you buy one? It’s a hard question for me to answer, and I don’t feel comfortable “recommending” the Myu because it’s not as easily accessible in terms of both pricing and repair as something like a Parker 51 or even a vintage Kaweco Sport. But, if you’re a die-hard pocket pen fan and want to own an example of what many consider to be the best-ever iteration of the format, you will be very happy with this pen. Personally, I won’t be selling my two specimens anytime 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. If you enjoy our content and articles such as this one, please consider supporting us directly.

Thursday Drops: New Pentel Mechanical Pencils, TWSBI ECO-T Eggplant Purple, and More!

Another big week in the shop! As we prepare to move into our new space sometime over the next month, we’re trying to walk the line between bringing in too many restocks/new arrivals that we will subsequently have to move, while still keeping up on the releases that seem to keep coming. This week we have one of my personal favorite mechanical pencils from Pentel, as well as a gorgeous new translucent purple TWSBI ECO-T that they’ve dubbed “Eggplant Purple”. In recent weeks we’ve also added a bunch of new gel and multi pen releases from Uni and Zebra, and restocked on the classic Jetstream Prime in limited finishes. Help us lighten our move and pick this stuff up today!

View fullsize

We don’t anticipate any disruption in shipping while we move into our new space (which will likely include an in-person shopping option eventually!), but if that changes I will be sure to keep you all posted with the details. Many thanks for all your support!

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

1. TWSBI ECO-T “Eggplant Purple” Fountain Pen. TWSBI released their summer ECO-T, and it’s a gorgeous translucent purple. Available now in all nib sizes. TWSBI indicated that this would be a small batch so we’re planning on this shipment possibly being it for this particular color.

2. Pentel Sharp Kerry Mechanical Pencil. The original capped mechanical pencil (1971!), the Pentel Sharp Kerry features a knock and an eraser incorporated into the cap, so you can post the cap on the back as you write and still have full mechanical pencil functionality. Don’t miss yesterday’s review.

3. Uni Kuru Toga Alpha Gel Switch. This favorite mechanical pencil from Uni Mitsubishi features a soft and comfortable, yet durable, gel grip and now comes in both .3mm and .5mm lead sizes. Read our review here.

4. Uni Mechanical Pencil Lead Metal Cases. Prefer a long-lasting reusable accessory to the stock plastic lead cases? Check out these metal refill holders, which come stocked with 40 pieces of Uni’s smudge-proof HB .3mm or .5mm leads.

5. Lamy Safari 2024 Special Edition Fountain Pens. We have stock of all the Lamy special releases from this year, including the recently released “Pina Colada” and “Cherry Blossom” pens and pencils, as well as the “Pink Cliff” and “Violet Blackberry” models.

6. TWSBI Diamond 580 AL “Iceberg” Fountain Pen. This cool blue color is stunning, and “glacier” or “ice blue” colorways are always a favorite. I wish pen companies kept this shade in the standard lineup.

7. Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage Gel Pens. We finally added a high-end retractable gel pen to the shop. The 2024 version of the Zebra Sarasa Grand features a redesigned body and the same great refill in nearly a dozen different vintage-inspired colors. Read my full thoughts here.

8. Updated Stálogy Accessories. In addition to this year’s limited edition white Stálogy notebooks, we have accessories including the recently released stitched notebook covers, sticky notes, and more.

9. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Organizers. We have a nice selection of A4, A5, and A6 Taschenbegleiter notebook covers in both leather and vegan materials, ready to ship! These covers are compatible with most standard-sized slim notebooks in the corresponding size, and the clips are removable if you want to carry fewer than 3 notebooks.

10. Lochby Cases and Notebook Covers. We have most Lochby models in stock, as well as the Lochby Field Journal and Pocket Journal notebook refills that contain excellent, fountain pen friendly 68gsm Tomoe River Paper.

View fullsize

Stalogy removable calendar stickers can be transferred from page to page as necessary. To Do list options are also available.

Capped Mechanical Pencils: Who Did It Better, Pentel Sharp Kerry or Uni Kuru Toga Dive?

To my knowledge, the "capped mechanical pencil" market is mostly divided between two popular options: The Pentel Sharp Kerry and the recently released Kuru Toga Dive. (Yes, I know there are other models out there that feature a cap, but these two get 90% of the mainstream attention.) When I refer to a capped mechanical pencil, it's basically what it sounds like: a traditional mechanical pencil with a pen-style cap that protects the tip when not in use. For those who enjoy writing with a pencil but lament the difficulties of pocket carry, these pencils can offer a level of convenience and usability beyond the bullet pencil (which still requires that you carry a sharpener).

View fullsize

Pentel Sharp Kerry: Excellent Since 1971

You rarely find a piece of stationery that's remained essentially unchanged for more than 50 years. Other examples I can think of off the top of my head would be classics such as the Lamy 2000 or the Pilot Capless/Vanishing Point. Does 50+ years make a pen or pencil "iconic"? In my book, yes. And if the form of this pencil looks familiar to all you fountain pen lovers, that's no coincidence: Pentel designed this pencil to appeal to fountain pen users by offering a design that wouldn't look out of place on their desk or in their pen case alongside more expensive writing instruments. The design is reminiscent of the Pilot Myu or Murex fountain pens from the same era (1970s). For more on the history of the Pentel Sharp Kerry, you can check out this article from the Pen Addict, which originally appeared on Mai-Bun.com.

View fullsize

Practically speaking, I can easily see why the design of the Pentel Sharp Kerry hasn't changed in a half-century. It’s insanely comfortable to use. Posted, the pencil measures 5.25" long, so it sits right in the center of my hand. The long, smooth section accommodates a wide variety of different grips. Best of all, there is a button incorporated into the cap, so when the pen is uncapped and the cap posted on the back, you can still activate the knock. Unlike many technical-style mechanical pencils with their knurled grip and somewhat heavy all-metal construction, the Sharp Kerry feels designed for writing. It's one of the most well-balanced mechanical pencils in my collection, and the absence of a pronounced texture on the grip allows you to write for long sessions without discomfort.

View fullsize

The Pentel Sharp Kerry is designed to be used posted. Evidence? The knock button on the cap can be removed to reveal a Pentel eraser!

View fullsize

I kind of can’t believe I haven’t previously noticed the design similarities between the Pentel Sharp Kerry Mechanical Pencil (left) and the vintage Pilot Myu fountain pen (right).

View fullsize

Hmmm. I’m starting to like it even more.

View fullsize

The Uni Kuru Toga Dive in “Abyss Blue”.

Uni Kuru Toga Dive: Innovative Technology in a “no-Knock” format, But at What Price?

Mechanical pencils often feel like a less-discussed subset of the stationery world, but if you’ve followed the reaction to the announcement, release, discontinuation, and re-release of the Kuru Toga "Dive" over the past two years, you’ll quickly come to realize that there is a significant level of interest. I'm actually not sure that any product release generated as much "controversy" as the Dive, particularly after Uni raised the price in the U.S. by nearly 30%, supposedly to undercut resellers who were buying up stock and reselling the pencils at marked-up rates. I never grasped the logic or strategy here, but I understand that they have since walked it back, and in any event the pencils are not even currently available other than on the secondary market. It will be interesting to see what happens if/when the Dive reappears - and I hope it does, because it’s a really good pencil! For me the question is one of value: do you appreciate the high-tech features, or are you good with a standard Kuru Toga?

View fullsize

The dial allows you to adjust lead length.

So what makes the Kuru Toga Dive special? In addition to Uni's signature Kuru Toga lead rotation mechanism (which maintains a sharp point on the pencil by automatically rotating the lead as you write), the Kuru Toga Dive automatically advances the lead when you uncap the pencil. You rotate the grip in order to set the desired length ("Min," "Mid", or "Max") and the pencil does the rest. I love this kind of innovation, even if I personally prefer to set/control my own lead length manually. (More on that below.)

View fullsize

The cap on the Kuru Toga Dive is magnetic, so it caps and posts securely.

The Dive is a large mechanical pencil. Unlike the Pentel Sharp Kerry, it can easily be used posted or unposted. Some might even consider the Dive unwieldy with the cap posted, but given the plastic/acrylic construction, I didn't find it too heavy and regularly use it this way. (The Dive is actually lighter (.7oz) than the Sharp Kerry (.8oz).) That said, there is one drawback for me: Unlike the Pentel Sharp Kerry, you cannot manually advance the lead via the cap, which I find to be something of an inconvenience if the auto-advance mechanism doesn't keep up or if you have lead breakage. If lead breakage occurs, you have to unpost the pencil in order to hit the knock, as well as to access the eraser.

View fullsize

The eraser on the Kuru Toga Dive can only be accessed by unposting the pen and removing the knock.

Takeaways: Which Do I Prefer?

These two pencils have completely different feature sets, and sit in two wildly different price brackets, so an apples-to-apples comparison is hard. That said, if I had to recommend spending $20 on the Pentel Sharp Kerry or $70-100 on the Uni Kuru Toga Dive (assuming you can find one), I would probably say start with the Kerry simply because (1) it's a classic piece of stationery that has been around for a long time and is an easy addition to our “best pencils” list; and (2) it will give you a good sense of whether this style of mechanical pencil appeals to you. I personally value the Kerry's ability to advance the lead manually when the cap is posted - as noted above, the auto-advance feature on the Kuru-Toga Dive can be convenient, but sometimes doesn’t keep up if you’re a fast writer or write with heavy pressure, and having to unpost the pen to advance more lead can be annoying.

View fullsize

Don't get me wrong, I love my Kuru Toga Dive, and I've actually been trying to get my hands on these for the shop but they've been unavailable to both U.S. and Japanese distributors for much of the past year. Could Uni be in the middle of a redesign? A metal barrel perhaps? We'll see. For now, we do have stock of the Pentel Sharp Kerry in five different colors (blue, green, black, grey, and pink), all in the .5mm tip size. Pentel occasionally releases the Kerry in limited colors, and I plan to try to get these as they become available.

The two pencils featured in this review were purchased with my own funds for my own use. I've owned my green Pentel Sharp Kerry for years, and the Kuru Toga Dive was purchased at Kinokuniya in NYC for around $75 at the time. The Gentleman Stationer is currently supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop (including an expansive range of woodcase and mechanical pencils) and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoy our content, please consider supporting us directly!

New Arrivals: TWSBI ECO-T "Eggplant Purple" and TWSBI Diamond 580 AL "Iceberg"

This week we have not one, but two, TWSBI summer releases featured! First up: the TWSBI Diamond 580 AL “Iceberg”, which features ice-blue anodized components in TWSBI’s classic piston-filler design. Second is the TWSBI ECO-T in “Eggplant Purple.” This one strikes me as a particularly “summer-y” color because I have purple eggplants growing in my garden as we speak. According to TWSBI, the purple ECO-T will be a smaller run than other recent releases, so if you like the look of this pen, be sure to reserve one or place an order upon release. Any pens ordered from us will ship starting tomorrow.

View fullsize

Ice blue, “Glacier”, “Iceberg,” whatever you want to call it; It’s one of the most underrated stationery color schemes out there. Shown here is the TWSBI Diamond 580 AL Iceberg alongside the Lamy Studio “Glacier”.

The TWSBI Diamond 580 AL in “Iceberg” (which I’ll probably continue to think of and refer to as “glacier”) is in-stock and available to ship immediately. The Eggplant Purple ECO-T is in our shop with an official release date of tomorrow (June 26). Over the past month or so, we’ve restocked on most TWSBI models, including the 2024 releases, so if you missed out on an earlier release or want to check out the back catalogue, we have you covered!

View fullsize

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