Sunday Reading for August 11, 2024

August 11, 2024

Yoseka Stationery Fest (via Inky.Rocks). I’m sure there will be a full recap coming as well, but I was jealously following along with the Stationery Fest attendees in real time.
Tactile Turn Vice Side Click Pen Review (via Pen Addict). Wow. I can’t choose between either of these and I might have to buy both.
…On Pocket Pens (via Dapprman). The number of pens in my collection that can be considered “pocket” or “EDC” has definitely expanded over the past several years.
Waterman Exception “L’Essence Du Bleu” (via Scrively). I acquired my first Exception pen this year at the Chicago Pen Show, and have been thoroughly enjoying it.
Sugar Turtle Studio - Four Ink Reviews (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Don’t miss out on these Diamine exclusives from Tom’s shop.
All Good Things Must Come to an End (via Goodwriterspens). I’m glad to here that a vintage resource will continue to remain available as a reference.
Takeo Dressco Spica Bond Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Spica Bond paper is one of those specialty Japanese papers that you are seeing more and more. This notebook apparently comes in A5 slim.
P.W. Akkerman Voorhout Violet (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). This dusty purple is one of my favorite Akkerman inks.
Coming Soon! Rickshaw x Well-Appointed Desk Pen Cases (via Well-Appointed Desk). I was able to see these in person at the D.C. Pen Show and they look great. I can’t wait for the release.
M670 Grey White: A New Pelikan Souverän Model (via Pelikan’s Perch). A new look for Pelikan with dark PVD trim!

Kokuyo Dual-Tone Highlighter Writing Sample

In Case You Missed It…

This week I posted my recap of the 2024 D.C. Pen Show, along with links to online resources from the classes/seminars I held. I haven’t seen many show recaps yet, but that may change as those people attending both the D.C. Pen Show and Stationery Fest return and compare both experiences. On the review side, I reviewed the Kokuyo Mark+ Dual-Tone Highlighters, which have been a key component of my everyday work rotation for a couple of years now.

The Anterique Brass Edition Ballpoint in Navy Blue is one of several sharp-looking new colors.

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

We’re now almost fully moved in to our new space, and it gradually feels like things are getting back to normal! I’ve certainly been thankful for a week at home recovering from D.C. in advance of the San Francisco Pen Show in less than two weeks. In the shop, we have a full restock of Tom’s Studio Lumos Pens (including the new Lumos Brass special edition), as well as the Studio Pocket fountain pens and all of the Tom’s Studio inks. Most standard paper lines have also been restocked, including Nakabayashi and Life Stationery. Finally, we’ve added nearly a dozen new colors of Anterique ballpoints in both standard and brass editions.

Roterfaden

Tom's Studio Pens

Anterique

Tom's Studio Inks

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

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Highlighter Review: Kokuyo Mark+ Dual-Tone Highlighter Marker

August 10, 2024

T.G.S. readers don’t just accumulate their stationery, they use it, so it doesn’t surprise me that one of the more in-demand product categories for reviews is quite practical: The highlighter marker. It’s somewhat difficult to find quality highlighters in the U.S. market. Those available at big-box stores tend to have oversized chisel-tip points, with ink that can pool on the page and bleed through most paper.

I’ve experimented with many different highlighting and annotation techniques over the years, ranging from avoiding highlighters entirely by underlining with colored pencils or gel pens, to using refillable Platinum Preppy markers with specialty “highlighter inks”, to highlighter pencils designed to work on even the thinnest onionskin or Bible paper. I’ve also discovered a subset of specialized stationery: Dual-tone highlighter markers that allow for color-coding and precise annotation.

Kokuyo Dual-Tone Highlighter all color samples with ballpoint ink — Five different colors over ballpoint ink, which does not smear at all. I appreciate that these are dry-ish liquid highlighters.

The specific highlighter markers pictured here are the Kokuyo Mark+ Dual Tone Highlighters, which are notable for their distinctive double tip. While each marker has a specific color (purple, yellow, pink, green, blue, or grey), there are technically two different options in each highlighter: a darker shade and lighter shade of the same color. The dual-tone tip allows for a lot of versatility, as you can easily delineate between important ideas and very important ideas, or you can use the darker color to highlight headers, main concepts, etc., while using the lighter colors to call out quotes and longer passages. The ink is very easy on the eyes, as the muted colors are less eye-searing than other ultra-bright fluorescent highlighters.

Kokuyo Mark+ Highlighter Dual-Tone Colors — The five colors included in the standard 5-pack. All of these are available for purchase individually, along with a grey color that’s not included in the assortment.

Some have commented on one potential drawback to the Mark+ Highlighters: the relatively narrow chisel tip is set at a precise angle and you have to be somewhat careful to ensure a clean line. For me personally, that’s more a feature than a bug: not only do I enjoy the narrower tip (perfect for highlighting small-print legal documents), but without some friction in the process, I tend to go “highlighter happy” when I’m reading. If I’m not mindful of what I’m highlighting, I can end up with large portions of highlighted text that defeat the purpose of a highlighter, which for me is to allow you to easily jump to the most important takeaways and ideas. This added friction is also why I love highlighter pencils and leadholders - the fact that I have to sharpen them periodically forces me to focus by using the highlighter more sparingly on only big-picture concepts.

Kokuyo Mark+ Highlighter Writing Samples — The yellow highlighter over a few different writing samples, from top: (1) Ballpoint pen ink with zero smearing; (2) Caran d’Ache HB pencil lead with zero smearing; (3) Ohto Gel ink with moderate smearing (to be expected); (4) Uni HB Mechanical Pencil lead with zero smearing; (5) Schmidt .7mm Rollerball Refill with fairly significant smearing (also to be expected - hardly anything highlights rollerball ink with out smearing); and (6) Platinum black fountain pen ink without any smearing at all, which surprised me the most. I’ve not had any issue with these highlighters smearing inkjet or laser printer ink.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Kokuyo Mark+ is an excellent highlighter for those who require additional versatility in how they annotate, and who regularly work with smaller text that requires a more precise tip. It’s still a liquid ink highlighter marker, and your mileage will vary in terms of how these function on specific types of paper, but overall I’ve had a very good experience using these markers on cheap copy paper and even thinner book papers. As you can see above, they work well for highlighting handwriting in most ink formats, and even where there is some smearing with smudgy inks, the writing remains legible.

In addition to our range of highlighter pencils, I’ve decided to offer these specific highlighter markers for purchase in our own shop. You can buy specific colors individually, or purchase a pack of five.

Kokuyo Mark Plus Highligher 5-Pack — The 5-Pack of the Mark+ Highlighters come with a convenient resealable pouch that has held up well over the nearly two years I’ve owned these.

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

Thursday Drops: New Colors from Anterique, Tom's Studio Lumos Brass, Tokyo Traveler's Notebooks and More!

August 8, 2024

Things are finally getting back to normal, at least on the back-office side. We’ve restocked on several favorite brands, including Tom’s Studio and Anterique, including a new limited edition Brass Lumos fineliner and several new colors of the standard and brass edition Anterique ballpoints. Don’t forget to check out the new Cactus-leather Roterfaden KL_24, as well as our dwindling stock of the Traveler’s Notebook Tokyo Edition.

I’ve also opened up local pickup for the new location. If you are located in or traveling to the Nashville, Tennessee area, you can now pick up your order in person during specified hours or by appointment. After placing your order, you will receive an automated confirmation e-mail with details and I will follow up. We’re not quite ready for people to stop by to browse in person, but I will post hours as soon as we are fully set up, which will likely be September 1.

Many thanks to everyone who has supported TGS as we grow! The physical location is an exciting new development that should allow us to expand the range of products we can offer as well as provide a location to host events, etc.

Traveler’s Notebook Tokyo Limited Edition. The 2024 Traveler’s Notebook limited edition features a black leather cover adorned with the symbols of Tokyo, in silver. We have a handful of these left, and we’ve also restocked on nearly all Traveler’s Company refills and accessories.
Tom’s Studio Lumos Refillable Fineliner, Brass Limited Edition. The Tom’s Studio Lumos pens are one of the surprise hits from 2024 in our shop, though I probably shouldn’t be surprised since a refillable fineliner pen that allows you to use fountain pen ink is a fantastic idea. Now available in Brass, in standard Lumos, Lumos Pro Duo, and Lumos Mini versions. Read more on the Lumos and how it works here.
Tom’s Studio Lumos Pens, Standard Colors. We’ve also restocked on the standard Lumos pens in most colors, including the single-tip Lumos Write which comes with firmer marker-style tips if you prefer that feel for writing. (Personally I enjoy the softer standard Lumos fineliner tips as well, which are similar to a micron pen.)
Tom’s Studio “Studio Pocket” Fountain Pens. The Tom’s Studio pocket fountain pens feature a faceted cap design and allow you to easily swap the standard fine or medium nibs with one of the Tom’s Studio specialty nibs (the Architect is one of the better off-the-shelf architect grinds I have tried). Read more on our initial impressions here.
Anterique Ballpoints. These Japanese low-viscosity ballpoints take the classic click-pen design and upgrade it to something that’s refillable and can be used everyday. From a thicker plastic barrel to a higher quality knock to an excellent refill, even the basic plastic versions are fantastic pens, and they come in dozens of colors.
Anterique Ballpoints, Brass Editions. The heftier brass versions of the Anterique ballpoints feature the same general shape and refill, only with a machined brass barrel. The back part of the pen is interchangeable, so you can indeed swap colors.
Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Inks. Tom’s Studio makes a line of excellent inks to go along with their Lumos refillable fineliners and fountain pens. These are standard water-based fountain pen inks (no shimmer) and stand out because it’s a relatively muted color palette across the line.
Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter KL_24 Cactus Leather Model. These didn’t arrive in time for me to have them ready to go in D.C., but there is a new vegan-friendly option in the Roterfaden lineup! This one features a soft cactus leather exterior and a new interior brushed cotton liner with zippered pockets and sleeves.
Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter LTD-022. The Taschenbegleiter that many people were looking for in D.C. (which I forgot to pack) was this standard black leather and red elastic. The Taschenbegleiter V-19 is the vegan-friendly version with a cover made from black danceflooring material.
Lochby Covers and Cases. All Lochby products are back in inventory following the D.C. Pen Show, ranging from the A5 Field Journal to the Tool Roll to the reversible Venture Pouch.

Pencils in Mason Jars on the Shelves in the T.G.S. Shop

2024 D.C. Pen Show Recap and Class Resources

August 7, 2024

Many thanks to everyone who came out and stopped by our table at this year’s D.C. Pen Show! It’s always enjoyable to meet readers in person and to put faces to names, and it never ceases to amaze me just how many people share this passion of ours. The 2024 D.C. Pen Show was easily the largest pen show I’ve been to in terms of number of vendors, and I suspect that once the attendee numbers come in, they’ll confirm that the show is still growing and has recovered from the “Pandemic lull” in attendee traffic.

DC Pen Show Third Ballroom on Sunday — A shot of the third ballroom on Sunday afternoon, as everyone was starting to pack up.

Three Full Ballrooms of Pens, Inks, and Paper

I’ll be honest with you up front: The show was so busy that I saw very little of it - other than what I could see from my table - until Sunday afternoon. When you’re a full-time vendor trying to make a go of it as an actual business, it’s a very different show experience. I didn’t buy a single pen all weekend, which is the first time that’s ever happened. That said, if I had actually had the time to explore, it likely would have ended up as a financial disaster. This year there were three full ballrooms full of exhibitors: the main ballroom with major brands and retailers, a smaller “second” ballroom that mostly housed independent makers, and a third ballroom down the hall that featured most of the international attendees, including show favorite Galen Leather! Additional vendors were packed into the main entrance and hallways.

Matthew Chen from Matthew's Nibworks grinding nibs — Table neighbor Matthew Chen was grinding away at nibs all weekend!

Fantastic Pens at the 2024 DC Pen Show — Fantastic Pens was attending their first pen show! They definitely raised the bar on the sign game.

Good Made Better Pocket Pens in Ebonite — I picked up one of the Good Made Better ebonite pocket pens at the Chicago Pen Show. Dan has continued to perfect the design, all of which feature a faceted cap with a matte-finished ebonite.

Good Made Better Pocket Pens (2) in Ebonite — I almost snagged that yellow ebonite pen, but I was good.

Schon DSGN Full-size fountain pen show special — The latest from Schon DSGN! I think this pen was a new release for the show.

Ink Swatches from Van Diemans and Octopus Fluids at the Vanness Table — I shared table space with Vanness Pens, and Ana Reinert from the Well-Appointed Desk was swatching inks from Octopus Fluids, Van Diemans, and Laban all weekend!

Hinze Pens brought these new plated nib designs!

I delved into this a bit more in my Patreon writeup, but several people commented that this year’s show may have been a bit too big. As you can see from the lead photo in this recap post, the aisles periodically clogged during giveaways, influencer meet-and-greets, etc., making it difficult for people to navigate the show and frustrating vendors who couldn’t get customers to their tables. A solution is beyond the scope of this post, but limiting the number of vendors and/or moving to a larger event space might be options for future D.C. Pen Shows. As for the current hotel, it’s fine as far as pen show venues go, but in my opinion there isn’t enough restaurant and bar space for attendees to gather after-hours, and the location is not particularly convenient for other shopping and dining alternatives.

Franklin-Christoph Show Special Ink on Tomoe River Paper — Later in the afternoon, my friend Dan (@dandon375) hosted a meet-and-greet where we got to play around with his collection of folded nibs, ruling pens, and modified Pilot Parallel calligraphy pens. This is the Franklin-Christoph DC Pen Show Special Edition Ink (an olive green) on 68gsm Tomoe River Paper.

Classes in the Pen Lounge: What Did You Think?

This year I worked with Vanness Pens on the Vanness Pen Lounge, which was a ballroom below the main show area that offered a quiet respite from the chaos that is the D.C. Pen Show. Throughout the weekend, the Pen Lounge hosted a running list of classes that included Fountain Pens 101 for beginners, a class on inks taught by Ana from the Well-Appointed Desk, and my own class on notebook systems. Basically, my class was a 30-60 minute overview of a handful of popular notebook and organizer systems that included the Traveler’s Notebook, the Lochby Field Journal, the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter, and Plotter. For those who attended the class, I referenced some written resources that exist on the site: a general overview post on how to get started, and a multi-post series on specific notebook systems including those we discussed during the class. If you’d like to read further, see Part I (Background Information); Part II (Plotter/Ring Binders); Part III (Traveler’s Company/Modular); and Part IV (Single Notebooks). I also recently published an “Ask TGS” FAQ Page that contains certain of the information we discussed, as well as general resources for new users.

Overall, the Pen Lounge concept seemed well-received, especially at a show that drew a lot of first-time pen show attendees and ended up being very crowded. It was nice to have a quiet, well air-conditioned and ventilated space downstairs to rest for a moment, and I enjoyed having the opportunity to meet everyone away from the table.

DC Pen Show 2024 Table Layout with Roterfaden and Lochby Products

Did You Miss Out on the Fun? Product Links, Resources, and Details on More August Pen Show Opportunities!

As with most pen shows I attend, I needed to take a day to recover on Monday, but yesterday I was back in the shop and re-entered all products from the show into the online inventory. My personal show strategy when I have a table is not to bring all of the product lines that we carry, but rather to select unique products that won’t otherwise be represented at the show. This year I chose a handful of brands: Roterfaden and Lochby for the main table display, accented with some interesting pens from Anterique, Uni, and Pilot.

Select Pens on the T.G.S. Table from the D.C. Pen Show — Pens from the T.G.S. Table: Uni Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pens, Anterique Brass Ballpoints, and Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Gel Multi Pens. Again, it’s fun to surprise people with items you don’t typically see at shows!

I had never seen the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter organizers represented at a pen show, and since I was teaching a class on notebook systems, I figured that this past weekend would be as good a time as any to test it out. There’s a reason the Taschenbegleiter remains popular after all these years, even at a relatively high price point: It’s an intuitive, well-made organizer system, and the quality shines when you’re able to try it in person. It turns out that the Taschenbegleiter that drew the most attention was my 5+ year-old classic leather black model (new versions of which I carry in the shop but of course forgot to bring with me). Several people requested that I post the link to the specific model, which is the Taschenbegleiter LTD_022. All Lochby products that remain in stock are also back in inventory and listed on the site.

Because I need to finish moving into our physical shop space here in Nashville, I will not be attending Stationery Fest this week in New York City as originally planned. (If anyone was unable to get a three day pass and would like one, please reach out.) My next pen show will be the San Francisco Pen Show at the end of the month. I will not have a table but will rather be doing this show as an attendee, though if you’d like to place an order for show pickup I can probably make that work.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Stay tuned for details on our upcoming brick and mortar location, including visiting hours.

New Arrivals: Tom's Studio Lumos Brass Special Editions

August 6, 2024

I had a fun surprise waiting for me when I returned from this past weekend’s D.C. Pen Show. The Tom’s Studio Lumos refillable fineliners have been one of my favorite discoveries of 2024, and they recently released brass versions of the Lumos Pro, the Lumos Pro Duo, and the Lumos Mini! These pens function the same way as the standard Lumos pens, using the refillable fibre tip and wick system that allows you to use fountain pen inks in a fineliner format. You can read more about how these pens work here.