My Personal Ranking of the 2024 Lamy Safaris and AL-Stars

This year, Lamy released not one, but two rounds of special edition Safari and AL-Star pens. Because 2024 marked my first full year as a Lamy retailer carrying all of the special editions (plus now with a dedicated space to have them all easily accessible for comparison), I thought it might be fun to take a look at all of the fountain pens together and discuss my favorites from what seems like an especially busy year for Lamy.

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From left: Pink Cliff, Violet Blackberry, Piña Colada, and Cherry Blossom

Ranking My Favorite 2024 Lamy Safaris

The 2024 Lamy Safari releases kicked off with “Pink Cliff” and “Violet Blackberry” back in February. Featuring dark navy and violet barrels paired with pink and purple grip sections, these two pens marked something of a departure from the recent trend of more traditional releases. While I found the contrast refreshing, I’m sure it wasn’t for everyone. The more recent “Piña Colada” and “Cherry Blossom” hit stores in June, and once again featured two-toned pens but with a completely different look. I’d rank them as follows, in terms of personal preference:

1. Piña Colada. I love yellow pens, feel the color is drastically underutilized across the pen industry, and let it be known that I will buy any Safari with a yellow clip.

2. Pink Cliff. A blue-grey matte barrel offset with an eye-searing pink section? Somehow it works. The matte texture lifts this one over Violet Blackberry for me.

3. Violet Blackberry. Two different shades of purple makes for a great looking Safari, but if given the choice, I’m always going with matte texture over gloss.

4. Cherry Blossom. A really nice looking pink pen, and I definitely dig the red clip, but this shade of cherry blossom pink isn’t really my thing aesthetically. The new “Autumn Pink” AL-Star, on the other hand….

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Four AL-Star fountain pens from left: Fiery, Aquatic, Autumn Pink, and Sage Green.

Ranking My Favorite 2024 Lamy AL-Stars

1. Sage Green. This one’s simply beautiful. I love the transparent green section and the tone of the barrel goes well with the black clip and nib. There’s not much more to say here other than this pen looks really good.

2. Aquatic. Same as above. While the fountain pen is shown here for demonstrative purposes, I’ve been using the .5mm Aquatic AL-Star mechanical pencil, as I’ve tried to explore different formats of popular models that I’d previously only used as fountain pens.

3. Autumn Pink. I have a thing for muted pastel shades, and while the Sage Green is definitely my favorite, Autumn Pink is a somewhat unique take on a color (pink) that’s hard to pull off. I expect both of these particular AL-Star pens to do well.

4. Fiery. What? This is T.G.S. and the red pen with the black clip comes in last place? First of all, it’s really not last place since this was a darn good batch of AL-Stars. For me it comes down to the red being slightly too pink for my personal preference, and the muted pink of “Autumn Pink” being slightly more interesting to look at. But again, these are all great looking pens.

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The two winners, at least for me.

So What Are My Personal 2024 Favorites overall?

If I had to pick two pens from the 2024 releases, I would choose the Piña Colada Safari and the Sage Green AL-Star. I definitely felt a bit of a disconnect between the Pink Cliff/Violet Blackberry and Piña Colada/Cherry Blossom Safari releases - there really wasn’t a consistent theme other than all four pens feature contrasting sections and barrels - but at the end of the day the yellow on the Piña Colada pushed it over the top. Sage Green takes first place out of the AL-Star releases, as I really love this color. (Tom’s Studio uses a similar “Sage” aluminum in both their fountain pens and the Lumos series.) I had a more difficult time choosing, however, as I enjoyed most of this year’s AL-Star colors.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Every year I look forward to Lamy’s announcement of their special editions, and while I’m probably on “Team Safari” in terms of which pen shape/model I prefer to use on a regular basis, it’s close, and this time the AL-Star won the design battle. After years of different blue tones and very light neutral colors, Lamy built on the success of Lilac and Petrol and took the AL-Star in a different direction with brighter shades that work well in brushed aluminum. The matching clear sections and black trim look sharp, and I’ll likely choose one of each color to keep in a different format (i.e., a Sage Green fountain pen, Aquatic mechanical pencil, Fiery rollerball, and Autumn Pink ballpoint). Viewing the Fiery and Aquatic releases alongside Sage and Autumn Pink also makes me consider them differently, as I personally think they look better as part of a four-pen set than as a somewhat staid red/blue release.

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We have all of the Lamy Safaris and AL-Star’s in stock at our shop, along with curated selections from Lamy’s regular lineup. I was also pleased to see that Lamy decided to release a mechanical pencil in both the Sage Green and Autumn Pink this time around. You can check them out online or in person, as our physical store will be open this weekend!

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

New Arrivals: TWSBI ECO Irish Green + Onyx Fountain Pens Are Here, Plus Official Store Hours!

TWSBI’s latest release, an ECO fountain pen in Irish Green acrylic with new onyx black plated trim, has arrived and is shipping! TWSBI has really experimented with their trim this year, including not only the new onyx black but also bronze and additional rose gold models. The Irish Green + Onyx is the first black-trim pen I believe TWSBI has done. Get yours now, or browse the rest of the TWSBI lineup!

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Initial Store Hours Are Set!

I’m happy to announce that this week, the shop is open with official hours! To start, we will be open Fridays from 1-7pm, and Saturdays from 11am-6pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays will be by appointment, and Sunday and Monday we will be closed. Outside of the regular Friday-Saturday hours, please reach out through the “Contact” form on the site and I will get in touch to set a time when you can visit. Eventually we will have an online appointment system and/or a telephone number, and hopefully additional open days as we get established.

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Just look for the tower in our commercial complex. Most Nashvillians can spot this from I-65. To see exactly where we are located in the complex,

A Short Video showing exactly how to find us in our complex. We are located in Suite 113, to the right of the building behind the old Picture Frame Warehouse location (which is now Flex Alarms).

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

Sunday Reading for September 8, 2024

1. Adjustable Section? The Sailor Tuzu (via Figboot on Pens). Pens with adjustable sections that rotate to fit your grip style have come and gone over the years. This Sailor model is less expensive and targeted towards a different market segment than most.

2. Sneaky Big (via Line Variation). I love reading about unique journaling techniques, and this one about journaling in extremely small notebooks and notepads is no exception.

3. Japanese Fashion Professionals’ Planners (via Notebook Stories). It’s always enjoyable to see how others use their notebooks and planners.

4. Back from Holiday: Galen Leather Writer’s Bank Bag Pen Pouch Review (via A Fleeting Ripple). I love these Galen pouches as well. Personally, I’d love to have one in A4.

5. Worst Nib Ever? The Simplpens Ventura (via Figboot on Pens). I’m not sure how a nib like that ever gets mailed out. I’m also not sure how David finds some of these pens. :)

6. Plotter Sizes (via Stationery Pizza). Plotter sizes generally correspond to common ringed-binder sizes used by brands like Filofax. While there is an A5 size, the others typically fall outside of the universal “A” and “B” system.

7. Choosing Keeping Pocket Notebook (via Blake’s Broadcast). I’ll be visiting Choosing Keeping in London in October, and I’ve begun the process of looking for stationery recommendations!

8. Visconti Opera Master Golden Dust (via Dapprman). I remember when these Visconti Opera Masters first became quite popular. They hold a LOT of ink.

9. A Fresh Start (via From the Pen Cup). Congratulations to Mary!

10. Ink Review: Kobe #12 Okamoto Pink (via Well-Appointed Desk). Whether or not I like pink inks typically depends on whether they lean red or peach, or another offbeat color entirely. This one definitely leans red.

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In Case You Missed It….

This week I wrote a piece on the “Bulkfiller” filling system (which I describe as a plunger or syringe-filler mechanism), and which has received a ton of attention in recent years. I offered my observations on a few different pens that use this filling mechanism, but I’ve not yet reviewed any of them in depth. Since I took a long weekend for a few days off, Saturday’s post is a recap of favorite travel-themed posts from the past few years that people have told me they find especially helpful.

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Our exclusive model of the Sunderland mk1 features a bead-blasted matte black and red finish with a DLC-coated matte clip.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine works pens have arrived!

The big news from this week is the arrival of the T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 machined pens! When we first released this exclusive collaboration several years ago, it sold out quickly. Based on reader feedback, we decided to do another run, and they are now available for purchase. Pens ship with a .7mm Pilot G2 gel refill, but are also compatible with other sizes/colors of the G2, Juice, Juice-up, Montblanc rollerball and fineliner refills, and with an extender, the Pentel Energel, Uni-ball One, and Zebra Sarasa JF.

The new TWSBI ECO in Irish Green and Onyx will also begin shipping upon my return! I’m really excited to see these pens in person, as dark green is always one of those colors that tends to be underutilized by manufacturers. For a full list of recent arrivals, please check out this week’s Thursday Drops post.

TGS x Sunderland

TWSBI

Lamy

Washi

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives (Including the Sunderland Mk1)

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 either online (or in person, if you’re in the Nashville area)! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, the T.G.S. Patreon includes these as well as 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. This month’s Patreon “special” is an extra bit off the TGS Sunderland Pen.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

Vacation Recap: Traveling with Stationery, Greatest Hits

Since my goal for this long weekend is to enjoy a couple of days off, I’m bringing back the tradition of recap-style posts for vacation weeks. Today, I’ve chosen five of my favorite T.G.S. posts relating to travel stationery, ranging from questions about flying with fountain pens to posts about what I travel with and use when I’m on the road. Enjoy!

1. Your Questions Answered: Flying with Fountain Pens. Air travel with fountain pens can be tricky, and my preferred way to avoid air-travel inksplosions is to carry a pen that features some sort of shut-off valve to minimize ink leaking out the section. In addition to the pens featured in this particular post, I’d add the bulkfiller-style pens discussed earlier this week.

2. Updated Travel Kit 2024: Packing Pens, Pencils, and Notebooks for a Road Trip. Over the years I’ve adapted my stationery “travel kit” to reflect different needs and preferences, mainly adding more mechanical pencils and low viscosity ballpoints, which are often simply easier options when working on airplanes and in travel lounges and conference rooms.

3. Travel Chronicles: Actually Traveling with a Traveler’s Notebook. Lots of people ask me about my preferred setup for a Standard-size Traveler’s Notebook, and since we’re taking a pretty significant international family trip in about 6 weeks (on which I plan to bring a Traveler’s Notebook as my primary journal), it’s a topic I’ve been thinking more about.

4. 2023 Travelogue: What I Consider When Visiting Pen Stores and Shopping at Smaller Retailers in General. Whenever I land in a new town (or a favorite city I haven’t visited in a while), I try to visit all the local pen shops and pick up any special or exclusive editions you can’t find elsewhere. I do the same with independent bookstores.

5. An Overlooked Gem? The Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint Pen. Whenever I get the chance, I try to push the Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint pen, which is one of my preferred vacation pens due to its compact size and the ability to clip it to the front of a book. (Though it may be rivaled by these little Anterique ballpoints, shown above.)

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

Thursday Drops: TGS x Sunderland mk1 Pens in Stock, TWSBI ECO Irish Green Onyx Pre-orders, and More

They’re here! I picked up a shipment of the T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 special edition machined pens yesterday, and shipped the first third of them out the door immediately. A huge thank you to everyone who’s has supported this project and helped convince me to bring these popular pens back (hopefully permanently).

It will be interesting to see how dark the green is. I'm excited for this one!

We also have opened pre-orders for the TWSBI ECO Irish Green Onyx edition, which was a bit of a sleeper as it came out in the middle of pen show season but may be one of the more unique releases in a fairly crowded calendar. Finally, as noted on Tuesday, we have a wide range of new arrivals from iLootPaperie, including favorite designs that have been out of stock for a while.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges from the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Note that our physical location will be closed this weekend, as we are traveling for a couple of days. Online orders will not be affected and will ship within the typical timeframe. Many thanks!

1. T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 Special Editions. Dare I say that this batch looks even better than the last? The pens are now in stock, with the first wave of orders out the door yesterday. You can read more on this pen here.

2. TWSBI ECO Irish Green with Onyx Trim Fountain Pen. The first TWSBI fountain pen with black-plated trim, at least as far as I’m aware. This particular release is going to be a “must have” for me.

3. TWSBI ECO-T Eggplant Purple Fountain Pen. We still have some limited remaining stock of this translucent purple ECO-T, a summer-y edition with the softly molded triangular grip and cap.

4. Lamy Studio Piano Red Fountain Pens. Lamy recently updated one of the best sub-$200 fountain pens with a 14k nib. The Piano Red Lamy Studio features a deep red lacquer and the signature “propeller clip”.

5. Lamy Studio Royal Red Matte Fountain Pens. My new replacement for the old Wild Rubin special edition, this dark matte red fountain pen is absolutely gorgeous. One of the more underrated fountain pens on the market.

6. Tom’s Studio Lumos Refillable Fineliners. Currently our best-selling pen of any kind! The Lumos series of refillable fineliners use interchangeable tips and fountain pen ink, making for an extremely versatile and travel-friendly pen. You can read more about how these work here.

7. Hightide Co. Sandglasses. We’ve recently received a restock of most colors in the 30 minute, 15 minute, and 15 minute slim models! Analog timers have definitely improved my focus at work, as it’s nice to not have your phone in front of you all the time. Read more about how I use analog timers here.

8. New Washi Tapes from iLootPaperie. Pasadena, California-based iLootPaperie makes some of our favorite washi tapes, featuring all sorts of fun original designs. (Warning, some of these are only for grown-ups.)

9. Laconic Tokyo Notebook and Planner Inserts. We are restocked on most formats of Laconic’s diverse array of undated planners and structured notebooks. These slim A5 notebooks allow you to customize your own planners, whether using one of Laconic’s own 2-refill covers or a higher-capacity cover like the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter or the Lochby Field Journal.

10. Lochby A5 Notebooks. We recently purchased as many of the 68gsm Tomoe River dot grid notebooks as we could get our hands on. While I don’t think the 68gsm paper is going away anytime soon, it’s insanely popular and we sell through it quickly.

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