Travel Prep 2024, Part II: Choosing Pens for Travel

Continuing my mini-series of posts relating to upcoming travel, I thought I’d post my pen “packing list” for next week’s trip to London. You’ll notice a trend: I’m going for low-maintenance writing instruments focusing on ease-of-use, and plan to travel with everything in a single Rickshaw Sinclair Model R. Per my post from Wednesday, paper/notebook carry for this trip will consist of my Traveler’s Notebook and Hobonichi Weeks, and I should have plenty of room to bring stuff home!

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What's going with me? My Rickshaw x Leigh Reyes Vanness Pens Exclusive!

1. Traveler’s Company Ballpoint Pen or Anterique Mini/Brass Mini Ballpoint. I have a certain category of pens that I consider my “reading” pens, which I can easily clip to the front cover of a book - especially when I’m on the beach or on an airplane. These pens aren’t intended for long writing sessions; rather, I use them for underlining, annotating, and other marginalia. I’ll probably bring at least two with me.

2. Anterique Brass Ballpoint Pen. These full-size low-viscosity ballpoints have a nice weight to them as well as an excellent .5mm refill that writes well on all types of paper, and which is quite convenient for travel. Some of you have asked recently about refill compatibility for these pens: While the stock refill is excellent, you can also use Bic-style “butterfly” refills, though you may need to adjust the length. For example, I have the pen shown here equipped with a slightly trimmed-down Ohto Needle-Tip refill.

3. T.G.S. x. Sunderland Machine Works mk1. You didn’t think I was going to leave this one off the list, did you? While you can read more about why I love the Sunderland mk1 in the full review, It’s durability, ability to post, and comfortable grip has long made this pen a go-to travel companion, as well as an excellent everyday writer that is easy to use in meetings.

4. Tom’s Studio Lumos Write Fineliner. One of the reasons I love these refillable fineliners is that they give me a way to use my fountain pen ink without having to worry about spills, leaks, or carrying refills. The Lumos pens refill using a cotton wick system, and the “Write” version comes equipped with firmer fineliner tips intended for writing, though you can always opt for the Lumos Pro and Lumos Pro Duo pens, which include a full set of 11 tips to choose from. I can’t emphasize how convenient these are. I’ve only had to refill my own pens once in about 6 months, since fineliners are much more efficient with their ink consumption than fountain pens.

5. Vacuum Filler Fountain Pen. I’m going to list a general category here in slot number five. I will bring one fountain pen with me on the trip, and it will be a vacuum filler (probably my Pilot Custom 823), which should easily last me a week even if I were writing exclusively with this one pen every day. Vacuum fillers also have the shutoff valve that you can close to prevent ink from leaking into the cap on the airplane.

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I took an Anterique brass mini pen on my last beach trip, and it's portability served me well.

Still Looking for Recommendations: London and the U.K.

I’m currently planning to be in London, U.K. in early October (but, alas, not for the London Autumn Pen Show). If you have any recommendations for shops I can visit or only-in-the-UK stationery brands I should explore, please drop a comment or send me a message! I’m currently planning to visit Choosing Keeping and Present and Correct, but would love to keep a full day (or two) of exploration on the calendar.

The physical shop will be temporarily closed to the public for the following two weekends due to the aforementioned international travel. Online orders will continue to ship while I am away. Please keep checking this page for updated opening hours and our public schedule.

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: Roterfaden Restock, Roterfaden Accessories, Caran d'Ache Inks and More!

This week we received a full restock of Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter binders, notebooks, and accessories, ready to ship immediately. In recent weeks we’ve also received new arrivals from Pilot, Lamy, and Kakimori! Kakimori arrivals include new versions of the metal dip nibs, Colour Liner fineliners, as well as hardcover notebooks!

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The recycled leather Taschenbegleiters are one of my favorites, namely because the relatively stiff cover provides a firm surface for writing on the go.

All of this is available to view in person at our new shop, which will be open this weekend. Because tomorrow is Pelikan Hubs, the shop will be opening slightly earlier on Friday (9/27) at 12pm and closing slightly earlier at 5:30pm so that I can make it to the Nashville Pelikan Hub by 6 to set up. I may also have extended hours on Sunday (9/29), since the physical shop will be temporarily closed to the public for the following two weekends due to the aforementioned international travel. Online orders will continue to ship while I am away. Please keep checking this page for updated opening hours and our public schedule.

1. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Covers. We received a large restock of Roterfaden covers in the A4 and A5 sizes earlier this week, in several different materials. We also have additional four-clip binders that are adjustable between A5 and A6.

2. Roterfaden Sheet Protectors. These PVC sheet protectors allow you to carry papers, cards, and other loose items such as receipts and pictures. We have them restocked in both A4 and A5.

3. Roterfaden Notebooks. Ranging from standard dot grid paper to undated planners to notepads, Roterfaden notebooks are perfectly sized to fit the corresponding Taschenbegleiters.

4. Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pens. The new Pilot Custom 823 fountain pens in Clear acrylic have arrived! Long available in Japan, they are now part of the U.S. lineup. Each pen ships with a bottle of Pilot Namiki Ink, and you can further choose from the full line of Iroshizuku bottled inks.

5. Pilot E95s Fountain Pens. Pilot’s current “pocket” fountain pen features a slightly springy inlaid 14k nib, and takes either a Pilot piston converter or cartridges. We recently aded the line of Iroshizuku inks in cartridge form, in addition to standard Pilot cartridges.

6. Caran d’Ache Rollerball Pens. All colors of the excellent Caran d’Ache Rollerballs are back in stock, and a friendly reminder that this can also be converted to a larger version of the 849 ballpoint, since it takes any Parker-style refill.

7. Caran d’Ache Rollerball Refills. Speaking of Parker-style refills, I’m increasingly a fan of the Caran d’Ache Parker-style rollerball refill, which writes much more like a gel pen than many rollerball refills that I find exceedingly wet.

8. Caran d’Ache Chromatics Bottled Fountain Pen Inks. Caran d’Ache’s angled ink bottle makes filling larger pens easy, and their vibrant ink colors look great in this iconic glass inkwell.

9. Object Index Cedar Pocket Pen. We have the entire line of Object Index Pens, but my favorite at the moment is this more compact version of the Mark’style woodcase ballpoints. Object Index pens ship with two refills. Read the full review here.

10. Object Index Parallel Highlighters. I’ve always loved these chunky highlighters, as they fit into pouches quite easily and I’ve found them ergonomic. Each Object Index highlighter includes two different colors.

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Hightide Sandglasses are back, in most colors and timing increments.

Travel Prep 2024, Part I: Choosing Notebooks for a Long Trip, Plus a Hobonichi Update

Next month, my family and I will be taking our first significant international trip since before our daughter was born (11 years ago!). While I spent a significant amount of time outside of the United States when I was younger, I’m looking forward to visiting - and revisiting - certain cities now that I have a keener interest in all things pen and paper, as well as more free time and financial ability to explore than I did when I was a broke student. Now let’s get down to the first fun part of planning any trip: What pens and paper do I plan to bring with me?

Traveling with Stationery: A Stripped-Down Travel Kit

I’ve dramatically changed my approach to travel stationery over the years. Whereas I used to regularly fly with three or four different notebooks - sometimes using them all, sometimes not - I’ve moved towards a much leaner setup, especially on personal trips. For this upcoming week, I plan to bring two notebooks: (1) a multi-refill cover such as a Traveler’s Notebook or Roterfaden A5; and (2) my Hobonichi Weeks. The multi-refill “modular” cover allows me to carry different rulings and paper types in a single “book”, and I may even leave one of the slots open since I know I’ll be picking up some new items at stores I plan to visit. More on that below. The smaller Weeks will serve as a trip planner/journal that I can easily carry around town, especially with a Moterm cover I have that includes slots for cards, passes, etc.

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I love the idea of having these two relatively compact notebooks be my travel carry for the week. We'll see if it actually happens.

Which cover I choose will really just depend on need. The advantage of the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter binder is that I can carry full-sized notebooks. If work is busy enough to where I will have to travel with my current work planner (the A5 Hobonichi Cousin), then I will likely bring one of my two A5 Roterfadens to fit the Cousin along with a couple of slimmer A5 notebooks. Otherwise, I would prefer to bring a Standard-sized Traveler’s Notebook, since the narrow size is more compact and fits easily into a shoulder bag.

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The Weeks layout is perfect for planning a week in an "at a glance" format, especially when managing a travel schedule.

I also plan to bring my Hobonichi Weeks, as I’m already using the week-to-two-pages layout for planning tours, meals, and visits with friends. This upcoming trip is looking fairly busy, so I want to be sure that we’re not overscheduled on specific days and we leave plenty of “open time” for exploring. I love the compact size of this hardcover notebook, and I have plenty of blank pages left in the “Mega” version that I want to use up before the end of the year, perhaps as a travel journal?

A Note on Hobonichi Planners

I know that “Hobonichi Season” has kicked off and a few people have asked me for recommendations. This year I picked up three sizes: the A5 Cousin (as a work planner/time-blocking journal), an A6 Hobonichi (as a personal journal), and the Weeks (as a compact “capture” book that I used to habit-track, record exercise, reading, etc.). I don’t normally use three Hobonichis, and I intended this year to be a grand experiment to compare three popular sizes and expand my general frame of reference. I’ve therefore not used them all consistently, but I have been writing in one book or the other at any given time for most of the year. For 2025, I believe I will likely retire the A6 version, and possibly the Cousin. While I enjoy the paper and the aesthetics, I just don’t believe that how I personally tend to plan and write justifies the expense and bulk of the day-to-a-page books, especially where I have such a large stash of other journals and notebooks at home that would serve me just as well.

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I've used it on and off for several years, but I don't feel that I really benefit from the Hobonichi's structure for standard journaling, in the sense that I don't require a full dated page.

I’m more on the fence about the Hobonichi Weeks. I do like having a record of how I spend each day during the week, with space for general notes on what I’ve been thinking about and doing, as well as tracking habits and disciplines I’m trying to cultivate. I’ve come to realize that any sort of reflection, for me, doesn’t need to be recorded at length on a daily basis, and if I do need to expend more than a few lines, I’d rather write in a more open-format journal than in a dated “planner” where I end up with lots of blank space. The decision I’ll be making is whether to pick up another Weeks or go back to the Traveler’s Notebook Weekly + Memo 019 insert, which I’ve used extensively in the past.

Looking for Recommendations: London and the U.K.

I’m currently planning to be in London, U.K. in early October (but, alas, not for the London Autumn Pen Show). If you have any recommendations for shops I can visit or only-in-the-UK stationery brands I should explore, please drop a comment or send me a message! I’m currently planning to visit Choosing Keeping and Present and Correct, but would love to keep a full day (or two) of exploration on the calendar.

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Updated Shop Hours for the Coming Weeks

This week is Pelikan Hubs, so the shop will be opening slightly earlier on Friday (9/27) at 12pm and closing slightly earlier at 5:30pm so that I can make it to the Nashville Pelikan Hub by 6 to set up. I may also have extended hours on Sunday (9/29), since the physical shop will be temporarily closed to the public for the following two weekends due to the aforementioned international travel. Online orders will continue to ship while I am away. Please keep checking this page for updated opening hours and our public schedule.

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

New Arrivals: Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters in A4 and A5, Plus More Roterfaden Notebooks and Other Compatible Refills!

Yesterday we received a fresh shipment of Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Notebook Covers in both A4 and A5 sizes, as well as Roterfaden dot grid A5 refills and other compatible refill notebooks such as the Midori MD Light 3-Packs and the Lochby Field Journal refills, which feature 68gsm Tomoe River Paper. Many of you have requested that we reorder specific Taschenbegleiter models, so we now have stock of the following:

• Taschenbegleiter LB_23 (Recycled Leather) in A4 and A5 Sizes. These are my personal favorite covers, especially in the larger A4 size, because they straddle the line between soft leather and stiffer natural rubber and other vegan leather materials. The larger A4 is firm enough to use as a lap desk of sorts if you are working while seated.

• Taschenbegleiter LTD_08 in A4. A black leather A4 Taschenbegleiter was among the most heavily requested items, and we have a handful in stock as of this morning.

• Taschenbegleiter LTD_015 (Adjustable Clip, A5). This Taschenbegleiter is set up in a way that allows you to move the clips from A5 to A6 sizing and back, so that you can carry smaller A6 or pocket notebook-sized refills.

Taschenbegleiter LB_23

Taschenbegleiter LTD_008

Taschenbegleiter LTD_015

In addition to these, we also have many different Roterfaden covers in unique colors ranging from red to navy, as well as Roterfaden brand refills and accessories. All Taschenbegleiters qualify for free shipping and any thing listed on our site is in stock and ready to go!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Roterfaden and other brands sold. If you are in the Nashville, Tennessee area, we now have a physical shop. Please check our Store Hours and Location page for directions and details on how to shop during regular hours or by appointment.

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The Roterfaden A4 clipboard is designed to fit in the back pocket of your A4 Taschenbegleiter, to firm up the writing surface AND allow you to clip in loose sheets of paper. Of course, it can also be used as a stand-alone clipboard.

Sunday Reading for September 22, 2024

1. San Francisco Pen Show 2024 Highlights (via Olive Octopus). Lisa has an excellent, and very comprehensive, recap of the 2024 San Francisco Pen Show. I had wanted to get there to peruse the glass pens myself, but life intervened.

2. 2024 Commonwealth Pen Show (via Line Variation). This month, the Commonwealth Pen Show reconvened after a year off, in a new venue and with a two-day schedule.

3. Visit to NBC Stationery and Gifts (Raffles City outlet) in Singapore (via Inkredible Colours). Stationery travelogue alert!

4. Pelikan’s TintenTurm Open Day 2024 (via Bleistift). Pelikan has an “Ink Tower”? And it’s periodically open? Bucket list.

5. An Accidental Montblanc Addition (via A Gathering of Curiosities). Yes, modern Montblanc is pricey, but you can still find amazing value (and excellent nibs) in the older not-quite-yet-vintage pens.

6. Industrial Strength Storage from NFP Design (via Figboot on Pens). NFP Design makes excellent storage options at reasonable price, but this one might be a bit overkill for my needs. :)

7. Modern Capless… The New Nahvalur Eclipse (via Figboot on Pens). David does a fairly extensive walkthrough of the latest Nahvalur release, a capless pen with a unique design.

8. I Like Mechanical Pencils, Too (via Rachel’s Reflections). There’s a strong mechanical pencil contingent out there in the fountain pen community.

9. White Bear Pens Echo Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). I have yet to pick up a White Bear Pen by Mikayla, but I have it on the list for next year’s pen show circuit!

10. Pen Review: Teranishi Guitar Glass Pen with Cap (Aurora Long in Jelly Blue) (via Well-Appointed Desk). Another shout out for glass pens, whose popularity is increasing in the U.S. after really taking off in Japan.

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In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I reviewed a couple of newly arrived products, including the Kakimori Object Index Cedar Pocket Pen, which is a new take on the woodcase needle-tip ballpionts in a more compact size. I also did a comparison post between the Kakimori Metal Dip Nibs and the Tom’s Studio One-Dip Nib.

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

Most of the Object Index product line arrived this week, along with the Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pens in the new Clear finish and the Pilot E95s pocket pens in Black. We’ve also fully restocked on all colors of Pilot Iroshizuku inks in both bottles and cartridges, and have some remaining stock of the recently re-released T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works pens, with the matte black bead-blasted finish, red section, and DLC Clip. Finally, Many thanks to everyone who visited us in the shop this weekend! Every week we see more new faces. Please keep checking this page for updated hours and details on how to visit by appointment if you can’t come by Friday and Saturday.

Dip Pens

Lamy

Pilot

Sunderland Machine Works

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!

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