Kickstarter Alert: The Wingback Journeyman Pen

October 19, 2024

It’s always exciting to see U.K.-based Wingback release a new pen! They’re one of my favorite penmakers working with heavier materials like brass and stainless steel, since they pay close attention to the design and balance, with a focus on building pens that are both durable and capable of being used as an everyday writer. Specifically, Wingback pens and mechanical pencils tend to be shorter in order to offset the increased weight of the metals they use. You might think that this is an obvious point, but you’d be surprised at the number of machined pens on the market that end up too heavy to use for more than a few lines of writing at a time.

Wingback Journeyman Pen In-Hand — Introducing the Wingback “Journeyman”!

While Wingback’s latest release, the “Journeyman”, is a touch longer than the existing “Mechanical Pen”, it maintains an excellent feel in the hand and should be on your list of pens to consider if you’re looking for a durable go-anywhere pocket writer. Even better, this new model has customization options previously unavailable.

Wingback Journeyman Clip in Stainless Steel — The new crown/knock incorporates a milled clip.

For those unfamiliar with the Wingback Mechanical Pen, it features a unique “twist bolt action” mechanism that locks down and, with some practice, can be operated one-handed. The Journeyman uses this same style of knock, but incorporates a milled clip into the crown that allows the pen to be secured to a bag, pen case, or pocket. Personally, I also find that the clip makes the mechanism easier to grip and deploy. Wingback has retained other favorite design elements such as the diamond knurling on the grip (neither too sharp nor too slick - just right!) and a comfortable barrel diameter that once again emphasizes the pen’s usability.

Wingback Mechanical Pen and Journeyman Comparison — The Wingback Journeyman (right) is only slightly longer than the Mechanical Pen (right). The Journeyman is shown in a combination of brass and stainless steel, while the Mechanical Pen is shown in Black Steel.

So what differentiates the Journeyman from prior Wingback offerings, in addition to the clip?

Customization. The Journeyman can be customized on a component level, allowing you to mix and match materials. Available in brass, stainless steel, and Black Steel, you can now choose different combinations of metals for the barrel, crown, and clip. The pen I was sent for review features a brass barrel, with a stainless steel crown and clip. A full titanium pen is also available, though you cannot mix and match the titanium components with other materials.
Refill Compatibility. The Wingback Mechanical Pen used a Fisher Space Pen pressurized refill, which is somewhat polarizing as many people don’t enjoy the way that it feels on the page. (I like it, but it’s not for everyone.) The Journeyman offers more flexibility, as it takes an international G2/Parker-style refill. While it ships with a Schmidt Easyflow 9000, you can choose from any number of ballpoint, gel, or even rollerball options in this format.

Wingback Journeyman Internal Components — The mechanism isn’t complex: simply unscrew the knock and drop in a new refill.

Are there any drawbacks to the Journeyman’s design over the clipless Wingback models? In addition to a bit of added weight from the clip and increased length, I should mention that the edges of the milled clip are somewhat sharp, and can snag your hand if the pen rotates while you’re writing. If you don’t tend to rotate your pen, this may not be an issue, but I’ll also add that my pen is a review sample so the finished product may differ as production specs are finalized.

Takeaways and Where To Buy

As with the other Wingback products I have reviewed, I found the quality to be top notch, and fans of machined mechanical pencils and pens will want to check out the Kickstarter page for full details. With two weeks to go at the time of writing, the Journeyman already has received nearly $100,000 in pledges (blowing past its funding goal of $2000), and Wingback has a track record on Kickstarter, so while Kickstarter projects are never guaranteed, there’s no doubt in my mind that the project will deliver. Current estimates have the Journeyman pens arriving in March 2025. Pledges start at £150 (roughly $195), making it a not-inexpensive purchase, but Wingback has always been known for not skimping on the quality of materials or construction.

Wingback Pens: Three Different Options of pens and a pencil — Clockwise from left: Wingback Journeyman, Wingback Mechanical Pen, and Wingback Mechanical Pencil. Check out the patina on the pencil, that’s developed over a couple of years.

If you’d like to read further on other Wingback pens and pencils, you can check out my reviews of the Wingback Mechanical Pencil and Fountain Pen and Mechanical Pen here. Pocket pens are one of my core areas of interest, and I periodically update the site’s “Guide to Top Pocket Pens”, which I also encourage you to visit.

Wingback provided me with the pencil featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases through our own T.G.S. Curated Shop, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Thursday Drops: Traveler's Company 2025 Planners, Plus New Blackwing Pencils and Notebooks!

October 17, 2024

Yesterday marked the launch of the 2025 Traveler's Company Planners/Diaries, and you can get yours now in the shop, along with all of the 2025 accessories including folders, pencil boards, and more! We also have the Diamine Inkvent “Black Edition” Calendars available for preorder, which should ship or be available for pickup in the store later this week as soon as they arrive.

Blackwing Volumes 71 Pencils and Pads — The latest Blackwing Volumes release includes both a pencil set and legal pads.

The biggest new arrival was two huge boxes of Blackwing restocks and new limited editions, including the Volume 71 Pencil and limited edition legal pads. We also have Blackwing Spiral Notebooks, Reporter Notebooks, and yes, the Canvas Pouch that’s long enough to hold 36 unsharpened Blackwing pencils. Happy Shopping!

Traveler’s Company 2025 Dated Planners. It’s planner time again, and this week Traveler’s Company released the 2025 diary refills in three Standard formats (Weekly, Weekly + Memo, and Monthly) and two Passport (Weekly and Monthly).
Traveler’s Company 2025 Limited Edition Folders. This year’s accessories feature a peace and love theme dubbed “Love and Trip,” and you have both Standard and Passport folder options to hold all of your travel papers and/or trip mementos.
Traveler’s Company 2025 Limited Edition Pencil Boards. The pencil boards are always popular, as they share the same annual theme and allow you to add a harder writing surface to your Traveler’s Notebook for working on the go. Available in Standard and Passport sizes.
Traveler’s Company 2025 Custom Sticker Set. Personalize your Traveler’s Notebook, refills, and accessories with the annual sticker set that includes a variety of stickers, labels, dry transfers, and more.
Traveler’s Company Tokyo Refill. This year’s limited edition notebook theme was “Tokyo”, and while those are sold out, we do have remaining stock of the MD Paper Refills with the Tokyo-themed decor on the cover.
Diamine Inkvent “Black Edition”. Already? Yes - go ahead and pre-order yours so that you’re prepared to play along starting December 1 (or earlier, if you’re into spoilers). These will ship as soon as we have them in our hands, probably later this week.
Blackwing Spiral Notebooks. We recently received a shipment of the new Blackwing Spiral Notebooks in A4, with extremely sturdy chipboard covers and four ruling choices. I’m a fan of Blackwing paper - it’s good for all but the very wettest fountain pen nibs, and especially pleasant to write on with a tactile pencil.
Blackwing Reporter Pads/Notebooks. I’m always on the lookout for a reporter-style notebook with quality paper and durable construction. Featuring the same Blackwing Paper and ruling choices as the Spiral Notebooks and “Illegal” Pads.
Blackwing Volume 71 (Frank Lloyd Wright) Limited Edition Pencils. The latest limited edition Blackwing Volumes set feature a combination of lacquer and natural wood, inspired by Wright’s Usonian home design. Extra-firm graphite for long, sharp points!
Blackwing Volume 71 Legal Pads. In conjunction with the release of the Frank Lloyd Wright Pencil, Blackwing has also released a limited edition legal pad, featuring a slightly larger 9” x 12” format (“Arch A”), sold in a set of two pads with different grids, both rectangle and triangle/isometric. I love the red binding and tan ruling!
Blackwing Volume 746 (Golden Gate Bridge) Limited Edition Pencils. These gorgeous red/orange limited editions, which may be my favorite Blackwing Volumes release to date, are back in stock.
Blackwing Canvas Pencil Pouch. Yes, these are long enough to hold unsharpened Blackwing Pencils, and 36 of them at that!

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 please give us a follow and consider supporting us by shopping with us directly or pledging via Patreon. Many thanks!

Do I Really Hate Rollerballs? Revisiting This Question for the Umpteenth Time

October 16, 2024

The rollerball and I have shared a fraught relationship over the years. Yes, I’ve tried. I really want to love what many describe as the most “elegant” writing instrument short of a fountain pen. I know they’re supposed to be smoother. I know they’re the “professional” choice. I know the ink is permanent. But for nearly twenty-plus years I haven’t been able to find one that truly works for me. Lately I’ve been trying a bit harder.

What prompted me to revisit rollerballs? I still get weekly questions about them, for one thing, and it’s hard for me to recommend specific items if I’m not familiar with the product category. But beyond that is a general sense that I’m missing something. I regularly have customers who bulk order rollerball refills - there are pen people out there who really love their rollerballs - so I figured I should do a deeper dive.

Five Different Rollerball Writing Samples — Five different writing samples, from the top: Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Fine in Blue; Montblanc Medium St. Exupery limited edition rollerball refill; Pilot G2 gel refill, for comparison; Schneider Topball 580 fine; and Baron Fig/Schmidt P8127. Note the new “Hex” Baron Fig Squire at the bottom, which Baron Fig was kind enough to send me to test out!

Reasons Why People Love Rollerball Pens

Dark, Permanent Lines. As I remarked in my recent writeup of the Lamy AL-Star Rollerball, there’s something deeply satisfying about a pen that lays down a dark, bold line, especially when you’re brainstorming on a legal pad or a giant desk blotter. Since the majority of rollerball refills only come in black or dark blue (and less commonly red and green), you’re sure to get a dark line, and the ink is almost always permanent.
The Smoothness Factor. If you ask rollerball enthusiasts why they love their pen so much, many - if not most - will tell you that it’s because the writing experience is so smooth. Rollerball cartridges contain liquid ink, and most companies use relatively wide tip sizes (.7mm-1.0mm) to guarantee a wet, “smooth” writing experience that seems to glide across the page, especially compared to an oil-based ballpoint.
Ubiquity and Convenience. Rollerballs are popular, having assumed the mantle of the “executive” pen of choice over the fountain pen during the 1990s. You can typically find rollerball refills in any big-box store, even for higher-end brands like Montblanc, and it’s quite easy to change the cartridge. (Which you may have to do often - see below.)
Versatility: Both Capped and Capless Options are Available. Over the past 20 years, rollerball technology has improved to the point where there are very good capless refills that allow for a retractable design. Pens such as the Retro 51 Tornado, the Baron Fig Squire, and the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball all use capless refills and twist or click mechanisms.

Rollerball Writing Samples on MD Paper Reverse Side — Even on relatively thick Midori MD Paper, you still see the Montblanc and Schmidt refills come through the paper a bit.

Why Rollerball Pens Haven’t Necessarily Worked for Me

Temperamental Refills. My biggest problem with rollerballs has been that the refills are expensive and don’t last very long. Costing anywhere from $8-10, you would expect to get at least a month or more of writing, yet I regularly come across rollerball refills that dry up and clog long before they actually run dry. I’ve even had refills that don’t write out of the box. If this happens I always contact my retailer/distributor and request a replacement, or I return them to the store.
Feathering and Bleedthrough. Whether you are writing with a rollerball or a fountain pen, any ink that’s a combination of “wet” and “permanent” will have a tendency to bleed and feather on most papers. Rollerballs can be even worse than fountain pens because the ink is being applied with a sharp tip, which presses the ink into the paper fibers and makes bleedthrough and feathering even more likely. You can, however, find drier rollerball refills to minimize this tendency, and I’ll discuss a few of my preferred options below.
Lack of Color Options, Namely Blue-Black. Nine times out of 10, I’ll choose a blue-black ink over standard black or standard blue. It turns out that blue-black rollerball refills are hard to come by, and you’ll typically have to seek out third-party “aftermarket” options by companies like Monteverde. That said, I’m more likely to choose a rollerball or fineliner over a fountain pen when I want to write with plain black ink, since it’s typically quite dark.
I Personally Prefer Fineliners. Most capped rollerball pens are also compatible with fineliner cartridges, and since I genuinely love how fineliners write, I will typically opt for one over a rollerball. Lately I’ve enjoyed refillable fineliners, since I can use my fountain pen inks without worrying about expensive and finicky cartridges. I’m also playing around with a Kakimori “inkball” pen that I was sent as a promotional tester, which also allows you to use fountain pen ink in a rollerball-style tip.

Two Sunderland mk1 machined pens, one with a Montblanc rollerball refill (right), and another with a Pilot G2 gel refill (left).

So What’s the Verdict? For Me, a Rollerball Depends Entirely on the Refill

Namely, a drier refill. As much as I may try to “accept it”, I hate feathering and bleedthrough. I think it looks sloppy on paper, and defeats any of the so-called elegance inherent in writing with a nice pen. For this reason, I strongly favor drier rollerball refills that don’t lay a thick line of ink down on the page. My three favorites are:

Caran d’Ache 849 Parker-Style Rollerball Cartridge. While I have no proof, I suspect that there is gel pen technology incorporated into this refill, because it behaves quite differently from most other rollerball cartridges I’ve tried. The ink does not bleed or feather on most papers, and the versatile Parker-style cartridge fits a wide variety of different pens. There’s even a finer tip available. (Disclaimer: We sell these refills, and quite a lot of them.)
Schneider Topball 850 Refill. This has long been my “stick” rollerball cartridge of choice for capped pens. It writes a clean, precise line, and fits most European rollerball pens, though you may have to modify the length with tape or a spacer.
Montblanc Rollerball Refills. Expensive, yes. Short lifespan? You bet. BUT, they’re also well-behaved and feature a relatively wide color selection (including limited editions). Despite being a finicky refill that tends to dry out faster than I would like, Montblanc rollerball cartridges look super nice on the page. Because they are threaded and screw into the pen, there is zero tip wiggle.

I’ve gradually come to accept that a rollerball will never be my everyday carry pen of choice, but I feel like I have a solid stable of refill options I can turn to if I like the design of a specific pen and want to pick one up. It’s also worth remembering that many gel ink cartridges can be hacked to fit rollerball pens, and many smaller manufacturers (like Sunderland Machine Works) are making pens specifically designed to fit both rollerball cartridges and gel refills like the Pilot G2.

What’s your favorite rollerball cartridge? I’m thinking of exploring more Japanese options, such as the Ohto Ceramic series, in the near future, as I’ve heard these tend to favor finer lines and may work better for my style of writing. Stay tuned!

New Arrivals: Midori MD Paper Thick A5 Notebooks, Tokyo Traveler's Refills, and More!

October 15, 2024

MD Paper Products, which has now spun off into its own division of the Midori/DesignPhil stationery empire, recently launched a new product labeled “MD Paper Thick”. Described as “around twice as thick as standard MD Paper,” and “providing further protection against ink bleeding through or being visible from the other side of the page,” this paper is marketed towards those who use heavy pressure, extremely thick fountain pen nibs, folded nibs, and brushes or brush pens. Paint and markers are also apparently ok on this new paper. Currently only available in a blank A5 format, the “Thick” notebooks still feature 96 pages, and incorporate a codex-style binding (similar to the day-to-a-page “Codex” notebooks) that allows the notebooks to lie flat, even with the thicker paper.

We also recently restocked on nearly all Traveler’s Notebook accessories and refills, including the limited edition Tokyo refills and the Traveler’s Company MD Paper Spiral Notebooks. We currently have all undated planner refills in stock, with the 2025 dated planner refills to arrive later this week.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. View our Brick-and-Mortar shop hours here. If you enjoy our content please give us a follow and consider supporting us by shopping with us directly or pledging via Patreon. Many thanks!

London 2024 Stationery Haul — I'll post more about this later of course, but here's my small, thoughtfully curated London Stationery haul.

Sunday Reading for October 13, 2024

October 13, 2024

Good Made Better Muse (via Figboot on Pens). David gives us his take on the Good Made Better “Muse” fountain pen - their very first offering that’s now available on Kickstarter! Read my own thoughts on the Muse, and it’s pocket pen companion the “Jester”, here.
Techo Kaigi (via Notebook Stories). Oh boy do I need to do one of these! Anyone with multiple planners should read this one before buying next year’s options.
This Shouldn’t Have Worked. A Tale of Two Scribos (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). If the pen doesn’t work, and maybe is only slightly off, don’t necessarily give up. It could just need a nib adjustment (or a nib swap).
Jacques Herbin Turquoise de Perse (via A Gathering of Curiosities). A new Herbin shimmer ink, in turquoise. Of all the ink colors, I’ve always felt that turquoise shows off shimmer quite well.
Sailor Hocoro Dip Pens (via Well-Appointed Desk). Both Sailor and Pilot have tried their hands at dip pens in addition to their traditional fountain pen offerings. I’ve not yet had the opportunity to try either.
Colorado Pen Show 2024 (via Fountain Pen Love). If you’re in the Denver area, be sure to try and catch the last day!
Pelikan M600 Turquoise and White (via Dapprman). Even though there is not a huge size difference, I think I lean towards the M600 over the slightly smaller M400.
What Does One Do With Blank Planner Pages? (via mnmlscholar). I’m in the same boat, and curious to hear ideas.
Diamine Green Ed. Olive Swirl (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Of all the recent Diamine Inkvent sets, this one is a favorite.
Retro 51 2024 Spooky Season Editions (via Pen Addict - Sarah). I’m not typically a fan of the Halloween Retros - two busy for my taste - but these are much more understated!

Big Ben from Millennium Bridge, a walking tour of London! — A shot from one of my days spent wandering London.

In Case You Missed It…

Well, you didn’t really miss all that much content-wise this week, other than some of the photographs I took while walking an average of nine miles per day across London! (Yes, I needed the exercise.) I did manage to visit some of the excellent London Stationery stores and bookshops, as you can see from my haul photos posted above. More on my trip this week!

The TGS Curated Shop In-Store Experience — I will be in the shop today, plus three days later this week!

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

Many thanks to my helpers who shipped orders while we were gone, and many thanks to everyone who continued to support the store, as I was super hesitant to take this trip given that I’m still in the early stages of a somewhat expensive expansion of this business and was worried about taking a week off. Other than a small number of inevitable mix-ups (which I plan to address immediately today), everything went smoothly. New arrivals which sold quite well while we were out included the Midori MD “Thick” paper, as well as some of the last remaining T.G.S. x Sunderland Pens from this run! Needless to say, I was stunned at the extent to which many of the brands only stocked in small specialty boutiques here in the U.S. are prominently featured by major high street retailers in the U.K. You can read a bit more about this in Friday’s post, but I’m a huge fan of brands such as Tom’s Studio and Object Index, and wish they received more attention. I’m doing my part!

Note: I will be in the shop today (Sunday, 10/13), even though our regular hours have us “Closed” on Sunday. Stop by between 1 and 5pm if you’d like to shop or pick up any orders!

Kakimori Notebooks

Object Index

Lamy

Anterique

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

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