Sunday Reading for November 10, 2024

1. Makar Short (via Figboot on Pens). Yes, these are luxury pens, but as David points out, these are unique offerings with really nothing else like them on the market. From the maker of Makar knives.

2. Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pen - A Fresh Look (via Pen Addict). After all these years, the Custom 823 remains a personal favorite. I’m all for new barrel colors, though I love my classic Amber dearly.

3. Stabilo Grow Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen a Stabilo fountain pen, except maybe way back when I went to college in Europe and was first exploring inexpensive fountain pen options.

4. SPS Egyptian Cats (via Rachel’s Reflections). I’ve been reading through Rachel’s posts about the Stanford Pen Studio pens and have really enjoyed the artistry in the various offerings, all designed in collaboration with different artists.

5. Ensso Bolt Retractable Fountain Pen (via The Poor Penman). I’m not sure I realized just how compact this pen was. I’m glad to hear results from the Ensso Kickstarter are positive, as this is a really hard design to pull off.

6. Diplomat Viper Fountain Pen Review (via SBRE Brown). Hmm. This textured, hooded-nib offering from Diplomat has me intrigued. I need to pick up a sample.

7. Gear or Supply Guys (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). One of the most fun aspects of the Chicago Planner Conference, as opposed to a traditional “pen show”, is that there were far fewer “gear guys/gals” walking around. People enthusiastically discussed whatever worked for them.

8. OHTO Minimo Ballpoint Review (via Pen Addict). Say yes to the slim ballpoint that can go anywhere.

9. Planner Review: Agendio Customizable Planners (via Well-Appointed Desk). I love customizable systems, and this one even allows you to vary the paper to make it fountain pen friendly.

10. GIVEAWAY: Galen Leather 1870 Marbled Notebooks (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana is giving away one of these gorgeous new vintage-styled notebooks from Galen. I really. need. one. of. these. No I don’t. Yes I do.

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Let’s talk about Fountain Pen Friendly Paper! (Tested with fountain pens, markers, and fineliners!)

In Case You Missed It…

As part of our Fountain Pen Day celebration earlier this month, we released a Fountain Pen Friendly Sampler pack, and in a separate post I discussed the rationale behind it, why I enjoy certain papers in this pack, and how I plan to handle requests for samplers going forward. Yesterday I discussed five of my favorite inks from the Teranishi Guitar Inks lineup. More on that below!

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The Teranishi Guitar inks went straight into the Lamy 2000 Pine! Gentle Green, that is.

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

We’ve had a bunch of new arrivals pour in before the holidays, including new fineliner and pencil accessories from Tom’s Studio, new 5-year and 3-year journals from Midori, and what I’m most excited about, the arrival of the entire lineup of Teranishi Guitar inks! Check out yesterday’s post linked above for details on my five favorites, but I also have full swatches and comparisons available on the site and in this week’s Thursday Drops post.

Teranishi Guitar Inks

Tom's Studio

Field Notes

Midori

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. For example, Patrons receive an extra bit off the TGS x Sunderland Collaboration Pen, and Patreon supporters have their own special Fountain Pen Day promo “mystery box” opportunity, while supplies last and which is still available!

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

First Impressions: Five Favorite Inks from the Teranishi Guitar Lineup

I was a bit too late to get these listed in the Thursday drops post, but I spent most of the day before flying out to the Chicago Planner Conference swatching and photographing the entire line of Teranishi Guitar inks, fresh in from Japan! (Technically, the official name for the line is the “Teranishi Guitar Taisho Roman Haikara” inks, but let’s just go with “Teranishi Guitar” for the sake of brevity in today’s post.)

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I love the presentation on these inks - I rarely pay much attention to boxes but the artwork looks nice and the bottles seal well.

The inks are manufactured by Teranishi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd, which is a Japanese maker of markers and art supplies located in Osaka, and while they have been popular in Japan for years, they’re less commonly available in the United States. I’m happy to be able to offer them (and, if I’m honest, to have the opportunity to play around with the entire line). Based on my initial swatching and review, here are my five favorite colors so far

Teranishi Guitar Gentle Green

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So far, my favorite of the bunch. The color-shifting and sheening properties are similar to Taccia Hokusai-sabimidori, though the tones lean more green.

Teranishi Guitar Antique Black

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An off-black with reddish/sepia undertones (depending on the paper)? Count me in. The reddish sheen here is particularly pronounced on the Col-o-ring card I used to swatch the ink.

Teranishi Guitar Smoky Navy

This dark blue has a LOT of depth, with grey and red in addition to navy coming through.

Teranishi Guitar Brilliant Mint

Brilliant Mint might be the sleeper of this line: it’s appearance ranges from mint to aqua to more of a turquoise, depending on paper and lighting.

Teranishi Guitar Classy Burgundy

The maroons and burgundies might be my favorite color family, and it’s hard to find one without too much brown or red or purple. Teranishi’s take is fairly well-balanced and what I would call a classic burgundy ink. I’m really looking forward to writing with this one.

Teranishi guitar Initial Impressions and Purchase Details

Based on my initial tests, the Teranishi Guitar inks behave quite well, with excellent flow and good depth of color. As you can see from the pictures above, several of the inks will show a fair amount of sheen on some papers, though it’s not overwhelming, and these inks all had reasonable dry times with the Kakimori Brass Nib I use for my ink swatches. If I had to draw a comparison between the Teranishi Guitar inks and others I’ve used in the past, I would point to Taccia and Sailor inks as comparable options.

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Guess what I chose for my Fountain Pen Day 2024 present to self? A Green Lamy 2k! I paired it with Teranishi Gentle Green and love the combination.

The Teranishi inks are priced at $23 for a 40ml bottle, and as of now all 16 colors are available for purchase in our shop, both online and in-person. Please check this page for updated brick-and-mortar hours. I typically update the shop hours on Monday for the coming week.

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 Midori Multi-Year Journals, Kuretake Karappo Pens, Teranishi Inks and More Midori MD Cotton!

Today’s Thursday Drops post is merely the first wave of post-Fountain Pen Day and pre-Holiday restocks, but it maybe the biggest. We recently received a large shipment from TRAVELER’S Company and Midori, including new 10th Anniversary versions of the 3-year and 5-year journals, as well as the latest Field Notes release, new pens from Tom’s Studio (including a Japanese brush tip that fits the fountain pens), and a bunch of new Kuratake fibre and brush pens.

[Update: As of this morning (Friday November 8), Teranishi Guitar Inks are in stock! I had hoped to have them listed yesterday but they arrived a bit late and it took most of yesterday to swatch and photograph the inks.]

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This quarter’s Field Notes Release features two groups of different covers, all featuring different bird illustrations by Rex Brasher.

Note that our physical brick-and-mortar shop will be closed Friday and Saturday this weekend, since we are traveling to the Chicago Planner Conference. (We’ll be with Vanness Pens, Hinze Pens, and the Well-Appointed Desk!) Come say hello if you are there! Online orders will continue to ship in our typical time frame, and we have special store hours today (10am-5pm) and Sunday (2-6pm) to compensate.

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

1. Midori 10th Anniversary Kyo-Ori 3-Year and 5-Year Diaries. These beautiful special edition versions of the Midori Multi-Year Diaries feature two different fabrics. We also have the standard 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year journals in stock.

2. Teranishi Guitar Taisho Roman Haikara Inks. This series of 16 different Japanese inks spans the color spectrum and offers unique takes on different tones. From the swatches you will see that depending on the paper, many of the colors show some nice sheen, though it’s not overpowering.

3. Field Notes Birds and Trees of North America Edition. One of the editions that’s caused me to take another look at Field Notes! This

4. Kuretake Karappo Fineliners and Brush Pens. My obsession with customizable fineliners - and now, even finer, firm-tipped brush pens, continues! The Fibre-tipped pens feature a point similar to that in the Tom’s Studio Wren, and the Brush Pen is firm enough to write with. Available in the larger brush pen (with refillable cartridges) or the packs of five fibre or brushed-tipped pens.

5. Midori MD Cotton Writing Pads. These favorites are now available once again in A5 and A4 sizes. Midori MD Cotton is one of my favorite fountain pen friendly papers, and I’m happy to have it back in pad and notebook format.

6. TRAVELER’S Notebook Starter Kit Restock! We once again have nearly all the colors (save for Blue in the standard-size, which is on backorder). Now is a great time to pick up your dated (or undated) planner refills, as well as this year’s limited edition accessories including the “Trip and Love” folders, pencil boards, and sticker sets.

7. Tom’s Studio Wren Refillable Fibre-Tipped Pens. To say the Wren has been a smash hit is an understatement. These sold so quickly during Fountain Pen Day weekend that we’re already going to have to place a pre-holiday restock. We also now have replacement tips and reservoirs available in the shop.

8. Tom’s Studio “Studio Pocket” Fountain Pens. Not only do we have more of the Studio Pocket Fountain Pens, but we now have the fountain pen compatible Brush Nibs. If you want to lay some ink on the page, this is worth your consideration.

9. Tom’s Studio .5mm Mechanical Pencils. These Tom’s Studio mechanical pencils feature a brass grip paired with the same excellent anodized aluminum construction found on the rest of the Tom’s Studio product line.

10. Tom’s Studio Poise Pencil Grip and Lumos Grip/Rollstop. I wrote a short post earlier this week about how I’ve enjoyed these two grip options, especially for longer work sessions. Both function as rollstops in addition to adding some girth to the grip section.

11. T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 Collaboration Pens. I thought I would send out an almost-last-call e-mail, given that we are down to 5 of these pens in the shop. While we do plan to restock, I cannot promise that more pens can be available before the end of the year, so if you have had your eye on one of these, don’t wait.

12. T.G.S. Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Sampler and Pencil Samplers. We assembled a Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Sampler especially for Fountain Pen Day, but had so much paper left over that I made a bunch more! There’s also a woodcase pencil version featuring some unique pencils from our back archive.

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There are 16 different Teranishi Inks, from top: Modern Red, Classic Burgundy, Opera Rose, Orchestra Tangerine, Innocent Mauve, Salon de Violet, Melancholic Blue, Smoky Navy, Night Time Soda, Emotional Olive. [Part I]

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More Teranishi Swatches, from top: Brilliant Mint, Lady Emerald, Gentle Green, Traveling Sepia, Antique Black, and Nostalgic Honey. [Part II]

Unpacking the Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Sampler: Why a Sampler, and Why These Specific Papers?

I mentioned last week that a frequent request I receive for the shop is the sampler pack, namely fountain pen friendly paper and woodcase pencils. It’s somewhat counterintuitive: what’s the rationale behind paying $10 for 15-20 sheets of paper when you can get a full 50-pad sheet for the same price? The answer is that the “value” is in the money you don’t need to spend, something that really hit home as I’ve spent the past two weeks cleaning out my day job office as I prepare to go fully remote. I have multiple bankers’ boxes full of paper and notebooks that I purchased simply to test the paper - money I likely would not have needed to spend had there been readily available ways to test some of these brands and formats via sampler packs and pads containing different brands.

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For further reading on Fountain Pen Friendly paper, check out this post, which I try to update fairly regularly and which has a lively comments section.

I still have a fair number of our Fountain Pen Day paper samplers - I ended up making more than my originally intended 15 - and I’ll continue to make them available for purchase online and in-store as long as my current supply of sampler paper holds out. After that, I will consider whether to re-up on the current sampler and/or expand what I offer. For today’s post, however, I thought it might be fun to talk a bit about each of the papers in the current fountain pen friendly paper sampler, how I personally have used it, and why I chose to include it in this initial pack. (Note: These papers are discussed in the order in which they appear in the sample pack, not any order of personal preference.)

• Write Notepads Paper. While there have been supply constraints recently (it’s a very small company), Write Notepads still makes some of my favorite cost-effective fountain pen friendly paper. It also comes in a wide variety of formats, from writing pads to hardcover notebooks to spiral and pocket notebooks. I know that many products are showing as out-of-stock, but they are on order. Fingers-crossed for a restock in the near future!

• Life Bank Paper. Life Bank Paper is a classic, “professional” paper that is one of my favorite off-white options. The A5 Bank Paper pad is a favorite of many for letter writing (this watermarked paper just looks classy) and it handles fountain pen ink extremely well with reasonable dry times.

• Life Noble Note. With a different (smoother?) feel than the Bank Paper, Life’s “Noble Note” paper is their standard workhorse offering. While excellent for fountain pens, I also find it pleasant to use with pencils.

• Rhodia. I included Rhodia mainly for comparison purposes. A sibling company of Clairefontaine, the papers are slightly different, with Rhodia - in my experience - slightly less fountain pen friendly but rather cost-effective if what you’re looking for is paper that performs well enough to be usable without breaking the bank.

• Clairefontaine Triomphe. Known for their bright white, extremely fountain pen friendly paper stock, Clairefontaine is probably my “inexpensive” paper of choice, if I had to name one. The Triomphe pads are marketed as suitable for correspondence, but they are also just as useful for general writing and notetaking. Clairefontaine recently released a series of softcover A5 notebooks using the Triomphe paper.

• Standard Clairefontaine Looseleaf and French-Ruled Looseleaf. Clairefontaine makes relatively inexpensive looseleaf paper, which is one thing I love about the brand, especially since it’s available in the Seyes/French-Ruled variant. This is the same paper used in the non-Triomphe notebooks and notepads, so you can use the looseleaf sheets in the sampler to see how this paper works for you.

• Life Airmail “Onionskin” Paper. While this paper may not appeal to everyone, I went ahead and included it in the paper sampler because its an interesting, non-mainstream paper option that has some historical significance. Onionskin paper was used to reduce postage rates for “airmail” being delivered long distances, and while no longer necessary, it’s a fun throwback, and it’s frankly kind of wild to see how well this ultra-thin paper handles fountain pen ink. (You’ll also note that the paper is back in stock - I found my stash of onionskin that had “disappeared” in the move.)

When you compare the various papers in the sampler, you will definitely find that some work better for you than others. However, some of them are more expensive than others, and you may have to pay for “peak” performance. As someone who has used a LOT of paper in their job over the years, I’ve personally focused on finding everyday paper that is good enough to handle the fine and medium fountain pens I use most of the time. For me, that’s typically some combination of Write Notepads, Clairefontaine, and Midori MD (which I may feature in another sampler later on). While I may not get to it in 2024, given that the holidays are already upon us and I’m barely keeping it together as it is, I would love to continue to offer this and other samplers going forward.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We recently opened a physical location, where we can see customers a few days a week and where you can test many of the papers discussed here in person. See the “About” page for updated hours, which are subject to change.

Get a Grip! New Tom's Studio Lumos Rollstops and Pencil Grips, as well as Fountain Pen Brush Tips!

Sometimes for a longer writing session, it’s helpful to add some width to the grip section of narrower writing instruments. Tom’s Studio has released two options: a leather padded grip/rollstop for the Lumos series of refillable fineliners, and a textured aluminum pencil grip dubbed the “Poise” that securely attaches with a brass thumbscrew similar to that found on the One-Dip Nibs (which, by the way, are back in stock!). For those who prefer a mechanical pencil option, we now also offer the Tom’s Studio .5mm mechanical pencils, which feature a contoured brass section and are paired with a lightweight aluminum body for excellent balance.

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Both of the Tom’s Studio grips impressed me because they are easily adjustable via rotation to accommodate a variety of grip styles. As noted, both also act as rollstops to keep your pens and pencils from rolling off the table.

Need a Break from the News on Election Day? Come Hang Out In-Store!

Due to travel this upcoming weekend (we will be at the Chicago Planner Conference with our friends from Vanness Pens, The Well-Appointed Desk, Hinze Pens, and others), our physical location will be closed Friday and Saturday. Hours this week will therefore be 1-5pm today (Tuesday), 10-5pm Thursday, and possibly Sunday afternoon from 1-5pm provided I’m not too delayed flying back. Give the short hours, if there’s something you’re looking for, consider placing your order online for in-person pickup and I’ll have it ready to go for you when you arrive, or will even run it out to your car!

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We still have Fountain Pen Friendly Paper and Pencil Samplers available post-Fountain Pen Day! (I made a LOT of these, and I’ll continue to offer them until they are gone.)

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Check out this page for details on brick-and-mortar shop hours and details on how to find us.