Thursday Drops: TWSBI 580 ALR Caribbean Blue with Onyx, ECO Sky Blue and more!

It’s a double TWSBI day here at T.G.S.! The Caribbean + Onyx 580 ALR fountain pens are in-stock and ready to ship tomorrow, along with a shipment of the Sky Blue ECO fountain pens that arrived a tad late but which surprised me with how good they looked! We also have a full Lamy restock, including most Lamy 2000 pens, AL-Stars in Sage Green and the four Harry Potter-themed finishes, as well as fresh arrivals from Midori that include more Midori Cotton paper and three and five-year journals!

View fullsize

On the ink front, we have the full contingent of 16 Teranishi Guitar inks from Japan. Made by the Teranishi Chemical Co. in Osaka, Japan, these inks have garnered a bit of a cult following. They flow well in nearly all fountain pens and many of them sheen. We have a bunch of new inks on the way, so keep checking our ink section for new arrivals. (These include Diamine 160th Anniversary inks, Platinum Chou Kuro and Carbon Black, Col-o-ring Ink Testing Books, and a restock of Laban Aphrodite Pink and Athena Grey.)

Our brick and mortar hours this week are Thursday from 1-6pm, Friday from 1-7pm, and Saturday from 12-7pm! Come see us in person!

1. TWSBI 580 ALR Caribbean with Onyx Fountain Pen. TWSBI brings the Onyx-plated trim to the Diamond 580 series, after the rousing success of the Irish Green + Onyx ECO. Honestly, I think I prefer this colorway to the Irish Green. Pens start shipping tomorrow.

2. TWSBI ECO Sky Blue Fountain Pen. I was thinking of taking a pass on the latest ECO release, but after seeing the Sky Blue color in person, it’s actually quite distinct from the other colors currently on offer. We had a shipment arrive along with our Caribbean Blue/Onyx Pens.

3. Teranishi Guitar Fountain Pen Inks. We have all 16 colors of the Teranishi inks in stock! You can read about my five favorites here.

4. Ohto CR02 Ceramic Ballpoint. Of all the new pens I’ve brought into the shop, I’m perhaps most excited about these Ohto rollerballs, which feature a relatively uncommon .5mm refill (available for purchase separately).

5. Lamy AL-Star Sage Green Restock! We have additional Sage Green AL-Star Fountain Pens, which was by far the most popular color of this year’s AL-Star releases.

6. Tom’s Studio One-Dip Metal Nibs. The “One-Dip Nibs” (which include a feed on the interior) are back in stock after the first batch sold out quickly. Brass and Stainless Steel available.

7. Kakimori Metal Dip Nibs and Nib Holders. When people ask how I sample and swatch inks, it’s almost always with one of these Kakimori conical nibs and dip nib holders.

8. Diamine Inkvent Calendar, Black Edition. The 2024 Inkvent Calendar is available, with just over two weeks to go until the start (assuming you wait until December 1). Each calendar includes 24 12ml bottles and 1 30ml bottle to close out “Inkvent”.

9. Blackwing Pencil Pouch. This black canvas pencil pouch from Blackwing is sturdy and long enough to fit unsharpened Blackwing Pencils!

10. T.G.S. x Sunderland mk1 Machined Pen. We are down to the last four T.G.S. x Sunderland pens from this run. If you’re thinking of picking one of these up, act now because additional pens will not be available until after the first of the year, in all likelihood.

View fullsize

We have the Lamy AL-Star Fountain Pens in Fiery, Aquatic, Autumn Pink, and Sage finishes!

Recapping the 2024 Chicago Planner Conference: An Entirely New Experience!

I have a Venn diagram in my head of the greater stationery community, with the classic overlapping circles showing all the different areas of interest, some of which overlap, and some of which barely overlap at all. There are not only "pen people", but "journal people", "planner people", "sticker/washi people", "pencil people", sketchnoters, and many more. The one common thread running through all of these various communities is a love of analog, and while not all hyper-specific passions and obsessions are necessarily shared, I've always felt that this might be more a question of lack of awareness than a true lack of interest.

View fullsize

I spent the past weekend at the 2024 Chicago Planner Conference, helping my friends from Vanness Pens and the Well-Appointed Desk teach a class on fountain pen inks and paper, and generally exploring this new (to me) area of stationery. It may help to first define "planners". This isn't a Filofax or Plotter convention, though traditional organizers do have a central role. Rather, at shows like the Chicago Planner Conference, Wild for Planners, and other similar events, "planning" is a broader concept that draws in those interested in organizing, journaling, scrapbooking, and art. The planners and personal organizers that tend to take center stage are different from the Plotters and Traveler's Notebooks that you tend to see at pen shows, and include smaller brands catering specifically to a more niche planner community. As an interesting aside, as more "planner people" discover fountain pens, many of the makers and brands that cater to this specific group were wanting to talk to us about fountain pen friendly paper, and how they could make their products more compatible with fountain pens since it's something many of their customers are interested in.

Not your typical pen show hotel.

Planner Conference vs Pen Show vs Stationery Fest

The biggest difference that jumped out at me immediately was the lack of focus on "the consumer." The Chicago Planner Conference has grown rapidly in the past few years, but only in the past two have they offered a pen show-style marketplace where attendees could shop on site. Even so, the event revolves around content and experiences, not shopping: Attendees pay $300+ for admission mainly to enjoy speakers, classes, photo ops, after-hours parties and events, and more. I would say that the choice of venue (the historic Chicago Hilton) reflects this focus, as it was much more comfortable, centrally located, and a touch more expensive than your typical pen show hotel. At least two other conferences were running alongside CPC over the weekend.

Pen Shows and the new trend - stationery fairs or "stationery festivals" - are generally viewed more as buying opportunities, though certain shows (the D.C. Pen Show, the San Francisco Pen Show, and Yoseka's NYC Stationery Fest) have offered an broader range of seminars and workshops for attendees to enjoy. Because the event is focused more on the vendors, and the ability to sell to as many people as possible, there is no cap on attendance and the public shows get very crowded as a result. At a more traditional "conference," where attendees buy an expensive ticket and the number sold is limited to roughly 500, the event runs at a slower, less frenzied pace. There are correspondingly fewer vendors - if there are any at all - and most brands and retailers in attendance focus more on engaging with their customers (and truly meeting new ones) than maximizing profit over the limited number of hours selling is permitted. Sure, the event has a TON of energy, and its still busy, but it's less hoards of people rushing to buy as much stuff as they possibly can from a given table and more pure excitement to be there.

A shot of the vendor marketplace during vendor setup on Saturday morning. Compared to a pen show, the space was absolutely massive.

This to me was the key difference - everyone seemed so happy simply to be at the event, as opposed to the nervous anxiety and "fear of missing out" on purchases that’s so prevalent at traditional pen shows. For example, the vendor marketplace was only open specific hours each day: Friday 4-9pm, Saturday 8-9:30am and 4-7pm; and on Sunday from 8-9:30am and 1-2pm (or something approximately along those lines). Many attendees who came by the table to shop only did so for the first time on Sunday afternoon because they were otherwise occupied and focused elsewhere. For the whole weekend!

View fullsize

Event tickets are expensive, but attendees walk away with a ton of sponsor swag. For the main sessions on Saturday, attendees are assigned to a table sponsored by specific brands/companies, and each attendee receives gift bags, in addition to your event swag bag that you receive upon registration. This is only a small portion of what I took home!

My Own Takeaways and whether You should Attend

If I had to describe my weekend at the Chicago Planner Conference, the word I would choose is "refreshing". While the content was not 100% on-point with my own personal interests, I often find it helpful to venture outside my own comfort zone and get some new ideas on how to organize my analog life, journal, and collect my thoughts on paper. If you've ever wanted to explore more artistic avenues of expression outside of writing, you'll find plenty of inspiration at this show. And I can't underscore enough how much happier the attendees seemed than at your typical pen show. I found it refreshing to see pure passion as opposed to FOMO.

Should you attend? It depends on why you go to shows and similar events. For those of you who enjoy attending pen shows mainly to shop, maybe not. On the other hand, if, like me, you enjoy pen shows as an opportunity to see your friends, meet other like-minded enthusiasts, trade your extras and duplicates after hours, and perhaps learn something new, I would definitely recommend looking at next year's Chicago event. Especially if you're into planners (you'll know who you are). :)

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We also have a brick-and-mortar store, which you can visit! See here for hours.

Pen Drop! New Harry Potter x Lamy Al-Stars and Ohto CR2 Ceramic Rollerballs

Yesterday the Harry Potter x Lamy AL-Star fountain pens arrived! What stands out in-person that may not necessarily pop in pictures? The clips, for one thing, which have a matte metallic finish, and the engravings are understated for a themed offering. There are four pens, one for each House at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Gryffindor (Red), Slytherin (Green), Hufflepuff (Yellow/Gold), and Ravenclaw (Blue). Personally, I think the Hufflepuff pen might be one of the best looking AL-Stars Lamy has released in years, with the gold finish, transparent matching section, and the matte gold clip. (Surprisingly, it’s the one I chose for myself, even over the Gryffindor red.) The Harry Potter x Lamy AL-Star Fountain Pens are available in fine and medium nib options and are shipping immediately, priced at $51.30.

Ohto CR02 Ceramic Rollerballs

As you all know, I’ve long sought a fine-tipped rollerball with minimal bleedthrough, which at times has been difficult to the point where I’ve written off the category altogether. In response to my latest post, many of you kind readers suggested that I try Ohto’s ceramic rollerballs, which ship with a somewhat uncommon .5mm refill that almost feels like a gel pen. It’s an excellent option, and I’ve been using the refill not only in these matte-finish Ohto “CR02” pens that recently arrived from Japan, but in my Lamy 2000 Rollerball. These pens are relatively inexpensive at $18 and have a very nice feel in the hand. They’re also on the slimmer side and will make a great planner/pen loop option. Refills are available separately.

View fullsize

The Ohto CR02 Rollerball comes in four different finishes, including Matte Blue, Matte Black, Wine Red, and Matte Silver.

This week our brick-and-mortar store is open Thursday from 1-6pm, Friday from 1-7pm, and Saturday from 12-7pm. Keep up to date on store hours here, and contact us to shop by appointment if you can’t make it during regular store hours.

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.

View fullsize

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!

View fullsize

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.)

View fullsize

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

View fullsize

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

View fullsize

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.

View fullsize

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.