Sunday Reading for November 17, 2024

1. Drifting Apart: The Last Drop (via A Fleeting Ripple). As someone who’s reinvented a blog/website/hobby multiple times over the years (including by stepping away for relatively long periods), this post really resonated with me. Also, be sure to watch the YouTube video referenced in the post, which I enjoyed.

2. Recap of TIPS 2024 (via Inkredible Colours). The Tokyo International Pen Show (TIPS) is on my pen/stationery show bucket list. It’s run quite differently from U.S.-based shows, which you can read about here.

3. What the Heck Is a Planner Convention? (via Well-Appointed Desk). I published my own recap of our adventures at the Chicago Planner Conference, and Ana had many similar thoughts! (Though I did not know about the app with the swag drops. Note for future pen shows.)

4. Pen 18111 3D Pen Review and Giveaway (via Figboot on Pens). Apparently Yoshi Nakama is returning to Japan and potentially will not be making pens for the foreseeable future, but has remaining stock of some of his 3D-printed pens.

5. Change of Planner Plans/Change of Planners? (via Stationery Pizza). I too have decided to opt out of the dedicated “Planner” this year and return to notebook systems, namely a combination of the Traveler’s Notebook and Plotter.

6. Archiving and Storing A5 Inserts (via Philofaxy). If you use ring or modular notebook systems, you will understand the importance of having an archiving strategy for those back refills you want or need to save.

7. Pineider A5 Hardcover Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Though they’ve expanded into pens in recent years, Pineider’s roots are as a paper manufacturer. I do love colored paper!

8. A New Beginning for Macchiato Man (via Macchiato Man). I’m glad to see the site isn’t going away! Many thanks to Blake for making this possible.

9. Traveling with Ink: November 2024, my North Sea Haul (via Fountain Pen Blog). Now that’s a great trip! Complete with pen acquisitions.

10. Road Trip with Traveler’s Company (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I love the idea of the Traveler’s Caravan and the customized notebooks. I’ve never made it to one of these events, but maybe (one day) I can host?

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Just a small part of the swag I brought home from the Chicago Planner Conference.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I recapped my trip to the Chicago Planner Conference (i.e., Swagfest 2024). It was a unique experience, quite different from any traditional pen show I’ve attended. Based on discussions that I had with attendees during the class that I co-taught, I also drafted up a new “Ask T.G.S.” post addressing how to handle higher-maintenance inks.

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Perfect pairing? I’m loving the new Diamine inks.

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

This week saw the arrival of multiple new releases from TWSBI, including the Caribbean + Onyx Diamond 580 ALR and the Sky Blue ECO, as well as a full restock on most of the recent releases such as the ECO Irish Green + Onyx and all of the bronze-trimmed offerings. We have most TWSBI nib sizes back in stock, so if there is a pen you’ve been waiting for, please check in!

We’ve added a ton of new inks to our offerings, including Teranishi Guitar inks from Japan, the newly arrived Diamine 160th Anniversary inks, and Platinum Chou Kuro, Platinum Carbon Black, and all of the Platinum Classic Iron Gall inks. Read about all of this weeks arrivals in the Thursday Drops post.

TWSBI

Teranishi Guitar

Platinum

iLootPaperie Art

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

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Ask T.G.S.: Three Tips for Enjoying "High Maintenance" Fountain Pen Inks

I spent this past weekend at the Chicago Planner Conference, and during the course on ink and paper that I helped teach, a key concern among new fountain pen users was how to know whether an ink is “safe” to use in a fountain pen. I previously wrote an “ask T.G.S.” piece about best practices for using shimmer inks, but what about super sheeners, iron gall inks, permanent inks, and others that aren’t considered your standard “water-based” fountain pen inks? Such inks are often labeled “high maintenance” because they do require a bit of extra attention, though the concern is generally overblown. I thought it might be helpful to recap my thoughts here.

Tip 1: As a General Matter, KNow that If An Ink Is Sold by a Fountain Pen Specialty Retailer or manufacturer, and Labeled “For Fountain Pens,” It most likely Will Not Hurt Your Pens.

While there are a handful of fountain pen inks that have been known to damage certain materials due to their chemical content, you mostly only have to worry about inks staining or damaging white or light-colored acrylics, or absorbent materials like certain vintage celluloids. For these specific materials, avoid permanent inks, and colors such as purples and reds, which I’ve found particularly prone to staining.

Otherwise, modern fountain pen inks will not permanently clog or damage most pens in any way that a normal cleaning (i.e., flushing with water or running through an ultrasonic cleaner) cannot fix. Even inks that contain particles suspended in solution - such as pigmented inks and shimmer inks - will flush out of most pens with plain water. That said, as Lisa, Ana, and I emphasized during the course, under no circumstances should you use India ink or dip pen/calligraphy ink in a fountain pen. Certain of these inks contain shellac and other glue/paint-like substances that, once they dry, can permanently damage a fountain pen and render it unusable.

At the planner conference, there was a surprising level of interest in Platinum’s ultra black pigmented inks such as Chou Kouro (shown here) and the not-quite-as-black-hole-black Carbon Black.

Tip 2: If You Have Any Doubt or Concern, Test the ink with an Inexpensive Pen FIRST, and Clean, Clean, Clean!

This week, I spent several days testing Platinum’s recently released Chou Kuro Black ink, which is supposed to be the “blackest-of-the-black” inks, and so saturated with special pigment that Platinum recommends that your pen be flushed only with purified or distilled water. (I would consider this to be the quintessential “high maintenance” ink, at least per Platinum’s recommendations.) To test the ink, I chose an inexpensive piston filler (a Majohn), and wrote with the pen for a week. While I’m still experimenting with this ink and plan to test it in more pens before publishing a conclusive review, I’ve so far found it no more difficult to clean than your ordinary pigmented ink like Platinum Carbon Black or Sailor Kiwa Guro. I plan to start using this ink regularly - it’s incredibly dark and one of the best “cheap paper inks” I’ve ever used - but to be safe I’ll probably limit it to cartridge-converter pens, if for no other reason than to save time cleaning. Importantly, I will plan to clean any pen containing this ink at least once a month, to avoid any buildup of pigment in the feed and to ensure good performance.

Unlike Chou-Kouro, which dries to a flat matte shade of black that reflects no light, Platinum’s Carbon Black has a slight sheen to it. Shown here on Col-o-ring ink testing paper.

Tip 3: Don’t Overly Concern Yourself With Harming Your Pens and spoil Your Enjoyment of the Hobby.

I’ve been collecting fountain pens seriously for well over 10 years, and using them for far longer. I can count on one hand the number of pens I’ve permanently stained with fountain pen inks, and all of them have been white or clear acrylics. Guess what? All of these pens continued to work just fine as writing instruments. Sure, if you have a particularly delicate celluloid or light-colored pen, and you don’t want to alter the appearance of it with a highly saturated super-sheener, choose a different ink for that specific pen. Probably Waterman Blue. But otherwise, I can guarantee you’re going to have a lot more fun with your inks and paper if you put these sort of concerns to the back of your mind, take reasonable steps to clean your pens every month or so, and just use what you like and what makes you happy.

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Iron gall inks are another category of so-called “high maintenance” inks that, in my opinion, requires no more care than most other inks, especially in modern formulations. Just be sure to clean every month or so and you’ll be fine.

For more fountain pen tips, tricks, and general Q&A, check out our resource page here. As always, feel free to write in or leave a comment if you have another specific pen-related question! We’re always happy to answer.

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.

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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.