Sunday Reading for December 8, 2024

1. A Mini Techo Kaigi, and Plotter A5 Setup Thoughts (via A Gathering of Curiosities). I find simple, straightforward planner setups like this to be the most effective, mainly because they’re the ones you’re more likely to stick with for the long term.

2. Visit to Ishimaru Bunkoudou in Nagasaki, Japan (via Inkredible Colours). The stationery selection at this department store looks absolutely incredible, particularly the ink selection!

3. Diamine Inkvent 2024: Spoiler Free Introduction (via Writing at Large). A great annual Inkvent series revealing each of the colors as we go through December. I’m only linking to the introductory page to avoid spoilers for anyone who hasn’t started yet, but at this point I think most people have seen at least one of the inks.

4. Year End Pens: December Blues (via Line Variation). Both the Parker Sonnet and the Pilot Custom Heritage 92 are vastly underappreciated pens.

5. Guest Post - Archiving Solutions (via Philofaxy). What do you do with those planner inserts and pages you are not actively using? Some sort of archive is usually necessary to manage any sort of notebook system.

6. Distracting: KWZ Stardust Blue Fountain Pen Ink (via A Fleeting Ripple). As someone who is not typically a shimmer ink enthusiast, I’m intrigued by these inks with a formulation that allows the shimmer particles to remain suspended without shading….

7. Montblanc 145 Classique S Nib Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). These round nibs with lots of tipping are gaining in popularity. I’ve honestly never been tempted, as I prefer nibs with a bit more angular line variation than these seem to offer.

8. Discovering the Aurora Marco Polo Fountain Pen (via Fountain Pen Blog). Now that’s a market find! a cool retro-themed design, too.

9. Pilot Iro-Utsushi Dip Pen Review (via Pen Addict-Jeff). These Pilot dip pens have garnered rave reviews. I need to get my hands on some and test them out.

10. ‘Tis the Season to be STICKII (via Well-Appointed Desk). A sticker advent calendar? If you’re a sticker fiend you may want to check this one out, if not this year then next.

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In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, we’re well into the throes of the holiday season, so I published a short counterpart to the T.G.S. Annual Gift Guide, which is a post titled “5 Bad Stationery Gift Ideas” that I hope you all find entertaining. I also posted an update on how I’ve been using my Bible Size Plotter binder to help manage my growing brick-and-mortar shop.

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

We’ve recently restocked on Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter binders, as well as Pilot E95s fountain pens, Book Darts page markers, and more! We also have a large volume of new inks coming into the shop from brands including Diamine, Teranishi, and Kuretake, most of which have already been added online but all of which are available to peruse in-person. Be sure to check out our weekly Thursday Drops post for stock updates, as well as the Tuesday “New Arrivals” post which also contains any updates to weekly shop hours.

We are currently caught up on orders, nearly all of which are shipping within two business days. While we do our best to get holiday season orders shipped quickly, we have no control over carrier timing and delivery - if you need something by December 25 or earlier, please get your orders in as soon as possible!

Diamine Inks

Pilot

TWSBI

TRAVELER'S Company

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 had 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!

Plotter Bible Size: Embracing the Single-Use Notebook

I’ve cycled through a few Plotter binders, looking for my ideal size. For everyday work, I’ve settled on A5 as the best combination of portability and practicality. My Plotter Mini 5 serves as my wallet, which has a “security blanket” notebook incorporated into it for capturing those stray thoughts which in years past probably would have gone into a Field Notes or other pocket notebook. The sizes I’ve struggled the most with, however, are the Narrow and Bible. I ended up selling my Narrow Plotter binder, simply because it was too “in-between”: too tall for the kind of portability I expected, and not quite wide enough to do the same kind of writing I can do in a Traveler’s Notebook. Now, what about the “Bible Size”?

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The Plotter Mini 5 (which started it’s life as Grey Pueblo leather) atop my olive green Bible Plotter. For those who will ask, the pencil in the notebook is a Pilot Birdie mini-pencil (and there’s also a pen/pencil combo version).

The “Bible Size” Plotter binder measures approximately 4.5” x 7”, with the refill pages measuring roughly 3.5” x 6.75”. So it’s roughly the same height as the Plotter Narrow but offers a few more inches of width to allow for more flexibility with writing. When I picked up this olive leather limited edition last year, I really wanted to make this my primary Plotter, but it’s just too small for day job and research notes, plus I love being able to easily hole-punch A5 paper and use it in the larger Plotter.

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The Bible-Size Plotter does, however, work great as a shop notebook that houses my ink swatch catalog and restock lists. Whenever new inks arrive, I immediately swatch one bottle and add it to this “master catalog” at the same time I swatch the inks onto Col-o-ring Cards. One of the best decisions I’ve made so far as a (fledgling) shop owner has been this master ink book that I control: the swatch book that sits out on the shelf tends to be easily damaged, with cards torn, smudged, or stolen - yes, people do take the swatch cards both in-store and at shows - and there’s nothing worse than having someone ask to see a swatch of a specific color only to discover it’s gone. If that happens, I have my backup, which also comes in handy for personal color comparisons and reviews.

I’ve also discovered that it’s essential to maintain a central a location for a “running list” of items that need to be restocked on subsequent orders. Some would say that this list should be kept electronically, but I rarely have my computer near me in the shop, and I hate having to constantly pull out my phone. While most of this particular Plotter binder is used for ink, there’s also a dedicated section in the back for reorder notes.

Those of you who have been following our Diamine Inkvent and Colorverse Colorvent reveal on Instagram may have noticed this paper, which is Midori MD Cotton with letterpress lines, sized for Plotter. I’m not seeing these currently on the Plotter USA website, so they may be pen-show exclusives. MD Cotton Paper is one of my favorite paper for swatching inks since it shows off color quite well.

While it might seem like a step back from my overarching goal of limiting the number of notebooks I’m using at any given time, sometimes the most efficient solution is to add a separate stand-alone notebook to handle a specific task. I’ve been using my “shop notebook” for a couple of months now and I think it’s going to stick. I’m continuing to work through my planner/journal setup for 2025, experimenting with test runs and sample layouts in December. I’ll plan to do a full “Notebook System” layout around the new year, which will feature my condensed 2025 notebook lineup centered around moveable pages (i.e. disc and ring-based systems). For a discussion of how I fared with my 2024 lineup and what I’m looking to change, check out this recent post here.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re interested in talking inks and seeing our swatches and growing selection, come see us in-person! We’re open this week Thursday-Sunday, and otherwise by appointment.

Thursday Drops: Roterfaden Returns, Kuretake Inks, Pilot Elite 95s, and the Last Inkvents

Many thanks to all of you who supported us last week during the Thanksgiving/Black Friday/Small Business Saturday events, and an especially big thanks to those of you who came to see us in person! Our holiday shopping opportunities continue, with certain pens, paper, and desk accessories on clearance, as well as a full Roterfaden restock. We have Taschenbegleiter binders available in all sizes (A4, A5, and A6). We also received Burgundy Pilot E95s fountain pens with fine nibs.

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The Pilot E95s is restocked, shown here in black with burgundy/silver also available.

Finally, we are down to a single T.G.S. x Sunderland mk1 pen (take it home for the holidays!), and two or so Diamine Inkvent calendars. I’ve been posting the first few Inkvent inks on Instagram, which you can follow along in the stories. Don’t miss other new ink releases such as select inks from the Diamine standard line, the 160th and 150th Anniversary inks, and two separate series of Kuretake inks.

Domestic U.S. orders over $75 ship free. Please review our shipping policies and time estimates prior to placing an international order. Orders to Canada may be delayed due to the ongoing postal strike, and UK orders are subject to a minimum due to VAT rules. We are open this week Thursday through Sunday! View up-to-date hours here.

1. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Organizers. The clip-based Roterfaden system has become one of our top sellers over the past year, and we were fortunate enough to get a fresh restock in the door before year-end.

2. Pilot E95s Fountain Pens. The burgundy E95s has been a favorite of many, and we’ve had them trickle in gradually over the past several months as Pilot works through a bit of a backlog. We currently have a limited quantity of fine-nib pens.

3. TWSBI ECO-T Jade and Rose Gold Fountain Pens. I still have a handful of these pen sets, which come with a small bottle of midnight blue ink. These pens were a special holiday release from last year and a couple of them emerged during our move.

4. Kakimori Hardcover A5 Notebooks. We still have some of these gorgeous Kakimori notebooks, which would make great gifts as they feature beautiful Japanese fabric covers.

5. Traveler’s Company 2025 Dated Diary Refills. Now is a great time to grab your 2025 dated journal/planner refill for the Standard and Passport-sized Traveler’s Notebooks.

6. Traveler’s Company 2024 Limited Edition “Tokyo” Refills. We stocked up on these MD Paper Refills, which accompanied the 2024 Tokyo Special Edition Traveler’s Notebooks. These would make a fun gift this holiday season but they likely will not last.

7. Viarco Vintage-inspired Pencil Gift Sets. These gift sets from Portuguese pencil-maker Viarco include six dozen Viarco pencils, each dozen a reproduction from Viarco’s extensive back catalogue. Viarco is one of the few remaining European pencil manufacturers still in operation.

8. Tom’s Studio Mechanical Pencils. I’ve had several requests for interesting mechanical pencils “that don’t look too technical”, and these comfortable, front-weighted machined pencils from Tom’s Studio are designed for both writing and drawing.

9. Kaweco Collection Perkeo “Infrared”. Kaweco introduced the Perkeo as a full-sized pen that could accept both short international cartridges and a full-sized ink converter. This transparent red color was a 2024 special release.

10. Teranishi Guitar Inks. I can’t sing the praises of these inks enough. They flow well, and show a moderate amount of sheen and color-shifting without being high-maintenance. Read about five of my favorite colors here.

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Come see us in-person, and view all of this an more for yourself! we’re constantly restocking and have plenty for both online and in-person holiday shopping.

Ask TGS: Five Bad Stationery Gift Ideas

Since it’s that time of year again, the T.G.S. hotline has been ringing with questions about gift ideas. While most of our general advice is set out in the annual gift guide, many of you still prefer to write in with specific questions, and that’s ok! I enjoy hearing from readers and talking through potential purchases, though I sometimes find myself talking people down from what I’d consider missteps. Here are five stationery-related holiday gifts that I would avoid.

1. Unsolicited Fountain Pen Purchases. For years I’ve been discouraging fountain pen gift purchases, and this typically comes up in one of two ways: (1) someone looking to purchase a gift for a fountain pen enthusiast; and (2) a fountain pen enthusiast looking to get someone into fountain pens by gifting them a relatively expensive fountain pen. Both, in my opinion, are bad ideas. As to the first point, fountain pen fans have very specific preferences, and unless they’ve requested a specific pen or you understand their preferences extremely well, you risk spending money on something that turns out to be a miss. On the second point, if you want to get someone a nice pen because you think they will use it every day, go with a rollerball or ballpoint. If you truly think someone might enjoy a fountain pen, either choose an inexpensive cartridge pen like a Platinum Plaisir or Prefounte, Pilot Explorer, or TWSBI Swipe, or give them a gift card to a brick-and-mortar retailer near them and let them try pens in person first. It comes down to personal preference - different pens work for different people, and with new users it’s almost impossible to predict what they will like.

2. Pen and Pencil Sets. The picture above is roughly half the Cross Century and Century II pens and pencils in my possession. Between 1970 and 2000, literally everyone alive in the United States received one of these sets from a relative as a “milestone” gift (birthday, graduation, etc.). In my family, they have all been re-gifted to me over the years “because you like pens so much.” While they are classy looking, and Cross has done a great job of marketing these sets as a classic gift option, there are better options out there (including from Cross - try the Townsend, which features a similar silhouette in a more modern, comfortable size). The ultra-slim Century, the still-slim Century II, and the countless clones from other brands, can be too narrow for many people to use other than for quick notes, and modern pen enthusiasts tend to prefer larger pens.

3. Ostentatious Engravings. If you want to engrave a pen for someone, limit yourself to initials. Messages that are too personal make it hard for someone to use a nice pen in a work meeting, since engravings tend to be eye-catching. Finally, DO NOT engrave pens with things like childhood nicknames. (Yes, I still have it. No, the pen will never see the light of day.)

4. Dated Planner Systems. Planner and notebook systems are not bad gifts per se, but not everyone uses planners, and some people prefer undated over dated. (The “personal preference” thing rears its head again.) I might recommend gifting a notebook cover and some blank refills, and pairing with a gift card so that they can choose to add planner functionality later.

5. Colored Sharpie Markers. Especially for a child. I mean, seriously? You know who you are, and yes, you are still banned from our home until we replace the rest of the furniture.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. For a more serious discussion of stationery-related gift ideas, please check out our gift guide, as mentioned above, or come see us in-person! We’re open this week Thursday-Sunday, and otherwise by appointment.

New Arrivals: Book Darts Restock Just In Time for Holiday Shopping!

One of the first products that we ever sold directly was the simple Book Dart - an archivally safe way of marking pages in books, notebooks, notepads, and more. I tend to be an active reader, marking up and highlighting pages as I go, and for certain books I love and intend to keep on my shelf long-term, I often add a Book Dart to flag those pages that I know I’ll want to return to later.

We now offer these compact 12-Packs of Book Darts.

Book Darts has been kind enough to do custom runs of their Classic Tins in 50, 75, and 100-dart quantities, but we also recently added smaller 12-packs, as well as additional bookmark sleeves that are perfect for on-the-go use or travel. You can check out the full Book Dart lineup here, as well as our full selection of desk and reading accessories. Book Darts have been prominently featured in our Holiday Gift Guide for many years, and they pair well with other stationery-related gifts and also make a great stocking stuffer!

An update on shipping: Many thanks to all of you who supported us during our first Thanksgiving Weekend as a brick-and-mortar retailer! The new space has definitely made shipping more seamless, and orders are currently shipping within 48 hours. That said, we don’t have control over carrier processing and delivery speeds, so if you need something by a specific date, give yourself plenty of time by placing orders earlier rather than later.