Sunday Reading for February 23, 2025

1. Pavlov’s Stationery Dog (via A Gathering of Curiosities). I loved this post, and second so much of R.B.’s philosophy of notetaking.

2. 2025 California Pen Show (via Olive Octopus). An epic CA Pen Show recap from Lisa! I’m really sad to have missed some of the shows so far this year, but shop duty calls!

3. 2025 California Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Here’s Kimberly’s CA Pen Show recap, with a ton of pictures. I’m missing the whole pen show after-hours experience.

4. Pen Show Wrap-Up: California Pen Show Adventures (via Well-Appointed Desk). On second thought, maybe it was best I sat this one out. I don’t do particularly well on bumpy flights, and literally everyone commented on how bad their flight into LA was.

5. New Series Idea: What Works (via Line Variation). We need more content like this. People actually using their stationery! I’m looking forward to reading this series and hope that it comes to fruition.

6. How I Use My Notebooks: Twitter Replacement Field Notes (via Writing at Large). Replace Twitter with Field Notes!

7. Vazir Meteor Shower (via Figboot on Pens). A really cool finish on this pen, and I especially like the detail on the nib.

8. Inky Pursuits: February 2025 (via Fountain Pen Blog). Oh, to live in a city where you can take a pen repair course by the local Writing Equipment Society…

9. Retractable Fountain Pens: More Reviews Coming (via Dapprman). That is an impressive array of retractable fountain pens!

10. The More Things Change… (via Penquisition). I love seeing blogs expand. We need more long-form content, and I’m so glad to see Eric onboard.

11. Nolty Assymetry A5 Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). I have never used a Nolty notebook, but I keep seeing them and feel like I should try them out at some point.

View fullsize

In Case You Missed It…

I’ve been increasingly focused on the practical lately, mainly because I’ve been trying to stay offline (as much as my online business allows), so I don’t feel particularly caught-up on social media and the latest pen releases. I’ve spent much time over the past two months journaling, reading, and taking notes, and one of my favorite companions has been the Jetstream Lite Touch 3 Multi Pen, which I reviewed on Wednesday. (Don’t worry, I know it’s out of stock but not forever, as I just placed an order for a ton of them, not in the least because I want one of each color). I also answered a couple of more practical questions from readers and customers, including one about freezing ink and whether you should place ink orders in the dead of winter.

View fullsize

The TWSBI Breakfast Collection coffee-themed pens are back in stock, including the latest release, Espresso Bronze.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Don’t Miss the Last Week for the InCoWriMo Discount!

We’ve been running an InCoWriMo special for most of the month of February, where you can take an extra 10% off letter writing supplies using the coupon code “SNAILMAIL” at checkout. We have a new shipment of G. Lalo paper and envelopes, as well as Midori MD and Midori MD Cotton Letter pads. We also have a huge array of new Lamy pens, desk and reading accessories from Levenger, including a new leather pen case, canvas pouches, and annotation notepads. Finally, Hightide is restocked, including Bicolor and standard sandglasses, as well as the Penco pocket drafting pens and pencils.

Lamy Pens

Levenger

Blackwing

Washi Tape

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives and Sample Sales

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.

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

Practical Points: Freezing Ink and Cleaning Fineliners

We’ve had a huge blast of cold here in Tennessee. We only occasionally get “real” winter weather, but when it arrives it tends to cause trouble. So, it comes as no surprise that more than a few people have asked me for my recommendations about ordering ink in the winter. Namely, should you do it?

How much Should You Worry About Ink Freezing?

I’ve read many different takes on this question. There are people online who will tell you that they pause ordering ink entirely from December through April. Others (myself included) don’t pay much attention to the issue, as it will take a pretty significant, prolonged exposure to cold in order for most inks to freeze. But if that happens, there is a chance that a plastic cap, or the glass bottle itself in some cases, will crack as the frozen ink expands and make a huge mess as the frozen ink thaws.

The right answer here depends on your personal risk tolerance and the weather where you live. If the temperature in your area is well below freezing for multiple days (or weeks or months) at a time, I probably wouldn’t risk it. Your ink will likely sit in a postal service storage unit or non-climate-controlled truck prior to delivery, and this is where stuff tends to freeze. If you are worried about a specific ink selling out, or find yourself needing to place an ink order despite the weather, most retailers (us included) will hold ink upon request. Please call or e-mail to request such a hold - we simply can’t monitor the weather at every destination we ship to and the waypoints in-between, and if you order ink, we will ship it ASAP absent instructions to the contrary. The one exception is the weather here. If it’s below freezing and forecasted to remain that way for more than a day or two, we may hold ink orders until it warms up because we don’t want packages to sit in the cold at our shipping service waiting for collection. If this hold extends beyond our normal shipping time, we will reach out and let you know.

I’ve ordered a lot of ink over the years, and have had exactly one ink bottle freeze in transit. That’s a pretty good track record, so freezing ink isn’t something I tend to worry about too much. That said, if you live in a perpetually cold area (the Northeastern US, Canada, the Rocky Mountains), or the area you live in is experiencing a deep freeze, it may be wise to hold off until it warms up.

View fullsize

The internal wick shown here was filled with black fountain pen ink for almost a year, and still rinsed clean. I reloaded with Dominant Industry Romania Red.

Can You Clean the Tom’s Studio Lumos and Wren Fineliner Refills/wicks?

This is an easier question to answer: Yes, you can! I’m often asked how hard it is to change colors with the Tom’s Studio Lumos and Wren refillable fineliners, or whether you have to replace the cotton wick. Yesterday I swapped out the black ink that I had loaded into my Lumos and rinsed it completely clean. (See the photo above.) How did I do this? Simply submerge it in a sink full of water and squeeze it until it’s white again. Any non-permanent, water-based fountain pen ink should rinse out easily from both the cotton reservoir and the replaceable tips, though in this case the year-old fineliner tip I had been using was starting to wear down so I replaced it. If you want to rinse the tip, I’ve found that it works best if you hold it under the faucet and then dab the tip into a paper towel until all residual ink leaches out.

I hope you all have found these periodic “Q&A” sessions helpful. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback and have tried to keep doing them regularly. If there are questions you’d like me to answer, feel free to reach out via the Contact page or drop a comment.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re in the Nashville area, you can now come pick my brain in person! You can view directions and up-to-date hours for our brick-and-mortar shop here.

Thursday Drops: Jetstream Light Touch Pens, New Washi Tape Restock, and a Hightide/Penco Arrival!

There’s lots of fun stuff to talk about this week, including a long-awaited restock of Hightide Sandglasses, new Jetstream Lite Touch multi pens, and of course some "fun” new washi tapes! We’re also continuing to add new Lamy stock to the store, including the Lamy 2000 in Stainless Steel, and dramatically expand our selection of woodcase pencils and sharpeners.

Most of the snow and ice has been melting in the sun today, so orders have started to ship out and we should be caught up by tonight. We are open in-store today and tomorrow from 1-6pm, and Saturday from 10-6pm, so please come by and check out all of our new stuff!

View fullsize

These “Date Dots” from the Well-Appointed Desk will allow you to create your own day-to-a-page planner, using a bound notebook or binder system of your choice.

Thank you for reading! The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to visit our in-person location, you can view directions and up-to-date hours here.

1. Uni Jetstream Lite Touch 3 Multi Pen. The new arrival that I’m very excited about! As you all know, I’m a multi pen fan, and this one features the recently released Jetstream Lite Touch refills. Check out yesterday’s post for more details.

2. Lamy 2000 Stainless Steel Fountain Pens. In addition to the classic Makrolon version, we can now offer the stainless steel version. Read our review of this fountain pen here.

3. Lamy 2000 “Blackwood” and “Taxus” Ballpoint Pens. These polished wood versions of the Lamy 2000 are extremely underrated in terms of the attention they receive. I think the lighter Taxus might be my favorite, as it’s a wood tone you don’t see that often.

4. Hightide Sandglasses. The shop favorite Hightide Sandglasses are back in stock, in nearly all colors and sizes! These nearly always sell out during the holidays but we will do our best to keep them in stock year-round.

5. Lamy Noto Ballpoints (New Limited Colors). The triangular, super-silent-click Noto Ballpoint is now available in two more special addition colors, in addition to the regular line.

6. Well-Appointed Desk Inky Dreams Washi and Stickers. We’re happy to offer the latest releases from the Well-Appointed Desk shop, including these ink bottle-print washi tape and stickers.

7. “Grown Up” Washi Tape from iLootPaperie. IYKYK. I bought a lot, so hopefully this will be in stock for some time. Both standard and gold foil varieties are available.

8. Tombow 8900 Pencils. The original uncapped green “Dragonfly” pencil in B, HB, and 2B hardnesses, by the dozen or individually.

9. Uni Mitsubishi 2B Variety Packs. These 2B handwriting pencils are sold in packs of four, and in three different color combinations.

10. Mitsubishi 9800EW Recycled Pencils. These are absolutely gorgeous natural wood pencils. Uncapped, HB hardness, available individually or by the dozen.

View fullsize

The Lamy 2000 in Stainless Steel: for those who love metal pens.

The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3: Can Uni Improve on the Jetstream Experience?

The Jetstream Prime is the upscale version of Uni’s ubiquitous Jetstream low viscosity ballpoint pen, featuring sleeker barrels in more stylish colors. While I love pretty much everything Jetstream, I truly enjoy the Jetstream Prime lineup, and the standard Jetstream Prime Twist Ballpoint is one of my most recommended pens for those looking for a no-nonsense everyday writer to use in the professional context. Regardless of the new Lite Touch ink, the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 multi pen was inevitably going to end up in my pen case.

View fullsize

I’ll talk about the pen first, then offer my thoughts on the Jetstream Lite Touch ink, which is a new ink formulation Uni introduced last year. The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 multi pen is a three-slot multi pen (no mechanical pencil option) that uses a rotational mechanism to switch ink colors. In other words, you rotate the barrel until the clip points to the color you want. As far as multi pens go, this one is far more compact and lightweight than what you usually find. Many multi pens are either oversized or on the heavier side, due to both the relative complexity of the mechanism and the weight of the additional refills, so the comfort and usability of this pen made for a pleasant surprise. The matte texture on the coated metal barrel makes the Lite Touch 3 easy to grip and minimizes slippage. The overall length is such that it sits well in my hand, and the pen fits easily into most pen loops I’ve tried. A couple weeks back I carried this one around New York City in my Lochby Field Journal Mini, and for the past few days it’s been in my Plotter A5.

View fullsize

So now about the ink. Uni introduced the Jetstream “Lite Touch” as a smoother version of the Jetstream low-viscosity ballpoint, engineered for increased darkness and less resistance on the paper. In other words, if the Jetstream was originally designed as a “hybrid gel-ballpoint” pen, then the Jetstream Lite Touch takes things even further towards the “gel” end of the spectrum. The Lite Touch ink flows exceptionally well, leaves a dark line with all three colors (black, blue, and red) that shipped with the pen, and still dried almost instantly. I guess the only question I have is why introduce this particular ink as a new product, as opposed to modifying the formulation of the original Jetstream cartridge? The Jetstream Lite Touch is different for sure, but I’m not sure that it’s so different the average person would remark on it. That may change as I try different Lite Touch formats, which I currently have on order.

View fullsize

Of all the colors, I found the difference most pronounced in the black ink, which was smoother and noticeably darker. The difference was less pronounced in blue, and honestly almost indistinguishable in red.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’m not sure that I like the Jetstream Lite Touch ink “better” than the standard Jetstream - I’m one of those people who actually does enjoy the tactile feel of a standard ballpoint cartridge so the additional smoothness isn’t a huge selling point for me, as I’d typically just use a gel pen. That said, if what you’re looking for is a ballpoint that writes a smooth, dark, quick-dry line and is as close to a gel pen as you can get, give this cartridge a try. Those who can’t write with heavier pressure may also find the Lite Touch to work better for them. For me personally, I will probably continue to buy either Jetstream or Jetstream Lite Touch pens based on whether I enjoy the form factor of the pen itself, since I can happily use either ink.

View fullsize

Both the Jetstream 4+1 and the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 come in muted yellow colors, which I love.

As far as the pen itself, The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 is one of the better multi pens that I’ve used. The slimmer, more classic profile fits my own personal preferences, and I love the rotational mechanism. Plus it comes in yellow. If you make it in yellow, I will buy one. Now just make it in dark red too. We currently have a small number of these pens in the shop, with more on the way, as well as Lite Touch versions of the classic Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pen. These pens take the SXR-L80 refills, which are currently on order and will also be available. Each of these pens ship with three .5mm refills already installed in the pen, which should last you a while before you need extras.

Thank you for reading! The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to visit our in-person location, you can view directions and up-to-date hours here. Please note that we are experiencing inclement weather (ice and snow) on Feb. 18 and 19, so shipments may be delayed in going out by a day or so.

New Arrivals: Well-Appointed Desk Stickers and Washi, and "Grown-Up" Washi Returns!

We always love to support our friends, and we’re happy to add a line of products from the Well-Appointed Desk to the shop! As of this morning, we offer the “Inky Dreams” Sticker Sheets and Washi Tape featuring Ana’s original illustrations, as well as the “Date Dot” planner stickers that allow you to convert any notebook or ring/disk binder into a journal or planner system.

View fullsize

The “Date Dot” stickers from the Well-Appointed Desk come in five different colors.

And while I won’t post a photo to the main cover page here because I like to keep things (mostly) family-friendly, our “Grown Up” washi tape is back in stock, in both the original floral and the gold foil format. Fans of iLootPaperie will be happy to know that most of their other washi is back in stock, including the snail mail-themed tapes such as the popular “Par Pigeon” washi and more.

Remember that February is International Correspondence Writing Month (InCoWriMo)! For the month of February, take an extra 10% off certain letter-writing supplies using the code “SNAILMAIL” at checkout. Also, we are expecting some inclement weather this week, so keep an eye on the shop page for updated brick-and-mortar hours as necessary.