Thursday Drops: A Lochby Pocket-Sized Restock, Plus Other Top-Sellers from 2025 So Far

After a long, nearly six-month wait, Lochby has restocked both the Field Journal Mini and the Pocket Journal, both of which are sized to fit the 3.5” x 5.5” pocket notebooks (the standard “Field Notes” size, including the Lochby 68gsm Tomoe River version). You can read more about the Field Journal Mini here, but in short it uses the same cord-based system as the Lochby Field Journal and Field Folio (which is now available in B5 to fit the Lochby B5 notebooks and a standard composition book).

The new Lochby Field Folio B5, which per Lochby, can hold a composition book? I didn’t realize that about B5 sizing, which has always puzzled me as an “in-between” size but now I think I get it. (Photo courtesy of Lochby)

Other new releases to keep an eye on are the Diplomat Viper Fountain Pen and Rollerball, the latest Blackwing Volume 140 pencils (plus a general Blackwing restock, including sharpeners), and new Lamy inks. We’re also in the midst of our annual mid-year review, so I’ve added a handful of “best-sellers” to today’s post. Happy shopping!

Come see these and more in-shop! We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

1. Lochby Field Journal Mini. It’s back, after a long wait! This version of Lochby’s classic Field Journal features the same cords and hook-and-latch system as the A5, but fits 3.5” x 5.5” pocket notebooks. Brown only at the moment.

2. Lochby Pocket Journal. I feared this model would be discontinued, but the zippered Lochby Pocket Journal (which holds 1-2 pocket notebooks in a wallet-style waxed canvas case), is back! Brown, Navy, and Charcoal options, with the Charcoal now featuring the gold “Bumblebee” interior.

3. Lochby Field Folio. The zippered Lochby Field Folio is now available in B5 size, and apparently will also fit a classic composition book. The Field Folio works the same as the standard Lochby Field Journal, only it uses a zippered closure for added security. There is also an interior pen loop. And, yes, the B5 size comes in the coveted Nautical Navy/Cream colorway.

4. Lochby Sidekick. Lochby’s wallet/notebook cover will hold a pen plus an A7 notebook such as these Clairefontaine options. All three colors are back in stock!

5. Diplomat Viper Fountain Pens and Rollerballs. I’m thrilled to be able to add this new hooded-nib fountain pen to our lineup. The matching rollerball has much of the same aesthetic, and takes a classic long capped rollerball refill.

6. Lamy Crystal Bottled Fountain Pen Ink. You didn’t know that Lamy has an expanded line of ten additional inks in more vibrant colors than the standard releases?

7. Colorverse “Nebula Note” A5 Notebooks. A somewhat overlooked line of paper, Colorverse Nebula Note is fountain pen friendly, relatively inexpensive, and comes with perforated pages! I will always promote anything with convenient perforated pages!

8. Lamy 2000 Pens (Fountain, Rollerballs, Ballpoints, and Multi Pens). By far our top selling product, the Lamy 2000 line of pens is a personal favorite of mine, and unsurprisingly, our top selling pen across the entire range of variants.

9. Tom’s Studio Lumos Pro Duo. We just received a box of Lumos Duo refillable fineliners from the UK, and have most colors back in stock. For further reading on how these pens work and why I enjoy them as everyday writers, check out this post.

10. Yamamoto Paper. Yamamoto Paper is known for their assortment of unusual Japanese looseleaf papers, as well as their sampler packs that are organized by paper type and use. Both products allow you to try papers that otherwise would remain largely unavailable to the U.S. market.

11. NJK Long-Point Pencil Sharpener. Our top-selling individual product by volume isn’t a pen, but rather this cult favorite handheld pencil sharpener that takes a simple task and does it well.

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Colorverse Nebula Note: Tactile paper, perforated pages, and a sturdy double-ring spiral.

2025 Mid-Year Recap: Five Favorite Reviews from the Year So Far

Typically I’m on vacation during the middle of June, which means that I take a break from content in favor of a mid-year recap looking back at favorite reviews, product launches, new discoveries, etc. from the first six months. Though I’m not currently away (day job conflict forced me to cancel a trip, then promptly got rescheduled), I always enjoy doing these retrospectives, so I’ll continue the trend this week and pretend that I’m not working! Up first are five favorite product reviews from the first six months of 2025, in no particular order.

1. Workhorse Pens: Pilot S20 Ballpoint. The S20 has easily been my favorite discovery from the past year. The contoured shape is quite comfortable, and the slim profile makes this a great “planner loop” pen. I’ve also added the mechanical pencil and the striated wood version of the Legno multi pen, both in dark red, to form a matching set. As an aside, I think I’ve grown to prefer Pilot’s Acro-ink over Jetstream Ink, though the former is harder to find in the same diversity of refill formats as the Jetstream.

2. The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3: Can Uni Improve on the Jetstream Experience? While I love my Uni and Pilot 4+1 Mechanical Pencils, the format is too large for some people. I’ve spent a lot of time this year digging deep into the multi pen world, and I was pleasantly surprised by the Lite Touch 3.

3. Yes, Micarta For Me! I finally added some Micarta pens to my collection, all from smaller makers. Variations on Micarta have become quite popular in pen circles over the past couple of years, with makers such as Skogsy and Hinze specializing in designs that incorporate Micarta.

4. Ink Review: Taccia Utamaro Aomurasaki Is the Deepest of Purple-Blacks. I’ve been using more “new-to-me” inks lately, and of all the new inks that have run through my fountain pens this year, Aomurasaki was the favorite so far. It’s a dark purple-black-grey that’s understated enough for work but interesting enough to use regularly without becoming boring.

5. Notebook Review: Maruman Spiral Note Basic Notebook. I’ve been searching for a good “standard” notebook to use for work that represents a good combination of quality and cost-effectiveness. I’ve settled on this “Basic” spiral notebook from Maruman which is a step down in price from the Mnemosyne line and still features quality paper with a variety of different rulings.

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 will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

New Arrivals: Diplomat Viper Fountain Pens and Rollerballs, plus New Lamy Inks!

As you might guess from my love of the Lamy 2000 and the Parker 51, I have a thing for hooded nib fountain pens. An icon of mid-century modern design, a hooded nib allows you to have the fountain pen writing experience in a slightly less conspicuous format, because to the untrained eye, this sort of fountain pen will resemble a standard ballpoint or rollerball. I often prefer this type of fountain pen at work - especially in meetings - because it’s not flashy or distracting.

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I was excited to see Diplomat release the Viper fountain pen last year, and we now have them in our own shop in all three guilloché colors (Blue, Brown, and Black), in both fountain pen and rollerball format. Priced at $100 for the fountain pen and $88 for the rollerball, the Viper has one stainless steel nib option (a fine/medium), and I’ve found my own blue to be a smooth, reliable writer. The rollerball uses a standard long-style rollerball refill, which is Diplomat-branded and comes in a medium black tip size. I did not opt for a matching set, and chose the blue fountain pen and the brown rollerball for my own personal demos. I’m still trying to work out which tone I like the best, but I’m leaning towards the brown.

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We Now carry Lamy Crystal Inks!

Need some new ink to go with your new Viper fountain pen? We’ve expanded our lineup of Lamy Inks, offering the Lamy Crystal line which is inspired by Gemstones. (Peridot and Amazonite are longtime favorites.) Lamy’s standard line of inks, while dependable and a reliably safe standby, is sometimes criticized for being overly… standard. The Crystal inks combine the quality of Lamy ink with a bit more saturation and some fun colors.

We are an authorized reseller of both Diplomat and Lamy products. Come see these and more in-shop! We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

Sunday Reading for June 15, 2025

1. DWRDNET Stationery Feed Interview with The Gentleman Stationer (via dwrdnet). Many thanks to Derek for setting this up, even if it took us a while to schedule. I enjoyed sitting for one of the longer personal interviews I’ve ever done. And on video, no less!

2. Minimalism by Any Other Name (via A Gathering of Curiosities). It’s very hard to be in this hobby/obsession/passion and call yourself a minimalist. “Careful curation” is a good description of what I aspire to as well.

3. The Transition from A5 Filofax to Personal Size Filofax (via Philofaxy). Do you prefer A5 or Bible-size (“Personal”) planners? I’ve tried to use smaller size but find myself always returning to the A5 because I enjoy the fuller page.

4. The Best & Worst of 2025: Fountain Pen Brands Tier List (via Blake’s Broadcast). While any list like this is highly personal and based on opinion - which also makes such videos highly entertaining to watch - I find myself largely on the same page with respect to many of these.

5. Majohn/Moonman V60 (via Dapprman). I still have yet to get myself one of these. I may not, given that the edges are apparently sharp enough to cut you?

6. Pilot Vanishing Point with Special Alloy Nib Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I have a “Deep Yellow” steel nib Vanishing Point, and really wish Pilot would bring this option to the U.S. market. It’s an incredible value.

7. Pilot Iroshizuku To-ro Fountain Pen Ink (via Pen Addict). Brad reviews the new Iroshizuku orange ink, which is my second favorite of the new colors, Syun-gyo being the first.

8. A Day Redeemed by the Smallest of Things (via From the Pen Cup). And yet one more reason to love stationery.

9. MT Upcycle Washi Tape (via Well-Appointed Desk). Cool idea!

10. Setting up a Multi-Paper A5 Swatch Book (via dwrdnet). I’m reading more on swatch book strategies as I build out our in-shop swatch books.

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In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I wrote about two subjects that have been of much interest to me lately: the deep “Back Catalog" of products from many of the major fountain pen brands, which often (and undeservedly) get little attention. I talk about which of these products I’ve enjoyed “discovering,” and my strategy for trying to make them more available by giving some additional visibility. I also wrote a post on the best inks for cheap paper, since this is a question I’ve been getting more frequently as the overall quality of “office grade” notebooks and writing pads continues to decline.

Finally, as part of my quest to release more video content (however brief), I did a short YouTube video on the recently-much-hyped Penco Perfection pocket pen.

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I had a really hard time choosing between the three Diplomat Viper fountain pens but ultimately went with blue.

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

We kicked off the week by welcoming a huge shipment from Rite in the Rain, including new all-weather ballpoints, mechanical pencils, paper, and more (including pen cases). The 1.3mm mechanical pencils are a frequently requested item that I had never used before and have enjoyed. We’ve also swatched and stocked two new lines of ink from Anderillium (the Ichthyoformes/fish series) and Papier Plume (the Classics Collection). Also, don’t miss these excellent Papier Plume Swatch Books!

Finally, we’ve added Colorverse Nebula Note Notebooks, the Diplomat Viper Fountain Pen, Blackwing Volumes 140 and more! Check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for a full list of restocks and new arrivals!

Blackwing

Nebula Note

Cloth & Paper

Papier Plume

NEW T.G.S. Patreon Features - We’ve started a discord community!

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 (including the Taschenstift “Violet Tendencies”), the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. As noted above, we’ve recently started a Discord community for all paid Patreon supporters.

Ask TGS: The Best Inks for Cheap Paper

I need to periodically address this topic because so many people come to me looking for recommendations for pens and ink that they can use on the thin, recycled paper that’s common around offices and schools. The bad news is that fountain pens are very difficult to use on “cheap” paper (i.e., the standard recycled copy paper your office buys in bulk), unless you want to invest in more expensive pigmented ink that requires more regular fountain pen maintenance. Your best bet, honestly, is to not use fountain pens under these circumstances unless you’re prepared to deal with some feathering and bleedthrough. Personally, I usually use a ballpoint pen (I prefer the newer low-viscosity versions), or a fine-tip gel pen. Here are five of my go-to recommendations.

1. Uni Jetstream. Why is the Jetstream No. 1 on this list? I recommend it because it’s universally available, with refills containing Jetstream ink now being made in pretty much every format. These will even fit non-Uni pens. In addition to availability, which is a huge plus, it’s permanent, comes in blue, black, and red ink options, and dries almost instantaneously, making it a good choice for lefties. Uni recently released the Jetstream “Lite Touch” ink formulation, which is slightly smoother, and may be preferable to those who prefer the feel of a gel pen over a ballpoint.

2. Pilot Acroball. I think I personally prefer the feel of Pilot’s “Acro-ink” to the Jetstream, but the fact that it’s not as widely available knocks it to number 2 on this list. It does, however, come in the same 4+1 multi pen format as the Jetstream, and if I had to spot a key difference, I would say that the Pilot Acroball pen writes a more solid line.

3. Platinum Carbon Black Ink. For those who abolutely have to use a fountain pen for everything, regardless of paper quality, you will have the best luck with pigmented ink. Platinum Carbon Black is the gold standard here (and if you want a really black ink, the more expensive Chou Kouro), but companies like Diamine and Tom’s Studio have their own versions which also work fairly well, as does Sailor. As noted above, pigmented ink can require more maintenance than standard water-based fountain pen ink, so be sure to periodically clean your pens to prevent any clogging.

4. Gel Pens .5mm or finer. While gel pens are definitely better than rollerballs and fountain pens on bad paper, they’re not oil-based like ballpoints so they can still feather and bleed in the larger tip sizes. Finer sizes (.5mm, .38mm, etc.) should do better.

5. Fineliners. If you enjoy writing with a pen that doesn’t require you to use a lot of pressure, fineliners can be an excellent alternative to fountain pens because the finer tip sizes don’t put as much ink on the page and therefore might not feather or bleed. Tom’s Studio makes a couple of different refillable fineliners that allow you to use your fountain pen inks, and pigmented fineliners like the famed Sakura Pigma Micron also work quite well. I’m a huge proponent of fine-tip fineliners at work.

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For those who wish to buy their own office-grade paper (“office grade” in the sense that it’s inexpensive), the Midori Spiral Note Basic Notebook averages around $6-8 and can be a very cost-effective option if you burn through a lot of paper regularly. I’ve actually had a few customers inquire about making this a standard for their office, which I love to hear!

I write a lot about this subject, but low-quality paper is a growing problem as workplaces try to cut the cost of paper (or eliminate it entirely). The other day I came across a legal pad where the paper quality was so poor that the ink they used to print the lines on the pad had feathered. (Yes, they sent that product to market, and yes, some company paid for it.) As you might expect, the only thing that worked remotely well on such poor paper was a ballpoint or a pencil. If you find yourself having to work through similar situations regularly, hopefully you find this post helpful. Your options may be limited, but you do have options!

I write a series of posts under the “Ask TGS” tag, where I try to respond to the most frequently asked questions from readers and in-store customers. I’ve compiled the most frequent inquiries into a stand-alone FAQ resource, which is periodically updated