New on T.G.S. YouTube: Setting Up the Tom's Studio Wren Fineliner Pen

As I was setting up the new Tom’s Studio Wren display/testing station in the shop this past weekend, I filmed the process, including how to fill the pens, and talked a bit about what inks work best in fineliners like the Wren and the Tom’s Studio Lumos. If you’re not subscribed to the T.G.S. YouTube Channel, please consider checking it out, as I’m doing more video content on topics that better lend themselves to visual demonstrations. I hope you enjoy!

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 enjoy our content, please consider supporting us directly. Many thanks!

Sunday Reading for September 21, 2025

1. Ask Me Anything About Fountain Pens or Stationery - Live Q&A (via dwrdnet). Derek held an AMA that ran for well over an hour!

2. 12 Pen Person Questions (via Rachel’s Reflections). Rachel answers the #12penpersonquestions challenge. I get the feeling that I’ll be posting more of these over the coming weeks.

3. #12PenPersonQuestions (via Pen Addict). Brad also goes through all 12 questions!

4. Laura Answers the #12PenPersonQuestions List (via Well-Appointed Desk). These are super-interesting to me. Working on my own responses!

5. GOLD is Gone! What’s Happening to the Pilot Vanishing Point (via Doodlebud). While we haven’t heard anything directly from Pilot USA - or at least I haven’t - some of the Japanese versions of the VP are being discontinued. Stay tuned, but the VP is not going away entirely despite internet speculation.

6. Video-Review: Lamy Safari (Ballpoint) (via Scrively). I personally love the Lamy Safari ballpoint, from the click mechanism to the refill, though if you’re not a fan of the M16 you can always sub in the Jetstream M17.

7. Yamamoto Bullet Jotter Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). We do still have some stock of the Yamamoto Bullet Jotters, but we’re running low on the refills which we do plan to restock. Each Jotter comes with one pad of Slight White and one pad of Soliste.

8. I Had to Learn to Not Finish Notebooks (via Stationery Pizza). Do you always finish notebooks, throw them out if they’re not working, or save them?

9. Visit to Evergreen Stationery (Great World Outlet) in Singapore (via Inkredible Colours). I love “standard” stationery stores like this one, especially when they have the old school office products like bells.

10. 2025 Colorado Pen Show and Other Upcoming Education Opportunities (via Fountain Pen Love). The Colorado Pen Show is next month, and while we’re at it, the Dallas Pen Show is next week! Both are great regional shows.

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In Case You Missed It….

I’ve continued paper week, building on the update to the “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper” with a post about my personal favorite papers that I like to use in my own writing life, as well as a post discussing 5 boutique brands that I’ve been experimenting with, and which I’m keeping an eye on to monitor paper consistency over time, though so far so good.

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Did I mention we are expanding into some additional space in our same location? Stay tuned.

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

Be sure to check out the latest arrivals from Tom’s Studio: The Lumos Pro Duo “Splash” series that comes in three 1980’s-inspired “Splatter” finishes, as well as a line of Titanium Lumos pens that are not only lightweight and durable but have a grippy brushed finish. On the paper side, we continue to have new arrivals from Midori, including a restock of the Codex A5, as well as a large shipment of Cloth & Paper Travel-style planners, sticky notes, and document flags/index tabs.

Other new items include the Dux Adjustable Brass Pencil Sharpener, with three settings for different graphite hardnesses and point styles, as well as a restock of many favorite iLootPaperie washi tapes, pins, and more.

Come see us in-store! We will be open this week normal hours, from 1-6pm on Thursday and Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday. The online store is operational 24-7.

Tom's Studio

Blackwing

Midori

Dux

Consider Further Supporting T.G.S.! [New UPdates]

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 special promotions, 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)! The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases (including the Taschenstift “Violet Tendencies” and the Roterfaden TGS_25), the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. This past week, paid Patreon supporters gained access to a new podcast experiment I’ve been working on with Lisa Vanness of Vanness Pens. More on this later, but for the time being the initial episodes are Patreon-exclusive.

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.

Five Boutique Paper Brands I'm Watching Closely and Why

Major paper brands don’t change much over the years. The predictability of brands like Midori, Clairefontaine, Maruman, Kokuyo, and others are a big reason why they remain so popular. You know what to expect, and larger companies (usually) manufacture their own products, so they buy paper in large quantities and maintain a healthy supply on hand in case of disruption. For example, this is why Hobonichi was able to continue producing its planners using the “old” Tomoe River Paper for years after it was discontinued.

Smaller boutique brands, on the other hand, usually have to outsource manufacturing and nearly always have to source their paper from a third party. As a small business owner myself, I know firsthand how difficult it is to source materials - especially when you can’t afford to purchase multiple years’ worth of supplies at once - and maintain consistent results from any sort of outside contractor. But as a retailer who sells many different brands, as well as an enthusiast who loves to support smaller makers, it also means that I have to periodically test certain smaller-batch products to make sure paper stock (and performance) hasn’t changed.

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Archer & Olive has one of the few hardback A5-Slim notebooks available.

Over the past year, I’ve made an effort to add to our curation smaller makers whose paper has been consistently high-performing, including with fountain pens. While I continue to watch any small boutique brand closely for things like paper stock, these five have performed consistently enough while I’ve had them in the shop that I can comfortably recommend them to anyone looking to try something different.

1. Notsu. I discovered Notsu by chance, when I was buying up samples of different brands of index cards looking for a dot grid layout with paper/cardstock capable of handling fountain pen inks. Not only have their index cards remained consistently good, but Notsu has been adding new formats and expanding their line of organizational accessories that almost make it an index card notebook system.

2. Lochby. I love Lochby’s waxed canvas covers and planners, but my favorite Lochby product line is the 68gsm Tomoe River Paper Notebooks. I’ve heard mixed rumors about whether or not the 68gsm Tomoe River Paper is still being made by Sanzen, so I’m encouraged by the fact that you cannot only still get it through Lochby but that Lochby is continuing to release new formats, including B5, TN (A5-Slim), and A7.

3. Levenger. As a lifelong user (sort of an exaggeration but not much) of Levenger products, I’ve learned to hoard their writing pads and Circa disc-punched paper when they source a good batch, because it has been inconsistent for fountain pen users over the years. The current version that we carry is wonderfully fountain pen friendly and I really hope that Levenger sticks with this paper supplier. If you’re looking for meeting-style or Cornell-ruled notetaking paper, the Annotation-ruled pads are a personal favorite.

4. Archer & Olive. I’ve only recently discovered Archer & Olive, which makes 160gsm notebooks that handle ink beautifully and are also really nice for writing. Best of all? Archer & Olive notebooks come in an A5-slim/TN/Traveler’s-equivalent hardcover format that’s the best I’ve seen since the old Soumkine notebooks. The notebooks come in either fabric or vegan leather covers, with a range of motifs. I’ve heard via customers who have used their products over the years that Archer & Olive has remained consistently good, so I’m likely going to bring in additional formats.

5. Anecdote. I picked up one of Anecdote’s buckram-covered A5 notebooks in a store somewhere in NYC years ago, and was thrilled to be able to add them directly to our store. While the paper seems to have changed a couple of times, it’s remained fairly fountain pen friendly for most nibs and inks, and the $20 price point makes this an attractive everyday notebook. Buckram behaves a lot like waxed-canvas in terms of texture and how it patinas.

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Smaller brands also experiment more with different formats, like this week-on-a-page planning pad from Notsu.

If you’d like to read more about fountain pen friendly papers and which ones I personally like, check out this long-running (and annually updated) post “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper”, as well as this post from earlier this week where I talk about my favorite of the fountain pen friendly papers.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop (our online store) and pledges via the T.G.S Patreon Program. Come see these and more in our Nashville shop, where we are open from 1-6pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday!

Thursday Drops: Lumos Fineliner Arrivals, Plus More TWSBI Matcha Green and Serpentine ECOs.

In addition to the new special edition Lumos fineliners we announced on Tuesday, this was a big restock week for many much-awaited items, including TWSBI ECO fountain pens in Matcha Green and Serpentine Bronze, the Tom’s Studio Wren Pocket Fineliners, and Traveler’s Notebooks in Olive leather. We are also in the process of updating our Washi Tape, Sticker, Pin, and Stamp collection, from both existing and new brands, so please keep an eye on this section of the store!

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The TWSBI Diamond 580 Affogato + Onyx and Caribbean Blue + Onyx fountain pens are stunningly well-done. The Affogato is one of the better looking TWSBI’s I’ve seen, and it appears they aren’t finished for this year!

A note on planners: The only dated planners we have traditionally carried are the Traveler’s Company dated refills, which are set to arrive in October, per my understanding. We currently have a wide selection of undated planners and flexible planner systems, including the Laconic A5 and 6-ring binder setups, Stàlogy, Midori MD Codex, and more.

Come see all of these in person at our Nashville Shop! We are open from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, as well as 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check our store page for the most up-to-date hours and any special events.

1. Tom’s Studio Lumo Splash Refillable Fineliners. I couldn’t help but bring these in, as a child of the 1980s. I’m leaning towards “Appletini.” Available in the Lumos Pro Duo size.

2. Tom’s Studio Lumos Titanium. A more rugged version of the Lumos is available in all three styles (Duo, Single, and Mini), with the Lumos Titanium Mini including the new Loop cap that allows you to carry on a keychain.

3. Tom’s Studio Lumos “Loop” Cap. Have you ever wanted to turn your Lumos Mini into a true pocket pen? The Loop Cap adds keychain or lanyard functionality, so that you can carry the smaller Lumos with you anywhere.

4. Tom’s Studio Wren Pocket Fineliner. We have Tom’s Studio Wrens back in stock, and have added in-store testing stations for both the Wren and the Lumos!

5. Traveler’s Notebook Standard (Olive). Traveler’s Notebooks have been in and out of stock recently, presumably due to customs issues and delays, but we did receive a restock, of the Standard Size in Olive and most colors in the smaller Passport size. I understand that the dated calendar refills will be arriving in October.

6. Traveler’s Company Brass Pens. We have additional stock of most of the Traveler’s Company Brass Pens, including additional Brass Ballpoints, which is a favorite. (And, of course, the traditional Bullet Pencil.)

7. TWSBI ECO Matcha Green Fountain Pen. I need to remember to pick one of these up for myself at some point before I wait too long and they go away. The Matcha Green is my current favorite of the lighter-colored pastel ECOs.

8. TWSBI ECO Serpentine Bronze Fountain Pen. The “Serpentine Bronze” fountain pen has drawn much more attention than I originally expected, with many nib sizes selling out. We received a limited restock yesterday.

9. New Washi Tapes and Stickers from CoraCreaCrafts. We have new fountain pen, steampunk, and other analog-themed stickers, washi tapes, and more from CoraCreaCrafts. Note the size, as some of these are larger tapes and/or sold as sets, which we cannot break up.

10. iLootPaperie Washi Tape and Pin Restock. We’ve restocked on many of our favorite Washi Tapes from California-based iLootPaperie, including the Snail Mail and Pencil-themed tapes.

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A fountain pen and other analog-y sticker set from CoraCreaCrafts, local to me!

What's On Your Desk? My Personal Favorite Papers for Fountain Pens, 2025

Over the weekend I updated the long-running post “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper” to reflect new products on the market and changes in availability of certain papers that I consider “fountain pen friendly”. I don’t believe that I’ve ever written a designated post discussing my personal favorites from that list, so here goes!

How I Use Paper and How It Affects My Preferences

Because this post addresses my own personal preferences, I should probably talk about what those are first. For my personal writing, I enjoy using more textured, relatively absorbent paper with a softer writing feel. My primary considerations are (relatively) quick dry times and the ability to write on both sides of the page. Because I use a lot of planners and ring or disc notebooks, I also value perforated pages, or at a minimum, paper that comes in tear-off pads or looseleaf sheets that can be hole-punched or cut down to different sizes. What don’t I pay a lot of attention to (at least beyond the basics)? The nuances of ink color and shading/sheen/shimmer, since most of my writing is more functional and not retained long-term, and also because I think Midori MD Cotton - my favorite - does a more than adequate job with ink. Three of the papers on this list are long-timers (both Midoris and the Tomoe River 68gsm), and two are recent additions (Soliste and Maruman Basic).

1. Midori MD Cotton. My all-time favorite writing paper, even if it mostly comes in blank, unruled notebooks and writing pads. Midori MD Cotton strikes an excellent balance between absorbency and ink-friendliness, will dry relatively quickly without feathering or bleeding, and for those who do value color reproduction, actually does a pretty nice job of showcasing inks. I was sad to hear at this year’s San Francisco Pen Show that Plotter is not going to continue to make the A5 and Bible-sized refills featuring the MD Cotton Paper with letterpress ruling, which is what is shown in the pictures here.

2. Yamamoto Soliste. A relatively new paper that Yamamoto has popularized, the off-white Soliste is uncoated and textured, yet not quite as absorbent as MD Cotton Paper. I find that it has a soft feel, which is especially noticeable when used in notebooks like the Yamamoto Ro-Biki system. If you enjoy the feel of papers like Iroful or Cosmo Air Light, but desire something slightly less “spongy” (for lack of a better term) consider giving Soliste a try.

3. 68gsm Tomoe River Paper. Each year, as we watch the “classic” 52gsm Tomoe River Paper undergo production changes and reformulations, I worry about the 68gsm version, which is my favorite of the two. Slightly heavier, and in my opinion, more textured with better dry-times and performance for everyday writing, this is my favorite paper to use in A5-Slim/Traveler’s-size notebooks ever since Lochby introduced its own “Voyager” refill. Currently, third-party companies Lochby and Odyssey notebooks are the only ones who I know who are using the 68gsm version in large quantities, and I worry that eventually it will run out since I don’t believe it is being produced any longer. Hopefully I’m wrong.

4. Midori MD Paper. I would also include Plotter paper under this header. While standard Plotter paper is marketed as a different product and has a different formulation, it comes from the same product family and for my purposes behaves similarly. I love Midori paper for the variety of layouts, ranging from blank or grid pads to dot grid colored paper to memo blocks to letter pads.

5. Maruman Basic (70 gsm). I was late to the party on this one, but I was happy to discover this cost-effective fountain pen friendly paper that I enjoy using for work. Slightly lighter weight than Maruman Mnemosyne, I don’t see much of a drop off in performance, and the sturdy spiral binding and chipboard cover has held up well in my bags. Also: perforated pages! I can’t emphasize how nice that is!

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I wish Midori would expand its use of the cotton paper, like the limited edition Plotter refill shown here. MD Cotton is my personal ink swatching paper of choice, even if some would argue that it darkens the colors.

If I’m drawing or playing around with ink purely for personal enjoyment, there’s a 90+% chance I’m using Midori MD Cotton. For notetaking and everyday work, however, I will probably be using the Maruman Basic Spiral Notebooks or some version of Midori MD Paper (including the various Plotter refills). These papers strike a good balance between performance and cost-effectiveness, and come in a wide range of different rulings and formats.

If I had one recommendation to those looking for that “perfect” paper: test as many different papers as you can. Paper is still relatively inexpensive, so it’s easy to buy a handful of different notebooks and samples to dial in your preferences once you have a general idea of your overall needs and what you think you like. Pen clubs and shows are often great places to test out different papers, as people are usually willing to share. Finally, we keep samples and testers of most papers available in our shop, so if there is something you’d like to see or write on, I will often be able to go get it for you. It gives you a reason to come see us!

Our brick and mortar store is open this week from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. You can of course always shop with us online, 24-7!

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Maruman Basics Dot Grid Paper: An everyday workhorse.