My Favorite Pencils: 2025 Edition

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve published any sort of “Favorite Pencils” list - lately many of you have been reminding me of this fact - so it’s time to revisit what is probably my second-most-used category of writing instruments. For purposes of this list, I’m going to mix woodcase and mechanical pencils to actually reflect what I’ve been using on a daily basis.

Note that this list is not intended to be a “Best Pencils” recommendation list, though I think all of these are very good. If you’re looking to get into quality writing pencils for the first time, check out our “Best Pens” Guide (which has a “Pencils” section). Today’s post is more of a discussion of what I personally have been enjoying, which is not necessarily what I would recommend to someone else.

1. Lamy CP1 “Twin Pen.” I’ve only recently discovered this 2-stage “multi pen” that combines a .5mm mechanical pencil with one D1 ballpoint. It’s an interesting format, and one that I’ve been using more around the shop. It lets you switch quickly between a pen and pencil, and since there’s only one pen option, there’s no paralysis-of-choice with respect to which ink color you’re going to use.

2. Camel Pencils. While the integrated eraser is cool, the two main reasons I love Camel pencils for everyday writing are (1) the relatively dark, not overly-smooth graphite and (2) the rounded hex barrel and smooth clear lacquer, which makes this pencil incredibly comfortable to hold. I also still have a personal stash of an old C.W. Pencil Enterprise 2B exclusive, which features a round barrel.

3. Blackwing Matte (i.e., “The Original,” MMX, "Black”). The original “new” Blackwing remains my favorite, even over the Blackwing 602. While the closest graphite equivalent is a 4B grade, the Blackwing Matte is remarkably non-smeary for a pencil this dark and I use it for writing in addition to sketching. Blackwing has also recently released red and green-barrel versions, and the soft core has been incorporated periodically into the Volumes series.

4. Pilot S20 .5mm Mechanical Pencil. I’ve raved about the S20 ballpoint, but I’ve only recently been able to get my hands on the mechanical pencil version. Both have the same “inverted hourglass” silhouette, which molds to my hand. The S20 Ballpoint and S20 Mechanical Pencil are rapidly becoming almost as critical to my everyday carry rotation as the Lamy 2000 fountain pen and Multi Pen.

5. Uni Kuru Toga KS or Alpha Gel Switch. I’ve tried the more expensive versions of Uni’s flagship mechanical pencil, like the Kuru Toga Dive, but I keep going back to the basic (and inexpensive) Kuru Toga KS and Alpha Gel models because I don’t have to worry about misplacing them around the house and the shop, or when I travel. While not a necessity, the Kuru Toga’s lead-rotation mechanism ensures that the point wears evenly, which not only keeps the lead sharp but reduces breakage. As I’ll discuss further below, I’ve been experimenting with softer mechanical pencil leads up to 4B, so this has come in handy.

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Why the move towards mechanical pencils? A lot of it has to do with convenience. As I’m moving around the shop, checking inventory, working on purchase orders/accounting, etc., it’s easier to work in pencil, and sometimes I don’t want to stop to manually sharpen a woodcase pencil. Though I tend to prefer darker graphite, I’ve brought in some mechanical pencil leads in softer grades. Currently, I probably wouldn’t recommend anything beyond 2B to customers for everyday writing, but if you are adventurous, I’ve personally been able to use 4B!

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Writing samples on the wonderfully toothy Appointed paper (great for graphite). Wood pencils sharpened with a NJK long point sharpener.

The last time I did a list like this was in January 2021, four-and-a-half years ago. Since today’s list looks completely different, it might be reasonable to ask whether I no longer enjoy the pencils on earlier versions. That’s not the case at all - I actually still use many of those pencils - but my life has changed quite a bit, and so have my needs, thus the greater emphasis on mechanical pencils. This is a great time to be a pencil fan, and I believe that overall selection and quality has increased in recent years, making it much more difficult to pick favorites.

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Ask TGS: New Notebook Systems Informational Resource Page

As part of the ongoing site refresh of the various T.G.S. informational resources, I’ve created a page specifically dedicated to notebook systems and select blog posts and YouTube videos from over the years. I regularly receive questions from readers and customers who are considering investing in a notebook system and want to be sure they are choosing the best one for their specific needs, so a resource such as this one is probably long overdue. I plan on updating it as I work on new content, some of which is specifically designed to fill the gaps in what already exists here. I hope you find it helpful.

Don’t forget that all weekend, we are running a special on planners and some notebook systems in the shop! Take an extra 10% off your order with the coupon code “FIREFLY” at checkout, and come see us in-store. We are here Saturday until 6pm.

Getting Personal: Five "Stationery Adjacent" Items I Can't Live Without

If you’ve been listening to Derek’s interviews over on the dwrdnet stationery feed (and if you’re not, you should be), one of the questions he asks each guest is “What are your favorite ‘stationery adjacent’ items?” I sat for an interview a few weeks ago, and have been thinking on this question ever since. During the interview, our discussion focused on notebooks, but is a notebook cover or planner/binder really “stationery adjacent”? To me, that term implies an accessory: something that is stationery-related but not a writing instrument or paper, and where its true purpose is to help you better enjoy your core writing supplies. I wanted to do some follow-up and talk about a handful of items that fall more into the desk and reading accessories category, which to me is more traditionally stationery-adjacent. While I may specify a singular product, I’d recommend that you read this post as more “category recommendations” rather than product plugs.

1. Book Darts/Bookmarks. I annotate books and notebooks extensively, whether I’m marking them up with highlighters and pencils, flagging them with post-its, or more permanently dividing notebooks into sections or marking favored passages for posterity with a more permanent Book Dart. One of my favorite stationery hacks is using folded over washi tape to mark pages, which not only offers a way to work your way through a sizeable washi stash, but adds a cool visual element to notebooks.

2. Desktop Pen Stand or Pen Tray. I have a dozen pen stands and pen trays that I’ve accumulated over the years, and have them allocated between the various desks and workspaces that I use. I move around a lot because I find that my creativity and thinking benefits from the occasional change of scenery. I have a couple different desks and workstations that I rotate between, as well as a library-style area with armchairs in my home office. Of course, my favorite pen stand is my Dudek Modern Goods Divide, which sadly is no longer made, but I also enjoy my pen trays from Toyooka Craft and NFP Design.

3. An Analog Timing Device. We’ve long sold the Hightide Sandglasses in our own shop (and recently added more “upscale” bicolor versions), but I’m a fan of any desktop timing device other than a cell phone. Merely having my phone on my desk when I’m trying to think or write disrupts my flow, and something that allows me to measure 15-30 minute writing or brainstorming sessions without the possibility of a text or jarring timer. I did a separate post a while back about how I use analog timers, and also included a few ideas that were suggested by other people.

4. Rubber Stamps. I’m late to the rubber stamp game, but over the past couple of years I’ve definitely accumulated a fairly large number of custom stamps that I use for anything from decorative motifs for letters and notecards to more practical designs that can be used to organize ink swatches, write to-do lists, and more.

5. A Magnifier/Loupe. I don’t write much about this, but I have a desktop loupe that was a gift from my father years ago. Obviously designed as a desktop magnifier for assistance with reading small print, I’ve found it equally useful for inspecting fountain pen nibs and assisting with other minor repair tasks. As a true stationery nerd, I also use it to inspect paper fibers, the quality of printed rulings on notebooks and pads, and ink feathering. :)

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A few honorable mentions that didn’t make the top five: (1) Scissors - I’m a huge fan of both the Nakabayashi and Allex versions that we carry in our store, and don’t see much of a reason to look beyond these as they are quite sharp; (2) My Notsu Centre Rise Notecard stand and a generic notecard file box that I found somewhere online, because quality notecards have started to replace traditional pocket notebooks for me; and (3) My Tracy Cullen Pottery mug and pen stand, which I picked up in Atlanta and which you can see in my Atlanta Pen Show Recap.

I typically have many of the items featured in my weekly posts with me in the shop when I open over the weekend. Come in and say hello and see them for yourself! (Even if they aren’t items we sell, I often have review samples available for you to see in person). 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.

2025 Mid-Year Review: My Currently Inked Fountain Pens That Hopefully Won't Sit Unused

This week I’ve been recapping the first half of 2025, so I thought it would be fun to look at what I’m currently writing with and using at the mid-point of the year. Unfortunately, due to how busy things have been with the shop/travel/life, I haven’t had enough time for reflective writing or journaling, and most of my usage has been work-related. I don’t like it, but sometimes that happens. During busy periods I tend to gravitate towards non-fountain pens such as retractable rollerballs and ballpoints, as well as fineliners. To jump-start my writing, I pulled out some old favorites from my personal archive, and also inked up some newer releases for a test drive.

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From left, Kanilea Mauna Kea Classic Flush, Montblanc Writer’s Edition Virginia Woolf, Pilot Decimo Harvest Yellow, Pilot Vanishing Point, and Kanilea Kai Huli

Old Favorites and Workhorses: Pilot, Kanilea Pen co, and montblanc

1. Pilot Custom 823 (Standard Fine and Medium Architect). I’ve basically decided that both of my Pilot Custom 823 fountain pens will be perpetually inked. I have a Smoke in the fine nib, and an Amber (my original) in a medium that I’ve had ground to a soft architect. The fine nib pen is currently inked with Anderillium Moray Eel Green and the Amber with Tom’s Studio Loch Ness. (The Loch Ness has been a fixture in that pen for about a year.)

2. Kanilea Mauna Kea, Classic Flush Shape. My original Kanilea fountain pen, purchased at the Baltimore Pen Show back in 2017, remains my favorite. The white acrylic has taken on a cream tone over the years, which makes me enjoy it even more. This pen is inked with Anderillium

3. Kanilea Kai Huli, Classic Flush Shape. Kanilea has smaller stocks of certain materials that they don’t end up adding to the main line, and brings a handful of pens to shows in their “Kai Huli” models, like this red material with yellow flecks. I saw this at two different shows before I finally ended up buying one. The matching ink for this pen is Anderillium Piranha Red. The ink is slightly darker than the pen, and reminiscent of my beloved (and long gone) Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock.

4. Montblanc Virginia Woolf Writer’s Edition. I only own two Montblanc Writers’ Edition pens, the Charles Dickens and the Virginia Woolf. The latter has a combination of shape and texture that I’ve not seen anywhere else, plus a stubbish broad nib that’s an exceptional writer. I inked this one with Anderillium Anglerfish Deep, because the nib is broad enough to bring out the subtler reddish brown shades in this very dark ink.

5. Pilot Vanishing Point (Standard) and Pilot Decimo Harvest Gold. I think I might be all-in on collecting Pilot Decimos. I added the Nagasawa “Harbor Mint” version, discussed below, but my longtime favorite Harvest Gold Decimo with an extra-fine nib is a choice annotation/planner pen. Both pens are inked with Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki (cartridges).

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One reason I love the Pilot Capless Decimo is that it makes for an excellent planner pen. Shown here next to a Bible-size Plotter binder.

New Additions to the Rotation: nagasawa, diplomat, Leonardo, and More pilot

1. Pilot Decimo, Nagasawa Original Kobe Gradation Higashi Kawasaki Harbor Mint. This year’s special edition Decimo release from Nagasawa is exclusive to their store, but the pens are available in the U.S. through Vanness Pens, including in the rare “FM” (fine medium) nib size. I opted for the rhodium trim, and inked this one up with Taccia Sabimidori.

2. Pilot E95s in Burgundy. I held off on getting a Pilot E95s until the burgundy version came back in stock with an extra-fine nib. The E95s is an excellent compact fountain pen - I wouldn’t call it a “pocket” fountain pen because I don’t know how well the plastic would hold up to pocket carry - but it’s definitely a great option for a lightweight writer to pair with a planner or notebook. This one’s also paired with a cartridge of Iroshizuku Kon-Peki.

3. Diplomat Viper in Blue. I’ve been wanting a Diplomat Viper for a while, since I’m a big fan of both Diplomat pens and hooded nibs. The Viper comes in black, blue, and a bronze brown. I chose the blue fountain pen and paired it with a brown rollerball, because I couldn’t decide which one I like better. For an ink, I chose Colorverse Supergiant, which was the Day 1 Ink from last year’s Colorverse Colorvent calendar. Sadly, this ink was not chosen to be one of the few selected to enter the standard Colorverse lineup.

4. Leonardo Momento Zero Nuvola. I’m in the minority of people who seem to prefer the standard Momento Zero over the larger Momento Zero Grande. I’ve had my eye on the cloud-patterned Nuvola for years now, and finally took the opportunity to pick one out in person at Vanness Pens during this year’s Arkansas Pen Show. (See link to the video below.) The ink I chose for this pen ended up not being one of the two Akkermans that I also purchased in Arkansas, but rather the really dark Anderillium Swordfish Blue, which intrigued me when I was doing my swatch video.

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And writing samples for all 10 pens, on Midori MD Cotton Paper.

Further Reading or Viewing

Many of these pens have been reviewed individually in the past, either as part of the “Workhorse Pens” series, or as standard pen reviews available in our fountain pen review archive. Be sure to check out these resources if you’d like more in-depth info about the pens shown here.

I’ve also done some video content on a couple of these items, including a complete walkthrough of the Anderillium Ichthyoformes (“Fish”) inks, and a video documenting my trip to Vanness Pens where I picked out the Momento Zero Nuvola.

I typically have each pen featured in my weekly posts with me in the shop when I open over the weekend. Come in and say hello and see them for yourself. 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.

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.