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The Gentleman Stationer

Vintage Living in the Modern World.
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Thursday Drops: Fun California Pen Show Finds from Galen Leather, the Blackwing Pen, a Massive Kaweco Restock and More!

February 26, 2026

Returning from the California Pen Show, we arrived to find a massive stack of packages waiting for us, including a large restock from Kaweco that contained Kaweco Collection Sports (including Honey and Apricot Pearl!), Brass, Steel, Bronze, and Titanium metal pens, and more piston fillers! The entire line was essentially restocked, so be sure to check out all of our Kaweco offerings, including the Sketch-up Clutch Pencils! (If you recall, we did this eternally popular YouTube video a while back showing how you can use this as both a clutch pencil and a Kakimori nib holder.) We also received a large shipment from Portuguese pencil manufacturer Viarco, including the popular spring pencil caps!

The new Blackwing Pen has landed, and is available both in-store and online.

Other new arrivals traveled home with us from Los Angeles, including Galen Leather products (the wood pen holders), more Laurette’s knurled ebonite ballpoints, and new Musette tote bags from Rickshaw Bagworks to complement the rest of our “Clouds” series of exclusive editions.

We are back to normal Nashville shop hours this week, open from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. I look forward to being back behind my own counter after a week of pen show time!

  1. Galen Leather Mahogany Pen Stands. You all asked for them, and now they’re here! This mahogany 3-pen rest has been featured in TGS reviews for the better part of 10 years, and I’m thrilled to be an authorized Galen retailer with the ability to stock them.

  2. Blackwing Pen. The latest release from Blackwing is…a pen? Featuring a unique half-moon rollstop design, a smooth knock, and a Schmidt refill, there’s always room in my kit for a good capless rollerball.

  3. Laurett’s Waka Ebonite Ballpoint Pens. These pens are machined from ebonite by Laurette’s, a Japanese company known for their ultra-fine knurling technique that they have used on parts they manufacture for automotive companies.

  4. Rickshaw Bagworks Musette Tote Bag. When I asked Rickshaw for a recommendation for a new addition to the “Clouds” series for pen show season, they recommended the Musette, a classic tote with a strap long enough to be worn cross-body, making it useful for pen shows and other crowded events.

  5. Kaweco Collection Sport Fountain Pens (Yes, Including Honey Yellow!). Honey was by far the most popular Kaweco color of the past two years, and we’re thrilled to have a restock. We also have more Mellow Blue, Apricot Pearl, Cyan and Teal.

  6. Rickshaw Bagworks T.G.S. Exclusive “Clouds” Fillmore Cases. We’ve restocked our supply of Fillmore cases with the 3+3 layout that allows you to store pens on both sides and open the case flat to use as a tray on your desk.

  7. Roterfaden TGS_25 Taschenbegleiter (Pre-Order). I’ve been inundated with messages regarding Roterfaden restocks - specifically the TGS25, and I can report that we should have a new shipment in the next week or so. If you would like to reserve one there is a pre-order opportunity for green Taschenbegleiters with green or grey cords.

  8. Blackwing Pencil Clip. The latest addition to Blackwing’s line of pencil accessories is designed to fit a Blackwing and most other woodcase pencils, this clip will attach to notebooks, standard books, pads, or anywhere else you need to rest your pencil while working.

  9. Viarco Pencil Caps. These sold out super fast last time but we ended up with a huge restock prior to the California Pen Show! We have the boxes of eight caps as well as larger quantities available for purchase.

  10. Viarco Vintage Pencil Series. We have a fresh shipment of Viarco Pencils from Portugal, including the popular Lapis copying pencils.

Introducing the Musette Tote, the latest addition to our Rickshaw Bagworks “Clouds” Collection.

In TGS Curated Shop Tags Thursday Drops, TGS Curated Shop, Blackwing, Galen Leather

New Arrivals: The Most Nashville-Appropriate Notebook Ever? Blackwing x George Harrison

April 8, 2025

Ok, while this is definitely a niche product, I couldn’t NOT carry this in the store, right, given my location? In conjunction with the estate of George Harrison, Blackwing has released a songwriter’s notebook that’s inspired by Harrison’s famous hand-painted guitar, “Rocky,” and paired with a matching pencil that’s only available as part of the notebook set. Each notebook also includes stickers inspired by the paintings on the guitar, as well as a plastic guide that slides over a page and serves as a template for either a lined ruling or various forms of music notation, such as chord charts and tablature.

The Blackwing x George Harrison notebook sets are available this morning in the shop, along with a wide range of Blackwing products including pencils and sharpeners. Blackwing’s limited edition notebooks are always extremely well-executed. If this one doesn’t interest you, check out the Bill Russell notebook that serves as a companion to the Volume 11 pencils, as well as the oversized (A4-ish) Volume 574 Ledger Notebook.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

In TGS Curated Shop, Paper Products Tags Blackwing, Blackwing Limited Edition, Blackwing x George Harrison, Blackwing Bill Russell, New Releases, TGS Curated Shop

Each Heritage Set comes in this cool packaging, which comes apart into two pencil cups!

New Arrivals: Tennessee-Made Pencils from Musgrave and A Blackwing Restock!

January 28, 2025

Musgrave Pencils, made just down the road from us in Shelbyville, Tennessee, are one of my all-time favorite stationery products. A family-owned business for more than 100 years, Musgrave makes a variety of pencil styles at a reasonable price point, and we’re happy to offer a fairly large selection from the outset. To get started in the Musgrave world, I often direct people to the “Heritage” sampler set, which contains 12 different pencils from across the Musgrave line, including a couple of “jumbos” and some of their specialty graphite such as news and test-scoring pencils. We also have classics such as the Harvest Professional (a classic yellow No. 2), three different varieties of the Musgrave Bugle, a 4B “Songwriter Pencil”, and the B/No. 1 “Pencil King”. (The latter two pencils are round, and extremely comfortable to use.)

The latest Volumes release features extra-firm graphite and a burgundy eraser!

Finally, nearly all Blackwing is back in stock, including additional Blackwing 602 pencils, the latest Volume release (“Native American Art” Edition), and one-step long-point sharpeners. We’re going to continue to add pencil products throughout the year, so stay-tuned!

Come visit us in person! Public hours are Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, Saturday from 10-6pm, and otherwise by appointment. We look forward to seeing you this week!

In TGS Curated Shop Tags New Arrivals, TGS Curated Shop, Musgrave, Blackwing

Thursday Drops: Traveler's Company 2025 Planners, Plus New Blackwing Pencils and Notebooks!

October 17, 2024

Yesterday marked the launch of the 2025 Traveler's Company Planners/Diaries, and you can get yours now in the shop, along with all of the 2025 accessories including folders, pencil boards, and more! We also have the Diamine Inkvent “Black Edition” Calendars available for preorder, which should ship or be available for pickup in the store later this week as soon as they arrive.

The latest Blackwing Volumes release includes both a pencil set and legal pads.

The biggest new arrival was two huge boxes of Blackwing restocks and new limited editions, including the Volume 71 Pencil and limited edition legal pads. We also have Blackwing Spiral Notebooks, Reporter Notebooks, and yes, the Canvas Pouch that’s long enough to hold 36 unsharpened Blackwing pencils. Happy Shopping!

  1. Traveler’s Company 2025 Dated Planners. It’s planner time again, and this week Traveler’s Company released the 2025 diary refills in three Standard formats (Weekly, Weekly + Memo, and Monthly) and two Passport (Weekly and Monthly).

  2. Traveler’s Company 2025 Limited Edition Folders. This year’s accessories feature a peace and love theme dubbed “Love and Trip,” and you have both Standard and Passport folder options to hold all of your travel papers and/or trip mementos.

  3. Traveler’s Company 2025 Limited Edition Pencil Boards. The pencil boards are always popular, as they share the same annual theme and allow you to add a harder writing surface to your Traveler’s Notebook for working on the go. Available in Standard and Passport sizes.

  4. Traveler’s Company 2025 Custom Sticker Set. Personalize your Traveler’s Notebook, refills, and accessories with the annual sticker set that includes a variety of stickers, labels, dry transfers, and more.

  5. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Refill. This year’s limited edition notebook theme was “Tokyo”, and while those are sold out, we do have remaining stock of the MD Paper Refills with the Tokyo-themed decor on the cover.

  6. Diamine Inkvent “Black Edition”. Already? Yes - go ahead and pre-order yours so that you’re prepared to play along starting December 1 (or earlier, if you’re into spoilers). These will ship as soon as we have them in our hands, probably later this week.

  7. Blackwing Spiral Notebooks. We recently received a shipment of the new Blackwing Spiral Notebooks in A4, with extremely sturdy chipboard covers and four ruling choices. I’m a fan of Blackwing paper - it’s good for all but the very wettest fountain pen nibs, and especially pleasant to write on with a tactile pencil.

  8. Blackwing Reporter Pads/Notebooks. I’m always on the lookout for a reporter-style notebook with quality paper and durable construction. Featuring the same Blackwing Paper and ruling choices as the Spiral Notebooks and “Illegal” Pads.

  9. Blackwing Volume 71 (Frank Lloyd Wright) Limited Edition Pencils. The latest limited edition Blackwing Volumes set feature a combination of lacquer and natural wood, inspired by Wright’s Usonian home design. Extra-firm graphite for long, sharp points!

  10. Blackwing Volume 71 Legal Pads. In conjunction with the release of the Frank Lloyd Wright Pencil, Blackwing has also released a limited edition legal pad, featuring a slightly larger 9” x 12” format (“Arch A”), sold in a set of two pads with different grids, both rectangle and triangle/isometric. I love the red binding and tan ruling!

  11. Blackwing Volume 746 (Golden Gate Bridge) Limited Edition Pencils. These gorgeous red/orange limited editions, which may be my favorite Blackwing Volumes release to date, are back in stock.

  12. Blackwing Canvas Pencil Pouch. Yes, these are long enough to hold unsharpened Blackwing Pencils, and 36 of them at that!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoy our content please give us a follow and consider supporting us by shopping with us directly or pledging via Patreon. Many thanks!

In TGS Curated Shop Tags Thursday Drops, TGS Curated Shop, Blackwing, Traveler's Company
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Quick Look: Different Grades of Blackwing Graphite (Plus a Bonus YouTube Video)

May 21, 2024

Blackwing doesn’t use either of the typical graphite grading scales in their pencils. Instead of numbering them 1-4, or H, F, HB, B, etc., they’ve designated their different graphite formulations as “X-Firm”, “Firm”, “Balanced”, and “Soft”, with each core given its own standard production line pencil and rotated through the limited edition “Volumes” line. Last quarter’s Volumes release (Volume 2) even introduced a new “XX-Firm” formulation that’s the closest Blackwing has ever come to a true HB/No. 2 pencil. To date, it’s only available in this special release pencil.

The two extremes. “Soft” graphite at top compared against the XXF Graphite in the Volume 2, compared against the Tombow HB.

I love Blackwing pencils because even their “lightest” shade of graphite is relatively dark. As a fan of dark pencils, I regularly use most of the standard Blackwings, as well a full pencil chest of their special editions. Despite the darker core, Blackwings retain their points well - even the soft graphite in my favorite “Blackwing Matte” with low-smear performance. My second favorite would probably be the “X-Firm” Blackwing Natural, but that’s more an aesthetic preference than anything to do with performance!

How It Works Blackwing Pencil Extender YouTube Link

For a fun bonus, check out our latest YouTube video which dropped today, where I look at the Blackwing Pencil Extender and how it works.

As of last month, the T.G.S. Curated Shop is an official Blackwing retailer! We carry the full range of pencils, accessories, and even paper (the excellent “Illegal Pad”) in our curated stationery shop, which is how the site gets supported.

In Pencils, TGS Curated Shop Tags TGS Curated Shop, Blackwing
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