Year-End Review, Part II: Five Favorite Products Reviewed in 2023

As with my favorite acquisitions, my favorite reviews from 2023 leaned heavily towards small-batch and independent makers, and also reflected my efforts to branch out a bit and explore different aspects of the stationery world beyond the “workhorse” or “daily driver” pens, ink, and paper that have formed the core of my review content in the past. While people may be tired of hearing about the Schon DSGN Monoc :), there’s no denying that it’s one of the more influential and talked-about pens to have been released (and expanded upon) over the past year. Moreover, Toyooka Craft has cultivated a significant presence at U.S. pen shows, bringing their expansive range of accessories for attendees to peruse in person (and in my case, take home). I’ll talk a bit more later this month about my intentions for 2024 and how I plan to approach content in the New Year!

1. Schon DSGN Full-Sized Fountain Pen and Monoc Nib First Impressions. The Monoc nib, developed entirely in-house by Ian Schon and his team, might be the most talked about piece of stationery in 2023 (at least in the fountain pen world). I’ve enjoyed writing with my Monoc(s) throughout the past year and exploring the intricacies of this unique nib and feed system. I know it was linked in my “Five Favorites” installment from Saturday, but the follow-on review of the fine-nib Monoc fountain pen can be found here.

2. Pen Trays and Accessories: Toyooka Craft and the Beauty of Simplicity. I didn’t acquire that many pens in 2023. Instead, I focused on accessories and those things which enhance my enjoyment of the pens I already own. As items I interact with every day, my Toyooka Craft pen trays easily make the list of favorite discoveries, and I look forward to reviewing additional Toyooka Craft products in 2024.

3. The Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad: Hype or Innovation? A Bit of Both. The Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad straddles the online stationery and digital productivity communities, and it’s been interesting to see this product take off in popularity. I’ve enjoyed using mine - it’s a very well-thought-out product and I’m excited to review Cortex Brand’s expanded lineup as they’ve recently announced a new calendar version of the Sidekick that’s currently available.

4. TWSBI Precision Ballpoints and Mechanical Pencils. In addition to reviewing new products, I delved into the “new to me” category. The TWSBI Precision lineup of ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils has been around for years, but for whatever reason I stuck to TWSBI’s fountain pens. That’s a shame, because the Precision line is an excellent take on technical pens and pencils. I even added the Precision fountain pen, which shares the name but sports a slightly different design, and I plan to write about that in the future.

5. The Good Blue R615 “Titanium Blue” Vanness Exclusive Edition Fountain Pen. While people have had mixed results with the Good Blue pens, I’ve enjoyed using both their flex and “Zoom!” nibs. This review was more about breaking out of my own comfort zone than it was about the pen itself - I’ve traditionally shied away from flex nibs as “impractical”, but lately I’ve incorporated them into regular use. They’ve allowed me to enjoy different types of ink, and have also encouraged me to slow down and focus on improving my cursive handwriting.

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Each year in December I recap the prior year, including favorite acquisitions, favorite products I reviewed, and more. Stay tuned throughout the next two weeks for additional recap content.

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

Year-End Review, Part I: Five Favorite Acquisitions of 2023

Every year towards the end of December I take some time to reflect on some of my favorite content from the previous year, as well as on favorite new acquisitions. Today I’ll start out by mentioning five of my favorite pick-ups from 2023, which includes four pens and one paper product/organizer. These are in no particular order - I review and acquire a fair bit of stuff throughout the year, all of it different, so it’s nearly impossible to do a fair ranking beyond a “Top 5”. Enjoy!

1. Schon DSGN Monoc (Fine Nib). One of two big purchases from this year’s San Francisco Pen Show, the fine-tip Monoc features an architect-like grind on the reverse side, making it an extremely versatile writer (in addition to being a stunning visual piece, especially with the anodization).

2. Kyuseido Kakari Fountain Pen. Kyuseido’s take on the syringe filler, designed in partnership with Ben Walsh at Gravitas Pens, has been perpetually inked since San Francisco. Yes, San Francisco was an expensive show for me. And yes, I have a review of the Kakari in the works. It’s a somewhat complex review to write of a very specialized pen, but if you love highly engineered filling systems you will enjoy this one.

3. Montblanc 149, Studio Bokumondoh Edition. Earlier this summer I sent my plain black Montblanc 149 to Tokyo for an urushi treatment at Studio Bokumondoh, and received it back around two weeks after returning from San Francisco. (Did I mention August/September hurt my bank account?) I will likewise plan to write up this one in the coming year, with more details on the design, etc. The link is to my original review of the 149.

4. Kaweco Art Sport in “Terrazzo” Acrylic. I was thrilled to see this year’s Art Sport fountain pen released with the same integrated clip from the older (and now discontinued) “Sport Luxe” collection. While I enjoy all four colors, The Terrazzo and Hickory Brown spoke to me the most, and I added these two to my personal collection alongside my original Navy Blue Art Sport from several years ago.

5. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter A4 Portfolio. I’ve had an A5-sized Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter for years, but I’ve always wanted a larger portfolio that can hold both an A4 or letter-sized pad as well as an A4 notebook. This has been an excellent solution. While we are mostly sold out of the larger Taschenbegleiters at the moment, we plan to bring them back and restock around the end of the month.

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Stay tuned for more Year-in-Review content! I’ll be doing favorite my 5 favorite reviews from 2023 next week.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, as well as pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid third-party advertising or affiliate links.

From the Archives: Tomoe River 68gsm Remains One of My Favorite Papers

On this past weekend’s Patreon meetup, we discussed the topic of Tomoe River 68gsm paper, which has always been the slightly less-favored version of Tomoe River, the classic lightweight fountain pen friendly Japanese paper. The formula and rights to “Tomoe River” paper has changed hands several times over the past few years, with the current version of the 52gsm paper (the lightest weight version) now made by Sanzen. The Sanzen TRP will soon be the exclusive version of that particular paper on the market. It’s unclear what’s happening with the heavier 68gsm version, including whether it is still being made or whether the current stock of 68gsm paper and notebooks represents “back stock” that will disappear once the paper is all used up. The latter is the most likely scenario.

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While much depends on the ink you’re using, I’ve generally found that Tomoe River 68gsm dries quicker than the thinner 52gsm.

68gsm Tomoe River Paper feels quite different from the 52gsm version - especially the “original” 52gsm - which is the paper with the “crinkly” feeling that so many people know and love. Personally, I find the 52gsm version too lightweight for my taste, especially in a work notebook or bound pad that tends to be subject to rough treatment. The 68gsm is equally ink-friendly (though it does show colors differently), is more durable, and in my opinion has a better feel when writing since it the tactile feedback that I like in a thicker paper. I also appreciate that it’s frequently available in dot grid.

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Because it’s thicker, the 68gsm paper exhibits less show-through on the back of a page, making it in my opinion a better choice for a notebook paper than the thinner 52gsm Tomoe River.

During the meetup this weekend, I pulled out an Odyssey Notebook that I received directly from Odyssey at the D.C. Pen show a couple of years ago and wrote in it for a bit, really enjoying the feel of the 68gsm Tomoe River and hoping that it won’t go away anytime soon. Alas, I suspect its days are numbered.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Unlike the original 52gsm Tomoe River Paper, which has been much lamented, other discontinued or soon-to-be-discontinued papers such as Tomoe River 68gsm and Cosmo Air Light haven’t been receiving as much fanfare. It’s probably because the weight and feel of these papers aren’t quite as unique and irreplaceable as the super-lightweight Tomoe River, and the good news is that fans won’t have as much of an issue finding a suitable replacement. Have you found a substitute? Let me know because I’m interested.

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I have a healthy personal stock of 68gsm Tomoe River Paper, and for now there are several different ways you can still get a hold of it. We carry it in our own shop in the form of the Lochby A5 Notebooks and Pocket Notebooks, which are sold as refills for the Lochby Field Journal and Pocket Journal, respectively, but which are standard sizes and can be used as stand-alone notebooks or as refills in similarly sized covers. Other brands that still use 68gsm Tomoe River paper include Odyssey Notebooks (shown in this post), which makes a line of hardbound notebooks in A5 and B5 sizing, as well as the Endless Recorder line, which is in the process of switching over to “Regalia” paper, presumably in the expectation that the Tomoe River 68gsm will be gone someday. I don’t generally encourage stockpiling, but I will certainly use what I have while I can!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid sponsorships or third-party affiliate links.

2022 Year-End Review, Part II: Favorite Products Reviewed in 2022

Earlier this week I kicked off the 2022 Year-End Review Process with a new entry in the series, a “Five Up, Five Down” post, in which I looked at five products I personally used more than expected in 2022, as well as five I used a lot less. Today’s post is a bit more traditional, with a short list of my five favorite products reviewed for T.G.S. in 2022. As I reflect back on 2022, I’ve focused more on those products that I enjoyed due to the level of innovation and creativity they displayed, even if the products themselves are a new riff on something that’s been around for a while. Enjoy!

1. Good Made Better “Writewell” Writing Desk. The Writewell captured my interest immediately when I first saw it at this year’s 2022 D.C. Pen Show. Dan was kind enough to send me a production sample, and I went ahead and backed the Kickstarter because, well, why not have a second writing desk! This product embodies everything I love about this community and those who create products for it, with well-made construction, thoughtful design, and a useful purpose.

2. Nock Co. x Rickshaw Sinclair “Model R” Pen Case. My favorite pen case of all time is back, in a slightly larger, and dare I say improved, layout! I understand that eventually you will be able to customize the Sinclair using the Rickshaw Bagworks configurator, though you can put in a special request now if you reach out to them.

3. Kakimori Brass Dip Nib and Drillog Metal Dip Pen. I’ll keep these as a single entry, because I enjoy them as a product category. Both of these machined metal dip pens offer an excellent way to test and use your inks, whether you want to move between colors quickly, or have a particularly high-maintenance ink that doesn’t behave well in fountain pens. While I had some initial trouble with my extra-fine Drillog, the larger medium point that they sent me as a replacement works quite well.

4. Vinta Inks Aegean Armada and Leyte Kelp. Vinta inks have become a mainstay in my rotation, particularly the blue-green-grey “Armada” that I can’t keep out of a pen. The Vinta ink line in general made last year’s year-end review as a new discovery, and these two specific inks made for a favorite 2022 review. Vinta keeps getting ever more creative with their offerings, and as I consolidate my personal pens and inks into a smaller number of core brands, Vinta is guaranteed a slot due to their combination of quality and uniqueness.

5. Nahvalur Nautilus Ebonite Fountain Pen. Frank was kind enough to provide me with a sample of their “Pen Show Special Edition” Nautilus at April’s Atlanta Pen Show, and I’ve had that pen inked regularly, in addition to the purple “Stylophora Berry” edition. I’ve long been a fan of ebonite as a material, and love how Nahvalur (formerly Narwhal) has kept the price point reasonable while still offering an innovative design (porthole ink windows!) and quality feel.

This post does not contain affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases made through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and reader contributions. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Mid-Year Review: Popular Content from the First Half of 2021

Every year around this time (which is typically when I go on vacation, in normal times), I take a week to reflect on both (1) the most popular post from the first several months of the year; and (2) my favorite posts from the first several months. These recaps serve a couple of different purposes: They let new readers and those who’ve fallen behind catch up on posts they may have missed, and give me an overview of where I’ve spent most of my time and whether I want to change direction at all. There’s a nice mix of content here, including updated Top Five lists, personal reflections, and pen and ink reviews, and it’s generally reflective of the site’s new direction. Happy reading!

1. My Five Best Pencils for Everyday Writing, Five Years Later. With T.G.S. having celebrated it’s seventh anniversary in April, one of my major goals was to revisit popular “Best of” or “Top Five” lists from the early days of the site, many of which had grown woefully out-of-date. First up was this “Best Pencils” post - a solid reader favorite. You can still read the original here, to see what changed and what stayed the same.

2. A Closer Look: Best Notebooks for a Commonplace Book. All that time spent at home during 2020 really allowed me to restart my reading habit, if not in number of books consumed, then in the depth at which I read. I’ve regularly kept a commonplace book (a collection of quotes, notes, and “to read” recommendations) for the past year and a half and found it to be a fulfilling hobby.

3. First Impressions: Hands-on with the New Parker 51 Fountain Pen. Of course this one got the page views. (And the comments. Oh yes, the comments. They still keep coming.)

4. Mini-Collections and Under-Appreciated Pens: The Parker Sonnet. I guess I’ve spent the first part of the year on a bit of a modern Parker kick. I keep coming back to the Sonnet as an all-time favorite, as there’s something about the pen’s classic design that makes it a potential “desert island” writer for me, along with the Lamy 2000. As I discuss in that post, I’ve unconsciously accumulated a small “mini-collection” of Sonnets over the years.

5. Exploring Iroshizuku, Part I and Part II. I tend to shy away from doing a lot of ink reviews, since I find today’s ink market (1) intimidating due to its sheer size, and (2) a bit of a hype machine designed to encourage people to constantly acquire more ink than any person could ever use in a reasonable lifetime. I do, however, enjoy well-made, beautiful ink that’s suitable for everyday writing, such as Pilot’s Iroshizuku line. In these two posts, which form part of a larger work-in-progress, I look at six different inks, many of which are long-time favorites.

A Late Addition to the Commonplace Book Post….

I don’t recall exactly where I picked this tip up, but sometime during 2020 I started sticking “library pockets” in the back of my books, that I would use to hold index cards for notetaking while I was traveling or reading. I’d later transcribe my notes from the notecards into my commonplace book. The habit has stuck (especially for books I can’t or don’t want to annotate or mark up), but I WAY over-purchased library pockets, and accidentally ordered more than a hundred of them. I don’t want to just throw them out, so I’m giving them away. If you order a notebook from the Curated Shop (hopefully for commonplacing but it’s not necessary), I’ll throw in a couple of these pockets, free of charge. The promotion will last until I’ve exhausted my excess supply. (Just to be clear, you’ll receive two pockets per person, per order, not two pockets per notebook.)