2026 Mid-Year Review: Five Personal Favorite Stationery Discoveries from the First Half of 2026

During the first half of 2026 I delved pretty deeply into the catalog of Japanese-exclusive products I’ve been testing, many of which have made their way into our shop. You might be surprised to learn that most of my favorite new additions to my own rotation are less expensive everyday writers, including the Uni Zento Flow Gel Pens and the Pilot Kire-Na highlighters. There’s also a fun, offbeat ink, as well as a stationery-adjacent entry!

You can view most of these products in our own shop, both online and in-store. Check out the rest of our 2026 Mid-Year Review Post, including 5 Favorite Posts from the First Half of the Year, and our Annual Update to the Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Resource.

1. Uni Zento Flow Gel Pen. If I had to pick a favorite everyday gel pen, I would say that the Uni Zento Flow has become my everyday “inexpensive carry”. I like the weight of the aluminum barrel, and I actually prefer the click-style Flow to the capped Signature model (which you can’t find anyway). I’ve had one of these since late last year, but in 2026 it firmly established itself with a key role in my rotation.

2. Colorverse Follow The Water Fountain Pen Ink. Each year, Colorverse selects three of the prior year’s Colorvent Inks to release in full bottle format. In 2024, they released three colors that many considered “safe,” while the 2025 selections were more adventurous and, in my opinion, excellent. “Follow the Water” is a muted yellow-gold multi-shader with shimmer ink, which is not a typical choice for me but I can’t get over this one.

3. Hibi Japanese Incense Matches. I’ve fine-tuned my work setup this year, and one addition I’ve grown to love is some sort of aromatic component, including these 10-minute incense matches from Hibi. (Note: They are also quite helpful for covering up that “warehouse smell”.)

4. Pilot Metropolitan Rollerball. Can you believe that until this year I had never used the Pilot Metropolitan/MR Rollerball or Ballpoint pen? The “rollerball” is actually a Pilot G2 gel refill, so it’s super smooth, and the ballpoint uses the same Dr. Grip/Cocoon refill that fits Dr. Grip Ballpoint pens and the Pilot S20. If I had to pick, the rollerball is my favorite because I still love the G2.

5. Pilot Kire-Na Double-Sided Highlighter. The “guides” on the chisel-style highlighter tip won me over during our trip to visit Pilot USA headquarters earlier this year, and the fine tip end is ultra-fine for extremely detailed annotation work. It’s one of those highly-specific tools that not everyone may need, but which is great for those who love tailoring their stationery carry to their precise needs.

2026 Mid-Year Review: 5 Favorite Posts From the First Half of 2026

In mid-June I typically take a break from fresh content in favor of a mid-year recap looking back at favorite posts, reviews, product launches, new discoveries, etc. from the first six months. I always enjoy doing these retrospectives! Up first are five favorite posts, videos, and more from the first six months of 2025, in no particular order. Since we’ve been making an effort to diversify site content, this year’s recap includes everything from blog posts to YouTube videos to podcast episodes!

1. Pen Review: The Pentel Sign Pen. It’s not often that I find classic stationery products I’ve never used before, but it’s sort of been this year’s theme. The Pentel Sign Pen has been around forever, and for a good reason.

2. On The Paper Trail Episode 3: We Visit Pilot Pens USA! So of course the highlight of my year so far has to be the recent trip to Tokyo, but a close second would be our trip to visit the Pilot Pens USA headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, where we got to take a peek behind the curtain!

3. Japan Trip Journal: A Visit to Kakimori, Including Custom Notebooks and Inkstand! Personally, the best part of my trip to Japan was the opportunity to visit Kakimori and make both custom notebooks and an ink. In-store shopping offers opportunities and experiences online can never replace.

4. TGS 12th Anniversary: 5 Fountain Pens Everyone Should Experience. I took a bit of a different take on a “Top 5” list, with five pens that I don’t necessarily think everyone should own, but that everyone should definitely try.

5. Shimmer Ink for Everyday Writing? Why Not! I’ve really been exploring different inks this year and trying to reach a bit further outside my comfort zone. Shimmer ink for work? Go for it.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

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.

Mid-Year Review: Five Favorite Posts from the First Half of 2024 and a Big Announcement!

Most years, I take vacation during the month of June and use the time off to recharge. New content takes a back seat to a bit of rest, but for several different reasons (one of which is pretty exciting and discussed at the end of today’s post) that’s not the case this year. Nonetheless, I love doing the mid-year recaps and reviews because it lets me take stock of what I’ve done so far, compare it to my strategic plan, and plot the course for the second half of the year in terms of informational resources I plan to write, products to review, and - especially relevant this year - shop strategy! Today’s post looks at the five posts I had the most fun writing during the first six months of 2024, and which prompted the most reader feedback and engagement. Enjoy!

1. Strategic Paper Replacement: Adventures in E-Ink, Part I (The Physical Writing Experience). Yes, additional installments in this series are coming, but I’m taking my time with it because I’m still working through exactly how to explain the role these devices have come to play in my workflow. I will say that I’ve completely moved on from the iPad Pro and most “electronic handwriting” that I do is now on e-ink-based systems.

2. Pen Myth-Busting: Remember That Information on the Internet Has an Expiration Date. You may have noticed that in several posts so far this year, I’ve revisited reviews from the early years of T.G.S. That’s intentional, because companies change, manufacturing improves, and observations and conclusions from ten years ago aren’t always accurate.

3. #17InkQuestions from The Gentleman Stationer. I’ve enjoyed these writing prompts that have become popular over the past year or so. If you’re interested in learning about how different community members use their pens and inks, and how they got into the hobby in the first place, check out these posts.

4. How Fine is “Too Fine”? Comparing Tip Sizes Across Different Pen and Pencil Types. I’ve been trying to compile more informational resources for readers, and this post was an experiment that many have found useful. .38mm in one type of pen or pencil doesn’t necessarily equate to .38mm elsewhere.

5. First Impressions: Is the Tom’s Studio Lumos Series the Refillable Fineliner I’ve Been Waiting For? While this was a “first impressions” post, I can easily say that no pen has made its way into my regular rotation quicker than the Tom’s Studio Lumos fineliner. Refillable fineliners are one of those product categories that many have attempted but nobody seems to have really nailed, until now….

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Packed for vacation? Not quite.

And Some Big News for T.G.S. Fans… A Physical Location Later This Summer!

I wasn’t really sure how to drop this, but we’ve just signed a lease on a physical space in the Nashville, Tennessee area to house T.G.S., a project which has been taking up much of my time for the past year! While eventually there will be an in-person shopping option such as a showroom/retail store once I have it set up, the immediate need is office and warehouse space that lets us bring in additional help with fulfillment during the busier times of the year. The space is extremely flexible, and once we’re able to take possession later this summer I’ll be posting additional photos, hours for order pickup, and a further timeline on public hours once we’re ready. Stay tuned!

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 greatly appreciate your support, especially as we grow.