Thursday Drops: New Midori Multi-Year Journals, Kuretake Karappo Pens, Teranishi Inks and More Midori MD Cotton!

Today’s Thursday Drops post is merely the first wave of post-Fountain Pen Day and pre-Holiday restocks, but it maybe the biggest. We recently received a large shipment from TRAVELER’S Company and Midori, including new 10th Anniversary versions of the 3-year and 5-year journals, as well as the latest Field Notes release, new pens from Tom’s Studio (including a Japanese brush tip that fits the fountain pens), and a bunch of new Kuratake fibre and brush pens.

[Update: As of this morning (Friday November 8), Teranishi Guitar Inks are in stock! I had hoped to have them listed yesterday but they arrived a bit late and it took most of yesterday to swatch and photograph the inks.]

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This quarter’s Field Notes Release features two groups of different covers, all featuring different bird illustrations by Rex Brasher.

Note that our physical brick-and-mortar shop will be closed Friday and Saturday this weekend, since we are traveling to the Chicago Planner Conference. (We’ll be with Vanness Pens, Hinze Pens, and the Well-Appointed Desk!) Come say hello if you are there! Online orders will continue to ship in our typical time frame, and we have special store hours today (10am-5pm) and Sunday (2-6pm) to compensate.

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

1. Midori 10th Anniversary Kyo-Ori 3-Year and 5-Year Diaries. These beautiful special edition versions of the Midori Multi-Year Diaries feature two different fabrics. We also have the standard 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year journals in stock.

2. Teranishi Guitar Taisho Roman Haikara Inks. This series of 16 different Japanese inks spans the color spectrum and offers unique takes on different tones. From the swatches you will see that depending on the paper, many of the colors show some nice sheen, though it’s not overpowering.

3. Field Notes Birds and Trees of North America Edition. One of the editions that’s caused me to take another look at Field Notes! This

4. Kuretake Karappo Fineliners and Brush Pens. My obsession with customizable fineliners - and now, even finer, firm-tipped brush pens, continues! The Fibre-tipped pens feature a point similar to that in the Tom’s Studio Wren, and the Brush Pen is firm enough to write with. Available in the larger brush pen (with refillable cartridges) or the packs of five fibre or brushed-tipped pens.

5. Midori MD Cotton Writing Pads. These favorites are now available once again in A5 and A4 sizes. Midori MD Cotton is one of my favorite fountain pen friendly papers, and I’m happy to have it back in pad and notebook format.

6. TRAVELER’S Notebook Starter Kit Restock! We once again have nearly all the colors (save for Blue in the standard-size, which is on backorder). Now is a great time to pick up your dated (or undated) planner refills, as well as this year’s limited edition accessories including the “Trip and Love” folders, pencil boards, and sticker sets.

7. Tom’s Studio Wren Refillable Fibre-Tipped Pens. To say the Wren has been a smash hit is an understatement. These sold so quickly during Fountain Pen Day weekend that we’re already going to have to place a pre-holiday restock. We also now have replacement tips and reservoirs available in the shop.

8. Tom’s Studio “Studio Pocket” Fountain Pens. Not only do we have more of the Studio Pocket Fountain Pens, but we now have the fountain pen compatible Brush Nibs. If you want to lay some ink on the page, this is worth your consideration.

9. Tom’s Studio .5mm Mechanical Pencils. These Tom’s Studio mechanical pencils feature a brass grip paired with the same excellent anodized aluminum construction found on the rest of the Tom’s Studio product line.

10. Tom’s Studio Poise Pencil Grip and Lumos Grip/Rollstop. I wrote a short post earlier this week about how I’ve enjoyed these two grip options, especially for longer work sessions. Both function as rollstops in addition to adding some girth to the grip section.

11. T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 Collaboration Pens. I thought I would send out an almost-last-call e-mail, given that we are down to 5 of these pens in the shop. While we do plan to restock, I cannot promise that more pens can be available before the end of the year, so if you have had your eye on one of these, don’t wait.

12. T.G.S. Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Sampler and Pencil Samplers. We assembled a Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Sampler especially for Fountain Pen Day, but had so much paper left over that I made a bunch more! There’s also a woodcase pencil version featuring some unique pencils from our back archive.

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There are 16 different Teranishi Inks, from top: Modern Red, Classic Burgundy, Opera Rose, Orchestra Tangerine, Innocent Mauve, Salon de Violet, Melancholic Blue, Smoky Navy, Night Time Soda, Emotional Olive. [Part I]

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More Teranishi Swatches, from top: Brilliant Mint, Lady Emerald, Gentle Green, Traveling Sepia, Antique Black, and Nostalgic Honey. [Part II]

New Arrivals: Tom's Studio Lumos Brass Special Editions

I had a fun surprise waiting for me when I returned from this past weekend’s D.C. Pen Show. The Tom’s Studio Lumos refillable fineliners have been one of my favorite discoveries of 2024, and they recently released brass versions of the Lumos Pro, the Lumos Pro Duo, and the Lumos Mini! These pens function the same way as the standard Lumos pens, using the refillable fibre tip and wick system that allows you to use fountain pen inks in a fineliner format. You can read more about how these pens work here.

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In addition to the new Lumos Brass editions, we received additional stock of the standard Lumos pen models in most colors, Studio Pocket Fountain Pens (which you can of course pair with any of the Tom’s Studio Specialty Nibs sold separately), and all colors of the Tom’s Studio ink line. Tom’s Studio inks are water-based and appropriate for fountain pens as well as the Lumos line.

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

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The Lumos Pro Duo (left) and Lumos Mini in brass.

Testing an Entire Ink Line: The Tom's Studio Bottled Fountain Pen Inks

How do you actually test an entire line of ink? Honestly, you really can’t, at least not in a reasonable amount of time. The only way you can truly “get to know” a specific ink, with all its various advantages and disadvantages, is to write with it for an extended period. While it’s certainly fun to try, it’s hard for any reviewer or retailer to do that with every ink from a specific brand, no matter how much writing they actually do. For that reason, I try to avoid making categorical pronouncements about ink brands as a whole, and do my best to write with as many different inks as I can, for as long as I can, and given an informed judgment. When you’ve used hundreds of fountain pen inks over the years, you can get a pretty good sense of how an ink will ultimately behave from your swatch book!

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From the Top: Pigmented Black (060); Deep Black (01); Raspberry Sorbet (02); Neptune (03); New Forest (04); Cassis (05); Strawberry Jam (06); Mallard (07); Loch Ness (08); Constellation (09); Dove Grey (10); Iris (11) and Juniper (12). The Pigmented Black ink is water resistant.

I’ve spent the past week or so swatching and testing a new line of nineteen different Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks, and I absolutely love some of these colors. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Tom’s Studio is a UK-based manufacturer of fountain pens, dip pens, inks, mechanical pencils, and other assorted fine writing and calligraphy supplies. I was initially hesitant to order these, since many inks sold by calligraphy-focused companies tend to be thinner and somewhat watery, in order to emphasize shading in flexible nibs. There’s nothing wrong with this, and many people enjoy such inks, but for my use case I tend to favor more saturated inks that emphasize legibility. As it turns out - no such concerns here.

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From Top: Mulberry (13); Marianas (14); Rambling Rose (15); Sunny Teal (16); Damson (17); and Marmalade (18). Some of these inks show a touch of sheen around the edges, but none of them are “sheen monsters” and none of them smear once dry.

I’ve been thrilled to discover that most of the inks in this line are well-saturated, but not so much that they smear or suffer from long dry times. My swatch book is a Midori MD Cotton F3 notebook, which handles fountain pen ink well while being semi-absorbent, so it’s a reasonable approximation of most paper that I use on a daily basis. The colors actually tend to be on the muted side, which suits my style, and I’ve found at least a half-dozen in this line that I could see turning into everyday writers. As a bit of a fun experiment, and to showcase my favorites, I thought it might be interesting to pair several of these new inks with my latest Chicago Pen Show acquisitions! Here’s what I chose:

Edison Jameson in Bexley Scheherazade Acrylic: No. 12 “Juniper”

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This gorgeous Edison Jameson in new old stock Bexley Scheherazade Acrylic was the 2024 Chicago Pen Show Exclusive!

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Tom’s Studio “Juniper” is so dark that I’d call it a purple-black. This pen needs a dark ink, but I like a hint of color!

Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper in Beige Ebonite and Clear Acrylic: No. 13 “Mulberry”

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There was a touch of an inksplosion when I opened the bottle of “Mulberry” (No. 13), but it’s a great match for this Skogsy Low-Volume Eyedropper in clear acrylic and beige ebonite!

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These No. 8 nibs are becoming more prevalent in my collection….

Edison Collier in Dragon’s Night Acrylic: No. 8 Loch Ness

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I’ve wanted an Edison Collier for years! I finally went for this dark, translucent “Dragon’s Night” Acrylic. I chose “Loch Ness” (No. 8) for this pen.

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Loch Ness is a dark teal-black. It might match this pen a bit better if it were just a touch brighter, but I do love the ink!

Newton Prospector in D Squared “Arkansas Abalone” Resin: No. 7 Mallard

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Ok, so this Newton Pens Prospector is gorgeous but pretty much impossible to pair perfectly with any ink. I went with “Mallard” (No. 7), which draws on both the green and purple/blue in the acrylic. I believe this particular pen is sold out but keep checking over at Newton Pens for details.

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The variation and depth in this material is stunning!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Overall, I think I’m really going to enjoy using some of these colors. Personally, the ones that speak to me the most out of this line are the dark blue-greens (“Mallard” and “Loch Ness”), as well as the deeper reds (“Cassis” and “Mulberry”). I suspect the really dark purples (“Constellation”, “Damson,” “Juniper,” and “Iris”) will also prove popular. The Tom’s Studio Inks retail in our shop at $16 for a 50ml bottle. We currently have 19 different colors available. To be clear, these inks are all appropriate for both fountain pens and the Lumos series refillable fineliners.

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My Lumos Mini in “Ivy” with No. 14 “Marianas” and a .3mm tip. It’s become my Plotter Mini 5 Pocket Pen of choice.

Further Reading (And a Giveaway Opportunity FOr Those Who Read Through to the end!)

I’ve slowly been working my way through the entire Tom’s Studio line of products, and have previously provided overviews of their “Lumos” line of refillable fineliners, the Studio Pocket Fountain Pen (with their stock Architect Nib that’s now back in stock), and more. You can view the full line of Tom’s Studio pens, pen tips and nibs, and other accessories here.

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For those of you loyal enough to read all the way to the end, we’re going to give away two bottles of Tom’s Studio Ink, and they’re both red: Cassis and Strawberry Jam! Typical TGS Giveaway Rules apply: either leave a comment on this blog post or like the Instagram Post. I will number the entries and pick two winners with a random number generator. Giveaway closes this Sunday at 11:59pm CT! It’s open to everyone but international participants may need to chip in on shipping, depending on cost. Enjoy!

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 all your support!

New Arrivals: TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze and Lumos Mini Fineliners!

The latest TWSBI ECO release is now available! The bronze trim pens released over the past year have been among my favorite, including both this latest coffee-colored fountain pen, dubbed the Caffé Bronze, and the restocked Indigo Blue + Bronze model. I find the bronze to be slightly darker and deeper in tone than TWSBI’s popular rose gold plating. The pens arrived yesterday so they are available to ship immediately.

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So what else is new? In addition the full-size Tom’s Studio Lumos Pro and Lumos Pro Duo pens, we now offer the pocketable Lumos Mini! If you’re a fan of fineliners, the Lumos pens are an excellent way to use your fountain pen and pigmented inks in a refillable fineliner format. The pens themselves are slim enough to fit into most planner loops, making them an excellent choice for Plotter. Read more about the Lumos series and how it works here.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of both Tom’s Studio and TWSBI products. T.G.S. is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Pen Review: Tom's Studio "The Studio Pocket" Fountain Pen (and Architect Nib!)

So why did I choose to review this relatively new, niche product during the T.G.S. 10th Anniversary month? Because it provides a great example of just how much the community has changed in the past decade-plus, both from an enthusiast and retail perspective.

In the early 2010s, when I first rediscovered fountain pens and stationery as a serious interest, the range of available products was still limited to your traditional "legacy" brands (Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Montblanc, Aurora, Omas, etc.). Sure, there were a lot of great pens available - including many I wish I had purchased at original retail and currently covet a great deal - but the market lacked many of the offbeat, original designs from smaller makers at a lower price point. There certainly weren't many "pocket" fountain pens available, as that product category didn't take off until Kaweco expanded the Sport lineup and began introducing other popular designs such as the Liliput.

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Today, smaller brands from independent makers and/or designers proliferate, such as Tom's Studio, which started out as a very small calligraphy-focused maker but which has gradually expanded into fountain pens, refillable fineliners, fountain pen inks, and even a recently released mechanical pencil. I reviewed the "Lumos" fineliner pens a week or so back, and in the meantime have been looking at two different fountain pens: the "Studio" and "Studio Pocket".

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The most interesting design aspect of the Studio Pocket fountain pen is that there are no threads on the cap or barrel. The cap closes using two o-rings embedded into grooves in the barrel section, and this is also how the pen posts. (While o-rings are made of rubber and won't last forever, this type of generic black o-ring is easily replaceable.) Thus far, I've had no issues with the cap staying on the pen or the pen posting securely. I love that there are no threads to interfere with the grip.

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Second, when you post the Studio Pocket, it extends to a much larger writing instrument that you typically see with pocket fountain pens. Made from machined aluminum, the faceted cap adds length without adding much weight at all. The pen rests comfortably in my hand and feels well-balanced. Sometimes manufacturers go for designs that are visually interesting but don't really end up working in the "real world" - i.e., when you actually want to write with the pen. This isn't such a situation. Per their own website, Tom's Studio pays careful attention to things like balance and ergonomics. It's not just lip service.

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So far my experience writing with the Tom's Studio "Studio Pocket" has been largely positive. In addition to the o-ring posting mechanism, a hallmark of the pen is the long textured section, which is intended to make the Studio Pocket usable regardless of how you hold your pen. The texture comes from machined micro-grooves, which are increasingly common in the machined pen world as a way to minimize the slippage that will inevitably occur with an untextured metal grip.

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But What About That Architect Nib:)

Yes, the Architect nib. In recent months, Tom's Studio has received much attention for their interchangeable nib units, which now includes a "Pro Flex" (Zebra G Calligraphy setup), a "Semi-Flex" (your typical stainless steel nib with a longer slit down the midde), a "Cursive Italic" (which I've found to be more of a traditional italic, but that's a matter of preference), and the Architect. So far, the Pro-flex and Architect Nibs are the best of the bunch. This is an amazingly smooth, broad architect-style nib, which at $19 offers incredible value, especially to those who have never tried an architect nib and have been hesitant to send a prized pen off to a nibgrinder simply to experiment. For those new to fountain pens, an architect nib is ground to a wedge-like shape, with narrower downstrokes and broader cross strokes. (You often hear it described as a "reverse stub.") Please note that Tom’s Studio nibs are only compatible with Tom’s Studio pens. These are specially made to fit the Studio and Studio Pocket, and while you may be able to swap them into different housings, I have not experimented with this and it’s not an advertised feature.

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I've found broader architect nibs to be more forgiving of writing angles, making this a better option for a stock nib than a finer grind as it should work for more people.

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You can read more about why I enjoy architect-style nibs (as well as other nib grinds) in this post. Over the years, the architect has become a favorite custom grind of mine, and it seems crazy that you can now get a stock architect that’s this good at this price point. The narrow downstrokes are compatible with my smaller handwriting, and I love the angular look it lends to my notes. The writing sample shown here is with the stock Tom’s Studio black ink cartridge on Clairefontaine paper.

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The Studio Pocket is a pocket fountain pen, and marketed as cartridge-only. Each pen ships with a converter/syringe device that you can use to refill your spent cartridges with the ink of your choice.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I've been thoroughly enjoying the Studio Pocket, which I opted for in the dark purple "Iris" color. I immediately swapped out the stock fine nib and have been using the Architect's nib nearly exclusively, and I'm fairly confident it will remain installed in this pen indefinitely. The more I use this pen, the more I appreciate the faceted design. It's both a roll-stop and a satisfying fidget toy to roll around in your hand!

The Studio Pocket comes in seven different colors. From left: Black, Sage, Ivy, Wisteria, Iris, Mulberry, and Blush.

We've recently launched Tom's Studio as a brand in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and it's been a popular addition. The Lumos fineliners sold out nearly immediately, and we plan to restock them as soon as possible. On the fountain pen side, we have both the original "Studio" fountain pen and the "Studio Pocket" shown here. We currently offer the Studio Pocket in either a fine or medium nib, priced at $108. Specialty nibs are sold separately, though with our next order we may consider stocking the fountain pens with the specialty nibs installed. (That's a bit of an investment, so it totally depends on the overall level of interest.) I do think that $108 +$19 for a pocket fountain pen with two nibs, one of which is a pre-ground architect, represents a decent deal, especially if you're experimenting for the first time with an architect nib and don't want to lay out $50+ for a custom grind.

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