Thursday Drops: Even More Multi Pen Madness, Plus Pilot S20s, Sarasas and Jetstreams

I guess we’re the multi pen people now, huh? This week we received a large shipment of unique multi pens direct from Japan, including the Pilot Legno 2+1 in five woodgrain finishes, Pilot 4+1 multi pens featuring ultra smooth Acro-Ink, and while not a multi pen, additional stock of the excellent Pilot S20 Ballpoints and matching mechanical pencils.

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TWSBI has also released its latest ECO color: Matcha Green, which fills a gap in the current color lineup. After some prodding, we also put in a test order for the TWSBI Diamond 50ml ink bottles, which allow you to fill your TWSBI 580s without dipping the nib. Finally, we’ve reupped on all the Jetstream refills, in both the Uni proprietary formats and the universal styles.

We have slightly revised in-store hours this week: We will be open from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, per the usual, and then from 8-10am on Saturday morning and 1-5pm on Sunday, due to some scheduling conflicts. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

1. Pilot Legno 2+1 Multi Pens. These gorgeous woodgrain multi pens match the color scheme of the S20 Ballpoint, plus add three new options (Black, Natural Wood, and Mahogany). Each pen ships with two D1 refills (black and red) plus a .5mm mechanical pencil. Because the pen uses the universal D1 size, you can customize with whatever ink/refill system you like.

2. Pilot 4+1 Multi Pens. The Japanese counterpart to the classic “Dr. Grip” 4+1 multi pen that you can find here in the states, this version features .5mm Acro-ink refills in four colors, plus a .5mm mechanical pencil. This series pairs four muted colors with an unvarnished wood grip that shows off the grain.

3. TWSBI ECO Matcha Green Fountain Pen. Looking for something a little lighter to complement darker “Breakfast Collection”? TWSBI’s latest ECO release is a light tea green (as you would expect) and available in all nib sizes.

4. Pilot S20 Ballpoint Pens and Mechanical Pencils. Wishing we offered a set of the Pilot S20 pens and pencils? Now you can build one! The Pilot S20 .5mm mechanical pencil feels just as nice in the hand as the S20 ballpoint.

5. TWSBI Diamond 50ml Ink Bottles. Enough people asked about these that we decided to do a test order! The TWSBI ink bottle allows you to fill your TWSBI Diamond 580 (or similar earlier TWSBI piston-filler model) without dipping the nib in the ink, and allows you to fill other pens using a reservoir system. If there’s an ink brand that you love that otherwise has impractical ink bottles, consider a third-party solution!

6. Pilot Decimo Capless Fountain Pens. All colors are now available, as we just added the burgundy and white models to our selection. Many people prefer the slimmer Decimo to the larger Vanishing Point, and if you’ve found that the Vanishing Point clip interferes with your grip, moving to the Decimo sometimes improves things.

7. Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage Gel Pens. These high-end Sarasa pens actually match the refill to the anodization, which is somewhat rare. (Usually the “higher end” gel pen bodies ship with a standard blue or black refill.) .5mm and .3mm options are available, as well as additional refills in the muted “Vintage” series of colors.

8. Uni Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 Multi Pen. The Jetstream Lite Touch refill has, deservedly, received a lot of attention as an incremental improvement to the already excellent Uni Jetstream low-viscosity ballpoint. This 3 slot multi pen is a very nice higher-end professional option that comes in three unique matte finishes. You can read our full review of this multi pen here.

9. Uni Jetstream Lite Touch 4+1 Multi Pen. The standard Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pen is also available with the updated Lite Touch refills. (You can still buy both the original Jetstream and Lite Touch Jetstream multi pen refills, depending on your preference.)

10. Notsu Index Card Systems and Refills. We are fully restocked on all of the Notsu card sets, replacement cards, and other accessories. These are some of the best fountain pen friendly index cards out there, and are available in a wide variety of different formats.

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Check out the woodgrain on that multi pen grip!

New Arrivals: Uni "Pure Malt" Collection, Plus More Teranishi Favorites

One of the more common requests we’ve had is for the Uni “Pure Malt” series, which are pens that incorporate different woods used in Japanese whisky barrels. The “Oakwood” 4+1 Jetstream Multi Pen has been on my personal list for some time. We’ve added these to the shop along with the standard slim ballpoints that come available in both light and dark woods. We continue to have stock of other Uni Jetstream multi pen releases that incorporate different woods into the barrel, including the Karimoku 4+1 special releases and the “Bamboo” series.

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We also have additional stock of the Teranishi fountain pen inks, including colors that have been out of stock such as Gentle Green, Lady Emerald, and Brilliant Mint. Despite how popular these inks are, we should be set for a while! You can check out this post to learn more about some of my favorite colors from this deep lineup.

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

New Arrivals: Uni Jetstream Lite Touch 4+1 Pens, Plus New Tombow Mono Graph Fine Pencils!

Lots of new stuff is landing this week from Japan, including a fresh shipment of Uni Jetstream Lite Touch Multi Pens in the classic Uni 4+1 format! (Well, a slightly modified version of the classic format.) The Lite Touch version features not just the new ink formulation, but a slightly more streamlined, compact pen body which some may find to be a better fit than the original. You do, however, lose the bamboo or Karimoku wood sections on this particular pen. :) Note that we now have the Lite Touch Multi Pen refills available for purchase separately. These will also fit the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 pens.

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The metal barrel has a “softfeel” texture over the grip area, which makes the Mono Graph Fine quite comfortable to use.

We also have a new arrival from Tombow: The Tombow Mono Graph Fine, which is a new softfeel mechanical pencil that features a .5mm or .3mm lead size plus a more precise eraser. This pencil has a more professional look than the “shaker” line, though it still lands at a very reasonable price point.

Our brick and mortar store hours will be slightly different this week. I am traveling Thursday and Friday, so we will have open hours Saturday from 9am-6pm and Sunday from 1-5pm. I hope to see you this weekend!

The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3: Can Uni Improve on the Jetstream Experience?

The Jetstream Prime is the upscale version of Uni’s ubiquitous Jetstream low viscosity ballpoint pen, featuring sleeker barrels in more stylish colors. While I love pretty much everything Jetstream, I truly enjoy the Jetstream Prime lineup, and the standard Jetstream Prime Twist Ballpoint is one of my most recommended pens for those looking for a no-nonsense everyday writer to use in the professional context. Regardless of the new Lite Touch ink, the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 multi pen was inevitably going to end up in my pen case.

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I’ll talk about the pen first, then offer my thoughts on the Jetstream Lite Touch ink, which is a new ink formulation Uni introduced last year. The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 multi pen is a three-slot multi pen (no mechanical pencil option) that uses a rotational mechanism to switch ink colors. In other words, you rotate the barrel until the clip points to the color you want. As far as multi pens go, this one is far more compact and lightweight than what you usually find. Many multi pens are either oversized or on the heavier side, due to both the relative complexity of the mechanism and the weight of the additional refills, so the comfort and usability of this pen made for a pleasant surprise. The matte texture on the coated metal barrel makes the Lite Touch 3 easy to grip and minimizes slippage. The overall length is such that it sits well in my hand, and the pen fits easily into most pen loops I’ve tried. A couple weeks back I carried this one around New York City in my Lochby Field Journal Mini, and for the past few days it’s been in my Plotter A5.

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So now about the ink. Uni introduced the Jetstream “Lite Touch” as a smoother version of the Jetstream low-viscosity ballpoint, engineered for increased darkness and less resistance on the paper. In other words, if the Jetstream was originally designed as a “hybrid gel-ballpoint” pen, then the Jetstream Lite Touch takes things even further towards the “gel” end of the spectrum. The Lite Touch ink flows exceptionally well, leaves a dark line with all three colors (black, blue, and red) that shipped with the pen, and still dried almost instantly. I guess the only question I have is why introduce this particular ink as a new product, as opposed to modifying the formulation of the original Jetstream cartridge? The Jetstream Lite Touch is different for sure, but I’m not sure that it’s so different the average person would remark on it. That may change as I try different Lite Touch formats, which I currently have on order.

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Of all the colors, I found the difference most pronounced in the black ink, which was smoother and noticeably darker. The difference was less pronounced in blue, and honestly almost indistinguishable in red.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’m not sure that I like the Jetstream Lite Touch ink “better” than the standard Jetstream - I’m one of those people who actually does enjoy the tactile feel of a standard ballpoint cartridge so the additional smoothness isn’t a huge selling point for me, as I’d typically just use a gel pen. That said, if what you’re looking for is a ballpoint that writes a smooth, dark, quick-dry line and is as close to a gel pen as you can get, give this cartridge a try. Those who can’t write with heavier pressure may also find the Lite Touch to work better for them. For me personally, I will probably continue to buy either Jetstream or Jetstream Lite Touch pens based on whether I enjoy the form factor of the pen itself, since I can happily use either ink.

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Both the Jetstream 4+1 and the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 come in muted yellow colors, which I love.

As far as the pen itself, The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 is one of the better multi pens that I’ve used. The slimmer, more classic profile fits my own personal preferences, and I love the rotational mechanism. Plus it comes in yellow. If you make it in yellow, I will buy one. Now just make it in dark red too. We currently have a small number of these pens in the shop, with more on the way, as well as Lite Touch versions of the classic Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pen. These pens take the SXR-L80 refills, which are currently on order and will also be available. Each of these pens ship with three .5mm refills already installed in the pen, which should last you a while before you need extras.

Thank you for reading! The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to visit our in-person location, you can view directions and up-to-date hours here. Please note that we are experiencing inclement weather (ice and snow) on Feb. 18 and 19, so shipments may be delayed in going out by a day or so.

New Arrivals: Ballpoints and Multi Pens to Kickstart Your New Year's Productivity

I had a bit of a surprise Monday morning, when an unexpected delivery from Japan arrived. (Somehow I must’ve missed the shipment notification.) Included in this first big delivery of the New Year was a restock of the excellent Uni Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pens in three colors, Sage, Blue Grey, and the new “Beige”, as well as the orange and blue Karimoku collaboration finishes.

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Fans of muted earth-tones like beige and sage will love the Uni Jetstream 4+1 “Bamboo” series.

We also received more of the exceptionally good Pilot S20 ballpoints, which I’ve enjoyed so much I’m working up a “Workhorse Pen” post highlighting what I consider one of the best low-viscosity ballpoints out there. Featuring Pilot’s “Acro-ink” in a Dr. Grip-style refill, this .7mm ballpoint writes a smooth, dark line, and features a contoured wood barrel that will appeal to many pencil fans as well as ballpoint enthusiasts. Finally, we’ve received the ballpoint version of the Mini 5-friendly Pilot Birdie, so you can complete the trifecta set (pictured at top).

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I’m trying very hard to get the matching mechanical pencils, which apparently can be difficult to source.

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!