New Arrivals: Caran d'Ache 849 Claim Your Style, Edition 3!

August 2, 2021

On the heels of the latest Caran d’Ache Nespresso releases, Caran d’Ache has announced the latest entry in their “Claim Your Style” series of 849 ballpoints. The Claim Your Style releases always offer six unique color schemes, and this year is the first Caran d’Ache has offered a monochrome look as opposed to mixed-and-matched colors. The current options include “Night Blue,” “Ice Blue,” “Moss Green,” “Scarlet Red,” “Tangerine,” and “Violet.” While I may have a hard time choosing a favorite this year, the dark blue and the green are both absolutely stunning. Fans of the first Claim Your Style edition will appreciate that Caran d’Ache has returned to a slightly more matte finish on these pens (which is especially pronounced on the Moss Green, shown above).

Shown here from left: Violet, Ice Blue, Scarlet Red, Tangerine, Moss Green, and Night Blue. I love the more muted tones.

The latest Claim Your Style pens are now available in the Curated Shop, priced at $39 each. I also still have a handful of Edition Two pens remaining, with special pricing. And, yes, for those of you who want to mix and match parts, I don’t see any reason why you can’t swap clips and buttons between pens (though it’s not “officially” supported).

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we carry. By shopping with us, 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!

New Arrivals: TWSBI Swipe Is Now In Stock! Plus Caran d'Ache Nespresso and More Sunderlands!

July 29, 2021

In addition to the launch of the Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 pencils, this week also saw the arrival of the much-discussed TWSBI Swipe, TWSBI’s first cartridge-converter pen. We received our initial shipment, plus TWSBI cartridges and an ink restock! You may also have seen my Instagram announcement that several new products (mainly red inks from last week’s sampling), have been added to the “Gently Used” page. While those items come from my personal collection, they can be combined with shop orders to take advantage of the free shipping offers.

TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen. Many were wondering, “Will TWSBI ever release a cartridge-converter fountain pen? Well, now the wait is over. The Swipe arrived on the doorstep yesterday afternoon, and they are now live and ready to ship. We also have cartridges and the full range of TWSBI bottled ink, with the 1790 Colors now available for purchase individually!
Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Fixpencil. As I discussed in yesterday’s post, for this year’s collaboration with Nespresso, Caran d’Ache decided to go in an entirely new direction, releasing a limited edition version of their iconic Fixpencil.
Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Swiss Wood Pencils. In addition to the Fixpencil, Caran d’Ache decided to release a set of special edition Swiss Wood pencils, featuring three metallic capsules, a special imprint, and graphite made from 25% recycled coffee grounds! (Don’t worry, I tested them out and to me, the pencils write like any other Swiss Wood!)
T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 Exclusive Edition. Our exclusive collaboration with Pennsylvania-based Sunderland on a bead-blasted, matte-black and red version of Sunderland’s signature EDC gel-rollerball pen is back in stock! If you’re wondering why we chose this particular model for our second store exclusive, you can read my write-up here.
Write Notepads Spiral and Reporter Notebooks. I’ve fully restocked on Write Notepads Spiral and Reporter Notebooks, in all colors! This paper is among my favorite for everyday writing, and if you want an example of how it can show off fountain pen ink, look no further than my recent ink color comparisons.

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Back to School/Work Season Is Upon Us - Don’t Forget to Check Out Our Notebook Systems and Reading Accessories!

School starts for us in less than two weeks - I know, I can’t believe it snuck up like that. If you’re headed back soon (to work or school), be sure to check out our ranges of notebook and organizational systems, including notebooks, refills, and accessories from Traveler’s Company, Midori MD, and now Stálogy! We also stock a wide assortment of reading accessories, including Book Darts page markers (one of my absolute favorite items we carry in the shop), and desk accessories from Hightide Co. and WMS & Co.

The Caran d’Ache x Nespresso family: from right: Edition No. 4 Fixpencil, Edition No. 3 “Arpeggio” 849, Edition No. 1 in Dharkan, and the Edition No. 4 Swiss Wood set.

Something Completely Different, and Yes, a Little Weird: Nespresso x Caran d'Ache Edition No. 4

July 28, 2021

For the past several years, Caran d’Ache has released an annual special edition collaboration with Nespresso, and to date, the release has always been an 849 ballpoint, such as last year’s “Arpeggio” pen. All of the various Caran d’Ache x Nespresso products share one thing in common: they are made from aluminum recovered from recycled Nespresso capsules, as part of Nespresso’s capsule recycling initiative. (If you own a Nespresso machine, you are likely familiar with the prepaid recycling bags included with your capsule orders, in which you can return your used capsules to the company.) This year’s release, however, goes in a completely different direction in the sense that it expands the Nespresso line to include both a special edition Fixpencil and Swiss Wood pencil set, and also incorporates a new graphite consisting of 25% recycled Nespresso coffee grounds.

For starters, let’s talk about this coffee-grounds graphite. While it sounds a bit…weird…I didn’t notice much, if any, difference from Caran d’Ache’s graphite core found in either the standard HB Fixpencil lead or the standard Swiss Wood pencil. (For the Fixpencil, your writing experience with the “new” graphite will actually be limited to the core that ships with the new Fixpencil - as of now Caran d’Ache doesn’t sell refills, so you will simply refill with standard Fixpencil leads.) While the graphite might be a selling point for some from a sustainability perspective, I didn’t find that it changed the writing experience all that much.

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Visually, the orange Fixpencil in particular is stunning. I’m a bit biased, since I love orange finishes on writing instruments, and this sort of dark matte copper/orange color is somewhat uncommon. I also enjoy the “grippiness” of the finish on the various Nespresso editions, and No. 4 is no exception. I really do hope this particular Fixpencil sticks around for a while, or at the very least Caran d’Ache continues to expand the lineup.

With respect to the Swiss Wood Pencils, in addition to the recycled coffee grounds used in the graphite, Caran d’Ache has added a special inscription and metallic caps, which do not appear to be actual metal but rather a paint or coating, so there is no change to the balance of the pencil. If you’re a fan of the Swiss Wood, the Crayons de la Maison Caran d’Ache, or any of the other special edition pencils the company has released over the past few years, you’ll want to check these out.

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We currently have both Edition No. 4 products available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Fixpencil retails for $40, while the Swiss Wood Pencil Set retails for $20. We do still have some limited stock of the Edition No. 3 849 ballpoint remaining, though I don’t know for how long Caran d’Ache will continue to make or distribute this pen since Edition No. 4 has now hit stores. Please check out these and our full range of other Caran d’Ache products, both standard and special editions!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Caran d’Ache products an all other brands we carry. By shopping with us, 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.

Workhorse Inks Update: Water-Testing TWSBI Inks

July 13, 2021

Last week I wrote a post on TWSBI Blue-Black, a workhorse fountain pen ink that shows significant water-resistance to the point where I would consider the ink basically waterproof. Following that post, I received several questions about how the other TWSBI inks compared, so I decided to do a quick test.

Basically, the “test” was exactly what I did with the TWSBI Blue-Black: I dunked a sheet of Rhodia paper containing a writing sample of all five standard colors in a glass of water for five minutes. Admittedly, this is a pretty “extreme” test, so the effects are probably more akin to your notebook going through the washing machine than to a few raindrops or a spilled drink that’s quickly wiped away. Here are the results:

As you can see, TWSBI Blue-Black clearly performed the best, followed by TWSBI Black, which also showed significant water-resistance. TWSBI Midnight Blue also remained quite legible. Unsurprisingly, Sapphire Blue and Red showed little water-resistance, though both did remain legible to the point where you would probably be able to recover most of your writing.

Overall, I’m very happy with how the TWSBI Inks performed, and the Blue-Black, Midnight Blue, and Black inks will likely find their way into my permanent work rotation. I carry all five of these inks in the Curated Shop, and as I mentioned in the prior post, they’re priced competitively at $15.99 for a 70ml glass bottle. We also carry the full range of other TWSBI products, including the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR in “Prussian Blue,” as well as the new TWSBI ECO Lilac, which we recently added to our offerings!

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Considerations in Choosing a Store-Exclusive Pen

July 10, 2021

This was an exciting week, representing a big milestone for T.G.S.: My first collaboration with a penmaker on a shop-exclusive pen! I realize that this isn’t anything particularly unique - pen bloggers, podcasters, Youtubers, Instagrammers, you-name-it, have been collaborating with makers and manufacturers for years on exclusive designs and colors. But I’ve held out until now. Today I want to talk a little bit about why I ultimately decided to take the plunge, the process I went through, and factors I considered before I partnered with Sunderland Machine Works on the new T.G.S.-exclusive Sunderland mk1.

Going with a Store Exclusive Pen over a Limited Edition

The first decision I made, long before I chose a specific pen, was that I wanted a store-exclusive pen to sell for the long-haul, as opposed to a limited edition. It’s not just that I don’t like the “limited edition” marketing strategy, it’s also because taking that approach is inconsistent with what I want my site and my store to be about. If I put the effort and consideration into choosing a product to carry - especially if it’s something that I helped conceptualize - it’s important to me for that product to be available to anyone who wants to get one (at least for as long as it’s economically feasible for me to continue to have the pens made).

It was extremely important for me to choose a pen design that fits into most notebook pen loops, since the Sunderland mk1 fits into my personal rotation as a note-taking and “on the go” writing pen.

Choosing a Truly EDC-Friendly Design

In line with this goal, for my first collaboration I wanted to choose a design and model that would appeal to the widest possible range of pen users under the broadest array of circumstances. To that end, a fountain pen was out. Despite a large community of enthusiasts, most people - even fountain pen lovers - still use a gel pen, rollerball, or ballpoint for much of their everyday writing. These days, the gel pen has overtaken both rollerballs and ballpoints as the standard “office pen” of choice. So a pen built around one of my favorite gel refills - the Pilot G2/Juice - was a natural choice.

Similarly, when I refer to a pen being “EDC-friendly,” I’m referring to “everyday carry” in the literal sense that it’s a pen that can be used every day as a pen. While durability is a key consideration, I’m not really concerned with the pen being able to double as a glass-breaker, withstand explosions, being run over by a truck, etc. The Sunderland mk1’s streamlined shape was designed for maximum writing comfort, especially the hourglass-shaped section and internal threads. It’s slim and light enough to carry in a shirt pocket, and will fit in most notebook/planner loops, including the loop on my Traveler’s Notebook.

Choosing a Price Point

Finally, I wanted something at a price point accessible to most people. While it’s not inexpensive to produce a pen durable enough for everyday use - especially once you get into special finishes like the bead-blasting and DLC-coating used here, all of which require extra steps in the manufacturing process - $110 is appropriate for something intended not as a collector’s piece, but an everyday “workhorse” that should last for years, if not decades.

I hope you all enjoy the new T.G.S. collaboration pen with Pennsylvania-based Sunderland Machine Works. I certainly enjoyed working on this project, and my plan is for it to stick around in the shop for as long as readers and customers remain interested. A huge shout-out to my Patreon supporters, many of whom were instrumental in providing early feedback on the design and whose donations allowed me to fund this project on the front end. You can check out the pen for yourself here, and if for whatever reason this T.G.S.-exclusive color scheme doesn’t do it for you, visit Sunderland Machine Works for the full range of their offerings.