Introducing New Pokka Accessories: Aluminum Cap and Keyring Dock

August 4, 2020

People love their Pokka Pens, and Pokka recently released a new line of accessories that can make your Pokka an even more essential part of your everyday carry. I’m currently stocking both the Pokka “Dokk” keyring docking system, as well as the Pokka “Jakket” aluminum cap, both of which you can pair with any Pokka Pen using the secure Pokka o-rings included on every pen barrel. Note that all Dokks and Jakkets are sold separately, and do not come with a pen.

Finally, in response to multiple requests, I’m now stocking three-packs of Pokka Refills, available in blue and red. If you’ve been despairing because you don’t like the black ink included with your Pokkas, swap ‘em all out!

Pen Review: Schon DSGN Pocket Six Fountain Pen

August 1, 2020

One product that makers have tried to perfect over the years, with inconsistent results, is the pocket fountain pen. It’s a hard product to do correctly. Fountain pen filling systems have never been designed for the rigors of pocket carry, and pens holding large reservoirs of ink tend to leak (or “burp”) ink into the cap when the pen gets jostled or there’s a shift in temperature or air pressure. Moreover, many pocket fountain pens end up too small for comfortable longer writing sessions, or feature smaller No. 4 or No. 5 nibs, which for some reason tend to have ink flow and other quality control issues at a higher rate than larger nibs.

The cap threads onto the barrel to post securely. Nearly everyone will need to post this pen to write comfortably.

After perfecting the design on his Classic Machined Pen - an excellent pocket ballpoint - pen and watchmaker Ian Schon set out to develop a true “pocket fountain pen” that he refers to as the “Pocket Six,” because - you guessed it - it features a full-size No. 6 nib. Due to its combination of design, functionality, and ability to accept interchangeable JoWo nib units, I can safely say that the Pocket Six is the best execution of the “Pocket Fountain Pen” concept on the market right now.

For a pocket notebook to go along with your pocket fountain pen, my go-to choice is the Write Notepads Copper Anniversary Edition.

There’s no one characteristic that sets the Pocket Six apart from its competition - it’s an all-around well-designed pen with excellent fit and finish. The selling point that gets the most attention, however, is that namesake No. 6 JoWo nib. Ian specifically designed the cap and section to hold this larger nib, which lives up to its billing in that it generally offers more consistent ink flow and a smoother writing experience than the smaller nibs found on other “pocket” fountain pens. While JoWo nibs are still “stock” nibs and therefore occasionally need tuning, the JoWo nib unit is probably, overall, the most reliable stock nib unit available, and therefore used by most custom penmakers. To have this nib in a pocket fountain pen is a huge plus.

The Pocket Six is so small, closed, that three of them easily fit into my hand at once.

Closed, the Pocket Six is easily “pocketable” at 3.5 inches long. Unless you have tiny hands, or are used to writing with pencil stubs or gripping pens with the ends of your fingers, you’ll need to post the pen to write, and that’s how the Pocket Six was designed, with threads on the end of the barrel to post the cap securely. Fully extended, the pen sits at a comfortable five inches, which for me is long enough to use it for pretty much any writing scenario. While the Pocket Six is a metal pen, Ian uses lightweight aluminum, so even with a brass section I had no issues with fatigue. As you might expect from a pen this compact, it fills with short international cartridges, and since it’s metal, I wouldn’t eyedropper it.

I now own three Pocket Six fountain pens: I picked up my first in at the Philadelphia Pen Show, in a special blue, purple and black anodized finish with a brass section. and recently added two more from Ian’s ongoing “online pen show”: one in “Deep Sheen” (a black and silver mottled finish with dark blue and green “sheen” undercurrents) and another in “Malachite” (a green/blue/grey/brown/black pattern with a real mineral quality to it). Ian also offers standard editions in aluminum, brass, and copper, including a few pens with “hammered” textures both on the body and section. Moving forward, when pen shows resume, I think it’s safe to expect that the Schon DSGN table will become a standard destination, much like Franklin-Christoph, where people can’t wait to see what new prototype colors and patterns Ian has been able to devise.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As I mentioned earlier, the Pocket Six has quickly become my favorite pocket fountain pen on the market. All three of mine are currently inked and see heavy use on a daily basis. Of my three, the Malachite is my favorite aesthetically speaking, followed by my blue pen from Philly (not sure that it has a name) and the Deep Sheen, but I enjoy every one. I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll be adding one or more new Pocket Sixes annually, since they’re like Kaweco Sports - eminently collectible!

You can purchase the Schon DSGN Pocket Six directly from Ian via his website. Since all pen shows are currently suspended, there’s unfortunately no way to view the pens in person before you purchase, but let’s be honest: I’ve never seen a bad one. If you have been looking for a pocket fountain pen with a reliable nib and a creative design or finish, you absolutely need to give the Pocket Six a try. Prices range from $118 to $135 for an aluminum pen, while brass and copper models can cost more, especially if you opt for the hammered texture which takes more time to finish. These prices are on par with Kaweco AC Sports and Art-Sports, and for the level of workmanship and creativity that goes into these pens, are more than fair.

Disclaimer: I purchased the three fountain pens featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. I was not compensated for this review.

Personal Journaling Setup, Part 3: Revisiting Pocket Notebooks

July 31, 2020

In the early years of this blog, I was a huge pocket notebook enthusiast and carried one with me wherever I went. Honestly, for a couple of years pocket notebooks served as my primary note-taking setup, even at work. But as my responsibilities increased, I needed something a bit more versatile (i.e., that contained more pages) to manage multiple projects and an at-times overwhelming number of tasks, and I gradually fell out of the habit of regular pocket carry.

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve spent a lot of time reorganizing my home office setup for what looks like a permanent work-from-home situation, and part of that process has involved going back through stacks of old notebooks, papers, files, etc. and determining what could be thrown away, what needed to be kept or archived, and whether I needed to change anything in my current workflow. As I read through years of old pocket notebooks, what struck me was how easy it was to remember things - even specific days seven or eight years ago - simply by reviewing short to-do lists and other notes I made for myself. Next thing I knew, a couple of hours had passed and I decided that I was going to pick the hobby back up.

2013-2015 were peak “pocket notebook” years for me. I miss having this informal “daily record,” and plan to pick up the practice once again.

Unlike traditional journaling or commonplacing, my pocket notebooks don’t have any set format, and mostly amount to a collection of short lists, reminders, and random stream-of-consciousness jottings. These notebooks essentially serve the same purpose as scratch paper, only I have all of my random musings gathered together in one place as opposed to scattered around my desk on post-its and the backs of old grocery lists. Here I’ve put together a set of links to various pocket notebooks and pocket notebook accessories I’ve used over the years, including many available for purchase in the TGS Curated Shop. Enjoy!

The TGS Patreon Program and sales through The Curated Shop are how I fund The Gentleman Stationer. Your support is greatly appreciated! Any third-party links here are NOT affiliate links and unpaid.

Field Notes Archival Wooden Box. I finally added a Field Notes Archival Box to my personal collection, which let me get these stacks of filled notebooks off my bookshelf and into some discernible order. The set comes with dividers that you can use to organize your collection (I went with organization by years), as well as a Field Notes “band of rubber.”
Field Notes Pocket Notebooks. I carried Field Notes exclusively for years, but as I moved into larger format notebooks, and didn’t use as many, I allowed my subscription to lapse. I’m still working my way through what I’d call a “backlog,” and the unused pocket notebooks pictured in my . That said, if you’re in need of Field Notes, or a new pocket carry enthusiast looking to stock up, I now carry the full line.
Write Notepads Copper Anniversary Edition Pocket Notebooks. For fountain pen enthusiasts who don’t want to carry anything else, it can be hard to find a pocket notebook containing paper that will hold up to any pen or ink you can throw at it. These Write Notepads pocket notebooks will do the trick (plus they still fit in the Field Notes Archival Box).
Lamy Pico Ballpoint Pen (via Vanness Pens). Lamy makes one of my favorite pocket ballpoints of all time, the extendable Lamy Pico. Not only does it have a great refill, but the pen itself is comfortable to write with for extended periods of time - rare for a ballpoint this compact. Read my review here.
Caran D’Ache 849 Ballpoint (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). With Retro 51 supposedly winding down operations later this year, which company will replace Retro as your go-to source for fun, reasonably priced pens that work for most people? Caran D’Ache is certainly trying, having released a steady stream of special editions in their 849 Ballpoint. This pen grows on you, and I personally love the fact that the barrel features a hexagonal shape reminiscent of a woodcase pencil.
Rotring 800 Mechanical Pencil (via Pen Chalet). For those who prefer a mechanical pencil, if you’re looking for pocket carry I’d recommend going with something that features a retractable tip. The Rotring 800 generally takes the same shape and build as the legendary Rotring 600, only the retractable pipe means that you won’t stab yourself in the leg when you sit down. Read my review here.
Retro 51 Tornado Rollerball (via Goldspot). In my experience, liquid ink rollerballs tend to bleed and feather on the same level as fountain pens in pocket notebooks, but if you enjoy quirky limited editions you can’t get much better than the Retro 51 Tornado. The sad news is that Retro 51 is closing up shop by the end of the year. Before then, be sure to check out Goldspot’s exclusive “Pizza” Exclusive Limited Edition!
CW&T Pen Type-B. Looking for the ultimate in high-end pocket carry? Consider adding a CW&T Pen Type-B to your rotation. This deliberately “over-engineered”, indestructible masterpiece of industrial design features Pilot’s Hi-Tec-C needlepoint gel refill, and could almost certainly be the last pen you’d ever need. (Not that it would be. We all know how that works.) Read my review here.
Pokka Pens. Or perhaps you’d prefer a pen that you don’t have to worry about losing. Designed as an easily replaceable version of the Fisher Space Pen “Bullet” Pen, the Pokka sells in packs of three in a wide range of fun colors. I have these scattered all over my house, in my car, and even one on my keychain (look for these new accessories soon).
Schon DSGN “Pocket Six” Fountain Pen (via Schon DSGN). Last but not least, pocket pen impresario Ian Schon has added a fountain pen to his lineup of everyday carry writing instruments. He’s currently offering an “online pen show” of sorts, with the Pocket Six available in a wide range of cool colors. Stay tuned for my review of this epic new addition to my pocket writing arsenal, coming soon.

A Hot Streak for Blackwing

July 29, 2020

A few weeks back I wrote a piece on my top 10 Blackwing Volumes editions, but I may have spoken too soon because, wow, since then I’ve had an opportunity to get my hands on some really good pencils. Technically, two editions I plan to discuss today aren’t part of the “Volumes” subscription program. Rather, they’re either special releases Blackwing has issued with select retail partners (i.e., the Philadelphia Museum of Art) or a special “throwback” edition released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Blackwing’s revival (the “Blackwing Eras” pencil).

From top: Blackwing Volume 840 (“Surf”); Blackwing x Philadelphia Museum of Art (“Diana”); Blackwing Volume 3 (“Ravi Shankar”); and Blackwing Eras

The Blackwing Eras Is Now My Favorite Blackwing Released to Date

Yes, even more than my beloved Blackwing 344 (Dorothea Lange). With the “Eras” release, Blackwing set out to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the brand’s 2010 “revival” by releasing a pencil that pays “homage to the past and celebration of the future of Blackwing”, borrowing throwback design elements from vintage Blackwing pencils. The Eras feature a dark grey barrel, the “iconic dark grey ferrule with gold stripe,” a darker gold imprint, a red eraser reminiscent of a vintage Pink Pearl, and the extra-firm graphite core. To be perfectly honest, I prefer the look of the Blackwing Eras over the look of the current Blackwing 602, from the darker lacquer and ferrule to the slightly different tone on the imprint and eraser. The extra-firm graphite has become a favorite, and by including it in the Eras edition, Blackwing is apparently confirming what many have said: that it’s the closest approximation to the graphite formulation used in the original pencil.

If you’re a Blackwing fan, get yourself at least one pack of these pencils. While I personally would love it if Blackwing replaced the current 602 with the Eras (or at least updated the 602 to incorporate the retro design elements of the Eras), this pencil is billed as a limited edition. The pencils have not hit retailers yet, but you can order directly from Blackwing.

Other Recent Releases Aren’t So Shabby Either

At the time I published my “Top 10” post, I was still awaiting the arrival of Blackwing Volume 3: the Ravi Shankar edition. The matte yellow finish (“turmeric”, according to Blackwing) showcases an overlaid pattern inspired by the design of one of Ravi Shankar’s sitars. While this pencil might not be exactly what those clamoring for a yellow Blackwing were expecting, I found the execution on this pencil superb, and it also features the popular extra-firm graphite.

I found two other recent arrivals very well done pencils, but they do feature the “balanced” (i.e., Blackwing Pearl") core that people either love or hate. I’m ambivalent - the balanced core isn’t my favorite, but I don’t hate it either, especially when it’s packaged in great looking editions like the Blackwing x PMA Diana from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Blackwing Volumes 840 “Surf” edition. The Diana pencils feature a monochromatic gold scheme inspired by August Saint-Gaudens’ sculpture of Diana housed in the PMA’s Great Stair Hall. It’s a standard edition that can be purchased from the Philadelphia Museum of Art online or in the museum gift shop. The sea green and gold “Surf” pencil, inspired by surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku, is unfortunately no longer available directly from Blackwing, but some retailers still have remaining stock, and Blackwing is still selling three-packs of the Volume 840 “Clutch” Pocket Notebook Set.

A Note on Blackwing’s New Packaging: Bring Back the Flat Pack

One thing I’m NOT crazy about is Blackwing’s new retail packaging, which I saw for the first time at the National Stationery Show back in January. As part of a recent brand refresh, Blackwing discontinued it’s “flat pack” box in favor of new “vertical” packaging that was plainly designed to make it easier for brick-and-mortar retailers to display the pencils. While the box looks great on a shelf, it’s less convenient for the customer who purchases multiple boxes, because storing these things takes up more space than the old flat box, which packed perfectly into drawers. Most enthusiasts have had a similar reaction to the new packaging, but given how much Blackwing has invested in the rebrand, I’m not sure anything will change. You can’t have it all!

On the other hand, if you want to keep an entire box of Blackwings on your desk, the new box does serve as a nice pencil cup.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pencils featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. I was not compensated in any way for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Quarantine-Reading-Books-Commonplace-Book

Personal Journaling Setup Part 2: Revisiting the Commonplace Book

July 25, 2020

One of the (admittedly few) benefits of the lockdown earlier this year was that all the time at home really jumpstarted my reading. Without a daily commute, I find myself with blocks of unoccupied “extra” hours for the first time in years. I’ve tried to fill most of it with constructive activity like reading, a favorite pastime that I’ve neglected over the years as we’ve all been pushed increasingly online. It’s also given me the opportunity to address an issue that’s concerned me for some time: I feel like I don’t have a good system for organizing and retaining what I read, particularly nonfiction. This, to me, presents a real problem and a serious opportunity to put the pens and paper I love to actual use in real life. The solution is obvious - start a commonplace book - but with so many options out there for tracking and organizing information, both analogue and digital, where do you even begin?

What Is a Commonplace Book?

A commonplace book, in its most basic form, is a type of scrapbook in which you record quotations, passages, aphorisms, notes, and more from your reading. Think of it as your own personalized encyclopedia, curated from the books, articles, or whatever other inputs you process throughout the day. A commonplace book is distinct from a traditional journal in that you record information, as opposed to serving as a place for thoughts and reflections.

Commonplace books have been around since the Renaissance, use by writers and scholars from Isaac Newton to Mark Twain to Virginia Woolf. Originally, of course, commonplace books were actual books. Today, modern practitioners use everything from index cards organized in boxes to digital apps. I don’t plan to address the digital option - part of the reason why I’m drawn to the idea of a commonplace book is because I process and retain information much better when I write it down by hand. That really leaves me with two options: notecards and notebooks. While each has its own advantages in terms of ease of organization and indexing (notecards) and long-term durability (notebooks), it probably won’t surprise most readers to hear that I’m a notebook guy.

When I read, I typically take notes in the margins or in a pocket notebook, and if it’s a key passage I want to remember (or, going forward, record in my commonplace book), I’ll mark the passage with a Book Dart.

Why a Notebook?

Honestly? Mainly because I’m a creature of habit. I enjoy the act of writing in a notebook, I’ve become accustomed over the years to jotting stuff down on loosely indexed pages, and I’m not doing academic research or organizing large amounts of information for a longer writing project. If you fall into the latter category, you probably really want to consider index cards, or even a digital option, because it will make it much easier to track sources for attribution, etc. My own commonplace book will be for my personal enjoyment and to source material for the occasional blog post, so I can live with the inefficiencies.

One thing I love about Write Notepads’ new Classic Hardcover is that you can easily maintain a continuous matching set as you fill up notebooks, or separate your notes by subject matter using different colors.

More Importantly, Which Notebook?

The answer to this question is: whatever notebook you will use regularly. Find something that’s relatively portable, contains paper versatile enough to use with the full range of writing instruments you use in a typical day, and finally, isn’t so nice that you’ll be afraid to use it. Most importantly, choose something durable that will hold up over time. Personally, my notebook of choice is a Write Notepads Classic Hardcover Notebook (which, full disclosure, I sell in my shop). Not only does this casebound hardcover notebook contain high quality, versatile paper, but the cover will hold up to repeated perusing over the years, and the notebook stores nicely on a shelf. If you like to organize your reading notes into volumes by subject, as many people do, it’s easy to pick up a matching set of notebooks, and you can even use different colors to signify subject matter. Other great options to consider are the Baron Fig Confidant and the MOO Hardcover Notebook. But use whatever you want - I write here about my own personal preferences, and as I always say on this blog, the key is to find something that works for YOU.

I plan to track my commonplace book project moving forward, either on Instagram or here on the blog. In addition to writing out quotes and passages that I find meaningful to me, I may even incorporate clippings from articles or paper notes. I’ve been following with interest Brad’s visual journal project over at the Pen Addict, and I’ve got the glue sticks and Washi Tape. If only I could find decent pair of scissors….