Can You Write With a Leadholder? I do!

November 14, 2020

Lead holders or “clutch pencils” are an overlooked and under-appreciated category of stationery, sitting in a strange twilight zone between woodcase and mechanical pencils. Despite many different options on the market, these pencils have garnered a reputation as artist’s or draftman’s tools, unsuitable for writing. That’s actually not the case at all, and I keep several on hand that I use regularly (and almost solely for writing).

Nearly all leadholders use a “clutch” mechanism to hold the lead, meaning that you depress the knock to release the button and the lead drops out via gravity, as opposed to a traditional mechanical pencil in which the lead advances a predetermined d… — Nearly all leadholders use a “clutch” mechanism to hold the lead, meaning that you depress the knock to release the button and the lead drops out via gravity, as opposed to a traditional mechanical pencil in which the lead advances a predetermined distance after each click. After sharpening the lead, you must reopen the clutch and push it back in.

A key difference between a lead holder pencil and a standard mechanical pencil is the diameter of the graphite. Lead holders typically use either 2mm or 3mm leads, whereas your traditional mechanical pencil uses leads with a much smaller diameter ranging from .2mm to .9mm, with the most popular sizes being .5mm or .7mm. If you write with heavier pressure, and find yourself constantly breaking standard mechanical pencil leads, a larger-diameter lead holder pencil will likely suit you better. I also prefer these larger leads because they offer the line variation and legibility of a woodcase pencil. (I’m often told that my handwriting degenerates into an unreadable scrawl when I write with mechanical pencils.)

.2mm lead refills. You refill a lead holder by feeding the lead into the front of the pencil. Most hold one lead at at time.

The downside? The clutch mechanism is a bit clumsier than a standard mechanical pencil, and you need to sharpen a lead holder much like you need to sharpen a woodcase pencil. You typically use a “lead pointer” instead of a standard pencil sharpener, with some lead holders, such as the Caran d’Ache Fixpencil, incorporating a sharpener/pointer into the nock or button. While you won’t have to deal with a large volume of wood shavings, the graphite dust from lead pointers can get messy very quickly. I always try to sharpen directly over a garbage can.

And, yes, some brands make blue and red leads (but these are used mainly for drawing and drafting).

Another consideration when choosing a lead holder is shape and weight. Those intended strictly for drawing and drafting tend to be heavier, and often feature metal knurling on the grip that some find uncomfortable when writing for longer sessions. For this reason, I gravitate towards lead holders that mimic the look and feel of a round or hexagonal woodcase pencil, including Caran d’Ache’s iconic “Fixpencil” pictured above. Fun historical fact: the Fixpencil was originally created as a replacement for standard woodcase pencils due to wartime materials shortages. The idea caught on, and the product has remained in the company’s lineup as one of its longest-running products.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Despite their niche status, leadholders are fairly easy to find. Your local art or office supply store will likely stock leadholders from brands such as Mars and Alvin. Rotring even makes a lead holder version of its Rotring 88 pencil. I currently have three in my personal collection: a Sierra “Slip-On” that I purchased at Kinokuniya in NYC, the “Sostanza” Kickstarter pencil from a few years ago, and a Caran d’Ache Fixpencil.

Because I find them more versatile and among the most comfortable to use for traditional writing, the Fixpencils are my favorite, and for that reason I’ve chosen to stock them in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. I have both the standard matte black Fixpencil with a black, red, or blue button, as well as the Fixpencil 884 or “JR”, which is the same size and comes in blue, red, and green. The different Fixpencil versions are priced at $24.50 and $22.00, respectively. Refill leads are also available in HB, 2H, and 2B.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized reseller of Caran d’Ache products, as well as any other products featured in the T.G.S. Curated Shop.

Worth the Hype? A Close Look at a Montblanc Writers Edition (Virginia Woolf)

November 7, 2020

Though the difference in price and hype is perhaps less pronounced than when the series was first introduced, few limited edition fountain pens attract the same level of attention as Montblanc’s annual “Writers Edition” releases. Typically, Montblanc releases a pen design inspired by the life and work of a particular novelist or poet. For example, this year’s “Homage to Victor Hugo” limited edition features a cap “decorated with gothic arches in relief, and the end of the clip, which is shaped like the clapper of a bell, recall[ing] the the bell ringer Quasimodo and the Bells of Notre-Dame.” Montblanc also engraves the writer’s signature somewhere on the pen, usually on the barrel.

Montblanc-Virginia-Woolf-Fountain-Pen-Cap

The designs themselves either appeal to you or they don’t. Personally, I find most of the Montblanc Writers Edition pens either (1) too large, or (2) too gaudy, especially those released in recent years. My personal favorites are the older editions, and I have two in my collection: Virginia Woolf (2006), which I review here, and Charles Dickens (2001), which I plan to address in a separate post.

The snowcap on my pen has an off-white patina, and I don’t know whether this is by design or whether it has developed as the pen ages.

The Montblanc Virginia Woolf Writers Edition fountain pen is, to me, a perfect example of a Writers Edition pen that one can easily use for, well, actual writing. At roughly the size of a Montblanc 146, the pen itself is not too large. The Virginia Woolf edition also features a contoured barrel comfortable to use posted or unposted. When I’ve shown pictures of this pen in the past, readers have asked whether it’s a Bonheur, the so-called “pen for women,” and while it’s not, there is a resemblance, particularly with the cap. Due to the similarities, some regard this as a “gendered pen” unsuitable for a man to use, which is of course absurd.

Finally, I appreciate the understated manner in which Montblanc incorporated references to Woolf’s life and work into the pen’s design. The black barrel is engraved with a guilloche pattern, a reference to her novel “The Waves,” and the nib features an engraving of the two elm trees under which she is buried. Her signature appears subtly engraved on the gold piston knob.

Each Writer’s Edition features a custom engraved nib.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Virginia Woolf Writers Edition is not just one of my favorite Montblanc Writers Editions, it’s one of my favorite Montblancs in my current collection. I have a hard time leaving this one un-inked. I’ve previously written multiple times about how Montblanc stock broad nibs tend to be stubbish, and this one is no exception. It’s also tuned perfectly, which either shows how Montblanc pays closer attention to the Writers Edition nibs before they go out the door, or that older Montblanc pens in general were subject to better quality control practices. This particular pen wrote exceptionally well out of the box, without any skipping or “baby’s bottom” issues you sometimes see with stock Montblanc nibs.

One of the more polarizing design choices on this pen is the ruby on the clip. I like it, and find that it adds a touch of color to an otherwise very traditional black-with-gold-trim design scheme.

Unfortunately, the Virginia Woolf Writers Edition dates to 2006, so if you’re looking to pick one up you likely need to search the secondary market for used or N.O.S. (new old stock) items. I found this one during a Black Friday sale last year, where a European retailer (I believe La Couronne du Comte) had several older N.O.S. Writers Edition pens available for purchase. Today, many different options exist, but in the U.S. the retailers who typically have the largest selection at any given time are Chatterly Luxuries and The Pen Show. You can always take your chances on eBay, but be aware that Montblanc pens are heavily counterfeited and you should only purchase from a reputable seller. Personally, for pens in this price range (anywhere from $600 to $1500), I would only purchase online from known pen dealers with a reputation for standing behind their products, or else wait until pen shows resume and you can inspect potential acquisitions in person.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. I did not receive a discount on this purchase other than coupon codes available to the public. This post does not contain affiliate links.

Pens shown from left, in the order they are listed below.

Five Favorites for Fountain Pen Day (and My Own Personal Distraction)

November 4, 2020

Since yesterday started out as extraordinarily unproductive, I spent the morning cleaning out far too many inked fountain pens (seriously, I had no idea how many I had inked up) and filling five of my personal favorites in celebration of Fountain Pen Day, which is this Friday! Here’s what I chose, with a link to the corresponding review and, if possible, where you can still buy the pen if it’s not a special or limited edition:

Montblanc 149 Red Gold. The size of the Montblanc 149 has grown on me over time, and whether or not the pen works for you personally, you can’t deny that it’s an icon. As with another pen on this list, this one features a stock Montblanc broad nib, which actually writes more like a stub, and is in fact one of the best stub nibs in my collection.
Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black Edition. I’ve let this favorite sit for far too long. Not only is the Sailor “HF" (hard fine) one of my favorite nibs, but the size fits my hand perfectly when the pen is posted. I’ll never let this one go, as this particular pen carries special meaning. And yes everyone, seven years later, the black ion plating on the nib and trim is still intact.
Pelikan M800 Stone Garden. One of my favorite special edition releases from 2018, Stone Garden is still, aesthetically, my favorite M800 and one of the Pelikans I would likely keep if I ever considered seriously downsizing my collection. Oddly enough, this Pelikan still hasn’t sold out at select retailers, sometimes at a discount.
Montegrappa Miya. A relatively recent pickup from this year’s Baltimore Pen Show, I decided to swap in a 14k medium nib in place of the 14k Flex and now this pen is a perfect everyday writer. As I mentioned in my original review, the Miya is one of the most well-balanced luxury fountain pens out there, and I hope Montegrappa decides to do more with this particular shape and design. While this celluloid variant is pricey, Montegrappa has been experimenting with different materials, including acrylics that are paired with stainless steel JoWo nibs.
Montblanc Virginia Woolf Writer’s Edition. I have two of Montblanc’s “Writers Edition” fountain pens, both purchased as N.O.S. years after their initial release. The textured and contoured Virginia Woolf edition won’t be for everyone aesthetically, but again, you can’t argue with the Montblanc stock broad nib. The stubbish nib on this pen is even better than the broad nib on my 149, and I’ve heard rumors that Montblanc pays extra close attention to the Writers Edition nibs (or at least they used to). (Long-discontinued Limited Edition)

How are you planning to celebrate Fountain Pen Day? I’m hoping for a calm evening enjoying my pens and journals. I have a feeling we’ll all need it.

Fountain Pen Day Special

This Friday, I will be running a special promotion in the T.G.S. Curated Shop that will be announced in tomorrow’s Deals & Drops. If you don’t feel like waiting, ALL orders this week will receive a complimentary T.G.S. Stencilboard Bookmark. For other Fountain Pen Day celebration specials, be sure to check the “Sponsors” page on the Fountain Pen Day website for additional specials and promotions.

Sailor 1911 Compass: A True Entry Level Contender?

October 31, 2020

As bad as 2020 has been, it’s actually been a very good year for pen releases, and I’ve managed to go for a while without a “disappointing” review. Well, here we go. I’ll start off by saying that the Sailor 1911 Compass isn’t a bad pen. It’s fine - comfortable size, decent nib, and attractive colors - but it doesn’t meet the standard of what I personally have come to expect from Sailor, especially at the $40-50 price point.

For my review, I chose the transparent Amber acrylic. From a pure aesthetic standpoint, the 1911 Compass is an attractive pen, and comes available in a wide range of color options, which also include olive green, yellow, green, purple, blue, red, an… — For my review, I chose the transparent Amber acrylic. From a pure aesthetic standpoint, the 1911 Compass is an attractive pen, and comes available in a wide range of color options, which also include olive green, yellow, green, purple, blue, red, and pink.

Sailor bills the 1911 Compass as an “entry level” pen, with a MSRP of $49 and an actual retail price around $39. For that, you get a colorful transparent acrylic fountain pen with what Sailor describes as a “proprietary” steel nib and clear plastic feed. To their credit, Sailor has opted to include one of their converters with the 1911 Compass, so that you don’t have to eat an additional $8 on top of the price of the pen. However, I’m still not sure that it saves the 1911 Compass as a value proposition.

I get hung up on the nib. Unfortunately for Sailor, much better stainless steel nibs exist at lower price points, and this one simply doesn’t live up to Sailor’s reputation. Platinum has the most experience with pens in this market segment, and the Platinum Plaisir, which retails for as low as $17.50, is in my experience a smoother writer. While the nib on my 1911 Compass isn’t bad, it does sit on the border between toothy and scratchy, and would lose in a head-to-head contest with the Plaisir. On the Compass, as others have noted, you definitely have to rotate the pen a bit to find a sweet spot. I did not notice any ink flow issues, however, even with relatively dry Sailor Rikyu-Cha.

The nib on the 1911 Compass is very simple, with a stamped Sailor “anchor” logo. The design looks more inexpensive than the pen actually is.

You don’t see many transparent plastic feeds these days. It’s a neat addition, but again I’m not sure it alone causes the Compass to stand out. (Note that the feed appears darker here due to the Rikyu-Cha ink color.

The Compass comes in one nib size, Medium-Fine.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Sailor has proven in the past that they can make exceptional steel nib pens, but this isn’t one of them. Again, the Sailor 1911 Compass is a serviceable writer, and it’s even somewhat attractive, but I have a hard time envisioning a scenario where I would recommend this as an “entry level” pen for a budding fountain pen enthusiast. Typically, I try to avoid making categorical statements about whether a pen is “worth it” or not, but here it’s difficult to justify $40-50 for the Compass where there are pens with better nibs available for about half that, particularly in Platinum’s lineup. Personally, I would prefer to see Sailor focus their efforts on the $75-100 segment, with pens like the Reglus that I reviewed a couple years ago which has a completely different, luxury feel for not that much more money.

Many thanks to site sponsor Goldspot for providing this Sailor 1911 Compass for review. Goldspot carries the entire lineup of Sailor pens, including not only the 1911 Compass but also a range of exclusive editions such as the Pro Gear “British Racing Green,” one of the best-looking Sailor store exclusives that I’ve seen.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors, but the links are not affiliate links in that I do not earn money from referrals.

Deals & Drops: Mazzuoli Nobile ITALIA, Maiora Impronte, and the ENSSO Aria

October 29, 2020

Lots of news to report this week, including the return of the Mazzuoli Nobile ITALIA ballpoint pens and WMS & Co. Sterling Page markers to the Curated Shop, as well as the launch of the ENSSO “Aria", a new Kickstarter project bringing ENSSO’s minimalist design to the everyman’s BIC refill. Keep an eye on the shop for new items that I’ve ordered in advance of the holidays, and I’ll also be spotlighting lots of new releases and promotions from friends and sponsors in the weeks to come. [UPDATE: I’ve also added limited edition Caran d’Ache + Paul Smith Supracolor Colored Pencil Sets, as well as the new Write Notepads Memo Pad! Don’t miss these.]

Modern Page Markers

CdA Claim Your Style

Write Chesapeake

All domestic Curated Shop orders over $75, and international orders over $250, ship free! Domestic shipping rates range from $4.50 to a max of $8, depending on weight. Heavier orders will ship USPS Priority Mail or UPS.

The TGS Patreon Program and sales through The Curated Shop are how I fund The Gentleman Stationer. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Mazzuoli Nobile ITALIA Ballpoints (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). After my last order sold out in 30 minutes, I restocked these highly ergonomic ballpoints that also ship with a mechanical pencil insert. Read more about the history behind the design, which is inspired by airships from the early 20th Century. Available in four colors.
Maiora Impronte Fountain Pens (via Vanness Pens). Maiora fountain pens share heritage with Leonardo, in that both companies were founded by former employees of Delta, and the influence shows. Vanness has sent me some of these pens for review and I hope to have a review up in the coming weeks.
ENSSO Aria (via Kickstarter/ENSSO). Another dedicated housing for BIC refills? Count me in. The new ENSSO Aria looks to apply ENSSO’s minimalist design philosophy to the common BIC ballpoint refill, which is always a favorite!
CW&T Pen Type-B (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). As I build up my inventory of high-quality, durable everyday writers that will serve you well for years to come, I don’t want to let a modern classic get lost in the shuffle. Superfans of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C gel refill, and needle-tip gel pens in general, need to give this pen a look. Check out my write-up here.
WMS + Co. Sterling Silver Modern Page Markers (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). Looking for an excellent gift idea for the upcoming holidays, or a high-end bookmark to jumpstart your reading during what might be a long winter indoors? Check out these page markers, which are larger than the Silver Page Points but smaller than the Folded Book Weights.
Write Notepads Copper Anniversary Edition Pocket Notebooks (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). I recently tried to order more of one of the most fountain pen friendly pocket notebooks on the market, but they are sold out and I worry the “Anniversary Edition” might be limited. Hopefully Write has something different in store using this same great paper, but for the time being I still have a few packs in stock. If you’re a fan of the PUR bound format, I do have Chesapeake notebooks in stock.
Caran d’Ache “Claim Your Style” Edition No. 2 (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). I still have Caran d’Ache 849 Claim Your Style pens in most colors, with the blues and the pink being my personal favorites. The 849 is an excellent everyday writing instrument in the sub-$50 category (or even less, for the standard version).
Caran d’Ache Annotation Pencils (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). A mentioned above, I now offer these by the dozen as well as by individual pencil. I rarely read a book without one of these pencils tucked in the back. Sometimes I’ll opt for the highlighter version.
Star Wars Pens on Sale (via Goldspot). Goldspot’s “Weekly Dip” features a sale on Star Wars pens, including releases from the Sheaffer “Pop” and Cross “Click” series. All of these are solid everyday writers that won’t break the bank.