Sunday Reading for May 2, 2021

1. Galen Stack and Store Pen Trays: Great if You Come with the Right Expectations (via UK Fountain Pens). Stackable pen trays are a category of storage options that really have been limited to the serious collector. Galen’s new option looks interesting, though the finish seems a bit rough. Like most Galen products, I expect it will improve as they make more.

2. High Street Fountain Pens for a Fiver (via Dapprman). I must say, this is quite an impressive collection of inexpensive fountain pens that can be purchased in standard office supply stores. Options in the U.S. are much more limited, especially where I am.

3. Galen Leather Tomoe River Notebook (via Pencilcase Blog). Dries reviews Galen’s leather-bound Tomoe River notebook, which is one of a few ways you can still get your fix of old Tomoe River paper.

4. What’s in a Name? Featuring the Fountain Pen Revolution Quickdraw (via Penquisition). I’ve never used a pen from Fountain Pen Revolution, but they’ve received much praise in the past from those who like their flexible steel nibs, and now they apparently have a stub.

5. Custom Paper Sample Pack Updates (via Fountain Pen Love). If you didn’t know, John offers sample packs of fountain pen friendly paper in his shop. He’s recently updated his offerings to include additional varieties.

6. Pencils!?!?!? (via FP Quest). Curiously, the reason that I enjoy using pencils is because they aren’t fountain pens. Sometimes I find myself getting distracted by whatever pen I’m using, and I just want to write with something different to force myself to refocus.

7. Colorverse: The Standard Model (via Well-Appointed Desk). I picked one of these up last year, and have yet to make my way through it. I was actually surprised to see that none of the inks inside were glistening, which should make them all highly usable to me. Need to crack it open!

8. Montblanc Homage to Napoléon Bonaparte Blue Ink (via Gourmet Pens). This looks like a very attractive ink, but it sometimes seems like Montblanc has really focused on standard blues in their special and limited edition ink series.

9. Some Housekeeping Out of Hanover (via Pelikan’s Perch). I was not planning to pick up one of this year’s M205 releases, but this is an odd development. It will be interesting to see how people react once the actual pens are in-hand.

10. TRU RED Explore Journal Review (via Pen Addict). Staples.com sent me some samples of TRU RED products for review, and after reading Brad’s write-up I’m intrigued to dive into this particular notebook, especially after my fairly good experience with some of their other products I’ve reviewed.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, the big news was that I revamped my “Best Pen” Recommendations for 2021. This is the first time in a couple of years that several of the lists saw significant changes, including some new additions to my “Personal Favorites.” I also published Part II of my “Exploring Iroshizuku” series, reviewing Asa-Gao, Murasaki-Shikibu, and Ajisai, the latter two being inks I’ve never really uses much, if at all. Finally, since I’m now an authorized retailer of TWSBI products, I went ahead and swabbed all of the TWSBI Inks, including not only their standard lineup but also the Six Ink Set. This week’s Deals & Drops post featured the new “Honokalani Maile Lei” fountain pen from Kanilea Pen Company, as well as several restock notifications from the Curated Shop and elsewhere.

This Week in the Curated Shop

I recently received a large restock of Midori MD Notebooks and covers, Tombow and Uni Woodcase Pencils, and TWSBI Fountain Pens and Ink. I have exactly one remaining Caran d’Ache Ecridor Racing Pencil, as well as one remaining Klein Blue Léman Fountain Pen (with the limited edition ink). Look for some fun new products to arrive in the coming weeks, which I will list as I receive them!

TWSBI Eco

TWSBI 580 Rose Gold

Caran d'Ache 849

Pencils!

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups, which took place on Friday and was a lot of fun. We discussed our thoughts on pen shows restarting, recent arrivals in our personal collections, and more. I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!

It's That Time Again! Updated 2021 "Best Pen" Recommendations Are Live

Every year, around this same time, I update the “Best Pen” recommendations to account for new releases, discontinuations, price increases, industry developments, and changes in my own use preferences. For the 2021 update (which coincides with the recent 8th “Bloggiversary” of T.G.S.), I’ve made some fairly significant overhauls to the page, particularly the “Best Fountain Pens Under $100,” “Personal Favorites,” “Pocket Pens,” and “Refillable Rollerballs and Ballpoints.” Here are some highlights:

• Opus 88 and PenBBS have made appearances as core recommendations in a couple of places. I’ve spent enough time with both brands to feel comfortable recommending them, though with PenBBS I generally shy away from anything other than the cartridge converter, eyedropper, or vacuum fillers, due to reliability issues with the more “experimental” filling systems.

• The Schon DSGN Pocket Six fountain pen and the Traveler’s Company Brass Pens make appearances on the “Pocket Pens” list. I love both designs and it’s rare that I don’t have one or the other inked up and in rotation at any given time.

• I’ve completely reworked my “Personal Favorites” list, which swaps out the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande for the standard Momento Zero, adds the Kanilea Pen Co. “Classic Flush” design, and brings back the Pilot Custom 823.

You can read the rest of this year’s “Best Pens” lists here, and as always, I’ve left the lists from the past several years live so that you can see how my tastes and recommendations have evolved over time. Enjoy!

Workhorse Inks: Exploring Iroshizuku, Part II (Asa-Gao, Murasaki-Shikibu, and Aji-Sai)

Today I’ll delve further into Pilot’s Iroshizuku line, looking at three more inks from Pilot’s luxury ink brand. One of these, Asa-Gao (“Morning Glory”), has served as a core blue ink for me over the years, while the other two are inks with which I have relatively little experience: Muraskai-Shikibu (“Japanese Beautyberry”) and Ajisai (“Hydrangea”). All three are in the blue-purple family, with Asa-Gao being the most blue, Murasaki-Shikibu the most purple, and Ajisai a hybrid of the two.

Three writing samples compared, top to bottom: Asa-Gao, Murasaki-Shikibu, and Ajisai. All writing samples are done on Midori MD Cotton paper, which is now back in stock in The Curated Shop! Pens used for writing samples include a TWSBI Diamond 580 (Asa-Gao), a PenBBS 456 Vacuum Filler (Murasaki-Shikibu), and a TWSBI Vac 700R Iris (Ajisai).

Asa-Gao (“Morning Glory”)

I’m not particularly subjective here: Iroshizuku Asa-Gao is one of my favorite inks of all time. A rich royal blue that sometimes shows just the slightest hint of purple, it’s the ultimate workhorse ink because it’s not only gorgeous, but a well-behaved, non-distracting color that will look just as good in your journal as it does in the office. I’ve also found Asa-Gao less likely to take on that faded, washed-out look that some basic blue inks adopt as they dry. Though I haven’t made my way though the entire lineup yet, I can’t imagine liking any two Iroshizuku inks better than Asa-Gao and Yama-Budo.

Iroshizuku Asa-Gao: A “safe” blue ink that really pops.

Murasaki-Shikibu (“Japanese Beautyberry”)

The next two inks, Murasaki Shikibu and Ajisai, fall into the category of inks that I’m probably less likely to use on a regular basis, but are still excellent choices if you like the colors and appreciate shading. Murasaki-Shikibu, the “core purple” of the Iroshizuku lineup, offers a less-saturated purple option for those who love purple inks but perhaps don’t love using them in clear demonstrators, where they can be difficult to clean and even have a tendency to stain. (I’m looking at you, Waterman Violet - sorry, “Tender Purple.”)

Ajisai (“Hydrangea”)

Ajisai was a pleasant surprise! Like Murasaki-Shikibu, Ajisai is a softer color that shades nicely. Online reviews and ink swatches unfortunately tend to show Ajisai as much more washed out than the ink actually is. On more absorbent paper, the color is quite legible, to the point where I can see myself using this one regularly. I also have several massive hydrangea bushes in my yard, and can confirm that Pilot absolutely nailed the color match with a blue-purple hydrangea bloom. (Fun fact: Hydrangea blooms are either pink or blue, depending on the pH of your soil, so you can change the look of your garden with additives!)

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In certain light, you can almost detect a touch of double-shading (i.e., when the ink shades in more than one color) in Ajisai. The lighter area of this swab shows the slightest hint of purple.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The deeper I go into the ink line, the more I love Pilot Iroshizuku. Prior to this year, I had never given much thought to Murasaki-Shikibu or Ajisai, and both ended up as inks that I could easily introduce into the regular rotation. One goal of this longer-term project is to evaluate Iroshizuku as a solution for those looking for perhaps not “one ink,” but a single ink brand from which they can select any color and expect consistent performance across the line. So far, so good!

As of 2023, The T.G.S. Curated Ship is able to offer you Pilot pens and inks directly, including the entire Iroshizuku lineup. We currently carry the 50ml bottles of ink, priced at $24.

Further Reading

Check out Part I of this series here, in which I look at Yama-Budo (Crimson Glory Vine), Shin-Ryoku (Forest Green), and Kon-Peki (Deep Cerulean Blue). I have most of the other inks in this series and will be working my way through them as I write my pens dry and need to refill.

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 no longer participate in third-party affiliate programs.

In the Curated Shop: TWSBI Inks (Swatches Included!)

While most are familiar with TWSBI pens, the TWSBI ink lineup receives less attention. TWSBI initially released a series of basic colors - Black, Blue-Black, Blue, and Red - in 70 ml bottles, and later added “Midnight Blue.” If you’re looking for work and wallet-friendly inks in an attractive frosted bottle, consider these. The blue-black has some water resistance, and I’ve found that it’s a great ink for the office because (like many traditional blue-black inks) it writes well on cheaper paper, even in broader nibs.

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What’s the difference between “Midnight Blue” and “Blue-Black”? Midnight Blue lacks the water-resistance of the Blue-Black, but definitely leans more blue, whereas Blue-Black has more steel grey undertones.

TWSBI later released a series of six brighter colors in 18ml bottles: Emerald Green, Prairie Green, Royal Purple, Sky Blue, Orange, and Pink. What surprised me about these inks is the saturation. When I first saw the announcement, I expected colors such as Prairie Green, Sky Blue, and Pink to look a bit washed out, but I was pleasantly surprised at how bright and legible they are.

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You can currently purchase 70ml bottles of TWSBI Ink individually in the Curated Shop for $15.99, along with a set of six 18ml bottles for $34.99. If you’re an experienced fountain pen user, these are well-behaved inks that should cover most of your writing needs. If you’re purchasing your first fountain pen or new to bottled ink, the six-bottle set is a great way to experiment with the wide range of available ink colors and broaden your horizons beyond black and blue! Remember that TWSBI pens only fill from the bottle, so if you pick one up be sure to grab some ink to go along with it.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of TWSBI and all brands sold in The T.G.S. Curated Shop.

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All ink swatches done with a q-tip in a Write Notepads Dot Grid Notebook, exceptionally ink friendly paper that showed no feathering or bleed-through even with these wet swabs. Writing samples were done with this glass dip pen purchased from Papier Plume.

Sunday Reading for April 25, 2021

1. Ultem and Urushi (via UK Fountain Pens). Anthony takes a look at two gorgeous new arrivals, both unique and different.

2. Colorverse Season 7 Full Line (via Well-Appointed Desk). Jesi reviews all of the inks in Colorverse Season 7. I’ve given up on trying to keep track of all the different options Colorverse has now, but if you’re a fan of sheen and shimmer inks, be sure to check these out.

3. Desiderata Pen Co. BAMF (via Left Hook Pens). Desiderata, based in Chicago, makes small-batch pens featuring handmade filling systems and a nib section that can accept Zebra G calligraphy nibs.

4. Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pen (via Gourmet Pens). I need to get my hands on one of these once demand settles down. Another hit from Ian!

5. Visiting the Visconti Homo Sapiens Tuscan Hills (via Penquisition). I’m not a huge fan of swirled acrylic - it has to be done exactly right to tempt me - so for that reason I’ve never picked up one of these special edition Homo Sapiens fountain pens. This green one might be the first, but I’d like to see it in person.

6. Esterbrook Journaler Nib (via Rants of the Archer). I didn't realize that the Esterbrook Journaler nib was actually the first of an anticipated series by Esterbrook. The Journals, by Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studios, is a medium stub/cursive italic.

7. Replacing the Sac in My Father’s Parker Duofold Senior (via Dapprman). Learning how to re-sac vintage fountain pens can absolutely change how you approach this hobby, since you no longer have to pay for expensive restoration yourself. Just be sure to read up on instructions before beginning work and leave the extremely valuable/sentimental pens to the pros until you have enough experience.

8. Finished a Pilot Hi-Tec-C Refill (via Writing at Large). Huge accomplishment! I’ve never done this.

9. A Few Thoughts on Getting Started with a Bullet Journal (via Fountain Pen Love). Bullet journaling is wildly popular, but it can be intimidating to get started. John’s guide has suggestions for both techniques and notebooks.

10. Opus 88 Omar (via Pen Addict). Sarah reviews the Omar, Opus 88’s giant “ink tank” of a pen that’s becoming one of my key recommendations for those who want something that will let them write for basically forever.

In Case You Missed It….

The big news from this week is that I did a hands-on post with the relatively recent TWSBI Diamond 580 Smoke and Rose Gold II fountain pen, which I’m now happy to be offering in The Curated Shop. (More on that below). I also updated my previous review revisiting the Pilot G2, to discuss some recommendations for pen bodies that take the G2, plus I figured out how to get a Pentel Energel into my Sunderland Machine Works MK1. Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops featured an Earth Day theme, focusing on Earth-inspired and eco-friendly products.

New In the Curated Shop: TWSBI!

I dropped some big news (well, at least for me) yesterday: I’m now authorized to carry TWSBI and have added certain select products to the shop, including Diamond 580 fountain pens, ECO fountain pens, and bottled inks. In terms of limited and special edition changeovers, I’m down to my last batch of this year’s Caran d’Ache Claim Your Style pens, which won't be coming back after the new ones arrive, and still have a few of the latest Crayons de la Maison Caran d’Ache pencil sets.

TWSBI

Caran d'Ache

Pencils

Notebooks

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups, the next of which will take place this coming Friday, April 30 at 8:00pm Central Time (it got bumped a week due to my second dose of Covid-19 vaccine) and will feature a special announcement. The last few have featured some really fun discussions! I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!