Sunday Reading for September 5, 2021

September 5, 2021

San Francisco Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict). Kimberly, writing her first official show recap for the Pen Addict, has an epic post on what makes the SF Pen Show deserve its moniker, “The Fun Pen Show”. Read this one!
Accounting for the ensso PIUMA Pocket Fountain Pen in Brass (via Penquisition). Julian reviews ensso’s latest entry in the PIUMA fountain pen series, a pocket fountain pen with an interesting design that keeps most of the shape of the larger PIUMA pen.
Ferris Wheel Press Twilight Garden Ink Collection (via Macchiato Man). Ferris Wheel Press has received a lot of attention for their shimmer and paler-colored shading inks that still remain legible. I have these three in my queue for review.
Multi Pen Review: Multi Madness, Part I (via Well-Appointed Desk). Tina has a review of three different multi-pens, including an Acroball with a highlighter component!? I need to get my hands on one of those.
Pineider Metropolis (via Dapprman). Ouch! Pineider’s latest attempt at a “less expensive” pen perhaps falls a bit short?
Tactile Turn Nautilus Quick Review (via Writing at Large). I keep eyeing the Nautilus, and I’m pretty sure I’ll cave, but I guess I still have until September 8 to order one?
Snippets: Newcastle, Onion-skin, Machined Pens, and Pen Meets (via UK Fountain Pens). Anthony has a lot of interesting things going on these days! I need to get my hands on one of those onionskin journals, though I worry I won’t be able to ignore the ghosting for everyday writing.
Scribo Blu Cosmico (via Mountain of Ink). I love Scribo inks, including this very dark blue-black/midnight blue.
Tales of a Vandal Pen Collector: Wrestling with a Writer’s Dozen (via Peaceable Writer). This post does an exceptional job of summarizing exactly why I love to write by hand, and why I love fountain pens.
Classic Pens LB5 Kouseki with Sailor King Eagle Nib (via Gourmet Pens). Azizah has a review of a rare one. Serious nibbage, indeed!

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I first of all recapped my trip to San Francisco for the 2021 San Francisco Pen Show. Al things considered, it was a great show, and look forward to attending next year when hopefully the international vendors can return. I also finished Part VI of my “Mini-Collections” series, in which I swabbed all of the inks in my stash, completing the blacks, greys, browns, and oranges. Finally, I announced the release of the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball, and even posted a short video clip over on my Instagram “Reels” - yes, look at me getting all trendy - to demonstrate the size difference between the Rollerball and the ballpoint.

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This Week in the Curated Shop

As noted in this week’s Deals & Drops, there are a bunch of new arrivals in the Shop, including the limited edition Platinum Preppy Wa, which comes in six unique patterns inspired by traditional Japanese designs. The new Field Notes “Trailhead” edition also has arrived, along with the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball, new Kokuyo hardcover notebooks in the “Trip Book” and “Offset Book” formats, and a full restock on the TWSBI Swipe fountain pen.

CdA 849 Rollerball

Field Notes Trailhead

Preppy Wa

Kokuyo

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For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. We’ve 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 and T.G.S. collaborations, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live and features the inks that I’m selling off as I thin out my personal accumulation.

Mini Collections, Part VI: The Rest of the Inks - Blacks, Greys, Browns, Oranges, and Golds

September 4, 2021

For the last round of ink swabs, I grouped together the five color families of which I have the fewest colors: blacks, greys, browns, oranges, and golds. Of these five, I have the most black inks, followed by browns, then oranges, with greys and golds bringing up back end. What was interesting is that after swatching all of these various inks, the colors I like the most are the greys and the golds - inks I’ve discovered recently and plan to work into my primary rotation.

Key Takeaways and Conclusions

Black Inks. I always have appreciated, and continue to appreciate, a good black ink. But not a solid black, which I find boring. Most black ink enthusiasts know that black inks come in a variety of shades - some have blue, purple, or red undertones, and others dry to a matte finish. the closest ink to a “pure black” in my collection is classic Aurora Black, and while the color is a touch boring to me, it still gets a fair bit of use since it’s such a well-behaved, safe ink, especially for vintage pens. Other favorites include Waterman Black (red undertones), Lamy Black (purple undertones), and Roher & Klingner Leipzeiger Schwartz (blue-green undertones). Some people love Noodler’s Black and Sailor Kiwa-Guro for their waterproof qualities, but in my experience these black inks tend to smear since they are pigmented. I will likely keep the Kiwa-Guro for specific use cases since it smears the least.
Grey Inks. This is where things got interesting. For years, I found all of the grey inks I tried too thin and watery, with the writing barely legible on the page. Recently, however, I’ve discovered several that I enjoy quite a bit. Scribo Grigio is a dark grey with strong steel blue undertones. Vinta Armada is another multi-shader with a blue, green, and even red undertones, depending on the light, and Ferris Wheel Press Madam Mulberry is probably the best purple/grey I’ve ever used. (This latter ink could easily have been included in the purples as well, but since I only recently acquired it I had to group it here.) I don’t currently plan to get rid of any of my grey inks at this time. I’d also appreciate any suggestions for new greys to try!

Brown Inks. I strongly prefer dark brown inks, and pass on the lighter browns or reddish brown shades. Of this batch, I plan to keep the Montblanc Sand of the Desert (from the St. Exupéry collection), Scribo Classico Seppia, and Montblanc Toffee Brown. All of the others will go into the ink sale. I’ve really tried to get into brown inks but the color family, on the whole, just doesn’t appeal to me.
Orange Inks. Pelikan Edelstein Mandarin surprised me the most, with not only its color but its ability to shade. It’s a keeper, as are the legendary Sailor Jentle Apricot and Scribo Arancio di Sicilia. Diamine Deep Dark Orange is the perfect “blood orange” shade, and will stay in the collection for that reason. I’m still thinking on the others, but I doubt they will get enough use to justify keeping them even though they are great inks that survived prior orange ink purges.
Gold Inks. I only have two at the moment, and don’t know whether this category will continue to grow. The two inks I have I really enjoy: Vinta La Paz and Ferris Wheel Press Goose Poupon, both of which are gold inks that lean bronze (La Paz) and green (Goose Poupon). I typically go for darker golds, since they tend to be more legible. The number of colors in this particular range are somewhat limited, so I’m not sure there’s enough variety here that would justify accumulating more.

Ink Clearance Update and Further Reading

I plan to clear out excess inks that I don’t plan to keep in the same way I’ve been doing it. Watch the “Gently Used” Page in the coming days, as I cycle inks through the Patreon first and then move them over to the public page after a week. Some bottles still remain from my prior ink testing marathons, along with vintage pencils and office supplies that I’m clearing out. If you missed the earlier installments in this series, you can check them out below. My attention now turns to figuring out how to archive these posts for future reference, and how to update them.

For all of these ink samples, I’ve used standard q-tips to swab the inks, plus this glass dip pen to do the writing samples. The paper shown here is Write Notepads Dot Grid Memo Pad Paper, which as you can tell is exceptionally ink friendly and relatively inexpensive.

Disclaimer: This post does not contain paid affiliate links. Going forward, T.G.S is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Deals & Drops: Post-Pen Show New Arrivals! Platinum, Field Notes, Caran d'Ache & More

September 2, 2021

There was a pile of boxes awaiting my return from the San Francisco Pen Show, including a fresh shipment of Limited Edition Platinum Preppies from Luxury Brands USA (the Platinum Distributor), the brand new Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pens, a huge box of TWSBI Swipes and TWSBI Ink, the Field Notes “Trailhead” Edition, AND two new versions of the Kokuyo Sketch hardcover pocket notebooks: the dot grid “Trip Book” and the top-bound “Offset Book”. I’m finally up to date with loading everything into inventory and onto the site, so happy shopping!

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!

Platinum Preppy Wa Limited Edition Fountain Pen. Platinum recently released the Preppy Wa, a special version of their Preppy cartridge fountain pen decorated with six different traditional Japanese patterns, all with unique symbolism. The Preppy is a great pen, for users both new and old, because even at this low price point ($7?!), it features Platinum’s Slip ‘n Seal technology that prevents the pen from drying out. (Review here.)
Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball. If early sales are any indicator, Caran d’Ache has a hit on their hands with the new 849 Rollerball, a larger-diameter version of the 849 ballpoint. In fact, you don’t have to use this one as a rollerball at all since it accepts the Parker-style refills of your choice.
TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen. These things were so popular in San Francisco that I ended up having to sell my demo pens. I have both the Smoke and Prussian Blue versions back in stock in all nib sizes, in addition to the full range of TWSBI cartridges and bottled ink.
Giuliano Mazzuoli Nuovo ITALIA Ballpoint/Mechanical Pencil. I appreciate practicality, and you can’t get much more practical than a high quality ballpoint that comes with three different color refills AND allows you to swap in a .7mm mechanical pencil insert. Throw in a design with historical significance, and you have a product tailor-made for the Curated Shop. Full write-up here.
Field Notes “Trailhead” Edition. Field Notes recently released their latest quarterly edition, a stunning combination of dark green and orange featuring a linen-textured cover and ORANGE staples! The back covers feature illustrations of North America’s three most famous trails, the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest, and the Continental Divide.
Kokuyo Trip Book and Offset Book Hardcover Pocket Notebooks. These long-format hardcover pocket notebooks have developed a cult following in both Japan and the United States, and now I can offer a dot grid version (the “Trip Book”) as well as a top-bound “Offset” version.

I made a short video comparing the Rollerball to the Ballpoint. Check it out here.

Be sure to check out those orange staples!

Pen Show Vendor Swag, courtesy of Rickshaw Bags!

San Francisco Pen Show: The Big Weekend Recap

September 1, 2021

What a weekend! The only other pen show I have attended that I can compare to the San Francisco Pen Show is Baltimore, and that’s because the focus remains on ensuring people have a positive experience, as opposed to cramming in as many people and vendors as possible. I’ll certainly return to the San Francisco Show, and next year (fingers crossed) I plan to have my own table. I met so many readers and customers over the weekend, and it was wonderful to match names (and online handles) with faces!

A little Pen Shows After Dark on Saturday night.

Some General Observations from the Weekend and What I Loved about the San Francisco Pen Show

It’s Truly “The Fun Pen Show”! As I noted above, you can tell that the organizers focused on ensuring that everyone had a good time, with events organized most nights for vendors and weekend pass holders. Highlights included a vintage pen auction on Friday night (rare these days), and live music on Saturday. The Pullman San Francisco Bay is also one of the nicer pen show hotels on the circuit, with breakfast available in the morning, an espresso bar (key!), and a bar with good drinks and excellent food.

Three Vanness-exclusive Robert Oster inks: Blue River, Hemp, and Hickory Aflame. (Charred Hickory, the non-shimmer version of Hickory Aflame, sold out quickly).

A Diverse Array of Vendors. The best pen shows, like San Francisco and Baltimore, feature a balance of large and small retailers, independent penmakers, vintage traders, non-pen artists and craftspeople, and even national brands. San Francisco mixed everyone together well, and the show was organized in a way that encouraged you to walk the entire layout. Vendors I saw at San Francisco who I’ve not seen at other shows included Curnow Bookbinding & Leatherwork (creators of the “Backpocket Journal”), Peyton Street Pens (from whom I acquired two custom pens with vintage nibs), Japanese stationery specialists Maido/Kinokuniya, Rickshaw Bagworks, and international brands Pilot, Traveler’s Company and Plotter (more on them below). You can view the full list of exhibitors here.

J.C. Ament was grinding away on Sunday morning!

LOTS of Options for Nib Work. If you came to the San Francisco Pen Show looking to get a nib ground, you were in luck. Mike Masuyama, Gena Salorino (Custom Nib Studio), Kirk Speer (Pen Realm), and J.C. Ament (The Nib Tailor, in his first show as a full-time nib grinder) were all present, and most had walk-up availability.

My Plotter planner and Curnow Coptic-Bound journal with a stork pattern.

Less Crowding. While I suspect traffic was down from prior years due to a combination of circumstances (pandemic, fires, etc.), a lot of people still came through the door, Pen shows with wider aisles and vendors spread out over multiple ballrooms are more pleasant to walk (not to mention to work). Not only do you not get pushed and shoved by the crowds when you’re trying to look at a pen at someone’s table (L.A., anyone?) but it’s even more important today when everyone is already a bit less comfortable due to the ongoing pandemic and the fact that masking and other precautions are required to ensure these events can happen safely.

OK, So What Was the Coolest Stuff I Saw This Weekend?

In addition to my two custom pens from Teri at Peyton Street Pens, I picked up a pair of Ultem Fountain Pens from Schon DSGN, a Galen Leather 12-pen hardshell leather pen case from Vanness, a Parker 51 for an exceptional price from vintage dealer John Strother, a couple bottles of Kiwi Inks, and some handmade coptic-bound journals from Curnow Bookbinding & Leatherworks, which I brought home as gifts. Perhaps the most interesting, for me personally, was a planner set I was offered by Plotter USA as part of a pilot program they are running to test their planner system prior to a U.S. release later this year. Plotter is owned by DesignPhil, the same company that brought us Midori MD and Traveler’s Notebook, and the brand accordingly features a similar aesthetic, but uses a ring binding system with the same six-hole layout as Filofax and other brands (so your hole punches and other accessories should work). I received the “Narrow” size, which is approximately the same dimensions as a Kokuyo Sketch Book - a size below my lovely B6 slim Cafe Note. I’ll be providing Plotter with feedback on the system over the next few months, and of course posting photos here.

Not technically a pen show picture, but the Platinum Preppy Wa’s are awesome and worth a look!

Otherwise, I enjoyed visiting with friends new and old, from the team at Kenro where I saw the Pininfarina PF2 for the first time, to the crew at Luxury Brands, who are helping to promote the launch of the latest from Platinum, the limited edition Platinum Preppy Wa (that’s right - a limited edition Preppy), which is really cool and as you would hope, priced in a way that should be accessible to most everyone. I also got to meet with the new owners of Retro 51, and I’m excited to see what they have in store for the future. Despite a somewhat rocky start (exacerbated by the pandemic and accompanying economic uncertainty), the new team seems enthusiastic and excited to make Retro more visible to the at-large community of pen enthusiasts, including attending more pen shows.

The Plotter (“Narrow”) compared against the Nanami Paper Cafe Note in B6 Slim (left).

Plotter is a brand that I think I’m going to enjoy exploring - it’s quite customizable with different inserts and accessories. Shown here are paper folders that can be used to organize notes by topic.

In short, San Francisco has made my list of “must-attend” pen shows, and I really want to spend more time with West Coast pen friends! If you missed my Friday/Day One Recap, you can check it out here.

This post does not contain affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and reader donations. 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.

Introducing the Caran d'Ache 849 Rollerball

August 31, 2021

Caran d’Ache recently announced, and I’m now proud to offer, the Caran d’Ache 849 in a larger-format rollerball pen, which accepts any Parker-style refill, including ballpoints. Approximately the same size as a Retro 51 Tornado, this latest entrant into the Caran d’Ache 849 lineup provides a larger option suitable for those who may find the standard Caran d’Ache 849 too narrow. The 849 now offers something for everyone!

Caran-d'Ache-849-Rollerball-in-Hand.jpeg

Available in five different colors (black, white, grey, red, and navy blue), the pen sports a matte finish, with the texture particularly pronounced on the black and grey versions. Priced at $48 each, you can now purchase directly from the T.G.S. Curated Shop!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Caran d’Ache.