Sunday Reading for September 12, 2021

1. On Closing (via C.W. Pencils). In case you haven’t heard the news, C.W. Pencil Enterprise will be closing its doors after seven years. To say this is a huge loss for the community is the understatement of all understatements, and I wish Caroline & team all the best for the future. Be sure to support all of your local and independent stationery retailers. If you value their contributions and want them to stay around, it’s important that you act with your dollars.

2. Nakaya: For Your Hand Only (via Tokyo Station Pens). If you’re a fan of Nakaya fountain pens and would like to understand more about the history behind this influential boutique brand, this is an excellent article.

3. The Three-Pen Collection for £1,000 (via UK Fountain Pens). I love the Worn & Wound series that inspired this post, and my three picks would look very similar to Anthony’s. The fact that the Schon DSGN Pocket 6 breaks the top three shows just how good they are and how much traction the brand is getting.

4. The Three-Pen Collection for $1000 (via FPQuest). Here’s the latest U.S. version! I definitely need to come up with my own rendition soon…. Stay tuned.

5. San Francisco Pen Show Haul (via Pen Addict). Kimberly shows off her San Francisco Pen Show prizes, including that Pininfarina PF Two which is on my short list of pens to review.

6. My Summer Vacation AKA the SF Pen Show 2021 (via Well-Appointed Desk). Julia shares her San Francisco Pen Show stories in this guest post over at the Well-Appointed Desk.

7. Color Traveler Tomonoura Sunset Sepia (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Color Traveler is a Japanese ink brand out of Hiroshima, that I don’t have a lot of experience with although I do have a couple of their colors in for review. I have found that while I love the colors, the ink has longer dry times and can remain “sticky” for quite some time in wetter nibs.

8. Aratrum Calamus (via Dapprman). I’ve not heard of this brand before, but I do like the design, especially the ink window.

9. Composition Book Round Up, Part 2 and Part 3 (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Les has the remaining installments of her annual composition book round-ups, looking at this year’s offerings from both Staples and Wal-Mart.

10. Odyssey Notebooks Tomoe River 68gsm - Milky Way (via Gourmet Pens). I have an Odyssey notebook that I picked up at the D.C. Show. Stay tuned for my own thoughts as I work it into the review queue, but needless to say 68gsm Tomoe River is one of my favorite papers.

This Week on the Blog: In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I was back to some original content, with the fifth installment of my Vintage Pen Primer series and a post about vintage nibs in modern pens. I also wrote a short piece discussing paper sizing and how various popular sizes compare to one another. I plan on making an effort to do more of these posts responding to frequently asked reader questions.

Curated Shop and Pen Show Updates - TWSBI Rose Gold Restock and Navy Blue 580 ALRs!

New arrivals this week include a restock on TWSBI 580 Rose Gold Fountain Pens (which I can’t restock fast enough, apparently), a restock of the new Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pen, and the new TWSBI 580 ALR in Navy Blue (which to me looks like more of an ultramarine or cobalt blue, but it’s absolutely gorgeous all the same). Check out this week’s Deals & Drops for some specials, including a price drop on 2021 second-half planner refills.

Pen Show Updates: I will be attending both the Dallas Pen Show (September 24 and 25) and the Chicago Pen Show (September 30-October 3). The best part? I will have my own table, so please stop by!

TWSBI Fountain Pens

Caran d'Ache 849

Platinum Preppy Wa

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Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!

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.

Ask TGS: Comparing Popular Paper Sizes

Every once in a while, I like to do a post responding to frequently asked reader questions. One is how certain paper sizes compare to one another. I’d eventually love to do a post discussing the histories of the various paper sizing systems, from the rather simplistic U.S. letter/legal system to the much more complex international sizing standards, but today I plan to start by clearing up what companies mean when they say that paper is “A4” as opposed to “B6 Slim”. Where I have examples available in my personal stash, I post comparison photos below.

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Midori MD A4 Pad vs. Write Notepads U.S. Letter-Size Writing Pad vs. Midori MD A5 Pad

U.S. Paper Sizing

Most of us here in the U.S. grew up on two paper sizes: Letter and Legal. As far as smaller notebooks and notepads go, you’ll find all sorts of non-standard variations, though for pocket notebooks most companies appear to have settled on the “Field Notes” 3.5” x 5.5” as a standard.

• U.S. “Letter Size”: 8.5” x 11”, or 216mm x 279mm

• U.S. “Legal Size”: 8.5” x 14”, or 216mm x 356mm

• Pocket Notebook: 3.5” x 5.5”, or 89mm x 140mm

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Stacked Writing Pads: A4 (bottom) vs. Letter (middle) vs. A5 (top). Letter size is both wider and shorter than A4.

International Paper Sizing

In most countries outside of the U.S., paper tends to be sized according to the “ISO Standards” system, which is much more detailed and provides many more options for specific categorization. A good breakdown of the system (and many other regional and/or traditional sizes) can be found here. This post is not intended to be exhaustive, though I think it hits the most frequently encountered paper sizes available on the current market.

• A4: 8.3” x 11.7”, or 210mm x 297mm (standard “international letterhead” size)

• A5: 5.8” x 8.3”, or 148mm x 210mm (standard “international notepad” or “Moleskine-style notebook” size)

• A6: 4.1” x 5.8”, or 105mm x 148mm (standard Hobonichi Techo size)

• B5: 6.9” x 9.8”, or 176mm x 250mm

• B6: 4.9” x 6.9”, or 125mm x 176mm (less popular than B6 slim, at least in the U.S., but I carry at least one example in the shop from Kleid x Life)

• B6 Slim: 4.2” x 6.9”, or 106mm x 174mm (more popular than standard B6, with both Midori and Nanami Paper using this for their cafe-style notebooks)

• “Traveler’s Standard”: 4.3” x 8.3”, or 110mm x 210mm (I’ve seen this size referred to as everything from “A5 Slim” to “Travel” to “Personal.)

• “Traveler’s Passport”: 3.5” x 4.8”, or 89mm x 124mm (shorter and wider than a Field Notes notebook)

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A5 Stálogy Notebook vs. Traveler Size Standard vs. B6 Slim

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Field Notes Notebook v. Traveler’s Notebook Passport

Disclaimer: This guide is intended for general comparison purposes and quick reference only. There may be variations in size across brands and regions. For example, one company’s “A5” may be slightly larger or smaller than another company’s, even though they should be standard. Don’t rely on this or any other size guide alone if you are looking to purchase a cover or folio “that will fit _____ notebook or refill.” The only way to be sure is to test it out in person or to buy a notebook cover specifically advertised as intended for that brand.

Deals & Drops: Writing Pads, Rollerballs, and Planner Markdowns!

In addition to my updated personal planner systems, I’m using a TON of looseleaf paper, mostly torn from memo pads, as I’m in the middle of a busy season at the day job and I’m taking lots of longhand notes. Ergo, I’m relying heavily on Write Notepads with some Rhodia paper mixed in. I keep a selection of my favorites in stock in the shop, so be sure to check these out.

A note on the T.G.S. x Sunderland mk1 collaboration: I’m getting towards the end of this initial run, with two pen shows (Dallas and Chicago) tentatively on the calendar, so these may go out of stock for a while once they sell out. While I fully intend to do another run and bring them back, I will likely do another batch of signature Penwells first. If you’ve had your eye on the rollerball, the next couple of weeks would be a good time to jump!

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!

1. Midori MD Cotton Writing Pads. Looking for a luxurious writing experience that handles pretty much any fountain pen ink (and can also double as a mean typewriter paper)? Midori’s MD Cotton stock is one of the best options I’ve found, and I actually prefer the texture of this particular paper over smoother options such as Tomoe River.

2. Write Notepads Memo Pads. My personal daily driver for most of my writing and notetaking, as well as an excellent choice for ink swabs and writing samples, since the bright white paper shows off ink color quite well and doesn’t feather or bleed at all. Available in three rulings: dot grid, lined, and meeting.

3. Rhodia Classic Notepads. The old standby, Rhodia offers a cost-effective fountain-pen friendly writing experience that won’t break the bank. Their dot pads in both A5 and A4 have been a staple in my home and office for over a decade, and I’m now pleased to offer them for purchase in the Curated Shop.

4. Write Notepads Engineer Memo Pad. This memo pad features the same unique paper is the same as found in the limited edition “Together We Build” Engineer Notebook. Note that this is different paper than found in the standard Write Memo Pads, and intended more for technical notes and drawings. While it handles ink fairly well, very wet fountain pens may feather some.

5. Sunderland mk1 x T.G.S. Special Edition Rollerball Pen. As I noted above, we’re on the home stretch for batch one, so don’t sleep on this. If you’re unfamiliar with the mk1, check out my write-up on the pen here.

6. Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pen. Love the aesthetics of the Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoint, but wish it were slightly larger to offer a better grip? You’re in luck, as Caran d’Ache now offers the 849 in a rollerball format that accepts Parker-style refills. Video demonstration here.

7. CW&T Pen Type-A and Pen Type-B. These now-iconic industrial gel/rollerballs, designed to accept Pilot’s needle-tip Hi-Tec-C refill, straddle the line between desk pens and pocket pens. Durable enough to travel in your pocket anywhere you go, the designs are also faceted so they’ll rest easy next to your keyboard or on your drafting table. Read my writeup here for more details.

8. Caran d’Ache Claim Your Style Season 3. This season’s Claim Your Style releases from Caran d’Ache are easily my favorite, and it’s getting hard for me to pick a color, so I still haven’t decided. Last year I opted for the “Bluish Pale,” but this year I’m feeling something darker?

9. Platinum Preppy Wa Limited Edition Fountain Pens. We still have Preppy Wa fountain pens, which pairs Platinum’s classic with traditional Japanese designs in six unique patterns. Once these are gone, they’re gone.

10. Traveler’s Notebook Second-Half Start Dated Planners in Standard and Passport (ON SALE). I have a handful of Traveler’s Notebook “July Start” dated planners still available, now marked down! September still gives you four full months of use at the beginning of the one of the busiest times of the year!

Vintage Pen Primer, Part V: What About Just Opting for a Vintage Nib?

Many pen enthusiasts love the styling of vintage pens, enjoy tinkering with their unique (and sometimes temperamental) filling systems, and look forward to the routine maintenance and occasional repair as part of a vintage pen’s charm. Others focus on the nibs, preferring the performance and feel of vintage 14k and 18k nibs that often write (much) better than their modern equivalents, sometimes at a lower price point. If, like me, you fall into the latter group, there’s an option that doesn’t get as much attention as it should: using vintage nibs in a modern pen body, which allows you to avoid certain inconveniences of vintage while enjoying the unique writing experience.

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Custom pens from my collection. On the left are the two Peyton Street Pens customs with vintage nibs that I picked up at this year’s San Francisco Pen Show (discussed further shown below). On the far right is a Newton Shinobi; Second from right is a Scriptorium Balladeer with a custom Architect nib from The Nib Tailor.

There are a couple of different ways you can go about using vintage fountain pen nibs in a modern pen. A few years back, my friend Leigh Reyes, who regularly scouts pen shows for loose vintage nibs, wrote an excellent article on fitting vintage nibs into modern pens such as Kaweco Sports and Franklin-Christoph Model 45s. This approach takes some leg work, as you have to pay close attention to things like stress and wear on the nib over time if the modern housing, feed, and/or section aren’t a perfect fit for the nib. (Please read the article and do as much research as you can before you try this - as Leigh points out, it’s possible to damage both your pen and your nib if you’re not careful.)

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Peyton Street Pens Custom

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PSP Custom with 18k Cartier Nib

The other option is having a brand new pen or section custom made to fit a specific vintage nib (or, like my friend Thomas, having one pen made with multiple different sections sized to fit different nibs). While you will have to discuss with your penmaker of choice whether this is even a possibility, Shawn Newton (Newton Pens) has done this sort of work in the past, as has Jonathon Brooks of Carolina Pen Company. Teri Morris of Peyton Street Pens also regularly makes pen bodies to house vintage nibs from companies such as Sheaffer, Cartier, and Eversharp.

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Peyton Street Pens Custom Ebonite

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PSP Custom with 14k Eversharp

When I was in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to visit the Peyton Street Pens table and picked up two new additions to my collection that feature excellent vintage gold nibs: an 18k Cartier nib ground to a smooth cursive italic, and a 14k Eversharp stub that’s slightly springy in a way you only really see in vintage nibs. Both are on original feeds, so I’ve experienced zero issues with ink flow. Peyton Street Pens currently has some similar offerings for sale in the “Peyton Street Exclusives” section of their store.

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Many vintage nibs are set to write much wetter than what modern pen users are accustomed to, especially if you’ve been using standard stainless steel nibs from JoWo and Bock. For the best experience, be sure to use fountain pen friendly paper. Writing sample shown here is on a Write Notepads Spiral Notebook

As is always the case with vintage anything, your mileage may vary based on the specific pen and/or nib at issue. I highly recommend visiting a pen show, if circumstances allow, so that you can inspect and/or write with the nib you’re considering. Of course, this may be impossible when you’re buying a loose nib that’s not currently installed in a pen, or when you’re asking someone to build a custom pen for you. Often, however, penmakers at shows will have examples of their work at their tables, and will work with you if you have problems with your pen. Sometimes it takes a few tweaks and adjustments to get things writing perfectly.

Further Reading

I’ve previously written several posts on dabbling in the vintage world. I’m far from an expert, but have owned many vintage pens over the years, and I enjoy talking about them from the perspective of someone who doesn’t necessarily “collect,” but rather uses them for everyday writing. Several years ago I started a multi-part “Vintage Pen Primer” series, which lay dormant until today. I you enjoyed this post, you can read the previous articles here: Vintage Pen Primer, Part I; Part II (The Parker 51); Part III (Inks for Vintage Pens); Part IV (The Parker Vacumatic).

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!

Labor Day Promotion: Finish Up Your Summer Reading with a Free Gift on Us!

We don’t just love writing around here, we enjoy reading as well. (Personally, I have a lot of catching up to do after what’s been a more-busy-than-relaxing-summer.) So for today only, help finish up your summer reading on us with a free reading-themed gift included in every Curated Shop order placed today only! Each order will receive a bookmark, a library pocket, stickers, or even some Book Dart samples to try out. While every order will receive at least one free gift, orders over $100 will receive special surprises, which could include anything from a reading-themed enamel pin to a full tin of book darts and more! No promotional code is necessary, as the promotion will be applied automatically. Many thanks for your support, and happy Labor Day!

[UPDATE}: Promotion continues until 11:59pm ET on Tuesday, September 7, while supplies last.