Drafting in Longhand: My Love for A4 Notebooks Knows No Bounds

I think the first notebook that I absolutely had to have was the oversized “Master A4” by Leuchtturm1917, which I learned about back in 2012 or 2013. Even though I write relatively small, and use an A5-sized notebook or smaller for around 60+% of my writing, something about having that large canvas for your ideas appealed to me, and ever since I’ve always had at least one larger-format notebook in rotation.

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I finally found a portfolio that allows me to carry and A4 notebook and A4 writing pad back-to-back. For the curious, the Plotter A4 pads are punched along the top because you can fold them in half or tri-fold them to insert them into a A5 binder.

To put things in perspective, A4 paper is longer than standard U.S. “letter” size, and exactly double the size of an A5 sheet. (You can either cut an A4 page in half or fold it in two to get to A5.) While common worldwide - especially in Europe - A4 notebooks are still considered non-standard here in the U.S., making them somewhat difficult to locate outside of specialty stationery retailers. Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of accumulating some of my favorites for the shop, several of which I have in my personal rotation. They include:

1. Midori MD A4 Notebook. Though currently only available in a blank format, the large format Midori is an excellent notebook for fountain pens. Not only does the paper handle ink well, without bleeding and feathering, but it showcases the color of the ink nicely.

2. Midori MD Cotton F3 Notebook. While “F3” notebooks are sized for sketching, with slightly different proportions, they are close to A4. I’ve found that the Midori MD Cotton F3 Notebooks will fit many A4 covers, including the Midori MD Paper Cover which is what I’m using in the picture at the top. I love the soft feel of cotton paper, and I currently have one of these larger MD Cotton Notebooks set up as my “currently inked” journal.

3. Midori MD Light A4 Notebooks. Sold in packs of three, these Midori MD A4 notebooks are available in lined or grid rulings, as well as blank. You can fit two of these refills into any of the A4 Midori Notebook covers, and they also clip well into Roterfaden binders.

4. Nakabayashi Logical Air Notebooks. The thinner Nakabayashi paper handles ink very well, and comes available in both larger B5 and A4 formats. Because I love the multi-lined ruling (something akin to Seyes or French-ruled), I will likely be rotating one of these into my A4 Roterfaden in the near future.

5. Maruman Mnemosyne Spiral Notebooks. Fountain pen enthusiasts love Maruman’s Mnemosyne notebooks because they’re both quality and cost-effective. These durable spiral notebooks feature a heavy-duty cover and excellent paper, and the pages are micro-perforated for easy removal and filing/scanning. Honestly, to me the perforations are Mnemosyne’s biggest selling point, especially for professionals.

6. Clairefontaine Staplebound French-Ruled Notebooks. Long a paper of choice, Clairefontaine Staplebound refills are slim enough to fit multi-notebook covers and portfolios. The Seyes/French-ruled paper remains my favorite paper of all time. (Wire/Spiral-bound versions are also available.)

A Note on Carrying A4 Notebooks and Notepads

I’ve long been frustrated with the fact that many bags and portfolios for the U.S. market are built around 8.5” x 11” letter-sized paper. There’s nothing more frustrating than having the edges of your notebook torn up by the zipper on a too-small briefcase or messenger bag, or finding that your A4 notebook with good paper won’t fit your expensive leather portfolio because it was made with a shorter notebook in mind. One hack I’ve discovered is using laptop sleeves as portfolios, since they tend to be both long and wide enough to accomodate A4. The classic tote bag is also a great option. And since I seldom carry a laptop with me everywhere, I often stick my A4 notebooks and pads into the laptop compartment of my briefcase or backpack, which also gives them extra protection.

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A4 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter show in the laptop compartment of the Peak Design Everyday backpack.

Sensing a need in the market, we’ve started bringing A4-sized covers and portfolios into our own shop. We currently have the full line of Midori covers in materials ranging from simple PVC plastic to heavy-duty Japanese craft paper to undyed natural goat leather. We also offer A4 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters, both in the classic three-clip format, as well as the newer two-clip A4 portfolio with multiple zippered pockets, one of which is designed to hold a tablet or laptop up to 13”.

One of the main reasons I decided to start the shop is to focus on products that I believe are underemphasized, and quality A4 notebooks (and their related accessories) are key tools that I personally use every day. Look for more A4 options in the months to come!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links or advertising.

Expanding the Pocket Fountain Pen Lineup: A First Look at the Wingback Fountain Pen

Pocket fountain pens are hard to get right. For starters, it’s extremely difficult to design a pocket fountain pen that works for for a broad swath of the market, because once you start reducing the size and weight of the pen to so-called “pocket-sized” you limit the number of people who can use it. On the other hand, if you make a “pocket” fountain pen too big, it may no longer be truly “pocketable.”

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Wingback is a UK-based designer/manufacturer of writing instruments and personal accessories, and I’ve previously reviewed their Mechanical Pencil that won a 2023 Red Dot design award. A hallmark of Wingback’s design is their ability to avoid the pitfalls of so many manufacturers who attempt to work with heavier materials such as brass and stainless steel, by striking a near-perfect balance of width, length, and weight. I now have a full set of the Wingback writing instruments - Mechanical Pencil, Mechanical Pen, and Fountain Pen - and all of them are exceptionally useable in addition to being beautiful design pieces.

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The Wingback Fountain Pen in stainless steel, shown next to the Wingback Mechanical Pen in black stainless steel. Both come with a nice cotton sleeve that you can use for pocket carry. I plan to review the Mechanical Pen in the near future.

The Wingback Fountain Pen, which recently launched on Kickstarter, adopts the cylindrical profile that’s probably familiar to many pocket pen enthusiasts, but in a size that’s somewhat uncommon and, in my opinion, fills a need in the market. For example, I loved the idea of the Kaweco Liliput, but that particular pen ultimately ended up being too small for anything more than quick notes. I’d place the Wingback Fountain Pen between the Liliput and the larger Kaweco Supra size-wise, which could be a sweet spot for those who love this type of design but have had a hard time finding a pocket pen that balances well in their hand.

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The Wingback Fountain Pen adopts a minimal, streamlined design with no branding other than the subtle “Wingback” engraved on the cap. Diamond knurling is perfectly centered on the barrel when the pen is capped, and well-executed in the sense that it’s comfortable to hold this pen for long periods of time. (More on that below.) Finally, both ends of the section feature an o-ring on the threads, which protects the user from any ink leakage and prevents the nib from drying out. Interestingly, Wingback implies that this pen can be eyedroppered, stating that with the o-ring, “you can convert the pen’s chamber within its body into a reservoir for your ink of choice,” and that “we have tested and approved the stainless steel for corrosion resistance to inks, and are currently testing brass and titanium in longer long term trials.” I don’t personally eyedropper metal pens, but I do know people who have done so without incident, and as long as the metal resists corrosion long-term you should be fine. I lump this one under the header of “proceed at your own risk.”

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Three of the four finishes. Sorry, I don’t have an example of the titanium (yet).

The Wingback Fountain Pen is available in four materials/finishes to start: stainless steel (pictured here), brass, tungsten-carbide coated black stainless steel, and titanium. Custom laser engraving of up to 50 characters is also available, if you would like to personalize your pen.

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Nib and Overall Writing Experience

The Wingback Fountain Pen uses a standard Bock 076 stainless steel nib, and the one I received (a fine?) arrived perfectly tuned. According to the Wingback Kickstarter page, five standard nib options will be available, including extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, or double/extra-broad. I would consider the Wingback a pure cartridge pen - while one of the mini converters from Kaweco or Monteverde might fit, those don’t hold much ink and you’re likely better off refilling a standard short international cartridge via syringe if ink choice is important to you.

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The Wingback Fountain Pen measures 95mm unposted / 135mm posted.

Though I personally find them well-balanced, some have remarked that the Wingback Mechanical Pencil and Mechanical Pen are a touch short. The Wingback Fountain Pen is indeed quite short unposted, but offers a workaround since the cap posts, much like the Schon DSGN Pocket Six or the aforementioned Liliput. While the Wingback Fountain Pen might be just long enough to jot quick notes unposted, longer writing sessions will probably require posting the cap unless you have very small hands.

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I’ve been using the Wingback Fountain Pen for the past two weeks, and haven’t experienced any of the hand fatigue that sometimes comes with machined metal pens of this weight. The knurled grip eliminates any slippage, while remaining subtle enough not to hurt your fingers. This pen will stay in my pocket pen rotation, and I’m considering whether to back the Kickstarter for a Black Steel or Titanium version.

Read More on Pocket Writing at T.G.S.

I jumped at the chance to review this pen because pocket pens (and pocket fountain pens) are what I consider to be one of the last categories where there is a lot of room for innovation. As fountain pens become more mainstream, enthusiasts want to be able to carry their writing instrument of choice everywhere they go, which has led to an explosion of more compact, pocket-sized options over the years. I periodically update the site’s “Guide to Top Pocket Pens”, and once the Wingback Fountain Pen is released, I see a clear path to that pen being prominently featured on that list.

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The Wingback Fountain Pen shown with, from left, the Schon DSGN Pocket 6, TWSBI Mini in White + Rose Gold, the Kaweco AL Sport in Red, the Kaweco Supra in Stainless Steel, and the Schon DSGN Full-Sized Metal Fountain Pen.

Details on How to Get the Wingback Fountain Pen

As of the date of publication of this post (September 16, 2023), you have 19 days remaining to back the Wingback Fountain Pen on Kickstarter. While pledges are listed in £, they start at around $120 (which may fluctuate a bit due to the exchange rate). Wingback estimates that this will represent a 25% discount off the eventual retail price, which seems about right since both the standard versions of the Mechanical Pencil and the Mechanical Pen currently retail for around $158 USD.

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Yes, for those of you who will ask, the Wingback Fountain Pen does fit in the Plotter Pen Holder!

Wingback is a company with a long track record of successful Kickstarters, so I have no concern about backing this one, but anyone considering backing a crowdfunded a project should of course be aware that Kickstarter offers no guarantee of timely delivery (or of any delivery, for that matter). Projects do hit delays, and by funding a project you are supporting the project itself, as opposed to “purchasing” a unit. That said, this project already has raised nearly $78,000 of its $2,500 funding goal, so I wouldn’t anticipate any issues here.

Disclaimer: Wingback sent me the Wingback Fountain Pen pictured here for review purposes, free of charge. T.G.S. has not otherwise been compensated for this review and is not being paid for referrals or advertising. T.G.S. is supported financially via purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Thursday Drops and New Arrivals: What, Pens AND Coffee?

Back when I decided to open a small retail shop alongside the T.G.S. informational content, a primary goal was to pull together seemingly disparate product categories that, at second glance, have more in common than one might think. Reading Accessories were a logical starting point, but plenty more opportunities have presented themselves, especially when Taiwan-based HMM popped up at NY Now this year. A company that focuses entirely on stationery and coffee? Now you have my attention.

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HMM’s compact (and sharp!) Exacto scissors

We carry several HMM products, including their dodecagonal ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils, extremely sharp "Exacto" compact scissors, and, yes, a small selection of their coffee accessories. Enjoy your stationery while staying caffeinated! (If coffee and tea aren’t your thing, these also make gorgeous ceramic pen cups.)

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

1. HMM “Mugr” Ceramic Mugs. Combining Japanese ceramic with wood, Mugr comes in two finishes: Cloud (light grey with a lot of tone variation), and Charc. The latter imitates the look and feel of cast iron. There is also an option to add a matching dripper in the Charc finish.

2. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter. Say that again? You’ve probably seen our announcement that we’re now retailers of this versatile German notebook system, which isn’t so much a system as a portfolio capable of holding standard-size notebooks that you may or may not already be using. Check out yesterday’s YouTube video showing how I’ve set up my own Roterfadens!

3. TWSBI ECO Indigo Blue + Bronze Fountain Pen. TWSBI absolutely killed it with their latest ECO release. The dark indigo is a perfect complement to the bronze-toned trim.

4. TWSBI ECO-T Jade + Rose Gold Fountain Pen. We received additional stock of last year’s late holiday release, which was a jade ECO-T paired with rose gold trim. I love seeing TWSBI expand their rose gold models!

5. Nakabayashi Notebooks and Paper. As we’ve brought Roterfaden on board, we’ve also received inquiries about compatible notebooks/refills. The A5 Nakabayashi thread-bound notebooks in any of the paper sizes are one great option.

6. Laconic Tokyo Notebooks. For those in search of a more compact carry, Laconic’s slim A5 notebooks come in a range of different layouts, from Calendar options to To Do lists to even more specialized frameworks such as life tracking and Gantt charts. (The popular Laconic notebook covers are also back in stock.)

7. Midori MD Light Notebooks. These slim notebooks feature Midori MD Paper in a more compact layout - perfect for Roterfaden, Lochby, and other clip and cord-based systems. Of course you can also use the standard MD Paper Notebooks, but for those who like separate notebooks for different subject matters, these are excellent.

8. Midori MD Light 70th Anniversary Set. We still have remaining stock of these special notebooks that Midori released for their benchmark anniversary this year, which feature matching grid ruling and thread bindings in different colors.

9. Clairefontaine Triomphe Notebooks. Triomphe writing pads have long been a favorite among fountain pen enthusiasts, particularly those who enjoy writing letters. The excellent paper is now available in both white and ivory, in an A5 notebook format.

10. Stalogy Notebooks. Lightweight paper that still allows ink to dry quickly makes these a favorite for many office workers and lefties. Stalogy notebooks are set up so that you can use them as either an undated planner or a standard notebook.

Interested in how I’ve set up my own Roterfadens (including what notebooks I use)? Check out yesterday’s YouTube demonstration!

Pen Review: The Schon DSGN Monoc Nib, Fine Tip

I'm gradually working my way through all the different updates on new product releases from the Washington D.C. and San Francisco Pen Shows, and readers have requested my thoughts on the latest Schon DSGN Monoc nibs, which were released in fine and broad tip sizes. My original review of the Monoc nib - with the name derived from the aerospace/racing term "monocoque" that refers to single shell construction - can be read here, and contains additional background on the nib's history and design process. Today, however, I’m going to discuss the fine Monoc that I picked up in San Francisco!

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To recap briefly, the Monoc is Schon DSGN's completely in-house fountain pen nib, machined from a single piece of Grade 5 titanium and featuring an ultem feed. The initial batch of Monoc nibs made available for order came in what I would characterize as a standard medium tip size, but Ian Schon and his team always contemplated releasing additional options as the manufacturing process allowed. Well, that time has arrived, and it was worth the wait.

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Two Monoc Nibs: the Fine (left) with a rainbow gradient anodization, on the Ultem pen, and the Medium (right) with a standard titanium finish on “Rainbow Sprinkles” full-size metal fountain pen.

My New Schon DSGN Monoc Nib, Fine Tip, Anodized, with Reversible Architect?!?!

I decided that if I was going to purchase one of the fine Monoc nibs, I would go all-in and get one with an interesting anodization. I had with me at the San Francisco Pen Show my first ever Schon Pocket 6 fountain pen in a blue pattern that's no longer made, so I asked Ian to choose an anodized Monoc that complemented the colors. He chose this gorgeous rainbow gradient. While I’ve since swapped the nib into my Full Size Ultem fountain pen for this review (to better compare the feel with my standard medium), I'll likely move it back to one of my Pocket 6 pens and/or my other pens as I use them. This particular Monoc is that good, and I want it inked up at all times!

In "standard" writing position, the fine Monoc writes what I'd consider a western fine, or possibly an extra-fine, line. Since these nibs are made individually and hand-tuned/finished, there could be some variation in the final product. That said, it's noticeable finer than the medium Monoc nib, which is exactly what a lot of potential Monoc buyers have been waiting for. Grade 5 titanium has a tactile feel (almost pencil-like), which you will notice more in the fine than in the medium. Personally, I like this, and to me the nib absolutely does not feel “scratchy” though at the same time it's not glassy-smooth.

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A writing sample comparing the Medium Monoc (top, inked with Nagasawa No. 69 ink), against the Fine Monoc (both standard and reverse (bottom, inked with Scribo Grigio ink). On both nibs, in standard position, the slightly curved/upturned tipping results in something akin to a Pilot Waverly nib, where the line is consistent regardless of angle. You can also write with the medium Monoc in reverse, but it’s not tuned for reverse writing in the same way as the fine nib.

The real stunner with respect to the fine nib's performance is reversibility. By that, I mean you can turn the nib over, and the fine Monoc will write a line that's the near- equivalent of an architect grind. I say "equivalent" because this nib hasn't been ground and therefore it’s not particularly crisp - I understand that the architect-like shape is due to the natural contour of the fine tipping, though some extra finishing is required to make the reverse side usable.

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A sample of the fine Monoc, standard and reverse, where the architect-like line variation is apparent. It’s slightly more subtle than a true architect grind but that means it’s also very usable for everyday writing.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The initial batch of Monoc nibs impressed me, but this fine version takes it to a new level. If you value versatility, and aren't afraid to spend a bit more to get it, then you need to keep this Monoc nib on your radar. At the time of publication, the fine Monoc nib is not yet available to order in the Schon DSGN online shop, but I would expect to see them relatively soon. You can order Monoc nibs in various custom anodizations but it appears that only medium tips are available at the moment.

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The Fine Monoc was one of my takeaways from the San Francisco Pen Show. You can read more about those here.

I've already noted in my prior review that a Monoc nib is not an inexpensive purchase, primarily due to the materials and labor-intensive manufacturing process. The nib featured in this review cost approximately $425, for the nib alone, and you have the option of adding a compatible Schon DSGN Pen to your purchase at a 15% discount. The standard Monoc nib (without anodization) is priced at $385.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. I paid full price for the Monoc Nib featured in this review, and this post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links.

Curated Shop Spotlight: 5 Questions About Roterfaden

The big announcement from this past week is that T.G.S. is now an authorized retailer of Roterfaden, which represents a big step for our shop! With Roterfaden, TGS now offers directly most of my favorite notebook systems that I’ve used and enjoyed for years, and each brand that we add furthers our mission of bringing you tools that are not only well-made but truly useful items that you can incorporate into your everyday analog life. Given that Roterfaden is less well-known to our (primarily) US readership than other companies, I thought it might be helpful to answer some of the more frequent questions I’ve received over the past few days.

1. What Does “Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter” mean? “Roterfaden” is the company name, which translates to “Red Thread” in German. Roterfaden notebooks use red thread on the binding, which is a signature design touch, and many of their standard organizers incorporate red accents such as elastic bands and pen loops. “Taschenbegleiter” is the product name of Roterfaden’s signature binder, which translates to “Pocket Companion”, though I have also seen “Bag Companion” used.

2. Do I Need to Purchase Proprietary Refills? Absolutely not. I’ve personally owned multiple Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters over the years, and until recently I’ve never used an actual Roterfaden notebook. As it turns out, Roterfaden notebooks are nice, with multiple different rulings and a lie-flat binding, but they are NOT required to use the Taschenbegleiter system.

3. Are the Roterfaden Clips Difficult to Use? The most unique aspect of the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter is it’s clip-based binding that holds notebooks/refills inside the organizer. Most Taschenbegleiters come with two or three clips, which lift easily with a fingertip and are hinged so that they close smoothly. This system works well, and also allows you to swap out notebooks quickly. It goes without saying that the only limitation is thickness. If you want to use your Taschenbegleiter to carry a particularly thick notebook, you may not be able to fit multiple full-sized refills. In this case, you can use the extra clips as bookmarks, or to hold slimmer refills or folded papers, receipts, or even a file folder (which is how I have set up my A4).

4. What Size Notebooks Fit the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter? The current lineup of Taschenbegleiters includes A6, A5, and A4. In the past, Roterfaden has made B6 and Personal (Traveler’s) sized organizers as well, with periodic special releases. We carry a wide range of notebooks that will fit Roterfaden products as long as they match one of the general sizes currently available.

5. Can You Pair a Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter with Other Notebook/Organizational Systems? Yes, and in fact I’ve done this for years. The beauty of the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter is that it’s not necessarily a stand-alone notebook “system,” but rather a portfolio for organizing your individual notebooks. Not only can you use the notebooks/paper of your choice, but this also allows you to pair a Taschenbegleiter organizer with more structured systems such as Plotter. For example, I’ve experimented with carrying multiple Plotter notebooks and refill pads inside the Taschenbegleiter (shown above). During the day, as I’m working, I can take notes directly in the Plotter pads, and if I want to retain the notes for later reference or organize them for further work I simply remove them and save them in the relevant Plotter (or Plotter-compatible) binder.

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I know that a few of the Taschenbegleiters have sold out, and we will be restocking as soon as possible. We do still have stock of all sizes, A6 through A4, but if there is something specific you are looking for, please reach out and I can special order it for you with the next restock.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Roterfaden.