New Pen Day! Setting Up the Tom's Studio Ori Refillable Highlighter (And Cleaning Out the Lumos)

Tom’s Studio recently announced their latest product - an “infinitely refillable” version of a product that isn’t supposed to be refillable: the highlighter. Dubbed the “Ori,” this new pen works on the same principle as the Lumos and Wren refillable fineliners. Each Ori highlighter pen features a double-ended design with two replaceable cotton reservoirs and marker-style tips. To fill the pen, you dip the end of the reservoir into the ink and watch as the ink saturates the filling system and the tip. Each bottle of Tom’s Studio highlighter ink also includes a small eyedropper, and Tom’s Studio suggests that you apply a drop or two to the tip of the marker to ensure adequate saturation and ink flow.

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It never gets old watching these things fill up.

I’m really happy to see a product like this reach market. Way back in the early 2010s, what prompted me to start exploring better stationery was the waste inherent in disposable pens, and especially plastic highlighters. Working in a research-intensive profession, I would churn through highlighters at a somewhat astonishing pace, though my current burn rate has slowed somewhat due to a focus on finer tipped products like the Zebra Mildliners, which use less ink.

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While it might look like a bit of a project at first, setting up the Ori (and the Lumos and Wren) is fairly simple even if you get inky fingers!

Tom’s Studio currently makes six different fluorescent highlighter inks that you can use with the Ori: Yellow, Orange, Blue, Green, Pink, and Purple. These are available individually in 5ml dropper bottles, or as a set of 6. Each individual Ori comes packaged with the two colors that match the pen’s anodization, and if you spring for the set of three pens, you’ll get all six inks plus a set of the bullet and brush tips. As of today, all products are available in our own shop.

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The three-pen set comes nicely packaged, with inks and all the tips.

If you only want one pen, you can also buy the set of six inks separately.

Inevitable Question: Can I Use the Ori Inks in My Tom’s Studio Lumos Pens?

Yes and No. Per Tom’s Studio, the Green and Purple Fluorescent inks are dye-based, and can therefore be used in the Lumos pens with the fibre or brush tips (i.e., the marker-style tips). The other four inks are pigment based, and should only be used in the Ori Highlighters because they will clog the Lumos. However, all six inks can also be used with dip pens.

These colors are all super saturated and appear as bright as your standard disposable highlighter. Even on the cheapest paper, I’ve had minimal bleedthrough.

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The chisel tip on the Lumos (left) is much finer than the Ori’s tip, though it’s not angled and will need to be held vertically.

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The brush tip on the Lumos can also be used as a highlighter. For both the brush tip and the chisel tip, I’ve chosen not to use the brass tip protector because it covers too much of the marker.

Another note: given how brightly colored these fluorescent highlighter inks are, and the fact that most of them use pigment, I do not expect that it will be easy to rinse out the reservoirs and tips and change colors. Fortunately, both replacement tips and reservoirs are fairly inexpensive, and even with the Tom’s Studio Lumos and Wren refillable fineliners, I’m finding it easier to simply use a new reservoir or tip rather than spend the time required to rinse these things clean enough to change colors. These reservoirs can be flushed a few times before they will no longer hold ink, but it requires a LOT of work. As you can see below, with certain brightly colored inks, you will likely never get the reservoir completely clear of ink residue.

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Despite a lot of washing, these are about as clean as you will get a used reservoir. The top two are probably fine to change colors. The bottom one should only be used with a similarly-colored ink.

The TGS Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Tom’s Studio products, including pens and inks. We also sell replacement nibs, marker tips, and reservoirs. In addition to our online store, you can see all of these products in our Nashville shop.

Workhorse Pens: Pilot Custom Heritage 92 Fountain Pen

Pilot’s Custom Heritage 92 piston filler stands as both a source of joy and one of my greatest regrets. Joy because I appreciate that this excellent everyday writer continues to be accessible to the North American market, even if it doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. Regret because I didn’t snap up all three colors (orange, blue, and smoke) when they were still available many years ago. And, of course, extra regret that I sold off my transparent orange version with the fine-medium nib. Regardless, nib choices aside, earlier this year I picked up a Custom Heritage 92 demonstrator with a medium nib and realized it was long past time that this pen went into the “Workhorse Pens” review bucket.

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Pilot doesn’t have many piston fillers in its lineup. In fact, the Custom Heritage 92 may be it. Mine is shown here freshly filled with dark green ink.

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A simple cap band, with barely visible branding.

This particular Custom Heritage 92 went with me to Japan and back, so I had a lot of uninterrupted writing time with the pen. One benefit of a longer trip where you only take a few pens with you is that you get to spend more dedicated time with each one, and you quickly figure out your likes and dislikes. For the Custom Heritage 92, it’s pretty much all positives:

• Size and Balance. I find the Custom Heritage 92 similar to the Pilot Custom 74 and Lamy 2000 in terms of weight and balance - all three pens align perfectly with my own personal preferences. While the Custom Heritage 92 can be used posted or unposted, to me the pen feels best posted, and for a “Workhorse Pen” I consider posting important because I don’t want to have to keep track of the cap when I’m focused on writing or running between meetings.

• Nib. The Custom Heritage 92 features the same 14k Pilot No. 5 nib as the Custom 74 - one of my favorite nibs of all time. Pilot medium nibs in general operate as my personal default, so whenever the fine-medium (FM) or soft fine-medium (SFM) is unavailable, I’ll opt for this one. I consider this nib to be a moderately wet writer, which allows for a smooth writing experience (and the ability to showcase ink) while still performing well on decent paper.

• Filling Mechanism. It’s a shame Pilot doesn’t make more piston fillers, because this piston is exceptional. It’s not only super smooth, which makes filling and cleaning the pen pleasant and easy, but it’s also lightweight, allowing you to post the cap without making the pen back-heavy. While the ink capacity isn’t huge, it’s adequate for a pen of this size.

• Aesthetics. Pilot makes some of my favorite clear demonstrators. The Custom Heritage 92 is perfectly polished, and I struggled to find any flaw in the finish. While I tend to lean towards darker inks, and therefore don’t take as much advantage of the clarity as I should, those heavily into brightly colored or shimmer inks will love how this pen looks when it’s inked. (Yes, I’ve used shimmer inks in my Pilot pens and have found that the nibs and feed handle these inks just fine. Just be sure and clean your pens thoroughly when changing colors!)

The Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (left) compared to the Pilot Custom 74 (center) and the Pilot Custom 823 (right).

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The design of the Custom Heritage 92 does differ from the Custom 74 and other pens in the Custom series (like the Custom 823) in some ways. For example, it features a sword-style clip instead of the rounded ball-style found on the 74 and 823, plus it has flat ends.

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The Pilot Custom Heritage 92 Fountain Pen, to me, feels best in-hand when posted.

You can read further on our “Workhorse Pens” series, and the various fountain pens I have reviewed which fall into this category, but as a TLDR version I would re-emphasize that the Custom Heritage 92, the Custom 74, and the Lamy 2000 sit at the top of my own personal arsenal. All three are reliable, comfortable, and portable, with aesthetics that are interesting yet still subtle enough so that they’re inconspicuous in a work meeting. Their classic designs have remained essentially unchanged since their introduction, and while some might consider that fact boring, I prefer to put it as “getting it right the first time.”

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Three of my favorite everyday workhorses: In addition to the Custom Heritage, the Custom 74 and Lamy 2000 are fountain pens with a similar feel and balance. All three post exceptionally well.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Whether you’re looking for a crystal clear demonstrator to showcase your ink collection, a reliable workhorse for everyday writing, or both, you can’t go wrong with Pilot’s Custom Heritage 92. Personally, I wish that Pilot would do more with this model, and last year’s release of the Custom 74 as the most recent North American exclusive gives me some hope that this model will appear on the special/limited release schedule at some point. At $264 (current price as of the time of publication), it’s also currently one of the few remaining sub-$300 gold-nib fountain pens that still punches well above its price point, and I never hesitate to recommend Pilot pens to anyone looking for good value. I’ve recently written an overview of the entire Pilot “Custom” series, which walks through the sizing, nibs, and filling systems of the various models.

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You can’t have it all: I probably prefer the vintage-style Pilot clip on the Custom 74 and Custom 823.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Pilot fountain pens, including the Custom Heritage 92. We currently have this pen stocked in all nib sizes, and I usually have my personal pen inked up if you would like to try it in person or compare it to the rest of the Pilot lineup, should you come visit us in store or at a pen show.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by online purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Pen Review: Revisiting the Pilot FA Nib, This Time on the Pilot Custom 743 Verdigris Green

Back in 2017, I reviewed Pilot’s FA nib on the Custom 912 fountain pen, and while I came away from that experience impressed with the amount of flex that the nib offered, I couldn’t use it as an everyday writer. Personally, I’ve never “chased flex” in fountain pens - either vintage or modern - as I’m not a calligrapher and I don’t typically draw or otherwise practice lettering. That said, I do occasionally enjoy a soft fountain pen nib, such as when I want to journal in cursive or explore different inks. I’ve already written about how much I enjoy the soft fine-medium from this year’s Custom 74 “Lavender Fog” North American Exclusive, and I’ve also come to appreciate the FA nib on the larger Custom 743.

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Pilot Custom 743 vs. Pilot Custom 912: Not the Same Nib

But isn’t Pilot’s FA nib the same on either pen? No. When we hosted our unfortunately-weather-abbreviated store event back in January, I had the opportunity to compare the FA nibs on the Custom 912 and Custom 743 side-by-side. Those who prefer a much softer and wetter writing experience closer to a true flex nib should opt for the Custom 912, whereas those who - like me - do more standard writing should probably choose the Custom 743. The two pens have different nibs, with the Custom 743 featuring a stiffer nib that also appears on the Pilot Custom 823.

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The top writing sample (in Sailor Ink Studio 670) was done with the Pilot Custom 743 FA nib. The bottom writing sample was done with a Custom 74 Lavender Fog with a Soft Fine Medium (SFM) nib, in Tono & Lims Deep Field Laniakea.

What I Enjoy About My FA Nib and How I Use It

I chose this pen, and the FA nib in particular, for several reasons. First of all, this Pilot Custom 743 is a North American exclusive in Verdigris Green, and I wanted to be sure to get one before they are inevitably discontinued. In my mind, this special pen needed a fun nib, and after trying the Custom 743 version of the FA, I knew that I’d be able to use it regularly, even if not as an everyday writer. I’ve had this pen inked for two months, and here’s how I’ve put it to work:

• Handwriting Improvement. One of this year's goals is to practice my cursive whenever I can, and it’s much more fun to do that with a nib that has some bounce to it and offers good line variation. With just light pressure, you can vary the line width of your up- and down-strokes, though I can’t overemphasize that like the “soft” nibs on the Pilot Custom 74, the FA nib should not be overflexed. It is possible to spring these nibs and cause irreparable damage. While I’ve not done any sort of scientific measurement, I would estimate that you can safely vary the line width on this pen 2-3 nib sizes (i.e., extra-fine to medium, or fine to broad).

• Exploring Ink. The other benefit to line variation is that it can bring out the special properties in fountain pen ink, especially shading and shimmer. I’ve never focused as much on ink as I have on pens and paper, but since I receive more questions on ink these days (particularly in-store), I’ve felt the need to broaden base of knowledge on how different inks work in different pens, and with different pen and paper combinations.

• Testing Paper. Similarly, in my line of work I need to know what kind of paper holds up well to wetter nibs, and how far I can push certain papers to the point where they will start to feather or bleed. You can really test just how “fountain pen friendly” certain paper is by pairing wet inks with soft nibs, even if sometimes the point of failure is well past what most people require for everyday use.

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Chasing Nibs and Not Necessarily Pens

I remarked in last week’s post that over time, the focus of my pen use/collecting has reoriented towards nibs rather than pens. Sure, it’s fun to collect a new custom material or a favorite model in a new color, but most of my personal purchases over the past two years have been driven by whether the nib offers a unique writing experience. My current collecting “grail” is to fill out a set of all the Pilot specialty nibs over time, in unique pens if possible. Recently I’ve added the FA pictured here, and I’ve also been loving the WA (Waverly) nib as a smooth everyday writer. Just wait until you read the recap from my upcoming trip to Japan, because this collection is about to get a lot bigger. :)

Further Reading

You can read more about the Pilot Custom Series, including different nib options, in this overview of the various Pilot “Custom” models. As we’ve grown our own store, we offer many of these Pilot pens directly, including certain Custom series models, and we have a couple of the Verdigris Green Custom 743s remaining in stock as of the time of publication.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

New Arrivals: Uni EMOTT Fineliner Sets in 12 Different Color Palettes

We’re fans of fineliners around here, mainly because they offer a softer writing experience that - like fountain pens - requires very little writing pressure. The problem? Unless you opt for refillable fineliners like the Tom’s Studio Lumos series or single-use options like the Kakimori Colour liners, it can be difficult to find many color options in markers designed for writing. Uni’s EMOTT series adds something new to the market, in that these .4mm fineliners are designed for a firmer feel and increased tip durability. Yes, you can use them for art and drawing, but they’re also excellent for writing and applications like planner layouts.

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The EMOTT’s .4mm fineliner tip.

We currently stock 12 different EMOTT fineliner sets, each with its own color palette. We also carry an expansive selection of other Uni pens and Uni pencils in our shop, including recently arrived restocks of the Uni Jetstream pens and the Uni Kuru Toga mechanical pencil.

We will be open normal hours this week in our Nashville shop, from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm Saturday. Stop by to see these and more in-person!

Pen Review: The Juice Up, the Juice Plus, and Pilot's "Synergy Tip"

I first discovered Pilot’s “Synergy Tip” gel pens a few years ago, when I picked up a pack of “Synergy Clicker” Frixion pens. This innovative tip format immediately improved my writing experience with the Frixion pens, reminding me of the smooth-writing liquid ink “V” rollerball series that I’ve always loved, with the added precision of the Hi-Tec-C gel ink. Of course, given the limitations of erasable Frixion ink, the pens weren’t quite as smooth or dark as I would’ve liked, so I kept looking. I soon discovered that Pilot also uses the Synergy Tip in their excellent “Juice” gel pen range, available in the U.S. as Japanese imports (including now from T.G.S.!). The two main options are the “Juice+” and the “Juice Up” lines, both of which use the same cartridge, with the primary differences being color range and barrel design.

The Pilot Juice+ / Juice Plus features a matte white barrel that’s lighter-weight than the heftier Juice Up.

Why I Like the Pilot “Synergy Tip” Gel Pens (Juice+ and Juice Up)

• You get most of the precision of the Hi-Tec-C with the smoother writing experience of a conical metal tip like the G2 or the Signo DX. The difference is especially noticeable when writing at a lower angle, which is where the Hi-Tec-C can sometimes give me trouble. In my experience the Juice pens are much less prone to clogging and premature drying out than the Hi-Tec-C, which is the primary downside to Pilot’s classic needle-tip gel pen.

• The Synergy Tip lays down a clean line, with none of the “blobbing” you can sometimes see in a standard Pilot G2 or standard Zebra Sarasa (not the “Sarasa Clip” series). The gel ink used in the Juice pens contains pigment that renders it “water-resistant”, per Pilot, so while it probably won’t survive a thorough soaking, it’s at least waterproof enough to withstand a splash from a spilled drink, and to allow you to highlight over the ink without smearing.

• I love the bolder Juice colors and expanded range. Right now, I think my favorites are the “Glossy” series of five dark colors that you can find within the Juice Up line.

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As you can see, the Juice Up highlights really well, with minimal smearing. The highlighter used here is the excellent Pilot Kire-Na.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

If you’re looking for a needle-ish tip gel pen that writes reliably and comes in a broad range of colors, I highly recommend both the Juice Up and Juice Plus (Juice+) line. We currently stock the .4mm and .5mm Juice Up pens, as well as the .4mm Juice Plus, in our own shop, and will be looking to add more as we grow. I did want to add a note on refill compatibility - you often see the Pilot Juice refills being advertised as “G2” compatible, meaning that they will fit pens that accept the Pilot G2 cartridge. While that may be true for the standard (conical-tip) Juice pens or older versions, the current Synergy refills appear to use a cartridge that is slightly shorter. For example, I was able to use a Glossy Red Juice Plus refill in a Sunderland MK1 (which accepts a standard G2) but I had to wrap a bit of washi tape around the end of the Synergy refill to add length. Otherwise the refill works perfectly with zero tip wiggle or other annoyances.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us and try these and other pens in person at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

All 15 Colors of the Pilot Juice Up!