Sunday Reading for April 12, 2020

1. Simple Pleasures (via UK Fountain Pens). Great post from Anthony, who is still managing to put out thoughtful content despite his blog being “dormant.” You don’t need to post every day, or even every week, to be successful at this stuff, IMHO, and UK Fountain Pens is a prime example of that. I’ve also been struggling a bit, not only balancing time online and offline, but with finding time to enjoy this community (as well as writing this blog) since it now involves even more screen time.

2. Re-thinking Ink Samples: The Col-o-ring “Dipper” (via Inkpothesis). Ana come up with yet another way to quickly and easily sample inks! Check out this review of the latest Col-o-ring release.

3. A Few Analog Collections (via C.W. Pencil Enterprise). What are some of your non-pen analog collections? My big ones are books and analog music (CDs and Vinyl Records, mainly) but I also have a think for bookmarks, which I started collecting unintentionally. I was cleaning/inventorying my office for the first time in years and I think I have over a hundred.

4. Small Business Saturday (via Mountain of Ink). I wholeheartedly endorse this effort. If your current situation allows, it’s more important than ever to support the small businesses in our community.

5. Curidas.3.Analysis (via Cronicas Estilograficas). Now that the Curidas has finally shipped, reviews are starting to trickle out. I have a couple of Curidas pens on the way and look forward to actually seeing these in person.

6. Springtime for Van Gogh: Visconti Van Gogh Orchard in Blossom Fountain Pen and Rollerball (via Penquisition). The Van Gogh Series has long been among my favorite releases from Visconti, probably because the Van Gogh pens are among the least “over the top” designs in the company’s lineup. It also helps that I like Van Gogh’s work, and rose gold trim.

7. Diamine Inkvent Blue Edition (via Writing at Large). Many were speculating that Diamine would release the inks from their “Inkvent” calendar as stand-alone editions, and here they are! I need to be sure to get in on the Inkvent calendar next year - fingers crossed they’ll do it again - because it turned out to be quite a good idea.

8. Forever Inks (via UK Fountain Pens). Another awesome idea from Anthony. Most of us probably have quite a stash, but what are your “Forever Inks”?

9. What’s the Best Eraser? CWPE Investigates - Round 2 (via C.W. Pencils). Ok, I might have an unintentional eraser collection as well. Though the C.W. Pencils shop is currently closed (both brick-and-mortar and online), they are releasing some great online content.

10. Postcards from the Edge (via From the Pen Cup). It’s hilarious how so many of us have the same habits. I do the exact same thing with postcards. As did my Dad. I still have his collection of unused postcards dating back to the 60s.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I published a follow-up where I swatched the entire Diamine Music and Diamine Flower ink sets. I also wrote a short piece about a question that’s been bugging me - the speculated replacement of the TWSBI 580 in favor of TWSBI’s ever-expanding ECO lineup, and whether it would be a good idea for TWSBI to phase out its original flagship pen. Of course, I think that would be a bad idea as I love the 580, as do many of you who have reacted to the post. Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops highlights a new series of “Office” inks from Colorverse, the Platinum Star Wars pens, and some great Nuuna notebooks from Vanness, among other things.

Don’t forget, yellow and midnight blue Pokka Pens are back in stock in the TGS Curated Shop, along with the Pokka Pen Clip. I also have a wider range of Write Notepads paper than I had available for purchase at the Baltimore Pen Show, and still have a handful of “Everyday Writers” Ink Sample Packs, and of course TGS Swag Packs and Sticker Packs.

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Happy Sunday, and as always, thanks for reading!

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Workhorse Pens: The Case for the TWSBI 580 and the TWSBI 580AL/ALR

For a reliable, low cost workhorse fountain pen, you can’t go wrong with any TWSBI. From the original TWSBI 530 to the modern 580, 580AL or 580ALR, ECO, Mini, Vac, Vac Mini, and GO, TWSBI has seemingly perfected the art of making interesting pens with different filling mechanisms at a wide range of price points. I’ve long been a fan of the brand. Even years ago, when TWSBI still suffered from periodic quality control issues, I was willing to give them multiple chances because I believed in their goal: to create a well-made piston filler that could be sold at an accessible price well below $100. Though it took several years of experimenting, the company eventually struck the right balance between cost and quality before finalizing the design of the current model 580, which has not changed in recent years other than to add anodized aluminum accents (i.e., the TWSBI 580AL and 580ALR).

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But then came the ECO, an even less expensive piston filling fountain pen with a new rounded barrel that not only decreased manufacturing cost but also eliminated what many suspect were the culprits that caused stress cracking on early renditions of the 580: the “diamond” facets. At only $30, it’s indisputable (to me at least) that the TWSBI ECO is the best “pound-for-pound” piston filler on the market, earning the top spot on my list of Best Fountain Pens for Beginners. While TWSBI originally released the ECO only in black or white, you can now purchase a clear demonstrator, a version with a triangular Safari-like grip (the TWSBI ECO-T), as well as limited edition colors that rotate throughout the year. TWSBI clearly has invested in expanding the ECO segment of its business.

What Does the ECO Mean for the TWSBI 580?

I’ve read and heard a lot of commentary about how TWSBI’s recent focus on the “ECO” line of fountain pens threatens to cannibalize - if it hasn’t already - the market for its original pen. What does the ECO mean for the future of the TWSBI 580? Should anyone still buy the pen? Is the $25 markup over the ECO justified? My answer to those questions is yes.

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TWSBI nibs write a true medium, shown here with TWSBI Blue-Black Ink in a Write Notepads Dot Grid Notebook.

The main feature that the TWSBI 580 offers, which the ECO does not, is an interchangeable nib unit. (Perhaps I should say “easily interchangeable nib,” since technically you can swap the nib on an ECO, you just have to pull the nib manually as opposed to unscrewing a nib unit, and you cannot purchase ECO nibs separately.) If you like to use different nib sizes, and don’t want to own five or six different pens, you can purchase a single TWSBI 580 and an handful of individual nib units. This ability to swap nibs also comes in handy if you want to keep a stock of custom nib grinds, such as cursive italics or architects, and rotate them in and out of the same pen.

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There are additional functional and aesthetic differences between the 580 and the ECO. While I’m an ECO fan, I prefer the feel of the original 580. The 580 has the heft of a Pelikan piston filler, and although you can’t post the pen, it has excellent balance and a massive ink capacity, suitable for an all-day (or all-week) marathon writing session. If the ability to post a pen is important to you, consider the TWSBI Mini, which has a smaller ink capacity but actually extends to a slightly longer writing length than the standard 580.

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Of all TWSBI pens, the Diamond Mini is my favorite to use posted.

Aesthetically speaking, I also prefer the look of the 580 over the ECO. While I don’t dislike the ECO, the oversized, faceted cap will certainly stand out more in a professional environment, which I sometimes have to consider. The standard TWSBI 580 demonstrator, or the TWSBI 580ALR in Nickel, makes for a better “office pen”, at least for my particular workplace.

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As much as the ECO’s funky looking cap has grown on me, it’s still a touch “out there” for the office, and the pen itself is a bit long posted.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

I don’t subscribe to the idea that TWSBI should replace the 580 with the ECO. While the ECO is an excellent pen in its own right, it is a different pen, both in terms of design and functionality, and to be honest, the 580 offers the look and feel a much “higher-end” fountain pen at a mere $25 markup over the ECO. Combined with the 580’s interchangeable nib, that is more than enough justification to keep both pens in TWSBI’s lineup.

At the same time, I do wonder whether there is a rationale for discontinuing the TWSBI 580ALR limited editions. I don’t know how many of these pens TWSBI makes in each run, but with interchangeable nibs, it’s harder to justify owning more than one 580, and at $30 the ECO makes for an easier “catch ‘em all” purchase. Since we’re seeing more of a focus on ECO variants and limited editions, this may be where things are headed.

I’ve written full reviews of both the TWSBI 580 and the TWSBI Eco over the years, and both are fixtures on my “best pens” recommendations lists. Check out those reviews for a more in-depth discussion of specs and details of each pen. UPDATE: As of April 2021, TWSBI pens can be purchased directly from me in the T.G.S. Curated Shop.

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Don’t forget to check out TWSBI’s excellent line of inks, especially the standard colors such as Blue and Blue-Black (pictured above). Look for a full review soon.

Follow Up: Diamine Music and Flower Ink Sets

A couple of weeks ago I posted a review of “Vivaldi” and “Strauss,” two inks from Diamine’s ten-bottle Music Set. Since then, I’ve had a chance to sample and swatch the other eight Music inks, each of which is themed around a different composer, as well as the ten inks from Diamine’s other ink set, Flowers. I’m pleased with both purchases - for years I held off ordering these sets because I thought the colors would appear boring, or possibly duplicative of Diamine inks I already owned. Not so - especially Music. I think I’m going to enjoy using these darkly muted colors, especially at work and in other professional settings.

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Chopin (a dark blue-grey) and Tchaikovsky (a rich blue) are the two inks from the Music Set that I have lined up to use next, once my fills of Strauss and Vivaldi run out.

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Marigold and Cornflower both caught my eye, as did Bougainvillea.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As I mentioned in my review of “Vivaldi” and “Strauss,” Diamine inks are generally regarded as safe inks that don’t cost a lot of money and behave well on the page in terms of feathering and bleed-through. I’ve not had any issues with Diamine in this regard. The one quibble I do have with Diamine inks is a tendency for some colors to precipitate out on the nib in the form of “nib crud,” which appears as a crust around the tines of the nib that you need to periodically clean. It’s not dangerous - it’s just precipitate from certain dyes used in the ink - and it happens to me most often with oranges and greens if I let the pen sit unused for a few days. So far I’ve not noticed it with any inks in either of these two sets, but I’ve also not used these inks extensively.

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I purchased both sets pictured here from site sponsor Appelboom. The Diamine Music Ink Set and Flower Ink Set are priced at just under 50 Euros, which comes to around 5 Euros per 30ml bottle. Given that I generally like all of the colors in both sets, it worked out to a pretty good deal for me. I’ve heard anecdotally that you can purchase refills of the individual inks directly from Diamine, but I’ve been unable to find a link on their site and suspect you would need to reach out to them directly.

Disclaimer: I purchased the inks featured in this review from site sponsor Appelboom, using store credit generated through the Appelboom affiliate program, which is one way I support the site and obtain new products for review. This post contains affiliate links.

The Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Part II: Top Five Slim Softcover Notebooks

The second category of paper that I’m going to discuss as part of my “Everyday Writing” series is probably the one that I use the least: slim softcover notebooks. It’s not that I don’t find these notebooks “bad” in any way, it’s just that they rarely meet my personal needs. I tend to be hard on notebooks, and often a soft cover - particularly those made from paper or card stock - will wear quickly, fall off and need to be reinforced with tape before I actually finish the notebook. I also generally prefer to use a single book for multiple projects, relying on an index or bookmarks to separate pages by subject matter. This is mainly a matter of convenience, since I don’t want to have to carry too much when I commute or travel. That said, many people who like to use individual notebooks for different projects swear by the slim softcover format, and I’m slowly coming around and beginning to incorporate them into my workflow, particularly for projects like logging household expenses and home improvements, where the notebook lives on a desk and not in my bag.

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1. BaronFig Vanguard Softcover Notebook. At $12 for a pack of three, BaronFig’s Vanguard softcover notebook is one of the best buys out there if you like smaller, “single-subject” books. I enjoy BaronFig’s paper, and while it’s not the most fountain pen friendly option out there, it’s certainly good enough for my use case, especially at this price point. Baron Fig will also periodically release limited edition Vanguard notebooks, such as the current “New York City” softcover set.

2. Write Notepads Paper Notebook/Journal. The surprise hit from the Baltimore Pen Show, where I sold out of these Write Notepads notebooks/journals in a matter of hours. These lined notebooks contain the same premium fountain pen friendly paper found in Write Notepads’ larger spiral notebooks, and come in a wide array of cool colors with a design reminiscent of vintage books that you might have stolen from your parents’ office supply closet back in the day. I absolutely love Write Notepads’ paper, and they’re one of the only brands I currently carry in my curated shop. (They’re now restocked!)

3. Studio Neat Totebook. At a higher price point that the previous two options, Studio Neat’s Totebook sells in packs of 2 for $20, but offers a slightly more durable leatherette cover, 100gsm dot grid paper, and 8 perforated sheets at the back. If I were to choose a softcover notebook as a “daily carry”, it would likely be the Totebook simply due to durability. I also love that Studio Neat includes archival stickers that you can use to label the spine of your notebook when you’ve finished.

4. Life Noble Note A5 Sidebound. If you want both quantity (in terms of sheets in a notebook) and quality (in terms of premium paper), consider Life, a premium Japanese brand that makes some of the best notebooks around. At $20 per notebook, they’re expensive for a softcover, but you get 100 sheets of paper. The question, at least for me, is whether a softcover notebook will survive long enough for me to actually use all of this paper.

5. Midori MD Notebook Light. Midori is another exceptional Japanese paper brand that makes softcover “Light” notebooks in both A5 and slimmer B6 sizes. The great thing about these notebooks is that Midori makes PVC covers. I’ve not tried this, but I’ve heard you can fit two volumes of the “Light” notebooks into one cover. Midori paper is quite versatile and handles fountain pen ink well.

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Both the Studio Neat Totebook and the BaronFig Vanguard are best described as “A5-ish”. They are both slightly smaller than a standard A5 notebook, whereas the Write Notepads Paper Journal is a closer match at 5.5” by 8.5”.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Though this particular format is not a personal favorite, that doesn’t mean it won’t meet your needs. If you best organize your thoughts and projects using separate notebooks for different topics, the slim softcover format is a highly cost effective way to do that, especially if you need more space than a pocket notebook can provide. As I mentioned above, if I had to pick one notebook from this list, I’d roll with the Studio Neat Totebook, if for no other reason than the increased durability offered by the leatherette cover.

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The Studio Neat Totebook pleasantly surprised me, and I’m looking for a way to get this notebook into my workflow soon. I previously reviewed Studio Neat’s “Panobook” panoramic spiral notebook, and if they' ever decide to use the Totebook’s paper in that format, I’d buy a dozen immediately. I’m becoming a fan of the Panoramic notebook for computer work.

Further Reading 

Don’t miss “The Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Part I: Best Hardcover Notebooks.” If you’d like to read further on my recommendations for “Everyday Writing” tools other than paper, please check out my posts “Choosing the Best Pens and Pencils for Life” and “The Best Fountain Pen Inks for Daily Use”. I also recently updated my “Best Pens” recommendations page, which contains multiple lists of pen recommendations for users at different price points and experience levels.    

Disclaimer: The three notebooks pictured in this review were provided to me free of charge as product samples.

The TGS Curated Shop: Pokka Pens Restock and Free Shipping Offer!

After selling out in two days at the Baltimore Pen Show, yellow Pokka Pens are back in stock, with both solid and clear caps. I also have three-packs of “Midnight Blue,” as well as a limited number of multi-packs, which include one pen each of Midnight Blue, Blaze Orange, and Yellow, all with clear caps. Finally, clips are available for purchase separately! These slide on easily and can be reused and swapped if you change your pen.

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Free Shipping Offers and Gently Used Markdowns

Through Sunday, April 5, I’m offering a special Pokka Pens promotion: Purchase three or more Pokka packs and get free domestic U.S. shipping on your total order using the coupon code POKKASHIP. While all domestic orders over $50 and international orders over $200 already ship free, using the codes FREESHIP and FREESHIP200, that’s a lot of Pokka Pens, so I thought I would lower the limit. Add on a pack of Write Notepads Pocket Notebooks or a Reporter’s Notebook to complement your new pocket pens.

I’m also preparing to launch my Second Quarter “Gently Used” sale this weekend. As with the first round, the sale will be exclusive to Patreon supporters for the first month, after which I will open up the sale to the general readership. There are still a few products (mainly ink) available from January’s sale, all of which have now been marked down an additional 10-20%. Remember that Patreon Supporters at the “Bespoke” and “Special Edition” tiers get 20% and 10% discounts on all products in the “Gently Used” sale, in addition to early access.