Sunday Reading for September 24, 2023

1. Nagasawa Kobe Affection (via Mountain of Ink). As Kelli mentions, Vanness Pens is now the US retailer for Nagasawa special editions in the U.S. This is a gorgeous exclusive Sailor 1911 in “blurple” and gold.

2. An Extraordinary Fountain Pen: Einstein’s Pen (via Pen Picture). Some pen history for a change? Check out Einstein’s Waterman from the early 1900s.

3. Monty Winnfield Utility Nib: First Impressions (via Cheryl Lindo Jones). I had a chance to see one of these at the Pelikan Hub on Friday, but didn’t have the chance to write with it. I’m not overly familiar with this brand either, is it something I should check out?

4. Planner Review: Yoseka Labs Two-Month Weekly Planner (via Well-Appointed Desk). Really an interesting way to experiment with different planner layouts!

5. A Little Flair: Architect Nib Grind (via A Fleeting Ripple). Architect nibs are among my favorite specialty grinds, even if they’ve been eclipsed in popularity by the somewhat softer Kodachi/Naginata-style grinds in recent years.

6. Journaling Series: Travel Journaling (via Writing at Large). Travel Journaling is, to me, one of the more enjoyable aspects of travel! Re-reading my travel entries almost always brings me back to exactly where I wrote them.

7. Ink Quantities? (via Stationery Pizza). I agree with this take - personally, I’m not sure that it bothers me anymore that ink is sold in smaller quantities than 50ml, as someone who takes a LONG time to use this much.

8. Keep a Checklist Notebook (via Analog Office). Do you keep checklists? I’m somewhat inconsistent though it would probably help my anxiety if I put more checklists in writing, either digital or analog.

9. The Digital-Analog Carousel of Writers (via Pen Addict - Sarah). I love reading about writers’ writing practices, especially if they involve alternating between digital and analog.

10. Lamy Scala Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Lamy Scala is probably one of the lesser known models in Lamy’s lineup, and doesn’t get reviewed that often so it’s interesting to see a review here.

11. StyloSuite XXXF X Wing Harpoon Nib (via Rachel’s Reflections). I still have yet to order a StyloSuite nib, and maybe that will change at an upcoming pen show as I’m writing with more flex recently?

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Some people carry a laptop in their laptop sleeve. I carry a ginormous A4 notebook.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I offered a bit of insight into my personal workflow, with two posts on different types of paper that I use for much of my writing. I started with this piece on A4 notebooks, a format that I enjoy using for writing longhand. Later in the week, I wrote about my favorite paper rulings and why I prefer some over others, as well as some recent new discoveries. For this weekend’s post, I recapped the 2023 Nashville Pelikan Hub, for which I had the privilege of serving as Hubmaster!

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We have a wide range of paper available in the shop, including a few of the papers shown here.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

We have more Life Airmail and Typewriting Paper now available! These specialty papers are a shop favorite, and I ordered a bunch this time. We also have additional HMM ballpoints, mechanical pencils, and coffee mugs. Finally, we have a few additional Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter organizers/portfolios in A4 and A5 sizes, available to ship immediately.

HMM Coffee

Multi-Year Journals

Roterfaden

TWSBI

Patreon Update - Support T.G.S. via Sample Sales, Early Access, and Meetups with Special Guests!

If you’re interested in further supporting T.G.S., consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which features not only access to meetups and the early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your pledge! The September Meetup will take place tonight at 8:30pm CT.

Recapping Pelikan Hubs 2023! A "Hubmaster's" Perspective

It still surprises me that people otherwise deep into the online pen community are only now just finding out about Pelikan Hubs! Started in 2014 as a promotional event, German penmaker Pelikan has been sponsoring these annual gatherings around the worlds, and the number of cities hosting a “Hub” has rapidly expanded. They’ve turned into beloved community events, and most are now larger pen-related gatherings that go well-beyond Pelikan enthusiasts.

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I was glad to see the bottles of Edelstein ink return this year!

There’s been a lot of discussion about where the Pelikan Hubs will go from here. This year Pelikan announced their acquisition by the Hamlin Group, a French conglomerate, but right now it doesn’t appear that anything has changed. Pelikan resumed shipping a complimentary bottle of the Edelstein Ink of the Year (2023: Rose Quartz) to all registered Hub attendees, which was a welcome addition despite a new, more involved two-stage Hub registration process that left many frustrated. I think the biggest challenge going forward in today’s world of inflation and general rising costs will be how to address the expense of the Hub itself. Hubmasters are volunteers, and Pelikan does not contribute financial support for the events. While our group is fortunate enough to have at least one restaurant with a low-enough private-room minimum spend to host the Hub, I’m not sure how long that will continue, and some Hubmasters in larger cities are either having to lay out deposits, solicit donations, or charge admission (the latter of which has sparked significant controversy over whether the event should remain “free”). If the Hubs keep growing, the solution, for better or for worse, will likely require up-front sponsorship by either retailers or pen clubs - or some sort of “crowdfunded solution” - as I suspect Pelikan will not be able to financially support Hubs worldwide.

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Nic from PensbyPasquale had a bunch of new creations to show off at the Hub!

The Nashville, Tennessee area hub has consistently had 15-30 people attend over the years, driven mainly by the membership of our local pen club, the Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club. (Sign up here!) Thanks to the generosity of several club members, we had giveaway prizes for just about everyone. And while next year it may be time to pass the torch to another Hubmaster and help out more behind the scenes (i.e., I’m TIRED), I’ve enjoyed all the people I’ve met at these events and I’m always encouraged by the growing passion of this community!

The Gentleman Stationer is not affiliated with Pelikan and I hosted this Hub in my capacity as an enthusiast. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Thursday Drops: Life Airmail and Typewriting Paper, HMM Restock

Life’s “Airmail” paper - so named due to its resemblance to the thin onionskin originally used to send vintage airmail correspondence - is one of the harder products to keep in stock. It tends to take time to get from Japan, and letter writing enthusiasts snap it up. Hopefully this time we got the order right! There’s also a fresh shipment of Typewriter Paper, Stenographer’s Notebooks, and HMM mugs and ballpoints. Happy shopping!

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

1. Life Airmail Paper and Envelopes. Want to send someone a handwritten letter on nostalgia-inducing onionskin paper? This ultralight paper is fountain pen friendly and unlike anything else you’ll find on the market. Corresponding red and blue “airmail” envelopes are also available.

2. Life Typewriting Paper. The other popular entry in what I call Life’s “vintage” series is the Typewriting Paper, similar to paper originally designed specifically for typewriters. It handles ink well, and despite being thin is very strong.

3. Life Stenographer’s Notebooks. Available in both Gregg (classic steno) and grid/graph rulings, these vintage-style stenographer’s notebooks remind me of what I used to swipe out of my Dad’s office supply closet when I was a kid and would visit his office on the weekend.

4. HMM Dodecagonal Ballpoints and Mechanical Pencils. These matte pens and pencils have a unique, comfortable shape. Available in matte black, raw aluminum, and matte black-and-brass finishes.

5. HMM “Muggr” Coffee Mugs. It’s surprising to think that coffee accessories would be a big hit among the stationery crowd. (Not really surprising at all, actually.) If coffee and tea aren’t your thing, these beautiful ceramic mugs are great pen cups!

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Personal Workflow: It's More Than Novelty - Different Paper Rulings for Different Purposes

Between my dual careers as an attorney and a writer/shopkeeper/administrator, I go through a lot of paper. (Seriously - people don’t believe me when I tell them that I’ve been known to write through 1-2 full converters of ink in a single day. That requires a LOT of paper.) But what paper do I use? That depends on the nature of the writing itself. Dot grid has long been my standard “everyday” paper simply because it’s so versatile, but lately I’ve rediscovered the beauty of a plain blank page. I’ve also enjoyed using the “quadrant graph” layout from Plotter/Midori Designphil. I thought it would be fun to talk specifics about each of these papers, how I use them, and in what formats.

My Most Used Paper Rulings and How/WhY I choose Each one

1. Dot Grid. A light, subtle dot ruling offers just enough structure for actual writing, but it can also “disappear” if you want to draw, take random notes vertically, annotate, etc. To me, dot grid paper represents the perfect compromise between structure and flexibility, and best of all, it’s readily available in pretty much any pad or notebook format you can think of (including colored paper). The three formats I use the most are the Rhodia Dot Pad, a stationery workhorse which has been in my rotation for more than a decade, the letter-sized Write Notepads Memo Pad, and anything with dot grid Tomoe River paper, preferably the 68gsm version because I think it holds up to daily use better. (Get it while you still can.) Dot grid is my default paper.

2. Reticle/Cross Grid. After dot grid, the next best thing for me is a reticle grid, featuring small crosses instead of dots. (Hence this ruling also being called “cross grid.”) Offering a bit more structure than a dot grid without the fully connected lines to disrupt your writing, I will opt for a reticle grid over standard graph any day. This particular paper first went mainstream back in 2014 with the release of the Field Notes “Night Sky” edition. These days, reticle grid paper can still be somewhat difficult to find - certainly harder than dot grid - but it’s becoming more common. Atelier Musubi offers it as an option in their recently released “Rasa 83” notebooks, as well as their new Spica Bond 75 pocket notebooks. Nanami Paper also continues to sell the Seven Seas “Crossfield” Tomoe River Journal.

3. Blank. Back at the beginning of the year, I resolved to allow myself to just enjoy using really good paper that didn’t have a set “purpose.” I wanted to play around more with pens, ink, and even paint, and blank paper makes the perfect canvas for experimentation. Moreover, because many specialty Japanese papers only come in a blank format, allowing yourself to enjoy the blank page dramatically expands your range of options. Specific papers I’ve used often include Midori MD Cotton (which sadly no longer comes in anything other than blank), Passepied, Spica Bond, and even the G. Lalo laid paper. I’ve actually come to enjoy taking notes randomly on a blank page, without any “guidelines,” especially when brainstorming.

4. Multi-Lined. Somewhat sadly, I find myself using lined paper less these days, though that’s more incidental than intentional. I rarely use a standard lined ruling, and when I do I will nearly always opt for Clairefontaine’s French/Seyes-ruled paper and, more recently, the Nakabayashi lined versions that were recommended to me by Ana over at the Well-Appointed Desk. That said, I expect my usage of this multi-lined paper to dramatically increase over the next year. While I’ve been hinting at this on the site (and definitely in the Patreon discussions) for a while, I feel comfortable disclosing that I’m in the middle of a career change that (1) will allow me to devote more time to T.G.S.; and (2) move to a position at my day job that is much more writing-intensive, which is the part of the work that I truly enjoy. Hopefully I’ll shift back to where I was several years ago, using Clairefontaine French-Ruled paper to draft legal briefs by hand, much to the befuddlement of my coworkers! ;)

5. Quadrant Graph. I’ve been using this new arrival to the lineup almost nonstop since Plotter released their special edition “Japan Blue” notebooks last month. While I don’t typically use graph paper, if I do it’s going to be micro-graph (2mm). After some initial skepticism, I’ve really come to enjoy this layout. I write small, so the micro-graph doesn’t bother me even if a standard graph ruling isn’t my favorite. What’s surprised me is the utility of having a page divided into four quadrants. I make a lot of lists, some of which are related to one another and include “sub-lists” under specific tasks, so this layout has been quite useful for project management and thinking through SWOT-style analyses. It’s also helpful to be able to separate notes on different topics into four sections on a single page. For those who find the blue Plotter paper too dark (or the micro-graph too small), Midori sells a standard A5 journal in what they call a “Grid-Block” layout.

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A dot grid ruling (top - Midori Soft Color) compared against reticle grid (bottom - Musubi Pocket Notebook)

Further Reading on My Favorite Papers

Out of the three major categories of stationery (pens, inks, paper), I feel the most comfortable recommending paper, since I have extensive experience using it everyday for 30+ years in a variety of personal and professional contexts. (I can also talk about it for hours - you’ve been warned.) Paper preferences, however, are subjective, with ruling preferences differing from person to person depending not only on need but also handwriting and notetaking style. So my ruling preferences, discussed above, may not equate to yours, and that’s ok! Finding what works for you is part of the fun of this passion/hobby.

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If you’d like to read further on the topic of paper and recommendations, I’ll typically direct readers to this post on Fountain Pen Friendly Paper, which has an extensive comments section that contains additional discussion among readers. At some point I will need to update the post based on certain suggestions, but there are so many brands mentioned that there’s probably no way I will get to them all!

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The Plotter Quadrant Graph Paper.

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 third-party affiliate links or paid advertising.

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.