Thursday Drops: Only the Best (and Most Unique) Writing Paper!

September 1, 2022

Here on the retail side of T.G.S., we’re committed to selecting only what we consider to be the best paper products available for general purpose writing - whether that be for business or personal use. Unless it’s paper intended for a specific purpose and noted otherwise, you can assume that what we carry works with fountain pens. Read more about fountain pen friendly paper here.

Clockwise from top left: TWSBI ECO Glow Green (yes it does glow in the dark!); the Caran d’Ache Dark Violet Limited Edition; TWSBI Diamond 580 Iris; and Platinum Plaisir Aurora.

Also, we still have a handful of TWSBI ECO Glow Green fountain pens from the initial shipment, along with restocked nib sizes on most other TWSBI models, as well as the limited edition Platinum Plaisir Aurora (all of which look exceptionally good with the slightly color-tinged pearlescent white finish).

[UPDATE: As of midday Thursday, September 1, we are restocked on Penco Perfection Bullet Pens and Drafting Pens and Ballpoints, Hightide Folding Book Stands, and a VERY limited number of the large (30 minute and 15 minute) hourglasses.]

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands shown here.

Clairefontaine French-Ruled (Seyes) Paper. Probably my all-time favorite paper ruling, not only because the paper itself looks unique but because I love the versatility of the lines. We received a shipment of wire-bound and staple-bound French-ruled notebooks yesterday, and we still have the booklet-bound looseleaf sheets.
Clairefontaine Triomphe Writing Pads. A favorite for written correspondence and other general purpose writing, Clairefontaine’s “Triomphe” series comes in both letter and A5 size and features bright-white paper stock excellent for showcasing ink.
Quo Vadis Habana Fountain Pen Friendly Edition. I consider the Quo Vadis Habana to be among the best - if not the best - of the “A5 elastibound notebooks”. This particular model features the white dot grid Clairefontaine paper so it’s more fountain pen friendly than the ivory lined notebook.
Midori MD Cotton Paper Writing Pads. Another personal favorite, especially when I’m looking for an absorbent paper with quicker dry times. Midori writing pads - both the cotton and the standard MD - are bound both vertically and horizontally to prevent paper curling and to allow you to use the pad in portrait or landscape mode, such as beneath a keyboard. Standard Midori MD writing pads in grid and blank ruling are also available.
Midori MD Cotton Notebooks. Midori Cotton paper comes in notebook form too, in the F0, F2, and F3 sketchbook sizing. (Though they’re perfectly suitable for writing as well!) It can be difficult to keep these in stock so we bought a lot this time.
Midori MD Notebooks and Covers. While not a notebook system per se, Midori MD Notebooks come with a range of compatible accessories, including notebook covers in natural undyed goat leather, a very durable Japanese paper cover, and standard plastic PVC sleeves. The covers can hold not just the standard MD notebooks but also two of the slimmer MD Light notebooks.
Traveler’s Company Spiral Ring Notebooks (featuring MD Paper). In addition to the flagship Traveler’s Notebook, Traveler’s Company makes these excellent spiral ring notebooks in A5 slim, A6 slim, and a Landscape B6 layout that features blank white Midori MD paper for both writing and sketching.
Soumkine “Oh My 307” Agenda. We still have five of these to-be-discontinued Soumkine hardcover planners in rose, and I’m attempting to get some additional stock in other colors but I’m not sure of the availability. At some point, these undated, open-format planners will go away as Soumkine is changing their business model so if you enjoy them to use as either a planner or a notebook stock up!
Maruman Mnemosyne Notebooks and Notepads. Japanese stationers Maruman were in attendance at the San Francisco show, and while I didn’t have a chance to visit with them on-site, I was excited to see that they did bring the A5 Notepad Folio/Holders, which hold an A5 pad and also features five folders for organizing your notes.
Life “Noble Note” Paper. An undersung stationery brand that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves, Life paper is excellent and comes in both pad and notebook format. There are also some specialty pads such as Bank Paper and Typewriter Paper that I am looking to restock soon.

DesignPhil Plotter Traveler's Notebook Table

2022 San Francisco Pen Show: The Main Event for the Modern Enthusiast

August 31, 2022

There is a key difference between the San Francisco Pen Show and pretty much every other pen show out there: Other legacy pen shows are primarily geared towards the “collector” or “hobbyist,” whereas the San Francisco Pen Show goes out of its way to appeal to true enthusiasts, or those who see stationery as an integral part of their life. Sure, there’s a lot of buying, selling, and trading - I enjoy those things as much as anyone and shows are a great place to indulge - but it begs the question: what do you do with it all? For those looking to lean heavily into analog and incorporate it even further into their daily routine, this past weekend offered a lot.

The Nib Tailor Setting Up Friday — The Nib Tailor (JC Ament) setting up on Friday. Note the space surrounding the table.

Creating a More Easily Navigable and Enjoyable Show Experience

Let’s start with the basics: the San Francisco Pen Show is incredibly well-run. The organizers carefully think through everything, from table layout to aisle spacing to food and after-hours events. And while the show itself is carefully planned, there’s still enough flexibility to allow vendors to experiment with the user experience. For example, this year Atelier Musubi “inverted” their three tables into a horseshoe shape, essentially creating a “shop” where you could walk in and explore their offerings. (You can watch my walkthrough video here.) The ballroom certainly became crowded at points during the weekend, especially on Saturday, but I never witnessed the kind of congestion and table backups I’ve seen at many other shows, except maybe at the Toyooka Craft table on Friday, which is another story…. More on that below.

I basically learned to make an inky mess at Leigh’s first class (Mad Scientist Mode).

Seminars, Meetups, and Classes Throughout the Weekend

While most pen shows these days offer classes and seminars, the roster is fairly predictable and rarely ventures beyond vintage-pen education (repair, history, etc.) and calligraphy. Don’t get me wrong - these events should exist and often see strong attendance, but the range of interests in the pen community is far more diverse. An example of what else is possible: San Francisco featured free seminars that included an “Introduction to System Techo” (i.e., how to use Japanese-style notebook systems) and “Paperchase!”, a paper-related class by Daryl Lim of notebook-maker Atelier Musubi. In addition to calligraphy, paid classes included multiple journaling workshops, a class on sketchnoting, class on travel sketching and ink washing, a workshop on modifying Pilot Parallel calligraphy pens, and more.

Please don’t balk at paying class “tuition”. In addition to compensating the teachers for the time spent in organizing and putting on the seminar, it often includes a full toolkit that you can take home to continue whatever it is you learn that day.

As I noted on Saturday, I attended two journaling workshops: “Mad Scientist Mode ON” and “Notes to Self” by Leigh Reyes, both of which were excellent and focused on visual and nontraditional journaling exercises, in addition to just having fun playing with inks an paper in ways most people wouldn’t think you could. I also sat in on the System Techo seminar by April from DesignPhil (parent company of Traveler’s Company and Plotter USA), which I found fascinating as she not only talked about products but the results of the interviews they conducted with individuals who used them. I came away with plenty of ideas not just for more content I can bring you but how I plan to use my own notebooks more on an everyday basis. Finally, I attended “Every Paper Has Its Origin Story,” by Taizo Yamamoto (of Yamamoto Paper) and Bruce Eimon, which allowed participants to sample and learn the details/origins of eighteen different Japanese specialty writing papers. (I visited the Yamamoto Paper table after the class and took home samples of ten of them - there’s a LOT out there beyond Tomoe River, and I personally wouldn’t have known about any of them absent this class.)

Wearingeul Ink Dromgoole's — I spent some time exploring the ink racks at the Dromgoole’s tables, and ended up coming away with some Wearingeul inks. (Finally!)

And, of Course, There Was Shopping

The San Francisco Pen Show is famous for drawing vendors and brands from Japan, and while this year’s show didn’t quite hit pre-2020 levels of international attendance, Toyooka Craft, Nagasawa, and Bungubox all attended the show. Bungubox and Nagasawa brought plenty of exclusive pens and inks, and Nagasawa was running some crazy promotions on Sunday as they certainly didn’t want to carry any of it home to Japan. As you may have heard, the Toyooka Craft table was more or less stripped bare of all the pen chests and larger items by noon on Friday! Given the size of a wooden pen chest, it wasn’t something that I planned to carry home with me cross-country, but it would’ve been nice to have a look, y’all. :)

Ink Sorting after hours — No, I didn’t buy all this ink. Someone had a “free ink” box that was being passed around and I grabbed a handful of bottles and paid the rest forward. The things you see at pen shows!

I won’t go through the roster of show vendors who attended - you can view that on the show website - but I will make a general observation that I enjoyed seeing a focus on notebooks and paper that can be lacking at other shows. In addition to Traveler’s Company and Plotter USA (which make Japanese-style planner/journal systems and related products), Yamamoto Paper had two large tables full of specialty papers in both samplers and full-size pads and notebooks, and Atelier Musubi completely sold out of their high-end journals and notebooks. While people certainly bought pens, there was a level of excitement around the paper and paper-related events that I had not seen before at other shows.

Kobe Ink Nagasawa — Nagasawa brought all of their Kobe inks (Sailor inks in colors drawing on locations in Kobe, Japan), as well as many limited and special edition pens. This was a very popular table throughout the weekend.

Takeaways from the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show

If you can’t tell already from my Saturday recap and the discussion so far, I thoroughly enjoyed the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show. In order to stay relevant to the modern enthusiast, I would argue that pen shows need to accommodate a broader range of vendors and events, including more classes and seminars that focus less on acquisition and more on use. Shopping is fun, but the items I buy are meaningless to me if I don’t do anything with them. That said, I plan to do a further post this weekend highlighting what I picked up and why, as well as some nib grinds I had done. (I still have not finished unpacking.)

If my show description isn’t enough to draw you to the San Francisco Pen Show, I hope this is. Did I mention there’s a great food scene?

Will I be back in San Francisco? Absolutely. I try to plan my “show calendar” at the beginning of each year, and during that process identify the 2-3 shows that are “must-attend” events for me. After two consecutive “excellent” shows, San Francisco will replace D.C. at the top of my list in terms of priority scheduling, and I’m strongly considering reserving a table or two when registration opens back up for 2023.

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

Traveler's Notebooks at the San Francisco Pen Show — While most of the 2022 limited edition covers have sold out, we still have a handful of the Airline (front left) limited kits.

In the Shop: Traveler's Notebook Restock

August 30, 2022

It’s timely that coming back from the San Francisco Pen Show, I can do a post highlighting a full restock of Traveler’s Notebook Starter kits in standard colors, along with certain in-demand accessories such as the fountain-pen friendly sticky notes, leather pen holders to match your notebook, and nearly all of the standard and specialty paper refills, including the B-Sides and Rarities collection.

You can read more about how I have set up my own personal Traveler’s Notebook in this and other prior posts, and you can also expect more Traveler’s-related content following this past weekend’s trip to the San Francisco Pen Show, where I got to spend some time at the Traveler’s Company booth! Stay tuned.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands shown here.

Plotter and Traveler's Company SF Pen Show

Sunday Reading for August 28, 2022 (SF Pen Show Edition)

August 28, 2022

Ferris Wheel Press Brush Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I’ve not had the chance to review the FWP “Brush” fountain pen, but I talked to quite a few people this weekend who enjoy the nibs on these pens.
A Recipe for Disaster: Holiday Carry (via a fleeting ripple). If nothing else, fountain pens and travel always leads to some great memories (and stories)!
What I Brought on My Trip (via Inkredible Colours). I always love to see a good travel layout, especially when I’m on the road.
Asking the Right Questions About Use Case: a mnml Digest (via mnmlscholar). I promise I’m not including this link because it includes one of my posts, but rather because it has several other articles about how to consider the use case for those products in your collection, or more importantly, those you are considering adding to your collection.
Monteverde Sweet Life Ink Set (via Dapprman). The Monteverde “Sweet Life” inks received great reviews when they were introduced a few years ago. Apparently there was a contamination issue that I was unaware of but which Dapprman notes here.
Post-DC Post-Covid Recap (via Penquisition). Evan has his slightly (and unfortunately) delayed D.C. Pen Show recap, which as always is well-written and thoughtful.
Composition Book Round Up Back to School Sale at Target, Walmart, and Dollar Tree (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Leslie has the annual composition book round-up ready to go! It’s actually three posts at three different stores, and as usual you can find some low-cost gems out there.
PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict). PenBBS’s vacuum filler model remains a reasonably priced favorite after all these years. I’m glad to see that PenBBS has been able to resume shipping.
Colorverse Butterfly Nebula and NGC 6302 (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’ve seen this ink in person and it is indeed beautiful. While it was introduced at the D.C. Pen Show, it’s now generally available.
Opus Cineris Harmonic Nib Series A Cursive Italic Hand Engraved Nib by Anabelle Sophie Hiller (via Gourmet Pens). I was disappointed that I didn’t get the opportunity to break away from the table and test out one of Anabelle’s nibs in D.C. Azizah has a video up!

In Case You Missed It….

In advance of the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show - a show that’s been quite planner and paper focused, at least this year, I posted a short piece on my five favorite planner pens. I also published a recap of the San Francisco Pen Show, Day One, which is only the first day of my adventures on the West Coast! Stay tuned for more SF recap content this week.

This Week in the Curated Shop

Right before I left (as in, five minutes before I departed for the airport), I received notice that my shipment of TWSBI Glow Green fountain pens had arrived, and they will begin shipping immediately upon my return from San Francisco. I’ve also restocked on numerous favorites, including the full range of Midori MD paper and Traveler’s Notebooks, in addition to many of the other TWSBI models in all nib sizes.

Lochby

TWSBI

Traveler's Company

Caran d'Ache

Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

I would love for the T.G.S. Patreon to become a core method of support for the T.G.S. website, and have tried to streamline it. I’ll also need to be a bit more vocal about its availability and what it offers. The Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens.

Pilot Specialty Nibs — Pilot USA attended with all of the specialty nibs available to test!

2022 San Francisco Pen Show Recap, Day 1

August 27, 2022

Is it possible to get the entire pen show weekend experience on a single day? It might be. Day One (Friday of the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show was a whirlwind of shopping, seminars, and of course visiting with friends - some of whom I’ve not seen in person in several years. After commenting that the 2022 D.C. Pen Show had a somewhat lackluster energy, especially where it came to organizing and promoting non-shopping related activities such as classes and seminars, I was ready for a different experience, and after only a day I can say that the San Francisco Pen Show delivers.

Plotter USA Three Sizes — Three different sizes of Plotters, ranging from A5 (left) to Narrow to Mini 5. The Mini 5 size is a show discovery that I would not have discovered had I not attended the San Francisco Pen Show in person.

If You’re At All Interested in Japanese Paper and Notebook Systems, Try to Attend the San Francisco Pen Show.

Disclaimer up front: I’m a bit biased, since you all know that I am a longtime notebook/planner/paper enthusiast as well as a Midori MD and Traveler’s Notebook dealer, but this particular show has been a bit of an ultimate holiday for me. Not only does the vendor roster feature Traveler’s Company, Plotter USA, and Atelier Musubi (all makers of excellent notebooks that use high-end paper), but I had the opportunity to sign up for a time slot with Plotter and have them make a semi-custom A5 binder for me out of a selection of show-exclusive leathers. I opted for “Yellow”, which has more of a natural look that should age with a nice patina.

But what to do with all of this paper? While I use most of my notebooks for work notes, journaling, and writing, I’ve been trying to incorporate more creative use of my pens and inks. So I signed up for both of my friend Leigh Reyes’ workshops this weekend, the first of which (“Mad Scientist Mode ON”) was yesterday. The focus of the course involved experimenting with inks, papers, and other tools in counterintuitive ways to create different effects (i.e., spritzing ink drawings with bleach). Leigh also taught us how to make our own shimmer and “special effects” inks by adding shimmer particles of various colors and even glow-in-the-dark compounds!

Leigh Reyes Mad Scientist Mode On Shimmer Ink — By using micah particles, you can create your own shimmer ink by adding shimmer to your own favorite colors. (Use caution when introducing your own mixtures into fountain pens - this was done with a refillable fiber-tipped marker.)

What’s on the Agenda for Today?

In addition to trying to meet up with more friends and acquaintances, including saying hello to as many different Patreon supporters as possible, I’m attending a free seminar put on by Plotter USA titled “Beginners Guide to System Techo,” a 1.5-hr walkthrough of all the various ways in which the Plotter and its intricately detailed, versatile refills can be used. (I suspect that a lot of the concepts will translate directly to other notebooks/planners as well.) Many of you have requested specific site content discussing how to maximize the potential of your Plotters, Traveler’s Notebooks, and Lochbys, so I’m hoping to learn more and get some ideas so that I can better understand and recommend the products that I use and sell myself.

Plotter Customization System Techo — Be sure to stop by the Plotter USA Table!

I also plan to attend a paid class by Taizo Yamamoto (Yamamoto Paper) and Bruce Eimon, titled “Every Paper has an Origin Story,” discussing the histories, use, and properties of all sorts of specialty Japanese paper. While this specific class is currently full, if you’re in the area and considering attending the show, be sure to check out the class and seminar rosters on the show website. Stay tuned for more updates, and of course I’ll have a full recap this week with more pictures and general takeaways from San Francisco!

Show refills and the Traveler’s Company Art Toolkit from the Traveler’s Company booth.

T.G.S. Store Update!

If you can’t partake in the fun at the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show, we recently restocked on the full range of Midori MD and Traveler’s Company notebooks and accessories. There’s a vibrant culture that has developed around all of these brands, which you really appreciate at a show, especially the degree to which people use the products as designed, and integrate them into their everyday lives. It makes me proud to be associated with companies like these!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by sales in the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges from the T.G.S. Patreon Program.