Sunday Reading for June 4, 2023

1. Meet Your Maker: Jason Miller, Jason Neil Penworks (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I was lucky enough to score a table next to Jason Neil Penworks at this year’s Arkansas Show, and picked up a Tucker model in the Damascus material. Stay tuned!

2. The Life-Changing Magic of Keeping a File Index (via Analog Office). I’m trying to go paperless where the paper is essentially “junk paper,” but it’s hard as it seems to keep piling up. I saw this and could immediately relate.

3. Iroshizuku Syo-ro (via Fountain Pen Love). It’s always great to see the standard Iroshizuku ink lineup getting some love. Syo-ro is a gorgeous teal with a bit of red sheen.

4. Dominant Industry Tsavorite (via Mountain of Ink). Wow, jade/teal colors tend to be in fashion these days! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost picked up a bottle of this specific ink.

5. Ensso Italia Primary Manipulation IV Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). I’m glad to see more companies doing different pens in the various Primary Manipulation materials!

6. Benu Skull & Roses Crow Fountain Pen (via Well-Appointed Desk). I love this line from Benu and need to pick up one of the S&R models.

7. Sakae Tomoe River Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The 68gsm version is an all-time favorite. I hope it doesn’t go away.

8. Sun’s Out: No Review (via A Fleeting Ripple). We were blessed with a gorgeous May featuring lower temperatures and lot’s of sun, but it looks like for us, the summer heat is here. That said, I’ve been doing a lot of writing on the porch!

9. Third Anniversary (via Inkredible Colours). Congratulations on this achievement! And it sounds like it was quite a year!

10. Dead Gel Refills (via Bleistift). Gel and rollerball refills tend to dry out and “die” at a higher rate than ballpoints, which can last for years. Use your gel pens!

11. Writing for Memory’s Sake (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Writing by hand is good for your memory, and not just because it memorializes things.

12. “Can I Keep This?” (via From the Pen Cup). If it’s an office-supply pen, sometimes I don’t even ask;)

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In Case You Missed It…Reviews + Giveaway!

This week on the blog I reviewed a recent release from Tactile Turn: the “Deep Space” Seasonal Edition in the “Side Click” format. I won’t say that Tactile Turn has perfected the EDC click pen, but it’s close. As part of my ongoing efforts to update certain of the older content on this site, I’m not only revisiting brands I haven’t looked at in some time, but also pens like the excellent Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen - a longtime go-to recommendation here at T.G.S. and a pen that continues to be a relative bargain.

Finally, last night we announced a giveaway! Check out this Instagram post for a chance to win an original Walnut Penwell pen holder. Enter by liking the post on Instagram or leaving a comment on either this blog post or yesterday’s Custom 74 Review. The giveaway closes tomorrow at 11:59pm CT, and I’ll pick a winner by assigning a number to each entry and using a random number generator.

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Last call for T.G.S. Penwells! We’re down to the last of this batch, and I don’t plan on doing another run for the time being due to a need to focus on other projects.

This Week in the Curated Shop: Last Call Warning!

In connection with the Penwell-themed giveaway: We are down to the last of the T.G.S.-exclusive Penwells in “Aged Red”. If you’d like to ensure you get one, please get your orders in this week. Depending on how many remain, I plan to pull some of the remaining stock for a special promotion we are doing in early July, in connection with our first exclusive fountain pen collaboration that we’ve been working on.

This past week we had restocks of the Caran d’Ache 849 + Paul Smith collaboration, which we are restocking as quickly as we can given how fast some colors sell out, along with the CdA Rollerball refills and certain popular colors of the various 849 models. We also received fresh shipments of Write Notepads Spiral Notebooks, new Jotters and Planners from WMS & Co., and Traveler’s Notebook refills and accessories.

Pilot Pens

WMS & Co.

TWSBI

Anterique

Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!

T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and 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 support! Note that Patrons will have early access to our forthcoming special release that should be arriving either later this month or early July, including pre-order opportunities and possibly exclusive access to certain add-ons. June is a good time to join!

Review Revisited: The Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen

One downside to blog longevity is the need to ensure that all of the content on your site remains relevant. Certain of the older pen reviews here on T.G.S. are out of date: the pricing discussion might no longer be accurate, the original retailer out-of-business, or - as is the case today - the manufacturer has completely overhauled the lineup and selection of pens available. Today we revisit the Pilot Custom 74: a fountain pen that's regularly appeared in posts and "Best Pen" lists over the years, but which hasn't received any stand-alone in-depth treatment in quite a while.

The Pilot Custom 74 + Lamy 2000

The Pilot Custom 74: A Highly Underrated Deep Value Proposition for a Workhorse fountain Pen

Along with the Lamy 2000, the Pilot Vanishing Point, and the Pelikan M205/M200, the Pilot Custom 74 was among the first "nice" fountain pens that I purchased in the early 2010s. It may actually have been the first 14k gold nib pen I bought, and I opted for the Violet demonstrator. (The original review has my only remaining photo of this that pen I deeply regret selling - so it goes.) Since then, Pilot has leaned heavily into the Custom 74 in the North American market, with eight different demonstrator colors currently available, as compared to the former four. It remains an excellent - and highly underrated - everyday writer.

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Today, the Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen sits in the same market "sweet spot" that it has for years, and potentially has developed into an even more competitive price/value proposition as your options for gold nib pens under $200 dwindle to basically nothing else. While Pilot doesn't expressly advertise it as such, I would peg the Custom 74 as Pilot's answer to the Platinum 3776 and the Sailor 1911, albeit at a price point $30-50 lower than these other two. The Custom 74 is a mid-size pen that will fit most hands comfortably due to its ability to be used posted or unposted, and features a smooth and reliable 14k gold nib. Pilot, of course, doesn't play the limited edition strategy to the same degree as Platinum and Sailor, so for the moment you're limited to the "stock" colors, but that may be changing.

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The sweet Pilot No. 5 nib on the Custom 74. All current models feature rhodium plated trim with no gold trim options available.

What makes the Custom 74 stand out? The combination of excellent writing experience and the fact that it still maintains its $176 street price at most retailers. You heard that correctly: a sub-$200 price point for an exceptionally reliable Japanese fountain pen with a 14k gold nib. Even back in the early 2010s, when I purchased my first Custom 74 for around $150, I thought this pen represented great value, and that continues to be the case for the following reasons:

• Overall Writing Experience. Pilot nibs are consistently among the best standard nibs on the market - if not the best. In all my years writing with fountain pens, I don't think I've ever received a bad one. I can't say that about any other brands, as nearly all companies have their hiccups and in more than a decade buying and selling fountain pens I've had at least one dud from each brand (other than Pilot) that just didn't write perfectly out of the box. The Custom 74’s nib paired with the lightweight, comfortable barrel easily lends itself to longer writing sessions.

• Versatility. I mentioned above that the Custom 74's size makes it a versatile writing option that fits a wide range of hands. Prefer a shorter, slimmer pen? The barrel is long enough to comfortably use unposted. Have larger hands? The Custom 74 posts deeply, while not adding too much bulk. It's slim enough to fit most pen cases, shirt pockets, and even some planner loops and notebook cover pen holders. The pen fills with a cartridge-converter filling system, allowing you to use bottled ink or Pilot cartridges.

• Better Variety. Over the years, one big knock on this model was the lack of color options. Many people didn't want a clear demonstrator, and some found the orange, smoke grey, blue, and purple pens limiting. (Or "too wild" in the case of the orange and purple. I disagree, but hey, at least they added six new colors!) Today, you can chose from eight different pens: clear, blue, and smoke are still available, but Pilot has also added five additional demonstrators that include some gorgeous options that you don't see very often such as the "Blue Stone" (shown here), Teal, and Grenadine.

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The Custom 74 posts nicely, and features a traditional streamlined design with rounded ends. Like other Pilot pens such as the Custom 823 and Custom Urushi, the cap sports Pilot's triangular ball clip.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Custom 74 has maintained a slot on my Best Pens list for years as one of my go-to recommendations not just for those looking to purchase their first fountain pen over $150, but for anyone looking for a reliable daily writer. It's up there with the Lamy 2000 and other workhorses. Is there any downside to adding one to your rotation? Not really, other than personal preference. Some may not like the design, and there's currently no non-demonstrator option in the U.S. market. Those who want a larger pen or higher-capacity filling system might want to opt for a bigger Pilot model like the Custom 743 or Custom 823, both of which also feature larger nibs (with accordingly larger price points). But again, these are preferences than true pros and cons.

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When I decided to bring the Custom 74 and the Custom 823 into the shop, I knew that I wanted to set one aside as a tester/demo pen that would also replace the Violet pen I regret selling all those years ago. I chose the "Blue Stone" model, which is a stunning blue-black color that, to me, complements both Pilot's standard blue-black ink, as well as Iroshizuku Shin-kai. ( I do wonder whether this is intentional on Pilot's part: you can find some near-identical parallels between the Custom 74 color offerings and the Iroshizuku ink lineup.)

After years of recommending this pen, we are proud to sell the Pilot Custom 74 directly in our shop, alongside the Pilot Custom 823, the full range of Iroshizuku Inks, and hopefully more Pilot options in the near future. The Custom 74 is currently priced at $176, is available in all eight colors and nib sizes extra fine through broad, and includes free domestic U.S. shipping.

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My Pilot Custom 74 in Blue Stone (top) with the rest of my “Workhorse Pen” kit from this week: The Lamy 2000 (right), the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad, and the Lochby Quattro pen case.

Further Reading

If you're interested in the Pilot Custom 74, you are likely exploring “Workhorse Pens” that you can use in your everyday writing. In that case, check out our “Workhorse Pens” series, which discusses similar options such as the Pilot Custom 823, the Lamy 2000, the Lamy Studio (with 14k gold nib), and more!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized reseller of all brands sold, including Pilot Pens. We are supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop, as well as pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Catching Up with Tactile Turn: The Side Click "Deep Space" Seasonal Edition

Though I remember when they launched their first kickstarter back in 2015 or so with their “Mover” and “Shaker” pens, Texas-based Tactile Turn has expanded over the years to become one of the more popular makers of machined retractable pens and pencils, renowned for their unique texture and wild finishes. For the past two-plus years, Will Hodges and his team have released their “Side Click” model in a series of limited quarterly finishes based around a specific theme, ranging from the latest, “8-Bit” (video games), to the pen I’m about to review here, the Winter 2023 release “Deep Space.” I’ve used most of the various Tactile Turn pens over the years, and for reasons I’ll explore more fully here, the Side Click is my favorite model.

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Design and Build - Quality You Can Feel (and Hear)

Of all the models in their currently lineup, the Side Click is the one that reminds me the most of the “Mover” pen I originally reviewed. While I enjoyed the Mover for a time, I ultimately found the combination of the metal construction and length required to accept a full-sized Pilot G2/Juice refill too top-heavy for my taste. Specifically, the pen was too long and somewhat unbalanced in my hand. Since then, however, Tactile Turn has made all of their pens available in three different sizes: Standard (5.8”), Short (5.3”), and Mini (4.6”). The Standard still accepts the G2 gel refill, the Short is designed to take Parker-style cartridges, and the Mini takes only the G2 mini refill, making it the least versatile of the three. Personally, the mid-sized “Short” pen fits my hand the best, and it’s likely what I will use going forward. Because this pen takes Parker-style refills, you have a wide range of refill options available, ranging from Schmidt Easyflow 9000 and P900 ballpoints to Caran D’Ache Rollerball refills to Ohto Needle-tip gel cartridges, all of which I’ve used.

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The milled clip, designed for a deeper carry, is one of my favorite design elements of the Side Click. So far, I like it much better (both aesthetically and functionally) than the folded metal clip that Tactile Turn used on the Mover and the Bolt Action pen I’m currently using.

Tactile Turn uses an in-house mechanism that they describe as “extremely satisfying in both feel and sound.” I agree. To deploy the refill on the Side Click, you depress the knock, which locks the tip in place. To retract the pen, you press a small button on the upper part of the barrel. The release mechanism is well-designed in that it requires the right amount of pressure to work- it would be difficult to accidentally hit the button and retract the pen while you’re writing. For a demonstration of how the mechanism works (and sounds!) check out this YouTube video.

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You press the button on the side to retract the refill. The Cerakote finish is applied over a titanium base, allowing the pen to remain relatively lightweight given the machined metal barrel.

Per their website, all Tactile Turn pens are designed, machined, assembled and shipped in-house from their shop in the Dallas, Texas area. Each pen comes with a lifetime warranty, so if you run into any problems, they’ll try to make it right.

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The front of the barrel unscrews, allowing you to drop in a refill. Tactile Turn uses an o-ring to ensure a snug fit, and you cannot see the seam.

The Cerakote Finish Is the Star of the Show

I’m not sure exactly how Tactile Turn achieved the desired effect on the finish of the Deep Space Side Click, but it’s gorgeous. Apparently, they started with a dark purple-blue Cerakote coating, then added layers of different colors to create the appearance of galaxies and nebulas. I can’t really overstate how impressed I am with this pen, as the finish is stunning. Cerakote is also durable, and I’ve personally experienced no chipping or scratching on either the body or the clip despite carrying it in my pocket at times and not being especially careful with the finish.

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The “Short” size tends to fit my hand perfectly.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

In a move I now deeply regret, I passed on acquiring earlier Tactile Turn seasonal releases, but after carrying the Deep Space as my primary retractable pen option for the past few months, I plan to set aside some money in the pen budget each quarter to add to the collection. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Side Click, and I currently have one of the Bolt Action pens in the queue pending review.

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The “Short” version of the side click is roughly the same size as a Pilot G-2 gel pen.

As I mentioned, the “Deep Space” Side Click pictured here is one of the quarterly releases, and is no longer available, but if you enjoy the periodic themes, check out the current model, “8-Bit.” The pen is priced at $149 (standard for all lengths), and you can even get a matching mechanical pencil (same price). For those of you who would like to add a pocket or utility knife to their everyday carry kit, visit Tactile Knife Co., where they sometimes releases a small batch of Rockwall models in matching seasonal editions. (8-bit isn’t available, at least not yet!)

The pen featured in this review was purchased at full price with my own funds for my own use. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not include third-party affiliate links or paid advertising.

New Arrivals: Write Notepads Restock, and Notebooks from WMS & Co!

We’ve been running low on our Write Notepads Stock, so last week we put in for a shipment of Dot Grid Spiral Notebooks, Reporter Notebooks, and more of the long-time favorite “Chesapeake” Pocket Notebooks. We currently now have most colors available, with the Dot Grid Notebooks available in Forest, Coral, and Arctic Blue for the first time.

We also received a small number of pocket notebooks and journals from WMS & Co., makers of the famously large desk pads, color pads and calendars. As it turns out, they make a pocket “jotter” set containing their griege (grey) paper, as well as jotters and larger journals with covers featuring vintage French stationery ephemera.

Many thanks for all your support, and welcome to Summer!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Write Notepads and WMS & Co.

The Gentleman Stationer's Favorite Fountain Pen Inks, Inaugural Edition (2023)

While I publish an annual list of "Best Pen" recommendations, inks are far trickier, made especially difficult by the dozens of brands and thousands of different colors now available, which wasn't the case when I first started TGS. Over the years, I've done a few lists of my favorite inks for specific purposes, such as office use and annotation, but have shied away from anything more categorical. Then I had the idea: What if I made a list of my current preferred ink for each color category, which I could easily update over time? Here are the rules I came up with:

1. The ink has to be available. No limited editions that are impossible for people to find because that's no fun to read. (Those can have their own list, if people are interested.)

2. Broad color categories only with no sub-categories. Keep it simple. Here, I've organized this initial list with 12 slots that loosely tracks the major colors that pen companies typically include in their lineup.

3. I have to have used the ink in multiple pens over the past year. Some of these inks have been used more than others (brown and yellows don't actually get much time in my rotation), but generally, frequency of use + simple joy determines whether an ink makes the cut.

Here we Go! Fountain Pen Inks of Choice by Color (2023)

Blue: Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-gao. I sometimes go far too long without using this particular ink, but whenever I use it to fill a pen I wonder why I don't just keep a bottle of it on my desk. A bright royal blue that borders on "electric," but is still professional enough to use at the office. It reminds me of Waterman blue that doesn't fade to a duller color after drying.

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Black: Lamy Black. When choosing a black ink, some go for the darkest line possible, but not me. I prefer some shading and undertones, especially the purple cast that Lamy Black has when it dries, which gives the ink added depth.

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Blue-Black: Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo. The name translates as "Moonlight", and though I can't exactly explain why, it fits this shade of ink perfectly. Tsuki-Yo leans more blue on the blue-black scale, and exhibits a slight red sheen on some papers. As one of the longest-running inks in my collection, which at the moment I have loaded into three pens, Tsuki-Yo might be my favorite of the Iroshizuku Inks and one of my favorite inks of all time.

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Turquoise: Kaweco Paradise Blue. Some of you may be surprised to see two Kaweco inks on this list, but I absolutely love Kaweco's ink offerings and find them extremely underrated. The inks are vibrant, low-maintenance, and inexpensive, and the fact that they come in both cartridges and bottles ensures that you can use them in your Kaweco Sports as well as your piston fillers.

Green: Kaweco Palm Green. I consider Kaweco Palm Green to be of the most underrated inks of all time, not just in the Kaweco lineup. It’s a beautiful rich color that I use regularly even if it can take a bit of time to dry.

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Red: Dominant Industry Romania Red. If you were going to have a blood-red vampire-themed ink, it would be this one. This bold, rich color flows well, dries quickly, and doesn't create nib crud. Vampire-themed inks cannot be “pink”, which seems to be a hot topic of conversation these days. Fight me ;)

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Burgundy: Montblanc Burgundy Red. The hardest color for me to choose (since most of my favorite burgundy inks are limited editions). I finally went with standard Montblanc Burgundy Red. Though perhaps not as vibrant as some of Montblanc's special edition burgundies, it's a consistently good performer that's a favorite standby.

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Orange: Laban Apollo Orange. This orange has been making its way through my orange and yellow TWSBI demonstrators for the past six months. Inspired by the Greek God Apollo, whose symbol traditionally is the sun, this is a “pure orange” ink with a slight tinge of red to help with the legibility.

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Yellow: Anderillium American Goldfinch Yellow. The first yellow ink I've found that's truly legible, due to its gold/goldenrod hue, American Goldfinch Yellow can be used for actual writing in addition to highlighting and annotation.

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Brown: Laban Demeter Brown. A dark brown, but not quite a brown-black. For my brown inks, I tend to enjoy the darker browns and sepias, because they take on a vintage look as they dry.

Purple: Waterman Violet. Not "Tender Purple" or whatever they're calling it these days. Violet. Be warned that of all the Waterman inks, this one has a tendency to stain, so be sure you don't mind your converter (or clear demonstrator) having a slight purple tint long-term. (Definitely do not use in light-colored celluloid pens.) That said, it’s one of the most vibrant purple inks out there, and when I want my writing to stand out, this is my choice.

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Grey: Scribo Grigio. I've been on a massive grey ink kick over the past year, and I keep returning to Scribo Grigio. While some might argue with me on this point and call the ink more of a blue-black, I'm going with grey here and the blue tint is what makes it interesting.

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Pink: Laban Aphrodite Pink. This final color is extremely difficult, but at the end of the day I have to go with Aphrodite. Some would say this isn't a pink ink at all, but the criteria here dictate that I have to stick with an ink that I've actually used over the past year. In the pink category, this is the clear winner.

Some of the aforementioned inks we sell directly in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, where we are running a Memorial Day Weekend Promotion (10% Off) with the code “SUMMER23” at checkout. Otherwise I have linked to retailers who are friends of mine. This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links.