Pen Problems: Do You Feel Compelled to Match Pens and Inks?

July 15, 2023

So despite my best efforts to limit the number of pens that I keep inked at any given time, this (see above) happened. Again. Honestly, it’s kind of unavoidable given the nature of what I do. I’ve come to accept that things will get out of hand, and that periodic “resets” are required. The good news is that many of these pens are almost written dry, and I’ve already rinsed and cycled out three or so this morning.

My Mid-Year “Currently Inked” list. This needs to get cut in half quickly.

Which brings me to an interesting question (to me, at least), that I considered as I wrote out this mid-year “Currently Inked” list: Do most people try to match their pens with specific ink colors, or even specific inks? I’ve definitely noticed certain patterns to how I tend to ink pens:

Black pens or clear demonstrators (but not color demonstrators) are typically “inkable” with any color.
Any delicate vintage pen or pen with stainable material such as celluloid tends to get inked with a blue, black, or blue-black ink.
Brightly colored pens are almost always matched with the same color ink. For example, in the picture above, my Sailor Pro Gear Kure Azure is inked with Caran d’Ache Hypnotic Turquoise - an almost perfect dead-on pairing. Similarly, purple pens are almost always matched with purple inks. (The TWSBI Diamond Mini in Grape gets Waterman Tender Purple. I say “almost” because my Jason Neil Penworks Tucker, which has purple accents, is currently inked with Laban Hera Green, and for some reason this pairing really seems to work.)
The closest I have to a “dedicated ink” for a specific pen is Pilot Blue-Black for all of my Pilot Vanishing Points and Decimos, and either Iroshizuku Shin-Kai or Tsuki-Yo for my Lamy 2000 100th Anniversary Bauhaus Blue. For whatever reason, these specific inks fit the “workhorse” nature of the pens, and I rarely deviate.

Do you have “rules” for inking pens? Feel free to share them in the comments! And for those curious, here is the full typed list of the pen and ink combinations in my “Currently Inked” list pictured above, if you can’t read my handwriting. :) Where I’ve reviewed the pens or otherwise have a listing/content on the site, I’ve linked to it here. Otherwise you may be able to guess what I’m working on and what might be coming soon!

Montblanc 146 UNICEF Edition, Medium “Perspective” Nib with Laban Hera Green Ink
Lamy 2000 Bauhaus 100th Anniversary fountain pen, EF nib, with Iroshizuku Shin-Kai
TGS x Hinze Pens Elementar Special Edition, EF nib, with “Sangria Red” Ink
TGS x Hinze Pens Prototype, medium nib, with “Sangria Red”
Opus 88 Jazz with medium Platinum 3776 Nib, with Herbin Poussière de Lune
Conid Bulkfiller Kingsize, medium titanium nib, with Nahvalur Dark Forest
TWSBI Diamond Mini in Grape, fine nib, with Waterman Tender Purple
Desiderata Pens Soubriquet in Briar Ebonite, Zebra G dip nib, with Vinta Armada
Vanness Pens x The Good Blue “Titanium Blue” Special Edition, fine titanium flex, with Papier Plume “Iron Lace”
Nakaya Decapod in Kuro Tamenuri, soft medium nib, with Platinum Blue-Black
Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with PO Nib, with Iroshizuku Shin Kai
Platinum Matte Curidas in Matte Blue, medium nib, with a Platinum Mix-Free red mix
Franklin-Christoph Model 66 Stabilis, medium SIG stub, with Iroshizuku Asa-Gao
Sailor 1911 Black Luster, fine nib, with Sailor Souboku Pigmented Blue-Black
Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black, fine nib, with Sailor Souboku Pigmented Blue-Black
Sailor Pro Gear Kure Azure, medium fine nib, with Caran d’Ache Hypnotic Turquoise
Red Dragon Pen Company Custom in Parker Blue Velvet Cellulose Acetate, Franklin-Christoph medium SIG, with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo
Pilot Custom 823 in Amber, Bacas medium blade grind, with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo
Pilot Mustard Vanishing Point (Import), fine special alloy nib, with Pilot Blue-Black
Pilot Custom 74 in Blue Stone, medium nib, with Pilot Blue-Black
Newton Pens Orville in Conway Stewart Turquoise Fleck, medium nib, with Laban Demeter Brown
Jason Neil Penworks Tucker, medium nib, with Laban Hera Green

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

A New Episode of "Currently Inked" Is Live! Hands-on with our Hinze Pen and "Summer Sangria" Ink!

July 14, 2023

For your Friday night enjoyment, a new episode of “Currently Inked” is live over on the YouTube Channel, where we take a hands-on look at our Hinze Pen Collaboration and “Summer Sangria” Ink! Happy Weekend!

Pen Review: Newton Pens Hale Fountain Pen

July 12, 2023

When it comes to custom penmakers - especially those who display at pen shows - Shawn Newton is one of the originals. We've both been involved in the pen hobby/business for around the same amount of time (going on 13+ years?!?) and I've enjoyed watching Newton Pens grow and Shawn's lineup of pen models expand! To read more on the story behind Newton Pens, you can check out their website, as well as my earlier review of the custom Newton Shinobi I commissioned many years ago.

Newton Hale Fountain Pen Section — What makes the Hale unique is that the cap threads on to the very tip of the section and sits flush, compared to a typical fountain pen where the section sits *inside* the cap. See the comparison photos with the Newton Orville, below.

The pen I'm reviewing today is the Newton "Hale", a cylindrical-bodied pen with a short cap that first caught my eye at the 2021 Chicago Pen Show. This year, Shawn kindly let me take one home from Arkansas for review. It may not go back. I discovered that I actually enjoy this style of pen ("Short-cap pens"?) and it's possibly opened up a new category of products for me to try.

This “short-cap” style is a recent trend in penmaking, with many penmakers introducing variations on pens where, as here, the cap attaches to the end of the grip section, and, sometimes, where the pen features no traditional grip section at all and you hold the pen by the barrel. (Check out these pens from Tesori/HelloTello Studio, Mayfair, and Franklin-Christoph as additional examples.) The Hale does have separate grip area, though it's nontraditional in that it features a slightly tapered hourglass section that ends up flush with the rest of the pen and cap.

The Hale isn't just visually interesting - I find it insanely comfortable to write with. Initially, I had my doubts about this particular shape, but it didn't take long for those concerns to disappear, at least with the Hale. This slightly contoured grip area works for me, and the pen is well-balanced. For purposes of this review, I chose a "Concord"-style nib unit ground by Mark Bacas, which has a VERY fine tip akin to a Pilot PO ("Posting") nib. This style of pen, with a wider grip, offers a lot of control over your handwriting - or at least it feels that way to me - particularly important when you are writing with such a fine point.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Count me a fan of the Newton Hale! Shawn's designs are well thought-out and well-executed, and this pen is no exception. The particular material used in the pen shown here is the same used in pens like the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande "Girasole/Sunflower", and one of my personal favorites. While I didn't use a Newton Pens nib for this review, it's worth mentioning that Shawn tunes all of his nibs before the pens ship, and they generally write very well.

Newton Pens Hale, Orville, and Shinobi — From Left: Newton Pens Hale, Newton Pens Orville, and Newton Pens Shinobi.

The Hale starts at $170, featuring a stainless steel JoWo No. 6 nib unit. Shawn typically has inventory available for purchase on his website and at shows. While you can also commission fully custom pens, Shawn's a busy man and has quite the wait list, last time I checked! Personally, I enjoy shopping his show stock. Between shows he keeps busy making pens, and part of the fun for me is selecting from the various options he's chosen to make for himself. Come visit Shaw Newton and Newton Pens to see the Hale for yourself at the upcoming D.C. Pen Show, which will be held from August 3-6, 2023!

The pen featured in this review was loaned to me by Newton Pens for review purposes, and I was not compensated for this post. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. To support the site, please consider visiting our store and checking out our offerings, including our recent product collaborations!

New Arrivals: Midori MD Dip Pens, Stalogy Notebooks, and Laban Aphrodite Pink!

July 11, 2023

At customer request, we’ve also started adding some dip pens to the shop. The first to arrive are the Midori MD dip pens, featuring the same super smooth nib as on the Midori MD fountain pen. I’ve been using this pen to swatch inks, and am very much enjoying the hexagonal holder, which is apparently made from a blend of paper and plastic and has a unique tactile feel. The nib on this dip pen has a medium point, and it’s intended for standard writing/ink testing as opposed to calligraphy.

Stalogy Notebooks are also back in the shop, including the 2022 and 2023 limited edition covers in both 1/2-year and 365-day formats. Colors include, from left, Cream, Forest, Salvia, and Fog.

Finally, yesterday’s pleasant surprise was the arrival of a full box of Laban’s Aphrodite Pink ink, the perpetually backordered favorite color from this ink series! We now have a full restock of all colors of the Laban Greek Mythology Inks, available to ship immediately.

Is it a pink? Is it a red? Is it a “Brown Pink?” However you describe it, I absolutely love this color and it’s long been a go-to when I want to write with something interesting.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including the brands sold here.

TWSBI Orange Yellow Rainbow — TWSBI Orange-Yellow “Rainbow”!

Sunday Reading for July 9, 2023

July 9, 2023

Nib Comparison: Lamy 14k Extra Fine & Lamy 14k Perspective Grind (Custom Nib Studio) (via Line Variation). This article checks all my boxes: an homage to Lamy’s 14k gold nibs AND a comparison between the Naginata-style “Perspective” grind and an architect.
21 Pen Questions: 21 Pen Answers (via A Fleeting Ripple). I love how widely this “challenge” has spread!
Make All the Notebook Pages Perforated? (via Stationery Pizza). YES.
On Tomoe River Paper Planers, Bullet Journaling, and Aesthetic Dissonance (via Analog Office). I’ve also long been a fan of the “early” version of bullet journaling, and have actually used what turned out to be a modified version of the system long before it became the juggernaut that it is today. Also, the Tomoe River planners featured in this article look interesting.
Ghosts of Planners Past: Bullet Journaling (via Writing at Large). A pretty accurate run-down of the current state of Bullet Journaling and how it can be used. I think part of the beauty of the system is that it can be as simple or involved as you want - if you find adorning/decorating your planner is relaxing and meditative, go for it! If you want simple, straightforward lists to track tasks and plan effectively, that’s there as well.
TWSBI ECO-T Saffron (via Scrively). A video review of the TWSBI ECO-T, which is the standard ECO with a subtly triangular grip section - like the Lamy Safari, but without sharp-ish edges.
In Praise of Bookmaking (via From the Pen Cup). I’ve always been fascinated with bookbinding, and have been following Johnny’s adventures over at Pencil Revolution Press. (In fact, like Mary, I just bought two.)
Ranga Premium Ebonite Abhimanyu Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). If you’re going to the San Francisco Pen Show, be sure to check out the selection of Ranga Pens at the Peyton Street Pens table. They got me (twice) last year.
Endless Explorer Refillable Cactus Leather Journal (via Well-Appointed Desk). While their experimental designs tend to draw strong opinions, I love the experimentation, especially with this non-leather material.
Delfonics Rollbahn Horizontal Spiral Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). Chalk up another win for team “landscape notebook”?

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, it was all about me! (I only say that halfway tongue-in-cheek.) No, seriously, I answered the #21penquestions challenge, and then published a follow-up in which I answered #5morepenquestions that I found myself wanting to talk about while completing the original post.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - TGS x Hinze Is Available!

The big news this week was the general launch of our fountain pen collaboration with Hinze Pens and Starry Night Resins! We still have pens available in all nib sizes, as well as bundles where you can pair your pen and limited edition ink with a T.G.S.-exclusive Penwell in “Aged Red”. (Note: We still have one pen available with a Crimson 1.1mm stub nib!) This week, the TWSBI ECO “Heat” launched, alongside a general TWSBI restock that topped off most models and nib sizes, so we should have nearly everything in the lineup available!

Laban Inks

Platinum

Anterique Stationers

Traveler's Company

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: we currently have gently used / open box samples available for purchase in the Patreon Shop, including some older limited edition Baron Fig items and notebooks, so now may be a good time to join!]