Pen Review: Uni Jetstream 4&1 Multi Pen

Today's post is somewhat of a hybrid between an entry in the "Review Revisited" and "Mini Collection" series. Since I've somehow managed to collect 5 or 6 of the Uni Jetstream 4&1 Multi Pens over the years, I figured I should revisit my last review and comment some on why I enjoy this pen so much. While I consider myself a multi pen enthusiast, I really use two on a daily basis: (1) the Lamy 2000 Multi Pen, and (2) one of these various Uni Jetstream models.

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All of the various renditions of the Uni Jetstream multi pens use different materials in the body and grip section.

My Use Case For Multi Pens

Long-time readers of the blog know that I'm a fairly prolific reader and serial annotator, both in my day job and my personal life. For me, multi pens are one of the ultimate annotation tools because they allow you to mark up documents in multiple colors (different colors for different types of notes), and an added mechanical pencil option is a great bonus because it allows you to erase as necessary. The multi pen is a lifesaver when I'm traveling - particularly when I'm working on a airplane - as it eliminates the need to have multiple writing instruments available and minimizes the risk of something getting lost or falling under the seat. Multi pens are also great for when you want to read out on the patio, work on the couch, or another similar context in which you're not necessarily seated and/or writing on a flat surface.

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If I had to pick a favorite to use daily, it would probably be the versions with the bamboo grip. It’s quite tactile and I imagine they will age/patina with time. The Karimoku edition is not bamboo, but rather reclaimed wood from furniture manufacturing, if I’m not mistaken. It also features a ceramic-like coating (possibly Cerakote or something similar).

What Makes a Good Multi Pen?

For me, because I’m not necessarily using this particular pen to write a novel, it all comes down to the refill and how reliable it is. While the Lamy 2000 Multi Pen (ok, "4-Color Ballpoint") might be one of the most versatile multi pens because it accepts universal D1 refills, I find myself using Uni Jetstream refills nearly exclusively in all of my ballpoints, so I've also managed to accumulate a significant collection of the Uni Jetstream 4&1 and 3&1 multi pens. These take a proprietary cartridge, but because I’m pretty much all-in on the Jetstream at this point, I don’t care as much. The "&1" refers to the added mechanical pencil - something the Lamy 2000 doesn't have.

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The 4&1 contains four different Jetstream refills: black, blue, red, and green. All of them write smoothly. It can be extremely difficult to find decent ballpoints in colors other than black and blue, but the red and green refills here write a legible line and have been reliable over time. Jetstream refills tend to last forever without drying up, something that's especially important with a multi pen where you might not use a specific color on a daily basis.

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While some might find the Jetstream 4&1 too large for their hand, I personally find it fairly comfortable due to its light weight. Uni makes this pen with multiple grip styles, however, so be sure to choose the one most comfortable for you. For example, those who tend to grip their pen hard might want to avoid the metal section models in favor of the gel grip, while the plastic and bamboo options present more of a middle ground.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

And this brings us to the "mini collection" portion of this post. At last count, I have in my personal collection six of these Uni Jetstream Multi Pens in various finishes: two of the standard Bamboo models, one model in the limited edition Karimoku finish, one metal-grip "Tokyo Bike" special release, one Tokyo Bike 3-color (no mechanical pencil), and a standard black gel grip 4&1. Five of the six pens are the 4&1 model, so I'm pretty much sold on that version. And yes, I know there are countless more editions and releases out there, but I can only use so many multi pens, and I plan to just pick them up as I come across them "in the wild" as opposed to tracking them down via eBay, etc.

If you’re interested in hearing more about why I like this pen, and multi pens in general, check out this YouTube video that I recently released that discusses how the Uni Jetstream 4&1 compares to other favorites, including the Lamy 2000.

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From left: Sage, Mimosa Yellow, Oregano, Blue-Grey, and Gerbera Pink.

In the meantime, in the interest of making this long-time personal favorite more accessible, I did order an assortment of the Bamboo-grip 4&1 Multi Pens for the shop. I currently have them in five muted pastel shades, including Mimosa Yellow, Oregano Green, Blue Grey, Gerbera Pink, and Sage. If you've never tried a good multi pen, this is an excellent place to start, given the combination of quality and price point ($25). The four included starter refills will last you a very long time, but if you think you might want more, or need to replace refills in an existing Jetstream Multi Pen, we sell all colors, as well as .5mm Uni mechanical pencil leads.

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

New Releases: Tom's Studio Fountain Pen Inks and More!

Last week we received a large shipment of additional Lumos fineliner pens from Tom’s Studio, including the Lumos Mini! But what I’m most excited about is the arrival of the entire line of Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks, including 18 different colors of water-based inks and one black pigmented ink, which I’d describe as the “Micron-like ink” many of you have been asking about. (The black ink that ships with the Lumos pens is the standard water-based black ink, and is not permanent.) I have my Lumos Mini currently inked up with “Marianas” (No. 14), a deep blue that’s a great color in a fineliner. There are some really nice colors in this line, particularly the blues and blue-greens. All inks come in 50ml bottles.

In addition to the Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Inks, we now have a restock of the Laban Greek Mythology Inks in all colors, as well as new Pilot Iroshizuku cartridges! The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all inks sold.

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Pen Show Adventures: 2024 Chicago Pen Show Friday Recap!

As one of the older pen shows on the circuit, the Chicago Pen Show has a rich history. Over the years it’s been considered one of the “big” shows at times, but for now I would place Chicago in the category of mid-size shows that draw an extremely diverse group of vendors. And as a show that’s very easy for me to attend logistically, it’s not uncommon for me to jump on a cheap flight and go last-minute, which is what happened this weekend!

The Chicago Pen Show is actually located in Hoffman Estates, a suburb. The hotel is fairly large and part of the show takes place in this well-lit atrium.

The trend at pen shows has been to make Friday a hybrid weekend trader/public day, meaning that weekend pass purchasers get a few hours in the morning to shop the show exclusively before it opens to the public on Friday at around noon. This is the best of both worlds, in my opinion: The weekend pass is still worth the money for attendees because they get early access, but vendors also get the benefit of additional public foot traffic in the afternoon (especially around 2-3pm when people skip out of work early to hit the show). I made sure to pick up most of the pens I was looking for in the morning, before the show got crowded.

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Clockwise from the top: Waterman Exception Night and Day, Skogsy Low-Volume Eyedropper, Good Made Better Ebonite Pocket Pen, Edison Jameson Scheherazade, Newton Prospector in Arkansas Abalone, and Edison Collier in Dragon’s Night.

This particular pen show trip ended up being a mix of business and personal, meaning that I didn’t take a table and set up as a vendor, but I did meet with a couple of different makers and manufacturers on T.G.S.-related projects. Once those were taken care of, I was free to roam a bit, visit with friends, and pick up six pretty significant pens, including two customs I had been looking to add to my collection, two new releases to evaluate, and two pens (one semi-vintage) that I’ve long coveted but had never found “the right opportunity.” Sometimes those opportunities hit you all at once. :) Here we go:

• Custom Pen No. 1: Newton Prospector in “Arkansas Abalone”, which I couldn’t pass up. I’ve been looking to add a second Newton Prospector (Shawn Newton’s triangular pen) in a fun material, and this turned out to be the one. Featuring shades of iridescent pink, silver, mother of pearl, and some dark green, it’s a stunner. The resin is by D Squared, also from Arkansas. I believe Shawn has a few more pens in this material.

• Custom Pen No. 2: Skogsy Low Volume Eyedropper in Beige Sand Acrylic. Designed to moderate the ink flow by limiting both the amount of ink in the barrel and the volume that can travel through the ebonite feed at any given time, Skogsy’s “Low Volume” eyedropper aims to avoid flooding the feed with ink, which leads to ink leaking into the cap and sometimes onto the page as you write. Did I mention this one has a No. 8 Magna Carta nib and ebonite feed? Expect to see more of this pen.

• New Release No. 1: Good Made Better Ebonite Pocket Pen. Dan had been teasing these pens all week on Instagram, and I already had planned to take one of these home with me. I chose this mottled black, beige, pink, and orange ebonite pen with a matte finish. As always, Good Made Better’s workmanship is excellent. I understand that these pens are show-only for the time being, so if you’d like to pick one up, get one at the Chicago Show or else you’ll need to wait for the official launch.

• New Release No. 2: Edison Jameson 2024 Chicago Pen Show Limited Edition. My pen is No. 7 of a (very) limited run of 15, made from older Bexley Scheherazade resin, which is a black translucent acrylic resin featuring streaks of silver foil. And, yes, it has a No. 8 nib. (You’re noticing a trend here.)

• Personal Acquisition No. 1: Edison Collier in Brooks “Dragon’s Night” Resin. Does anyone else remember when the Edison Collier was first released and everyone thought the pen was oversized? I never added one to my collection, which I’ve come to regret, and I couldn’t leave this one on the table. Translucent black acrylic with dark blue/teal shimmer. I considered the Collier Grande but found it slightly too oversized, despite the No. 8 nib which was tempting.

• Personal Acquisition No. 2: Waterman Exception “Night and Day”. I’ve been looking to add one of the oversized Waterman Exceptions to my collection, preferably in the black with silver trim and matte pinstripes on the side. Guess what? I ran into someone looking to unload one in excellent condition! Instant buy, and I’m thrilled to come closer to completing my “vintage” Waterman collection of most models spanning the late 1980s through early 2000s.

For Saturday, while I may pick up some smaller items and shop samples, and get a couple of nibs looked at, major shopping is over for this weekend. I expect the show to be much more crowded today. See below for some bonus pics of the new Good Made Better pens, as well as some vintage after-hours finds. (Yes, those are miniature keychain whiskey bottles that turn into fountain pens!)

If you enjoy our content, you can support us directly by visiting our own T.G.S. Curated Shop, as well as the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Many thanks to all of our readers and supporters!

A close-up of the Good Made Better Pocket Pen I picked up.

In addition to a pocket ebonite fountain pen, Good Made Better also has these full-sized models.

Thursday Drops: Restocks on Traveler's Notebooks and Accessories, Tom's Studio Lumos, and Iroshizuku Cartridges!

Another big week! Here’s what we managed to get listed before I was out the door to the Chicago Pen Show this weekend: Restocks on Traveler’s Company, Tom’s Studio, Lochby, Laconic, and Pilot, as well as a new TWSBI! While I won’t have a table this weekend at the Chicago Show (I’m only here through Saturday), please do say hello if you see me. I might have some T.G.S. Swag to give away, and I’ll also have Tom’s Studio Lumos and Studio Pocket demos with me to check out if you’d like to see them in person.

Update: As of this morning, we’ve also listed 19 different colors of Tom’s Studio Inks, now available for purchase!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands shown here.

1. Traveler’s Notebooks Standard Size Starter Kit. We are freshly restocked on Standard Size Traveler’s Notebook Starter Kits in Black, Brown, and Olive (other colors are currently backordered). Many of you have been asking about these as well as additional Tokyo notebooks, and we’ll update as we know more.

2. Traveler’s Company Tokyo Pencils. We DO have a handful of the special edition Tokyo Limited Edition pencils remaining in stock. I’m surprised these have lasted as long as they have - it’s pretty uncommon for the U.S. market to get special/limited edition pens and pencils.

3. Traveler’s Notebook Refills and Accessories. We’re restocked on most of the basic Traveler’s MD Paper Refills, Specialty Papers, and Accessories.

4. Tom’s Studio Lumos Mini. As mentioned above, we recently received a huge second shipment of the Tom’s Studio “Lumos” refillable fineliner pens, including the “Mini” version. I’m currently carrying a Mini in “Ivy” in my Plotter Mini 5.

5. Tom’s Studio Lumos Pro, Pro Duo, and Lumos Write. Our first test order went extremely well, so we reordered the full size Lumos Pro, Pro Duo, and Write pens in all colors. We also have Lumos replacement tips (packs of three) and reservoir replacements (packs of 3 or 5).

6. TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze Fountain Pens. The latest TWSBI ECO fountain pen release features a muted coffee-color paired with bronze-toned trim. Along with the Indigo Blue + Bronze ECO, it makes a stunning set.

7. Lochby Field Journals and Cases. Lochby Field Journals are back in stock in all colors, along with Quattro Four-Pen Cases and Tool Rolls to help you prep for the Summer travel season.

8. Tomoe River Pads and Notebooks. If you’re looking to outfit your Lochby and/or Roterfaden (also recently restocked!) with high-quality Japanese paper, we have Tomoe River paper options in multiple formats, including notebooks and pads, with graph, dot, and plain rulings.

9. Laconic A5 Notebooks. At long last, Laconic’s undated A5 planner notebooks came back into stock, so we can once again offer the daily, weekly, and monthly options, in addition to some of their specialty refills that include To Do lists and even a chart/spreadsheet layout. These slim notebooks can add a useful dimension to your multi-refill setup.

10. Pilot Explorer Fountain Pens and Iroshizuku Ink Cartridges. By popular demand, we brought in a second shipment of the Pilot Explorer (including what we could get in matte black). You can now pair these with Iroshizuku Ink Cartridges, for those of you who prefer to use Pilot pens with cartridges instead of converters.

The TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze

"If I Could Only Keep One...." (My Version)

I love these writing prompts that are currently trending throughout the pen community. So far, we've had #21PenQuestions, #17InkQuestions, #5MorePenQuestions (which I tacked on), and now, "If I Could Only Keep One." The standard version of this latest challenge prompts you to go through your pen collection and pick one pen from each brand that you would keep, if you were ever forced to limit yourself. Because I run T.G.S. as a business, combined with the fact that I've been collecting/accumulating/reviewing/using pens for over a decade, this exercise wouldn't be particularly practical for me, much less enjoyable for you to read, since I have many different brands - vintage and modern - and the selections wouldn't necessarily be meaningful because it would still be a ton of pens. So let's pare it down even further!

How About, “If You Could Only Keep One from Each Product Category?”

For my take on "If I Could Only Keep One," I'm going to limit myself to (1) one fountain pen; (2) one ballpoint/gel/rollerball; (3) one mechanical pencil; (4) one woodcase pencil; (5) one fountain pen ink; (6) one mechanical pencil lead; (7) one notebook/notebook system; and (8) one pen case. So in essence, if I had to get rid of everything, but had a chance to "shop my own collection" for one item from each major product category beforehand, this is what I'd choose.

• Fountain Pen: Lamy 2000. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. The Lamy 2000 remains my favorite fountain pen of all time, and the extra-fine or fine nibs tend to be my favorite writers of the bunch. The pen is durable, holds a lot of ink, and fits my hand perfectly when posted. It took me all of 5 seconds to make this call. If I had to choose between the various models, I'd pick a Makrolon pen and would keep my Bauhaus Blue edition.

• Ballpoint/Gel/Rollerball: Jetstream 4&1 Multi Pen. I was tempted to pick the Lamy 2000 multi pen here due to the ability to use D1 gel refills in addition to the Jetstream ballpoint, but instead went with the Uni Jetstream 4&1. I increasingly rely on low-viscosity ballpoints as my secondary writing instrument of choice, simply because they write on any kind of paper under any conditions, and the Jetstream inks have long been favorites. This particular pen gives you four color options plus a .5mm mechanical pencil, and all of the various colors write well. Green and red ballpoint inks tend to be on the dry side, but the Jetstream manages to avoid this issue. I need to do an extended review of this particular pen at some point in the future.

• Mechanical Pencil: Uni Kuru Toga Alpha Gel Switch. I don't draw, so my mechanical pencil pick won't necessarily be a drafting-style pencil. The Alpha Gel Switch combines a gel grip that's comfortable for writing with Uni's Kuru-Toga mechanism that rotates the lead as you write. To me, the Alpha Gel Switch is the ultimate mechanical pencil for actual writing.

• Woodcase Pencil: Blackwing Matte (Soft Graphite). For my woodcase pencil I chose the original "new" Blackwing: the "Matte" (or "Original," or "MMX", or whatever you want to call it). Even if I have to sharpen this pencil more frequently than one with harder graphite, I love the dark line that it leaves, with minimal smearing for graphite that approaches 4B hardness. Many market this as a "drawing" pencil, but I personally love it for writing.

• Fountain Pen Ink: Waterman Blue. Some may call it boring, but it's the first fountain pen ink I ever used and the last ink I'll get rid of. Safe in any pen (and fabulous in the Lamy 2000), Waterman Serenity Blue (formerly Florida Blue) is my go-to utility ink, even if I don't currently have a pure blue bottle of it in my collection. It turns out that this ink mixes quite well with Waterman Tender Purple/Violet to make a nice ultramarine "blurple" color.

• Mechanical Pencil Lead: Hi-Uni 2B. In general, mechanical pencil leads tend to run lighter than the graphite core on a woodcase pencil, and will resist breakage up until about the 2B grade. The Uni "Hi-Uni" pencil leads are of exceptional quality, and I use the 2B hardness in most of the mechanical pencils I use for everyday writing.

• Notebook Cover/System: Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter A5. At any given time, I'm using 5 or 6 notebooks, but if I had to reduce it to one notebook cover, I would pick a 3-clip Roterfaden in the A5 size. I'd choose this notebook mainly due to the combination of durability and versatility: The leather cover will last a very long time, while the A5 size is compatible with most of the notebooks I use on an everyday basis, including the Hobonichi Cousin, Midori MD Light and Soft Color notebooks, and A5 Tomoe River A5 notebooks. Roterfaden's clip system makes it easy to rotate individual notebooks/refills. You can seek how I have my Roterfaden set up in this YouTube video.

• Pen Case: Rickshaw Bagworks Sinclair Model R. The Sinclair pen case has long been my overall favorite, and it's perfect for my take on the "If I Could Only Keep One" challenge because the case has three slots to hold the Lamy 2000, Kuru Toga, and Jetstream Multipen, with room to carry other items I might need such as an eraser, pencil sharpener, pocket notebook, earbuds, etc. I actually have multiple Sinclairs and use them for all sorts of stuff that I tend to move between bags. (The Model R shown here is the Vanness Pens/Leigh Reyes collaboration.)

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Why is yellow such a theme these days? Maybe because it’s a happy color? I’m going with it.

Why do I enjoy these challenges so much?

It boils down to intentionality. I enjoy thinking about why I use the things I do and why I choose certain things over others. Additionally, it can be very stressful to surround yourself with too much stuff, and I find it important to periodically de-clutter and pass along those things I no longer use. Exercises like these give you an easy starting point: "OK, I'm definitely keeping THIS. Now what can I clear out?"

Note that this post should NOT be construed as a "best pens" or recommendation list, but rather reflects how I personally use stationery.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. I will be at the Chicago Pen Show this weekend, not at a table but roaming around, so if you see me, say hello! Look for the T.G.S. logo on my nametag.