The T.G.S. 2024 Holiday Gift Guide is Live!

Our annual Holiday Gift Guide has been updated and is live on the site! The biggest difference this year has been our ability to offer everything in our gift guide for in-person shopping at our new Brick-and-Mortar store, located in Nashville, Tennessee! We plan to have regular hours through the holidays, and will possibly open on a few additional Sundays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. We are usually at the shop for a few hours every day, even those days we are officially “closed,” so if you’d like to make an appointment to shop on days that we are not showing as open please do reach out.

A few highlights on holiday shopping from T.G.S., in addition to what is mentioned in the updated Gift Guide:

• Certain Items Are Limited. Roterfadens, Sunderland Pens, Diamine Inkvent Calendars, and some of the new Kawecos that recently arrived, such as the new Classic Piston Filler and the AL Sport Olivine, are available in limited quantities and it’s been hard to get timely restocks this year. If you’ve been considering one of these items, and it’s available, please don’t wait.

• We Have a Ton of New Ink In-Store. All of our recent ink shipments, including new inks from Diamine, Teranishi Guitar, and Platinum, arrived at around the same time! While we’re working as fast as possible to get these listed online, they are all available immediately for purchase in-person.

• Shipping/Delivery Times. While our shipping times have been pretty fast since we’ve moved to our new space (orders are typically out the door within 2 business days), we have no control over carrier delivery times, which always slow during the holidays. I would advise giving yourself 10 days grace if you need something for a gift by a specific date. Note that during the holiday season, due to unpredictable delays, some carriers are not considering a package “lost” until 20 days have passed on a domestic delivery, and up to 6 weeks for international shipments. If you need something expedited, please send us an e-mail and we can explore overnight or express shipping options.

As stressful as it is, I always love the holiday season! Enjoy the gift guide, thank you for your support, and as always, please reach out if you have any questions.

New Arrivals: Get Ready for Inkvent/Colorvent with Col-o-ring Books and Swatching Supplies!

Confession: I opened my Colorverse Colorvent Calendar yesterday. Starting December 1, I plan to post each day’s ink from both the Colorvent and the Diamine Inkvent Calendars, just as I did last year. Most of these mini-reviews will probably go to Instagram and to YouTube (you can check out my recap of last year’s Inkvent here), but I’ll definitely do summaries as well. Typically, what I’ve done in the past is swatch each ink on a standard Col-or-ring card (which shows off ink properties like sheen and shading), and then also compare the inks side-by-side on Midori MD Cotton paper, which to me offers excellent color reproduction and is also one of my favorite papers for my personal writing, so I get a sense of how the inks will work in the real world.

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While Colorvent Calendars are sold out, we still have a few Diamine Inkvent Calendars available, in addition to all the gear you can use for working your way through “Inkvent,” such as Col-o-ring Ink Testing Books and dip nibs from Kakimori and Tom’s Studio. Stay tuned as the holiday season kicks off in about two weeks!

This week our brick-and-mortar shop returns to regular hours: Thursday 1-6pm; Friday 1-7pm; and Saturday 10-7pm. We are considering adding additional hours for the holiday shopping season after Thanksgiving. Stay tuned!

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Sunday Reading for November 17, 2024

1. Drifting Apart: The Last Drop (via A Fleeting Ripple). As someone who’s reinvented a blog/website/hobby multiple times over the years (including by stepping away for relatively long periods), this post really resonated with me. Also, be sure to watch the YouTube video referenced in the post, which I enjoyed.

2. Recap of TIPS 2024 (via Inkredible Colours). The Tokyo International Pen Show (TIPS) is on my pen/stationery show bucket list. It’s run quite differently from U.S.-based shows, which you can read about here.

3. What the Heck Is a Planner Convention? (via Well-Appointed Desk). I published my own recap of our adventures at the Chicago Planner Conference, and Ana had many similar thoughts! (Though I did not know about the app with the swag drops. Note for future pen shows.)

4. Pen 18111 3D Pen Review and Giveaway (via Figboot on Pens). Apparently Yoshi Nakama is returning to Japan and potentially will not be making pens for the foreseeable future, but has remaining stock of some of his 3D-printed pens.

5. Change of Planner Plans/Change of Planners? (via Stationery Pizza). I too have decided to opt out of the dedicated “Planner” this year and return to notebook systems, namely a combination of the Traveler’s Notebook and Plotter.

6. Archiving and Storing A5 Inserts (via Philofaxy). If you use ring or modular notebook systems, you will understand the importance of having an archiving strategy for those back refills you want or need to save.

7. Pineider A5 Hardcover Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Though they’ve expanded into pens in recent years, Pineider’s roots are as a paper manufacturer. I do love colored paper!

8. A New Beginning for Macchiato Man (via Macchiato Man). I’m glad to see the site isn’t going away! Many thanks to Blake for making this possible.

9. Traveling with Ink: November 2024, my North Sea Haul (via Fountain Pen Blog). Now that’s a great trip! Complete with pen acquisitions.

10. Road Trip with Traveler’s Company (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I love the idea of the Traveler’s Caravan and the customized notebooks. I’ve never made it to one of these events, but maybe (one day) I can host?

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Just a small part of the swag I brought home from the Chicago Planner Conference.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I recapped my trip to the Chicago Planner Conference (i.e., Swagfest 2024). It was a unique experience, quite different from any traditional pen show I’ve attended. Based on discussions that I had with attendees during the class that I co-taught, I also drafted up a new “Ask T.G.S.” post addressing how to handle higher-maintenance inks.

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Perfect pairing? I’m loving the new Diamine inks.

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

This week saw the arrival of multiple new releases from TWSBI, including the Caribbean + Onyx Diamond 580 ALR and the Sky Blue ECO, as well as a full restock on most of the recent releases such as the ECO Irish Green + Onyx and all of the bronze-trimmed offerings. We have most TWSBI nib sizes back in stock, so if there is a pen you’ve been waiting for, please check in!

We’ve added a ton of new inks to our offerings, including Teranishi Guitar inks from Japan, the newly arrived Diamine 160th Anniversary inks, and Platinum Chou Kuro, Platinum Carbon Black, and all of the Platinum Classic Iron Gall inks. Read about all of this weeks arrivals in the Thursday Drops post.

TWSBI

Teranishi Guitar

Platinum

iLootPaperie Art

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives (Including the Sunderland Mk1)

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop either online (or in person, if you’re in the Nashville area)! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, the T.G.S. Patreon includes these as well as access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. For example, Patrons receive an extra bit off the TGS x Sunderland Collaboration Pen, and Patreon supporters have their own special Fountain Pen Day promo “mystery box” opportunity, while supplies last and which is still available!

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

Ask T.G.S.: Three Tips for Enjoying "High Maintenance" Fountain Pen Inks

I spent this past weekend at the Chicago Planner Conference, and during the course on ink and paper that I helped teach, a key concern among new fountain pen users was how to know whether an ink is “safe” to use in a fountain pen. I previously wrote an “ask T.G.S.” piece about best practices for using shimmer inks, but what about super sheeners, iron gall inks, permanent inks, and others that aren’t considered your standard “water-based” fountain pen inks? Such inks are often labeled “high maintenance” because they do require a bit of extra attention, though the concern is generally overblown. I thought it might be helpful to recap my thoughts here.

Tip 1: As a General Matter, KNow that If An Ink Is Sold by a Fountain Pen Specialty Retailer or manufacturer, and Labeled “For Fountain Pens,” It most likely Will Not Hurt Your Pens.

While there are a handful of fountain pen inks that have been known to damage certain materials due to their chemical content, you mostly only have to worry about inks staining or damaging white or light-colored acrylics, or absorbent materials like certain vintage celluloids. For these specific materials, avoid permanent inks, and colors such as purples and reds, which I’ve found particularly prone to staining.

Otherwise, modern fountain pen inks will not permanently clog or damage most pens in any way that a normal cleaning (i.e., flushing with water or running through an ultrasonic cleaner) cannot fix. Even inks that contain particles suspended in solution - such as pigmented inks and shimmer inks - will flush out of most pens with plain water. That said, as Lisa, Ana, and I emphasized during the course, under no circumstances should you use India ink or dip pen/calligraphy ink in a fountain pen. Certain of these inks contain shellac and other glue/paint-like substances that, once they dry, can permanently damage a fountain pen and render it unusable.

At the planner conference, there was a surprising level of interest in Platinum’s ultra black pigmented inks such as Chou Kouro (shown here) and the not-quite-as-black-hole-black Carbon Black.

Tip 2: If You Have Any Doubt or Concern, Test the ink with an Inexpensive Pen FIRST, and Clean, Clean, Clean!

This week, I spent several days testing Platinum’s recently released Chou Kuro Black ink, which is supposed to be the “blackest-of-the-black” inks, and so saturated with special pigment that Platinum recommends that your pen be flushed only with purified or distilled water. (I would consider this to be the quintessential “high maintenance” ink, at least per Platinum’s recommendations.) To test the ink, I chose an inexpensive piston filler (a Majohn), and wrote with the pen for a week. While I’m still experimenting with this ink and plan to test it in more pens before publishing a conclusive review, I’ve so far found it no more difficult to clean than your ordinary pigmented ink like Platinum Carbon Black or Sailor Kiwa Guro. I plan to start using this ink regularly - it’s incredibly dark and one of the best “cheap paper inks” I’ve ever used - but to be safe I’ll probably limit it to cartridge-converter pens, if for no other reason than to save time cleaning. Importantly, I will plan to clean any pen containing this ink at least once a month, to avoid any buildup of pigment in the feed and to ensure good performance.

Unlike Chou-Kouro, which dries to a flat matte shade of black that reflects no light, Platinum’s Carbon Black has a slight sheen to it. Shown here on Col-o-ring ink testing paper.

Tip 3: Don’t Overly Concern Yourself With Harming Your Pens and spoil Your Enjoyment of the Hobby.

I’ve been collecting fountain pens seriously for well over 10 years, and using them for far longer. I can count on one hand the number of pens I’ve permanently stained with fountain pen inks, and all of them have been white or clear acrylics. Guess what? All of these pens continued to work just fine as writing instruments. Sure, if you have a particularly delicate celluloid or light-colored pen, and you don’t want to alter the appearance of it with a highly saturated super-sheener, choose a different ink for that specific pen. Probably Waterman Blue. But otherwise, I can guarantee you’re going to have a lot more fun with your inks and paper if you put these sort of concerns to the back of your mind, take reasonable steps to clean your pens every month or so, and just use what you like and what makes you happy.

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Iron gall inks are another category of so-called “high maintenance” inks that, in my opinion, requires no more care than most other inks, especially in modern formulations. Just be sure to clean every month or so and you’ll be fine.

For more fountain pen tips, tricks, and general Q&A, check out our resource page here. As always, feel free to write in or leave a comment if you have another specific pen-related question! We’re always happy to answer.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We also have a brick-and-mortar store, which you can visit! See here for hours.

Thursday Drops: TWSBI 580 ALR Caribbean Blue with Onyx, ECO Sky Blue and more!

It’s a double TWSBI day here at T.G.S.! The Caribbean + Onyx 580 ALR fountain pens are in-stock and ready to ship tomorrow, along with a shipment of the Sky Blue ECO fountain pens that arrived a tad late but which surprised me with how good they looked! We also have a full Lamy restock, including most Lamy 2000 pens, AL-Stars in Sage Green and the four Harry Potter-themed finishes, as well as fresh arrivals from Midori that include more Midori Cotton paper and three and five-year journals!

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On the ink front, we have the full contingent of 16 Teranishi Guitar inks from Japan. Made by the Teranishi Chemical Co. in Osaka, Japan, these inks have garnered a bit of a cult following. They flow well in nearly all fountain pens and many of them sheen. We have a bunch of new inks on the way, so keep checking our ink section for new arrivals. (These include Diamine 160th Anniversary inks, Platinum Chou Kuro and Carbon Black, Col-o-ring Ink Testing Books, and a restock of Laban Aphrodite Pink and Athena Grey.)

Our brick and mortar hours this week are Thursday from 1-6pm, Friday from 1-7pm, and Saturday from 12-7pm! Come see us in person!

1. TWSBI 580 ALR Caribbean with Onyx Fountain Pen. TWSBI brings the Onyx-plated trim to the Diamond 580 series, after the rousing success of the Irish Green + Onyx ECO. Honestly, I think I prefer this colorway to the Irish Green. Pens start shipping tomorrow.

2. TWSBI ECO Sky Blue Fountain Pen. I was thinking of taking a pass on the latest ECO release, but after seeing the Sky Blue color in person, it’s actually quite distinct from the other colors currently on offer. We had a shipment arrive along with our Caribbean Blue/Onyx Pens.

3. Teranishi Guitar Fountain Pen Inks. We have all 16 colors of the Teranishi inks in stock! You can read about my five favorites here.

4. Ohto CR02 Ceramic Ballpoint. Of all the new pens I’ve brought into the shop, I’m perhaps most excited about these Ohto rollerballs, which feature a relatively uncommon .5mm refill (available for purchase separately).

5. Lamy AL-Star Sage Green Restock! We have additional Sage Green AL-Star Fountain Pens, which was by far the most popular color of this year’s AL-Star releases.

6. Tom’s Studio One-Dip Metal Nibs. The “One-Dip Nibs” (which include a feed on the interior) are back in stock after the first batch sold out quickly. Brass and Stainless Steel available.

7. Kakimori Metal Dip Nibs and Nib Holders. When people ask how I sample and swatch inks, it’s almost always with one of these Kakimori conical nibs and dip nib holders.

8. Diamine Inkvent Calendar, Black Edition. The 2024 Inkvent Calendar is available, with just over two weeks to go until the start (assuming you wait until December 1). Each calendar includes 24 12ml bottles and 1 30ml bottle to close out “Inkvent”.

9. Blackwing Pencil Pouch. This black canvas pencil pouch from Blackwing is sturdy and long enough to fit unsharpened Blackwing Pencils!

10. T.G.S. x Sunderland mk1 Machined Pen. We are down to the last four T.G.S. x Sunderland pens from this run. If you’re thinking of picking one of these up, act now because additional pens will not be available until after the first of the year, in all likelihood.

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We have the Lamy AL-Star Fountain Pens in Fiery, Aquatic, Autumn Pink, and Sage finishes!