Sunday Reading for November 23, 2025

1. 12 Pen Person Questions (via A Gathering of Curiosities). Once again, I love reading all of these responses to the #12PenPersonQuestions exercise. As always, R.B.’s responses are thoughtful!

2. Who Are Your Human Mycelium? (via From the Pen Cup). Another very thoughtful post from one of the best in the pen community!

3. Inks for the TWSBI ECO Plum with Onyx Fountain Pen (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Kimberly does all the research so you don’t have to - if you’ve been struggling to find the perfect ink color match for your ECO Plum + Onyx, be sure to check this out.

4. New Spoke Design Pencil, Looking at All 20 Lamy Crystal Inks and More (via dwrdnet). The Lamy Crystal inks are an often overlooked series that contain some excellent colors, including perennial favorites such as Amazonite and Peridot.

5. Tactile Turn Deep Sea (via Figboot on Pens). I love the color but I still prefer the Tactile Turn Side Click format and might pass on this specific release.

6. November 2025 Ink Palettes (via Mountain of Ink). I love the dark reds, burgundies, and scarlets here.

7. Paper Review: Sterling Ink, Owl Paper, Hobonichi, & Aura Estelle’s New Sanzen Paper (via Well-Appointed Desk). For those of you looking for paper comparisons for 2026 planners, Ana takes a look at several different options from smaller brands.

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Zenith 591 Staplers in three colors.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I took a look at a unique desk accessory: the Zenith 590 (and 591) plier-style stapler, which is something I’ve personally coveted for my own collection but never ended up getting my hands on until now. I also did a YouTube video demonstration. Yesterday I published the annual T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide, which I’ve updated annually since 2017 and look forward to revisiting every year. In Saturday’s post I also added some commentary on five of my personal favorite stationery gifts that I lean on every year during the holiday season.

Most Traveler’s Notebook Refills and Accessories are restocked as of yesterday!

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

We have a ton of new arrivals this week, including a restock of Passport-size Traveler’s Notebooks in Olive, Midori MD Notebooks in all sizes, stickers and washi tape from MT Taps and iLootPaperie, and more! There’s even new Pilot pens including the Custom Heritage 92 Demonstrator and Pilot Birchwood Vanishing Points, as well as newly arrived colors of the Tom’s Studio Wren and Lumos refillable fineliners, which are a warm matte orange perfect for fall. Be sure to check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for a list of all new releases and arrivals.

Our Nashville shop will be open this week Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm, but closed on Thursday (Thanksgiving). Yes, there will be extended hours on Friday given that it’s a short holiday week. Keep an eye on the main store page for announcements regarding any additional special hours during the holiday season.

Pilot

Traveler's Company

Levenger

Desk Mats

How You Can Further Support T.G.S.

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 special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. Patreon supporters also have access to the first two episodes of a new podcast experiment I’ve been working on with Lisa Vanness of Vanness Pens. More on this later, but for the time being the initial episodes are Patreon-exclusive.

The 2025 T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide is Live! Plus Five Favorite Stationery Gifts

Our annual Holiday Gift Guide has been updated and is live on the site! Each year we revise this page to reflect new gift ideas and trends from the past year of stationery, and everything featured in the guide is not only available for online shopping but in person at our Brick-and-Mortar store, located in Nashville, Tennessee! We will have regular hours through the Holiday season and possibly open on a few additional Sundays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day so stay tuned. If you’d like to make an appointment to shop on days that we are not showing as open please do reach out because I know everyone’s holidays are chaotic and we want to be as flexible as possible.

My Thoughts on Gifting Stationery and My Favorite Gifts I Give Every Year

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that I give stationery as gifts every holiday season (and birthdays, etc.). But what I give does sometimes surprise people, because I try to keep it simple and relatively inexpensive as I don’t want the recipient to be afraid to actually use the item. Here are five of my personal favorite stationery gifts for family, friends, and colleagues. Most of these are featured in the Guide but I figured I’d add a bit of personal color for fun. I love recommending gifts for people, and find it one of the most fulfilling parts of running the retail side of T.G.S.

• Pocket Pens. Even if they don’t know it, everyone needs a pocket pen, and there are several out there that even the most non-stationery obsessed person can appreciate. The Lamy Pico was our top seller last holiday season, but we’ve also added Rite-in-the-Rain bullet pens which are great options for outdoorsy types. Rite-in-the-Rain makes a “nice” metal version, as well as a two-pack of the pressurized plastic pens.

• Pocket Notebooks. Field Notes always make a great gift for non-fountain pen users because you can usually find a theme to match their interests. (The National Parks series is a perennial favorite). For those with recipients who might want better paper, the Lochby versions aren’t as ornate but feature 68gsm Tomoe River Paper, and the Lochby Field Journal Mini or Pocket Journal makes a nice complement if you want to scale up the gift.

• Pencils. Some of my favorite gifts ever were thoughtful pencil gifts, and I’ve never had a pencil-themed gift go bad. Turns out may people like wood pencils, especially if you can find good ones because most non-stationery nerds assume that all pencils made these days are poor quality. Favorites include Camel pencils from Japan with the integrated erasers, Uni and Tombow “handwriting” pencils, and all of the novelties from Begoody that despite their quirkiness are good writers with excellent graphite. For recipients who enjoy technology, the Uni Kuru Toga KS or Alpha Gel Switch are inexpensive mechanical pencils that feature the Kuru-Toga’s auto-rotation mechanism.

• Bookmarks. I’m a reader, and most of my family and close friends appreciate a solid bookmark (or pack of “writable bookmarks” that you can use to take notes and annotate). Small and inexpensive, bookmarks make great stocking stuffers or small items for gift exchange parties.

• The Lamy Swift Rollerball Pen. Do I have a go-to recommendation for a gift for a nice pen for a “non pen person” (or even a pen person whose preferences you might not know)? Yes, and it’s the overlooked Lamy Swift retractable rollerball. Most people are sold when they see how the clip retracts into the barrel, which should keep you from trying to stick the pen in your pocket with the tip extended - NOT a good thing to do with a liquid rollerball. :)

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No, these aren’t made anymore (in 20 years) and I don’t sell them, but they remain one of my favorite holiday gifts ever received. (I later bought up several dozen on eBay.)

Get Your Holiday Orders in Early (Or Shop in Person), and Other Tips for Surviving the Holiday Season

Thanksgiving is late this year (and the weather here has felt like Spring), so there’s been a delayed start to the traditional holiday shopping season. While our shipping times have remained fairly fast, with orders typically out the door within 2 business days, we have no control over carrier delivery times and things like carrier strikes. 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. And of course, you can always come by and shop in person all the way up to Christmas Eve!

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.

Thursday Drops: Pilot and Tom's Studio Restock, Stickers, Staplers, and More for the Holidays!

The holiday shopping season is here and we’re doing our best to restock as much as we can as fast as we can! This week we received a restock of Pilot fountain pens, including additional Pilot Custom 823s and many favorite colors of Iroshizuku ink such as Asa Gao, Yama Budo, and Kon Peki. We also received more Tom’s Studio Lumos and Wren refillable fineliners. Finally, as I noted yesterday both on the blog and on YouTube, we’ve also introduced more desk accessories, including Zenith Staplers from Italy, and we have a wide range of new stickers and washi available from MT Tapes and iLootPaperie!

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It’s not just higher-end Pilot that we have back in stock. In addition to the Custom 823, we also have more of the new Pilot Prera fountain pens, as well as the new Kakuno Special Editions!

I have been receiving e-mails from many of you inquiring about holiday gift ideas, and I will respond as quickly as I can. I did, however, want to issue a general P.S.A. that if you are looking for holiday delivery in December, please get orders in as quickly as possible. While we ship within 2-3 business days, both USPS and UPS will likely begin experiencing shipping and delivery delays starting around Thanksgiving, if not already, and many are predicting that this year will be worse. Building in time to handle lost packages, insurance claims, and time for shipping any replacements will help us ensure timely delivery of gifts.

Our Nashville shop is open this week Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. Next week we will be closed on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday) but will be open regular hours Friday and Saturday. Hope to see you there!

1. Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pens. We have the Pilot Custom 823 available in all colors and most nib sizes, including Signature nibs in the Amber acrylic. Read more about the Custom 823 and why we love this high-capacity vacuum filler here.

2. Tom’s Studio Lumo Pro Duo in Clementine. Tom’s Studio has released its dual-tip fineliner in a warm matte orange finish that’s perfectly timed for autumn and the holiday season! We also received a restock of most colors of the standard Lumos, and have special edition “Splash” and Titanium finishes as well.

3. Tom’s Studio Wren in Clementine. I was surprised to see a Clementine Wren as well! For those looking for a pocketable fineliner with a standard writing tip, the Wren is an excellent option and now features the same warm matte orange Clementine finish. Standard color options are also restocked.

4. Diplomat Viper Fountain Pens and Rollerballs. We have additional Viper fountain pens in Blue, Black, and Brown, with Green on the way. All Rollerballs are back in stock. The Viper is an excellent hooded-nib fountain pen at an accessible price point, with a highly usable F/M nib.

5. Zenith 590 and Zenith 591 Plier-Style Staplers. I couldn’t resist these cool desk accessories from Italy, available in five different color combinations chosen by us for the shop. We showcased these on the blog and in a YouTube demonstration video. Compatible staples are also available.

6. Life Airmail Writing Pads and Envelopes. We now once again offer both the Life Airmail Writing Pads and matching envelopes. These feature lightweight, yet still ink-friendly, onionskin paper like that used for classic Airmail written correspondence.

7. Levenger Notabandeau Book Bands. These elastic book bands will fit around an A5 or similar notebook, as well as a standard hardcover book, for those who like to be able to tuck pens, glasses, and other accessories for a lightweight and streamlined carry.

8. Levenger Library Card Bookmarks. Bookmarks are another accessory obsession of mine, and Levenger makes great ones. I love bookmarks that double as notecards for annotation purposes. These are inspired by vintage library cards! Tent-style notetaking bookmarks are also available.

9. MT Washi Tapes. We have both restocks and new arrivals from the MT “Encyclopedia” series, as well as many of the popular “Maps and Travel” Patterns. There is also a new coffee-themed “Upcycle” series themed around coffee that uses paper from recycled coffee filters.

10. iLootPaperie Stickers and Enamel Pins. We have lots of fun vinyl stickers and enamel pins from our friends at iLootPaperie, featuring themes ranging from snail mail to typewriters.

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The Zenith 590 comes in two multi-color finishes!

Personal Stationery Obsessions: Zenith Plier-Style Staplers

Beyond pens and paper, I enjoy desk and reading accessories, including bookmarks, analog timers, scissors, pencil sharpeners, and more. I’ve written a lot about these previous categories, but haven’t dealt much with another common office tool: the stapler! I’ve long been obsessed with the Zenith plier-style staplers from Italy, which are different from classic “desktop” model that you usually see in the U.S. Not only do these staplers have a unique and somewhat quirky design, but I find them more ergonomic to use as they require very little pressure.

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I had a hard time choosing which of these colors I wanted for my personal stapler. It was a toss-up between the red and the yellow model, but I ultimately went with the red.

What Do I Look for in a Quality Stapler?

Because I like to work on paper, I frequently print out articles and documents to read and annotate, so my staplers see a lot of use. Honestly, you don’t realize how important a quality stapler is until you have a bad one. In my opinion, a good stapler has the following:

• Good ergonomics, light weight, and the ability to staple at least 10 pages with minimal pressure.

• An anti-jam feature that prevents the stapler from getting clogged/blocked.

• Maneuverability so that you can precisely place the staple where you need it.

• A relatively compact size so you can tuck it away. I’ve been trying to limit the amount of stuff that sits on my desk to the things I’m actually using at any given time.

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The Zenith staplers tick all of these boxes for me. Not only are they more compact and lightweight than my classic vintage-style desktop staplers, but the smaller staples are easy to position precisely on documents and don’t jam nearly as much as the larger standard-size U.S. staples. Refilling the Zenith stapler is straightforward: You simply push the “trigger” part of the handle forward and lift the top to access the dispensing mechanism. Drop in your staples, snap it shut, and you’re ready to go.

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Once you open the top, reloading the stapler should be a familiar experience for most people.

Note: The Zenith 590 and Zenith 591 look nearly identical and are roughly the same size, but they take different staples. The Zenith 590 takes Zenith 130 Staples, which are slightly larger than the No. 10 staples that fit the Zenith 591. (No. 10 staples are a common size in Japan - the original target market for the Zenith 591 - and the same size staples that fit “mini staplers” like those found in the Midori XS Stationery Kit.) Each stapler ships with a box of 1000 Zenith-brand staples, which are among some of the sharpest I’ve used. They posed no issues even with thicker paper and are rated for up to 15 sheets.

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The classic Zenith 590 is the 590 “Mix” style, featuring four different colors.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Though plier-style staplers can be somewhat uncommon in the U.S., you can find them if you look. I first saw these Zenith models at C.W. Pencil Enterprise 5 or 6 years ago, and meant to purchase one before they closed, but I missed the opportunity and they fell off my radar. Fortunately I’ve been able to source a handful of Zenith colors for the shop in both the 590 and 591 models, along with compatible staples (which are commonly available). I would love to make this a core offering of the Desk Accessories/Office Supplies category, and have just been looking for the right opportunity to bring these in. I hope you all like them as much as I do.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us and see any products we sell directly at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee!

If you would like to see a demonstration of how the Zenith 591 Stapler works, head on over to our YouTube channel. After initially posting this review, I decided to do a quick video showing how to use and reload the Zenith.

New Arrivals: Refreshed Washi, Sticker, and Pin Selection!

While paper and notebook systems tend to be our primary focus around here, by far one of my favorite aspects of running the store is curating our selection of washi tape, stickers, pins, and other small accessories. Why? Because it’s pure fun, especially when you get to dive into the more irreverent designs like all the quirky stuff from iLootPaperie.

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Retro Collage Washi from MT Tapes.

This week we have a whole array of new stickers themed around snail mail, typewriters, and reading. We also have a bunch of new enamel pins, including some really timely pencil-themed pins, a “Par Pigeon” pin, and more! Finally, MT Washi Tape is back in stock, including Travel/Maps and Encyclopedia themed tapes. Be sure to check all of these out, as they will make great gifts for the upcoming holiday season!

Come see these and more in-person in our Nashville shop! We are open Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, and Saturday from 10am-6pm. Any updates or special events will be posted to the shop page here.

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Of all the new pins, this one is my favorite. For obvious reasons. :)