Sailor 1911 Profit Junior, Profit Jr., and Lecoule (via Rants of the Archer). Sailor apparently is building out their entry-level fountain pen lineup. I have not yet seen some of these pens widely promoted in the U.S., but since the Profit Junior arrived as the Procolor I expect they are on the way?
The TWSBI Draco: I Had My Doubts (via From the Pen Cup). I enjoy seeing TWSBI experiment with smaller runs and different designs. That’s how innovation works - testing out small batches of new materials in new formats. Based on Mary’s pictures, the Draco looks great. More rose gold please!
TRU RED Mastery Journal Review (via The Poor Penman). For a widely available big-box supply brand, I’ve found TRU RED products to be of surprisingly high quality, though the paper varies depending on the specific item. (Some of the spiral notebooks had great fountain pen friendly paper; others behaved more like the notebook reviewed here.)
Sailor Black: Ink Review (via Scrively). It’s uncommon to find reviews of “standard” blue and black inks made by the major pen brands. Here, you not only have a review of a very good standard ink, Sailor Black, but from a lefty’s perspective.
Schon DSGN Ultem Pen, Colorverse Space Laika (via Penquisition). I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these. They’re currently in high demand and short supply, so it will likely be a pen show acquisition once shows resume, currently slated for the fall.
Let’s Take a Look at Paper Color (via Fountain Pen Love). Color variations in paper is one of those topics that doesn’t get written up very often, if at all, and it made me happy to see this article. I’m in the market for some light blue writing/typewriter paper, btw, in case anyone has any recommendations for me….
DIvine Design: The Visconti Divina Elegance (via Penquisition). I had no idea the Divina full size was such a large pen!
Caran d’Ache 849 Claim Your Style (via Bleistift). As a huge fan of the Caran d’Ache 849, I really need to look into getting one with my initials engraved. Also, I get a lot of questions about hacking gel refills for the 849. This article includes a brilliant video addressing that topic.
Caran d’Ache 849 Claim Your Style (via Well-Appointed Desk). Many thanks to Ana for reviewing the 2020 Claim Your Style release in “Veronese Green”. (Disclaimer: I sent it to “The Desk” for review.). I still have some of last year’s models, but once they’re gone, they’re gone so act quick if you like the 2020 colors. 2021 should be on the way in the next couple of months.
Penluxe Masterpiece Grande Koi Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). Taiwanese maker Penlux has been expanding rapidly over the past several years, releasing different variations of their “Masterpiece Grande” pen last year. It sounds like the quality is good, making this another reasonably priced brand to watch.
In Case You Missed It….
This week on the blog I started a new project: working my way back through Pilot’s Iroshizuku line of inks. This week I revisited Yama-Budo, Kon-Peki, and Shin-Ryoku, three of the most popular colors. It will take me a while to write through all of these, but please keep an eye on the blog throughout the year because I’m excited for this challenge! I also took an extended look at the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen, the first time I’ve given this particular pen a stand-alone post. Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops spotlighted the new Lamy AL-Stars and the Faber-Castell Neo, both available from our friends at Vanness Pens.
This Week in the Curated Shop
Wow, those sold fast: I’m down to one Caran d’Ache Ecridor “Racing” .7mm mechanical pencil. I’ll try to get more, but the ballpoint is already on backorder. I hope they decide to make the black-chrome Ecridor a regular addition to the Caran d’Ache lineup. I also have a bunch of the Rhodia Composition Books in stock, as well as some new stamps and reading accessories from WMS & Co.
Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and More!
You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve rolled out some new features in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups, the next of which will take place this coming Friday, April 23 at 8:00pm Central Time and will feature a special announcement. The last few have featured some really fun discussions! I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!