Adventures in Stationery Travel: What, No Fountain Pens?

I took a short trip this weekend for a family wedding, and while it’s been fun to catch up with everyone at night, several different factors combined to turn this into more of a working vacation for me. I knew this would be the case ahead of time, and planned accordingly, though with a bit of a different strategy: traveling light with only those tools that I knew I would use for the next three days. Posts about what products I personally use in my own life every day are among the most requested, so while I have a short break here before everybody else wakes up, I thought I would walk through my pen case, my notebooks, and other accessories with a few words on why I chose them and how I use them.

Five Writing Instruments: No Fountain Pens

On a trip where I know I’ll have little privacy and will therefore struggle to accomplish any enjoyable personal writing, I’ve given up on bringing multiple fountain pens. At most, I’ll take one, and here I’ve foregone a fountain pen altogether in favor of my two Tom’s Studio Lumos fineliners, which offer me the “fountain pen feel” and some colorful ink without having to worry about the pens leaking or burping ink on the plane. Otherwise, I tend to be a ballpoint-mechanical-pencil-multi-pen guy for work travel, and as I’ve become a more seasoned pen addict, have come to appreciate the simplicity of working with these tools when you just want to get stuff done. The Uni Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pen is a workhorse with its four different .5mm tips plus a mechanical pencil, though I’ve also been carrying this yellow and black Uni Kuru Toga Alpha Gel Switch nearly everywhere I go, simply because that grip is so dang comfortable.

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Pen Cases: One for Pens, One for Styluses

The Rickshaw Bagworks Sinclair Model-R remains a favorite for travel, because you can cram a lot into it. The model shown here is the Vanness Pens / Leigh Reyes collaboration, which makes an excellent travel companion because the inevitable ink and coffee stains simply blend in! As I hinted I might on Instagram, I grabbed one of the small Raymay Patalino cases to carry my Apple Pencil, reMarkable Marker, and the Lamy Safari “Twin Pen” Stylus/Ballpoint combo. I actually love having a dedicated stylus case for when I travel, as it eliminates the inconvenience of fumbling around in your bag for a stylus that refuses to stay magnetically attached to the tablet and ends up at the bottom underneath everything else you’ve packed.

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Introducing the Good Made Better Bibliofile! Though it might look a little complicated, the cords and fasteners are actually fairly easy to use. I’ve been carrying this device on an almost daily basis, and when used in combination with modular cases like the Sinclair Model R and Patalino, really cleans up the inside of your bag.

Notebooks and Paper: Planner, Binder, and E-ink Tablet

My “working duo” of an A5 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter (with my Hobonichi Cousin and a Midori MD Cotton A5 notebook) and Plotter A5 binder traveled with me, along with my iPad Pro and reMarkable tablet. I plan to write a follow up post containing additional thoughts on tablets and e-ink devices soon - they have their place in my rotation, but they’ve never replaced certain parts of my paper-based workflow. What I really wanted to preview, however, is a new creation from Good Made Better, which I picked up in Chicago. Made from thick felt and elastic cords, the “Bibliofile” book carrier/protector holds your books and notebooks tightly together when they are in your bag - preventing those oh-so-annoying bent covers and pages while making packing a heck of a lot easier - and it can also serve as a portable bookshelf of sorts when you’re on the road. Like the pocket pen I teased, this is another “experimental” prototype product from Good Made Better that I hope takes off and goes mainstream, but for now you can buy it at pen shows.

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Takeaways

I’m trying to pare down what I carry in my bag when I travel. Letting things sit unused, especially after taking the time to pack and lug them through the airport, creates a sense of anxiety and frustration, and I’ve found that I’m happier and more productive when I’m realistic in choosing the best tools for a trip. I’m seriously considering the idea of having a set “stationery travel pouch” that is always packed and ready to go, even if it means purchasing duplicates of a few key items (like mechanical pencils and multi-pens). A few friends have adopted this strategy, and I’m interested whether others have a specific travel setup that they use by default, simply so you don’t have to think too much about packing. Drop a comment or send me a message!

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

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!)

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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.

Travel Chronicles: Actually Traveling with a "Traveler's Notebook"

As befits its name, the Traveler’s Notebook makes a fabulous traveling companion, or so I’ve found on more than one occasion over the past month. Since I’m on the road for a brief long-weekend trip before a hectic week that includes Fountain Pen Day and my eventual return to the office, I thought it might be fun to take a look at the specific setup that I’m using in my personal Traveler’s Notebook, namely the accessories.

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Accessories - Folders, Cases, and Card Holders for the Road

For me, the accessories are the most important items for a “travel” rig since they transform the Traveler’s Notebook from a “notebook” to a functional travel portfolio/wallet. I’m currently outside the U.S., so I need to carry more documentation that I typically would on a domestic flight, including a passport, customs documents, cash, etc., as well as multiple credit cards, identification, and paper copies of my itinerary and confirmations. Here are the various accessories currently in my Traveler’s Notebook:

• Zippered PVC Case. While I always use the clear PVC zippered case to hold things like stamps, paper clips, and Book Darts, this weekend I used it to carry my Passport and customs receipts while moving through the airport. It’s a convenient - yet relatively secure - way for me to keep these documents handy. (I wouldn’t recommend storing these documents in your notebook when you’re not actively using them. Keep them in the hotel safe or concealed on your person!)

• Traveler’s Notebook Pocket Stickers. Like the PVC Zippered pouch above and the folder discussed below, you can add pockets to the front and back covers of your Traveler’s notebook to hold printed copies of confirmations and itineraries, cards, and more. They aren’t necessary for the particular cover I’m using on this trip (more on that below), but I have them in both of my Standard leather covers.

• Traveler’s Notebook Sticky Notes. I’m a sticky note addict who is never without a healthy supply of them. I make “side notes” to myself when I’m journaling, annotate books that I’m reading, and most importantly, leave last-minute notes to the dogsitter while I’m running out the door late for my flight. Though I might not use them regularly when I travel, I can’t bring myself to leave them at home.

• 2024 Limited Edition Plastic Folders and Pencil Boards. I didn’t realize how useful pencil boards (and journaling stencils in general) were until I began using one of my Atelier Musubi notebooks as my personal journal. Not only does it allow you to change up the ruling as you work your way through a blank notebook, but here it helps in situations where you don’t have a sturdy, level writing surface, especially for a fountain pen. A pencil board can also “firm up” the softer Traveler’s Notebook cover, creating a better platform for writing while standing.

• Brass Binder Clip. Whenever I’m writing on the go, and especially when I sometimes have to write standing up, on an airline seatback tray table, or other cramped space, I rely on the Traveler’s Company Brass Binder clip to help hold the notebook open, to mark my place in a specific refill, and even to just clip papers together. This clip is actually one of my most-used stationery accessories across the board, as I switch it between different systems and also carry it in my Roterfadens and Plotters.

You can read more on my personal Traveler’s Notebook Setups here, and if you’d like a tutorial on how to install and connect different refills in the Traveler’s Notebook covers, I’ve also done posts on that in the past.

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My favorite notebook cover ever. No I won’t part with it.

For those Who Ask, No, That’s Not an Official Traveler’s Notebook Cover and This One is Unfortunately Unobtainium, Though I Hope That Changes.

It’s actually an older Roterfaden model cut in an A5 slim size, which is no longer made. I love it because it easily fits Traveler’s Company and other similarly sized refills, and I’m hoping that Roterfaden will agree to bring it back. You can, of course, clip Traveler’s Company refills and accessories into the regular A5 Roterfaden covers, and you can take advantage of their stitched-in card pockets for credits cards and IDs.

This is a very short trip, as I’ll be back Monday, so no delays to regular content, etc. Maybe I’ll do one-more travel-related post on my return?

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It’s a toss-up for me whether the PVC Zippered Pouch or the Brass Clip is the more overall useful stationery accessory.

The canvas slots on the inside cover of this particular Roterfaden transform this cover into an excellent oversized travel wallet.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. The Gentleman Stationer is also an authorized retailer of both Traveler’s Company and Roterfaden products.

Dallas Pen Show Friday Recap: Nagasawa Pens and more!

I’m getting ready for some extended time away from my day job, so what better way to kick things off than to take a quick weekend trip to the Dallas Pen Show - a Show I’ve never visited before! In addition to visiting a new show, I get the opportunity to enjoy a pen show as a pen show, without my own table, and spend some time exploring the two ballrooms and many of the vendors there. I’ll have more to report via Instagram and on social media in real time, but there are many independent makers at this show and a very large vintage scene.

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The Dallas Show organizers conveniently post the roster of exhibitors next to a large map, so you can see where each are located.

For most of the day yesterday, I assisted at the Vanness Pens table. Dallas is a bit of a unique show in that it’s only two days, with Friday being the longest: 10am to 8pm at night. While it makes for a 12-hour day for most vendors (once you include setup time), the late Friday hours are favorable to attendees who may not be able to get off work in time to attend the show on the first day, and the organizers are adamant that all vendors need to remain open until closing time to accommodate evening shoppers.

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My two pickups from the table I was working: a Sailor Pro Gear Mini in Mouette, and a Sailor Kyomachi Legend Blue 1911 Full Size with the gold weighted section.

There was a steady stream of traffic through the morning, a bit of a lull for lunch, and then another rush between 4-6:30 as the after-work crowd arrived. The main draw at the Vanness table were the Nagasawa exclusive collaboration pens, which Vanness is now authorized to carry as Nagasawa’s exclusive U.S. retail partner! These pens include the Kobe Affection Kyomachi Legend Blue series (which comes in King of Pen, 1911 Large, and 1911 Standard sizes), exclusive Pro Gear Slims and Minis in multiple colors, and the Demonstrator Pro Gears and “Profits” (1911s) with black-plated, gold, and antiqued/rose gold trim. Many different models and colors fall into these latter categories, so I won’t link to them all individually but you can check out the full selection of Nagasawa pens here. (You can also check many of them out in person at the Dallas Pen Show, since Vanness brought a TON of these pens.)

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I had two nibs ground: I asked Matthew Chen to clean up the broad nib on my Montblanc 149 to give it some more line definition and narrow the stubbish tipping just a bit to make it more usable, and I also had my Pro Gear Mini ground to a mini-architect!

For Saturday, I plan to focus on visiting with friends and possibly checking out some vintage. It’s been a while since I’ve added any vintage pens to my collection, and Dallas also includes a collection of local vendors (including Fountain Pen Revolution!) who don’t typically attend many pen shows. Stay tuned for more show pics!

The store remains open and all orders will ship within the typical 2-3 business day timeframe. Since it’s a pen show weekend, use the coupon code “PENSHOW10” at checkout to take 10% off most orders, with some brands excluded. Many thanks for all your support!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links.

Still Got It: The Big Show is Back! The 2023 D.C. Pen Show Recap

Can a pen show ever be too big? For the first time in many years, the D.C. Pen Show pushed the limits of what a truly international pen show can be, and I loved every minute of it. While I’ll talk a bit more below about whether this kind of expansion is necessarily a good or bad thing, on a deeper level, it was comforting to see the attendance trends from recent years reverse and to feel the kind of energy I remember from 2016 or 2017, when big pen shows were still new and exciting for many people.

Thursday - Friday: Busier than I’ve Ever Seen the Non-Weekend Days

I could tell “something was up” the minute I hit the hotel lobby at 10pm Wednesday night and the bar was packed, with people in town and ready to go first thing Thursday morning. Of course, I had to work for most of Thursday (darned day job), but I did get a chance to skip down to the show and check out the crowd in the main ballroom on what is usually a purely vintage trading day. While there were still mostly vintage traders set up, there was a line of people forming in the lobby waiting to register for admission on Thursday, something I have never seen before at any pen show. Thursday night, the bar was packed, and I began to get the feeling that we were in for a weekend!

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I jumped up on a chair to get this picture of the hallway outside the Vanness Pens table as Pilot was raffling off a pen on Friday afternoon. Believe it or not, this wasn’t nearly as crowded as it got on Saturday.

Friday morning was fairly typical. This year’s D.C. Pen Show was spread across three hotel ballrooms: the main ballroom with the interior tables and surrounding hallways; what’s become known as the “Maker’s Room” at the front of the hotel as you enter; and the “Alexandria Room” down the hall (which used to be the breakfast area before the hotel remodel). Most shows reserve Friday morning admissions for the “Weekend Pass” holders, who take the opportunity to scour the small-maker tables for unusual, rare, or limited pens and materials that they wanted to see in person before purchasing. The main ballroom stays relatively quiet until around lunchtime, when everyone has made their way through the initial ballrooms and the show opens to the public. By mid-afternoon, foot traffic was what you would expect from a “typical” D.C. Show on a Friday, but at moments you could get a sense of what was to come on Saturday.

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The things you see at the bar on Friday night at the D.C. Pen Show give new meaning to the term “everyday carry”.

Saturday: Absolute Insanity Erupts

From around 10:00am Saturday morning, when the show opened to the public, until shortly after “close” at 5:00pm, we didn’t get much of a break. Waves of attendees came through, and at times customers were 2-3 layers deep in front of our tables. As I mentioned above, I’ve not seen the D.C. Pen Show this busy in years. To demonstrate how wild it was - I had matched my sales total from Friday by 11am on Saturday morning!

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A GIANT Vanishing Point at the Pilot table!

The show was crowded for good reason! In addition to dozens of small and independent makers - I won’t even try to name all of them here - you had international draws such as Leonardo Officina Italiana, Santini Pens, Toyooka Craft, Nagasawa, Galen Leather, and newcomers NFP Design. American retailers like Vanness Pens (where I was helping) and Dromgooles brought tons of pens, inks, and paper, and Pilot USA even brought a handwriting analysis machine from Japan where you could sign up for a session and learn about your writing pressure, etc. in addition to receiving a recommendation as to what Pilot nib would work best for you. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to sit down with an analyst, but I did read several of the reports and frankly found them fascinating.

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Vanness sold a bunch of their latest collaboration with The Good Blue Co, featuring a black Cerakote finish with green splatter.

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Look, I was good, right? I sat next to this tray of SCRIBO fountain pens all weekend, watching them, and almost came home with one but maintained my discipline… For the most part.

As to my own “table nook” at the end of the Vanness Pens setup, I brought what I had worried was too much Lochby and some of the remaining Hinze Collaboration Pens and Penwells. I shouldn’t have been concerned, given that I sold out of nearly everything I had by late afternoon on Saturday! As is the usual case at a pen show, the Lochby Venture Pouch was the top seller, and interestingly, people also showed a strong interest in the Lochby Tool Roll. (I think it probably says something about how many pens people were buying - they came to the show and left needing help taking everything home!) Unfortunately I’ve had a few reports of people looking for me on Saturday and being unable to find me due to the crowds. If I missed you, I will likely be more visible next year as I plan to have a full table setup. Everything that I brought with me to the D.C. Show is also re-listed in the shop as of this morning, so if I was out of stock on a Lochby color or you couldn’t find the Hinze Pens, they will be available for purchase until San Francisco at the end of the month.

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The table setup at the Gentleman Stationer!

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All that was left after the table was ransacked by Saturday afternoon. ;)

Sunday: Unless They Had to Catch a Flight, Nobody Was Packing Up Early

Typically, Sunday mornings at pen shows are sleepy. People were out late “celebrating” Saturday night, and many (myself included) simply ran out of most merchandise late on Saturday afternoon. I used the opportunity to explore the rest of the show and to pick up a few things!

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Sunday is much easier to navigate. This picture was taken right after opening on Sunday morning, around 10am when some vendors had not even set up yet.

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My two purchases from the Toyooka Craft table: an 11-pen tray in Hinoki Blue lacquer, and a black tray in alder (with red lining!).

OVerall thoughts and Takeaways, and Why You Should Attend the Upcoming San Francisco Pen Show!

After a discouraging 2022, the Fairview Park Marriott rebounded with a beautiful new lobby/restaurant/bar renovation. While a bit loud, there was plenty of space for those who wanted to socialize, and thankfully the old bar space was left intact with tables set up so that those who wanted to take their pens/paper/drinks to a quieter area could do so. The room remodel isn’t quite complete - my room was the same as it’s been for the past five years, though some reported receiving very nice, modern accommodations.

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Second from left: I brought home one of the Vanness x Good Blue exclusives (with lots of green splatter!)

Were there any negatives from this year’s D.C. Pen Show? Not really! Some might say that the show was too large, with too many vendors for the available space, and that’s certainly something to consider. There’s a balance between the number of vendors and number of attendees that makes for a good pen show: if it’s off, you either have unhappy vendors without the crowd to support them, or a crowded venue that’s difficult to navigate with unhappy customers being unable to move through the throngs and reach the table. I don’t think D.C. did a bad job at all this year - and certainly nobody expected this sort of turnout - but if the show continues to stay this size (or even grow), the organizers will need to pay close attention to managing the quality of the experience.

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A major discovery of mine was NFP Design, a company from Istanbul that makes pen boxes and cases in various designs, ranging from inlaid wooden boxes like the one shown here to lacquered boxes in a range of colors.

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The other trend that bears watching is the ongoing corporatization/monetization of the pen show experience. This is more behind-the-scenes stuff, but I’ve been somewhat concerned at the degree to which certain larger retailers and manufacturers are trying to dominate larger shows by buying up tables and/or strong-arming smaller makers and retailers out of prime table space by pressuring organizers to “reassign” tables that the smaller exhibitor has held for years. I’ve heard rumors that it’s part of a larger trend to “squeeze out” the smaller retailers and consolidate the manufacturing-distribution-retail chain under one umbrella to capture profit by selling directly. To me, this would destroy the purpose of shows and what gives them the community feel.

I’ve always believed that stationery is the epitome of a “rising tides lifts all boats” industry - what’s good for one is good for everyone - and heavy handed attempts at monopolization, or turning shows into a bland corporate marketing event, is at the end of the day counterproductive because the diversity of products and curated shops is what draws people to the shows and ultimately drives the industry. The modern pen consumer (and especially the younger modern pen consumer) wants to browse an eclectic selection of goods and see stuff that they can’t order online. Tellingly, company tables are often among the LEAST crowded at shows, and show organizers should carefully consider the attendee constituency when making their decisions on things like floor layout and table caps.

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From left: Vanness x Good Blue exclusive in black/green Cerakote; TWSBI Diamond 580 Sunset Yellow from my own shop, the new Desiderata Daedalus in Red Ripple ebonite, and the Penquisition x Gravitas “Touchstone” in blue and red.

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My first stacked nib! A double-stack by Pensloth!

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This one is ground in a crosspoint-style (a big architect).

Later this month I’m off to San Francisco for the 2023 San Francisco Pen Show! I plan to bring a full table worth of goods, but will also run it back with all the Lochby cases plus whatever Hinze Pens and Penwells remain. If you’d like me to bring something to San Francisco for in-person delivery, either place an order and select “local pickup” or send me a message with your request so I can make plans to pack or ship it. It’s great to be back at shows!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid affiliate links or third-party advertising.