Spotlight on Nahvalur Fountain Pens: Introducing the Year of the Rabbit Limited Edition

Last year we brought Nahvalur (formerly Narwhal Pens) into the shop, driven by two specific models: the “Original Plus” vacuum-filler fountain pen and the “Nautilus” piston filler, featuring Nahvalur’s signature “porthole” ink windows. This week, we’ve not only restocked on the Original Plus but have added two new Nautilus fountain pens and will soon add Nahvalur’s new “Explorer” ink line.

Nahvalur 2023 “Pen of the Year” is Now Available

The big announcement this week is the release of Nahvalur’s 2023 Pen of the Year, the “Year of the Rabbit” limited edition Nautilus. Featuring a pearlescent white resin and a 14k gold nib, this release is limited to 223 pieces worldwide and we were lucky enough to get a handful. Available in either fine or medium.

The white resin used in the Year of the Rabbit pen comes from Starry Night Resins.

As I mentioned above, we’ve also added the classic black Nautilus ebonite piston filler featuring either an antiqued bronze (“Bronze Corydoras”) or black (“Cephalopod Black”) trim, and we once again have all colors of the “Original Plus” fountain pens in stock, including the popular Ocellatus Gold which sold out quickly.

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It’s Restock and New Arrival Season, So Keep Checking Back

We have new products arriving daily, so keep checking back to view the new arrivals in pens, inks, and pencils as well as paper and notebook systems!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

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"Serious Nibbage": Do No. 8 Nibs Live Up to the Hype?

Every year, there are a couple of products that see their popularity soar unexpectedly, despite the fact that the’ve been around for a while. In 2022 - and continuing into 2023 - one of those product categories is the No. 8 fountain pen nib. For those unfamiliar with fountain pen nib sizing schemes, the size of the nib itself (as opposed to the tipping) is denoted by number. Different regions (or even brands) will use their own numbering so there is little overall consistency, but for purposes of this article, the generally accepted “standard” nib size is a No. 6 (i.e., your typical JoWo or Bock nib), with the larger No. 8 rapidly growing in both popularity and availability.

If what you’re looking for is a bouncy, wet writer, a Bock No. 8 titanium nib, like the one on the Kingsize Bulkfiller, will serve you well. You also don’t need to pay Conid prices to get one. They are available separately from many different sources and can be fitted to pens like the Schon Ultem, provided you have the appropriate section. More on that below.

Why Do People Like No. 8 Nibs So Much?

A No. 8 nib just looks different. Part of the appeal is the uniqueness factor. The experience of writing with a nibbed pen adds much of the charm to using a fountain pen in general, and the larger No. 8 nib is especially eye-catching. The first time you see a pen like the Montblanc 149 or the Pelikan M1000, what you notice is that giant gold nib. Other companies, like Conid, offer gold but increasingly the standard No. 8 nib for small-batch and custom makers seems to be the less expensive No. 8 Bock titanium nib, with a matte finish that pops in its own way.

A smoother writing experience. Many people who first recommended No. 8 nibs to me commented on how much smoother they feel, and to a certain extent they’re correct. I suspect that the “smoother” feel comes from the larger feed, which if tuned properly will deliver more ink, which in turn makes the nib write “wetter,” and a wet nib typically feels smoother than a dry one because it masks any rough spots on the tipping or tine misalignment. If you like wet nibs with a bouncier feel, you will probably enjoy Bock No. 8 titanium nibs, which deliver a lot of ink and provide some line variation.

More stability and control. Personally, I appreciate No. 8 nibs for the same reason that larger pens are growing on me: a greater degree of stability and control over my writing. The larger nib feels more precise in your hand, especially with a finer nib like the one on the Jinhao X159 discussed below.

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The pen on the left costs $1100. The pen on the right costs $12.50. As you can see, you don’t need to break the bank for the No. 8 writing experience.

Less Expensive No. 8 Nib Options Are Becoming More Widely Available

Currently, I have four No. 8 nibs in my collection: A Montblanc 149 with a broad nib (that writes more like a stub); a Montegrappa Extra 1930 with a medium nib; a Conid Kingsize Bulkfiller with a medium titanium nib (review forthcoming); and a Jinhao X159 that just arrived the other day. Of these four, the one that surprised me the most was the Jinhao. I love it when I discover extremely inexpensive pens that are fabulous writers, and while this stiff nail of a steel nib won’t give you the same wet writing experience or bouncy feel as the others discussed, for $12 I’m not sure you’re going to care. Because these larger Jinhao nib units are threaded and unscrew from the pen, I’ve heard that penmakers are starting to experiment with Jinhao-compatible sections, which will allow you to use these nibs in custom pens. Another less expensive option are the Magna Carta stainless steel nibs, which I’ve heard are compatible with the No. 8 sections made for the Schon DSGN Ultem pens. (UPDATE: See comments below, as people have had mixed success with Magna Carta. What I’ve heard is that the recent batch works with the Ultem pens, but YMMV.)

The Jinhao X159 writes a smooth, dark line. The writing experience offered by this pen punches FAR above its price point. The body of the pen does feel pretty inexpensive - even cheap (which it is), but the nib is superb.

Stay tuned for more No. 8 nib-specific content, specifically how these options all compare to one another. I’m planning on picking up some No. 8 sections for my Schon pens during this year’s pen show adventures, and I’m also looking forward to trying out the JoWo No. 8 nib, featured on the Edison Collier Grande.

Enjoy reading The Gentleman Stationer? We are supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon program. This post does not include paid advertising or third-party affiliate links.

What's the Most Popular Nib Size? By a Wide Margin, It's Fine or Medium.

Sorry broad-nib lovers, but the numbers don’t lie.* You may have noticed that I’ve been doing some surveys lately, both via Patreon and via Instagram, and it’s for several reasons. First of all, I’m always curious about people’s preferences and what they use for their everyday writing. Second, I’ve noticed that as many as 65% of the pens I sell are fines and mediums. If that holds as true, my buying strategy of stocking up on equal numbers of all nib sizes probably isn’t the best idea, especially as I bring in more pen lines and invest in more expensive inventory. So I posed the question: If you’re purchasing a pen to use unmodified, in one of the “default” nib sizes of extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, or stub, what size do you prefer?

Here are the results (which as of the time of writing are still preliminary on Instagram, but overall consistent with data I’ve seen elsewhere so I have no problems going ahead and posting my conclusions):

• On T.G.S. Patreon, 75% of respondents chose fine or medium. The other 25% chose broad, stub, or wider (if available). Surprisingly, nobody chose extra-fine.

• On Instagram, as of the time of writing, 63% chose fine or medium. 16% chose broad or wider, and 21% chose extra-fine. The Instagram results are probably more reflective of the community at large, as it’s a bigger sample size.

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More mediums and more fines. Based on a survey of my own collection and what nibs I currently have in most of my pens, I seem to be pretty “average” in terms of what I use on an everyday basis.

As I noted above, anyone with rudimentary training in statistics could find multiple ways to criticize this poll, and it’s neither intended to be scientific nor taken completely seriously. When I posed the question, I also framed it around “stock” nibs that are generally universal across brands, as there’s a lot of variation between different companies’ in-house nibs. But let me say this: the results of this poll are 100% consistent with what I see going out the door in my shop, so at a minimum the responses are a pretty accurate reflection of the nib preferences of The Gentleman Stationer readership. One of the fun parts of being a retailer is having a bit of insight into what people actually buy, as opposed to what gets the attention on blogs, social media, and podcasts. If you follow pen-related social media at all, you might be forgiven for thinking that most true fountain pen enthusiasts write only with broad nibs or stubs - nibs that lay as much ink as possible on the page - or microscopically small needlepoints. While many people certainly enjoy having a few unusual nibs in their collection, those of us who are forced to go out into the word and write on what passes for “office paper” these days recognize that’s not a sustainable approach to modern life.

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For me, it’s medium nibs all around, and I have never had any issues having a medium nib ground into a cursive italic or stub (like the Franklin-Christoph medium S.I.G. nib on the left).

Personally, I default to purchasing pens with medium nibs. A medium is broad enough to show off ink without soaking a page of copy paper, and usually still has enough tipping to support a nib grind. That said, I have so many medium nibs in my collection - including handfuls of loose JoWo and Bock nib units - that I’ve recently taken to purchasing broad or double-broad nibs solely for the purpose of accumulating a ready stock of nibs for modification. Nahvalur nibs in particular have a LOT of tipping, so if you’re purchasing a pen with the specific intention of getting a specialty nib grind, keep that in mind. In San Francisco, I had C.Y. of Tokyo Station Pens modify my Double-Broad Nahvalur Nautilus into a Naginata-style grind, with an excellent result.

I’m still interested in hearing directly from readers: What factors do you consider when selecting a nib? Why do you prefer one nib size over another? Please feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail!

Disclaimer: 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 advertisements or third-party affiliate links.

Spotlight on Midori MD Notebook Journals: A Wealth of Versatile Formats

So far this year, posts on journaling have received a lot of traffic (and comments!), and journals are flying out the door in the shop. It’s encouraging and gratifying to see so many people enjoying analog journaling, and even if I haven’t been able to respond directly to all of your comments, I’ve enjoyed reading them, especially the comments discussing all of your journaling styles, methods, and prompts.

I can see myself using the Grid-Block Notebook Journal as a Planner: you will have eight “boxes” on two pages facing one another, so you can use a box per day plus a section for notes or a bullet list?

While we carry a lot of notebooks appropriate for journaling (and pretty much any notebook can be made to work as a journal), the Midori MD system is the most popular. In addition to the standard MD “notebooks” in lined, grid, and blank formats, Midori also sells A5 notebooks that they bill as “Notebook Journals,” which come in different layouts that many find helpful for creative journaling. Of course, the dot-grid version is a favorite (and probably our overall top-selling Midori MD Notebook), but the A5 “Frame” version is also popular with those who draw, paint, or paste in photographs and other mementos. The newly arrived A5 “Grid Block” notebook is the most interesting to me, as it divides each page of grid ruled paper into four quadrants. The Midori MD Notebook Journals are the same size as the standard A5 MD Notebook, so they are compatible with Midori MD Covers and other accessories.

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Traveler’s Company Brass Index Clips and other Traveler’s Company/Midori Accessories enable you to organize your journals and notebooks.

Of course, for those who journal regularly and want a true day-to-a-page notebook in a single volume that will stand alone by year, the Midori MD Codex will remain the gold standard. We have Codex journals in both Dot Grid and Blank formats, along with the clear plastic covers. (Note that the Codex journals do NOT fit the standard MD Paper or Leather covers, which are intended for the slimmer MD Notebooks and Notebook Journals.) You can check out our full range of Midori paper offerings here, in addition to matching pens and pencils.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Midori and Traveler’s Company.

Offbeat Ink Colors for Everyday Writing: Anderillium American Goldfinch Yellow and Ferris Wheel Press Roaring Patina Black

This year, I’ve introduced a new rotation system that hopefully will ensure I use more of my pens, especially those favorites that haven’t been getting the attention they deserve. I’ll write more about specifics once things have broken in a bit more, but the gist is that I’ve divided my pens into several categories (“Desert Island/Favorite” pens, pens from independent makers, limited/special editions from standard makers, favorite brands, etc.), and the goal is to have a 1-2 pens from each category inked up at any given time, cycling in a new pen when one is written dry or at the end of the month, whichever comes first. It’s worked well, but a side benefit of this system is that I’ve been re-inking pens more, and therefore also using more of my ink collection and finally getting around to testing out a number of inks that have been in the queue. Today I’ll talk about two that I’ve really enjoyed, both of which are offbeat colors that pleasantly surprised me.

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When wet, as shown here on Midori MD Cotton paper, the ink is a brighter yellow. Note the gold tones on the drier writing sample as opposed to the swab.

Anderillium American Goldfinch Yellow: Finally, a Legible Yellow Ink I Can Use Every Day

For years now, I’ve been on a mission to find a yellow ink. I know, it’s a somewhat odd color to fixate on, but I’ve really been wanting an ink that I can use to both highlight and annotate - one that’s not too dark, but at the same time legible. The latter has been the main problem. Most yellow inks are fine as highlighters, but when you try to actually write with them it looks, well, like you’re writing with a highlighter. You can’t read it easily.

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On the off-white Plotter paper, Anderillium American Goldfinch dries to a darker golden yellow hue.

Anderillium inks are known for their offbeat, somewhat unusual takes on classic fountain pen ink colors. As it turns out, “American Goldfinch Yellow,” from their Avian series (based on birds), is exactly what I’ve been looking for. When wet, the ink resembles your classic yellow highlighter, but dries to a richer gold color that’s almost, but not quite, orange. It’s legible enough to use for annotation or everyday writing, depending on your use case. I currently have this ink in my Franklin-Christoph Model 20 in “Winter Pine” acrylic, paired with a medium S.I.G. (Stub Italic Gradient) nib that’s an excellent match for how I want to use this ink.

Of the two inks I’m reviewing today, American Goldfinch Yellow is the one that’s widely available, and we carry Anderillium Inks in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, priced at $14.50 per bottle. I’ve previously reviewed other colors in the series as well, including Cuttlefish Brown, the Michigan Avenue Chicago Pen Show Special Ink, Colossal Squid Dark, and Green Kingfisher Green.

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Ferris Wheel Press Roaring Patina Black

One of Ferris Wheel Press’s 2022 limited releases, I hesitated to pick this one up giving my limited use of shimmer ink, but I’m glad I have a full bottle. Roaring Patina Black is a relatively uncommon pairing of a rich black ink with gold shimmer and, according to Ferris Wheel Press, a red sheen. (I’ve not seen much of the sheen, but I’ve also not been using the right paper as most of my writing has been “practical” so far this month.) I wouldn’t characterize this ink as a pure black, as it has some rich blue/purplish-undertones that complement the gold highlights.

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Roaring Patina Black features what I refer to as “subtle shimmer” - it’s not so in-your-face glittery that you can’t use it for work, and the shimmer particles are fine enough that they won’t clog your pen. I’ve had this ink in my Graf von Faber-Castell Classic Macassar for the past two weeks without issue, and the “Art Deco” theme of this ink perfectly matches the look of the pen. Unfortunately, Roaring Patina Black was released as a limited edition so it’s no longer widely available, and I was unable to find any retailers with the ink in stock. If you can find it, buy it, because it probably won’t last very long. I enjoy Ferris Wheel Press inks, but looking back I haven’t reviewed very many, other than Peppermint Drop, another red sheener.

This week’s review pens: Franklin-Christoph Model 20 in Winter Pine (left) and Graf von Faber-Castell Classic Macassar.

Longtime readers of this site will know that I don’t use crazy inks: 80% of the time my pens are inked up with standard dark blue / dark green / dark red, but for the other 20% I like to play around with more offbeat colors. That said, even with more unusual ink colors or properties, I have little patience for inks that bleed, feather, and never dry, or only work on certain specific papers with certain nibs. Neither of the two featured here have given me any problems. Sometimes you have to hunt around - sometimes for a very long time - but well-behaved, relatively low-maintenance inks do exist outside of the standard blue/black/blue-black color scheme!

Note: Though I’ve found it to work fine in fountain pens, Ferris Wheel Press Roaring Patina Black is a shimmer ink, meaning that the ink contains fine particles of gold shimmer material. If left in a pen for too long and allowed to dry out, all shimmer inks will clog your pen. If this happens, flushing the pen with water should resolve any issues, but it’s always a best practice to clean your pen every few weeks if you’re using inks such as these.

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 third-party affiliate links or paid advertising. I purchased the Ferris Wheel Press Ink with my own funds, for my own use.