I’ll start this post by saying two things. First, I don’t intend this post to be a discussion of politics, rather it’s an anecdote of my personal experience in the world we’re currently living in. Second, I apologize to our international readers since this post is going to be entirely from an American perspective. I’ll return to more universal coverage next Tuesday.
It’s close to the end of the year, and I am nearing 2 years of entries into my daily journal: my Notebook Therapy Tsuki Kinoko Bullet Journal. Which means it’s time to start thinking about the next book. One thing you should know about me is that I’m a Type A person. I like everything orderly and neat (don’t look at my craft room though.) Basically, the idea of having a shelf full of journals that are matchy matchy appeals to my aesthetics. I know I could use anyone one of the notebooks I have acquired over the ages, but I kind of wanted to buy myself another journal that more or less matched the first. When I told Ana, she suggested that if I was going to do it, it could make an interesting blog post.
So Notebook Therapy is located in China and as you may know the United States has enacted heavy tariffs on items originating in China. (The US has also done away with the de minimis exemption which allowed individuals to purchase foreign items under $300 without triggering customs duties.) I do love their notebooks though, and decided it would be an experiment. On October 8, I placed an order for a Tsuki Whimsical Woodland Bullet Journal ($34.08). And then I sat back and waited. Once I received my tracking information, I waited some more. And watched as my order bounced around… a lot.
So what’s the final result? The journal was delivered with Saturday’s mail on 10/24. There was no delivery fee or customs charge that I know of. Sort of anti-climatic, eh? Based on the fact that it took only 16 days, I also don’t think there were significant delays in shipping.
Again this is just an anecdote. This is the first item I have ordered since tariffs have gone into place, and it certainly wasn’t an expensive fountain pen. But I also expected I might have more trouble than I did. I guess I also don’t know if that’s because it was delivered via USPS for the last mile, versus UPS or DHL who would charge administrative fees.
Have you ordered anything internationally since tariffs went into effect? What are your experiences?
While attending the DC Pen Show, I had an opportunity to participate in a survey at the Pilot USA table. The tam at Pilot was asking attendees to compare to types of paper using various pens and asked a series of questions as to why we preferred one over the other. Upon completing the survey and giving the team my preference, I was given a small notebook with the paper I liked best as a thanks for participating.
Comparing size to an A6 JournalTiny pocket in the back cover. Not sure what might fit in there? Tiny sticker?Writech 2-color gel pen in the pen loop on the back cover of the notebook. Need to find a shorter pen for more portability!
The Paper:
The paper I preferred was the Mark’s EDiT and the notebook I received was a petite B7 semi size (70x120mm) with 320 pages and 5mm grid. The notebook includes a clear plastic cover with a slide zip pocket on the front to tuck business cards, stickers or other ephemera and protect the pocket-sized notebook.
The paper is warm white and thin and incredibly good with fountain pens. I found it a little smoother than your average Tomoe River 52gsm but at least as thin as Midori MD, maybe thinner. The only information I could find about the paper describes it as “original planner paper ‘NEO AGENDA for EDiT’, 52.3gsm”.
The paper is very reminiscent of Tomoe River, it’s lightweight, thin and takes fountain pen ink very well. I did not dump gallons of ink on the paper so I don’t know if there would be a lot of bleed or showthrough if you chose to use a book like this for ink testing or sampling. For general writing and note-taking, it performed above expectations with minor show through as would be expected for paper this thin but no actual bleed through and no feathering with any of the pens and ink I tried.
I did not see any sheening but I was not testing any inks that sheen particularly so I need to go back and check for that specifically. Because of the tiny form factor, it was hard to think of this tiny book as an ink testing tool so I forgot to try it — you know, for science.
The Notebook itself:
Regarding this specific size and format– the B7 semi-size notebook with the plastic protective cover — I discovered over the weeks testing it that I really liked the form factor. While I have not added anything in the zip pouch cover, I suspect that it will be a great place to tuck a sticker, business card or little bits of ephemera. Because this little notebook has 320 pages, it can be used for some time so I think the plastic cover will keep the paperboard cover from disintegrating in the bottom of my pocket, bag or glovebox.
The notebook features a stitched binding covered with book binding tape for stability without added bulk so the notebook will easily lay flat. The printed grid is 5mm and light enough to use with a range of nib widths and ink colors without being distracting. There is a solid line about 7-8mm in from the top and side to create a place for a date or title at the top and a checklist or number down the side.
Notebook without the cover. Simple kraft covers with yellow book tape on the spine covering the stitching.
The Tiny Notebook Revolution
I don’t often use notebooks so small they fit in the palm of my hand but, as an alternative to grabbing my phone, this is a great solution. I’ve been wanting to reduce my online time and I am really thinking that this little B7 semi-size notebook is my gateway.
It has changed my thinking about some notetaking. I have started carrying this teeny tiny notebook with a pen loop (simple gel pen in the loop) around with my wallet and/or phone and it has been a great way to have that tactile experience of grabbing something to “browse” without doom scrolling. Instead of logging into Instagram, I am pulling this EDiT notebook out and brainstorming, writing lists and reminders instead. I am carrying it with me at all times to write things down that I want to remember or look up later. So instead of immediately grabbing my phone to look up who starred in some movie I saw 10 years ago, I write it down. Maybe I look it up later, maybe I don’t but I have captured the thought. Isn’t that what bullet journal and “trusted systems” are all about?
Size comparison to a Hobonichi Weeks
Final Thoughts:
When I started to write this review, I was not expecting it to revolutionize my life but I think it did. I don’t think there’s higher praise, do you?
Eventually, I would love to try an A5 or B6 size of the EDiT notebook and really expand the usage since the paper is so lovely. But for now, I am falling in love with this little EDiT B7 semi notebook in ways I hadn’t imagined.
The good news is that starting in 2026 (hopefully), Pilot USA will be distributing Mark’s EDiT to the US market. US distribution will make this delightful paper option easier to get on this side of the pond. At present, I am not finding any shops that are currently carrying the EDiT B7 semi-size notebook so maybe I need to stock it in the shop? Let me know in the comments if you’re interested in trying it out for yourself.
Credit Card sized sticker sheet fits easily in the zip pocket on the front of the plastic cover.
DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by Pilot Pens USA for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
I met Mike Antkowiak at the St. Louis Pen Show several years ago and have followed him on Instagram since then.
Mike got his start with fountain pens early in life but didn’t really start using them until he discovered he could combine fountain pens with his love for drawing. Like so many of the people we have featured in Friday Friends so far, Mike has found more ways to use fountain pens and ink other than just writing. His work is inspiring and inspires me to consider other ways to usse and think about my inks.
Many folks may recognize some of Mike’s inky illustrations inspired by the names of the inks, particularly the series he’s created around the Sailor 50 States collection. He’s also created illustrations for the entire Sailor Studio line, Bungbox Tokyo metro series and the Pelikan Edelstein line.
His work has become so well-known among the pen community that he’s even done commission illustrations for Amarillo Stationery and Greg Hardy to name a few.
Mike even manages to make everyday ink swatching look amazing.
When Mike’s not filling his notebooks with inky illustrations, he is an architect in St. Louis and the “unofficial” creative director for the St. Louis Pen Show.
Be sure to follow Mike on Instagram and if you’re ever at the St. Louis Pen Show, stop by the registration table and say hello. Maybe Mike will even let you see one of his sketchbooks up close!
If you know someone we should feature here on Friday Friends (maybe its you?!?!) leave a comment below.
Over the last couple months, I’ve seen such enthusiasm around the new Zento line of Uni-Ball gel pens. They are consistently sold out with massive fervor when they are re-stocked. I wanted to find out what the big deal was about. I decided to try both the standard Uni-ball ZENTO Gel Pen (0.38 mm Cloud Body) ($3.30) and the fancier Uni-ball ZENTO Gel Pen Flow Model (0.38 mm Fluorite Body) ($12.25).
The Zento pen line is available in 0.38mm and 0.5mm and are only sold with black ink. Blue and Red ink refills are available. If you like these pen shapes and styles, many other refills will fit into the pens including Jetstream, Sarasa, Energel and more.
The Standard model features a softly colored ABS plastic upper barrel, with a long rubber grip section for a comfortable hold. On the back end, a spring-loaded wire clip opens wide for attaching the pen to a notebook or textbook.
The Flow model features a softly colored ABS plastic upper barrel, with a long matching metal grip section for two-tone design that adds a touch of elegance to your desk. On the back end, a spring-loaded wire clip in the same shade opens wide for attaching the pen to a notebook or textbook.
The Standard model Zento weight 10gms and the Flow model which features a metal grip section weighs 14gms. I expected there to be a bigger difference in the weights but the clip end on both pens is the same so the extra 3gms in the Flow model is down towards the tip making the balance nice.
Both pens had the same ink and same tip size so the comparison was in how they felt in my hand. TheFlow model has a cool slick metal feeling in my hand. The Standard model had a squishy rubber grip section that felt softer in the hand.
While I enjoyed the weight, I didn’t like the feel of the metal against my hand. The Flow model felt slippery in my hand. I preferred the softer, squishy feel of the Standard model despite the fact that the rubber grip attracts cat hair like crazy.
There are a couple of others models available: Basic and Signature. The Basic model looks similar in available material and tip size to the Standard but offers a slightly smaller, more neutral color range. The Basic model is also the same price as the Standard. The Signature is a metallic body with magnetic cap, not a knock but an actual cap. The Signature is oddly shaped and priced at $38.50 per pen. I’m not sure its worth the extra costs unless you really want or need a capped gel pen.
Overall, I do like the deep, dark black gel ink in the Zento pens but I am not sure its worth springing for the Flow model unless you really prefer metal barrels. You can also test drive the refills for $1.75 each in any pen body you might already own that take the G2/Schmidt/Euro style refill.
DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
My freelance work has been a little slow this week and so my initial reaction was sheer panic and stress. Then more level heads prevailed. I decided to tackle some of the very long list of Desk projects this week. As a result, I am slowly making progress on new designs for stamps and stickers and I’m getting inspired for more projects. Sometimes, I think just chipping a few things off the to-do list leaves enough room to start thinking about new projects.
Is there anything you need to finalize to move it off your to-do list? Are there little steps you can take today to move that project one step closer to the finish line (Clearly, I’m not sporty because the sport metaphors are all over the place — did I mean end zone, touchdown line, over the net? You understand though, right?)
Huddle up! Make a plan and run those projects into the end zone — or something like that!
Here we are again — at the end of our weekly Link Love. If you love this post or other here on the site, consider joining our Patreon. You’ll help keep this site going plus you get access to our exclusive bi-weekly podcast, printables, exclusive newsletters and more. Your patronage supports this site. Without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!
Somehow the Pilot Kakuno is a pen that I sort of missed in my fountain pen exploration. I say that because at one point I bought one at a pen show (I think maybe Los Angeles?) and it has sat in my drawer unopened for many years. Suddenly I had a new one to compare it to (spoiler alert: they’re not that different) and I could also compare across Pilots more entry brands.
The Pilot Kakuno is a starter friendly pen, often given to students and the like. It’s lightweight (12g), and is a plastic barreled pen that comes in a variety of colors. Nib sizes are usually somewhat limited (EF, F and M in most models) and are steel nibs, whether they are silver or gold. One of the signature features of Kakunos is the smiley face on the nibs!
The pens write very well, with fairly crisp nibs. The fine is lovely, though a tiny bit fine for my tastes and the medium is right in the sweet spot. Kakunos take proprietary cartridges or converters, but are generally easy to use and clean. The original that I bought was a clear plastic demonstrator, though one of the fun things about early models of Kakunos is they had different colored barrels and caps. The caps are snap on, and are easily postable. They are also a bit indented at the top, making for an easy grasp.
These are slightly larger than pocket pens, but not overly long. They come in at about 5.25″/13cm capped, and just slightly shorter (5″/12.5cm) uncapped.
So let’s talk two other things.
How is the new Madoromi Series different than previous editions?
The Madoromi Series adds a few new pastel shades “inspired by a sleepy sky.” Madoromi in Japanese translates to naps or drowsiness.
The other item of note is that the bodies are made of 85% recycled plastic. I think this is pretty cool!
How do the Kakunos compare to the Metropolitans?
The answer to this one, at least to me, is more of aesthetics and feel. The Metros are aluminum bodied, so they are heaver. Whereas the Kakuno comes in at 12g, the Metros weigh in at closer to 26g. So what kind of weight do you like in your hand? Do you prefer the feel of plastic or metal?
In terms of price points, the older Kakunos are available for $12.50 at JetPens, while the newer Madoromi series are priced at $19. The Metros are slightly more expensive at $25.42.
If we’re talking aesthetics, the Kakuno has a hexagonal barrel shape, while the Metro is more a sleek body tapered at both ends. The Kakuno also has that smiley faced nib!
The bottom line is, I think all of these pens are super fun to use and make it relatively easy to get into the hobby. If you’re price conscious or looking for a fountain pen for a kid/student, I think the Kakuno is a great option. If you’re looking for something a little sleeker, then grab a Metro. Either way, Pilot has you covered!
DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided free of charge from JetPens for the purpose of review. Others were purchased with my own funds. Please see the About page for more details.
