Sunday Reading for June 30, 2024

1. Meet Your Maker: Nic Pasquale, Pens by Pasquale (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I’m glad to see my friend Nic get a profile! His pens are excellent. Commission one!

2. Lochby Venture Pouch & Quattro (via Figboot on Pens). David reviews the two primary cases in the Lochby line, depending on whether you want a zippered pouch or a traditional four-slot case.

3. Ana’s St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). A St. Louis Pen Show review from behind the vendor’s table! I’ve not made the St. Louis Pen Show before. Perhaps next year?

4. Laura’s St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). Laura was able to wander the show for her first pen show in a while! And a wand maker?

5. What Would a Potential Binder Daily Carry Setup Look Like for Me? (via Stationery Pizza). Do you use a binder system? Do you go heavily organized or do you travel light?

6. The Writech Retractable Fountain Pen: Early Thoughts (via Fountain Pen Blog). Many people are trying to get in on the lower-cost retractable fountain pen market, and it’s been fun to see some of the new designs emerge. Will any of them take off?

7. Stationery Crazes (via Rachel’s Reflections). This is a pretty comprehensive list from the past few years.

8. Scriveiner Luxury EDC Stunning Matt Green Pocket Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). I likewise enjoyed my time with the Scriveiner fountain pens, and Scriveiner has been very generous with the community in providing pens for reviews and giveaways.

9. Namisu Nova Titanium Pocket Pen in Ultem (via Dapprman). Namisu continues to release new models, including this pocket pen design.

10. Fountain Pen Shootout Kyuseido Kakari vs. Conid Kingsize (via SBRE Brown). The video that many have been waiting for….

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In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I reviewed two capped mechanical pencils: the Pentel Sharp Kerry and the Uni Kuru Toga Dive. One is a stationery classic, and the other is a new entrant to the scene (albeit with spotty availability). Who did it better? I also reviewed a vintage fountain pen from my collection that made a sneak guest appearance in the Pentel Sharp Kerry review: the Pilot Myu!

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

The big news from this week was the arrival of the TWSBI ECO-T in a translucent “Eggplant Purple”, which TWSBI has indicated will be a more limited run than other recent releases. We still have stock available to ship immediately but I am not counting on another restock of these. We also received additional colors of the Pentel Sharp Kerry. You can read more about these and other new arrivals in this week’s Thursday Drops post.

TWSBI

Zebra

Uni Jetstream

Lamy

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives!

We’ve recently shared some news regarding our continued growth with our Patreon members. 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 gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which also includes access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

Sunday Reading for June 16, 2024

1. Once a Year: Dutch Pen Show 2024 (via A Fleeting Ripple). I missed this recap post last week! The Dutch Pen Show looks like it’s becoming a destination show for Europe.

2. Two Hands Paperie: A Quick Visit (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). A great stationery store recap for those who are in the Boulder, CO area, or who simply love looking at pictures of a well-stocked shop.

3. Hakase Part I: The Journey (via Dapprman). Hakase is a small Japanese brand lesser known to most readers than larger brands such as Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum. The process of selecting and ordering pens from these companies can be fascinating to read about.

4. Fountain Pen Review: Atelier F F2 Titanium Gr. 5 Teal and Light Gold (via Rants of the Archer). There’s a lot of fountain pen innovation coming out of the Philippines these days. Check out the cartridge design on this pen!

5. A Caffeinated Fountain Pen from Retro 51 (via Figboot on Pens). Retro 51 released a coffee shop-themed Tornado a few years back, and now they have a fountain pen version.

6. Plotter Letterpress Refill Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). Finally someone has done a review of what might be my favorite paper format on the market: letterpress Midori MD cotton paper in Plotter refill format! I have an embarrassingly large stockpile of this stuff but churn through it fairly quickly.

7. New Lists: Oxford Task Manager (via A Fleeting Ripple). I’ve long had a thing for these narrow-format notebooks, especially for list-making. Oxford paper is available in the states in different formats than in Europe so I don’t know that I could get my hands on this particular product.

8. Doodling with Fountain Pens: Spread Pattern (via Fountain Pen Love). This one might be my favorite post from this excellent series!

9. Kaweco Sport Piston Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict). I enjoyed reading Brad’s review of the new Kaweco Sport Piston fountain pen, which is a balanced review looking at the pen for what it actually is with a realistic perspective on what Kaweco could accomplish in today’s market.

10. When the Product Isn’t What You Expected (via Well-Appointed Desk). I had a very different experience with the Metacil Pencil and carry the shorter pocket version quite frequently, but this review demonstrates how personal use case and all the different variables (paper type, graphite preferences) can create wildly different experiences from user to user.

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My adventures in weird stationery continue….

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I reviewed a second piece of “Weird Stationery” (after the Metacil), which is a metal mechanical pencil lead case from Uni that I discovered at Kinokuniya earlier this year. I also talked briefly about two of my favorite small makers (Shawn Newton and Nicholas Pasquale) with whom I just released two exclusive collaborations that are now available. More on those below.

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Check out the shop listing for additional photos, including close-ups of our new engraved nibs.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - New T.G.S. Exclusive Editions!

The biggest news from the shop this week was the launch of two new T.G.S.-exclusive collaborations with Newton Pens and PensByPasquale (Nicholas Pasquale). The first pen is a Newton Pens Majestic in T.G.S. Signature Black and Red, but with a crimson nib by Hinze Pen engraved with the T.G.S. Logo! The second is a hand-turned nib holder from PensByPasquale which is compatible with both Kakimori and standard dip nibs. The nib holders will ship starting June 24, while the Majestic pens are available to ship immediately!

You can read more from Tuesday’s post on new Uni Mitsubishi arrivals as well as this week’s Thursday Drops post, but we recently received new special edition Uni Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pens in the Uni x Karimoku finish, as well as additional Jetstream Prime Pens and Mechanical Pencil Lead cases. Lots of fun stuff you don’t see very often!

Lamy Pens

Uni Pencils

Mark's Tokyo

Midori MD

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives!

We’ve recently shared some news regarding our continued growth with our Patreon members. 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 gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which also includes access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

Sunday Reading for June 9, 2024

1. Sailor’s Newest Fountain Pen! (via Inky Rocks). Sailor’s “Tuzu” has received a lot of attention lately. I need to get my hands on one.

2. Hinze Taschenschift (via Figboot on Pens). These Hinze Micarta pocket pens are always favorites at pen shows. I may have something to show y’all very soon…

3. Wanting and Having (via A Gathering of Curiosities). A beautiful piece about building a pen collection and, most of all, enjoying it.

4. Nib Comparison: Pilot Capless F, FM, and M (via Line Variation). A detailed comparison of Pilot nibs, both in terms of the line written and how the nibs are shaped. And congratulations on the one-year

5. Fountain Pen Review: 2024 Lamy Safari Special Edition Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry (via Rants of the Archer). The more I write with the Pink Cliff and Violet Blackberry pens, the more they’ve grown on me. I’m also enjoying the second round of 2024 Safaris - more on those below.

6. Schon DSGN Monoc Nib Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Monoc nib might be the most innovative addition to the fountain pen landscape in years. I’m following closely as Ian continues to add new finishes and nib sizes.

7. Scribo Rosso Melograno (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Scribo inks tend to be overlooked, and it’s unfortunate because some of their colors are absolutely stunning. Plus you get that gorgeous glass bottle.

8. Gravitas Skittle Dinkey (via Dapprman). I have a Dinkey that I picked up at the Los Angeles, and I’ve been enjoying this little pocket pen. Gravitas makes several different pocket pens in various sizes, and the Dinkey makes for a nice mid-sized pocket writing instrument.

9. Doodling with Fountain Pens: Petals Pattern (via Fountain Pen Love). This is a really cool way to use your pens and inks, though one I’ve not experimented much with.

10. Fountain Pen Review: Sailor Pro Gear Slim Follow the Mermaid (via Well-Appointed Desk). This is a great looking limited edition Sailor, and the market bears watching as the price comes down on some of these limited edition’s over the summer.

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In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I wrote a short review of a curious stationery product I discovered while in NYC back in March: the Metacil Pencil, which is one of those “infinity” pencils that doesn’t need sharpening. I was pleasantly surprised at the improvements in the technology over the past few years. I also recapped my travel kit for a short weekend family trip, which included no fountain pens! You can read more on why I built my specific travel kit this way and why I chose the things I did.

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Plus Updated gently used

The new Summer Lamy Safari Special Editions are here! Pina Colada (turquoise/yellow) and Cherry Blossom (pink/red) are both glossy finishes, and since I’m a sucker for anything with yellow on it, a medium Pina Colada went right into my pen case. Check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for the full list of Lamy pens that we have in stock, new Caran d’Ache pens and pencils, and more!

On Thursday I also posted some additional gently used stationery products, including a number of fountain pens from brands including Leonardo, Opus 88, Hightide and more, as well as some limited edition Baron Fig pencils from years ago. I’m clearing out some of my personal stash to raise funds for a couple of new projects I’m working on, which I hope to be able to announce soon! All purchases from the Gently Used Page can be combined with general TGS Curated Shop purchases for free shipping.

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I have a big stash of limited edition pencils that I’m never going to use up, including a handful of each of the pencils shown here! Check out the Gently Used Page if you’re interested. Patreon supporters already have had first pass.

Now is a Good Time to Check Out T.G.S. Patreon!

We’ve recently shared some news regarding our continued growth with our Patreon members. 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 gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which also includes access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

Sunday Reading for May 26, 2024 (Memorial Day Weekend Edition)

1. Registration for the 2024 Pelikan Hubs Now Open (via Dapprman). Big news! Get your Pelikan Hubs registrations in to ensure you can participate in this year’s Hub in your city of choice.

2. Kyuseido Kakari FS Fountain Pen Review (via SBRE Brown). Ok, so this has inspired me to ink my Kakari back up and maybe do a Conid comparison.

3. Mad Science Pen Company Beta Type-R Vanness Collaboration Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). Long name, cool pen! I saw these in person at this year’s Arkansas Pen Show and kinda regret that I didn’t get to pick one up.

4. The Design Process of My Hit List (via Stationery Pizza). Keeping a list of action items/hit lists is one of the most basic organization techniques, and there are dozens of different ways to do it.

5. Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same Fountain Pen Ink Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Iroshizuku grey inks don’t get enough attention, in my opinion!

6. Endless Creator Fountain Pen Review (via The Poor Penman). A great review of what is a “1.0 Design”. I still love that Endless took the risk here in putting something kinda weird to market.

7. Reading and Writing (via Goodwriterspens Blog). What came first/easiest for you?

8. Piston-happy and Chugging Along (via mnmlscholar). I can relate to the satisfaction of having a full workload and a piston full of ink!

9. Pen Review #812: Inkebara Sand (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). These Inkebara inks are becoming extremely popular options, and this golden “Sand” color is one of the more popular inks, from what I understand.

10. Link Love: Visiting The Supply Closet (via Well-Appointed Desk). Let’s just say I’m VERY interested in store setup ideas lately, and this is an absolutely awesome idea for a shop-within-a-shop.

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In Case You Missed It….

This week I looked at two pens that are very different: First, the recently released TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze fountain pen, which as the name indicates features TWSBI’s gorgeous bronze-toned trim. Second, I took another look at my first fountain pen, the now-discontinued Waterman Laureat, and offered some thoughts on what current pens on the market I find comparable. Finally, I also did a short post comparing the different grades of Blackwing graphite, which I haven’t done in some time and is timely considering the release of the “XX-Firm” variant in last quarter’s Volumes edition.

Also, please visit the T.G.S. YouTube Channel to check out our latest videos, including a demonstration of the recently released Blackwing Pencil Extender!

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Sale and Giveaway!

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and the kick off to Summer! Through Monday at 11:59pm CT, take 10% off your T.G.S. Curated Shop order using the coupon code “SUMMERSALE” at checkout. Also, don’t miss our weekend giveaway, featuring a Lamy AL-Star Rollerball, a Scriveiner Fountain Pen, and a Blackwing Pencil Assortment. Full details on both are in this week’s Thursday Drops post.

We’ve also received the latest release from Midori: the MD “A5 Square” Cotton notebook! Midori is starting to release the MD Cotton paper in some new formats (including a forthcoming standard A5 which has an undetermined arrival date). Now is a great time to stock up on refills for your notebook systems, and we have plenty of A5 notebook options that will fit Lochby and Roterfaden covers, including Tomoe River Paper options and a recent restock of the Laconic layouts!

Traveler's Company

Midori

TWSBI

Blackwing

Now is a Good Time to Check Out T.G.S. Patreon!

We’ve recently shared some news regarding our continued growth with our Patreon members, and have also recently added some items to the Patreon Shop. 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 gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which also includes access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

Sunday Reading for May 19, 2024

1. Kaweco Sport Piston (via Figboot on Pens). David gives his thoughts on Kaweco’s latest Sport release, with a very comprehensive video walkthrough of the Sport Piston Filler.

2. Do Less, Swatch More, Use More, Repeat (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Do you swatch all your inks? If so, how do you use the swatches? Do you refer to them often?

3. BIGiDESIGN USA Fountain EDC Review (via Writing at Large). Seems like I missed this release. Has the Ultem craze passed us by, as I don’t recall this one getting much in the way of announcements? I’m sure this particular pen - launched via Kickstarter - will receive some additional tweaking and iterations, as with most BIGiDESIGN products.

4. Meet and Greet with the Visconti Opera Gold (via Line Variation). Visconti is one of those brands that has never really captivated me in the same way as others, but certain of their models have a consistent following, including the Opera and the Homo Sapiens. The Opera is one of Visconti’s larger pens.

5. Sharing a Custom Silver Nib (via SBRE Brown). Why has silver not caught on as a nibmaking material (other than cost)? I’d be curious.

6. Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Fountain Pen Review. Fewer things are more fun to play around with than a Pilot Parallel. From calligraphy to nib modifications, they’re an inexpensive way to explore different ways to enhance your handwriting.

7. Pelikan P10 Twist - A Quick Look (via The Poor Penman). I wish Pelikan would start re-issuing some of their lower-priced entries from years past. This particular pen is apparently available as “new old stock” from certain retailers.

8. Alwych Notebooks Discontinued (via Notebook Stories). I hope not! While I’ve never used these personally, I’ve always admired the aesthetic and the concept.

9. Randomizing Pen and Ink Choices (via Pen Addict). I might try this once but I’m way too much of a control freak to have this become “the way”.

10. Sailor Manyo, Anniversary Set (via Well-Appointed Desk). The Sailor Manyo line is expanding yet again! I have a few Manyo inks but have had trouble keeping up with all of the Sailor releases.

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Six Blackwing Pencils picked up at the Chicago Pen Show! (Yes, I’m both a dealer and a “collector”, though these will get used.)

In Case You Missed It… (And Don’t Miss the Giveaway!)

This week on the blog I swatched and offered my thoughts on the entire line of Tom’s Studio Inks. We’re also giving away two bottles, so be sure to read all the way to the end of the post for details on the giveaway, which closes at 11:59pm CT tonight. I also published the last installment of the 2024 “Best Pens” update, which was a list of - well - woodcase pencils. These updates are likely done for the year, so enjoy!

For those of you who aren’t aware, I’ve been posting additional video content over on the T.G.S. YouTube Channel! This week I looked at two of my favorite multi pens: the Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint and Uni Jetstream 4&1 in Mimosa Yellow.

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

In addition to the launch of the Raymay Patalino collection of pen cases, we restocked on most Tom’s Studio products, including the Lumos refillable fineliners in most sizes (including the new Lumos Mini), the pre-ground Architect nibs, and of course the entire line of bottled ink. We also have the latest TWSBI release, the ECO Caffé Bronze, Diamond 580ALR Matte Black pens, and the latest Blackwing Volumes Release: the Jerry Garcia pencils in the soft graphite.

We’ve expanded the shop fairly quickly over the first half of the year, and there have been many new arrivals and releases in March and April alone. We still have remaining stock of many of them, so please do check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for a summary of what’s left!

Pilot Pens

Blackwing

Roterfaden

Tom's Studio

What’s Up with TGS Patreon? What a subscription will get you

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 gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which also includes access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!

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This month’s Patreon update included a few words on some of my pen show acquisitions so far this year!