Sunday Reading for October 18, 2026

1. SPD: Sad Pen Day (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). If you are every testing out a pen at a pen club, show, or store, please turn the cap first to unscrew. Don’t pull!

2. First Look at Sunlit Steel: Duluth Shop Exclusive (via Dime Novel Raven). I love it when store/shop exclusives have special meaning, especially when they relate to local landmarks.

3. The Gentleman Stationer New Discoveries Box: What’s Inside? (via dwrdnet). Derek unpacks our latest Patreon box (and this time enough were left over to briefly hit the main site). We have a lot of fun assembling these.

4. The London Autumn Pen Show, 2026: My Haul (via Fountain Pen Blog). I love seeing a Waterman Laureate, my first nice fountain pen.

5. London Pen Show Autumn 2026 (via UK Fountain Pens). London apparently moved to a two-day format this year, which is a first. I personally am becoming a fan of shorter, smaller shows.

6. Checking In: An Inktober Update (via From The Pen Cup). Are you all participating in this year’s Inktober challenge? Pick a creative challenge each morning during the month of October!

7. Doomscrolling Alternatives (via Well-Appointed Desk). Most of us in this space are looking to spend less time online. Ana has a great list of alternative suggestions.

In Case You Missed It…

If it’s been quiet around here content-wise, it’s because we’ve been busy running our inaugural On The Paper Trail Live event, which was held this weekend in the Nashville area! You can hear about the details on our most recent podcast episode, which we timed to coincide with the event. This week’s episode also discusses Fountain Pen Terminology, including a deep dive into pen parts and basic pen problems

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If you come visit either us or Vanness in-store, you may be able to score an exclusive limited edition On the Paper Trail Onionbrand Leather Notebook Cover or Good Made Better Jester Fountain Pen.

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

This has been a whirlwind of a weekend! We had the Kaweco DIY machines on-site at T.G.S. Nashville on Thursday, and at the On The Paper Trail Event on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We also have a full restock of Roterfaden in all sizes, including the TGS_25 A5 Slim version, which has been restocked in all colors. The much-awaited Lochby Daily Folios have arrived, as well as additional stock of the Lochby Field Sling and Field Sling Plus. Finally, Kakimori, Soolla, and our exclusive Rickshaw Bagworks designs return! Be sure to check out each Weekly Drops post for a full list of new arrivals and restocks.

We will be open this week in the TGS Nashville Shop during our normal hours, from 1-6pm on Thursday and Friday and from 10am-5pm on Saturday. We hope to run the Kaweco DIY event all three days, though how long it goes may depend on supply as we are running low on pens after unprecedented demand. I have requested a nib restock from Kaweco and will post updates as I have them.

Lochby

Kakimori

Soolla

Rickshaw

Visit Us on Patreon

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 special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. In addition to exclusive content, Discord access, and online meetups, Patreon supporters have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail” which have not been publicly released.

Deals & Drops: On The Paper Trail Live Weekend, In-Store and Online! Roterfaden, Kakimori and More

We hope to see many of you this weekend in our Nashville Shop, at the On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville event, or here on the main T.G.S. Site. We have a lot of new items in the store, including restocks of Roterfaden and Kakimori, Soolla pouches and bags, and more!

Those of you who visit us at the On The Paper Trail Event this weekend will have the opportunity to snag exclusive On the Paper Trail OnionBrand Covers as well as a show exclusive Jester fountain pen from Good Made Better in very small quantities. This was a fun last-minute project that we cooked up with Dan from Good Made Better at the D.C. Pen Show. Be sure to ask about these if you come see us!

Our Nashville shop will remain open this week from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-5pm on Saturday. We have staff in the shop during regular hours while our event is taking place, so please do come by.

1. Roterfaden TGS_25 A5 Slim Cover Restock. We have a fresh restock of both the green and grey colorways in our exclusive TGS Roterfaden Size! We will have these at the On The Paper Trail Event in Franklin.

2. Kakimori Metal Dip Nibs. These Kakimori conical metal nibs are excellent for anything from ink swatching to calligraphy. We have bronze, steel, and copper nibs available.

3. Kakimori Glass Nibs. The coveted Kakimori glass nibs are now in-stock. Designed to fit the Kakimori nib holders (and possibly others), the glass nib is excellent for writing, drawing, and uses beyond the conical metal nibs.

4. Kakimori Dip Nib Holders. Kakimori makes nib holders in two different sizes - a full-length traditional dip nib holder and a smaller portable version. The smaller “mini” holders come in an array of colors, with the larger holders available in natural wood finishes as well as Aizome (dark indigo) and black urushi.

5. Kakimori Frost Fountain Pens. The popular Kakimori Frost Fountain pen comes with a fine nib, a medium nib, or the “inkball” rollerball that is refillable with fountain pen ink.

6. Kakimori Aluminum Fountain Pens and Ballpoint Pens. These slimline minimal pens feature a matte-black finish that doesn’t slip, and the pens fit well in most planner and notebook pen loops.

7. Soolla Studio Artist Bags. These multi-pocket totes have exploded in popularity. Compact, yet capable of carrying a significant amount of art supplies as well as notebooks and pouches.

8. Soolla Studio Pouch. Use for separate clutch carry or as bag-in-a-bag organization, including with the Soolla Studio Artist Bag. This pouch has a number of pockets nearly equal to the Soolla Studio Pouch, and if you double up you can really organize your stationery well.

9. TGS x Rickshaw Bagworks Exclusive Collaboration. We have restocked our collaboration with Rickshaw Bagworks and Nick Dominguez, in our exclusive “Clouds” pattern. Both Fillmore and Sinclair cases are back in stock.

10. Kakimori Hardbound Notebooks. Kakimori uses fountain pen friendly OK Fools paper, and the covers feature a range of unique fabrics, many of which are special editions. These covers tend to change seasonally, and many of the current designs are new.

On The Paper Trail Episode 18: Fountain Pen Terminology

Do you ever feel lost talking about fountain pens? Whether you're brand new to this hobby, or are a seasoned user who's simply never explored topics such as pen repair and nib customization, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the different terms and expressions people use. For this episode we thought it would be fun to talk through the different parts of the pen and a basic overview of how a fountain pen functions. Future episodes will revisit terminology and discuss things like pen problems, nib modifications, and more!

On The Paper Trail: Where You Can Download the Podcast

Get caught up on previous episodes, and find more information about our first On The Paper Trail Live Event, which will be held in Nashville from October 16-18, 2026! Tickets are now on sale! ⁠⁠Check out the main podcast informational page for additional details. ⁠

Show Notes and Links

1. ⁠On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville - Advance Tickets Required⁠

2. ⁠Leonardo Momento Zero Pura⁠

3. ⁠seY Fountain Pen⁠

4. ⁠Penultimate Inks⁠

5. ⁠Gentleman Stationer Store Hours and Location⁠

6. ⁠Vanness Pens Store Hours and Location (Fort Smith Location Opening for Fountain Pen Day!)⁠

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

New Arrivals: Roterfaden Restock, Kaweco DIY, and On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville Update!

We’re looking forward to seeing many of you this weekend at our On The Paper Live in Nashville event! We are also kicking off two weeks of the Kaweco DIY Sport on Thursday, and celebrating a full restock of the Roterfaden TGS_25 A5 Slim as well as many other different sizes and models. With respect to the two events this week, please see below for the relevant details.

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All the small details are getting ironed out!

On The Paper Trail Live In Nashville - Buy Your Tickets In Advance!

We strongly recommend that anyone interested in attending this weekend’s On The Paper Trail Podcast event purchase a ticket in advance. Saturday (10/17) is essentially sold out, and there will not be additional admission at the door. Friday (10/16) and Sunday (10/18) will be more flexible though same-day admission is not guaranteed. Please understand that this is a smaller event by design, and our primary goal is to have a comfortable crowd size where everyone is able to enjoy themselves. We will enforce capacity limits. Details on the event, including hours and location, can be found on the event page.

Note that our shop will remain open normal hours this weekend while the event is ongoing. We encourage event attendees to come see the shop as well!

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This year’s Kaweco DIY Pen is a Glow-in-the-Dark Green! Please note that the Glow Green is the only color available - you cannot mix and match colors or standard pen parts. We will have clips and converters available while supplies last.

Kaweco DIY Event Schedule - In the Shop Thursday (10/15) and Thursday - Saturday (10/22-10/24)

We will be hosting the Kaweco DIY Sport event for several days this week and next, which offers the opportunity to assemble your own Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen in the exclusive Glow Green! This week the DIY machines will be available in the T.G.S. Nashville Shop on Thursday (10/15) during normal store hours from 1pm-6pm. The machines will be at the On The Paper Trail Live event from Friday-Sunday (10/16-10/18), for which a ticket is required. The machines will be in the TGS Shop the following week from Thursday through Saturday (10/22-10/24), again during our normal business hours.

You do not need an appointment, but we cannot sell online or mail DIY pens as the assembly must be done by a customer in person. This is Kaweco’s rule - no exceptions. Yes, it is ok for a friend or family member to come assemble the pen for you. Due to the volume of calls and e-mails we are getting, we will not be responding to inquiries about special hours or details beyond the information posted here. Thank you for all your support, and we hope to see you soon!

Sunday Reading for October 11, 2026

1. 2026 Dallas Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). It’s difficult to get to gauge the Dallas show given the rapid expansion from 2 to 4 days, which changes how vendors look at attending the show. Friday and Saturday were relatively well attended, but a four day show is difficult to justify.

2. Ryan Krusac 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (via Figboot on Pens). I love Ryan’s pens featuring hand-carved artwork. This edition is from the latest series.

3. Wearingeul Modular Glass Dip Pen (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you’re looking to break into the world of glass dip pens, these inexpensive modular versions can be a good way to test the water.

4. Karatis A5 Soft Cover Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). Lately there has been a resurgence of notebooks on the market that use Tomoe River paper, among them these Karatis notebooks which we have carried.

5. Vanness Haul with Nibs to Swap into Limited Edition Lamy 2000 Pine and Black Amber Pens (via dwrdnet). Many people don’t know that you can swap the nibs in a Lamy 2000 fountain pen - they are just very small and you need to worry about losing the parts.

6. A September Stationery Update: Back to School, Plateauing, and Rediscovering Older Pens. (via Urban Adventure League). A shout out to the Platinum Procyon, which is one of the more overlooked pens in Platinum’s lineup.

In Case You Missed It…

This week I published a fairly extensive overview of the Wonderland222 Planner System, and talked about why I intend to re-up with the same planner for 2027. You can also watch the YouTube video where I flip through my blank 2027 A5 Core Stacked version.

Don’t forget that this coming weekend is the On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville gathering! Tickets are required, so if you’re interested in attending be sure to pick up a weekend or day pass. Saturday availability is already running low.

We have stock of our Sunderland Machine Works mk1 exclusive, and will have some stock of our exclusive inks at the event this weekend!

This Week’s New Shop Arrivals!

In advance of the new event, we have new Tono & Lims multi-shading inks in the shop, as well as the full setup of Wonderland222 Planners, Notebooks, and Covers. We also received a shipment of Uni One ballpoint pens and refills, new Anterique Multi Pens, and Carl Desktop Pencil Sharpeners and other desk accessories. Be sure to check out these and other new arrivals in each week’s Thursday Drops post.

Anterique

Tono & Lims

Mongol Pencils

Sunderland

The Nashville shop is open normal hours this week (1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-5pm Saturday), in addition to the On The Paper Trail Live Event. For those who have asked, we currently plan to have the Kaweco DIY Machine in the Nashville Shop on Thursday (10/15) and at the On The Paper Trail Event Friday through Sunday. It will return to the Nashville Shop the following week during our normal store hours.

Visit Us on Patreon

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 special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. In addition to exclusive content, Discord access, and online meetups, Patreon supporters have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail” which have not been publicly released.