New Arrivals: Rite in the Rain All-Weather Pens, Mechanical Pencils, and Cases!

I’ve been aware of Rite in the Rain for a long time, mainly due to their “all weather” line of notebooks and notepads (including some really nice hardbound field notebooks) that are a favorite of field researchers, backpackers, boaters, and really anyone who needs a notebook that will perform under non-standard conditions. While the paper doesn’t work with writing instruments that use water-based ink (since the paper is designed to repel water), those looking for an all-weather solution typically use a pencil, ballpoint, or marker, so it tends to be a non-issue in this specific case.

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Shown here is the Rite in the Rain Monsoon “Dirtbag” (Yes, that’s the name :) ) which is a waterproof/dirtproof pouch designed to protect your notebooks while offering easy access to pens, pencils, and accessories.

As of this week, we’ve also added Rite in the Rain’s line of 1.3mm mechanical pencils, click pens and bullet pens, and “Monsoon” waterproof pouches and cases. The mechanical pencils have been a frequent request, as many of you are apparently looking for pencils that use sturdier lead in the .9mm to 1.3mm range. The standard Rite in the Rain pencil uses a very dark 1.3mm 2B graphite, which I’ve found quite nice to write with. The ballpoint refills are manufactured for Rite in the Rain by Fisher Space Pen, but per Rite in the Rain feature a slightly modified ink formulation optimized for Rite in the Rain’s paper. Personally, I find the Rite in the Rain refill slightly less viscous, and that it leave a finer line.

We are an authorized reseller of Rite in the Rain products. Come see these and more in-shop! We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

Sunday Reading for June 8, 2025

1. A Less Expensive Entry into A5 Planner Systems? Exploring the Laconic System (via dwrdnet). Tempted to try a 6-ring planner system but intimidated by what can be a high price of entry? Derek tested out the Laconic inserts that we’ve started stocking recently.

2. The Hooligan Pen Experience (via Pen Addict). It was fun getting to meet Tim in Atlanta this year, and hopefully I’ll be able to check out one of his pens in the future.

3. Live from the Triangle Pen Show 2025 (via Inkdependence). Mike has his live stream from this weekend’s 2025 Triangle Pen Show up and ready to go. I’ve never made it to Triangle - it’s not THAT far for me so this probably needs to change at some point.

4. Fifth Anniversary (via Inkredible Colours). Congrats on a five-year bloggiversary!

5. Holme and Hadfield Pen Deck (via Figboot on Pens). I enjoy seeing more accessory reviews, including creative solutions that combine pen storage and display.

6. Montblanc 146 Bespoke Calligraphy Left Oblique Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Looking for a highly specialized, very expensive custom nib? A crazy price comes with three tines!

7. Writing Around the Block (via Pen Addict - Sarah). Sometimes the writing comes, sometimes it doesn’t. I enjoy these dispatches from a working writer.

8. Mid-Year Techo Kaigi (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana walks through her mid-year planner and notebook setup on video. I’m coming around to video being the better format for these sort of walkthroughs.

9. Hurtling into Posthumanism (via Writing Ball). You wouldn’t guess it from the news but not everyone is looking forward to handing over all of human experience over to AI. It’s refreshing to see it everyday at the shop - across generations - and the last paragraph of this one really hit home with me.

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I do love my Pilot Decimo in Harvest Yellow!

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I previewed an ink swatch session in which I took a look at all eight inks from the recently released Anderillium Ichthyoformes Series (Inks Inspired by Fish). The three dark reds were my favorites, and you can check out the entire video on the YouTube channel. This weekend I inked up both a Pilot Vanishing Point and a Pilot Decimo, because I wanted to revisit these pens to see whether my personal preference for the Decimo still held. It does, but I can use both pens. In Saturday’s post I offered five points of comparison and things to keep in mind when considering one over the other. Also, for those curious about how the filling mechanism works on this pen, I posted a short video demonstration showing how a cartridge works differently than a converter for this pen.

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Planner stickers like these allow you to turn any notebook into a planner.

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

So this was a big week in the shop. Not only did we get the entire Anderillium Ichthyoformes series inked and listed, but we also received a shipment of the Classic Fountain Pen Inks line from Papier Plume, along with the new TWSBI ECO in Matcha Green, the latest arrivals from Field Notes, and additional undated planner formats from Laconic Tokyo (including yet more Planner Stickers that you can use in notebooks)! Check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for updates on new releases and any specials we are running.

Papier Plume

Anderillium Inks

Multi Pens

Notsu

NEW T.G.S. Patreon Features - We’ve started a discord community!

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 either online (or in person, if you’re in the Nashville area)! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, the T.G.S. Patreon includes these as well as access to early shop releases (including the Taschenstift “Violet Tendencies”), the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. As noted above, we’ve recently started a Discord community for all paid Patreon supporters.

Workhorse Pens: Vanishing Point or Decimo for a Capless Fountain Pen?

A handful of iconic fountain pens appear on everyone’s “you-need-to-try-it-at-least-once” list. The Pilot Vanishing Point is one of those pens. Not only has it been around since the 1960s, making the original design approximately the same vintage as the Lamy 2000, but after all these years it remains the default option for a retractable nib fountain pen.

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I did a review of the Pilot Decimo several years ago, so I won’t go into the nuts-and-bolts details again. I will, however, spend today’s post talking about 5 specific things to understand about the Vanishing Point and Decimo, including what I consider to be key differences between the classic VP and the slimmer Decimo, and how those differences have impacted the pens’ functionality for me over the years. The purpose here isn’t to say that one is better than the other - it’s purely a matter of preference and what will work for you based on how you hold and intend to use the pen. Both pens are the same price, after all, so it’s not a question of saving money by going for one as opposed to the other.

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No, this “Harvest Green/Yellow” color isn’t available anymore. And no, my pen is not for sale. :)

Vanishing Point vs. Decimo: 5 Considerations

• Both Pens Use the Same Nib, Cartridge, and Converter. Since the Pilot Vanishing Point and the Pilot Decimo use the same nib units, ink cartridge, and converter system, you can experiment with both pens without worrying that your parts and accessories will only fit one or the other. This also means that you can easily move nib units between pens, and purchase additional nib units for more versatility without accumulating additional pens that you won’t use. As an aside, you can check out this short video showing how to install a cartridge in both pens. (They work the same way.)

• The Decimo is Slimmer. The Decimo is lighter weight and slimmer than the Vanishing Point, which means that it will fit many people’s hands better. This is purely a matter of personal preference, since the pens otherwise function in the same manner and use identical components, as noted above.

• Both Pens Feature the Same Clip (But Consider…). One “controversial” aspect of both the Pilot Vanishing Point and Decimo is the clip placement. The clip necessarily has to sit on the nib end, since the pen must be carried nib-up, but some find that it interferes with their grip due to finger placement. This is yet another matter of personal preference, but I tend to find the Decimo more comfortable because the slimmer barrel alters how the clip fits in my grip. (And, yes, you can remove the clip entirely, but understand that it will void your warranty.)

• The Decimo Fits More “Pen Loops,” Including on Plotters. One reason I absolutely love the Decimo is that it fits my Plotter pen loop and in most other planners. The extra-fine nib writes well on most papers, regardless of quality. This makes it a perfect “planner pen” for me.

• The Vanishing Point Comes in a Wider Range of Colors. If you’re looking for matte black trim or the iridescent “carbonesque” finishes, you’ll be limited to the Vanishing Point model. That said, Pilot periodically releases Japan-only Decimos in gradients and other unique finishes, though you may have to pay a premium.

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A comparison between Vanishing Point/Decimo nibs (top) and the E95s nib (bottom).

TLDR Version: Pilot’s retractable nib Vanishing Point and Decimo Capless fountain pens are the best version of the “Retractable Nib Fountain Pens” product segment. Over the years, I’ve gravitated towards the Decimo, since a slimmer pen better fits how I use retractable fountain pens, but I do own and use both. As you can see from the photos, I’m also experimenting with the E95s, which is not retractable but highly portable, and which also features an excellent inlaid nib that’s the spiritual successor to the Pilot Myu.

We currently carry select models of the Pilot Vanishing Point (Matte-Black Trim and Carbonesque) and Decimo, with most nib sizes available in pens and as separate nib units. If you enjoy our content, we are entirely self-supported through our online shop and physical store, as well as the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Thursday Drops: Happy Inky Thursday! New Inks from Anderillium, Papier Plume, Swatch Books and More

If last month was “Pencil Month,” maybe this month will be “Ink Month?” We’re building out our lineup of inks to offer both in-store and online, including an entire new line of Anderillium Inks (“Ichthyoformes Series”), the Classic Collection from Papier Plume, and another Iroshizuku restock. As noted last week, we have a huge shipment of new Pilot multi pens, ballpoints, and mechanical pencils, as well as the latest TWSBI ECO in Matcha Green, and the Pilot E95s in all sizes in burgundy and black!

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Finally, we’ve had a great response to the new Laconic notebooks and refills we received last week. While many of the A5 6-ring binder inserts are sold out, we still have lots of the new planner stickers, A5 softcover notebooks, and bookmarks, with another order of the binder inserts on the way.

We are back to normal hours this week in-store, open from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

1. Papier Plume Ink Swatch Album Sets. These Bible-sized binders from Papier Plume/San Lorenzo contain plastic holders for 60 swatch cards, and come with a separate card holder full of Col-o-Ring swatch cards cut down to business card size to fit the album.

2. Papier Plume Classic Collection Fountain Pen Inks. These Papier Plume inks are from their Classic Series, and include long-time favorites such as Moss Green and Oyster Grey.

3. Anderillium Ichthyoformes Series Fountain Pen Inks. Be sure to check out yesterday’s epic YouTube video, in which I swatched all 8 of the latest releases from Anderillium. There are three dark red inks that I’m really enjoying, including two that would qualify as red-blacks.

4. TWSBI Diamond Ink Bottles. These ink bottles can function as your standard uncap-and-dip ink bottles, or you can remove the grip section of a TWSBI Diamond-series pen and fill directly from the barrel without dipping the nib.

5. Pilot 4+1 Multi Pens. These Acro-ink gel pens feature Pilot’s own low-viscosity ink formulation in a familiar 4-color ballpoint plus .5mm mechanical pencil format. Four muted colors complete the package.

6. Pilot Legno 2+1 Multi Pens in Striated and Natural Hardwood. The striated wood Pilot Legnos are what drew me to this line, but the story behind the hardwood versions (North American Hard Maple used for baseball bats?) has me fascinated by these as well.

7. Laconic Tokyo Undated Planner Refills, Notebooks, and Stickers. We’re almost completely sold out of the A5 6-ring binder editions, but we have the new planner stickers as well as additional planner bookmarks and A5 notebooks.

8. TWSBI ECO Matcha Green Fountain Pen. TWSBI’s latest ECO release is a tea-green, designed to complement the rest of the espresso-themed breakfast collection.

9. Pilot E95s Fountain Pens. Now available in all colors and available sizes, including EF. The E95s is the current heir to the vintage integrated nib models that include the Myu and Murex models.

10. Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Inks. Just today we received another shipment of Iroshizuku ink, and have the new colors (Syun-Gyo, Rikka, and To-ro) back in stock alongside most of the old favorites. I recently did a post on my personal favorites from this line.

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I almost forgot to mention that this past weekend we also added the Laconic A5 Field Folio, which is an A5 clipboard/calendar pad that is customizable with refills.

Ink Review: An EPIC Anderillium Inks Swatch Session with the New Ichthyoformes Series

Join me for a long swatch session on our YouTube Channel, where I sit down and walk through the entire series of Anderillium Ichthyoformes Inks! These eight inks are all inspired by fish, and best of all, there are three quite dark red inks (I’m counting Anglerfish Deep as a very dark red, even though there are brown tones as well). As you will see from the photos below, these colors will look darker with wetter swatches on Col-o-Ring paper than they will in everyday writing. In the video, I tried to get shots of the original ink colors as they go onto paper, and then again after they soak into the Col-o-Ring and dry.

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My three favorites from this line, from top: Piranha Red, Lionfish Maroon, and Anglerfish Deep.

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The ink will be less sheeny on non-swatch paper. As you will see in the video, I’ve inked up several pens with the reds and will be using them in the coming weeks.

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I saw Piranha Red in person at this year’s Atlanta Pen Show and immediately knew that I’d want the rest of the set.

This was a fun video to make! The “Currently Inked” series is my equivalent of a “Live” or “Stream”, since it’s rare that I have uninterrupted time to sit for an hour. It’s much easier for me to swatch inks and talk in bits and pieces and then edit together a video later.

UPDATE: I’ve added the Papier Plume Ink Swatch Books featured in the video to the shop this morning.

If you’re interested in purchasing these inks, we sell them in our own shop. Better yet, if you’d like to see swatches in person, I will have them in the physical store this weekend, which will be open Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, and Saturday from 10am-6pm. No Sunday hours this weekend, as I need a day off!