Sunday Reading for January 2, 2022 (New Year's Edition)

1. My 2021 State of Pens (via Leigh Reyes). Leigh’s year-end updates are always thoughtful, well-taken, and full of links to content you may have missed throughout the year.

2. 2021 Is Hindsight (via Penquisition). A great year-end update from Evan. I’m looking forward to reading more of their content in the year to come.

3. A Pen Man in a Strange Land; Quick Update (via The Poor Penman). It’s always fun to learn a bit about the backstory behind different blogs and accounts. Best of luck!

4. Greatest of All Time Fountain Pens 2021 (via S.B.R.E. Brown). The 2021 GOAT List is live!

5. My 2022 Pen New Year Resolutions (and Laminated List) (via UK Fountain Pens). Anthony is taking a similar approach to what I did for 2021. I’ve found it a much more satisfying approach to collecting and using, with a lot less stress.

6. A State of Reflection (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). I’ve enjoyed following Les’s creative endeavors over the past year! Be sure to keep up with her blog, which features much more than stationery.

7. “Why Are You Selling This Pen When You Said It Was Perfect?” Five Reasons I Part with Greatness (via UK Fountain Pens). Just because a pen isn’t right for you long-term doesn’t mean it’s not a good (or even a great) pen. As Anthony points out, needs are different, and needs change.

8. Theme System Journal Review (via Pen Addict). I have an early version of the Theme System journal that I picked up a couple of years ago, and I’m finally going to try it out starting this month.

9. Tales of a Vandal Pen User: Reflecting on Eyedroppers (via Peaceable Writer). I’m also somewhat ambivalent about eyedroppers, but I certainly miss writing in cafes and libraries.

10. Ink Comparison: Kin Mokusei v. Apricot (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you’re having trouble keeping track of Sailor’s ink release history, Jesi has created a reference in this post. I’ve moved away from a lot of Sailor inks recently, but this is a handy tool if you have a large stash of Sailor inks and find yourself wondering if a newly released ink is similar to something you already own.

In Case You Missed It… “Resolution” Posts for 2022

I say that I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions, but I did a couple of posts anyway: Five Intentions for 2022: What I Want to See From Myself, and Five Wishes for the Pen Community. You’ll notice that most of the posts in this weeks links involve similar content, and it’s encouraging to see that a lot of us seem to be on the same page headed into the new year!

This Week in the Curated Shop

It’s been a bang-up inaugural year for the shop, and I’m off to do my inventory count this afternoon (FUN!). Many thanks to all of you who participated in my year-end inventory promotion. While sales may be over, check out this post highlighting some products that are sure to help you with your New Year’s planning, as well as the new “Best-Sellers” category in the store! (BTW, the Planner promotion runs through tonight! Take 10% off all dated and undated planners before you have to head back to work.)

Planners

Sandglasses

Clipboards

Desk Trays

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales. Check out the current sale, as there is at least one custom fountain pen remaining!

Sunday Reading for November 21, 2021

1. 8 Fresh Designs to Get You Excited About Fountain Pens Again (via UK Fountain Pens). We all go through that period when everything starts to look the same as what you already have/have tried, and you need something new to rekindle the interest. This article is literally a checklist of pens I have not tried but need to get my hands on ASAP.

2. Traveling with Fountain Pens - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (via Pen Addict). Kimberly has a great guide for traveling with fountain pens as we head into the holiday season and many of us will be hitting the road or taking to the skies. Personally, I’m also an experienced pen traveler who does absolutely nothing special with my fountain pens before I get on an airplane. If they burp ink, they burp ink, and I’m just careful to have a paper towel on hand when I arrive at my destination. I rarely have any issues with modern pens.

3. Stalogy Planners (via Left Hook Pens). I continue to be very happy with my converted Stalogy notebook cut down to Traveler’s size, which Hayley was kind enough to mention in her own review.

4. Tianzi Sky Blue Piston-Fill Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). Another lower-priced piston-fill fountain pen option? Apparently there’s one more I have to try!

5. The Go-To Notebook Review (via The Poor Penman). Chronicle Books has released a high-end notebook that appears to perform surprisingly well with fountain pens. What’s the most interesting to me is the fact that Mohawk Paper is prominently featured in the copy, suggesting they are trying to raise their profile in the stationery business.

6. Uni Jetstream Edge (via Writing at Large). The design on this pen is what caught my eye, but what kept me reading was the comparison to the Traveler’s Company ballpoint, a needle-tip favorite. I need to pick one of these up.

7. Ferris Wheel Press Cream of Early Grey (via Mountain of Ink). Kelli reviews and ink that has long fascinated me, even if it’s probably not usable for my everyday purposes. I do have a sample that I need to break out, eventually.

8. Accessories for the Desk: Makers Cabinet Hovel & Iris Review (via Pencilcase Blog). What, you mean part of this hobby involves making questionable financial decisions? Dries takes a look at two luxury desk accessories, the Hovel pencil planer and the Iris circle compass, which were recently rebranded under the name “Makers Cabinet”.

9. Paul’s Fountain Pen Journal (via Well-Appointed Desk). I also was not aware that Paul was offering a paid subscription to his fountain pen-focused publication, Paul’s Fountain Pen Journal. Please check it out, and Ana has all the links and details.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I looked at inks! (I know, I’ve been on an ink review kick lately but you all seem to be enjoying them and I have a lot of inks to get through. Plus I’ve been doing a lot of writing at the day job.) Check out my review of Anderillium “Cuttlefish Brown,” a sepia-colored ink, as well as this first look at several Sailor inks I picked up during my recent trip to Chicago that includes Manyo HaHa and four entries in the Sailor Ink Studio collection.

Check out the 2021 T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide and New Shop Arrivals

In advance of this year’s holiday shopping season, I launched the 2021 edition of the T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide, which features more than a dozen different gift ideas from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, including recently restocked old favorites and some new ideas for this year. This week’s Deals & Drops goes into the new arrivals and shop restocks in a bit more detail, including Hightide Sandglasses and Folding Book Stands, as well as the full range of Penco “Perfection” pocket pens! Finally, don’t forget that the “Gently Used” Shop has been restocked with items from my own personal collection that I’ve decided to part with.

Sandglasses

Book Stands

Enamel Pins

Washi Tape

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More! (For those in the Patreon, Check the Sale Page!)

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales. Today, I listed a bunch of new gently used products in the Gently Used Section, including some rare Blackwings from my personal collection, a handful of gently used custom fountain pens, and some high-end notebooks that I’m never going to get around to using. Patreon users already have had their pick, but there are some great items remaining!

Sunday Reading for November 14, 2021

1. TWSBI Black (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). TWSBI Black needs more attention as a free-flowing black ink with high water-resistance. (We carry the full TWSBI ink lineup in The Curated Shop.)

2. Laban Gloria Ruby Red (via Rants of the Archer). Laban pens and ink have been receiving a lot of exposure lately. Laban has always been a prolific pen manufacturer, but they recently have released a series of “Greek Mythology”-themed inks that are taking off. This review contains some shots of the “Ares red.”

3. UKFP 2021 Christmas Gift Guide (via UK Fountain Pens). The first of the gift guides to hit the ‘net (at least the first that I’m aware of). Those of you in the UK or the EU should check this one out, since it focuses on . My own will follow sometime later this week.

4. Ink Overview: Esterbrook Inks Part 2 (via Macchiato Man). Yagan has another of his incredibly thorough reviews of an entire line of inks, this time the second installment of a look at the recently released inks from Esterbrook.

5. Pen and Notepad Review: Midori MD Fountain Pen, A5 Notebook, and MD Paper Cover Notebook (via Macchiato Man). This week, there’s a second, also incredibly thorough review of a brand close to my own heart, Midori. I absolutely LOVE the MD system (disclaimer, I sell Midori), and feel that it’s one of the best-integrated brands out there, in terms of the brand’s identity remaining visible throughout the entire product line.

6. Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark Orion Nebula Diamondcast Fountain Pen (via Pen Addict). I love seeing what pen makers have been able to do with Diamondcast material, and this Edison exclusive from Goldspot is one of my favorites.

7. Midori 2022 Pocket Diary Slim - Ojisan (via Well-Appointed Desk). Yes, there are pocket planners out there beyond Hobonichi and Traveler’s Company! If you’re looking for a small, inexpensive calendar, don't forget to check out what Midori has to offer.

8. Caran d’Ache Alfredo Häberli 2mm Fixpencil Review (via Pen Addict). I was too slow on the draw and missed getting these for the Curated Shop (they went fast!) but the ochre and periwinkle blue color combination looks amazing.

9. Wancher Primo Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). This new design from Wancher looks great, but it appears there may be some room for improvement in the usability department, especially with respect to the weight of the pen.

10. What I’ve Been Using This Week (via Inkdependence). I really do wish more people would write about their weekly usage and the pens they are using day-to-day. I’m going to make an effort to talk more about this myself.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I wrote about a new (to me) ink I’ve discovered, Birmingham Pen Company “Angelfish,” which is a super-sheener blue ink that actually behaves well and could see regular use. Since I was on a short family trip, Saturday’s post included a short recap of my trips to Anderson Pens Chicago and Atlas Stationers, two great stationery stores you should visit if you are ever in that city (one of my favorites). This week’s Deals & Drops announced a bunch of restocks in advance of the holiday shopping season - see the Shop Updates section below for details.

T.G.S. Curated Shop Restocks and a New Round of “Gently Used” Pens and Stationery!

At long last, I finally was able to receive a restock of the ever-popular Hightide Co. Folding Metal Book Stands, as well as certain Write Notepads products like the Landscape notebook that have been out of stock for a while. I’ve also added a bunch of items to the “Gently Used” sale, which features pens, pencils, and notebooks from my own personal collection that it’s time to let go, whether to simply clear clutter or to make room for new acquisitions and review material. Patreon members already have had their first pick, but there’s a lot left.

Hightide Co.

Write Notepads

Traveler's Company

Kokuyo

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More! (For those in the Patreon, Check the Sale Page!)

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales. Today, I listed a bunch of new gently used products in the Gently Used Section, including some rare Blackwings from my personal collection, a handful of gently used custom fountain pens, and some high-end notebooks that I’m never going to get around to using. Patreon users already have had their pick, but there are some great items remaining!

Sunday Reading for Halloween 2021!

1. Does Kaweco’s Premium Nib Write Like Gold? (via UK Fountain Pens). Kaweco seems to have gone full Delta Fusion on the claims surrounding their new “premium” steel nibs (“Writes like gold!”) To be honest, I’m more than a little put off by being asked to pay a premium for what seems like basic nib Q.C. If Kaweco can’t do adequate quality control on their standard steel nibs at their current price point, they should raise their prices to a point that allows them to sell a product not marked by nib inconsistency. I would gladly pay more since I love their pens but think the inconsistency in nib quality holds them back at times. Just my $0.02.

2. Interview with Anthony Newman of UK Fountain Pens (via Cult Pens). I love how Cult Pens reached out to someone in the community to interview them! More community + retailer collaborations like this, please!

3. Emergency 3: New Tomoe River (via Tokyo Inklings). If you’re not listening to Tokyo Inklings and following them on social media, you should be, especially if you’re interested in all things Japanese stationery. Listen to the latest “emergency” episode about the future of Tomoe River paper! (Spoiler: The rights apparently have been sold to a new manufacturer.)

4. Sample Vials - A Mini FAQ (via Pen Addict). Kimberly has been writing some insanely useful, detailed content for the Pen Addict recently. If you’ve ever considered purchasing your own sample vials, read this first on which ones to buy.

5. YSTUDIO Classic Revolve Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). I’ve not tried anything from YSTUDIO in quite some time, but this red lacquer over brass looks sharp.

6. Fountain Pen Quest Trail Log (via FPQuest). Ray’s weekly round-up is always a must-read for me. In addition to sharing his thoughts on whether to flush pens you’re bored with or write them dry (something I spend too much time thinking about myself), this week he discusses ideas for NaNoWriMo for nonfiction writers.

7. Ink Review #633: Harry Potter Gryffindor Red (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). In addition to their current line of Harry Potter-themed fountain pens, Montegrappa has introduced a line of Harry Potter inks, starting with house colors! Also check out the reviews of Slytherin Green and Hufflepuff Yellow.

8. Wearingeul Ink (via Mountain of Ink). Kelli looks at another Korean ink brand, Wearingeul, with some nicely muted colors that I think I might enjoy. The “Forest of Literature” series looks especially interesting.

9. America Standards (via Bleistift). These look like Musgrave-made pencils to me, based on the sharpness of the hex.

10. Fountain Pen Ink Reviews: A Collection of Yellows (via Well-Appointed Desk). I love the color yellow (almost as much as I love red) but I haven’t been able to find a decently legible yellow ink. There are some intriguing suggestions here.

View fullsize

This week I took an in-depth look at the Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pens. (I also have a Peek version on the way!)

In Case You Missed It

I published several different posts this week on the blog. First, a review of a new edc favorite: the Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pen, which I have in both Black Ultem and natural/amber Ultem. I also published two posts on so-called “lie-flat notebooks” and “waterproof inks”, two topics I frequently get questions on and have been meaning to write about for a while. .

Updates from the T.G.S. Curated Shop

This week’s Deals & Drops theme was NaNoWriMo, given that November (tomorrow!?!) starts tomorrow. If you’re looking for a nice notebook and/or pens and pencils to stock your NaNoWriMo stash in advance of a full month of novel (or nonfiction) writing, or whatever you may choose to do, please consider purchasing from us. We have a wide range of fountain pen friendly paper, pens, pencils, and other reading and writing accessories to help get you across the NaNoWriMo finish line! (We can’t do the actual writing though, that’s up to you.)

Pens

Paper

Pencils (+ Sharpeners)

Desk Accessories

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales, and I’m currently working on a fresh batch of pens, inks, and notebooks that should hit the Patreon shop in the next couple of weeks.

Sunday Reading for October 24, 2021

1. Anderson Pens Chicago: A Quick Walkthrough (via Pen Addict). Kimberly posts photos from her post-Chicago Pen Show trip to Anderson Pens. I’m returning to Chicago in a couple of weeks and certainly plan on stopping by Anderson Pens myself!

2. SCRIBO Piuma Utopia (via Dapprman). This review has me eager to test out the Piuma, the latest model from SCRIBO. While the design hasn’t tugged at my heartstrings, I recall that I wasn’t drawn to the Feel until I actually had that one in my hand.

3. Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). I still haven’t managed to review a Gravitas Pen. The finish on this “Entry” model is beautiful.

4. A Scary Project (via From the Pen Cup). A scary project, yes, but as Mary discusses in this post, there are quite practical reasons why you should have an inventory of your pen collection. I’m currently working on this myself.

5. Link Love: The Sad News Edition (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’ve written here and on social media about the sadness in learning that several stationery businesses I’ve loved and patronized over the years are closing shop. Ana rounds up exactly what’s been going on.

6. Dragon Bolt V: The Karas Pen Co. Bolt v2 with Dragonskin Grip (via Penquisition). There has been a bit of a mini-trend towards “dragon scale” or “dragon skin” patterns and textures on pens lately. This version from Karas looks interesting, and designed to enhance the grip on the pen.

7. Montblanc Notebooks: A Real Luxury Experience (via UK Fountain Pens). I have one of these in my “to review” pile, but have never pulled it out simply because I didn’t know whether there was much interest. They are quite beautiful and I’m glad to see the paper holds up.

8. Nock Co. Cases: An Urban Sketcher’s Companion (via Writing at Large). I do hope Brad continues to make limited runs of these cases, as the designs are great and quite versatile. While I don’t own multiples, I do have a Sinclair that is a key piece of my EDC.

9. Vinta Ulap: An Exclusive Worth Having (via UK Fountain Pens). Having just discovered Vinta inks myself, I can agree that they are exceptional. This shading grey looks amazing.

10. Ink Review #1643: Vinta Romblon (via Mountain of Ink). Here’s another plug for Vinta, this time in an interesting black with purple undertones. Subtle black inks are among my favorites.

In Case You Missed It…

This week I released two articles on topics I’ve been thinking on for a while. The first is an article about online pen shows, and how they’ve literally saved businesses during the pandemic, but at the same time hopefully won’t become the new normal. I also wrote a lighter piece on my fixation with black and matte-black pens, especially those with black trim, and why I think these are so enduringly popular. Finally, be sure to check out this post discussing some new features I’ve either launched or am in the process of launching.

So What’s New in the T.G.S. Curated Shop?

Planner Season continues on, as we all get geared up for year-end and start thinking about what we will/will not do differently in 2022. I’m still noodling on next year’s setup, but personally I’m loving my combined Traveler’s Notebook/modified Stálogy setup. We will continue to offer the full line of Traveler’s Notebook dated planners through the start of 2022, as well as other undated/flexible options such as the Stálogy Half-Year and 365-day planners and the Midori Day-to-a-Page Codex notebooks.

Traveler's Notebook

Stálogy

Pencils

Pens

Reading Accessories

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales, and I’m currently working on a fresh batch of pens, inks, and notebooks that should hit the Patreon shop in the next couple of weeks.