Sunday Reading for September 3, 2023 (Labor Day Long Weekend Edition)

1. 2023 SF Pen Show - The Funnest Pen Show, aka Not a Quick Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Wow, this was an EXTREMELY comprehensive from someone who is probably the most qualified SF Pen Show tour guide in history.

2. Pen Show Recap: SF Pen Show (via Well-Appointed Desk). As always, Ana is a great table neighbor to have at a pen show!

3. What’s So Special About Specialty Nibs? (via Leigh Reyes). It was great getting to see Leigh again at this year’s SF Pen Show, and even better to read a post about her adventures in nib grinding at the show and what to think about when considering specialty nibs.

4. Method and Mayhem (A Gathering of Curiosities). New blog alert! So far, R.B. has offered a couple of incredibly thoughtful posts, including this one on writing and notetaking process.

5. Otto Hutt Design 08 Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Otto Hutt Design 08 is one of those extremely expensive “design piece” fountain pens which never really went mainstream.

6. Traveling with Ink: Birmingham, August 2023 (via Fountain Pen Blog). A Pen Museum? This looks fascinating.

7. Dotted Sea Urchin (via Rachel’s Reflections). This is gorgeous hand-painted work.

8. Meet Your Maker: Jacob Pawloski, Mad Science Pen Company (via Pen Addict - Caroline). This latest round of pen shows was the first opportunity I had to see Jacob’s work in person, and at some point I’d love to get my hands on one of his pens.

9. M600 Red-White Special Edition (via Pelikan’s Perch). Pelikan is back with one of their new white M600’s, just in time for the upcoming Pelikan Hubs at the end of the month!

10. Five Painless Ways to Make Writing a Fun, Daily Habit (via Ink Journal). A great article from Tom on how to get started on longer-form writing projects and to keep moving forward.

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In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I recovered from San Francisco. I recapped the show in this post from Wednesday, then talked about some of the new acquisitions I brought home yesterday. I’ll be resuming regular review content this coming week, though I haven’t yet decided where to begin!

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This Week in the Curated Shop - LABOR DAY PROMO, TWSBI Update and More

After some unexplained Fedex delays (lingering hurricane logistics?) TWSBI Indigo Blue pre-orders are set to arrive Tuesday and will go out immediately. You may start to see labels being generated for your orders over the weekend. We currently still have a few of these pens available for pre-order, and if all of the pre-order units sell out I will place another order quickly. Also, some of you who I met in San Francisco have asked about a restock of the TWSBI Diamond Mini-AL Grape fountain pens. Those are also set to arrive Tuesday, so I’ve made them available for order. Finally, we are running a Labor Day sale through tomorrow at 11:59pm CT: Take 10% off all ink and paper using the code LABOR10 at checkout. Happy shopping!

Pilot

TWSBI

Anderillium

Reading Accessories

Patreon Update - Support T.G.S. via Sample Sales, Early Access, and Meetups with Special Guests!

If you’re interested in early access and a right of first refusal for the periodic sales, consider T.G.S. Patreon, which features not only access to meetups and the early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Everything that didn’t sell to Patreon members, including some older limited edition Baron Fig items and notebooks, is now available for general purchase on the “Gently Used” page, and I recently reduced prices on certain items to continue the clear-out!

Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! I’m working on something new - Guests for the monthly meetups! Stay tuned for details on a September special guest.

Sunday Reading for August 27, 2023 (SF Pen Show Edition)

1. Not Science: Comparing Esterbrook’s JJ Lax Scribe Nib to Another Architect (via Line Variation). This is a great post, which demonstrates why you will often have a much better experience having a nib ground in person as opposed to purchasing pre-ground nibs, especially with somewhat more finicky grinds like architects that are highly personal and dependent on things like writing angle.

2. Explorer Pocket Journal by Endless Stationery (via KraftyKats). I’ve yet to “explore” one of the Endless Stationery notebook cover systems. Over the past couple of years, they’ve been in the process of switching over from Tomoe River to their new “Regalia” paper, and I need to get caught up.

3. On Pens and Pensions (via Fountain Pen Blog). How do you put a value on the enjoyment you get from this hobby? It goes far beyond enhancing your productivity and/or collecting for investment.

4. My “Lucky Catches” (via Rachel’s Reflections). I have a couple of these as well - pens that you fortunately happen to acquire or purchase almost by chance, and maybe not realize your good luck until later?

5. Overthinking my Under-Thought Indexing Routine (via mnmlscholar). Now that I’m moving into a new role at my day job and expanding my duties here, I’ll need to overhaul my own planning and journaling system.

6. The Superior Labor - Flap Pen Case (via Scrively). Extremely popular a few years ago, The Superior Labor leather products seem to have dropped a bit in visibility, and I’m glad to see another review. I have one of their leather pen rolls that I really enjoy.

7. Ink of the Week - Yoseka Green (via Fountain Pen Love). Need to get a bottle of this!

8. Watercolor Sets (via Notebook Stories). I’m now collecting links to reviews and articles about adding watercolors as a companion to notebooks and journaling. It’s something that’s always interested me, and I finally plan to take the time to learn more.

9. NY Now and Shoppe Object - Definitely NOT Pen Shows, But Almost? (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Pen shows live in this sort of hybrid world that combines trade shows, conventions (“PenCon”?), and local meetups. There’s definitely a “to the trade” aspect, as retailers and manufacturers set up in part of get visibility with each other while simultaneously using the show to educate enthusiasts about their products, but NY Now and Shoppe Object are strictly distributors-manufacturers-retailers-only. (And they’re a ton of fun.)

10. Tale of a Vandal Pen User: It Came Through the Crack - Part I (via Peaceable Writer). Aurora’s repair service receives high marks!

Our 2023 Table Setup!

In Case You Missed It - This Week on the Blog

I’ve spent this week attending the San Francisco Pen Show, set up as an exhibitor for the first time! Before I left, I reviewed the Lamy 2000 Mechanical Pencil, the last of the Lamy 2000 range that I had yet to write up. I fly back on Monday, but until then you can read a bit about my first impressions of Friday in San Francisco (it was crazy)!

This Week in the Curated Shop - And a Pen Show Weekend discount

The big news is that Traveler’s Notebook Standard-sized Olive Notebooks are back in stock and will be ready to ship upon my return. Some of our Traveler’s Company products have been backordered, and a restock arrived while I was out. Orders placed during travel will start to ship Monday and Tuesday - If you’d like to see what I brought to San Francisco, check out this particular post! Finally, for those of you who couldn’t attend the show, take 10% off your shop orders using the code PENSHOW10 at checkout! (Certain brands such as TWSBI are excluded).

Pilot Pens

Anderillium

Traveler's Notebooks

Desk Accessories

Patreon Update - Support T.G.S. via Sample Sales, Early Access, and Meetups with Special Guests!

If you’re interested in early access and a right of first refusal for the periodic sales, consider T.G.S. Patreon, which features not only access to meetups and the early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Everything that didn’t sell to Patreon members, including some older limited edition Baron Fig items and notebooks, is now available for general purchase on the “Gently Used” page, and I recently reduced prices on certain items to continue the clear-out!

Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! I’m working on something new - Guests for the monthly meetups! This past week we had J.C. Ament of The Nib Tailor on for a discussion of how he got into nib grinding, how he learned, and his personal favorite techniques.

Sunday Reading for August 20, 2023

1. Empty All the Pens (via Stationery Pizza). I have the exact same habit/fear/hang-up of not wanting to flush pens when I have too many inked, and instead try to write them all dry, then ink more pens, then I never get to where I need to be.

2. A New Notebook Is a Decision Prompter (via mnmlscholar). The process of deciding how to use a new notebook is always interesting. Personally, I’m close to finishing several, so I’ll have some decisions to make soon…

3. Journaling Series: 5 Year Diary (via Writing at Large). I’m still following this multi-part series on journaling with rapt attention, as should you if journaling at all interests you.

4. On Grail Pens (via SBRE Brown). Do you subscribe to the concept of grail pens? Do those pens you’ve considered “Grail Pens” in the past actually have staying power?

5. Kakimori Glass Dip Pen Nib Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I love Kakimori’s Brass Dip Nib, but I’ve never been able to get my hands on the glass version.

6. Paper Basics: Oxford A5 Notebook (via A Fleeting Ripple). We don’t have Oxford paper available over here in the states (at least not readily available), but I love seeing quality inexpensive paper still out there.

7. Nautilus x Enigma Stationery “Brilliant Bunny” Nautilus Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). If you’re in San Francisco for the Pen Show, be sure to stop by the Enigma Stationery table for all sorts of uncommon stationery goods and special edition pens, including this collaboration with Nahvalur.

8. Ink Review: Ferris Wheel Press Poison Envy (via Well-Appointed Desk). Wow, that’s a crazy shimmer ink!

9. Rohrer & Klingner Solferino (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Rohrer and Klingner inks seem to have fallen by the wayside lately and off the radar of the fountain pen community, even though they offer a massive selection of colors and are quite reliable.

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In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I took a deeper dive on the concept of “extra-fine” pens and when “fine” becomes “too fine”. I’m also neck-deep in the process of packing and preparing for the San Francisco Pen Show - if you’re going to be at the show, please be sure to come see me!

Finally, I’ll be posting a new YouTube video later today discussing my takeaways from the D.C. Pen Show and showing in further detail some of the items I brought home and might have in San Francisco with me.

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The latest line of inks from Anderillium (the “Lepidopteran Series”) might be my favorite range of colors yet!

This Week in the Curated Shop - Pre-San Francisco Shipping Deadlines

In addition to the latest line of Anderillium Inks, this past week I slowed things down to focus on new additions to our selection of desk and reading accessories! New arrivals include the “Perch” bookmarks and Line/Page Indicators from Craighill, restocked Midori bookmarks, along with a recently expanded selection of high-quality scissors. Finally, we have recently arrived stock of the Olive Traveler’s Notebook Covers in the Standard Size!

TWSBI

Anderillium

Craighill

Stalogy

We’re heading to San Francisco very early on Thursday morning, so if you have an order that you would like shipped before departure, please get your orders in by Wednesday at 5pm US Central Time. San Francisco is still a quick trip for me, despite the distance, so orders will otherwise ship within our 2-3 business day time frame.

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Only two pens remain from our collaboration with Hinze Pens and Starry Night Resins! The pens on the left and right in this photo are still available, with either red or black ceramic-plated nibs. If these don’t sell online this week, they’re coming with me to San Francisco!

Patreon Update - Support T.G.S. via Sample Sales, Early Access, and Meetups with Special Guests!

If you’re interested in early access and a right of first refusal for the periodic sales, consider T.G.S. Patreon, which features not only access to meetups and the early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Everything that didn’t sell to Patreon members, including some older limited edition Baron Fig items and notebooks, is now available for general purchase on the “Gently Used” page, and I recently reduced prices on certain items to continue the clear-out!

Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! I’m working on something new - Guests for the monthly meetups! Yesterday we had J.C. Ament of The Nib Tailor on for a discussion of how he got into nib grinding, how he learned, and his personal favorite techniques.

Sunday Reading for August 13, 2023 (DC Recaps Edition)

1. DC Pen Show 2023 - A Return to Form (via The Looped Square). Joseph is back on the blog for his annual recap of the 2023 D.C. Pen Show, which was, indeed, a return to form.

2. 2023 DC Pen Show - A Really Quick Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). A very thorough recap of Kimberly’s relatively quick trip to the DC Pen Show, and hopefully we’ll see more of her in San Francisco.

3. 2023 DC Pen Show, Part I and Part II (via Rachel’s Reflections). I fully agree with Rachel that aisle design needs to be reworked for future shows.

4. Can You Have Too Many Refillable Notebooks? (via Notebook Stories). On a certain level - as with anything - the answer is probably “yes,” but refillable notebooks can also be repurposed, and if you’re a simultaneous-multiple-notebook user like me, it also aids in the curation and archiving because certain systems allow you to save individual pages.

5. Shibui North Copper Pocket Pen (via Dapprman). I had several different people approach me in D.C. asking where the Shibui North table was, and I was also looking forward to checking these pens out in person. Unfortunately I don’t think they made the show.

6. Pen Shopping at Appelboom Boston (via Line Variation). A great post that provides an exceptionally good narrative of what it’s like shopping in person at a pen store - a quieter, more focused experience compared to the oft-chaotic environment of shows.

7. Journaling Series: Journaling to Work Out Choices (via Writing at Large). Another excellent installment in the Journaling Series.

8. Studio Neat Mark One Review (via The Poor Penman). It’s great to see a Mark One review; I’ve been eyeing one of the special editions but haven’t jumped on it (yet).

9. Help, I’m Writing in Five Notebooks Daily, How Do I Pare Down? (via Analog Office). I see no problem here. Great answer to this question.

10. Loclen Electa in Raw Brass (via KraftyCats). Loclen has seemingly disappeared from the scene here in the U.S. after popping up pre-Pandemic. I was never able to get my hands on one of these pens for an extended run.

11. Early Thoughts on the Sheaffer Icon, Lustrous Chrome Fountain Pen (via Fountain Pen Blog). I’ve not seen this Sheaffer model before - to be honest, I’ve not heard much from the brand at all in recent years.

12. PenLux Mo Inks (via Well-Appointed Desk). Anytime I see vintage-inspired colors, I can’t help myself. I’m really glad I missed these in D.C.

13. Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black Returns to North America (via Pelikan’s Perch). BUT WILL IT HAVE THE FORMALDEHYDE SMELL?!?! I sure hope so. Ah, nostalgia.

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In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, it was all about recapping the D.C. Pen Show, between my post with my thoughts on the show itself and my follow-up post discussing what I bought and why.

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And then there were three… Don’t miss your chance to get in on the T.G.S. x Hinze Collaboration Project. Will ship to you, or you can reserve and I’ll bring to San Francisco.

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

New arrivals keep flooding in while I’m traveling, and between blogging, shows, and fulfilling orders, I’m a bit behind on listing new items but stay tuned today and the rest of this week because there is some fun stuff on the way. Meanwhile, check out a range of new high-end desk accessories, as well as new refills from Traveler’s Company including the return of Sticker Release and Accordion Fold paper, formerly part of the B-Sides and Rarities Collection but now part of the regular lineup!

Traveler's Company

Stamps

Scissors

Clairefontaine

More Ways to Support T.G.S.!

Everything that didn’t sell to Patreon members, including some older limited edition Baron Fig items and notebooks, is now available for general purchase on the “Gently Used” page! If you’re interested in early access and a right of first refusal for the periodic sales, consider T.G.S. Patreon, which features not only access to meetups and the early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support!

Sunday Reading for August 6, 2023: DC Pen Show Travel Edition

1. 21 Plus 5 Pen Questions (via Fountain Pen Blog). Another excellent round of 21 Pen Questions, plus this particular post has a round-up of many of the “21 Pen Questions” posts that are out there!

2. 42 Answers to #21PenQuestions (via Penquisition). Both Evan and Julian take the 21 Pen Questions Challenge!

3. Platinum Chou Kuro (via Well-Appointed Desk). How much more black can you get? Not very.

4. Souverän M600 Art Collection - Glauco Cambon Special Edition (via Pelikan’s Perch). Finally, we start seeing some of the 2023 Pelikan Special Editions emerge! Personally, I really like the look of this pen, and even better, it’s an M600.

5. Endless Stationery Companion 5-Pen Case (via KraftyKats). A very nice looking leather pen case from Endless!

6. Platignum Vibe Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I enjoy reviews of sub-$20 pens. I’ve used a Platignum fountain pen in the past and found myself relatively impressed by the quality at the price point.

7. Time Flies, So Do I: Holiday Carry (via A Fleeting Ripple). There are so many considerations that go into selecting pens to take with you on your travels…

8. A Month’s Worth of Pens: Holiday Carry, Part 2 (via A Fleeting Ripple). Here’s the full holiday load-out!

9. A Fulfilling Micro Collection (via Rachel’s Reflections). This is a pretty great five-pen selection, if you ever had to limit yourself to just five fountain pens!

10. Blackwing Natural Extra Firm Pencil Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). By far my favorite of the stock Blackwing releases, even the “extra firm” Blackwing graphite is slightly darker than a standard HB.

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The Craighill Kepler Pen with its retractable D1 refill mechanism.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, we’re not only getting ready for back to school and back to work, but we’re at the D.C. Pen Show, which for me is a bit of both. Content included a post on how you can use the Uniball Jetstream refills to upgrade ballpoints and multi pens, as well as a short recap of Friday at the D.C. Pen Show with details on where you can find me. (Spoiler: At the end of the Vanness Pens Table!)

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Fans of Clairefontaine French-Ruled Paper should check out Nakabayashis’ version!

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

First of all - through tonight at 11:59pm CT, we’re running a pen show special with 10% off most orders using the coupon code “PENSHOW10” at checkout! Last week saw all sorts of new shop arrivals, including new notebooks from Nakabayashi and more desk accessories, the TWSBI Sunset Yellow Fountain Pens, and new ranges of ballpoints and mechanical pencils from HMM and Craighill.

TWSBI

HMM

Scissors

Craighill

Ways to Support T.G.S. and Gently Used Update!

Everything that didn’t sell to Patreon members, including some older limited edition Baron Fig items and notebooks, is now available for general purchase on the “Gently Used” page! If you’re interested in early access and a right of first refusal for the periodic sales, consider T.G.S. Patreon, which features not only access to meetups and the early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support!