Sunday Reading for June 2, 2024

1. Estonia Recap, Stationery Edition (via A Gathering of Curiosities). This sounds like a wonderful trip! A Stationery travelogue not focused on acquisition.

2. News on Gravitas - Pen Venture Now the Agent (via Dapprman). Some breaking news here that I’m quite excited to see - Gravitas Pens shipping and customer service/fulfillment apparently will now be handled by Pen Venture out of Romania (who I’ve bought from in the past and found to have excellent customer service).

3. From Sample to Bottle: a Celadon Cat Story (via mnmlscholar). Sometimes samples lead to full bottle purchases. I love Celadon Cat.

4. Considering Binders: Why? and Why Not? (via Stationery Pizza). Binder system vs. stand-alone notebook vs. notebook system? There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but what works for you will mostly depend on how you intend to use your stationery.

5. Smythson Featherweight A5 Spiral Bound Refill Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I’ve yet to try Smythson paper, as it’s a very premium paper option but people love the experience as it’s a stationery classic.

6. Fourth Anniversary (via Inkredible Colours). Congrats on another bloggiversary! I love this anniversary/annual recap format.

7. 7 Years Already?!? (via Pen Addict). Kimberly looks back at her first order after 7 years in the pen community!

8. Pen Research: Vintage Pilot Edition (via Rachel’s Reflections). Have you ever purchased a vintage pen and then had to research where it came from? It’s part of the fun!

9. Diamine Cult Pens Wonders of the World (via Well-Appointed Desk). These inks have been sitting in my Cult Pens cart for quite some time, and I should probably just go for it.

10. Not That Kind of EF, Please and Thank You (via Pen Addict - Sarah). Thank goodness everyone was ok! Terrifying!

In Case You Missed It…

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This week on the blog I reviewed a new pen from a brand I’ve not reviewed before: Skogsy Pens and their Low Volume Eyedropper model, which I picked up at the Chicago Pen Show last month. Since that nib was a broad, and because I’ve been using more broad fountain pen nibs lately, I thought it might also be fun to write a piece on how/why I’ve been trying to branch out from my default medium nib size and try more broad nibs. In short, I love that stainless steel broad nibs don’t necessarily write all that much wider than mediums, but allow you to see the ink properties better.

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop…More Midori!

Some really cool stuff hit the shop this week, including the new Caran d’Ache Nespresso 849 collaboration and some new Midori MD Cotton Notebooks in both A5 and “A5 Square.” Midori’s 20% cotton paper formulation is one of my all-time favorite ink-friendly papers, and these notebooks don’t disappoint. (One of the A5 versions went right into my A5 Roterfaden.) We are also restocked on Traveler’s Company Notebooks, Refills, and Accessories, Caran d’Ache pencils, and pens from Mark’s Tokyo, which are longtime shop favorites! Be sure to check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for a full list of new arrivals and restocks.

Finally, the T.G.S. Gently Used Page is restocked with review samples, store testers, and some gently used pens from my personal collection. These periodic sales have helped fund our expansion, and any purchases can be combined with regular shop orders for free domestic US shipping above $75 USD.

Caran d'Ache

Mark's Tokyo

Stálogy

Cases and Accessories

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 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!

Sunday Reading for May 12, 2024

1. 2024 Chicago Pen Show - Not My Usual Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). It was fun attending this show solely as an attendee with no table to mind. As Kimberly points out, this show would benefit from a different hotel.

2. Thinking More on Binders (via Stationery Pizza). I love binder systems, and I’ve been exploring just how many different binder systems there are out there. (It’s quite a large number!).

3. Pineider Milano Leather Notebook (via Blake’s Broadcast). As a stationer who has traditionally specialized in paper for written correspondence, it’s extremely interesting to see Pineider make a leatherbound notebook.

4. Dominant Industry Leaf Green (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Dominant industry makes some exceptionally good dark green inks. This one is a favorite, along with the “Autumn Forest” dark green shimmer ink.

5. Scriveiner Brushed Copper EDC Pen (via Dapprman). Scriveiner has been blitzing reviewers lately with samples of their pens, and honestly, it may be working in expanding the brand’s reputation beyond “Amazon Pen”. The handful of pens I received for review have been quite nice.

6. Doodling with Fountain Pens: Circles Pattern (via Fountain Pen Love). Though I’m not a doodler, I love to watch people create these patters and show off their ink. Full pages of these doodles are gorgeous to see at shows.

7. Desiderata Pens Dumka Review (via SBRE Brown). Pierre has a new model out, and I was able to see some of his ebonite creations at the Chicago Show!

8. Lamy Violet Blackberry (via Mountain of Ink). Somewhat overshadowed by the release of Lamy Dark Lilac was this year’s sleeper hit, Violet Blackberry. This one is more of an eggplant and a nice shade of purple with sheen that doesn’t smear!

9. Lamy AL-Star Aquatic Fountain Pen (via Pen Addict - Jeff). Lamy did a great job on this year’s releases across the board. Even with their seeming fixation on blue AL-Star releases that explorer every possible shade of turquoise known to humankind, they somehow manage to make it work.

10. Ink 100: Part 5 The Final Reveal (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you’re looking for the conclusion of Ana’s “Ink 100” project, here it is!

In Case You Missed It….

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The Uni Jetstream: What’s in your multi pen?

This week I reviewed a favorite workhorse multi pen, the Uni Jetstream 4&1, which they are now making with bamboo and reclaimed wood grips! The Uni Jetstream is, to me, the quintessential multi pen refill, and a pen built around that ink formulation needs no further modification. I also did a fresh “Ask TGS” post in response to a few conversations I’ve had at the Arkansas and Chicago Pen Shows, in which people have told me that they felt overwhelmed by paper choice when putting together a notebook system for the first time. Yesterday’s post discusses three “starter” paper recommendations for refills that work well with most pens and fountain pen inks.

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

The latest Blackwing Volumes (Volume 710 “Jerry Garcia” - with a soft core!) is here, along with new colors of the one step handheld sharpener, as well as the larger handheld erasers and pencil extenders. We also have the full range of Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks that have been added to the shop, as well as restocks on the Lumos Fineliners.

Finally, the big news is that we have the Tom’s Studio Architect nibs back in stock, along with Pro Flex and Cursive Italic! These fit the Tom’s Studio fountain pens and are sold as a separate nib unit.

Blackwing

Uni Mitsubishi

Slidenote A4 Covers

Patalino Stationery Cases

Support us on patreon and get access to our monthly meetup and extra content!

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), there are several ways that you can support us. 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 early access to quarterly gently used sales. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. Patreon supporters also get access to any pen show-exclusive specials and promotions.

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 5, 2024

1. Papier Plume: The Faceless Lady (via Figboot on Pens). Since it’s Chicago Pen Show weekend, we might as well link to a review of Papier Plume’s annual Chicago Pen Show exclusive ink!

2. January - April 2024: Four Months in Stationery (via A Gathering of Curiosities). R.B. summarizes pen purchases for the year so far, with an impressive #ifyoucouldonlykeepone set!

3. TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Sunset Yellow (via Stationery Pizza). If you’re a fan of orange/gold pens, I feel like I have to give a plug to the Sunset Yellow 580 and remind people to grab one before TWSBI cycles out the colors again.

4. The Taming of the Scribo, Write Here Africa Fountain Pen (via Fountain Pen Blog). Scribo does make a shop-exclusive model for Write Here in the U.K., if I ever make it over! Also, the note about heat setting is important to take into account if you find you need to tweak your ebonite feeds.

5. Stipula Etruria Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Etruria was one of the first expensive Italian pens I purchased. I’ve noticed that it’s mainly produced with steel nibs these days, though celluloid editions still exist.

6. Posh Pens in a Supermarket (via Bleistift). Multi-thousand dollar pens in a grocery store? I like it.

7. Uni-ball One F Gel Pen 0.5mm Earth Texture Color Series Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). I picked up a few of these from Kinokuniya when I was in NYC, and liked them so much I decided I’d try to stock them in the Curated Shop. There is no real added “texture” - just speckled resin - but it’s a cool visual effect.

8. Ink 100: Part 4 Hitting My Goal (via Well-Appointed Desk). Congratulations to Ana on finishing her Ink 100 challenge!

9. On Devaluing Inexpensive Pens (via SBRE Brown). As you “grow” in the hobby and expand into more expensive pens, do you appreciate your inexpensive pens less? Personally, not if the pen is well-made and writes well. I still use plenty of inexpensive pens but I have become more picky about quality.

10. It’s the Dawning of the Age of … BRONZE! New Ink from Franklin-Christoph (via Inkdependence). I picked up one of these at the Chicago Pen Show. Look for my own thoughts soon!

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Always wild finds in the bar after-hours at any pen show! More on these pens and what they are in this week’s Chicago Pen Show Recap.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I offered my own take on the “If I Could Only Keep One” challenge/thought experiment, with my “must-have” items from various stationery categories. I also took a short two-day adventure to the 2024 Chicago Pen Show, and recapped my Friday visit (and shopping spree) here.

New Tom’s Studio Arrivals: Lumos Mini Pens and Inks!

New Arrivals in the T.G.S. Curated Shop: TWSBI ECO Caffé Bronze and Tom’s Studio Lumos Fineliners

The big news this week was the arrival of TWSBI’s latest special edition release, as well as a full restock on the Tom’s Studio Lumos series of refillable fineliners, including the pocket-sized Lumos Mini! We also have some remaining limited edition “Tokyo” Traveler’s Company accessories (including the pencil), as well as an entire new range of Tomoe River Paper products and Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter leather covers!

For a full list of all new arrivals this week, check out our New Arrivals and Thursday Drops Posts.

Pilot Pens

Tom's Studio Inks

Iroshizuku Cartridges

Tomoe River

Support us on patreon and get access to our monthly meetup and extra content!

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), there are several ways that you can support us. 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 early access to quarterly gently used sales. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. Patreon supporters also get access to any pen show-exclusive specials and promotions.

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