Four Desktop Pencil Sharpeners for Review

Sunday Reading for July 14, 2024

July 14, 2024

Baron Fig Squire Hex Review (via The Poor Penman). Baron Fig has released a new version of their Squire rollerball, in a hexagonal shape. I have one for review and will be publishing my own thoughts at some point.
Nahvalur Horizon Earth Day (Plus a Giveaway) (via Figboot on Pens). The Nahvalur Horizon can be an overlooked Nahvalur model, as it’s one of the newer releases from the company and includes an integrated piston filler. These two pens are inspired by Earth Day.
Left Over Notebooks (via Stationery Pizza). How do you handle the issue of partially used notebooks? I tend to be a completionist - not switching them up or opening anything new until it’s finished, but then my own backlog becomes a pile of entirely unused notebooks.
The Diplomat Magnum Fountain Pen: Early Thoughts (via Fountain Pen Blog). I’ve not written about Diplomat in some time. As a whole, the make excellent pens, and it’s interesting to see this review of their entry level “Magnum” fountain pen.
Full Fills and Aesthetically Compelling Nib Designs (via mnmlscholar). This new emerging trend of intricately engraving fountain pen nibs (and even modifying things like nib slits) is something to watch.
Stabilo Boss NatureCOLORS Review - Can Highlighters Be Used for Sketching (via Writing at Large). YES! The Stabilo Boss is an excellent compact highlighter.
Doodling with Fountain Pens: Organic Pattern (via Fountain Pen Love). The latest in a long-running series for those who want more ways to use their pens!
DC Pen Show and SF Pen Show Classes (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you’re attending the D.C. and San Francisco Pen Shows later this month, don’t forget to check the class schedules and sign up. Some classes this year are space-limited!

YouTube Pencil Sharpeners Demonstration Cover Thumbnail with Three Sharpened Pencils

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I continued my recent theme of pencils and graphite, with a post on lead holders and lead pointers, and how you should try to procure a stand-alone lead pointer if you want the sharpest point possible. Late yesterday (due to technical difficulties), I posted a YouTube video demonstrating three desktop pencil sharpeners, following up on a blog post from last week on the same subject.

Four Caran d'Ache Claim Your Style Ballpoints Fifth Edition — The new Caran d’Ache 849 “Claim Your Style” ballpoints in four gorgeous matte gradient finishes.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, Including Caran D’Ache Claim Your STyle Edition 5, and Move Details!

We’re moving next week! As detailed in this post, we’re opening a new physical location and the process of getting our inventory moved over starts a week from tomorrow. It’s not a big move, so I don’t anticipate any major disruption to our 2-3 business day shipping time. That said, we will be attending the D.C. Pen Show the first week of August, so to avoid any travel-related delays I’d advise getting orders in within the next two weeks.

We had lots of new stuff arrive this week, including the latest Caran d’Ache Claim Your Style Fifth Edition Ballpoints, which feature stunning matte gradient finishes. We also have another shipment of Kaweco Sketch-Up “Softfeel” pencils, the full line of Viarco vintage-style pencils from Portugal, more Caran d’Ache Nespresso Pens, and Platinum Desk Fountain Pens!

Caran d'Ache

Kaweco

Blackwing

Pilot Pens

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives!

We’ve recently shared some news regarding our continued growth with our Patreon members. 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!

Long-point Sharpened Pencils — I spent a lot of time sharpening pencils this week.

Sunday Reading for July 7, 2024

July 7, 2024

Haven’t Seen a Pen Like This Before…Endless Captiva (via Figboot on Pens). An interesting new twist on the classic Schmidt converter fountain pen.
Montblanc Origin Coral and Montblanc Origin Green (via A Gathering of Curiosities). I confess that I’ve not been closely following Montblanc ink releases, but these look really nice!
What’s What 7/1/24 (via Line Variation). I’m glad to see the Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage getting some appreciation, and many thanks for the shout out!
The Timeless Benefits of Using a Filofax (via Philofaxy). I couldn’t agree more…don’t miss the twist at the end!
Plottermore: How I Plotter (via Weirdoforest Pens). One more for team Plotter! I also love the new pen cases.
2024 Pilot Shareholder Gift Pen (via Rachel’s Reflections). I’ve always thought that Pilot’s annual “Shareholder Gift” release was a cool thing for the company to do. I really like this Custom 74!
Gravitas Ultem Quark (via Dapprman). The Quark is a small, yet quite usable, pocket pen from the Gravitas lineup.
M. Lovewell - A Quick Visit (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I love reading recaps of visits to other small stationery stores! M. Lovewell has two locations in Santa Ana and Orange, CA.
The Montblanc 100 Day Writing Challenge (via Pete Denison). I completely missed this one. There are some great writing prompts here that might make this challenge worth printing out.
Sun-Star Metacil Pocket Pencil Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). While they’re certainly special-purpose tools, I keep one of these pencils in several different places for making quick notes without having to worry about sharpening.

Favorite Ink and Favorite Pen waterman and caran d'ache

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I did my first ink review in a while, looking at Caran d’Ache Magnetic Blue from the “Chromatics” ink line. I also wrote a piece on desktop pencil sharpeners, looking at several options that I have in my own office and which span a wide range of price points. I actually spent a fair bit of time sharpening pencils this week, which I haven’t done in a while.

Blackwing Volumes 746 Golden Gate Bridge — You can probably guess why I like the latest Blackwing Volumes release.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Last Day for Fourth of July Sale!

We had two big releases this week: the launch of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto multi pen (plus all the refills!), and new arrivals from Blackwing: the Volume 746 “Golden Gate Bridge” pencil and a full restock of the single-stage long-point sharpeners. Don’t miss the last day of our annual 4th of July Weekend Sale! Use the coupon code “FIREWORKS” at checkout to snag 10% off many brands. Full details are in Thursday’s post. Promotion ends today at 11:59pm CT. Your purchases will also help us reduce inventory prior to our move into a new brick-and-mortar space later this month. Stay tuned for more news!

Pencil Sharpeners

Coleto Multi Pens

TWSBI Eggplant

Zebra Sarasa Grand

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives!

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

Sarasa Sunderland Mk1 Interchangeable Refills — I did figure out this week that the Zebra Sarasa JF refill fits the Sunderland MK1 pen perfectly.

Sunday Reading for June 30, 2024

June 30, 2024

Meet Your Maker: Nic Pasquale, Pens by Pasquale (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I’m glad to see my friend Nic get a profile! His pens are excellent. Commission one!
Lochby Venture Pouch & Quattro (via Figboot on Pens). David reviews the two primary cases in the Lochby line, depending on whether you want a zippered pouch or a traditional four-slot case.
Ana’s St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). A St. Louis Pen Show review from behind the vendor’s table! I’ve not made the St. Louis Pen Show before. Perhaps next year?
Laura’s St. Louis Pen Show Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). Laura was able to wander the show for her first pen show in a while! And a wand maker?
What Would a Potential Binder Daily Carry Setup Look Like for Me? (via Stationery Pizza). Do you use a binder system? Do you go heavily organized or do you travel light?
The Writech Retractable Fountain Pen: Early Thoughts (via Fountain Pen Blog). Many people are trying to get in on the lower-cost retractable fountain pen market, and it’s been fun to see some of the new designs emerge. Will any of them take off?
Stationery Crazes (via Rachel’s Reflections). This is a pretty comprehensive list from the past few years.
Scriveiner Luxury EDC Stunning Matt Green Pocket Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). I likewise enjoyed my time with the Scriveiner fountain pens, and Scriveiner has been very generous with the community in providing pens for reviews and giveaways.
Namisu Nova Titanium Pocket Pen in Ultem (via Dapprman). Namisu continues to release new models, including this pocket pen design.
Fountain Pen Shootout Kyuseido Kakari vs. Conid Kingsize (via SBRE Brown). The video that many have been waiting for….

Pilot Myu Fountain Pens Stainless and Striped

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I reviewed two capped mechanical pencils: the Pentel Sharp Kerry and the Uni Kuru Toga Dive. One is a stationery classic, and the other is a new entrant to the scene (albeit with spotty availability). Who did it better? I also reviewed a vintage fountain pen from my collection that made a sneak guest appearance in the Pentel Sharp Kerry review: the Pilot Myu!

Pentel Sharp Kerry Multiple Color Options

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

The big news from this week was the arrival of the TWSBI ECO-T in a translucent “Eggplant Purple”, which TWSBI has indicated will be a more limited run than other recent releases. We still have stock available to ship immediately but I am not counting on another restock of these. We also received additional colors of the Pentel Sharp Kerry. You can read more about these and other new arrivals in this week’s Thursday Drops post.

TWSBI

Zebra

Uni Jetstream

Lamy

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives!

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

Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage Wave of Color

Sunday Reading for June 23, 2024

June 23, 2024

How to Move Your Fountain Pens Across the World (via Inky Rocks). I’ve not moved in more than a decade. The prospect of this would be daunting… Best of luck on the move!
Working with Plotter A5: Chart Grid and Blue Quadrant Inserts (via A Gathering of Curiosities). Plotter has released a bunch of new formats recently. I agree with R.B. that many of these “experiments” can be frustrating if you find a format that you like only to have it discontinued.
New Collaboration! Visconti Voyager Del Mar (via Figboot on Pens). David has a new collaboration with Visconti now available, and it’s a gorgeous offering. Visconti fans should be sure to check this one out.
Visiting Stationery Shops in Portugal and Spain (via Inkredible Colours). It’s time for summer travels, and of course pen-related travelogues!
Lessons Learned from Inkvent 2023 (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Inkvent in June? Why not? Kimberly had some interesting favorites from last year’s release.
New Leonardo Model…The Dodici (via Figboot on Pens). A faceted Leonardo? “Dodici” apparently refers to 12 sides / 12 facets. Sign me up to check this one out at some point!
Traveling with Ink: North Devon, June 2024 (via Fountain Pen Blog). Now that’s a gorgeous location to get some writing done!
Platinum 3776 with a Coarse (C) Nib (via Dapprman). I’ve never been a big user of Platinum’s broader nibs, but many people love this one. Personally, it’s never intrigued me.
Do You Need Blotter Paper? (via Well-Appointed Desk). I keep a sheet of blotter paper in any non-absorbent notebook, especially those that use Tomoe River Paper. It lets me close the notebook quickly without worrying about ink transferring between two pages of writing.
Stipula Etruria Rainbow Stiflex Nib Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Stipula Etruria fountain pen was a favorite of mine early on in my collecting days, back when they focused on celluloid releases. I’ve not tried any of the newer pens, as the gold nibs have a steep premium.

TGS Crimson Nib with Top Hat Engraving — I still can’t get over this nib! You’ll be seeing a lot more of it!

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I compared two premium gel pen options: the Uni-ball One and Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage. Gel pens are one of those categories I’ve unfortunately neglected over the years, and lately I’ve been surprised to discover how good many of them are. I also published my 2024 mid-year review, looking at five favorite posts from the first half of the year as we get ready for some big developments at T.G.S., hopefully starting next month!

TWSBI Diamond 580 AL Iceberg Blue Fountain Pen

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

This week we added the full line of Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage Gel Pens, in both .3mm and .5mm tip sizes. We also have TWSBI 580 AL “Iceberg Blue” fountain pens available to ship immediately. As a PSA, we have exactly ONE of the Shawn Newton Majestic fountain pens remaining, and the PensByPasquale nib holds have sold out and will be going to their new homes starting tomorrow! While the one remaining Majestic is listed as an EF, we also have 1.1mm stub nibs available.

Be sure to check out this week’s Thursday Drops e-mail for details on all the new arrivals!

Uni Multi Pens

New Lamys!

Stálogy

Zebra Sarasa Grand

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives!

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

Sunday Reading for June 16, 2024

June 16, 2024

Once a Year: Dutch Pen Show 2024 (via A Fleeting Ripple). I missed this recap post last week! The Dutch Pen Show looks like it’s becoming a destination show for Europe.
Two Hands Paperie: A Quick Visit (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). A great stationery store recap for those who are in the Boulder, CO area, or who simply love looking at pictures of a well-stocked shop.
Hakase Part I: The Journey (via Dapprman). Hakase is a small Japanese brand lesser known to most readers than larger brands such as Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum. The process of selecting and ordering pens from these companies can be fascinating to read about.
Fountain Pen Review: Atelier F F2 Titanium Gr. 5 Teal and Light Gold (via Rants of the Archer). There’s a lot of fountain pen innovation coming out of the Philippines these days. Check out the cartridge design on this pen!
A Caffeinated Fountain Pen from Retro 51 (via Figboot on Pens). Retro 51 released a coffee shop-themed Tornado a few years back, and now they have a fountain pen version.
Plotter Letterpress Refill Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). Finally someone has done a review of what might be my favorite paper format on the market: letterpress Midori MD cotton paper in Plotter refill format! I have an embarrassingly large stockpile of this stuff but churn through it fairly quickly.
New Lists: Oxford Task Manager (via A Fleeting Ripple). I’ve long had a thing for these narrow-format notebooks, especially for list-making. Oxford paper is available in the states in different formats than in Europe so I don’t know that I could get my hands on this particular product.
Doodling with Fountain Pens: Spread Pattern (via Fountain Pen Love). This one might be my favorite post from this excellent series!
Kaweco Sport Piston Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict). I enjoyed reading Brad’s review of the new Kaweco Sport Piston fountain pen, which is a balanced review looking at the pen for what it actually is with a realistic perspective on what Kaweco could accomplish in today’s market.
When the Product Isn’t What You Expected (via Well-Appointed Desk). I had a very different experience with the Metacil Pencil and carry the shorter pocket version quite frequently, but this review demonstrates how personal use case and all the different variables (paper type, graphite preferences) can create wildly different experiences from user to user.

Uni Mitsubishi Metal Mechanical Pencil Lead Case — My adventures in weird stationery continue….

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I reviewed a second piece of “Weird Stationery” (after the Metacil), which is a metal mechanical pencil lead case from Uni that I discovered at Kinokuniya earlier this year. I also talked briefly about two of my favorite small makers (Shawn Newton and Nicholas Pasquale) with whom I just released two exclusive collaborations that are now available. More on those below.

TGS x Newton Pens Majestic Fountain Pen — Check out the shop listing for additional photos, including close-ups of our new engraved nibs.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - New T.G.S. Exclusive Editions!

The biggest news from the shop this week was the launch of two new T.G.S.-exclusive collaborations with Newton Pens and PensByPasquale (Nicholas Pasquale). The first pen is a Newton Pens Majestic in T.G.S. Signature Black and Red, but with a crimson nib by Hinze Pen engraved with the T.G.S. Logo! The second is a hand-turned nib holder from PensByPasquale which is compatible with both Kakimori and standard dip nibs. The nib holders will ship starting June 24, while the Majestic pens are available to ship immediately!

You can read more from Tuesday’s post on new Uni Mitsubishi arrivals as well as this week’s Thursday Drops post, but we recently received new special edition Uni Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pens in the Uni x Karimoku finish, as well as additional Jetstream Prime Pens and Mechanical Pencil Lead cases. Lots of fun stuff you don’t see very often!