Sunday Reading for August 24, 2025

1. True Motivations, Revisited (via A Gathering of Curiosities). Why do you collect pens? I think I fall squarely into the “for me” category. Most of the pens I consider “prized” are used solely at home or at work in the privacy of my office.

2. 2025 State of the Scholar, Tray One (via mnmlscholar). I plan to do my own collection-level check-in later this year. This post was a good reminder.

3. A #9 Nib??? The Junlai 930 (via Figboot on Pens). I can appreciate a larger nib but at some point I think #8 nibs are as big as I will go.

4. ColorVerse’s Colorvent White Hole: Should It Have Made the Cut? (via Inkdependence). There’s some controversy over the “Top 3” inks that ColorVerse chose from the 2024 Colorvent Calendar. In my mind, Christmas Star was the only one unique enough to justify “Top 3”, and a lot of exceptionally good inks were left by the wayside.

5. #12PenPerson Questions (via Olive Octopus). Here we go! I’ll need to start working on mine. These little exercises are a great way to get to learn more about people in the community.

6. Drillog Metal Dip Pen TESTED - What You Need to Know (via Doodlebud). The original Drillog had some issues with consistent ink flow and the company has been working on v2.0 for a while now.

7. Prime Number of Notebooks (via Line Variation). I’ve looked at these Delfonics bags before and wow, they apparently can hold a LOT of notebooks.

8. The Answer to the Problem Was Obvious (via Philofaxy). The answer is ALWAYS another notebook. And that’s quite an impressive collection!

9. Will I Ever Pass Up Free Pens? (via From the Pen Cup). Of course not. Someone should do a blog devoted solely to SWAG pens.

10. Ink Review: Finding my Purrfect Brown Ink (via Well-Appointed Desk). We’re finally headed into Fall, which means that it’s brown ink season!

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In Case You Missed It….

This week I explored a new-to-me aspect of the Pilot 4+1 Multi Pen: the ability to use the Uni Style Fit Gel Pen refill in what I consider to be one of the best 4+1 multi pens (4 pen refills plus a mechanical pencil) on the market. I also wrote a piece on how I help new users choose a fountain pen, including those who have absolutely zero familiarity with pens, and what our testing setup is like in our brick-and-mortar location.

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

One key customer request over this first year as a brick-and-mortar has been for more correspondence cards and letter-writing supplies. While we’ve long had an “InCoWriMo” header tag, the easiest way to spotlight dedicated correspondence products going forward is to have a stand-alone shop page devoted to notecards, letter sets, and more. This week we added products from Belle & Union out of San Antonio, Texas, a wide array of gel pens, including the Uni RT1 and Uni Zento, as well as the recently released Platinum Preppy Wa “Edo Monogatari” Modern Maki-e Series and the new Lamy Multi Color Safari! Be sure to check out Thursday Drops for a full list of new arrivals.

We’ve also continued to add new Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter models in A5, as well as expanded sizes that include a new B5 and additional B6 models. We have new Roterfaden B6 notebook formats, as well as replacement elastics for the softcover Taschenbegleiters. The next restock of the TGS_25 A5 Slim Roterfaden is on its way to me, and will be made available for resale upon our return from the San Francisco Pen Show, making the launch date on or about September 2. Patreon members have the ability to pre-order one of these.

We will have special hours this week due to travel to the San Francisco Pen Show, and will be open Tuesday from 1-6pm. If you’d like to pick up an order or shop in person, please plan to come that day.

Lamy

Belle & Union

Kokuyo Enpitsu Sharp

Well-Appointed Desk

Consider Further Supporting T.G.S.!

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 special promotions, 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)! The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases (including the Taschenstift “Violet Tendencies” and the Roterfaden TGS_25), 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.

Sunday Reading for August 17, 2025

1. DC Pen Show 2025 Recap (via Figboot on Pens). The D.C. Recaps took a bit of time to hit the ‘net this time around, probably because the shows were so big and people needed time to return from their travels and process.

2. 2025 DC SuperShow: World’s Largest Fountain Pen Show (via Feed Your Creativity). This video does a great job showing the scale of the D.C. Pen Show, and giving you a sense of just how big this event has gotten.

3. DC Pen Show: Fastest Way to Empty Your Wallet (via Inky.Rocks). I’m really glad that I couldn’t visit the Schon DSGN table at D.C. My wallet couldn’t take it. You can also see the full review here.

4. I Tested the Yamamoto Bullet Jotter System (via dwrdnet). Yamamoto’s latest paper product unexpectedly appeared over the summer, and people seem to have taken to this Bible-sized portfolio that’s compatible with a range of different fountain pen friendly papers.

5. Yamamoto Canopus Paper Review (via Pen Addict). One of the paper releases to accompany the Yamamoto Bullet Jotter was Yamamoto’s new “Canopus” paper, intended to offer a similar experience to the now-discontinued Cosmo Air Light, which was renowned for it’s ability to display vibrant ink colors but offered a somewhat lackluster writing experience.

6. I Left the Most Staining Ink Ever for TWO YEARS In This Pen! (via Doodlebud). Ok I couldn’t resist posting this one. Does ultem resist the BSB stain?

7. Teranishi Guitar Taisho Roman Haikara Innocent Mauve Ink (via Well-Appointed Desk). Of all the Teranishi inks we carry, Innocent Mauve has been one of the most popular. Dark purples are always winners!

In Case You Missed It….

This past week I pretty much recovered from my travel to D.C. by taking a short family trip (2 days) and decompressing a bit, because I knew I would have a relatively long weekend in the shop with a ton of new inventory arrivals to list. (More on that below.) This week’s Wednesday post offered a quick update on ongoing pen show survival/prep as well as some details on our next Roterfaden restock. Yesterday I reviewed the Uni Zento gel pen, the latest release from Uni which features an updated ink designed for writing comfort. I compare this pen to the Uni One, the other specialty ink that’s a relatively recent release. (Update: I also did a video review in which I walk through the differences between the Zento and the One, and do a real-time writing sample.)

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

I spent much of Friday and Saturday listing all sorts of new arrivals, since July and August have been pretty heavy with new product releases and trade show restocks. In addition to the Uni Zento gel pens, the latest Platinum Preppy Wa “Modern Maki-e” series arrived, alongside the Colorverse Colorvent “Top 3” Ink Sets. We also have a full restock of most of the Yamamoto Sampler Packs and Select A4 paper packs, as well as Taccia and Teranishi Inks! Finally, we have a new Ro-Biki Cover as well as restocked Ro-Biki refills. Check out the full Weekly Drops post for a recap of everything that’s new.

This will be our last full week in the shop before we head to the San Francisco Pen Show from August 29-31. We will be open Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, and from 10-6pm on Saturday. We likely will have special hours the following week (maybe Sunday and Tuesday/Weds) before we head to the show. Keep an eye on this page for updates.

Anterique

Iroful

Lamy

Yamamoto

Consider Further Supporting T.G.S.!

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 special promotions, 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)! The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive 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.

Sunday Reading for August 10, 2025

1. What’s Inside This Mystery Stationery Box? (via dwrdnet). Derek unpacks our second curated stationery box, available quarterly via our Patreon (though this time we had a couple left over so at least one non-Patreon member got to grab one). If there’s enough demand we will expand and open it up a bit in the future.

2. 2025 Washington D.C. Fountain Pen Supershow (via Olive Octopus). Lisa has a very comprehensive D.C. recap, and she brought back a lot of fun stuff. I missed the NFP Designs table so it was interesting to see some of their newer designs up close.

3. 2025 D.C. Pen Show (via Rachel’s Reflections). That’s quite the D.C. Pen Show haul!

4. BUNGUBOX: Their Fountain Pens (via Inky.Rocks). I missed getting to see the Bungubox table at the D.C. show but look forward to visiting them in San Francisco.

5. Vintage Journal Ethics (via Notebook Stories). This isn’t something I’ve ever thought much about, and I also had no idea that people were selling other people’s old journals online? I like the idea in the comments about adopting pseudonyms for yourself/others in your journals and personal writing.

6. Chopping Block (via Line Variation). Sometimes you have to thin the accumulation. What process do you use to think through what to keep and what to let go?

7. Visit to Hands (Suntec Outlet) in Singapore (via Inkredible Colours). The fact that this isn’t even a true stationery store, and still has a selection like this, is incredible.

8. Dominant Industry Takasago Ink Swatch Paper Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). There’s a plethora of ink swatch cards and paper tools on the market these days, from brands like Col-o-Ring, Dominant Industries, and Iroful.

9. Ink Review: Wearingeul Wafarer (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’m not usually a shimmer ink fan, but the subtle Wayfarer is one that finds its way into my rotation semi-regularly.

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In Case You Missed It…

I spent most of this week recovering/getting caught up from the D.C. Pen Show, which I recapped on Wednesday. Yesterday I published a post on a topic that I’ve been thinking on for some time, and which has been the subject of several reader requests: my current favorite pencils. Note that my “favorites” posts are different than my “recommendations”, the latter of which focus much more on pens and pencils that might appeal to a broader audience as opposed to my specific needs. Check those out here.

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Iroful has come out with a set of 100 Ink Cards, perfect for sampling and swatching inks.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop: New LAMY AL-Stars!

The big news from this week is that the 2025 Lamy AL-Star releases (“Dark Dusk” and “Mint”) arrived over the weekend. Personally, my favorite is the Dark Dusk, as it’s a gorgeous deep purple blue worthy of its namesake. We also added knurled ebonite ballpoints from Laurett’s, a Japanese company that specializes in precision machining. Matching mechanical pencils are also available. On the paper side, we have Traveler’s-sized hardcover notebooks from Archer & Olive, as well as Iroful Planner-punched paper in Bible, Mini, and Mini 5 sizes.

Store hours for this coming week will be as normal! We will be open in-store Thursdays and Fridays from 1-6pm, and Saturday from 10am-6pm. We hope to see you in Nashville.

Laurett's

Lamy

Iroful

Kutsuwa Sharpeners

Consider Further Supporting T.G.S.!

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 special promotions, 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)! The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive 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.

Monday Morning Reading for August 4, 2025 (Post-D.C. Pen Show Edition)

1. LIVE from the D.C. Fountain Pen Supershow 2025! (via Inkdependence). I missed Mike’s live feed this year, but was able to say hello on Sunday and catch up a bit!

2. Love in the Long Arc (via A Gathering of Curiosities). While its necessary to thin out pen collections, there is also a lot to be said for giving some pens time. And a nib grind or tune can sometimes change everything.

3. I Tracked Down the Pen That Keeps Selling Out Everywhere (via dwrdnet). Derek goes hands-on with the elusive Zento Signature.

4. Keeping a Journal (via Philofaxy). This post has a list to a bunch of journaling resources. Plus that’s quite a stack of journals!

5. How Do I Use Fountain Pens at Work (via SBRE Brown). I love a good workflow/what-I-use video.

6. Values Journaling Check-in (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Values-based journaling is a technique that can be extremely valuable when looking to make a career change/redirection.

7. Stationery Stack Pen Tray Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). I have been absolutely loving my own stationery stack Alfie. Look for a review at some point in the future.

8. Oblation Papers Oregon Marionberry (2025 PNW Pen Show Exclusive) (via Well-Appointed Desk). A gorgeous dark burgundy ink prepared for this year’s Pacific Northwest Pen Show.

9. Life Stationery Noble Note A5 and B6 Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). The B6 version - including Life’s collaboration with Kleid - is one of the options that will fit the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter B6 (for those who asked this weekend).

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I staffed the Kaweco DIY Sport stationer for most of the weekend. It was fun, and I made a pen! More on that coming.

In Case You Missed It…

This week was completely consumed by D.C. Pen Show attendance (including a longer-than-expected travel odyssey to the show), but I did manage to get out from behind the table for just a bit to explore and make one or two purchases (along with my own Kaweco DIY Sport). More on those later this week. As I noted yesterday, even as an abbreviated two-day experience, this was a great D.C. Pen Show, with a lot of energy!

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Other discoveries. Stay tuned on this one!

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

We had a bunch of new multi-pen arrivals this week, including the classic Uni Style Fit (with 16 gel refills), Pilot Acro Ink refills for the Pilot 4+1 Multi Pens, and Pilot D1 Refills for the 2+1 Legno. Yamamoto Paper A4 Select packs are also back in stock in many favorite variants, and we also have the new Bible-sized Bullet Jotters and most of the refill pads. Be sure to check out this week’s Weekly Drops post for a full list of all newly-arrived products.

Many of you have asked about the Roterfaden TGS_25 Collaboration Release, and please know that I am actively working on a restock! We don’t yet have a timeline on arrivals, but it may be a few weeks. Please stay tuned and follow the website, social media, and our e-mail newsletters for updates.

Uni

Yamamoto Paper

Roterfaden

Lochby

Consider Further Supporting T.G.S.!

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 special promotions, 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)! The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive 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.

Sunday Reading for July 27, 2025

1. The Unbelievable Roterfaden TGS 25 - Everything You Need to Know (via dwrdnet). Many thanks to Derek for walking through our Roterfaden collab! These are almost sold out, and while I’m a bit sad I can’t take them to D.C., I’m ecstatic for all of these to find new homes.

2. Let’s Figure Out the Lumos Pro Duo from Tom’s Studio (via Inkdependence). Mike walks through the Lumos refillable fineliner and how they work. These pens have struck a chord with people looking to be able to use their fountain pen inks in a fineliner format that can be a bit more office and travel friendly. They remain one of our own best-sellers.

3. Louise Carmen Better Than Paper Republic? Plotter? Traveler’s Notebook? (via Inky.Rocks). I loved seeing this comparison. Louise Carmen is a brand that I’m seeing more of online, as well as Paper Republic.

4. Radio, Revisited: Local Radio Has Gotten Good (finally), a New C. Crane, and Goodbye to Satellite (via Urban Adventure League). I’ve had fun rediscovering my local terrestrial radio recently. I’ve always appreciated my local NPR affiliate, but have barely used my satellite subscription in recent months.

5. Pen Show Planning (via Rachel’s Reflections). What, we’re only a week out from D.C.? Guess I’d better pack. And prepare my class.

6. New Journal and 10 Years of Writing at Large (via Writing at Large). Congrats on 10 years! A huge bloggiversary accomplishment.

7. Schon DSGN x Custom Nib Studio Sashiko Fountain Pen (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Whoa. I missed this launch, but maybe I’ll get to see this one in D.C.

8. A Trip to Tokyo: Local for a Moment (via Pete Denison). As always, Pete’s travelogues are excellent, observant, and a fun read.

9. Hey, DC! Reminder: Sign Up for Pen Show Workshops (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you’re planning on attending the D.C. Pen Show, everyone should be aware that certain classes and workshops require a reservation, and others require a class fee. If you’re looking forward to attending one of these, you may need to sign up so please check the D.C. website.

10. Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia Fountain Pen Ink Review (via Pen Addict). I also love offbeat muted colors, and “Gold Sepia” checks this box.

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These Yamamoto Bible-Sized Jotter pads could be an indispensable accessory for those who use Bible size Plotters and similar ring binders.

In Case You Missed It….

I spent most of this week shipping Roterfadens and attempting to prep for D.C., with Tennessee tax-free weekend thrown into the mix! If you’re coming to D.C. (or just want to know what a pen show is all about), check out Wednesday’s post previewing my workshop on Notebook Systems 101. Yesterday I built on that a bit, discussing the idea of how to pair systems from different brands to customize build-outs for your specific needs.

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop: Last Call for TGS_25

We are down to ONE remaining unit of our Roterfaden collab as of this morning. I’d really love to send this one off to a new home soon. If you missed out, I will place a restock in the future as soon as we get some certainty on the trade situation and what pricing will look like going forward. In the meantime, we are well-stocked on standard A5 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters, as well as a limited number of B6 versions. We also have a restock of Yamamoto Select A4 papers, and their new Bible-sized Bullet Jotters, complete with 6 different refills that include the new Canopus and Meringue papers. For a full list of restocks and new releases, check out this week’s Thursday Drops post!

We will have reduced hours this week in our brick-and-mortar shop, as we are traveling to the D.C. Pen Show. August is Pen Show Month, so in-person shopping will be somewhat irregular unless I can get help covering shop hours. This week we will be open on Thursday for modified hours but closed Friday and Saturday.

Braun

Yamamoto Paper

Original Brooks

Toyo Steel

Consider Further Supporting T.G.S.!

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 special promotions, 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)! The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive 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.