Pen Show Resources: What To Do At A Pen Show, and How Do You Prepare? (Plus a Further Roterfaden Update)

We’re entering a busy stretch for pen shows, even though the 2025 D.C. Pen Show is in the books! Later this month we have the San Francisco Pen Show (August 29-31), and after that Orlando, Commonwealth (Boston), and Dallas in September. (Check out the full calendar here.) Many of you have shared that you are planning on attending your first show and have asked for some “pen show prep” posts. I’ve done a bunch of these over the years, and need to pull them together onto one page, but they tend to need very little updating as the show experience has remained surprisingly consistent.

To start, I generally link back to a series of “Pen Show Primer” articles I’ve written including Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show. While these particular articles have some age on them, I stand by pretty much all of the advice. (You’ll also note that “get a good pen show bag” has remained consistently high on the list of tips for a positive pen show experience, along with “take breaks” if you can.) For those looking for information on nib grinds, earlier this year I did a YouTube video walking through a nib grind I had done by Matthew Chen at this year’s Arkansas Pen Show.

View fullsize

Be sure to build plenty of “browsing time” into you pen show schedule.

A Quick Update on Upcoming Shows and Roterfaden Restocks

I will be teaming up with Vanness Pens once again at the upcoming San Francisco Pen Show, helping at the table and with various seminars and discussion panels. There won’t be a “T.G.S. Table,” but I may have some exclusive items available at the show through Vanness, including any remaining Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters from shipments scheduled to arrive in the next two weeks. The initial shipment should arrive next week, and it will contain a restock of A6, B6, B5, A5, and A4 sizes. I do have another order of the A5 Slim TGS_25 special editions on the way, which I expect to have in hand before San Francisco provided there are no delays. Many people have e-mailed asking whether they can reserve, prepay, or receive an e-mail notifying them when they are available. Unfortunately, due to the volume of messages, I am no longer able to respond individually, and I cannot promise pre-sale or prepayment opportunities because I do not know how much lead time we will have and I generally am uncomfortable taking money until I know international shipments have cleared customs. I will be posting updates in the Patreon (members will have some stock set aside for first refusal), here on the blog a few days prior to the launch, and via the T.G.S. mailing list. I will try to give everyone as much advanced notice as possible, but due to the small-batch nature of the product, it’s possible that there won’t be enough to meet demand, and if that’s the case I will try for a third shipment.

Come see us in person, either at a show or at our spot in Nashville! We will be open this week from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday and from 10am-6pm Saturday.

2025 D.C. Pen Show Recap: The Big Show Gets Bigger

Can you believe that I just returned home from what I’m pretty sure was the biggest D.C. Pen Show ever and I feel like I barely got to see any of it? Sometimes that’s what happens when you’re busy behind the table! I had a great time visiting with all of you who stopped by, either during the show or after-hours, and my suitcases came home much lighter than when I left. Unfortunately, because I was behind the table for most of the weekend, I only made it into one of the four ballrooms, and even then only for a few minutes. Where did I go when I did have free time? More on that below but some of you can probably guess from the pic above. IYKYK.

I posted a short YouTube video this morning showing how the Kaweco D.I.Y. machine works.

What Did I Do All Weekend? Teach Classes, Sell Notebooks, and Staff the Kaweco D.I.Y. Station

For those of you who missed my weekend updates, I didn’t arrive until late Friday afternoon due to flight cancellations on Thursday, and couldn’t set up until Saturday morning. Despite missing an entire day, the crowds on Saturday more than made up for it, and even Sunday was brisk, which was unusual. I was able to teach two sessions of my “Notebook Systems 101” workshop in the Vanness Pen Lounge, and both classes ended up with good turnouts and active question and answer sessions.

View fullsize

The Kaweco D.I.Y. Sport: Joe’s Version.

Surprisingly, the most fun I had was working the Kaweco D.I.Y. Sport station. For those unfamiliar with Kaweco’s “D.I.Y.” setup, for the past couple of years they have been shipping two machines to retailers, which when set up allow customers to assemble their own Kaweco Sport fountain pen. It’s a pretty simple process, where you use one machine to press the nib unit into the section, and another to assemble the blind cap, outer cap, and finial. Vanness Pens had two different color options, and you could mix and match between the two. I chose a teal pen with a burgundy section, and filmed the assembly process.

View fullsize

My D.C. Pen Show Haul

I had a very small D.C. Pen Show haul, which included the one item I was hoping to track down at either the D.C. Pen Show or the San Francisco Pen Show later this month: a glass pen from Hanabi Glass Studio. I’ve long admired Lucas’s work, and with my limited time, I made a beeline for his table on Sunday morning during the slower weekend pass early admission hours. While he had sold a lot of pens on Friday and Saturday, plenty remained and I was able to get one of the styles I’ve been admiring. It writes exceptionally well, with a tip size that I would characterize as a fine. Look for more of this pen as I do ink samples and comparisons in the future. It’s a work of art.

View fullsize

I also stopped by the Laurett’s table late on Sunday before they packed up, in order to pick up some of their ebonite ballpoints and mechanical pencils. I brought home several for the shop, so look for these in the coming days. (Let’s just say I bought every red and black version I could get my hands on.) For those unfamiliar with Laurett’s, it’s a Japanese precision machining company that specializes in knurling. And it’s great knurling, if you’re into that sort of thing.

View fullsize

The Laurett’s “WAKA” ballpoints feature intricate knurling on the grip section. It’s insanely comfortable to hold.

Overall, this was an outstanding D.C. Pen Show, reminiscent of the 2015-2017 era. Do I wish I had more time to roam the show? Sure, but I should have that opportunity in San Francisco since I will not have my own table and will be mainly helping out my friends at Vanness Pens. (I may bring some Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters with me if I can get additional stock - you all cleaned me out in D.C. and we currently have very few units remaining.) That said, I’m looking forward to a few weeks at home and in the shop. I have a ton of new arrivals, and some BIG news that we will be announcing towards the end of the month. Stay tuned!

We will be open at our Nashville location this weekend from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. We’d love to see you in person, or you can support T.G.S. by shopping via our online store or visiting our Patreon. Many thanks!

D.C. Pen Show Weekend Update: Greetings from the Big Show!

Despite multiple flight cancellations and delays, I finally made it to the D.C. Pen Show, though I didn’t make it to the actual event on Friday given my arrival time. This will be a two-day show weekend for me, but Saturday was busy and more than made up for missing Friday. I don’t leave until Sunday, so I’ll be set up until show close (or at least until there’s nobody left)! If you’re looking for me, I’m right out front of the main ballroom, sharing table space with the Vanness Pens Kaweco DIY Station, where I can help you assemble your own Kaweco Sport! It’s a fun little exercise that I plan to do myself before I leave, and will be sure to document the process.

View fullsize

While I’ve barely been out from behind the table to explore, this year’s D.C. Pen Show seems well-attended and has an energy that the show has lacked in recent years. Attendees are happy, and spreading out the show among four ballrooms definitely limited the door rush. Many thanks to everyone who attended my Notebook Systems 101 Class on Saturday - there was a nice turnout and the some excellent questions. I will plan to post some information from this class in the coming weeks.

View fullsize

The one continuing disappointment from the current show setup is the lack of a true after-hours gathering space. The hotel has been remodeled, and while the old setup wasn’t great, the current way the hotel is organized has done away with a lot of the tables and nooks that people could use to catch up after hours. The bar/restaurant area severely limits seating, especially at long tables. Even later at night, when nobody was still eating dinner and tables were empty, the staff tried to keep us from sitting down even though we made it clear we planned to order drinks. It left me more than a bit nostalgic for the old D.C. show, which had legendary after-hours socializing that has become much more disjointed and subdued.

Since it’s Pen Show Weekend, take 10% off most orders with “PENSHOW10” at checkout. (Certain brands cannot be discounted so the discount will not apply.) Note: If you are wanting to order a Roterfaden A5, I brought my entire remaining stock with me to the pen show so come find me early. We only have a handful of A5 covers remaining.

Roterfaden TGS_25 Update and Final DC Pickup Instructions!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled stationery programming for this public service announcement: Due to the interest in our recent Roterfaden collaboration, the TGS_25, we’ve been offered and have decided to do another full run! Many of you have been e-mailing me, but unfortunately we are not equipped to do a wait list or hold stock upon request. Here’s how this will work:

• Once I receive notice from Roterfaden that the Taschenbegleiters are ready, I will post an announcement so that people can start watching the site for news/updates.

• Once I receive notice from DHL that the package has been shipped to me and cleared customs, I will post additional stock for pre-purchase. Typically, this happens 5 days or so before they actually arrive, but sometimes it’s quicker.

• As always, some stock will initially be set aside for Patreon supporters, who continue to receive special pricing on exclusives as part of their benefits.

• Based on the recent trade announcement, I do not currently believe that the new agreement will require a price adjustment. If everything remains stable, the TGS_25 will continue to be priced at $195. That said, because costs have been so unpredictable, I have to leave open the possibility of an adjustment as this is an expensive project.

View fullsize

I will have most of these at the D.C. Pen Show with me!

DC Pen Show Update: July 31, 2025 - August 3, 2025

This coming weekend is DC Pen Show Weekend! For details on our workshops and where we’ll be located, check out our post from last week.

Any orders placed for D.C. Pickup are already on their way to D.C. with a friend, so the current “DCPICKUP” code is limited to those products that I will be carrying with me to the show (Roterfaden and Lochby). If you would like to reserve a product from one of these lines for show pickup, please get your order in by the end of the day today as I will be fully packed by tomorrow morning. Currently we have stock of most versions of the A5 Roterfadens since the last order was quite large. (We do not have any remaining stock of the TGS_25, and I will not have any with me in D.C.) The code will drop any shipping charge at checkout.

Just a friendly reminder that our local shop is closed this upcoming Friday and Saturday because we will be attending the Washington, D.C. Pen Show! We will have special hours on Thursday (10am-2pm), and if there is something you’re looking to pick up at the store you can always make an appointment to shop in person. I hope to see many of you this weekend!

Notebook Systems 101: More 2025 DC Pen Show Workshop Information

I mentioned Saturday that I would be holding a daily workshop on Notebook Systems at the 2025 D.C. Pen Show, and times are now live on the D.C. Pen Show website. Because that site can be a bit hard to follow, the schedule is as follows: Friday 8/1 at 4pm; Saturday 8/2 at 3:30pm; and Sunday 8/3 at 11:30am. There is no charge to attend any of my workshops, and the class will be held in the Vanness Pen Lounge, located downstairs and open to all show attendees.

What Does The Notebook Systems 101 Workshop Entail?

Last year, I held the workshop roundtable-style in the pen lounge, and basically walked attendees through the concept of a notebook “system” (as opposed to just a standard notebook) and the different options available. Attendees were able to peruse functional samples (either my personal notebooks or demo units set up by me) of notebooks/binders from Plotter, Traveler’s Company, Lochby, and Roterfaden. This year, I will have those same brands available, plus additional examples of notebooks from Yamamoto Ro-Biki, Cloth & Paper, and other more unique offerings that don’t get as much attention.

View fullsize

I enjoy holding this class because many people find it helpful to experience in person how each system works, and what types of paper and accessories can be used with each one. It can be hard to visualize a ring binder vs. a cord-based system vs. a disc-based system without an opportunity to test them out hands-on. It’s a key part of our in-store experience here in Nashville, which I try to replicate at those pen shows where I’m primarily teaching as opposed to setting up and selling.

What If I Can’t Make the D.C. Pen Show? Where Else Can I Find This Information?

I recently created a Notebook Systems informational resource on the website, with links to relevant blog posts and video content. I plan to add to this in the future, including any workshop content that I make available to pen show attendees, so that general readers will have access even if they can’t make the show.

View fullsize

Oh, and I’ll probably bring some multi pens!

Do You Have a Table at the D.C. Pen Show?

I will have a small setup, either as part of the Vanness Pen Lounge or adjacent to the Vanness tables. (D.C. is so large and chaotic that we often don’t know how exactly how the show will be set up until we get there.) I currently plan to bring a small assortment of notebooks, mainly Roterfaden and Lochby. Traveler’s Company and Plotter usually attend the show as a brand and sell directly. Some of you have asked whether we will have stock of our recently released Roterfaden special edition, the TSG_25. While I will certainly bring any stock that I have, I think it’s unlikely many will remain available as we’ve already sold through roughly 2/3 of our initial shipment. The timing and size of any restock will depend on trade developments in the coming days, but it will not be prior to the D.C. Pen Show, unfortunately.

Our brick-and-mortar is open this week so please do stop by! We are open Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm, and on Saturday from 10am-6pm, and otherwise by appointment. Hope to see you soon!