Sunday Reading for June 29, 2025

1. Going to St. Louis Pen Show! (via A Gathering of Curiosities). I’ve never been to the St. Louis Pen Show, despite it only being a few hours drive. The stars didn’t align this for me this month but I hope everyone has a great time!

2. St. Louis Pen Show Exclusive Ink: KWZ 314 Blues (via Inkdependence). Hopefully those of you attending the St. Louis Pen Show this weekend were able to pick up a bottle of the show-exclusive ink!

3. Mt. Fo’rest Shop Visit (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). What a cool shop with a nicely curated, eclectic selection of goods! Put this one on a list of shops to visit.

4. The Lamy 2000 Multipen Just Got Better: Adding Jetstream Refills for Better Performance (via dwrdnet). I’ve successfully converted at least one person!

5. Comparing Different Apica Paper Weights (via Fountain Pen Love). For whatever reason, Apica notebooks have never caught on in my own rotation, partly because the ones I’ve tried all have had a relatively low page count and the style doesn’t necessarily appeal to me, but it is absolutely fountain pen friendly.

6. Does Stone Paper DESTROY Fountain Pens? I Tested It to Find Out (via Doodlebud). I’ve heard this as well, and have stayed away mostly because I don’t enjoy the feel of this paper.

7. 2025 Triangle Pen Show (via Feed Your Creativity). I enjoyed watching this walkthrough of a vintage-heavy show that I’ve never attended, but it’s on my list.

8. Paper Republic Grand Voyager (via Inky.Rocks). I get a lot of questions about Paper Republic notebooks, most of which I can’t answer because I’m unfamiliar with the brand. I’m trying to learn more about some of these notebook brands with proprietary sizing.

9. Meet Your Maker: John Greco, GW Pens (via Pen Addict - Caroline). An interesting entry in this series about a maker who is new to me.

10. Ink Review: Esterbrook x TheCoffeeMonstersCo Forgotten Iced Coffee (via Well-Appointed Desk). Cool color! I love these offbeat grey-taupe-brown inks.

View fullsize

Hole punches are but one of the stationery adjacent items I’ve been playing around with this week.

In Case You Missed It….

This week, a bit of reflection where I talked about five “stationery adjacent” items that I can’t live without. This built a bit on my answer to a question in the interview I did with Derek on his YouTube Channel a few weeks back. I’ve also been hard at work refreshing some of the general informational content on the main site, so stay tuned for additional updates in the coming weeks. (This post also contained an update on August pen show plans, so check it out for details on D.C. and San Francisco.)

View fullsize

If I had to pick three “classic” Private Reserve Inks to start with, it would be Avocado, Supershow Blue, and Black Cherry/Burgundy Mist (depending on whether you want a red-black or more of a purplish burgundy).

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

The big new arrival this week was the TWSBI ECO Serpentine Bronze, which is selling quickly and we’re down to a few nib sizes. We’ll likely restock this one as it looks quite nice! We also restocked on many other standard TWSBI models alongside the Serpentine Bronze, including the Diamond Mini and the Irish Green/Onyx and Slate Blue/Onyx, with all nib sizes currently available once again. This week’s Thursday Drops post spotlighted all of the new arrivals!

We’re also happy to welcome Private Reserve Inks into the shop! Private Reserve as a brand has had its ups and downs over the years, but it has endured for 25+ years and is now under the ownership of Yafa Brands, so recent years have seen a return to consistency in quality, and I’m glad they kept the large-volume, jam-jar bottles. (60ml of ink for $18!) They make some of my long-time favorite colors, including Avocado and Burgundy Mist. I’m kinda sad Avocado is now spelled correctly on the bottle, as it will always be “Avacado” to me. :) Be sure to check out all of the colors, available in both 60ml bottle and cartridge formats.

Platinum

Lochby

Lamy Ink

Notsu

NEW T.G.S. Patreon Features - We’ve started a discord community!

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 either online (or in person, if you’re in the Nashville area)! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, the T.G.S. Patreon includes these as well as access to early 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.

Updated Site Resources: Updated FAQ Page and Summer Pen Show Schedules

I’m trying to be more consistent in updating site resources such as the FAQ (“Ask TGS”) page, the Review Archive, the “Workhorse Pens” Series, and more. As of this morning, our FAQ Page has been updated with some additional information and to incorporate recent reviews from the “Ask TGS” series. With more than a decade’s worth of T.G.S. content, I’ve spend a considerable amount of time lately trying to curate it for those new to the site, with a focus on topics that will be of interest to those just starting to explore the world of good stationery. I enjoy writing this sort of content, and am always looking for suggestions on topics of interest, so please feel free to leave a comment or reach out with questions you’d like me to answer!

View fullsize

At some point at every pen show - and especially the large ones, you will want to escape this.

The T.G.S. Summer Pen Show Schedule: D.C. and San Francisco!

I’ve also had a few questions about the summer pen show schedule. I’m currently planning to attend both the D.C. Pen Show (July 31-August 3) and the San Francisco Pen Show (August 29-September 1). While I may have some limited items for sale in D.C., I’ll mainly be camped out in the Vanness Pen Lounge downstairs holding workshops. The idea of a pen lounge was in response to attendee requests for a place to escape the crowds, especially on Saturdays (see above), with round tables for people to socialize with friends in a quieter environment and periodic workshops on pens, inks, notebook systems and more. We’re going to run this back with the team from Vanness Pens this year, so be sure to check out the details. You may have to scroll down a bit due to “unique” nature of the D.C. Pen Show website,

San Francisco is going to be a content-based trip for me, as I’ve not attended a pen show “for fun” in quite some time and also feel like I need to spend a little bit of time exploring new makers, helping friends out with their workshops and panels, and more.

We will be open this weekend in our physical shop from 10am-6pm on Saturday, and most weeks Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm leading up to the D.C. Pen Show. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

Thursday Drops: Traveler's Company Restock, New Blackwings, and the TWSBI ECO Serpentine

I hope everyone is staying cool! It’s been a hot week here in Nashville, and not particularly fun to haul boxes through the parking lot! This week we received a large TRAVELER’S Company Restock, including a handful of Love & Trip items, as well as specialty paper refills, TRAVELER’S Notebook accessories, and diaries that had sold out during the spring rush. We also received new Midori desk and reading accessories, including rulers, restocks of the XS Stationery Kits, and the slim clip bookmarks. Finally, the TWSBI ECO Serpentine Bronze pens are available for pre-order, with pens to ship out as soon as they arrive today (Thursday) or Friday. Finally, we have the new Blackwing Volume 140 Culinary pencils, and a large restock of standard Blackwing pencils, sharpeners and other accessories.

View fullsize

We have added additional planner stickers, such as these Laconic versions, which enable you to add planner-like functionality to any standard notebook.

My deepest apologies to those who were looking for a TRAVELER’S Company “Love & Trip” Special Edition but didn’t get one. We had a very limited number of Standard and Passport TRAVELER’s Notebooks available, and they sold out nearly immediately. I tried to get more, but distributors were extremely strict with retail allocations this year. If you are planning on attending the larger pen shows later this summer in Washington, D.C. or San Francisco, then you may have some luck if TRAVELER’S Company held some back for their table.

Come see these and more in-shop! We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

1. TRAVELER’S Company 2025 “Love & Trip” Sticker Sets. Despite notebooks and refills being in short supply, I was able to restock the custom sticker sets from this year’s release. These include all sorts of labels, stickers, and more that enable you to customize your TRAVELER’S Notebook, regardless of which edition/version you have!

2. TWSBI ECO Serpentine Fountain Pens. The latest release from TWSBI’s multi color releases, in which different resins are swirled together during the injection moulding process to create patterns unique to each pen, features a bronze and green swirled result that looks like it will be amazing. Orders to start shipping today/tomorrow morning.

3. Blackwing Volumes 140 Culinary Arts Pencil. This stainless steel-inspired pencil pays homage to the Maillard Reaction, the point at which food begins to brown and/or caramelize when cooked. If you’re into cooking and collect recipes, be sure to check out the companion special release, which is a set of 12 recipe notecards.

4. Notsu Notecards, Notebooks, and Pencils. One of the most well-received brands we’ve brought into the shop this year is Notsu, a brand that specializes in notecards. Whether you prefer standard 3x5 or 4x6 notecards, “To Do” formatted, or Weekly Planners, you may be surprised at how useful classic index cards can be.

5. Midori XS Stationery Kits. While we’re on the subject of stationery adjacent items, these small kits feature miniature desk accessories that are perfect for your bag/briefcase and travel! These have been out of stock for a bit but I was able to get more.

6. Midori and TRAVELER’S Rulers. We’ve restocked all of the various brass and aluminum/wood rulers from Midori and TRAVELER’S Company, including some new colors. These compact rulers slip easily into most pen cases, and in addition to being portable are very durable.

7. TRAVELER’S Company Refills and Accessories. Certain of the TRAVELER’S Company specialty papers and add-on accessories for the TRAVELER’S Notebooks have been on backorder, but we received a fairly significant shipment yesterday and many are back in stock, including pen holders, kraft folders, pocket stickers and more.

8. MD “Thick” Notebooks in A5 and A5 Square. This thicker paper from Midori is more suitable for heavier applications of ink, and even paint. Those who are into fountain pen and ink art have especially enjoyed these products, and customers have brought some amazing artwork into the store that I hope to be able to post sometime!

9. Midori MD Clip Bookmarks. Ok, in response to pressure I brought back these slim bookmarks from Midori, including the cat version. We have a lot of bookmarks and reading accessories now, which is one of my personal favorite categories to shop for.

10. BeGoody “No Smoking” Pencils. Easily the surprise hit of the year, at least on the pencil side of things, these novelty pencils will turn heads at the office! (Don’t let your kids bring them to school.)

View fullsize

TWSBI ECO Serpentine Bronze!

Getting Personal: Five "Stationery Adjacent" Items I Can't Live Without

If you’ve been listening to Derek’s interviews over on the dwrdnet stationery feed (and if you’re not, you should be), one of the questions he asks each guest is “What are your favorite ‘stationery adjacent’ items?” I sat for an interview a few weeks ago, and have been thinking on this question ever since. During the interview, our discussion focused on notebooks, but is a notebook cover or planner/binder really “stationery adjacent”? To me, that term implies an accessory: something that is stationery-related but not a writing instrument or paper, and where its true purpose is to help you better enjoy your core writing supplies. I wanted to do some follow-up and talk about a handful of items that fall more into the desk and reading accessories category, which to me is more traditionally stationery-adjacent. While I may specify a singular product, I’d recommend that you read this post as more “category recommendations” rather than product plugs.

1. Book Darts/Bookmarks. I annotate books and notebooks extensively, whether I’m marking them up with highlighters and pencils, flagging them with post-its, or more permanently dividing notebooks into sections or marking favored passages for posterity with a more permanent Book Dart. One of my favorite stationery hacks is using folded over washi tape to mark pages, which not only offers a way to work your way through a sizeable washi stash, but adds a cool visual element to notebooks.

2. Desktop Pen Stand or Pen Tray. I have a dozen pen stands and pen trays that I’ve accumulated over the years, and have them allocated between the various desks and workspaces that I use. I move around a lot because I find that my creativity and thinking benefits from the occasional change of scenery. I have a couple different desks and workstations that I rotate between, as well as a library-style area with armchairs in my home office. Of course, my favorite pen stand is my Dudek Modern Goods Divide, which sadly is no longer made, but I also enjoy my pen trays from Toyooka Craft and NFP Design.

3. An Analog Timing Device. We’ve long sold the Hightide Sandglasses in our own shop (and recently added more “upscale” bicolor versions), but I’m a fan of any desktop timing device other than a cell phone. Merely having my phone on my desk when I’m trying to think or write disrupts my flow, and something that allows me to measure 15-30 minute writing or brainstorming sessions without the possibility of a text or jarring timer. I did a separate post a while back about how I use analog timers, and also included a few ideas that were suggested by other people.

4. Rubber Stamps. I’m late to the rubber stamp game, but over the past couple of years I’ve definitely accumulated a fairly large number of custom stamps that I use for anything from decorative motifs for letters and notecards to more practical designs that can be used to organize ink swatches, write to-do lists, and more.

5. A Magnifier/Loupe. I don’t write much about this, but I have a desktop loupe that was a gift from my father years ago. Obviously designed as a desktop magnifier for assistance with reading small print, I’ve found it equally useful for inspecting fountain pen nibs and assisting with other minor repair tasks. As a true stationery nerd, I also use it to inspect paper fibers, the quality of printed rulings on notebooks and pads, and ink feathering. :)

View fullsize

A few honorable mentions that didn’t make the top five: (1) Scissors - I’m a huge fan of both the Nakabayashi and Allex versions that we carry in our store, and don’t see much of a reason to look beyond these as they are quite sharp; (2) My Notsu Centre Rise Notecard stand and a generic notecard file box that I found somewhere online, because quality notecards have started to replace traditional pocket notebooks for me; and (3) My Tracy Cullen Pottery mug and pen stand, which I picked up in Atlanta and which you can see in my Atlanta Pen Show Recap.

I typically have many of the items featured in my weekly posts with me in the shop when I open over the weekend. Come in and say hello and see them for yourself! (Even if they aren’t items we sell, I often have review samples available for you to see in person). The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

New Arrivals: TWSBI ECO "Serpentine Bronze" Pre-Orders Are Live; Pens to Ship This Week

TWSBI’s latest release is the second ECO in their mixed-color series, “Serpentine Bronze.” This new pen features a gorgeous mix of green and bronze/gold acrylic paired with TWSBI’s bronze-tone trim. Colors are mixed during the injection molding process, so no two pens will be the same and each will feature its own unique pattern of swirls. The Serpentine Bronze ECOs are priced at $51.99, and available for pre-order today. They should arrive this week and will begin shipping immediately. If you missed out on the first round of mixed-color ECOs, we have the “Amazonite” green and white version in stock as well. Be sure to check out our entire range of TWSBI Fountain Pens, Pencils, and Inks!

View fullsize

We are an authorized reseller of TWSBI products. Come see these and more in-shop, as the Serpentine Bronze ECOs should be in the store by the weekend! We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.