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

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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.

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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.

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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.

Weekly Drops: Uni Style Fit Meister 5, Even More Multi Pen Madness, and the Annual Pen Show Weekend Discount!

The good thing about travel delays (as long as you can snag a place to work) is that you get some site updates done! Yesterday I managed to get the Uni Style Fit Meister 5 Multi Pens listed, along with all the refills in tip sizes ranging from .28mm to .5mm. The Style Fit has been around for so long that many people forget it exists, but it’s one of the best gel multi pens on the market for those who prefer a classic conical tip over a needle-point like the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto. We also have refills for the Pilot 4+1 Multi Pens with the contoured wood grips, as well as Pilot Acroball D1 refills that will fit the Pilot Legno 2+1 as well as other D1 multi pens like the Lamy 2000, the Lamy ST, CP1, and Logo.

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We also have plenty remaining Yamamoto Bullet Jotters, though we are sold out of the new Canopus paper refills. (We have the other 5 remaining varieties, including Meringue.) I will also have a small number of the jotters at the D.C. Pen Show, assuming I actually manage to get on a plane.

AND, 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. Be sure to place an order by tomorrow so I can remove it from pen show stock and hold it for shipment upon return.

If you’ve been following my social media, you’ll have heard that I had to miss the first day of the D.C. Pen Show due to flight delays, which ended up with a cancellation/rescheduling of my travel to Friday afternoon. It’s weather-related, so nothing to be done, but it means that my Friday afternoon workshop is cancelled. I should be there all day Saturday and Sunday, fingers crossed! Also, Brick and Mortar shopping in Nashville is closed Friday and Saturday, due to pen show attendance. Shopping available by appointment Tuesday and regular hours next Thursday-Saturday (8/7-8/9).

1. Uni Style Fit Meister 5 Multi-Pen. For those who prefer a conical tip gel pen over a needle-style like the Pilot Hi-Tec-C or the Pentel Energel, the Uni Style Fit is worth checking out. We have multiple color options in the 5-slot “Meister 5”, and 16 different refill color options from which to choose.

2. Pilot 4+1 Multi Pens. Pilot’s low-viscosity “Acro-Ink” is excellent, and should get equal air time as the Uni Jetstream. In addition to the Acroball/Dr. Grip multi pen refills (which we now stock), I understand that people have been able to get Uni Style Fit refills to fit this pen as well, though I’ve not experimented extensively. Stay tuned!

3. Pilot Legno 2+1. The Pilot Legno 2+1 is a three-slot multi pen that has room for two D1 refills and a mechanical pencil. The wood barrel features a contoured shape and comes in three different tones: red, black, brown, and mahogany. This version of the Legno multi pen has become one of my favorites, especially since the red and brown barrels match the Pilot S20 ballpoint and mechanical pencil, allowing you to build a set.

4. Pilot Acroball D1 Refills. We also have Pilot Acroball refills for the Legno 2+1, which are universal D1 size so they will also fit other D1 multi pens we carry.

5. Yamamoto Paper Bullet Jotter. These Bible-sized bullet portfolios hold two pads of specialty paper, which are perfect for stand-alone notetaking or for hole-punching and inclusion in a Bible-sized planner.

6. Yamamoto Paper Bullet Jotter Refill Pads. As with their paper samplers and select looseleaf paper packs, Yamamoto offers an expansive range of different papers that fit the Bullet Jotter, including Soliste, Sheep Clouds Bond, Slight White, Sanzen Tomoe River, and new additions Meringue and Canopus. (Apologies, but Canopus is currently sold out and I am working to get more.)

7. Yamamoto Paper Specialty Japanese Papers (A4 Looseleaf). We received a restock of the Yamamoto A4 looseleaf sample packs, including additional Slight White, Light Force, and Soliste.

8. Maruman Spiral Notebook Basic Notebook (Now with 150-sheet Options!). We now have the 150-sheet versions of the Maruman Basics Spiral Notebook, in both B5 and A5 sizes.

9. Notsu Notecards and Notecard Systems. The popular Notsu notecards are back in stock, including the Centre Rise box sets, packs of 50 loose notecards in multiple formats, and vegan leather notecard holders.

10. Toyo Stainless Steel Boxes. A popular new addition to our desk/office accessories lineup, these steel boxes from Toyo can hold anything from small office supplies like sticky notes and paper clips to small ink bottles. Toyo boxes come in various sizes and stack easily.

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Look at all those Style Fit refills!

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.

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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!

New Arrivals: Pilot Multi-Pen Refills for the Pilot Acroball 4+1 and the Legno D1

We’ve been holding back a bit on promoting some excellent Pilot Multi Pens because we still hadn’t received our shipment of refills. Well, that’s no longer an issue! We have stock of the Pilot 4+1 Multi Pens (which take the BVRF-8 refill), as well as the Pilot Legno 2+1 Multi Pen (which takes a D1 refill, and we can now offer the Pilot Acro Ink version!) I’m especially excited to have these Acro Ink D1 refills in stock, because it’s yet another option for all the D1 Multi Pens we carry, such as the Lamy 2000, Lamy Logo, Lamy CP1 and Lamy ST (all of which are now back in stock).

Uni has sort of cornered the market on low-viscosity ballpoints and multi pens, at least here in the U.S., but Pilot’s Acro Ink is very good, and I’ve always had a positive experience with the Acroball and Dr. Grip pen lines. I would characterize the ink as slightly more like a traditional ballpoint than Jetstream ink, but it’s smooth, dark, and dries quickly. If you haven’t tried this one yet, it’s certainly worth checking out! I’ve also created a general multi-pen category in the store, to make it easier to see all the different options together.

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!