Thursday Drops: Laurett's Pens and Pencils, Archer & Olive Notebooks, Plus Diplomat, TWSBI, and Nakabayashi Restocks

We’re back from the D.C. Pen Show and came home to a stack of boxes in our receiving area! As noted on Tuesday, we now have Archer & Olive hardcover A5 slim notebooks, which are the equivalent of a Traveler’s Notebook standard refill in hardback format. We also have freshly arrived Diplomat Viper fountain pens and a full TWSBI restock, including more of the recently released Serpentine Bronze fountain pens.

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Archer & Olive’s paper features a bright white dot grid ruling and is ink-friendly!

But what I’m most excited about today are these “WAKA” ebonite ballpoints and mechanical pencils from Laurett’s, a Japanese precision manufacturer known for their ultra-fine knurling. I visited the Laurett’s table at the D.C. Pen Show and couldn’t resist bringing some of these home with me. If they do well I will add additional colors of ebonite, of which there are plenty!

Come see all this stuff in person! We will be open at our Nashville location this weekend from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday.

1. Laurett’s Ballpoint Pens and Mechanical Pencils. Laurett’s Japan is known for precision machining, and offers ebonite and anodized aluminum pens with some of the best knurling I’ve experienced. Limited quantities on these!

2. Archer & Olive A5-Slim Notebooks. We recently learned that people really love TN/A5-slim notebooks, and these hardcover notebooks from Archer & Olive feature 160 gsm dot grid paper that’s ink friendly, with three different cover designs in canvas or vegan leather.

3. Archer & Olive Vinyl Planner Tabs. These planner tabs allow you to organize your planner or notebook by month. Each set contains 24 tabs, with two stickers for each month.

4. Diplomat Viper Fountain Pens. The hooded Diplomat Viper is a unique fountain pen that you can pair with a matching rollerball to create a set (or you can mix and match colors like me). We currently have black, blue, and brown pens available.

5. TWSBI ECO Serpentine Bronze Fountain Pens. Our initial shipment of Serpentine Bronze fountain pens flew off the shelves, but we have more in all nib sizes.

6. Nakabayashi Paper. Nakabayashi offers fountain pen friendly paper in a wide variety of formats, led by the fountain pen friendly Yu-Sari paper in both notebook and looseleaf. Of all the paper we carry, Nakabayashi is our fastest-growing brand.

7. Nakabayashi Shredder Scissors. This unique desk accessory was a longtime favorite, and we’re happy to have more! If you need an easy way to quickly shred a document but don’t have access to a full-size shredder, these scissors offer a portable solution.

8. Uni Style Fit Meister 5 Multi Pens and Gel Refills. A classic conical-tip gel multi pen, the Uni Style Fit is one of those classic pens that has been around for a while but features a wide range of refills in a multitude of different tip sizes.

9. Pilot 4+1 Acroball Multi Pens. Did you know that these Pilot multipens take both Pilot’s excellent Acro Ink refills and will also work with the Uni Style Fit gel refills? They’re incredibly versatile!

10. Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil. The Perfect Pencil is a combination pencil cap/extender/sharpener that ships with one Faber-Castell “B” grade pencil but is compatible with most standard woodcase hex pencils.

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And, yes, we still have Yamamoto Bullet Jotters, plus the refill pads that include the newly released “Meringue” paper and others.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

New Arrivals: Archer & Olive Notebooks and Vinyl Planner Tabs

We’ve discovered lately that everyone loves A5 Slim notebooks - and guess what? We have new ones! These hardcover notebooks from Archer & Olive are the same size as a Traveler’s refill and other A5 Slim products that use the 4.3” x 8.25” dimensions, and feature 144 pages of thick 160 gsm paper that takes fountain pen ink extremely well, with no ghosting, feathering, or bleed-through. In the past, we’ve carried hardcover notebooks with a similar profile, and I’m excited to have found these to add to our curation. Archer & Olive also makes Vinyl Planner Tabs, which are sold in packs of 24 (two of each month per pack) and allow you to divide any notebook or planner into dated sections.

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We currently stock these Archer & Olive notebooks in three different covers, with two canvas and one vegan leather option. We may add additional sizes and colors as more become available. The Vinyl Planner Tabs are currently available for purchase in two different color schemes: “Storybook” and “Wonderstruck”.

We are back from the 2025 D.C. Pen Show and will be open at our Nashville location this weekend from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday.

Archer & Olive Vinyl Planner Tabs in the “Storybook” finish.

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.

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.