Episode 1 of On The Paper Trail: Setting Up Our 2026 Notebooks, Is Live!

The first episode of our new podcast project, On the Paper Trail, is live! In our initial episode, Lisa and I introduce ourselves, and then dive into a thorough discussion of our 2026 notebooks and planners and how we plan to use each one. We also answer a common customer question on Lamy pens, and discuss where you can see us in person at upcoming pen shows and other stationery-related events. Many thanks to everyone who has helped us out with this project, as your feedback has been invaluable! We’ve added show notes, as well as a list of links to where you can currently watch or listen. We are in the process of populating additional listening services and podcast apps as they verify and approve the RSS feed.

⁠Show Notes and Links⁠

1. ⁠On The Paper Trail Episode 1 Video (Watch the Video on YouTube)⁠

2. ⁠Wonderland222 B6 Core Horizontal⁠

3. ⁠Wonderland222 A5 Core Stacked (Vertical) ⁠

4. ⁠Brelio A5 6-Ring Binder⁠

5. ⁠Roterfaden Recycled Leather A5⁠

6. ⁠Roterfaden TGS_25 A5-Slim⁠

7. ⁠Writing on in 2026 (Pen Addict - Kimberly)⁠

8. ⁠Matthew's Nib Works⁠

9. ⁠California Pen Show⁠

10. ⁠Arkansas Pen Show⁠

11. ⁠San Francisco Stationery Fest⁠

Both Lisa and I will continue to record complementary content for our own respective channels, like this overhead walkthrough of my own notebooks that I released yesterday to T.G.S. YouTube. I also wrote a detailed blog post last week.

On The Paper Trail: Where You Can Download the Podcast

As noted above, if you want to follow along and watch the video, On The Paper Trail has its own YouTube Channel. We have also uploaded the podcast to most popular podcast networks and apps, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Overcast. We have submitted to additional services such as iHeartRadio, Pocketcasts, Audible, and others, and you should see On The Paper Trail Appear as an option once their review process is complete.

Note that you may have to click on one of the direct links above to listen (or subscribe!) as it takes some time for new podcasts to make their way into the search function. If you enjoy what we’re doing, we would greatly appreciate it if you could leave a positive review and subscribe, as it helps increase visibility. We are really enjoying this project, though audio/video production is something relatively new for both of us, so expect our skills to “evolve” as we record more episodes!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can always come talk pens in person at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee, open from 1-6pm Thursdays and Fridays and from 10am-6pm Saturdays.

New Arrivals: Toyo Steel Boxes in New Colors, Plus Kakimori Frost Fountain and Rollerball Pens!

Toyo steel storage boxes from Japan have become a popular stationery item for stationery enthusiasts, since they are stackable and can hold everything from pens to small bottles of ink to paper clips and other office supplies. We’re now pleased to offer these boxes in additional bright colors, including orange, yellow, and the more subdued “Glacier”. Note that these color options are made available to us by the distributor as they are imported and we do not know when additional colors will arrive. We currently have stock of the Toyo T-190, T-152, and T-150 models, which are the same sizes we previously have carried, just in new colors.

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Toyo boxes of the same shape stack nicely!

We continue to add new writing instruments and accessories from Kakimori, the most recent of which include the Frost line of fountain pens and rollerballs. The Frost rollerball has received the most interest so far, since it uses the “ink ball” technology similar to the Traveler’s Company brass rollerball pen. You can refill this pen using fountain pen ink, either with a cartridge or a converter. The Frost is available in five different translucent “frosted” colors, and features a long section that’s designed to be comfortable for extended writing sessions.

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Count me a fan of the colorful translucent frosted finish on the aptly named “Frost” fountain pens.

Our Nashville store hours are 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm Saturdays. While we do accept shopping by appointment, we require at least 24 hours notice and appointments are discretionary based on our schedule outside normal shop hours, especially during early January as we take inventory. Thanks for your understanding!

Sunday Reading for January 11, 2026

1. How to Use Your Notebooks in 2026 To Improve Your Life (via Writing at Large). Another excellent post with great suggestions on how to put your journals and notebooks to use.

2. Writing on for 2026 (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Despite her protests at being disorganized, Kimberly is much more organized with her notebooks/hobbies/projects than I will ever be. My biggest takeaway from this post, however, is that I REALLY need a rotary cutter for perforating pages.

3. Talking About 2026 Plans for Pen Shows, Conventions and More (via dwrdnet). It’s that time again, when we plan our pen show schedule for the upcoming year. We will be posting the T.G.S. Pen Show attendance schedule in the coming days.

4. My Full 2026 Techo Kaigi (SO EMBARRASSING!) (via Well-Appointed Desk). Only five notebooks? Embarrassing? Please.

5. A Spoon?! Yes. And Paper and Inks from Vanness Pens. (via Inkdependence). I don’t know what Skipidi is either, but orange shimmer sounds fun.

6. Diplomat Viper (via Figboot on Pens). For me, the only problem with this pen is that it keeps selling out….

7. ReMarkable Wish List (via Stationery Pizza). As someone who has used a ReMarkable2 for years now, yes, there is a laundry list of features I wish it had, but sometimes I appreciate the fact that they keep it relatively simple.

8. 10 Years of Pens (via Rachel’s Reflections). Congratulations on a decade in the hobby! Especially when people seem to jump between interests so frequently.

9. Fresh Thoughts on the Pilot Prera (via Pen Addict). The Prera fountain pen was a new discovery for me this year, with the release of four solid colors that held more appeal than the clear pens. You might pay a premium for some Pilot pens, but the experience is predictably rock-solid.

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In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I discussed my 2026 Notebook Setup, which I’ll be discussing more with Lisa on the upcoming inaugural episode of the Paper Trails Podcast (production is in progress!). I have a relatively practical/boring setup this year, which builds on things I’ve used in the past and is more of a “greatest hits” than anything else. Go with what works for me, even if it’s not the prettiest or most efficient. I also answered a reader question that I found particularly timely for the first of the year, which focuses on choosing and buying a first fountain pen, and pairing it with a suitable ink and paper.

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

Soooo much stuff arrived this week, with the 2026 “January restock” in full effect. The biggest new arrival that I was personally the most excited about was our collaboration with Rickshaw Bagworks and Nick Dominguez on a series of exclusive pen cases, which feature a “Clouds” design hand-drawn by Nick with multi-shading fountain pen inks. We’ve also added workhorse stationery brand Leuchtturm1917 to the shop, including their ubiquitous notebooks as well as the colorful Drehgriffel ballpoints and gel pens. Finally, we have a dwindling number of Kakimori notebooks and also the Kakimori Frost fountain pens and “ink-ball” rollerballs. Be sure to check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for the full list of new arrivals and restocks.

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Tono & Lims

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Leuchtturm1917

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Kakimori

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Musgrave

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

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. The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. As of this morning, ALL Patreon supporters (including non-paying free members) have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail”.

Ask TGS: Buying My First Fountain Pen

Question: I’ve recently rediscovered an interest in writing by hand, and while I’ve always appreciated a good pen, I’ve never used a fountain pen and don’t know where to begin with all the different nib and filling system options. And what do I do about paper? Help!

I get this question all the time, and while I’ve probably answered it before in blog posts and/or videos, it tends to be timely right after the New Year when everyone has purchased their fresh planner or notebook and many consider whether they should pick up a fountain pen for the first time. But where to begin? Here’s my “two minute speech” that I typically give people in the shop or at a show:

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Don’t Spend a Lot of Money

If you’ve never used a fountain pen before, don’t start at the $200 price point. In fact, you probably don’t even want to start at the $50 price point. There are plenty of excellent fountain pens that cost $25 or less, which will allow you to get a feel for writing with a fountain pen nib, cleaning the pen, changing the ink, etc. without a huge sunk cost. In my own store, I have plenty of people who come in having never written with a fountain pen at all, and I almost always direct them to the Platinum Preppy, the Pilot Kakuno, or the Pilot Explorer (the latter if they really insist on having the ability to use bottled ink immediately since the Explorer ships with a converter). The Preppy is a great option for those uncertain about nib sizes and how different fountain pen nibs will work with their handwriting, since Preppy’s are inexpensive without being “disposable”, and you can buy them in multiple sizes to experiment. Our “Best Pens” post highlights these options and several more.

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Start with a basic ink, but even cartridges come in a range of colors.

Start with a Basic Blue, Black, or Blue-Black Fountain pen Ink

While experimenting with inks is a huge part of the fountain pen hobby, get used to writing with fountain pens first. Standard blue, black, and blue-black inks usually flow well, dry relatively fast, and come in both bottles and cartridges. (I usually recommend cartridge pens for true beginners.) It’s especially important to pay attention to ink if you’re left-handed, since many lefties hold the pen in a way that causes their hand to smear the ink if it takes too long to dry. Making sure the pen and ink combo is compatible with your handwriting style is the formula for success.

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Our B5 and A4 paper sorter, which we keep stocked with many different fountain pen friendly paper brands.

Be Sure You Have Some Decent Fountain Pen Friendly Paper

The same paper that you can use for ballpoints, gel pens, rollerballs, and pencils won’t necessarily work well with fountain pens. Most fountain pen ink is water-based, meaning that it may feather and bleed-through on particularly absorbent paper, especially recycled papers or office stock. Purchasing some slightly better paper with a heavier paper weight or coating will make for a more enjoyable writing experience. While Clairefontaine, Rhodia, Maruman, and Leuchtturm1917 are the usual go-to recommendations for solid paper that is easy to source, there are many smaller brands as well. For several years I’ve tracked paper brands and their relative “fountain pen friendliness” in this evergreen blog post that gets updated annually.

Give Yourself Some Time to Adjust to the Pen (and Writing with Fountain Pens in General) Before You Start Buying More

It’s easy to get carried away with online recommendations - everyone has their own opinion on “the best” fountain pen, often driven by their own personal preferences and experiences. That said, there’s only one way to figure out what your own preferences are, and that’s to gain as much experience as you possibly can by using pens for an extended period of time before moving on to something else. Obviously, if a pen truly doesn’t work for you (i.e., it doesn’t write, is falling apart, hurts your hand after more than a day or two), move on immediately, but try to avoid the “I-like-this-but-wonder-if-there-is-something-better” mentality that often leads to an acquisition mindset rather than the thoughtfulness or creativity many are seeking out in the first place.

A huge part of why I decided to open the physical T.G.S. shop in Nashville is to give people the opportunity to come in and experience fountain pens in person and to have conversations like this one before picking out a pen and deciding which one is right for you! We are open Thursdays and Fridays from 1-6pm and Saturdays from 10-6pm.

Thursday Drops: Get Organized for 2026 with Kakimori, Leuchtturm1917, Rickshaw and More!

2026 is here, and with the new year comes a ton of new arrivals! First up, as noted earlier this week, is our first collaboration with San Francisco-based Rickshaw Bagwords, a “Clouds” pattern designed by a member of our local pen club. We’ve also received a restock of Kakimori notebooks, including new designs, as well as most of the line of Leuchtturm1917 notebooks, including the 120g version with heavier paper and the Bullet Journal collaboration. We’ve also added the Leuchtturm1917 Drehgriffel pens in both gel and ballpoint, as well as the remaining items from our initial Craft Design Technology shipment. Enjoy!

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Rickshaw Bagworks’ most recent case design is the Fillmore, which opens like a book to lie flat on your desk. It’s a versatile design that can hold at least 6 pens, more if you pair with the Coozy 1, 2, or 3-pen sleeves which fit inside.

Our Nashville store is open normal hours this week, from 1-6pm on Thursday and Friday and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. Please come by and see these and more in person! Also, be sure and save the date for January 23-24, when Vanness Pens and Matthew’s Nibworks (Matthew Chen) will be joining us for a special Friday and Saturday in-store event. More to follow.

1. Kakimori Clothbound Notebooks. Japanese boutique stationery brand Kakimori famously releases special edition notebooks each year featuring cloth covers made using traditional Japanese techniques. We’ve recently received a fresh shipment, and while they tend to go fast, there are still several available.

2. T.G.S. x Rickshaw Bagworks Special Edition “Clouds” Pen Cases. Featuring artwork by Nick Dominguez, who is local to Nashville and an active member of our pen club, these Rickshaw cases come in three different color schemes. Each pattern was hand-drawn using multi-shading fountain pen inks, which makes this collaboration even more special.

3. Leuchtturm1917 Standard A5 Notebooks. Leuchtturm’s hardcover A5 notebooks are a classic piece of stationery. Their 80g paper is good enough for most EF-M fountain pens, and for years they served as a standard everyday work notebook on which I regularly relied. I even wrote half of a novel in one of the larger “Master” versions. We've had these in-store for a couple of weeks but I’ve only recently gotten my act together and listed them online.

4. Leuchtturm1917 120g and Bullet Journal Notebooks. While I personally find Leuchtturm’s standard 80g paper adequate for how I use their notebooks, if you’re a fan of broader nibs, wet inks, and even markers, consider the 120g paper. There’s also a series of Bullet Journal co-branded notebooks that use the same heavier stock.

5. Leuchtturm1917 Softcover Notebooks. I often get asked whether Leuchtturm notebooks can easily fit inside a Roterfaden cover. Hardbacks can be tight, especially if you want to carry multiple notebooks in the cover, but Leuchtturm also makes softcover A5, B5, and B6 books using the same paper which are slimmer and more compatible with some covers.

6. Leuchtturm Drehgriffel Ballpoints and Gel Pens. The hexagonal Drehgriffel has caught on recently, because it’s surprisingly comfortable and comes in a wide range of colors. (“Rising Sun” is my favorite, and I prefer the fine gel pen over the ballpoint, but both are nice everyday writers.)

7. Craft Design Technology “Black Edition” Memo Pads and Pencil Sets. I’ve finally been able to list all of the products we received from CDT, including their recently released “Black Edition” memo pads that reflect colored pencils, pens, and standard graphite. The Pencil Set (sold separately) will net you a few colored pencils to use on the black paper, plus a NJK sharpener.

8. Craft Design Technology A4 Binders. These A4 binders are designed to hold Japanese 30-hole looseleaf paper, which we also carry. Each binder features a signature CDT pattern on the outside, and comes in three different colors.

9. Tono & Lims Fountain Pen Inks. We’ve added three different lines of Tono & Lims inks, including selections from the Signature Line, the Friendship Line, and the “Adult Night” Line. Given the positive reception to date, we are definitely looking to add more Tono & Lims inks in the future, so keep checking back.

10. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Restock. Since the stock changes so frequently, we have broken Roterfaden out into its own “shop” page, so we can better track all the different sizes and keep the stock levels more visible. We currently have various A5 covers, some B6 covers, and a few remaining A5 Slim TGS_25 models.

We currently have Leuchtturm1917 Softcover Notebooks in A5, B5 (Composition), and B6 (Café).