The Noodler’s Cinematic Universe: Six Degrees of Baystate Blue (via Left Hook Pens). It’s been FAR too long since anyone’s talked about the great “Baystate Blue controversy.” This is a must-read for those who joined the pen and stationery community in recent years, with history of the ink and why people continue using this vibrant color despite its quirks.
Lamy 2000 Brown (via Bleistift). I’m not sure how I feel about this version of what might be my favorite fountain pen in existence. Part of me loves that Lamy isn't diverging from its understated color palette on its Lamy 2000 limited editions. The other part of me is angry at the price point.
Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pen (via Pensplaining). Lisa over at Pensplaining reviews the new Schon DSGN fountain pen made from ultem, a material that has rarely been used in pen making until recently. I can’t wait to see one of these in person, hopefully in D.C.
Drillog: Precision Drill Tipped Dip Pen (via Gourmet Pens). Ok, this product is intriguing to me, but the price point is a bit too high for me to experiment with, since I’m not necessarily a huge dip pen user. Extremely cool idea, though.
An Interview with Rachel, The Creator of the Profolio Oasis Summit Notebook (via Fountain Pen Love). I enjoy reading interviews with the creators of products we enjoy. This one makes me want to go out and try a Profolio. (I also love B6-sized notebooks.)
Tono & Lims No. 11: The Boundary Between Like and Dislike (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). I reviewed at Tono & Lims ink for the first time myself this week, and I have to say, with literally hundreds of different colors, they really do have to start getting creative with the names.
Birmingham Pen Company Antique Sepia Fountain Pen Ink (via Pen Addict). I’m in the process of exploring Birmingham Inks’ various lines as well, and particularly enjoy their more muted color scheme, which makes them excellent choices for work inks, provided they behave well. Keep checking back for more reviews in the future.
Narwhal Key West (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’ve jumped into exploring Narwhal’s pen line recently, but this one didn’t hold as much interest for me. Laura seems a bit underwhelmed as well.
In Case You Missed It….
This was a busy week on the blog! I wrote a few articles that were a bit of a change of pace for me, including this piece on customizing notebooks to meet your exact needs, which for me meant cutting down a thicker Stálogy 1/2 year notebook to fit my Traveler’s Notebook. I also continued some ink review work with this follow-up piece on water-resistance of TWSBI Inks, and a review of a new red ink that recently passed through my hands: Tono & Lims “Superstar T.”
Exclusive Sunderland Pen Update, and New This Week in the Curated Shop
I have very few exclusive Sunderland mk1 pens remaining in stock, and hope to receive another shipment so I’ll have some pens available to take with me to the D.C. Pen Show early next month. In the meantime, we’re fully stocked on notebook systems, from Traveler’s Notebook, to Stálogy, to Midori MD, all of which are infinitely customizable and perfect for getting yourself ready for back-to-work/back-to-school season. (I can’t believe it’s right around the corner.) Check out the links below and this week’s Deals & Drops Highlights for more details.
Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!
For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. We’ve discussed our thoughts on pen shows restarting, recent arrivals in our personal collections, and more. I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items and T.G.S. collaborations, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!