DWRDNET Stationery Feed Interview with The Gentleman Stationer (via dwrdnet). Many thanks to Derek for setting this up, even if it took us a while to schedule. I enjoyed sitting for one of the longer personal interviews I’ve ever done. And on video, no less!
Minimalism by Any Other Name (via A Gathering of Curiosities). It’s very hard to be in this hobby/obsession/passion and call yourself a minimalist. “Careful curation” is a good description of what I aspire to as well.
The Transition from A5 Filofax to Personal Size Filofax (via Philofaxy). Do you prefer A5 or Bible-size (“Personal”) planners? I’ve tried to use smaller size but find myself always returning to the A5 because I enjoy the fuller page.
The Best & Worst of 2025: Fountain Pen Brands Tier List (via Blake’s Broadcast). While any list like this is highly personal and based on opinion - which also makes such videos highly entertaining to watch - I find myself largely on the same page with respect to many of these.
Majohn/Moonman V60 (via Dapprman). I still have yet to get myself one of these. I may not, given that the edges are apparently sharp enough to cut you?
Pilot Vanishing Point with Special Alloy Nib Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I have a “Deep Yellow” steel nib Vanishing Point, and really wish Pilot would bring this option to the U.S. market. It’s an incredible value.
Pilot Iroshizuku To-ro Fountain Pen Ink (via Pen Addict). Brad reviews the new Iroshizuku orange ink, which is my second favorite of the new colors, Syun-gyo being the first.
A Day Redeemed by the Smallest of Things (via From the Pen Cup). And yet one more reason to love stationery.
Setting up a Multi-Paper A5 Swatch Book (via dwrdnet). I’m reading more on swatch book strategies as I build out our in-shop swatch books.
In Case You Missed It….
This week on the blog I wrote about two subjects that have been of much interest to me lately: the deep “Back Catalog" of products from many of the major fountain pen brands, which often (and undeservedly) get little attention. I talk about which of these products I’ve enjoyed “discovering,” and my strategy for trying to make them more available by giving some additional visibility. I also wrote a post on the best inks for cheap paper, since this is a question I’ve been getting more frequently as the overall quality of “office grade” notebooks and writing pads continues to decline.
Finally, as part of my quest to release more video content (however brief), I did a short YouTube video on the recently-much-hyped Penco Perfection pocket pen.
I had a really hard time choosing between the three Diplomat Viper fountain pens but ultimately went with blue.
This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop
We kicked off the week by welcoming a huge shipment from Rite in the Rain, including new all-weather ballpoints, mechanical pencils, paper, and more (including pen cases). The 1.3mm mechanical pencils are a frequently requested item that I had never used before and have enjoyed. We’ve also swatched and stocked two new lines of ink from Anderillium (the Ichthyoformes/fish series) and Papier Plume (the Classics Collection). Also, don’t miss these excellent Papier Plume Swatch Books!
Finally, we’ve added Colorverse Nebula Note Notebooks, the Diplomat Viper Fountain Pen, Blackwing Volumes 140 and more! Check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for a full list of restocks and new arrivals!
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.