Introducing the T.G.S. x Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter TGS_25: Available Now!

Over the years many have asked where I obtained my A5-slim Roterfaden, which has made an appearance both here on the blog and in YouTube videos. That particular release was a special edition, long-since discontinued, and Roterfaden was kind enough to agree to bring it back for us in what’s been dubbed the “Taschenbegleiter TGS_25”, with a soft olive green exterior leather and a dark grey suede interior! It’s a flexible size, with the cover not designed to fit any specific refill: It measures roughly 5” x 8.6”, and will accommodate any A5 Slim/Personal-sized notebooks up to 4.3” (wide) by 8.3” (tall) dimensions. While I typically cut down A5 notebooks to fit this size cover, I’ve also used notebooks from brands including Lochby (the Voyager is an excellent fit), Yamamoto Ro-Biki, and Traveler’s Company with success. The Roterfaden system operates with stainless steel clips, which conveniently slide up and down to accommodate variations in notebook height.

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There are two elastic options: The green elastic above and the grey elastic shown here. All cords are both removable and replaceable.

These are available now in the main T.G.S. shop, with Patreon supporters having their own listing with a special pricing opportunity via the Patreon Shop. (Patrons be sure to check the main feed and Discord for details.) We carry a wide range of notebooks and refills that could potentially fit this cover, and also recently procured a commercial paper cutter that allows us to trim notebooks to size. Please e-mail me or reach out via the “Contact” link if you are interested in this service and whether it is possible with a specific notebook. There will be no charge, but once a notebook is cut down any sales will be final.

While I can’t guarantee how many Taschenbegleiters will last through the weekend, our brick-and-mortar will be open this week so please do stop by! We are open Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm, and on Saturday from 10am-6pm, and otherwise by appointment. Hope to see you soon!

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If the A5 Slim size doesn’t work for you, we also have a restock of many A5 Taschenbegleiters and one B6 model.

Thursday Drops: Jetstream M17 Restock, Toyo Steel Boxes, Handsewn Notebooks from Original Brooks, and More!

They’re back! We have additional Lamy x Jetstream M17 ballpoint refills, which will fit the Safari, AL-Star, Lamy 2000 and other pens that take the Lamy M16 ballpoint refill. If you’d like to read more about why we love this refill so much, check out this post. We’ve also recently received a supply of Toyo steel boxes from Japan, which are a popular stackable storage solution for anything from stationery to office supplies to travel accessories. Finally, we’ve added some gorgeous hand-sewn journals from Original Brooks, a boutique bookbindery in North Carolina, and we also have a Roterfaden A5 and B6 restock!

UPDATE: While we’re at it, let’s do a vacation promotion! Through Sunday at 11:59pm, take 10% off most bottled fountain pen inks and ink cartridges using the coupon code “INKYVACAY” at checkout. (We did just get a restock of some favorites, including all the Greek Mythology inks!) Promotion excludes brands that cannot be discounted, including Pilot and TWSBI. I also wanted to take a moment to talk about the DC Pen Show, which will happen at the end of this month. I will be driving, so if you would like to place an order for DC Pickup, use “DCPICKUP” to drop the shipping charge. Note that we will NOT ship your order to you if you fail to pick it up in DC, unless it otherwise qualifies for free shipping at the over $75 threshold. All DC orders must be placed by noon on July 30 (7/30).

These hand-sewn notebooks from Original Brooks have been a fun find. I love that each signature contains different reclaimed, antique, or repurposed paper.

Just a reminder that our brick-and-mortar shop is closed this weekend as we are on vacation this week. Orders have continued to ship, and anything placed today or later will ship within our normal 2-3 business day processing time. Many thanks for all your support!

1. Lamy x Jetstream M17 Ballpoint Refills. The popular Lamy x Jetstream refills that sold out so quickly are back in stock. These are designed to fit Lamy retractable ballpoint pens that take the Lamy M16 refill. .5mm and .7mm tip sizes are available.

2. Toyo Steel Boxes. These cult-favorite Japanese steel storage boxes come in a range of colors and are perfect for storing everything from stationery to tea to ink bottles, to travel supplies. Certain colors are harder to get than others, so supply may be limited.

3. Original Brooks Handsewn Notebooks. Original Brooks is a small-scale bookbinder located in North Carolina that makes notebooks from reclaimed and antique scrap paper. Each notebook/journal contains multiple signatures of different papers, as well as a couple of envelopes for collecting keepsakes and ephemera. Two sizes are available.

4. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter in B6 Smoke/Honey. The dark blue and honey suede Taschenbegleiter is back in the B6 size, a much-requested addition to our Roterfaden lineup.

5. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters in A5. Otherwise, we have a sizeable restock of A5 Taschenbegleiter covers in various leathers, both with felt and suede interiors. Four-clip versions have sold out but three-clip versions remain.

6. Yamamoto Ro-Biki Canvas Covers/Cases. These canvas notebook cases are designed to fit the Standard Ro-Biki notebooks, but function more as a wrap than a traditional cover, and incorporate a zippered pouch into the outside.

7. Yamamoto Ro-Biki Standard and Passport Notebooks. The Ro-Biki paper is excellent, and we now offer it in a passport-sized notebook that will fit in the Passport-sized Traveler’s Notebook cover. All Passport notebooks feature dot grid Soliste paper.

8. Lochby Voyager Journals and Refills. Lochby’s version of the “A5 Slim” format is here, and it’s quite nice. Like the other Lochby cases, this one holds four refills on the cords and one in each cover. Lochby’s own refills contain 68gsm Tomoe River paper.

9. Shorthand Press Notebooks and Desk Pads. Los Angeles-based Shorthand Press makes spiral notebooks and desk pads that feature letterpress covers, vintage-inspired rulings, and durable double-o spiral bindings.

10. Anecdote Goods Correspondence Cards. By popular request from both our in-store and online customers, we’ve added a series of folded correspondence notecards with simple design motifs. These are 300g cardstock, with a substantial feel in the hand.

New Arrivals: Ro-Biki Passport Size and A5/B6 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Restock!

We may be on vacation this week, but we still have a bunch of new arrivals that we continue to work to get listed. Right before we left, we received a restock of A5 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters in A5. While the four-clip versions sold out almost immediately, we continue to have stock of several classic three-clip A5 Taschenbegleiters with both suede and felt interiors, as well as a B6 version of the Smoke Blue and Honey Suede that has been a favorite.

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In addition to the standard size Ro-Biki notebooks, we now have the Passport-sized Ro-Biki notebooks available for purchase, which are the same dimensions as the Traveler’s Company passport refills and feature wonderfully fountain pen friendly dot grid paper. Now available in 17 different cover designs!

Due to our travel schedule this week, please note that our brick-and-mortar shop is closed and will reopen the week of July 21. Online orders will continue to be processed and ship but may require an additional 1-2 business days beyond our normal time. Thank you for all your support!

Thursday Drops: Yamamoto Ro-Biki Notebooks, Shorthand Press, and Anecdote!

Paper, paper, and more paper! With the occasional waxed canvas cover thrown in! Those are the themes from this week, since we introduced the Yamamoto Paper Ro-Biki lineup, new notebooks and notepads from Shorthand Press, and a restock from Andecdote, among many other things! Of all the recent new arrivals, I’m probably most excited about the Ro-Biki and the new Lochby Voyager Journals, which are the latest addition to Lochby’s growing lineup of versatile cases.

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At the end of my most recent YouTube Video (which was a demonstration on how to setup the Ro-Biki cover with multiple refills), I added a special announcement about our latest collaboration release that should drop next week. Patreon members will get first refusal, though there will be plenty left over for a subsequent launch.

Please keep in mind that we are out of town on vacation next week, so the brick-and-mortar store will be closed during our normal Thursday-Saturday Hours on July 17-19. If you want to come see us and pick something up in person, come this weekend! Most online orders will continue to ship next week, though there may be a slight delay in fulfillment times. Thanks so much for continuing to support us!

1. Yamamoto Ro-Biki Note Notebooks. Known in some pen and planner circles as “the other” narrow format notebook, Yamamoto’s Ro-Biki notebook system features wonderfully fountain pen friendly cream-colored paper with a fairly wide variety of rulings and cover designs.

2. Yamamoto Ro-Biki Canvas Notebook Covers. These soft cotton canvas covers combine the concepts of a stationery wrap with a notebook cover, allowing you to carry up to three Ro-Biki notebooks as well as small items in the zippered pouch, plus pens and other accessories in the outside pockets.

3. Shorthand Press Standard Notebooks and Spiral Task Pads. These hand-assembled notebooks from Los Angeles based Shorthand Press are made in the U.S., and feature a range of vintage-style lined, grid, and dot grid rulings on cream paper. The fact that they have Mint and Mustard cover options won me over immediately. Standard Notebooks are side-bound and the Task Pads are top bound, both with double brass wire-o bindings.

4. Lochby Voyager Journals. Lochby recently released their “A5 Slim” notebook cover, which will fit Lochby’s own Voyager refills as well as Traveler’s Company and Yamamoto Ro-Biki paper refills. Fans of Lochby’s waxed canvas construction should enjoy having this option.

5. Shorthand Press Notepads. We always get requests to bring in more desk pads, and especially undated calendar pads like these from Shorthand, though I also like their task pads and simple lined notepads.

6. Notsu Weekly Planning Pad. Along with the Shorthand Calendar Pad, the Notsu Weekly Planning Pad is a good replacement for the now-discontinued Write Notepads undated weekly planner. This letter-sized pad allows you to easily view your entire week at a glance.

7. Anecdote Goods “The Journal” and “The Journal Pocket”. Anecdote notebooks feature a tactile buckram cover and either dot grid or lined paper. We recently added the "Mini” pocket journals as well.

8. Anecdote Goods Correspondence Cards. One of the most requested items for the shop has been folded correspondence cards to use for thank-you notes and letters. This simple series from Anecdote features 300g cardstock and a series of tasteful motifs.

9. Colorverse Nebula Note “Casual” Spiral Notebooks. Nebula note paper is both tactile and ink friendly, meaning it’s excellent for both ink and pencil. Perforated pages allow you to also remove individual sheets and file them away in your binder system or other means of storage/organization.

10. Stálogy 365-Day and Half-Year Special Colors. Stálogy recently dropped their 2025 special release colors, which are a dark Cacao Brown, Lake Blue, and a lighter Cloud Grey. All of these feature the grey rulings which can be used as an undated planner or a standard notebook!

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Oh, yes, and I forgot that we added the entire line of Kuru-Toga KS Mechanical Pencils, including some limited pastel releases!

New Arrivals: Notebooks and Classic Stationery from Shorthand Press and Anecdote!

Write Notepads’ decision to exit the retail market earlier this year left a gap in our lineup for quality U.S.-made stationery, which might become especially important in the immediate future given global trade conditions. I’m happy to announce that we’ve added items from Los Angeles-based Shorthand Press to our lineup, including their gorgeous “Standard Notebook” featuring letterpress covers, as well as printed notepads featuring weekly undated calendar layouts, task lists, and standard line formats.

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The Shorthand Calendar Pad comes with 26 sheets, each of which contains 5 undated weeks.

We’ve also restocked on the Anecdote Hardcover A5 Journals in dot grid, while adding the “Pocket Journal” Mini format, which is a 3.5” x 5.5” hardcover lined notebook that’s perfect for writing on the go. Finally, we’ve introduced an item that’s been requested by both our online and in-store customers: correspondence cards, featuring some simple designs that keep the emphasis on the writing. Be sure to check out these and more as we will be busy adding new items over the next several weeks!

Come see these and more in-shop! We are open regular hours this week, 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday, before we take some time off for vacation July 13-20. Online orders will continue to be processed during this time.

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The Anecdote Pocket Mini Hardcover Journals are available in all the same colors, in Anecdote’s signature buckram cover.