New Arrivals: Specialty Nibs from Pilot, including the FA, PO, and WA Nib Options!

Pilot is known for their range of 14k specialty nibs not commonly found on fountain pens in the U.S., including the FA (semi-flex) nib, the PO (Posting) nib, the WA (Waverly) nib, and more, including the “soft” series. While the “Soft” series of nibs were introduced on the most recent release, the Pilot Custom 74 Lavender Frost, we still do not have an ETA on the latest shipment of that pen and it remains unavailable for now. I decided to go ahead and order some additional specialty nibs in the Custom 743 and Custom 912 models, including the fun FA semi-flex (don’t push it too hard!) nib, the unusual upturned Waverly, and the Posting nib, for those who either love to write really small or find themselves having to use absorbent paper. We’re also restocked on other Pilot Pens at a range of price points, from the Pilot Kakuno to the Pilot Custom 823!

We will be open this week 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday, weather permitting. This weekend’s event with Vanness Pens and Matthew Chen will go forward but possibly with a modified schedule (i.e. a full/extended day on Friday) if winter weather becomes an issue for Saturday.

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The Pilot FA nib is flexible, but don’t push it too far because you can spring this nib if you’re not careful.

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The Pilot Waverly nib is slightly upturned, allowing you to write smoothly from multiple angles. It’s a soft nib, but not flexible,.

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Pilot’s PO nib is slightly downturned, reducing inkflow to better allow you to write small and on inexpensive paper. You can write VERY small with this nib.

Thursday Drops: Restocking the Shelves with Ink, Accessories, Pens, Paper & More!

Those of you who stopped by in the weeks after Christmas may have noticed that our shelves looked a little bare - that’s not a bad thing. We had an exceptionally good holiday season and appreciate all of your support! As of this morning, we’ve received shipments from Kakimori, Pilot, Toyo, Iroful, and more, so we’re almost back up to full capacity. We’re especially excited about the just-arrived Kakimori pigmented inks, which can be used in either fountain pens or dip pens and are both water and lightfast for those of you who desire permanence. We also have new arrivals from Toyo, with steel boxes in multiple new colors, and a fresh shipment of Braun desk/alarm clocks in new sizes and shapes.

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Come see these and more in person at our Nashville location! We are open Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm, and on Saturday from 10am-6pm. Please note that we have introduced a new appointment system for shopping outside of normal shop hours, and you can also use it to reserve nib appointments for our upcoming in-store event with Vanness Pens and Matthew Chen on January 23 and January 24.

1. Kakimori Pigmented Fountain Pen Inks. We receive many requests for permanent (i.e. lightfast/waterproof) ink, and in the fountain pen world, pigmented inks are by far the best option. Kakimori makes 10 colors, ranging from standard blue, black, and blue-black to more subtle variations on teal and blue-grey.

2. Kakimori Frost Fountain and Rollerball Pens. Kakimori’s “Frost” series of fountain pens feature a longer section, and the rollerball features a tip similar to that found on other popular “inkball” pens that accept fountain pen ink using a cartridge or a converter.

3. Kakimori Dip Nibs and New Short Nib Holders. We have stock of the conical Kakimori metal dip nibs, including copper, brass and steel, as well as the new shorter dip nib holders in a range of colors.

4. Toyo Steel Boxes. These popular desktop storage options have been restocked in new colors, including AMEICO Orange and Glacier. These boxes can hold anything from small bottles of ink to paper clips to pens.

5. Anderillium Ichthyoformes Bottled Inks and Sample Sets. We have restocked all of the Anderillium “Fish” series, plus sample sets from the other Anderillium series. The most recent releases include favorites like Whale Shark Blue Grey, Moray Eel Green, and some of the best dark reds recently released. I did a swatch video of the entire line a while back.

6. Tono & Lims Fountain Pen Inks. Tono & Lims inks have received an enthusiastic reception, especially in-store, and we look forward to adding even more colors to our current curated selection from the Standard, Friendship, and Adult Night Collections.

7. Pilot Kakuno and Pilot Kakuno Madoromi (Drowsy) Fountain Pens. The Pilot Kakuno is one of our most-recommended fountain pens for new users, while also a great pen in and of itself. We have a small stock of the new Modoromi series, which feature gold-tone nibs.

8. Iroful Paper. Known for its ink-friendliness and feel similar to the now-discontinued Cosmo Air Light, Iroful paper comes in notebook, looseleaf, and 6-ring formats, making it a versatile paper option for those who value the ability to use pretty much any fountain pen ink.

9. “Inky Dreams” Washi Tape and Stickers. Ana over at the Well-Appointed Desk creates a line of ink-themed washi tape and stickers, and we’re fully restocked as of this week. These don’t usually stay in stock for long.

10. Col-o-Ring Swatch Cards. Looking to better organize your ink collection in 2026? These swatch cards feature thick ink-friendly paper, and the cards themselves hold up to storage on the included ring with two kraft paper covers.

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Oh, and we still have more of our T.G.S. Rickshaw special edition “Clouds” design, in three different colors and three different style.

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!

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).

Weekly Drops: Tono & Lims Inks, Kakimori Restock, and More!

We’re happy to announce that we’ve received three new lines of ink from Tono & Lims, which is now available for purchase both in shop and online! Those familiar with Tono & Lims know that the brand is the result of a Japanese-South Korean collaboration between Japanese fountain pen enthusiasts and the South Korean ink producer Lim’s Lab. Tono & Lims loves to experiment with color, sheen, shimmer, and inside jokes, so the inks end up being a lot of fun (especially the names). We’ve swatched these inks on multiple papers to showcase how they can look different depending on which specific paper you use!

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My personal favorite. A shimmer red with black sheen and a great name.

As noted in Tuesday’s post, we have also restocked products from Kakimori and Object Index, including the Kakimori dip nibs and a new line of miniature nib holders that are slightly smaller than the traditional calligraphy nib holder.

Our Nashville shop will be open from 1-6pm on Friday January 2, and from 10-6pm on Saturday January 3 (normal hours). We’re looking forward to getting back into the swing of things after a busy holiday season!

1. Tono & Lims Standard Line Inks. The standard line of Tono & Lims inks, with the numbered colors. To start I’ve picked a handful and we will be bringing in more as we get a sense of what people like.

2. Tono & Lims “Friendship” Line Inks. Ok, so I added some shimmer inks to the T.G.S. curation! This particular ink series is inspired by friends of the Tono & Lims brand, whether that’s collaborators or partner shops or others. There are some particularly interesting color combinations, and shimmer and other special properties are not overwhelming.

3. Tono & Lims “Adult Night” Inks. No, there’s nothing inappropriate going on here. This line of inks - mostly lightly scented - is themed around coffee, tea, and chocolate, with a touch of insomnia thrown in. (And Dynamite?)

4. Kakimori Dip Nibs. We’ve received a restock of the Kakimori conical metal nibs, as well as the standard writing nib which functions much like a fountain pen only there is no feed and is intended more for writing.

5. Kakimori Nib Holders. The standard Kakimori nib holders are available again in the Sakura wood finish. This is the longer nib holder in the classic shape.

6. Kakimori Mini Nib Holders. These “mini” nib holders are slightly smaller and more compact than a traditional nib holder, making it perfect for travel, portability, and those with smaller hands. It’s also a fun range of colors!

7. Object Index Modular Marker. We’ve brought back a selection of Kakimori’s popular “Object Index” line of high-end office supplies, including these “Modular Markers” that allow you to build a set of customizable fineliners and highlighters that stack in a way that lets you easily cycle through different tip sizes.

8. Kakimori Colour Liners Fineliner Markers. Kakimori first popularized fineliners that you can fill with your own inks to create a truly custom set. Several different tip sizes are available, ranging from standard writing points to chisel-tip markers for highlighting or drawing.

9. Pilot Prera Fountain Pens. The popular solid-color Pilot Prera fountain pens are back in stock, including the coveted Honey Yellow in both nib sizes.

10. The Roterfaden Shop at T.G.S. We are restocked on most versions of the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter, including many different A5 designs and a handful of remaining TGS_25 in Grey. While we want to keep this special release in stock, there is no scheduled restock date at the moment on either the grey or green A5-Slim, and we are unable to take pre-orders or deposits.

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Allex Desk Scissors from Japan are now available in four different formats. Black Fluorine version is restocked, and we also have Jagged Blade (for cutting vinyl, etc.) and Thin Blade (for fine detail work) versions available.