I don’t know about you, but I personally think Blackwing has absolutely nailed the past handful of releases. Volume 2 featured a “cracked” glow in the dark finish, with an extra-firm graphite that I personally really enjoyed. That said, this latest Jerry Garcia-themed release features a matte finish with Blackwing’s softest core, which is my personal favorite of all the various Blackwing graphites out there so I’m loving this one as well. All of the Blackwing accessories look great in the new white finish! It doesn’t stop there: We now have the Blackwing Handheld Erasers (really big and soft ..read more

Today's post is somewhat of a hybrid between an entry in the "Review Revisited" and "Mini Collection" series. Since I've somehow managed to collect 5 or 6 of the Uni Jetstream 4&1 Multi Pens over the years, I figured I should revisit my last review and comment some on why I enjoy this pen so much. While I consider myself a multi pen enthusiast, I really use two on a daily basis: (1) the Lamy 2000 Multi Pen, and (2) one of these various Uni Jetstream models. All of the various renditions of the Uni Jetstream multi pens use different materials in the body and grip section. My Use Case For ..read more

Last week we received a large shipment of additional Lumos fineliner pens from Tom’s Studio, including the Lumos Mini! But what I’m most excited about is the arrival of the entire line of Tom’s Studio fountain pen inks, including 18 different colors of water-based inks and one black pigmented ink, which I’d describe as the “Micron-like ink” many of you have been asking about. (The black ink that ships with the Lumos pens is the standard water-based black ink, and is not permanent.) I have my Lumos Mini currently inked up with “Marianas” (No. 14), a deep blue that’s a great color in a fineline ..read more

As one of the older pen shows on the circuit, the Chicago Pen Show has a rich history. Over the years it’s been considered one of the “big” shows at times, but for now I would place Chicago in the category of mid-size shows that draw an extremely diverse group of vendors. And as a show that’s very easy for me to attend logistically, it’s not uncommon for me to jump on a cheap flight and go last-minute, which is what happened this weekend! The Chicago Pen Show is actually located in Hoffman Estates, a suburb. The hotel is fairly large and part of the show takes place in this well-lit atrium ..read more

My Lumos Mini is now tucked inside my Plotter Mini 5 pen loop! Another big week! Here’s what we managed to get listed before I was out the door to the Chicago Pen Show this weekend: Restocks on Traveler’s Company, Tom’s Studio, Lochby, Laconic, and Pilot, as well as a new TWSBI! While I won’t have a table this weekend at the Chicago Show (I’m only here through Saturday), please do say hello if you see me. I might have some T.G.S. Swag to give away, and I’ll also have Tom’s Studio Lumos and Studio Pocket demos with me to check out if you’d like to see them in person. Update: As of this morning ..read more

I love these writing prompts that are currently trending throughout the pen community. So far, we've had #21PenQuestions, #17InkQuestions, #5MorePenQuestions (which I tacked on), and now, "If I Could Only Keep One." The standard version of this latest challenge prompts you to go through your pen collection and pick one pen from each brand that you would keep, if you were ever forced to limit yourself. Because I run T.G.S. as a business, combined with the fact that I've been collecting/accumulating/reviewing/using pens for over a decade, this exercise wouldn't be particularly practical for me ..read more

The latest TWSBI ECO release is now available! The bronze trim pens released over the past year have been among my favorite, including both this latest coffee-colored fountain pen, dubbed the Caffé Bronze, and the restocked Indigo Blue + Bronze model. I find the bronze to be slightly darker and deeper in tone than TWSBI’s popular rose gold plating. The pens arrived yesterday so they are available to ship immediately. So what else is new? In addition the full-size Tom’s Studio Lumos Pro and Lumos Pro Duo pens, we now offer the pocketable Lumos Mini! If you’re a fan of fineliners, the Lumos pe ..read more

A new favorite snuck into the Top 5 Mechanical Pencils! The Most Expensive Pen I Have Ever Reviewed… The Danitrio Seiryu (via Figboot on Pens). Danitrio is one of those intriguing brands that surfaces from time to time. I don’t know a lot about the pens, which are works of art and tend to be priced accordingly. Vintage vs. New in “Analog” Hobbies (via Urban Adventure League). An excellent discussion of how many hobbies with a vintage/analog theme still tend to skew “new” when it comes to buying gear. From a pen perspective, there are several reasons new users gravitate away from vintage ..read more

Or maybe I should now say “Best Pen/Pencil” list? Earlier this month I teased some impending updates in the form of Mechanical and Woodcase pencil categories, and the “Mechanical Pencil” category is now live. I was waiting on an initial shipment of this favorite shown below to arrive before I launched, but overall there shouldn’t be too many surprises on the list! Enjoy! If you don’t need the automatic lead advancement mechanism of the Kuru Toga Dive, the Pentel Sharp Kerry gives you a capped mechanical pencil option at a more reasonable price point ..read more

A while back I mentioned that April can be like the holiday season for stationery lovers, and this week is no exception. Starting today, the 2024 Limited Edition Traveler’s Company “Tokyo” Notebook Sets and accessories are available for purchase, along with the 2024 Stalogy Special Edition 1/2 Year Notebook in white and new Tomoe River Paper options. These refills will fit most A5 notebook system covers from brands such as Lochby and Roterfaden, making them great options for setting up a new system or expanding your existing setup. TWSBI Pre-orders are also open for the Caffé Bronze ECO foun ..read more