Sunday Reading for March 30, 2025

1. The Best Stationery and Pen Shops in London (via Inky.Rocks). I guess I missed a few when I was in London last fall. This is an excellent in-depth video exploring what the different shops have to offer.

2. On Finding a Notebook System and Getting Minimal: Lochby Field Journal Mini (via Urban Adventure League). I’m looking forward to Lochby’s Field Journal Mini coming back into stock (June, I’m told) because it’s a common size that will appeal to many people.

3. Chicago Stationery Fest 2025 Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana has a recap of the much-publicized Chicago Stationery Fest. Regional stationery-themed events are popping up all over, and while there are bound to be growing pains, it shows just how big the demand for analog is.

4. What Do I Bring to a Pen Meet? (Via UK Fountain Pens). Pens! All of them. Even if you feel that what you own is “basic.”

5. The Place for Analog and Digital (via Stationery Pizza). How do you divide your tasks between Analog and Digital? Other than organizing due dates on an electronic calendar, I find my brain works best on paper.

6. Two More Bookcases Filled (via Fueled by Clouds and Coffee). I love seeing how people organize their art/writing/stationery supplies. I also make use of bookcases.

7. Endless Stationery Creator Fountain Pen (via Dapprman). Endless released it’s “Creator” retractable fountain pen to mixed reviews, and are now working on another.

8. Reviving Refills (via Bleistift). I don’t know whether this trick works with refills other than the specific gel refill mentioned here, but I plan to try it. Air bubbles in older gel refills are super annoying.

9. Results of Values Journaling (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). I’ve been reading up on different journaling practices, and values-based journaling keeps coming up.

10. Lamy Petrol 2025 vs. the OG 2017, and Lamy Sepia Too! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I had the opportunity to compare the original Petrol to the new ink (thanks Lisa!) and came to the same conclusion as Kimberly. These two are very close, and I actually prefer the new release because I don’t love sheeny inks. (We have more Petrol coming this week.)

11. Blackwing Illegal Pad Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). I think people enjoy this particular pad, and particularly the lined version, because it has a traditional legal pad layout (line down the center) and works pretty well with most types of pens.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog (and on YouTube), I recapped my adventures at the 2025 Arkansas Pen Show (you can also check out the on-site “Saturday Updates” post), and yesterday I posted my relatively modest show “haul”, which focused heavily on nib grinds. Don’t miss the more in-depth YouTube walkthrough of all the various items I brought home, which includes writing samples of the Kodachi grinds and ink swatches.

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Signo DX, Jetstream Lite Touch, and more!

Despite it being a pen show travel week, we still managed to get all the new arrivals up on the site. Of course, the latest TWSBI ECO release is up and available for purchase, with shipments starting to go out tomorrow. I had teased these Uni Signo DX gel pens and Uni Jetstream Lite Touch single-refill pens in my Arkansas Pen Show content, and they are now available for purchase. We also have additional Jetstream Lite Touch Multi Pens (4+1 versions) and the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3. We also had a very large Anderillium Ink restock, including the new Moray Eel Green and Whale Shark Grey from the new “Ichthyoformes” line. Favorites such as Colossal Squid Dark and Flying Squid Blue are also back.

Uni

Kaweco

Anderillium

New Lamy

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives and Sample Sales

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, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount.

Unboxing the Arkansas Pen Show Haul! Two Nib Grinds, Inks, and a New Pen

Ok, so I was pretty good this past weekend, all things considered. I managed to keep the 2025 Arkansas Pen Show haul down to one pen, two nib grinds, and two inks. I’ve become much more deliberate about not accumulating stuff unnecessarily and taking a longer-term approach to bigger-ticket items (such as some more expensive vintage pens I’m considering). Here, the pen I purchased was one that I’ve been considering for at least a year; the nib grinds were to pens that I use a lot but need to tweak to make them a better fit for my handwriting, and the two inks were likewise long-sought additions to my everyday rotation.

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My Lamy 2000 in Stainless Steel (Broad Nib), ground to a Kodachi.

Arkansas Pen Show: A Great Show for Nib Grinds

Because the Arkansas Pen Show tends to be hyper-local and vintage-heavy, it can be easier to have nib work done because there simply isn’t as much demand/competition for the slots as at the larger shows. While Matt Chen (Matthew’s Nib Works) was definitely occupied all weekend, the wait didn’t ever seem to be longer than 2 or 3 people, and I had no trouble obtaining walk-up time to have two pens ground. I added Matt’s Kodachi grind to my Lamy 2000 in Stainless Steel and my broad Schon DSGN Monoc nib, both of which were a bit too broad and wet for me to use regularly. The Kodachi grind is a newer fascination of mine, as it offers what I consider to be similar line variation to an architect nib without some of the sharper angles and edges of that grind. On his site, Matt describes the Kodachi as “a grind made to emulate brush strokes with thin vertical lines, thick horizontal lines, and a sharp hairline at high angles,” and his particular take is inspired by the Naginata Togi developed by Yukio Nagahara. You can read more about the different grinds that Matthew offers here.

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My Schon DSGN Monoc nib, formerly a broad, ground to a Kodachi. The natural shape of the Monoc lends itself to this grind but is not as pronounced as the Lamy 2000 grind, above.

While I’m planning a longer, more comprehensive post (as well as a video) on nib grinds, I will go ahead and note that these more complex grinds can be proportionately more expensive so you should plan accordingly. Matthew charges $80 for a Kodachi grind, compared to $30 for a general adjustment and $50 for a more “basic” grind such as an italic or stub. Before you invest in a grind like this, you definitely want to try a similar pen with a similar grind, and the optimal place to do so is at a pen show. Most nib workers have their own take on each grind, and most will have a selection of “tester” pens that you can write with at their table.

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Matthew Chen’s table features a full set of pens (Pelikans) with all of the various nib grinds he offers. You can test them out yourself before you make a final decision.

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Writing samples with the two Kodachis that I had ground at the show.

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Some of my doodles from the tester pens at Matt’s table.

In-Person Pen Selection: The Best for Unique Materials

After the show, I went to visit our friends at Vanness Pens. I’ve been coveting one of the Leonardo Momento Zero Nuvola fountain pens for some time, though I didn’t want to order online because this specific material features a grey/cream swirl that can vary wildly from pen to pen. I was able to go “behind the curtain” at Vanness and look at all of the various pens they had in stock to select my favorite, along with a medium nib with plenty of tipping.

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I prefer the Leonardo Momento Zero Nuvola with a balanced mix of grey and cream.

Two New (To Me) Inks from P.W. Akkerman: No. 7 and No. 18!

I have far too little Akkerman Ink in my collection, and I regret having sold off many of the colors over the years. The bottles are superb, in that they feature the signature inkwell in the neck that makes it easy to fill a pen, no matter the nib size. The two colors I chose were No. 7 (KoninginneNach-Blauw) and No. 18 (Garuda Rood). No. 18 is a burgundy/maroon, and No. 7 is a blue-black with grey undertones. I love both of them and have waited far too long to add them to my collection. The “rumor” (which to my knowledge has never been denied by either party) is that Akkerman inks are private-labeled by Diamine, so these are all excellent safe inks that will work well in most fountain pens. I have never had an issue with any Akkerman ink and have used them regularly in my rotation over the years.

Which one is your favorite? I’m digging the slight multi-shading effect on the Akkerman No. 7. Just don’t ask me how pronounce it.

If you’d like to see a real-time unboxing of everything I brought back, plus some extended discussion of the two nib grinds PLUS real-time writing samples and ink swatches, you can view the full video on YouTube here.

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I think I’m going to call this one the “all the things” table, since we’ve added a bunch new items ranging from new Jetstream Lite Touch pens to the Uni Signo DX gel pens! Come see these in person this weekend, and I’m in the process of loading them onto the site as well.

Physical Shop and Future Pen Show Schedule

We’re open today (Saturday) from 10am-6pm, and will be having special hours next week because on Thursday night I’m off to the Atlanta Pen Show, where I will be sharing table space with Hinze Pens. Be sure to stop by because we will have a fun selection of highly curated items at the Atlanta show, including Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters, lots of Lochby pouches and notebook covers (including the new A5 Field Folio), and maybe some of the new pens we’ve been stocking, depending on space! Since I won’t have a lot of space, I’ll have to curate my selection this weekend, but I am open to requests if you reach out before Tuesday or Wednesday and I’ll do my best to make it happen.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Thursday Drops: TWSBI ECO Slate Blue Pre-Orders; Uni Jetstream Lite Touch Multipens, and Lochby!

As we arrived home from the Arkansas Pen Show, we received notification that a new TWSBI ECO in Slate Blue and Onyx is on its way to us and set to begin shipping as soon as they arrive (Friday 3/28 or Monday 3/31, depending on UPS). We also have stock of the latest Lamy releases, the Kaweco Collection Sport in Honey, the Lochby Field Folio, and a large Notsu restock. Check out our recap of the recent 2025 Arkansas Pen Show for a discussion of what was popular among attendees, because some of the choices really surprised me!

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I need to post more before and after photos of how these products wear: A new Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter cover (left) vs. my 7+ year-old version of the same model (right).

Come see us in person! Our brick and mortar location is open today (Thursday 3/27) from 1pm-6pm, tomorrow from 1pm-6pm, and Saturday from 10am-6pm. We will have special hours next week, probably Wednesday and Thursday due to the Atlanta Pen Show the following weekend, so stay tuned!

1. TWSBI ECO Slate Blue Fountain Pen (Pre-Order). The new TWSBI ECO “Slate Blue” model is now available for pre-order, with pens starting to ship March 28th! This is TWSBI’s second ECO model that features the black-plated “onyx” trim, which has proven extremely popular.

2. Lochby Field Folio A5. Just like the Lochby Field Journal, only with a zippered closure instead of a clip. The Field Folio also includes an interior pen slot, as opposed to the elastic pen holder on the outside of the Field Journal. Additional stock is on the way as these proved popular in Arkansas!

3. Lochby “Sidekick”. This versatile folio can be used as a cover for A7 notebooks (a Lochby version is on the way), a wallet with a pen slot, or both. Available in three classic Lochby colors of brown, navy, and charcoal.

4. New Lamy Safaris and AL-Star Fountain Pens. The Lamy AL-Star is now available in the “Denim” and “Aubergine” finishes, and the Safari has added the new “Scarlet” color to the standard Safari lineup.

5. Uni Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3-in-1 Multi Pens. These upscale multi pens from Uni feature the latest Jetstream ink formulation, and we also have the refills! I made sure to stock up given how quickly these sold out last time.

6. Taccia/Teranishi “Roughna” Sketch Inks. These water-resistant inks come in four vibrant colors perfect for writing or drawing. Earth Blue and Earth Green are fabulous shades.

7. Notsu Index Card Systems. These Notsu Index card stands (complete with fountain pen friendly index cards) have been difficult to keep in stock. Use them to plan your day or week, as you like, and the cards are scored to allow you to fold them for easy carry.

8. Blackwing Volume 11 “Bill Russell” Edition. This gorgeous black and dark green pencil features the soft graphite found in the matte edition, and is designed as an homage to basketball great Bill Russell. We also have the matching Volume 11 Blackwing “Slate” notebook, which comes with a Volume 11 pencil tucked into the holder.

9. Blackwing Volume 574 Native American Art Pencil. By far the most admired of the Blackwing Volumes at the pen show this past weekend, the finish on these really pops in person. Don’t miss the matching A4-sized bound ledger journals, which are a must for history enthusiasts.

10. Common Modern “La Moitié” HB Pencils. These half-dipped pencils, made by Viarco, feature three different color schemes paired with natural wood.

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Lochby waxed canvas will wear to a “faded sailcloth” look, but you can also reapply wax to darken it again. Personally I love a worn look on a notebook cover.

2025 Arkansas Pen Show Recap: TGS's Best Pen Show Ever?

I love attending smaller shows. I’ve said this many times, but both the vendor and attendee experience at regional pen shows can often be better at than at “bigger”, more-hyped events. Stationery is trendy right now (though I don’t need to tell most of you that) and it seems as though every year there are more reports of over-hyped and/or oversold pen shows or other events that result in long wait times, overcrowding, botched admissions processes with out-of-towners effectively turned away at the door, and annoyed customers. A few people have asked why I’ve started to steer clear of larger shows, and my answer is always the same: They’re not that fun for me and aren’t really consistent with how I want to run T.G.S.

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People spent a LOT of time at our table, testing pens and pencils or simply doodling on our Blackwing testing station.

What’s Good-to-Great About the Arkansas Pen Show

While “exposure” from a large event can be valuable for the business, overcrowded events that offer a poor attendee experience can be counterproductive given how I like to operate. Personally, I’ve chosen the path of sustainable growth based off of real interaction with customers and readers where I can offer a level of personal service that other sellers cannot. If I’m going to close the physical shop for a weekend and set up at an event, I want the experience to be the same as if someone came to our shop in Nashville and had the opportunity to try stuff out, ask questions, and have the same relaxed, laid-back experience browsing without being pushed by other people trying to reach the table. We had plenty of traffic at the Arkansas Pen Show, and the show was never crowded to the point where I couldn’t have a 5-10 minute conversation with anyone who wanted to talk while shopping. Other regional shows I’ve attended such as the Atlanta Pen Show and, on a quiet day, the Baltimore Pen Show, have a similar vibe.

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I swung by Vanness on Monday morning before heading back to Nashville, where we had all the Yamamoto Paper samplers spread out to test.

The Arkansas Show draws one of the friendliest, most welcoming groups of people I’ve experienced at shows. After-hours events tend to be close-knit and small (we had a rotating round-table meet and greet on Saturday night), and if you need to exit the show floor for a while, or simply need to get out of the hotel, Vanness Pens is located in Little Rock and always has a steady stream of people coming through their doors on show weekend. I’ve collaborated with Vanness a lot over the years, and we had the chance to film some video content that you’ll see posted to both of our social media feeds and YouTube channels in the coming weeks! Hopefully it will be helpful to those on the fence about attending a pen show in the future.

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Matthew hard at work grinding a Kodachi nib on my friend Chad’s Pilot.

The Not-So-Good

This show desperately needs a new venue. The hotel where the show has been located for the past two years is “tired” (polite description) and the public bathrooms were gross. After being on your feet for 10+ hours as a vendor or weekend attendee (more if you include after-hours events), it’s nice to be able to go back to a clean, quiet room and rest. I didn’t have a great experience at the hotel last year, but after they tried to check me into a room with (1) four different sets of keys that didn’t work and (2) dead bugs smashed on the bathroom ceiling, I was done and decided to stay at a newer hotel across the street which was only $20 per night more expensive. Look, some people go to pen shows wanting to spend the least amount of money possible, which I get, but in my opinion the extra investment was well worth it, and it was kind of nice to have some separation from the pen show at night and in the morning which allowed me to relax and recover a bit. For the record, I don’t have unreasonably high hotel standards, especially on the pen show circuit, but this hotel wasn’t particularly cheap (especially for what it was), the online photos of the hotel looked nothing like reality, and there’s a baseline level of cleanliness that, in my opinion, hotels are obligated to provide that was not present here. Others may feel differently but in my experience, if the venue of a show feels lower-end, that negatively affects the perception of the show itself and the businesses who attend. It’s also not fair to attendees and vendors who spend a lot of money to come to the show, to have to deal with these issues. The previous show hotel was clean and about the same price-wise from what I can recall.

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For the record, the pen show room rate typically DOES NOT get you a pool view (or here, a “lake view”). :)

What’s Trending In Pens and Stationery? The Hits of this Year’s Arkansas Pen Show

Setting aside hotel issues, the content of the Arkansas Show is always great. There is a good mix of vintage, modern, and small makers to keep things interesting. Personally, I dropped most of my dollars on nib grinds and an upgraded nib for my Conid Bulkfiller Kingsize (going from titanium, which I simply don’t like, to gold). I had Matthew Chen add two of his excellent Kodachi grinds to two different pens, which I’ll be showcasing in a separate post/video soon. (Pro tip: If you want nib work done, smaller shows are great because there’s less of a wait for nib work. Walk-up slots were available throughout the weekend.) I also purchased a couple bottles of Akkerman Ink and a Leonardo Momento Zero Nuvola at Vanness on Sunday.

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In terms of what was popular at the show, I bet pretty heavily that non-fountain pen stationery items would draw a lot of interest, which turned out to be correct. I sold through more than half of the shop’s most recent Roterfaden shipment, as well as a lot of the new Lochby Field Folios and Sidekicks. Washi tape, Uni Jetstream and Jetstream Lite Touch Multi Pens, and Traveler’s Notebooks and all the accessories were also popular. In recent years, pen shows have drawn a lot of first-time attendees and those with a strong interest in general stationery other than fountain pens, and I’ve tried to focus on ensuring that this part of the community has a vendor with plenty of stuff for them to peruse.

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I love it when customers bring their products by the table, especially when they’re being well-used like this Lochby Field Journal!

Takeaways and Final Impressions

This year I’ve made the decision to dial back my full pen show setups and concentrate on keeping our Nashville location open as much as possible in order to grow the local business. That said, with such a niche clientele, it’s important to support your regional shows, so after some consideration (and more than a few customer requests), I will be attending the Atlanta Pen Show next weekend with my friends from Hinze Pens. Hopefully we will have our next TGS x Hinze collaboration fountain pen available at the table. While I may not have the two tables full of goods that I was able to bring to Little Rock, I will have any Roterfaden left over from this current shipment, as well as Traveler’s and Lochby so that you can complement your pen purchases with a nice new notebook cover!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

New Arrivals: Lochby Field Folio A5 and Lochby Sidekick Wallets

We still have a few of the brand-new Lochby Field Folios and Sidekicks in stock following this past weekend’s Arkansas Pen Show! The Field Folio takes everything that’s great about the Field Journal and incorporates it into a zippered portfolio-style case, complete with a pen slot on the inside. The Sidekick can be used as either a wallet or a notebook cover (A7 size), and can also carry a pen. Both new products come in classic Lochby colors, and the Field Folio now has a Charcoal/honeycomb combination that’s not been available in the standard Field Journal.

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The Field Folio and Sidekick are now available on the site, along with remaining stock of other Lochby products from the Arkansas Pen Show. Note that we will have regular brick and mortar hours this week, from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. I hope to see you all there!

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A customer brought this well-worn waxed canvas Lochby by the table at the show on Saturday. I love seeing products in the wild, two years later!