Scenes from Friday and Saturday at the 2019 DC Pen Show

August 4, 2019

Friday at the D.C. Pen Show was a bit slow…. Much slower than in previous years. Vendor and attendee traffic seemed a bit down, though it picked up towards the end of the afternoon to the point where we even had a bit of a rush just before closing. Several Saturday attendees told us at the table that the show mailer confused the dates, and did not make clear that Friday was open to the public if they paid the early “Trader” admission. Oh well. It was still the D.C. Pen Show, so there was still a ton of stuff to see and I took advantage of the lulls in traffic to look around the ballrooms. Saturday more than made up for a slow Friday, as the line started forming at 8:00 a.m. and did not let up until an hour after the technical “close.” I actually don’t have many pictures from Saturday since it was so busy, but the pictures from Friday are better anyway because vendors still had most of their stock. Some tables were pretty bare by mid-afternoon on Saturday, which is the sign of a great show!

There’s still one full day left! I’m behind the Vanness Pens table to the right of the show entrance, so be sure to stop by and say hello! We have plenty of pens to sell, along with our remaining stock of Akkerman and Colorverse ink. Hope to see you later! A full show recap will follow this week.

Kanilea Pen Company brought all of their various models of pens, including the new Aolani (shown below)!

I can’t wait to swing by the Kanilea table on Sunday and see how many of these are actually left after the Saturday rush. Check out my initial thoughts on the Kanilea Aolani that I published last week.

Dan Smith at The Nibsmith brought the entire spectrum of Leonardo pens, as well as Sailor, Visconti, and other brands.

As you know, I’m behind the Vanness Pens table all weekend, and while our stock of ink and paper is somewhat depleted, Sunday is a great day to get a good deal on a pen, like this discontinued Montegrappa Passione that has been sitting in front of m… — As you know, I’m behind the Vanness Pens table all weekend, and while our stock of ink and paper is somewhat depleted, Sunday is a great day to get a good deal on a pen, like this discontinued Montegrappa Passione that has been sitting in front of me calling my name for two days straight. Someone come buy this pen before I do! You may remember that I reviewed this exact model/color combination a while back.

Yoshi Nakama was here, though I still haven’t quite found the pen that speaks to me yet!

The Sailor 1911 Large in the “Ringless Epinard” Design. This pen gets a lot of attention, and looks good, but come of the design choices leave me scratching my head. For one thing, the pen has ruthenium trim but a rhodium nib, and I’m not sure how I… — The Sailor 1911 Large in the “Ringless Epinard” Design. This pen gets a lot of attention, and looks good, but come of the design choices leave me scratching my head. For one thing, the pen has ruthenium trim but a rhodium nib, and I’m not sure how I feel about the cap edge.

Ian Schon of Schon DSGN brought his new pocket fountain pen! I didn’t get a chance to come back and see him on Saturday, but

If you haven’t already, you will her much about Matt Martin Custom Pens. Hands down the best machined fountain pens I have ever seen. He even makes his own screws for the clip!

On Saturday, the line began to form early.

And by Saturday afternoon, the main ballroom was plenty busy. (This was taken after the main rush, probably around 3:30 or so).

In terms of Akkerman and Colorverse, what’s out is what we have left at the Vanness Pens table! If you want it, act quick and come get it!

It's That Time Again: Prepping for the 2019 D.C. Pen Show!

July 31, 2019

While there’s not really anything on my acquisition list for this year’s show - I’ve done enough damage to my wallet in the four shows I’ve attended so far - I’m still excited for the 2019 D.C. Pen Show. It is, after all, the “big show,” and the one that I recommend everyone attend if they can only do one show. For the second year in a row, I’ll be behind the Vanness Pens table near the entrance to the main ballroom, so please stop by!

So who all will be in D.C. this year, and what am I excited to see?

Vanness Pens. Lisa is bringing pens from Faber-Castell, Conway Stewart, Opus 88, Kaweco, and Diplomat. I’m told we will have tester pens from Diplomat inked up for people to try at the table. As always, Vanness will have the famous “wall of ink” with brands such as Vinta, PenBBS, Colorverse, some Akkerman, Herbin, Lamy, Organics Studio, and Robert Oster. There will be clearance pens and show specials on ink, so stop by the table for details!
The Nibsmith. Dan is back in D.C.! Appointment slots for nib work have already filled up, but if you purchase a pen from Dan it may come with complimentary nib tuning or even a free grind, depending on price. Dan is also an authorized Visconti dealer, and will have Visconti at his table!
Anderson Pens. The Andersons are your stop for Sailor Pens in D.C., particular the King of Pen and Bespoke series! Also, be sure to check out the Wahl-Eversharp Signature Series, a smaller version of Wahl’s Decoband pen!
Nib Grinders! Dan Smith is booked in advance, but others will be there including Mike Masuyama and Josh Lax. If having a nib ground or tuned is on your list of things to do in D.C., be sure to go and sign up first thing in the morning on Friday or Saturday.

Other vendors who will be present include Kanilea Pen Company, Franklin-Christoph, and Dromgoole’s. I can’t list everyone who will be in D.C. - this post would be pages long! - but rest assured there will be more pens, paper, pencils, and ink than you could ever hope to see in one place.

While this picture is from the old location, it gives you a good idea of how many people pass through the D.C. Show. And this is only one ballroom!

A Few Notes on Pen Shows

People always ask me for my “best pen show advice,” and my number-one pointer is simply “have fun.” Don’t take the show too seriously, and don’t be overly concerned with seeing everything because you won’t. There’s just not enough time. A few other tips:

Have a Plan, But Don’t Be Wedded to It. If there are 1-2 things you really want to see and know that they might sell out fast or, with respect to appointments for nib work, book up, then make these a priority and hit them first. “Time-sensitive” pen show items include Franklin-Christoph prototype pens, vendor-specific limited or special edition inks, and handmade pens from smaller vendors like Kanilea Pen Company. Make those tables your first stops, but afterwards take some time to see the show. If you’re going to hunt vintage pens, there will be so many your head will spin, so there’s no reason to buy the first one you see. Take your time!
Pay Extra to Go on Friday. If you can, buy the “weekend trader” pass. Saturday will be crowded, and on Sunday the wares might be picked over. That’s not to say you won’t find good deals, but limited-quantity items will be gone.
Participate in the After-Hours Festivities. Typically held in the hotel bar, “Pen Shows After Dark” is a thing. (Seriously, check out #penshowsafterdark on social media.) In addition to fellowship, camaraderie, and alcohol, people trade and sell pens.
Don’t Forget to Eat and Hydrate! Self-explanatory, but easy to do. If you want to have the energy to indulge in the after-hours bar scene, you’ll need things like food and water. I also like to take a rest in the mid-afternoon, if I’m not working the show.

If you are attending your first pen show, you may want to check out my “Pen Show Primer” series, including Pen Show Primer, Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show. Also check out my 2018 D.C. Pen Show Recap to get a sense of what awaits you, and if you didn’t make it this year, what you’re missing out on!

See you in D.C., or at the next show!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

Kanilea-Aolani-Sterling-Silver-Medallion

First Impressions: Kanilea Pen Company Aolani Fountain Pen

July 27, 2019

I’ve eagerly awaited this year’s release from Kanilea Pen Company, the Aolani, because the rumors turned out to be true and this pen is a departure from previous Kanilea releases: a darker-colored pen, and purple to boot! “Aolani” means “heavenly clouds,” and it’s a fitting name. Swirls of purple, silver, dark blue, black, and gray are all visible throughout the acrylic. As my interest in pens and stationery has matured, I’ve become increasingly drawn to unique materials, as opposed to new shapes or design profiles. While occasionally a new design will move me, I feel that most innovation these days comes on the materials front, which is where Kanilea really grabs me. They nailed the acrylic on the Aolani, and the pattern and color combination evokes the transition between night and day that’s only visible at dawn.

The Kanilea Aolani in the “Classic” profile. The Aolani will also be made available in each of the other four Kanilea design profiles.

The material for each Kanilea model is based on a photograph taken by Hugh and Karol of a favorite location in Hawaii. The pen comes with a wooden keepsake box, complete with a copy of the photograph on which your pens is based and information about… — The material for each Kanilea model is based on a photograph taken by Hugh and Karol of a favorite location in Hawaii. The pen comes with a wooden keepsake box, complete with a copy of the photograph on which your pens is based and information about the company, pen care, etc.

The Kanilea wooden boxes are one of my favorite aspects of a Kanilea purchase. They make excellent pencil cases!

“Ascending Haleakala volcano (on the island of Maui) is a spectacular experience, especially at sunrise. The sun appears over the horizon, and the blanket of clouds within the crater’s interior takes on a luminous glow. Colors change from black to midnight blue to violet to rose. We sat watching with a cup of hot Kona coffee, drinking in the moment as the stars twinkled and gradually faded away.”

— Kanilea Pen Company

Because there are unique variations in the acrylic on each pen, I love choosing my Kanilea pens in person. If you look closely here, you will see that the swirls in the material are continuous. Kanilea uses a feature-matching process that transition… — Because there are unique variations in the acrylic on each pen, I love choosing my Kanilea pens in person. If you look closely here, you will see that the swirls in the material are continuous. Kanilea uses a feature-matching process that transitions the color and design from cap to barrel.

The flip side of the Aolani. Note how the swirls on one side of the pen are quite dark, but on the other side, shown here, you get more of the gray, purple, and iridescent silver.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I haven’t yet seen a pen from Kanilea that I don’t like, and Aolani is certainly no exception. Purple pens sell extremely well, and I expect that Aolani is going to sell out quickly at next week’s upcoming D.C. Pen Show, much like the Hanauma Bay and Haleakala Silhouette pens have in the past. If Aolani has piqued your interest, I’d make plans to jump on it quickly!

Kanilea Pens can be purchased directly from Kanilea Pen Company, either through their website or in person at a pen show. Though it may not be an option for everybody, if at all possible I strongly recommend attending a show and picking out your pen in person. Not to ensure you “get a good one” - they’re all good - but to pick the material that speaks to you the most and to have the opportunity to work with Hugh to tune your nib and ensure that it writes exactly the way you want it to write. All of my Kanileas have been purchased in person and write to perfection. Check out my prior reviews of the Kanilea Mauna Kea, as well as my Nui Nalu and Hanauma Bay Fountain Pens.

The Aolani is available now, starting at $395.00 for a pen with a steel nib, $520 with a gold. Since all pens are handmade, online orders typically take 14-16 weeks for fulfillment, but Kanilea always comes to shows with a healthy stock of pens, and you’ll get one as long as you make them one of your first stops in D.C.!

Disclaimer: Kanilea Pen Company loaned me the pen featured in this post for review purposes, free of charge. Many thanks to Hugh, Karol, and the rest of the team at Kanilea for making this review possible.

Desktop Tools: Carl Angel-5 Pencil Sharpener

July 24, 2019

As you might have guessed from the theme of my recent posts, lately I’ve spent a good deal of time time curating my stationery accumulation and related accessories, trying to get a handle on what my “core tools” are. My traveling kit and my journaling setup has remained consistent as of late, and I did a search around my desk at home and at the office to see whether there were any additional key items in my workflow that I had never reviewed. What was the first thing that came up? My Carl Angel-5 pencil sharpener, which I’ve owned for more than 5 years now.

“The Original Quality SInce 1960”. Something tells me the design of this sharpener hasn’t changed much since then.

Carl is a longstanding Japanese office-supply manufacturer, which since 1929 has produced products ranging from hole punches to paper cutters to pencil sharpeners. I can’t speak to their other products, but Carl’s pencil sharpeners are superb, especially for the money. The Angel-5 model has developed a bit of a cult following due to the long point this thing can put on a pencil. We’re talking daggers or vampire-stakes here.

The plastic tray slides out easily. I love the fact that it’s transparent and you can easily see when the sharpener is full.

The Angel-5 is a pretty simple contraption: it’s a single-burr, hand-crank sharpener that has held up well and shows no signs of the grinder dulling despite five years of heavy use. This sharpener’s combination of compact size and durability makes it a perfect choice for home and office desktops, as well as classrooms.

Carl’s kinda angry looking, from this angle. The good thing about the “teeth” is that you don’t have to mount the sharpener to a desk or table. The Angel-5 grips the pencil well and automatically feeds it into the grinder as you sharpen.

The one potential issue I feel compelled to mention is the fact that the “teeth” of the sharpener that grip the pencil will leave marks in the finish. If you sharpen enough, it can give the pencil a “chewed up” look. Since woodcase pencils are by their very nature disposable, this doesn’t bother me as the finish on the pencil is going to get “sharpened away” anyway, but as you might imagine, people have very strong opinions about these things. Carl makes a slightly more expensive model with rubber pads on the grippers that won’t mar the finish. (Link below)

An unsharpened Palomino Blackwing Pearl.

Now THAT is a sharpened pencil! Be careful or you’ll put your eye out with that.

“Teethmarks” from the Carl Angel-5 sharpener. On pencils with thicker finishes, like Blackwings, it’s less noticeable. The sharpener can really tear up cheaper pencils made of softer wood, but who wants to use those anyway?

Takeaways and Where to Buy

If you’re in the market for a relatively inexpensive, high-quality pencil sharpener for the home, office, or classroom that will see heavy use, consider the Carl Angel-5. For less than $20, (including free Amazon same day delivery for eligible Amazon Prime Members), this sharpener is a bargain. The one drawback, as noted above, is that you can’t adjust the length or bluntness of the point, but if you require this functionality you can opt for the slightly more expensive Carl CC-2000, which has five sharpness options. I have a CC-2000 in my office, and while it’s a good sharpener, I prefer the point on the Angel-5. (Note that the CC-2000 is the sharpener that doesn’t leave “teeth marks” on your pencil.)

Disclaimer: I purchased the product featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Pencils that have gone the way of the dodo.

Does It Ever Make Sense to Stockpile Stationery? Maybe Sometimes.

July 20, 2019

I’ve been thinking about this question a LOT lately. And not necessarily because I want to justify my own collection, which actually has diminished significantly in recent years. I’ve not purchased any new pens for months, and have made an honest effort to sell off unused items, work my way through my backlog of paper, and simply be more conscious about acquiring additional stuff. Of course I still tend to accumulate pens, pencils, ink, and paper over time - it’s the nature of product reviewing that you sometimes need to acquire items to review - but it’s become more gradual, I don’t feel as though I’m drowning in clutter, and I’m not losing money. A semi-annual stationery purge helps to keep things in check.

I’m not a collector, in the traditional sense, and I try to buy only those things that I could conceivably use one day. On principle, I discourage FOMO-driven “fear hoarding.” You know the forum threads - “They might discontinue X limited-edition product or run out quickly, and I know I haven’t tried it yet but it’s going to be great because X blogger says so and I went ahead and bought seven bottles/boxes/packs of notebooks because I might never be able to get it or anything like it ever again.” This type of stockpiling isn’t healthy, for your sanity, your wallet, or the stationery industry in general. These purchasing frenzies incentivize brands to churn out dozens of ill-conceived “limited edition” versions of the same product rather than innovate and bring something new to the market. Many “limited editions” aren’t even unique - with respect to something like fountain pen ink, is there any good reason to stock up on a dozen bottles of a single color when the overwhelming majority of people go through a bottle (maybe two) a year at most, and where the size and scope of today’s ink market renders it extremely unlikely that you won’t be able to find a similar, if not identical, color? Stockpiling like this rarely makes sense to me.

Lately, however, I’ve been wondering whether a good case does exist for stockpiling certain products you use regularly and form a core part of your workflow. Two items in particular prompted this internal debate: (1) the Baron Fig Mastermind desk pad, and (2) the cedar No. 2 pencil. The first, I’ll freely admit, is more fear-driven than the other. To my knowledge, Baron Fig is in no danger of going away anytime soon, but I’ve not found anything similar to the Mastermind that matches its combination of size, paperweight, and format. (The Studio Neat Panobook and the Write Notepads Landscape Notebook are similar, but I love that the Mastermind is a tear-away desk pad, especially since I have to shred most of my notes from work.) There’s no need for me to invest in a lifetime supply of writing pads, but does it make sense to have extra stock on hand to hold me over if it’s ever discontinued and I need to find something else? Since I’ve used the Mastermind every day consistently for the past two years, probably.

The Faber-Castell Mongols from the 1990s often have usable erasers, unlike older Eberhard-Faber branded pencils where the erasers have calcified.

The cedar No. 2 pencil presents a better case for buying up what you can while you can still get it. Much ink has been spilled (or graphite smeared) lamenting the fact that modern pencil production is plagued by inconsistent quality, even within brands, and unannounced design and manufacturing changes. Take the Dixon Ticonderoga, for example. While the original, USA-manufactured cedar Ticonderoga has been a bit over-romanticized, there’s no disputing the fact that since Dixon began outsourcing production to multiple factories around the world, consistent quality has been elusive. I’ve purchased a box of Black Ticonderogas made in Mexico that were some of the worst pencils I’ve ever used - hard, scratchy, and way too light for their No. 2 designation. Another pack of Chinese-made Ticonderogas that I purchased from Target are still among the best pencils in my stash, with a smooth, dark core, while yet another identical-looking box purchased from Office Depot were just “meh.”

My pencil cup runneth over. Most of these will end up like the Blackwing stub below.

Woodcase pencil-making is, by its very nature, resource-intensive and susceptible to economic pressures that force manufacturers to outsource and cut costs, especially in market segments like school supplies where they can’t raise prices enough to compensate. All of the favorite inexpensive “school” pencils I used growing up (the Dixon Ticonderoga, the Faber-Castell American, the Blackfeet Indian Pencil) have either seen production move overseas or have disappeared entirely from the U.S. market. What’s to say that more brands won’t follow? Sure, it’s a safe bet that Blackwing probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon - as long as people are willing to pay close to $30 for a dozen pencils - but can you really say the same about Generals, which operates a factory in the uber-expensive New York City metropolitan area and focuses on pencils that sell for around $6 per dozen? Even CalCedar (maker of Blackwing) discontinued the eraser-tipped Palomino No. 2, which I consider one of the best pencils ever made. They used to sell them in bulk for $100 per gross, and failing to pull the trigger on that purchase is one of my great regrets. I won’t make the same mistake with the Forest Choice No. 2.

I guess the point of this musing is to say that if I find a reasonably priced product that I use daily and enjoy, why wouldn’t I purchase it while I can, especially if there’s a real (as opposed to perceived) danger of it going away forever? Building up a nice stock of quality woodcase pencils doesn’t cost very much, and pencils don’t take up much space or deteriorate quickly. A dozen USA-made Ticonderogas from the 1990s or 2000s can be had on eBay for as little as $7, and they’re as usable as ever. Sure, that’s pricier than what you’ll see in stores today, but it’s still much less expensive than a dozen modern Blackwings. That Faber-Castell “American” pencil I mentioned? You can buy a sealed half gross of those for $20 - still less than a dozen limited edition Blackwings. The other good thing about pencils is that if you have school-age kids in the house, those pencils are going to get “stolen”, and you can always donate unused pencils or those that don’t match your personal preferences to school-supply drives, which my office runs every fall. In short, be conscious of what you use, and don’t buy multiples of stuff simply because of FOMO-pressure or because someone like me told you to, but at the same time, don’t let today’s trendy obsession with “minimalism” keep you from ensuring that you have a ready supply of quality writing tools that you need to do the work you love.

Now excuse me while I go finish work on my pencil bunker.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. All pencils pictured in this review were purchased with my own funds for my own use.

Also, please do not flood me with emails about selling pencils or pens. I’ve recently been receiving scores of unsolicited e-mails asking if I will sell “XYZ” pen, pencil, or notebook (typically a limited edition). If I am looking to sell or trade something, I will typically ask for trade offers or post things for sale on a separate page. Thanks for understanding - I can only respond to so much email!