Fountain Pen Day 2021 - 10th Anniversary (via Pen Addict). Kimberly has a great post about the history of Fountain Pen Day and its creation. I’ve been celebrating since about 2013, and I love to see how it’s grown.
How to Choose Your Second Fountain Pen (And Why It Should Be a Japanese One) (via Tokyo Station Pens). This article highlights some great considerations for choosing your second pen (though they could apply equally as well to your third, fourth, or whenever you are considering a “next level” purchase).
Rocketing Through Books (via Peaceable Writer). These “Rocketbook” index cards are intriguing to me…
Dominant Industry Inks Make a Splash (via UK Fountain Pens). I’ve been ogling the Dominant Industry inks on Instagram for a while now. Some of these colors look outstanding, and I need to find a U.S. stockist.
Montegrappa Harry Potter Knight Bus Purple (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). So the new Harry Potter inks from Montegrappa aren’t limited to “house colors,” after all. This one looks like a nice royal purple.
Kaweco Dia2 Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). The Kaweco Dia2 might be my favorite “traditional” full-size fountain pen from Kaweco, and I do wish it got more attention. Maybe if they brought back a piston-fill version?
Narwhal Key West (via Dapprman). I’ve heard many concerning reports about Narwhal quality control in recent months, both from consumers and retailers. Hopefully they can get QC issues like these under control. Again, as I said with Kaweco and their “premium stainless steel” nibs, if you can’t get quality control right at your current price point, raise your prices. A fountain pen is a luxury item and people will pay a bit more for a pen that works well.
Kaweco “Premium” Steel Nib vs. Regular Steel Nib (via Scrively). Here’s a video review of Kaweco’s new “Premium” nib vs. the standard stainless.
Sharp Dressed Pen: the Otto Hutt Design 03 (via Penquisition). I’m an unabashed Otto Hutt fan, and would love to see the brand gain the foothold in the U.S. that I think it should have. I need to pick up a Design 03 (I’ve been saying this forever).
Draw Your Tools, Wrapup (via The Looped Square). Joseph wrapped up his Inktober project of drawing his writing implements and other everyday carry items. He has some observations on drawing with fountain pens and drawing in general.
How to Make (Intentional) Calligraphy Ink Spatters (via The Postman’s Knock). Ever wanted to adorn your journal or calligraphy pieces with those great-looking decorative ink spatters that you see seemingly everywhere? This post has some tips and tricks.
In Case You Missed It… (And Don’t Miss the Fountain Pen Day Giveaway and Sale!)
This week on the blog, most of my attention shifted to the annual Fountain Pen Day celebration. After all, it only happens once a year, right? You don’t want to miss this year’s Fountain Pen Day giveaway, which runs through tomorrow (Monday) at 11:59pm. Also, through 11:59pm tonight (Sunday), you can take 10% off all T.G.S. Curated Shop orders using the coupon code “FPD10” at checkout! Oh, and I did do a “Bag Dump” post earlier in the week, in which I walk through all of the gear I’ve been carrying this year.
Write Notepads and Caran d’Ache Restock in the T.G.S. Curated Shop
Looking for something to spend your Fountain Pen Day discounts on? Yesterday I received a restock of Write Notepads Reporter Notebooks, Landscape Notebooks, and Hardcover Notebooks with both ruled and now dot grid paper. We also have the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pens back in stock! Also, certain items have been marked down to clearance level to make room for new stuff coming in before the holidays. Be sure to check these out, especially since you can combine clearance pricing with your Fountain Pen Day sale discount.
Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More! (For those in the Patreon, Check the Sale Page!)
For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales. Yesterday, I listed a bunch of new gently used products on the T.G.S. Patreon Sale page, including some rare Blackwings from my personal collection, a handful of gently used custom fountain pens, and some high-end notebooks that I’m never going to get around to using.