Monoc Monoc: Schon DSGN Monoc Nib Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I just received my Monoc this week and couldn’t be happier with the experience. Kimberly does a great job of discussing the concept behind this nib and what to expect if you order one. I’m looking forward to seeing more of what Ian has in store for us!
An Avalanche of Mini Nib Grinds (via mnmlscholar). I’ve also ventured into the world of smaller, precise nib grinds, and it’s interesting to see which different grinds others have come up with.
Particulars: Blackwing Natural Pencil (via A Fleeting Ripple). The Blackwing Natural finish pencil is probably my favorite of their standard lineup, between the natural barrel and the extra-firm core with exceptional point retention.
It’s 2023, What Are We Using (via The Poor Penman). Lots of oldies as well as new goodies in this 2023 loadout from Paul. It’s great to see the Plotter Mini 5 getting more love, and I likewise don’t know what’s going on with Soumkine/Sumkin. The brand put out a blast e-mail over the summer and announced they were closing, but now they seem to be back… or maybe they’re liquidating old stock?
Kokuyo Campus High Grade (CYO-BO) Notebook Review (via Fountain Pen Love). I’ve wanted to try the Campus notebooks for some time, but haven’t properly understood Kokuyo’s paper quality system. I’m going to check out one of these.
Nine-Bespoke Pens Rosetta (via Dapprman). That material is gorgeous! Things you only discover in person at a pen show….
Currently Inked: Things Are Getting Out of Hand (via Writing at Large). I understand, believe me.
Hefty, Hefty, Hefty: The Rite in the Rain Mechanical Clicker Pencil (via From the Pen Cup). Mary and I apparently share a love for mechanical pencils with these big chunky 1.3mm leads. I’ve not seen this Rite in the Rain pencil before, and the leads come in 2B?
Meet Your Maker: Adolphus Smith, Darailpenz (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I had the pleasure of chatting at the Darailpenz table at last year’s Chicago Pen Show, and they have some stunning offerings, especially the stone pens.
Kamio Japan Paco-Tray Pen Case - Peanuts in Navy (via Well-Appointed Desk). Super cool idea to have a pen case that unfolds into a tray!
In Case You Missed It….
So this week I went entirely off-script from my “content plan” that I spent hours developing at the beginning of January, in favor of talking about nibs. Namely, I grew curious about people’s nib preferences in terms of fine, medium, broad, etc.; and then I received my Jinhao X159 in the mail with their new No. 8 nib and I had to write about that and all bets were off. Hope you enjoy!
This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - New Products and Restocks Are Rolling In!
It’s market season, meaning it’s that time of the year when retailers are bringing in new product lines and placing orders for all of the new releases that have been announced. Here’s what’s in so far:
Yesterday we received a fresh shipment from WMS & Co, makers of shop favorites like our undated calendar desk pads. We also have the 175+ sheet notepads in additional colors, along with a new line of to-do list pads in the same paper as the undated calendars.
More Clairefontaine and Rhodia products - including the Rhodia Composition Books! - will be arriving tomorrow to ship, and are currently listed and available for purchase.
All colors of Anderillium inks are back in stock, including the 8-bottle sample sets in both the Avian and Cephalopod series.
UPDATE: Monday marks the arrival of a bunch of new releases from Nahvalur, including their “Year of the Rabbit” limited edition featuring their new 14k nib! We have these in extremely limited quantities. We’ve also restocked on the Original Plus Vacuum-filler in all colors, and have added new versions of the Nautilus and the Nahvalur “Explorer” Inks!
Stay tuned as we have lots of great items on the way!
Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!
This year, I’m trying to be more visible and intentional with T.G.S. Patreon and how the support/membership program will expand in 2023 to include not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content, including the potential return of Digital Divide. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support!