Shibui North Pocket Fox Titanium Kraken (via Figboot on Pens). As you’ll see with what I’m going to end up bringing home from the California Pen Show, I’m loving pocket fountain pens right now and glad to see more makers exploring this space.
The Wet Pen Inks: Deception Pass and Elliott Bay (via A Gathering of Curiosities). This is the second review I’ve read about these inks, both from the creator of The Wet Pen YouTube Channel, and each review was positive. I love seeing creators make new products to support themselves.
Spoke Roady Model 2 Review (via The Poor Penman). This may be the Spoke Roady I’ve been waiting to try, with Uni Jetstream SXR-600 compatibility.
Fountain Pen Revolution Jaipur V2 14k Gold Ultra Flex Fountain Pen Nib (via Blake’s Broadcast). I had the chance to play around with the FPR flex nibs at the Dallas Pen Show in October, and picked up a stainless steel nib version. I enjoy the flexible nibs that FPR offers but you are definitely buying for the nib, not the pen body.
Under-Pretentious: Montblanc Meisterstuck 144 Fountain Pen (via A Fleeting Ripple). I enjoy the size of the 144 for things like planners and notepads, though it is indeed a slim pen.
Journaling Series: On Finishing a Journal (via Writing at Large). Do you have any special rituals or traditions when you finish a journal? I love reading these sorts of posts.
Kaweco + Kakimori = Perfect Swatching Tool! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Just sayin’ that we have one Kaweco Clutch Pencil in stock, as well as Kakimori dip nibs if you want to create your own ink swatching kit.
Notebook Comparison: 120gsm and 180gsm Paper (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’m not a fan of super heavy notebook paper - I prefer lighter sheets - but if you enjoy having the ability to really use brush pens and more you might find these interesting.
Edelstein Ink of the Year 2024 Golden Lapis (via Pelikan’s Perch). This is an interesting direction for Pelikan to take their ink of the year - a shimmer ink!
In Case You Missed It…. (A Short California Pen Show Recap)
This weekend I’m attending the California Pen Show, and it was wonderful to meet so many readers, including those who sat in on my workshops on Friday and Saturday. I’ll plan to share some of the content in the coming weeks, but the workshop content was very similar to the recent “Ask TGS Posts,” all of which helped me focus the seminar. The California Pen Show is a reboot of the old L.A. Pen Show, which I last attended in 2019 and was only open to the public on Sunday. The new show has three public days, more classes, and a much more open location for a better attendee experience. I helped out behind the Schon DSGN table on Saturday in-between classes, and also got to visit with Hinze Pens, Gravitas Pens, Kanilea Pen Co., Kyuseido, Plotter/Traveler’s and many more. I will have more pictures later but here are just a few shots of what I was able to see Friday and Saturday!
This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Expanded Pencil Offerings and a presidents Day weekend discount code!
Yesterday morning we launched a brand new “Pencils” Section of the Curated Shop, which contains all of our wood and mechanical pencil offerings, as well as pencil accessories such as erasers and sharpeners. Having these on a separate page will not only make the shop easier to navigate, but it will also allow us to sort products by more specific category, such as leadholders, highlighter pencils, bicolor pencils, and more. We are also looking to expand our selection of Japanese pencils, and have recently received a second shipment of Camel Pencils and can now offer them by the dozen.
We also still have several of the recently release Nahvalur exclusive pens in the Ruby Koi and Matira Quartz/Lovina Graphite finishes. Check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for more details. Finally, don’t forget that Through Monday at 11:59pm CT, take 10% off all desk and reading accessories in the T.G.S. Curated Shop using the coupon code “PRESIDENTIAL” at checkout.
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If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), there are several ways that you can support us. 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! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, consider joining the T.G.S. Patreon, which also includes early access to quarterly gently used sales. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. Patreon supporters also get access to any pen show-exclusive specials and promotions, such as that offered to course attendees this weekend.
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