Sunday Reading for March 1, 2026

March 1, 2026

2026 California Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). An epic recap of last week’s California Pen Show, which was a great one! Kimberly managed to get pictures of nearly everyone there and I’m not sure this recap can be topped.
California Pen Show 2026 Recap (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana was also behind the table at CAPS 2026 and has her own show recap!
On Finding that Third Place Yet Again (via Urban Adventure League). People often ask why I decided to open a physical location. A big part of it was that I felt the city needed another kind of third place.
You Pays Yer $$, You Take Yer Chances (via Inkdependence). There’s a lot of stationery “mystery boxes” out there, at various price points, and this is a product category that’s hard to scale well because as the scope gets bigger you have to appeal to so many different customers, all of whom have different preferences.
Living on the Edge with the Santini Safety 1920 (via Figboot on Pens). I’ve always been fascinated by safety fillers as a mechanism and am always excited when I see people introduce new takes.
House Totes for Notebooks and Pens (via Notebook Stories). Do you have a bag or a tote that you use to carry your stuff around the house? I don’t move around much at home (I tend to work in my office above the garage), but I do like to use tote bags to keep all of my stuff in one place so it’s easy to locate.
Living in the In-Between (via From the Pen Cup). Stationery is a great escape for the more challenging moments. Mary always has great reflections.
Nib Wetting Tool Overview and Use (via SBRE Brown). I would proceed slowly and carefully with any sort of tool like this.

Pentel Sign Pen Writing Samples 10 Colors

In Case You Missed It….

This week we released Episode 4 of On The Paper Trail, which recapped our trip to the 2026 California Pen Show. While you can listen on your favorite podcast app, the YouTube Episode contains bonus footage of a show walkthrough and vendor visits. Upon my return I finally was able to get back to some content, and I posted a review of the Pentel Sign Pen, which is a classic piece of Japanese stationery that I unfortunately only recently discovered despite it being available since 1963.

Galen Leather Single Pen Sleeves — We now carry Galen Leather in our shop! Single Pen sleeves and more!

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

We returned from the 2026 California Pen Show with lots of new products to share (and many more in the works). Top of the the list were additional Waka ebonite ballpoints from Laurett’s, one of my favorite Japanese makers who I make a point to visit every time I have a chance. Oh, and did I mention that T.G.S. is now an authorized retailer of Galen Leather? We have a selection of pen cases and notebook covers currently available, and will build out our selection further in the coming months. Finally, the recently released Blackwing Pen arrived, along with a huge Kaweco restock that included most metal Sport and Liliput pens, including the Kolibri!

Update: I just received notice from DHL that the fresh shipment of Roterfaden TGS_25 Taschenbegleiters is set to arrive tomorrow. These should begin shipping this week! Many thanks to all of you who pre-ordered!

Normal store hours this week in the Nashville Shop, from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. Come see us in person!

Laurett's

Kaweco

Rickshaw Bagworks

Craighill

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

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 special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. As of this morning, ALL Patreon supporters (including non-paying free members) have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail” which have not been publicly released.

Sunday Reading for February 22, 2026 (California Pen Show Edition)

February 22, 2026

Behind the Stationery Stack with Addy (via dwrdnet). Derek interviews Addy of Stationery Stack, creator of some excellent pen trays and pen cases, and who it was fun to meet in person at this year’s California Pen Show!
Four Grey Inks: Taccia Budounezu, Ka-Ku x Ink Mazeru Gray of Ash Haze, Ka-Ku Black Jade, and Arcus Artisan Raven’s Shadow (via A Gathering of Curiosities). These new Taccia inks have been slightly delayed stateside but I can’t wait to get my hands on them, both personally and for the shop!
On Maintaining Friendships in My Adult Life (via Urban Adventure League). A great post and a reminder of why I make efforts to attend several pen shows a year to keep in touch with friends in-person.
Does Your Handwriting Change with Different Fountain Pens? (via SBRE Brown). An interesting question, and for me the answer is definitely more about the nib than the pen. Certain nibs favor a certain style of handwriting, and sometimes I have to switch it up.
Keeping a Notebook vs. Keeping a Diary (via Notebook Stories). A distinction that merits some consideration, as many people conflate keeping a diary, keeping a journal, and keeping a notebook as the same thing when in reality the process is intensely personal and specific to how each of us records thoughts.
What’s in My Bag: Travel Edition (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana walks us through her travel bag that she brought with her to Los Angeles. Charging cords and pens are a common theme among pen show vendors!
Analog Defaults Page Now Live (via Pen Addict). A constantly changing reference guide to products currently in use? Now that’s a good idea.

In Case You Missed It….

We attended the 2026 California Pen Show from Wednesday through Sunday! This week I will have a more fulsome recap of the experience, but it was great to meet so many new and longtime readers and customers in person. Check out our short recap of Friday, including a few pictures of our setup and my one new find!

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

The biggest news from this week in the shop was the arrival of a second shipment of Pilot Custom 74 Lavender Fog fountain pens, of which we have only a couple remaining, hopefully with more on the way. In recent weeks we’ve received shipments of the new Lamy AL-Star fountain pens in Pine and Flamingo, TWSBI ECO Black and Marble fountain pens, and many unique paper formats including Life Noble Note in 6-hole looseleaf and A4 Canopus paper! Be sure to check out this week’s Thursday Drops for a full list of new arrivals and restocks, as well as details of this week’s special promotion using the code “CAPENSHOW26” at checkout, which expires at 11:59pm tonight!

We will return to normal store hours this coming week, open from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. We’re bringing back a ton of new stuff from Los Angeles so be sure to stop into the shop and see it all!

Lamy

Diamine Ink

Pilot

Notsu

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

Sunday Reading for February 15, 2026

February 15, 2026

The DWRDNET Stationery Feed with Lisa Vanness (via dwrdnet). Lisa sits for an interview with Derek and talks about the origins of our podcast project, On the Paper Trail, among other things.
Not About Pens, Inks, or Paper (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). As someone who’s definitely been branching out beyond pens, inks, and paper and different sorts of projects in the stationery-adjacent realm, I can definitely relate to this.
Pilot Fountain Pen Basics Live at Vanness: We Know Our Ink and Paper (via Vanness Pens). A walk through Pilot converters and how they work.
Paper Republic’s Big Leather Journal #A4 (via Inky.Rocks). I’ve not seen an A4 leather notebook in this style, and am somewhat curious how it would work with a cover this large.
Tactile Turn Abstract (via Figboot on Pens). The latest Tactile Turn release features an abstract swirl pattern in white and black with a pop of color.
Finding an Old Treasure in My “Stash” (via Well-Appointed Desk). The Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen is an overlooked player in the Caran d’Ache 849 line of pens that includes the ballpoint, rollerball, and mechanical pencil. This one never caught on as much as it probably should have, but some people enjoy it.

On The Paper Trail Episode 3 Trip to Jacksonville

In Case You Missed It….

This week we released a bunch of new content, including Episode 3 of the On the Paper Trail Podcast, in which we discussed our recent visit to Pilot Pens USA in Jacksonville. I also published two somewhat related/complementary pieces of content: (1) a post on cleaning fountain pens (specifically how frequently you should clean them); and (2) a YouTube video on shimmer inks and considerations when using them in fountain pens. We’ve had so many new users both in-store and online recently, and this post and video addresses the more popular questions.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

The new Lamy AL-Stars arrived this week, and they sold briskly in the shop on Friday and Saturday! Personally, I’m partial to the dark green “Pine” pens but if you’re a fan of dusty pink colors, “Flamingo” also looks great. We also have a fresh shipment of the Pilot Custom 74 Lavender Fog North American Special Editions with the specialty nibs, including Soft Fine, Soft Medium, and the coveted Soft Fine-Medium. Last but not least, we still have stock of the TWSBI ECO Black Marble + Bronze, as well as a restock of Serpentine ECOs. Be sure to check out each week’s Thursday Drops e-mail for new arrivals and restocks, and especially this week because there have been a lot.

Note that this coming weekend we will be attending the California Pen Show (February 19-22). We would love to see you there! Our Nashville store will remain open with reduced hours (1-5 on Friday, and 11-5 on Saturday) while we are away.

Tom's Studio

Rickshaw Bags

Pilot Pens

Colorverse

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

Be sure to listen to Nick’s interview (linked below) to learn more about this Rickshaw collaboration!

Sunday Reading for February 8, 2026

February 8, 2026

DWRDNet Stationery Feed Season Two with Nick Dominguez (via dwrdnet). Derek has kicked off season two of his series of interviews with people from around the stationery community, and in this episode he sat down with Nick Dominguez, with whom we’ve collaborated on our recent Rickshaw release.
February Inks (via Pen Addict). Kimberly has 14 more pens inked up with red and pink inks for February! In addition to her already-impressive currently inked lineup.
What Are You Taking to Work? (via SBRE Brown). I enjoy seeing what people take to work with them and use in their day-to-day life. I need to do a video like this at some point and walk through my work carry.
Esterbrook Estie Raven Oversized (via Figboot on Pens). The Estie Raven was a popular standard release, and the oversized version has now hit stores.
Why the Pentel Sharp Mechanical Drafting Pencil Is Perfect for Me (via Pen Addict). Brad reviews a stationery classic from the world of mechanical pencils. These used to be everywhere, and I probably have a dozen or so around my house.
Feed Your Creativity - Live with River City Pen Company (via Feed Your Creativity). A chat with Rich from River City on what he’s working on, new inks, and more.
Wearingeul Reservoir Thread Note B6 (via Well-Appointed Desk). Another ink-friendly notebook in the increasingly popular B6 size. I can vouch for the growing B6 fan-base, both in standard B6 and the “café” size B6 slim.

A photo of the cold Hudson River in February 2026, NYC. — Just a wee bit chilly in NYC this past week. Ice-in-the-river type of cold.

In Case You Missed It…

We focused on thawing out a bit this week in Nashville, and I managed to get away for a couple days to attend the NYNow and Shoppe Object trade shows in New York City, both of which have strong stationery components. I also wrote a bit about my travel kit for 2026, as I’m definitely gearing up for a lot of travel in the coming months with three shows on the horizon.

Restocks, Prototypes, and More Piled Up In-Store

This week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

It’s restock season, as all of the post-holiday reorders we placed are arriving! We have fresh shipments of Midori MD, Nakabayashi, and Lochby, as well as new Life Noble Note 6-ring binder refills and some new journals from NOLTY. The latest Pilot Explorer releases also arrived, which feature matte finishes in four new colors. Finally, we welcome Benu fountain pens to our lineup, with the new “Haute” series of squared barrels and several gorgeous new acrylics. Be sure to check out each week’s “Weekly Drops” post for a full list of new arrivals and restocks.

We will be open this week normal hours, from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday and from 10am-6pm Saturday. Please note that the following week, hours will be modified as we will be attending the California Pen Show. I will post updated hours later this week once I finalize support for the in-person shop when I’m out.

Yamamoto Paper

Pilot

Kakimori Inks

Rickshaw Bags

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

Pilot Pens Headquarters On The Paper Trail

Sunday Reading for February 1, 2026

February 1, 2026

Journaling During These Unprecedented Times (via Inky.Rocks). Even if you’re overwhelmed by everything going on and the associated noise - which is often intentionally designed to keep you from thinking straight and reflecting - journaling can be a great way to process.
2026 Philly Pen Show (via Olive Octopus). I couldn’t break away to hit the Philly Show like I normally do, but I’ve enjoyed reading and watching all the recaps.
ALL of My TWSBI Pens (via Inkdependence). On the cusp of yet another TWSBI release, Mike shows off his TWSBI collection.
2025 Ohio Pen Show (30th Year!) (via Feed Your Creativity). The Ohio Pen Show is a vintage-heavy show that tends to get overlooked. If you’re at all interested in vintage this show should be on your radar, as it can also be a relatively inexpensive show to attend. Fun fact: Ohio was my first pen show all the way back in 2012!
How I Shopped “Around the World” at the DC Pen Show (via Pen Addict). A fun idea, and you don’t have to attend one of the larger pen shows to do something like this, given how international even the smaller shows tend to be.
Was It Six Years Ago? (via Line Variation). One thing I’ve recently realized is that I have no real system for organizing my pens, inks, and stationery, especially when I’m trying to remember when/where I bought certain pens and/or had nibs ground.
Pennonia x Stationery Universe Morpho Ink Collection Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Congratulations to Tori on this new collaboration! I like this recent trend of offering inks with and without shimmer.
For Medicinal Purposes (via From The Pen Cup). Stationery has healing properties, which is why you should always have a healthy supply - with more on the way.

Pilot Super Color Marker Souvenir — Sometimes the best souvenirs from trips are the most “boring”. (This thing is HUGE.)

In Case You Missed It….

Unfortunately this past week, we have mostly been closed due to Winter Storm Fern. Because our building was without power until Wednesday night, and without water until late Friday, we were only able to open one day. On the personal side, I’ve had sporadic internet access at my house and terrible cell service. Things should get back to normal this coming week, including some content from the NYNow and Shoppe Object trade shows that I will be visiting Monday and Tuesday. These “to the trade” shows are different from standard pen shows and stationery fests, in that they’re intended for distributors to show off new arrivals and upcoming product releases to retailers. I typically attend one or two true trade shows per year, and I always have fun things to share.

Because I ended up spending a few nights in a hotel - including a brief trip to Pilot USA HQ in Jacksonville - I did manage to get a bit of content out, including Episode 2 of the On The Paper Trail Podcast, in which Lisa Vanness and I sat down to talk with nib grinder Matthew Chen! Outside the episode itself, we did a livestream with Matthew in which we took reader and listener questions about nib grinds and more.

Benu Haute Fountain Pens — The Benu Haute line of fountain pens is one of the first designs by Benu that appealed to me enough to offer it.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

January is typically a month for post-holiday restocking, and we’re no exception. In addition to restocks of most Pilot pens, the Lamy 2000 line, TWSBI ECOs and Diamond 580s, Diplomat Vipers, and Diamine Ink, we’ve added the Benu “Haute” line of fountain pens, new inks from Colorverse, and of course additional TRAVELERS Notebooks in the standard and passport sizes. What am most excited about? We finally received more of the Mnemosyne Hardcover A5 Journals, which is the notebook that’s serving as my current journal and was featured in my YouTube walkthrough of my 2026 notebooks setup.

Diamine Ink

Rickshaw Bags

Kakimori Letter Paper

Japanese Clips

Assuming the weather holds (and it looks like at least these first two weeks of February will be clear), we will plan to be open Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm, and on Saturday from 10am-6pm. Please note that we will be traveling a fair bit over the coming months and in-store hours may change week-to-week. We always post updated hours on our main “About” page, and on our Google profile.