On The Paper Trail...

This week we discuss Pen, Paper, & Ink Problems, and the different terms commonly used in the stationery world to describe these issues. We specifically focus on problems with ink flow in fountain pens such as skipping, hard-starting, and railroading, as well as paper bleed through and show through. We also recap our recent "On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville Event". A huge thanks to all of you who turned out, and it was wonderful to see so many faces in person!

While we make every effort to be descriptive for our audio-only listeners, you may wish to view the companion YouTube channel as well.

Show Notes and Links

1. On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville Recap
2. Pilot Juice Up Fountain Pen
3. Kaweco Lunar Sport Rollerballs
4. Pilot Grance Fountain Pen
5. Midori Color Spiral
6. TWSBI ECO Jade Jelly + Bronze Fountain Pen
7. Kaweco Lunar Sport Fountain Pens
8. TRAVELER'S Company 2027 Dated Refills
9. Midori Planner Tabs
10. Tri-Star Studio Custom Fountain Pens

Do you ever feel lost talking about fountain pens? Whether you're brand new to this hobby, or are a seasoned user who's simply never explored topics such as pen repair and nib customization, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the different terms and expressions people use. For this episode we thought it would be fun to talk through the different parts of the pen and a basic overview of how a fountain pen functions. Future episodes will revisit terminology and discuss things like pen problems, nib modifications, and more! We also share some last-minute details on the On The Paper Trail Live event coming up this weekend in Nashville.

Please note that in this episode, we walk through the parts of a fountain pen and a fountain pen nib. While we have done our best to describe everything for audio listeners, we strongly encourage you to watch the video as well if you would like a visual demonstration.

Show Notes and Links

1. On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville - Advance Tickets Required
2. Leonardo Momento Zero Pura
3. seY Fountain Pen
4. Penultimate Inks
5. Gentleman Stationer Store Hours and Location
6. Vanness Pens Store Hours and Location (Fort Smith Location Opening for Fountain Pen Day!)

Get caught up on previous episodes, and find more information on the main podcast informational page.

Episode 17 continues our discussion on Journaling for Mental Health! September is National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness month, so for these two most recent episodes we have been discussing a topic important to both of us: journaling for mental health and self-care. Part II dives into less traditional journaling techniques that we have both experimented with in the past, including creative practices such as doodling and ink swatching, quote collecting, handwriting practice, sticker journaling, and more.

Disclaimer: Our discussion here is highly personal and specific to us and our own individual situations. Journaling is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you need help, or feel that you need to talk to someone, we strongly encourage you to speak with a mental health treatment professional.

Show Notes and Links

1. National Suicide Prevention Month
2. On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville (October 16-18)
3. New Gentleman Stationer Storefront
4. T.G.S. x Tono & Lims Exclusive Inks
5. Pilot Frixion Waai
6. Pilot Custom 845 Vermillion Urushi Fountain Pen
7. Lamy 2000 Fountain Pen
8. Pilot Juice Up
9. Davinci Raymay 6-Ring Refills
10. Wearingeul Thumbelina Ink
11. Lisa's New Stickers
12. Kaleidocraft Prints

Get caught up on previous episodes, and find more information on the main podcast informational page.

September is National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Month, so for Episode 16 we decided to talk about a topic that's close to both of us: Journaling for mental health and techniques we both find helpful for self care. Part I discusses our own techniques, and Part II will discuss additional journaling techniques that we may not use all the time but have tried in the past and break out periodically. Of course, we also make time to discuss the recent San Francisco Pen Show, new shop arrivals, and upcoming events!Disclaimer: Our discussion here is highly personal and specific to us and our own individual situations. Journaling is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you need help, or feel that you need to talk to someone, we strongly encourage you to speak with a mental health professional.

Show Notes and Links

1. National Suicide Prevention Month
2. Pilot S20 Ballpoint
3. Kuru Toga Wood Mechanical Pencil
4. Mark'Style Tous Les Jours Ballpoint Pen
5. Midori Planners
6. Vinta Ink
7. Pennonia
8. Roterfaden Restock
9. Schon DSGN Lil' Dipper
10. Art of Creation Panel Discussion
11. Dallas Pen Show
12. On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville

Get caught up on previous episodes, and find more information on the main podcast informational page.

Join Joe and Lisa as they co-host "The Art of Creation," a panel discussion at the 2026 San Francisco Pen Show featuring a discussion with three independent makers in the stationery industry. We had the opportunity to ask our guests about their creative process, followed by an audience question and answer session. Please note that this was a live panel recording, and the audio may be uneven in parts. We have attempted to optimize it as best we can. If you would like to view the video of the panel session, you can find it at the On The Paper Trail YouTube Channel.

Show Notes and Links to Guest Profiles

1. Ian Schon of Schon DSGN, a manufacturing company based in Philadelphia making fountain and ballpoint pens. Schon DSGN pens each have a unique look and feel, some pens being heavier made out of brass or copper and others from super lightweight Engineered Plastics or Anodized Aluminum.
2. Iris Au of Glassophy, which aims to express its ideas through the art of glass lampworking. Glass lampworking is a technique that uses heat exceeding 1000 degrees Celsius to soften glass into suitable shapes, allowing for various shaping techniques such as dotting and scribing, combined with other precious materials like gold, Silver, and artificial opal.
3. Daryl Lim, Founder of Atelier Musubi, Singapore-based maker of small goods and specialty notebooks.Get caught up on previous episodes, and find more information on the main podcast informational page.

Do you ever feel that some fountain pen and ink combinations work especially well together? Have you found that switching inks can make a pen write better? Today we talk about how to pair fountain pens and inks to optimize your writing experience. We each go through three of our favorite pen and ink combinations, and discuss why we like specific inks in specific fountain pens.

While we try to describe everything in as much detail as possible in the show audio, those who wish to view products in real time should check out the video stream or see the show notes and links for additional information.

Podcast Video Stream

Show Notes and Links

1. Joe's DC Pen Show Recap
2. Vanness Hummingbird Green Ink
3. Platinum Classic Fountain Pen Ink
4. Galen Leather Legacy Collection
5. Leonardo Momento Zero Pura Fountain Pen
6. Leonardo Momento Magico Fantasy Series
7. Lamy x Uni Kuru Toga Inside Mechanical Pencils
8. OnionBrand Leather Notebook Covers
9. Pilot Iroshizuku Ink
10. Joe's Inks from Japan
11. TWSBI ECO Bahama Yellow
12. Kyo-no-Oto Ink
13. Callifolio Ink
14. San Francisco Pen Show
15. Dallas Pen Show
16. On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville

Our first fountain pen ink episode, where we discuss permanent inks! In this episode you'll learn about document inks, pigment inks, and iron gall inks, including relative waterproofness and lightfastness, pen care, and more. Fountain pen ink is a huge topic, so expect more ink-related episodes as we break things down into manageable chunks.

While we try to describe everything in as much detail as possible in the show audio, those who wish to view products in real time should check out the video stream or see the show notes and links for additional information.

Podcast Video Stream

Show Notes and Links

1. Sunderland MK1:
2. Roterfaden TGS_25
3. Lochby Mini Pocket Journal
4. Joe's 10 Fountain Pen Post
5. Custom Nib Studio
6. Pilot Grance Fountain Pen
7. Kaweco Pearlescent Green Perkeo
8. Galen Leather A4 Folio
9. Document Inks
10. Kakimori Pigmented Inks
11. Diamine Forever Inks
12. Platinum Pigment Inks
13. Platinum Iron Gall Inks
14. KWZ Iron Gall Ink
15. Diamine Registrar's Ink (Iron Gall)
16. Results of Our Water Test

With a podcast called "On The Paper Trail," it was only a matter of time before we talked about our favorite papers and how we use them! In this episode, we discuss paper rulings, spacing, texture, bindings, and other factors that affect how we select which paper we use every day. This week's customer questions address understandably confusing paper-related topics such as the meaning of a "lie flat" notebook and the differences between international paper sizes and the less exact sizing standards used by U.S. manufacturers over the years.

While we try to describe everything in as much detail as possible in the show audio, those who wish to view products in real time should check out the video stream or see the show notes and links for additional information.

Podcast Video Stream

Show Notes and Links

1. Pilot Kakuno (Lisa's Pen)
2. Pilot Iroshizuku Ku Jaku (Lisa's Ink)
3. TWSBI ECO Rootbeer Fountain Pen (Joe's Pen)
4. Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (Joe's Pen)
5. Joe's Japan Ink Recap Post (For Photos of the Inks Being Discussed)
6. Kobe Nagasawa Inks
7. Kakimori A5 Notebooks
8. Kakimori Pens
9. Kakimori Inkstand Inks
10. Midori MD Cotton Paper
11. Nakabayashi Logical Prime Paper
12. Maruman Basics
13. Maruman Mnemosyne Hardcover
14. Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper (T.G.S. Paper Resource)
15. On the Paper Trail Live in Nashville Event Page

Have you ever written with two fountain pens of the same model and same nib size, only to notice subtle (or maybe not-so-subtle) differences in line width? As retailers, we get questions about this topic all the time, and have experienced this ourselves in our own personal collections, so we wanted to talk about why this happens and what you can do to help ensure you get the nib closest to your desired line width. We also talk a bit about upcoming pen shows and events, including the DC, San Francisco, and Dallas Pen Shows, as well as our own On The Paper Trail Live Event in Nashville!

Show Notes and Links

1. Pilot Custom 823 (Joe's Pen)
2. Pilot 4+1 Wood Multi Pen (Joe's Pen)
3. Nagasawa Odyssey Starseeker (Lisa's Pen)
4. Savannah James Stickers (Lisa's Stickers)
5. TGS Roterfaden Restock
6. OnionBrand Notebooks
7. TWSBI ECO Rootbeer Fountain Pens
8. Coffee Stickers
9. Opus 88 Cloud Dancer Fountain Pen
10. DC Pen Show
11. SF Pen Show
12. Dallas Pen Show
13. On The Paper Trail Live in Nashville

Joe and Lisa are back from their recent stationery trip to Japan, and ready to discuss all of the things they discovered while they were there! Join us as we recap two weeks in Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Osaka, and more, including visits to stores like Itoya, Kakimori, TRAVELER'S Factory, Nagasawa, Loft, Hands, Kingdom Note, Toyooka Craft, and other favorites. Are we going back? You bet.

Show Notes and Links

1. Opus 88 Sapphire Demonstrator (Lisa’s Pen)
2. Pilot Kakuno (Lisa’s Pen)
3. Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (Joe’s Pen)
4. Pilot Custom 845 Urushi (Joe’s Pen)
5. New Arrivals From Galen Leather
6. Tom’s Studio Ori Highlighters
7. Toyo Steel Boxes
8. Anterique Pens
9. Kakimori Make Your Own Notebook
10. Kakimori Make Your Own Ink
11. Toyooka Craft
12. Joe’s Japan Trip Blog Recap (Visits to Itoya, Ancora, TRAVELER'S Factory)
13. Joe’s Japan Trip Blog Recap (Kakimori Notebook and Ink Bar)
14. Joe’s Japan Trip Blog Recap (Ink Shopping in Tokyo)
15. Joe’s Five Favorite Things He Brought Home from Japan

Get caught up on previous episodes, and also find more information about our first On The Paper Trail Live Event, which will be held in Nashville from October 16-18, 2026! Tickets are now on sale! Check out the main podcast informational page for additional details.