Organizing A Pen Collection: Pulling It All Together

March 6, 2021

Many thanks to all of you who wrote in or commented in response to Wednesday’s post, in which I talked about the “struggles” in managing a larger pen collection and ensuring that all pens get used. The comments were varied, ranging from “I don’t worry about it at all and keep as many pens inked as I like” to descriptions of sophisticated spreadsheets or database systems programmed to track which pens and inks haven’t been used lately and recommend a fresh pairing. I thought I’d share some of the top recommendations:

Fountain Pen Companion. By far the most popular recommendation I received for managing a pen collection was Fountain Pen Companion, which is not only a sophisticated online database for tracking your pens, inks, and usage, but a community with 800+ registered users. FPC features an ink “leaderboard” with collection rankings by bottles, colors, samples, and brands, and can serve as a platform to trade ink samples. I registered for Fountain Pen Companion last year, but never got around to entering my pen and ink collection into the system. That will change soon. (I’m registered under “GentlemanStationer".)
Figboot on Pens Spreadsheet. Second to Fountain Pen Companion was David’s “EDC Log” spreadsheet that he developed and generously released to the community several years ago. The “EDC Log” functions similarly to Fountain Pen Companion, only offline in an excel file that will automatically track your most-used pens and inks.
Filemaker Pro and Other Database Software. Several readers described how they built their own custom pen and ink databases that include pictures, purchase details, and usage history, using Filemaker or other database software. I don’t have the knowledge or technical skill to build one of these myself, and my experience with database tools is limited, so I can’t offer much guidance here but if you’re looking for your own customized collection management solution, building a database or your own custom excel template is likely the way to go.
“Currently Inked” Lists and Notebooks. Most of us started here, and many of us never abandon the tried and true “Currently Inked” list, kept on an index card, in a notebook, or logged in a dedicated, special-purpose notebook like Ink Journal. Personally, I keep a Reporter’s Style Notebook that (theoretically) shows all of the pens and inks I currently have in rotation, though I often forget to log them. These lists sit on my desk and are intended to serve as a quick reference in case I forget which shade of blue is in which pen, and they don’t get saved long-term. I may also start keeping a running list of pen-and-ink pairings in my Traveler’s Notebook to retain for posterity.
No System at All. Many of you were adamant that forcing an organizational system on pens and inks would drain the fun from the hobby, and I totally get that. For me personally (since I’m a nerd), part of the fun of collecting, whether it be pens, books, coins, stamps, music, etc., lies in the selection and curation process, but it’s not for everyone.

It’s not just my pen collection that I’m sorting through. I recently received my custom “Ex Libris” stamp in the mail and have begun the process of marking all the “keeper” books in my home library.

So why am I so hung up on this? I think it stems from the fact that I’ve been spending so much time at home and noticing how much unused stuff I have lying around, including different “collections” I’ve accumulated over the years. But for things to truly be considered a “collection,” I’ve always subscribed to the view that there needs to be some basic level of curation or organization. Otherwise it just becomes clutter. As I mentioned, that curation process is part of what I’ve traditionally enjoyed about my hobbies, and I think some of the “hobby burnout” I’ve been experiencing is due to the fact that I’ve let that aspect get away from me. I get even less enjoyment when the disorganization gets to a point where it prevents me from actually using what I have. This year, a major goal of mine is to sort through my various accumulations, organize and keep what I love into actual collections, and pass along anything that needs a new home.

How Many Pens Is Too Many (To Have Inked Up at Once): Managing a Collection

March 3, 2021

Though I generally enjoy working from home, one downside has been easy access to my pen collection. When I was leaving the house more, much less commuting several days per week, I typically would pick out 3-6 pens on Sunday night or Monday morning, ink up those that were fountain pens, and use them through the week before cleaning and replacing those I wrote dry and repeating the cycle. Now, I’ve developed this tendency to pick out pens throughout the week to ink up whenever I need a distraction. As I sit here today at my desk typing this, I count 11 inked fountain pens, two more than I’ve written dry and need to clean, five fountain pens that are “next up” waiting to be inked, and six non-fountain pens. It’s starting to make my head spin.

Having a lot of pens inked is one of the “perils” of the review business. As much as I’d like to carry personal favorites exclusively, I have to keep three or so pens inked for review to make sure that I have enough blog content in the pipeline. Even then, it’s a challenge to make sure I’m organized enough to use these pens for an appropriate enough amount of time that I feel comfortable writing a review or adding them to The Curated Shop.

Of course, the pictures above don’t even touch the pencils I have in rotation (and in multiple pencil/pen cups around my office).

To the point of today’s post: This is a long-winded way of saying that I’m looking to hear from you all on how people manage and/or track their pen (and ink) usage in this hobby. The topic came up on last week’s TGS Patreon Meetup, where several of us dialed in to Zoom to chat for an hour or so, and ended up talking about how many pens we kept inked (answer: anywhere from six to two dozen), and whether/how we tracked our usage to make sure we were actually using all of the pens in our collection. Later that night, I downloaded Figboot’s “EDC Log” Spreadsheet as an experiment. While it’s going to require an initial investment of time to enter all of my pens and inks into the log, that will give me the the opportunity to take inventory and possibly thin things out.

Let me know! Do you set “rules” for yourself on how many pens you can keep inked at once? Do you force yourself to write pens dry before you change inks? Do you track which pens you are/are not writing with to make sure you rotate through your entire collection? I’m interested in hearing from readers. Drop me a line in the comments or through the “Contact Me” link on the site. If i get enough interesting responses I’ll write a follow-up post with the results.

Perfection, Modified: Penco "Perfection Light" Bullet Pens

March 2, 2021

I’m a pocket pen addict, and at any given time I have a dozen or so scattered around the house, in my car, in coat pockets, pants pockets, on dressers, you get the picture. I don’t even worry about losing them anymore, because I know they’ll turn up eventually, and I can always count on one being somewhere when I need it. Which is why I was especially excited to see Penco expand their lineup and release this series of inexpensive, multicolor “Perfection” pocket pens. Back in October, I started stocking the metal version of the Penco “Perfection,” and it’s sold quite well - I now offer this model in Chrome, Brass, and Black Anodized finishes.

As of today, you can pick up a Perfection “Light” from the T.G.S. Curated Shop in one of ten different colors, priced competitively at $10. While the stock refill is quite good and reminiscent of a black Uniball Jetstream, the Penco Perfection accepts any universal D1 refill so you can modify as you wish! Visit the Curated Shop to check out these and a wide variety of other pocket pens.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we sell.

Sunday Reading for February 28, 2021

February 28, 2021

Two Weeks with the New Parker 51 (via Penquisition). Evan takes a practical look at the recently released “new” Parker 51, and came away with thoughts similar to my own. Especially on the need for a converter to be included in the box.
TWSBI Vac 700R Iris (via Dapprman). The TWSBI Vac 700R in the special edition “Iris” finish is one that I have yet to get my hands on, though I do have a pen on order. I need to re-approach the Vac 700 series in general, as I’ve not owned one of these pens in years.
Gioia Pen Partenope Madreperla (via Rants of the Archer). Gioia Pen is another emerging pen brand out of Naples, Italy that warrants keeping an eye on. This particular pen may not be my style, but they’ve generally received positive reviews.
Analogue Planning and Task Management in Covid Times (via Writing at Large). I enjoy reading about different people’s custom planning and organizational strategies, using the specific tools that work for them.
Snippets: Schon, John Garnham, Pebble, GLP, Cross (via UK Fountain Pens). Here’s to another shout out for the Cross Peerless!
Savannah Green and Terra Red (via Bleistift). I’ve scaled way back on my acquisitions this year, so one of the things I’m really missing about pen shows is the ability to check out the latest Lamy Safari releases in person before I decided whether or not to go for them.
Handwriting vs. Calligraphy (via The Postman’s Knock). Some food for thought, especially the idea that good handwriting does not necessarily equate to an advantage in calligraphy, and vice-versa.
Colorverse Apollo 11 Set (via Mountain of Ink). I missed out on this one, since it’s around the time that I gave up trying to keep track of all the different Colorverse inks.
Both Sides (via FPQuest). Always both sides. Always.
Forsaking All Others (via From the Pen Cup). What pen and ink combinations are a perfect match for you?

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I wrote about the concept of “mini-collections” within your main pen collection, in my case with a focus on under-appreciated pens like the Parker Sonnet that I absolutely love as everyday writers. I also published a Traveler’s Notebook Tutorial discussing how to connect multiple refills to your Traveler’s Notebook. Finally, I published a piece about the different pens and pencils I’ve chosen to stock in the Curated Shop, with some additional detail about each selection.

Curated Shop Updates

New stuff is being listed every week, with the latest additions being custom rubber stamps from WMS & Co, to complement their line of reading accessories that I’ve stocked in the shop since the beginning. I also received a (small) shipment of Caran d’Ache Fixpencils, which have been on backorder, and refill blades for the M&R Sharpeners.

WMS & Co

Traveler's Notebooks

Rhodia

Quo Vadis Habana

Caran d'Ache

Sponsorship Changes - Consider Joining T.G.S. Patreon!

You may have noticed that over the past several months, I’ve been allowing paid sponsorships to lapse and relying on direct support from readers and visitors, either in the form of Patreon pledges or Curated Shop Purchases. I plan to continue this trend in 2021, with the goal of T.G.S. being completely self-sustaining by the end of the year. While I will continue to collaborate and work with select partners, I do not wish to rely on paid advertising going forward, with the possible exception of smaller brands and makers who you may see on my sidebar from time to time.

You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. I will be rolling out some new content in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including monthly online meetups, and the eventual return of the “Digital Divide” newsletter (you can read back content here). I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!

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Traveler's Notebook Tutorial: How to Connect Multiple Refills and Accessories

February 27, 2021

I’ve used the Traveler’s Notebook for years, and regard it as one of the best options for carrying multiple notebook refills inside a single cover. Want to carry a planner, notebook, and sketchbook together, with different papers? You can do that! While connecting multiple refills can seem tricky at first, it’s easy and intuitive once you get the hang of it. The general rule of thumb to remember: A primary refill secured to the notebook cover using the center elastic cord serves as an “anchor” for the entire system, allowing you to add additional refills and accessories using connecting rubber bands.

Changing out a single Traveler’s Notebook Refill is easy - just open the refill to the “staple page” and slip it under the center elastic cord. But most people will want to maximize this notebook system’s versatility. Read on to learn how to add mor… — Changing out a single Traveler’s Notebook Refill is easy - just open the refill to the “staple page” and slip it under the center elastic cord. But most people will want to maximize this notebook system’s versatility. Read on to learn how to add more!

Collect Your Traveler’s Notebook and Supplies

In order to assemble a Traveler’s Notebook containing up to three refills, you will need three things: a Traveler’s Notebook, your three refills of choice, and a package of connecting rubber bands. For this demonstration, I’m using a Passport size Traveler’s Notebook in “Camel” leather, but the process is the same for the Standard size. Here, I will walk through three different setups: a Traveler’s Notebook with two refills, a Traveler’s Notebook with three refills, and a Traveler’s Notebook with three refills plus accessories.

Clockwise from top left: Traveler’s Notebook Connecting Rubber Bands, Traveler’s Notebook Passport in Camel, Blank MD Refill (included in the Traveler’s Notebook Starter Kit), MD Paper Grid Refill, and Tomoe River (“Lightweight” Blank Refill).

Connecting Two Refills

To set up a Traveler’s Notebook with two inserts, attach the first to the notebook cover using the elastic cord, the same as if you were going to set your notebook up with a single insert. Take your second refill and place it next to the first, clos… — To set up a Traveler’s Notebook with two inserts, attach the first to the notebook cover using the elastic cord, the same as if you were going to set your notebook up with a single insert. Take your second refill and place it next to the first, closed spine-to-spine.

Next, open both notebooks to their respective centers. Holding the two covers together, as shown here, loop a connecting rubber band over both notebooks. In your original refill, the rubber band should sit alongside the elastic cord. That’s it!

A two-refill notebook is perfect for a planner + notebook setup.

Connecting Three Refills

To assemble a Traveler’s Notebook with three inserts, start by picking your three books and decide the order in which you want them to appear in the notebook. Place the first and third inserts back to back, and set the second one aside for the momen… — To assemble a Traveler’s Notebook with three inserts, start by picking your three books and decide the order in which you want them to appear in the notebook. Place the first and third inserts back to back, and set the second one aside for the moment.

Open the first and third refills to their centers, and using a connecting rubber band, attach them as shown above, similar to how you connected the inserts in a two-refill notebook.

Close the two refills, and set them face-down on the inside of the Traveler’s Notebook Cover, spine-to-spine and connected by the rubber band.

Gently pull the two notebooks apart, and pull the elastic cord up between the two refills. The connecting rubber band should be just loose enough to allow you to do this easily.

Slip your middle refill underneath the center elastic cord. There! You’ve now secured three refills inside.a Traveler’s Notebook!

Adding Accessories

Your Traveler’s Notebook is only limited by how thick you want it to be. In addition to three refills, connected as demonstrated above, I’ve included a PVC Zippered Pouch and a set of TRC Sticky Notes on my Standard Size Traveler’s Notebook.

Attaching the PVC Pouch is pretty easy. I simply slid the pouch underneath the refills through the main elastic cord.

I then attached the Sticky Notes to the PVC Pouch using another connecting rubber band.

The Sticky Notes insert is actually a slim folio, with a think PVC cover to protect your unused stickies. Open the folio and slip the connecting rubber band over the cover and the PVC pouch, much the same as you would connect two notebook inserts.

Traveler's-Notebook-Stickies-Accessories.jpeg

My current Standard Traveler’s Notebook is set up with three paper inserts and two accessories - in other words a total of FIVE refills + accessories. This obviously increases the thickness and weight of the notebook, but it also transforms it into … — My current Standard Traveler’s Notebook is set up with three paper inserts and two accessories - in other words a total of FIVE refills + accessories. This obviously increases the thickness and weight of the notebook, but it also transforms it into a powerful all-in-one tool.

Traveler’s Notebooks and Accessories in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

All of the Traveler’s Notebooks, refills, and accessories pictured here are available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. As an authorized Traveler’s Company retailer, we carry Notebook Starter Kits, MD Paper Refills, Planner Refills, Specialty Paper Refills, and Accessories, in addition to TRC Brass products such as pen cases, rulers, and clips. Please feel free to reach out through the site if you have any specific questions about Traveler’s Notebook products and how to use them. If you’re interested in reading further on my own Traveler’s Notebook setup, check out this recent post in which I walk through the standard setup pictured here.