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On The Paper Trail...: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Joe and Lisa
Join Joe Crace and Lisa Vanness each episode as they dive into the world of pens, inks, paper, and everything that makes analog a more thoughtful, meaningful experience. Between Joe’s decade-plus of experience running The Gentleman Stationer, and Lisa’s history navigating the retail pen and ink industry “behind the counter” at Vanness Pens, the series blends personal reflection with practical insight into the daily realities of the stationery industry. Expect honest, approachable conversations on topics ranging from journaling to collecting to personal stories from stationery travel!
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- 3 weeks ago34 min
Episode 9: Fountain Pen Nib Sizes, Explained
We're less than 10 days out from an epic trip to Japan, so in this week's episode, we decided to talk Japanese fountain pen nibs and the differences in nib size designations across different regions, as well as the availability of specialty grinds. We also discuss why Fine Medium is the ONLY appropriate nib size (j/k), and answer listener questions about choosing the correct combination of nib, ink, and paper for your specific writing experience. Don't miss your chance to come hang out with us in person October 16-18, at On the Paper Trail: Live in Nashville! Event details have been made public, and Weekend Pass and Day Pass event tickets are now available to purchase. Dr. Grip Ballpoint (Lisa's Pen).Opus 88 Savannah Zebra (Lisa's Pen).Benu Pixie (Lisa's Pen).Pilot Custom 823 (Joe's Pen).Laurett's Ballpoint (Joe's Pen).Traveler's Company Ballpoint (Joe's Pen).Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pens.Lochby 6-Ring Binders. Lochby Tomoe River 6-Ring Refills. Tono & Lims New Arrivals. New Lamy Safaris. Grandpa's Basement (Clearance).
- Apr 29, 202637 min
Episode 8: 2026 Planners and Notebooks Quarterly Review
This week we check in with our 2026 planners and notebooks to see whether they're still working for us now that we're 1/4 of the way through the year. (Wait, how did that happen?) We talk about what's working with our current planners and notebook systems, what may not be working, and what, if anything, we need to change about our current stationery setup. We also discuss upcoming stationery-themed travel, and we might have more details on our On The Paper Trail: Live in Nashville Event that will take place in Nashville October 16-18!Show Notes and LinksMark's Inc. "Days" Ballpoint (via Vanness Pens). Diamine Spring Green (via Vanness Pens). Pilot Grancé (via Vanness Pens). Pilot Custom 912 with PO Nib (via TGS Curated Shop). Pilot Prera (via TGS Curated Shop). Bungubox Dandyism Ink (via Vanness Pens). On The Paper Trail Episode 1. Wonderland222 Back to Tomoe River Announcement. Ask TGS: Flying with Fountain Pens. Lisa's Shipping Update Video.
- Apr 15, 202640 min
Episode 7: Underappreciated Stationery Gems
In this week’s episode of On The Paper Trail, we discuss a topic that we both love: Underappreciated Stationery. For a variety of reasons, a wide range of exceptionally good stationery items don’t get the attention that we think they deserve. In some instances, entire brands can be overlooked. We each pick items from three categories (pens, paper, and ink), and generally discuss why certain stationery can fly under the radar. Additionally, we discuss our upcoming On the Paper Trail: Live in Nashville weekend event, currently slated for October 16-18! We chat about our vision for this event and how we plan to create an event we would personally want to attend, with a more balanced approach to shopping, seminars/classes, and opportunities to socialize! Show Notes and LinksPilot e95s (Lisa’s Weekly Pen).Blackwing Matte (Lisa’s Weekly Pencil).Midori Soft Color Spiral (Lisa’s Weekly Paper). Lamy 2000 Fountain Pen (Joe’s Weekly Pen).Uni Style Fit Meister 5 Multi Pen (Joe’s Weekly Pen).Life Noble Note A5 6-Ring Paper (Joe’s Weekly Paper).Kaweco Perkeo (Underappreciated Pen Pick).Lamy Pico Ballpoint (Underappreciated Pen Pick). Conway Stewart (Underappreciated Pen Pick). Ohto Ceramic Rollerball Pens (Underappreciated Pen Pick).Lamy Swift Capless Rollerball (Underappreciated Pen Pick).Jetstream Prime Ballpoint (Underappreciated Pen Pick). Levenger Paper (Underappreciated Paper Pick).Yamamoto Ro-Biki (Underappreciated Paper Pick).Original Crown Mill (Underappreciated Paper Pick).Wearingeul Paper (Underappreciated Paper Pick).Callifolio Ink (Underappreciated ink Pick). KWZ Old Gold (Underappreciated Ink Pick).Laban Ink (Underappreciated Ink Pick). <a href="https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/curated-
- Apr 1, 202653 min
Episode 6: Live at San Francisco Stationery Fest!
What's the difference between a "Stationery Fest" and a traditional pen show? Tune in this week and find out, because we had the opportunity to record Episode 6 of On The Paper Trail in front of a live audience at the inaugural San Francisco Stationery Fest! Topics include our impressions of the show, how we got into stationery in the first place, plus a Q&A with audience members in which they picked our brains about pens, inks, paper, and more. Note that in the video we were in the room with audience members and interacting with people off camera, so we have had to adjust the audio and repeat questions at times.Show Notes and LinksSan Francisco Stationery FestArkansas Pen Show Bonecrusher Studios Pens by PasqualeNagasawa at Vanness Wearingeul Testing Cards Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Olive Octopus Ink
- Mar 11, 202641 min
Episode 5: Are You a User or a Collector of Stationery?
Do you consider yourself a user or collector of stationery? Maybe a bit of both? In the fifth episode of On the Paper Trail, we talk about a topic that draws strong opinions and maybe even a little bit of judgment in the stationery world. Whether you use every pen, bottle of ink, or rare notebook that you own, or maintain pristine archives for posterity, how we view our stationery is intensely personal and will differ from person to person. We also discuss events at the upcoming Arkansas Pen Show and the San Francisco Stationery Fest! Show Notes and LinksNagasawa Exclusive Pens (Lisa's Pen)Pilot Custom Urushi (Lisa's Pen)Pilot Custom 74 Lavender Fog (Joe's Pen)Uni Zento (Joe's Pen)Pilot S20 Ballpoint (Joe's Pen)Roterfaden TGS_25 A5 SlimLaurett's PensTroublemaker InksWearingeul PaperNagasawa 6-Ring RefillsEpisode 2: Matthew Chen Talks Kodachi NibsAkkerman Standard Ink Bottle ExampleAkkerman Dutch Masters Ink Bottle ExampleArkansas Pen ShowSan Francisco Stationery FestWhen they’re not on the road, you can find Joe over at The Gentleman Stationer and Lisa over at Vanness Pens.
- Feb 25, 202633 min
Episode 4: Reporting from the 2026 California Pen Show!
Have you ever been to a pen show? Joe and Lisa visit the 2026 California Pen Show, one of the larger pen and stationery events in the U.S., and recap everything they saw. This two-part episode includes a pre-show discussion on how vendors prep for a show and decide what to bring, while the post-show recap talks about impressions of the event and the different brands and vendors in attendance. The YouTube episode includes footage of the event itself and a short vendor tour that follows the podcast portion, including visits to Stationery Stack, Laurette's Japan, Bungubox, and more! YouTube Episode 4Show Notes and LinksCalifornia Pen Show WebsiteList of Pen Show Classes and SeminarsNagasawa 6-Ring Binder RefillsBrelio 6-Ring BindersRoterfaden TGS25 Pre-OrderMusgrave PencilsStationery StackNagasawa StationeryNagasawa Kip LeatherNotsu Index CardsBunguboxLaurette's JapanGalen Leather
- Feb 10, 202646 min
Episode 3: We Tour Pilot Pens USA!
Joe and Lisa take a trip to visit Pilot USA headquarters and come back with a lot to report! In the third episode of On the Paper Trail, we not only discuss our Pilot Tour, but take on three questions from the "12 Pen Person" questions challenge, answer reader questions about appraising and selling pens, and talk about the upcoming California Pen Show and a live recording at the San Francisco Stationery Fest! Show Notes and Links: Pilot Grance (Lisa's Pen)Midori Stand Notebook (Lisa's Notebook)Uni Kuru-Toga Pencils (Joe's Pencil)NOLTY PAGEM Freelog (Joe's Notebook)New TWSBI Black Marble and BronzeVinta Nandito AkoYamamoto Canopus PaperT.G.S. Cloud Rickshaw ExclusivePost with Picture of Our Giant Pilot MarkersJoe's Trip to NYNow and Shoppe Object (via Gentlemanstationer)12 Pen Person Questions (via Olive Octopus)Recap of Lisa's SF Pen Show PanelReddit r/WritingPromptsCalifornia Pen ShowSan Francisco Stationery FestTo watch the podcast live on video, check out the On The Paper Trail YouTube Channel. The video of Episode 3 includes some bonus footage of the trip to Pilot Pens USA!Catch up with Joe over at The Gentleman Stationer, and Lisa over at Vanness Pens! There you can find links to all their respective social media accounts.
- Jan 27, 202629 min
Episode 2: Snowed In with Matthew Chen
Welcome back to another episode of On the Paper Trail! We originally had intended to record Episode 2 live from The Gentleman Stationer shop in Nashville, where we were planning to co-host an in-person weekend with Matthew Chen of Matthew’s Nibworks (@pactagon on Instagram). Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and we ended up snowed/iced in with Matthew, who was kind enough to sit with us for a brief interview in which we discuss the ins and outs of nib customization. Topics include the difference between nib tuning and nib grinding, the most popular nib grinds and why you might want to get one, and Matthew's favorite creations. Show NotesPilot Custom 912 with Waverly Nib (Joe's Pen)TWSBI ECO Rose Gold (Lisa's Pen)Matthew Chen (Matthew's Nibworks)Matthew's Grinds, including Specialty GrindsArkansas Pen Show, Part II: Watch Matthew Grind a NibWe also did a separate YouTube Live with Matthew in which he directly answered listener/viewer questions. When they're not traveling, you can find Joe over at The Gentleman Stationer, and you can find Lisa over at Vanness Pens!
About On The Paper Trail...
Join Joe Crace and Lisa Vanness each episode as they dive into the world of pens, inks, paper, and everything that makes analog a more thoughtful, meaningful experience. Between Joe’s decade-plus of experience running The Gentleman Stationer, and Lisa’s history navigating the retail pen and ink industry “behind the counter” at Vanness Pens, the series blends personal reflection with practical insight into the daily realities of the stationery industry. Expect honest, approachable conversations on topics ranging from journaling to collecting to personal stories from stationery travel!
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