The Pen Addict

Brad is joined by Damien Alomar of All in the Nib this week to discuss all things nibs grinding. How did he get started? How did he learn the craft? What do you need to know when getting your first nib grind? Needlepoints for everyone!

Marketing stationery products isn’t the easiest thing to do, but when you get Wes Anderson involved with Montblanc, magic happens. Brad and Myke break it all down, plus follow-up on all the things.

Brad and Myke are pen problem solvers, and this week they tackle the issue of fineliner usage on newsprint. Is there a reasonable solution? And, would you even consider ordering a pen without glitter?

Brad and Myke talk about several new products this week, including Pilot finally sending the Clear 823 out into the rest of the world. Brad also loses his mind on paper size marketing.

Who knew that a single comment on a single ink review could send Brad off into deep stationery thought. It’s the good stuff, and what we are all about, so listen in!

Brad has returned from vacation, and the Atlanta Pen Show. He recaps one of those this week, but which? Listen in to find out!

The Pin is the winning pen! Brad and Myke wrap the Uni-ball Bracket, discuss Brad’s upcoming trip to the Atlanta Pen Show, and answer your AskTPA questions.

Brad and Myke turn the piston on the new Kaweco Sport, and then turn the nib on the Sailor TUZU, a new entry-level pen hitting the market soon. Plus, what do they think about the new LAMY AL-Star releases?

Does LAMY know what they are getting into with Uni-ball? Just this week, Uni has launched a new Jetstream ink formulation, and a new Kuru Toga engine mechanism. And, the Kuru Toga isn’t as popular as the Uni Pin Fineliner apparently!

This episode is full of surprises, the biggest of which is Brad going back on everything he ever said about international paper standards. We also break down the Uni-ball Pen Bracket, and get to the real surprise in the last segment of the show.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. buys Lamy. Dark Lilac lands in the New York Times. Memes are where you find the true details. What is this timeline we are living in, and how fun is it?

Can we finally put the Lamy Dark Lilac saga to rest? One can hope. Brad does have all of the new Safari releases on hand and gives his first impressions, plus he and Myke do a full draft of Pilot Iroshizuku inks.

But is it really Dark Lilac? Brad and Myke try to sort out what Lamy is up to, which is a sisyphean task. That doesn’t stop them, nor does it stop Brad from a temporary Sailor moratorium lifting. The Ninja’s did it!

Myke and his face computer are back behind the mic this week, with travel updates from both he and Brad. They also catch up on Brad’s Kickstarter backings, Lamy Safari SE release dates, and an interesting release from Nahvalur.

Brad is joined this week by David Parker, better known in the stationery world as Figboot on Pens. It’s been over four years since he last joined the show, so we had a lot to catch up on, including his next fountain pen collaboration.

You’ve made it this far, and it still feels like the beginning. That’s a good place to be! Brad and Myke reminisce about the past, and look into the future in this week’s episode.

Brad and Myke are filled with Orange Delight about AI in the analog space. We discuss that, plus take a look at several new stationary Kickstarters that recently launched.

What are we using? What is Brad buying? Are you keeping up with your Burn Book? We answer all of these questions in this week’s episode.

The new year brings new product teases, and we got hints about one of our favorites this week. Brad is excited about the upcoming Lamy Safari, a new Retro 51, and gives his initial thoughts on the just released Studio Neat Keepbook.

New year, new Theme! Myke and Brad discuss their themes for 2024, and it will come as no surprise that it involves a lot of stationery.

Myke is back from … college? Yes, Myke was expanding his brainpower last week, but most importantly, he had to go school supply shopping. That’s the focus of this week’s episode, along with a few product updates from Brad’s desk.

Brad is joined this week by Arielle Fragassi, aka ToastyTreat to discuss her recent trip to Japan. There was food, friends, and fun, but most importantly, there was stationery. Time to plan a trip!

It’s the Battle of the Abs this week! No, not Brad and Myke, but between our good friends at Montegrappa and Graf von Faber Castell. They also discuss Wisky, a possible rename of the Pilot Explorer, and Brad stationery preps for vacation.

Brad is joined by Ana Reinert from The Well-Appointed Desk to help out with all of your holiday stationery needs. Or maybe they just shop for themselves instead.

It’s Thanksgiving week in the US, and Brad wonders “What stationary are we thankful for?” He and Myke discuss that, why there aren’t more interesting ink cartridge sampler packs, and the next pen Brad must have.

The Uni Kuru Toga Dive is launching a new color. Will you be able to get one? One can only hope! Brad also brings up a new-to-him pen, which Myke quickly derails into madness.

Brad is back from Fountain Pen Day at Atlas Stationers, and, to the shock of no one, has a lot to discuss.

It’s Horror Story time! Did Brad have a nightmare with Platinum Chou Kuro? He goes over his latest review, and gets ready for Fountain Pen Day.

How many different notebooks do you use in a single day? Brad dissects some interesting poll results, creates a business meeting stationary kit, and dips his toes into the world of fude nibs.

The Business Boys are back at it this week, with updates from both Brad and Myke on what they are working on. They also tackle a stationary thought experiment.

The London Pen Show this past weekend was epic, and neither Brad or Myke were there to witness it. Myke has already added the next show in the Spring to his calendar. Brad also discusses pen cleaning, and gives a Top 100 update.

Every tube deserves a home. Brad welcomes Myke back to the show, only to be told where to put his pen tubes. That’s right, Myke gets his payback on Brad’s desk tour!

This week, Brad is joined by correctly-spelled Mike, the one and only Mike Matteson from Inkdependence. We discuss his recent YouTube milestone, his local Pelikan Hub, some of his favorite inks, and what makes for a great pen show experience.

All of the ASK TPA! Ok, maybe not all of it, but Brad and Myke dig into the mailbag and answer your questions. Keep them coming!

Brad is back from Orlando, but did he even go to the pen show? Apparently yes, but he returned with an unexpected haul.

The Raffle for St. Jude is now live on The Pen Addict, and wow, do we have the goods! Brad and Myke discuss all of the amazing community participation so far, and look forward to what is next. Brad also prepares for the Orlando Pen Show, but not before they discuss a Kickstarter resurrection neither of them wanted to see.

The highly anticipated Pilot nib ranking finally happens on this episode, with Brad counting down from number 15 to his favorite nib in the top spot. Which ones should you buy, and which should you avoid? Brad writes it all out on this episode.

It’s San Francisco Pen Show week, and Brad has all the FOMO. He goes through his “If he were there” shopping list, looks at the new Kaweco EBONIT Sport, and finally begins testing 15 different Pilot nibs.

Brad and Myke break down a slew of new products this week, which include a classic notebook maker, and a brand new one. They also give out a few tips for the upcoming San Francisco Pen Show.

Brad is back from the Washington D.C. Fountain Pen SUPERSHOW, and has tales to tell.

It’s Washington D.C. Fountain Pen Supershow time, and Brad, for once, is prepared! He discusses his gameplan for what will be a busy show, but not before getting ready for Hobonichi SZN.

Brad is back from his Uni-ball talk and spills all the tea. Before that, he and Myke break down the new Pilot Vanishing point Limited Edition, and try to sort out the latest from Pilot’s ILMILY stationery lineup.

We recorded early this week because Brad is off to talk to BIG PEN. Listen in to find out where he is heading and what he will be discussing. We also catch up on news reports from around the globe on the status of the Muji Polycarbonate Fountain Pen. Keep the reports coming!

The social media landscape is disarray … but who cares? Let’s talk pens! Ok, we talk about social media a little bit, but then dig into live reports from Italy, Australia, and Portland, Oregon. What is going on in the wide world of stationery? We are here to tell you!

Brad and Myke are back behind the mic, and Brad goes behind the scenes to discuss how he gets out of the stationary doldrums. Brad also discovers a pen for the second time before he and Myke discuss what the sale of Pelikan means for fountain pen fans, and get their first official look at the Platinum 3776 Fuji Unkei "Uroko-Gumo."

Video games and stationery are a perfect match, and who better to discuss both topics than Miranda Sanchez. We discuss her prolific journaling habit, get some journaling advice, and break down her relatively new fountain pen obsession. Plus, we chat podcasting, and all things Twitch streaming.

Myke is back, and he and Brad catch up on his digital travels in our analog space. Brad also follows up on his conversation with Uni-ball over the Kuru Toga Dive kerfuffle, and he breaks down a few new products that have crossed his desk over recent weeks.

This week, Brad is joined by Frank Pressentin of Elbwood to discuss his beautifully handcrafted work. From his late start in life to his current meticulous manufacturing, they cover it all in this episode.

What would bring Brad to say this? Well, it’s an all ASK TPA episode of the podcast this week, and he has thoughts!

In this episode, Brad and Myke ride a Balloon out over the Sea to get a beautiful view of the Horizon. Brad also inks up new pens.