In this Episode, I get to talk to Rich of River City Pen Company. We get to talk about how he got started, how he approaches his various pen models, when he decided to start creating some inks, his show schedule and more. Show Linkshttps://www.rivercitypencompany.comhttps://www.instagram.com/rivercitypencompany/https://www.youtube.com/@rivercitypencompanyhttps://www.youtube.com/@FYC_Tonihttps://www.stationeryuniverse.comhttps://stationeryuniverse.comhttps://www.amarillostationery.comhttps://www.hinzepens.comhttps://www.turntpenco.comhttps://www.luckystarpens.com

In this episode, Kirk Speer of PenRealm shares his journey into the world of fountain pens, nib grinding, and custom engraving. Kirk talks about opening up his new physical location, and goes through a great overview of how a nib appointment works at a pen show. Discover Kirk's insights on choosing inks, the art of nib tuning, and building a community around stationery hobbies.Show Linkshttps://www.penrealm.comhttps://www.instagram.com/penrealm/https://penrealm.com/search?q=olight&_pos=1&_psq=olight&_ss=e&_v=1.0Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Nib Wolf01:25 The Journey into Fountain Pens03:39 Ink Choices and Preferences07:31 Paper and Writing Experience09:41 Vintage Pens and Ink Safety11:18 Favorite Stationery Items12:45 Nib Grinding and Customization18:58 Transitioning to a Business20:30 Establishing a Physical Store20:57 From Garage to Storefront: The Growth of Pen Realm22:52 Engraving and Customization: Enhancing the Nib Experience28:25 Navigating the Nib World: Understanding Options and Choices39:30 Community and Collaboration: The Future of Pen Realm

In this episode I welcome Dave Dollar of Dave Dollar custom pens to talk about how he transitioned into pen making from other wood working, and has turned that into a fulfilling retirement career of making custom fountain pens. Dave talks through his pen models, how he was able to find a unique niche that needed to be filled with one of his pen models, and how he has differentiated his pen models. Dave talks about winning the Orlando Pen Show makers contest and touches on plans for a repeat performance. This was a fun episode, so I hope that you enjoy.Show Links https://davedollarcustompens.comhttps://www.instagram.com/davedollarcustompens/https://www.hellotellostudio.comhttps://www.logstotreasures.com/zodiac-penshttps://garnyandco.comhttps://orlandopenshow.comhttps://www.littlecraftplace.comhttps://www.littlecraftplace.com/pages/eventshttps://www.floridastationeryfest.comChapters00:00 Introduction to Dave Dollar and His Journey02:20 Diving into the World of Pen Making13:45 Transitioning from Hobbyist to Business Owner21:59 Innovative Designs and Niche Markets24:23 The Art of Customization in Pen Making26:39 Winning the Orlando Pen Show Pen Maker Challenge31:12 The Dynamics of Local Craft Shows36:41 Exploring Materials and Custom Commissions44:11 Future Innovations in Pen Design47:49 Outro

In this episode we explore the world of typewriters with Richard Polt, author of The Typewriter Revolution, as he shares insights on collecting, using, and reviving this timeless technology. Learn about the history of the Typewriter Manifesto, how both of his books came to be, as well as the cultural significance of typewriters in the digital age. Richard also discusses an upcoming typewriter sale as well as an in person swap meet in Cincinnati.Details about the Typewriter Sale and Swap Meethttp://writingball.blogspot.com/2026/04/preview-of-my-typewriter-sale.htmlShow Linkshttps://www.typewriterrevolution.comhttps://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/index.htmlhttps://loosedogpress.blogspot.comhttps://www.wordplaycincy.org

Join in as I talk to none other than The Pen Addict himself, Brad Dowdy. Brad has been a staple in the stationery hobby for years and it was great to get a chance to talk to him about how he got to where he is today. We talk about his podcast that has been going for over 700 episodes, his former company of Nock Co. and his current part of Spoke Design. We cover all sorts of topics in what was a great conversation to be able to be a part of.Show Linkshttps://www.penaddict.comhttps://www.relay.fm/penaddicthttps://www.twitch.tv/penaddicthttps://www.instagram.com/penaddict/https://spokedesign.comChapters00:00 Introduction to the Pen Community03:16 Brad's Journey into the Hobby06:29 Current Favorites and Writing Tools09:19 The Ink Dilemma: Cartridges vs. Bottles12:33 Stationery Essentials: Beyond Pens and Paper15:13 The Evolution of the Pen Addict Brand21:21 Lessons Learned in the Stationery World30:19 Transitioning from Hobbyist to Business Owner39:10 The Evolution of Pen Design and Legacy45:27 The Birth of a Podcast: From Blog to Broadcast52:14 Community Engagement and Philanthropy in Stationery01:02:07 Collaborations and Future Projects01:14:57 Looking Ahead: The Future of The Pen Addict01:18:35 Outro

Join me for in an in-depth conversation with Rob Sanchez of Rob's Penworks, exploring the art of pen making, Japanese stationery, and the intersection of craftsmanship and creativity. Discover Rob's journey, favorite tools, and tips for aspiring artisans. Learn about how Rob has branched out into other specialty items like custom pencils or x-acto holders and a bonus clip of the best rarely talked about paper to be found in bulk.Show Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/robspenworks/https://www.instagram.com/papajstudio/https://www.instagram.com/hooligan_georgia/https://www.instagram.com/hakata.kawabun/https://maps.app.goo.gl/p2H2ie2LQhrFLHwF7?g_st=icChapters00:00 Introduction to the Pen Making Journey06:04 The Allure of Japanese Stationery12:05 Essential Stationery Tools and Accessories17:48 The Art of Casting and Creating Blanks23:44 Collaboration and Community in Pen Making29:56 From Lathe to Multi-Use Tools38:31 Balancing Day Job and Passion Projects43:38 Discovering Unique Stationery in Japan50:08 Navigating the World of Pen Shows

In this episode, Coralie from Coracrea Crafts talks about how she took a personal interest in gothic calligraphy and ended up turning it into not only a growing online store, but was able to take it to the point of opening of a brick and mortar location in Nashville. Coralie shares her experiences in starting her Etsy shop, the importance of social media in building her brand, and how she ended up deciding to open The Creative Corner Nashville. The conversation delves into community engagement through workshops, future expansion plans, and the significance of supporting local artists and small businesses.

In this episode, Addy from Stationery Stack shares how the company came to be by wanting to solve some problems she faced when it came to her use of stationery. She goes into how she went from no woodworking experience to a product launch in a very short time and how she got the ideas for her various products. We go into how she sells, pen show schedules, as well as some sneak peaks at some soon to be released new products and options that she will be able to offer through her website in terms of customization and shipping.Show LinksUnboxing The Pen Tray I Didn’t Know I Needed: Stationery Stack Alfie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM63JVDiXUQ&t=1s&pp=ygUVQWxmaWUgUGVuIFRyYXkgcmV2aWV3Pen Addict Unboxing Alfie Pen Tray https://youtu.be/QDhmUT-GDVI?t=5734A Gathering of Curiosities - Alfie Tray Review https://www.gatheringofcuriosities.com/blog/the-pleasure-of-craftsmanship-the-alfie-trayPen Addict Stationery Stack Pen Tray Review https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2025/8/1/stationery-stack-pen-tray-reviewPen Addict Unboxing the Zoila from Stationery Stackhttps://youtu.be/NLxrbWC-YJU?t=3730https://stationerystack.com/https://www.instagram.com/stationerystackhttps://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@StationeryStack⁩  https://www.tiktok.com/@stationerystackChapters00:00 Introduction to Stationery Stack and Guest Background05:02 Exploring Fountain Pens and Inks07:16 Exploring Writing Tools: Notebooks and Pens09:28 The Role of Stationery in Daily Life12:15 The Birth of Stationary Stack: From Hobby to Business15:00 Product Development: Solving Problems with Design18:07 Naming and Inspiration Behind Stationary Stack Products20:49 Future Products and Innovations in Stationery26:55 Creative Storage Solutions for Stationery27:25 Remixing Existing Products for Customization31:34 Innovative Designs in Woodworking36:33 The Importance of Visibility in Stationery37:25 Expanding Presence at Pen Shows38:46 Batch Production and Customer Engagement42:17 Future Plans: Personalization and International Shipping

In this episode, Derek DeWeese interviews Lisa Vanness of Vanness Pens, exploring her journey in the stationery world, the evolution of writing instruments, and the significance of pen shows. They discuss the legacy of Vanness Pens, the impact of online sales, and the rise of the popularity of ink samples. The conversation also touches on the growth of paper options, the intersection of planner and pen communities, and highlights from Lisa's recent trip to Japan.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Stationery World02:52 Lisa's Journey into Writing and Stationery05:21 The Legacy of Vanness Pens07:54 The Evolution of Ink Selection at Vanness10:30 The Impact of Online Sales on Vanness13:05 The Importance of Ink Samples15:38 The Growing Interest in Paper18:22 Conclusion and Future of Stationery19:06 The Evolution of Paper and Stationery21:15 Merging Communities: Planners and Fountain Pen Enthusiasts25:23 The Birth of a Podcast: On the Paper Trail30:42 Insights from Japan: A Stationery Adventure35:03 Upcoming Pen Shows and Events37:43 The Importance of Analog Writing38:44 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

In this first episode of season 2, Derek DeWeese speaks with Nick Dominguez about his experiences in the stationery world, particularly focusing on his trips to Japan where he discovered exclusive stationery items. They discuss the evolution of Nick's stationery hobby, travel tips for enthusiasts, preferences in inks and paper, and his collaboration with the Gentleman Stationer. The conversation also delves into the excitement of shopping in Japan, the importance of store exclusives, and the emerging trend of Sailor's steel nibs.Show Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/nicolaudominguez/https://www.instagram.com/gentlemanstationer/https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/curated-desk-and-reading?category=Rickshaw+Bagworkshttps://www.rickshawbags.comTakeawaysNick's journey into stationery began in 2020.Traveling to Japan is a must for stationery enthusiasts.Having a loose itinerary allows for spontaneous discoveries.Nagasawa is a top stationery store in Japan.Store exclusives serve as great souvenirs.Sailor's steel nibs are impressively smooth.Rickshaw bags are highly regarded for their quality.Inks can be overwhelming; focus on exclusives helps.Traveling with family can balance stationery shopping with cultural experiences.The Fillmore model is a favorite among many stationery lovers.