Episodes
In this episode, we catch up with Bryce Gillett from Luxury Brands of America, who also happens to sponsor this multi-dozen-dollar podcast empire. "Biryce" spills the tea about the acquisition of Laban Pens in the USA, and hypothesizes about why the Platinum 3776 Chai Latte is selling so well. Is there such a thing as too much sparkly Benu? Find out in this fun interview.   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens...
Published 03/05/24
Published 03/05/24
Tom and I discuss the idea of having certified repair specialists for specific pen brands. Imagine if you have an issue with a Pelikan pen and, instead of going through warranty service, you can reach out to the retailer who will have a certified Pelikan repair specialist on staff to fix your pen. What do you think? Please let me know your thoughts and send an e-mail to [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail...
Published 02/22/24
Purchase Pen here: https://goldspot.com/?aff=3 As I rummage through my childhood, I discover that my love for the movie "The Good The Bad and The Ugly" has had an influence on my love of fountain pens. Kinda weird... but totally relevant. Trust me. Although my buddy, Lyman Good, isn't a sponsor of this podcast, I want to mention his work in the field of mental wellness. You can access resources and reach out at his website https://www.goodtheorywellness.com/ If you'd like to shop for a new...
Published 02/01/24
I was excited to come across a pen I hadn't used in a while. It's durable, antimicrobial, and writes like a champ. Tom and I talk about this pen, plus we discuss Pelikan pens - both new and old.   Although my buddy, Lyman Good, isn't a sponsor of this podcast, I want to mention his work in the field of mental wellness. You can access resources and reach out at his website https://www.goodtheorywellness.com/   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail...
Published 01/22/24
Thanks to our friend of the podcast, @jjgtme, I now have embraced the Frankenpen Waldmann Titan with the titanium Bock #5 nib that he sent me. This one act of customization has made me take another look at the idea of Frankenpens. Plus, Tom and I discuss zombie apocalypses and Resident Evil.   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens at:https://goldspot.com/?aff=3   Listen to the sponsorship section to get a discount code for...
Published 01/17/24
A pen of mine was lost for months. Finally, it surfaced, still full of green ink. I wanted to sign my name on a giant $1.32 rebate check from Rakuten. To my surprise, the pen wrote! In this episode, I share which pen it was. Tom and I also talk about some of our favorite controversial pen manufacturers. Plus, an update on my titanium watch band comparison.   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens...
Published 01/07/24
Purchase Pen here: https://goldspot.com/?aff=3 My recent exploration into the world of Apple Watch Bands had me thinking about the parallels in the pen industry. Tom and I discuss pen manufacturing and whether pen brands will slap a name on cheaper pens and mark up the price. We raise questions about how much a pen is actually "Made in" a particular country and whether that matters. If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens...
Published 12/30/23
I'm feeling the titanium lately, so Tom and I revisit the Waldmann Titan - a fountain pen made from solid titanium. I share my love for this pen, admit what I don't like about it, and discuss whether it should be considered a "grail" pen. We also compare it against another pen made with unique materials.    If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens at:https://goldspot.com/?aff=3   Listen to the sponsorship section to get a...
Published 12/23/23
We're back! Catch up with Tom and I as we discuss the pen that got me through the last few months. Tom catches me up with the latest pen releases, including a discussion about Narwhal's Ikkaku urushi fountain pens.   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens at:https://goldspot.com/?aff=3   Listen to the sponsorship section to get a discount code for 10% off throughout the Goldspot Pens store. *Excludes Sailor, Retro 51,...
Published 12/18/23
Tom and I discussed one of our first beloved pens in this week's pen discussion when we started the fountain pen hobby. Then, as we talked about a variety of Edison pens, we started a debate. Does the term "handmade" fit these pens? Or, is it more accurate to say "hand-finished." Tom shares some of his experiences at the Lamy and Pelikan factories in Germany to describe the differences in manufacturing pens.   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a...
Published 10/08/23
As I tumble farther down the comic art rabbit hole, Tom and I discuss using fountain pens for inking, particularly the Pilot Custom 912 with the FA soft 14kt gold nib. Plus, we talk about using fountain pen ink in artwork. Last, I share my epic 4-year master plan.   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected] you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail...
Published 09/30/23
As I've been using my Platinum 3776 Century fountain pen for inking drawings lately, Tom and I decided to share our likes and dislikes about the 3776 Century. Stay to the end for a rapid, lightning round of Thanos, finger-snapping.    We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens...
Published 09/09/23
After a fun interview we had with comic artist, Creees Lee, Tom and I continued the discussion about using fountain pens for drawing. I show some of my recent attempts at drawing Ninja Turtles. Tom shares some tidbits of what he learned in art school. His dog, Arya, joins as a surprise guest.   Be sure to enter the giveaways for the Captain America drawing and the Girologio pen case!   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us...
Published 09/02/23
Man. This guy can draw! And he proves it live in this episode where we interview Creees Lee, an artist for Marvel Comics. We talk about his journey, and his art. After the interview, we sit for a lesson on how to draw none other than my favorite Marvel hero, Captain America!! Make sure to check out Tiger Division, a team based miniseries, available now online or at your favorite comic book store! Check out Creees on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/creeesart/ And of course, don't forget...
Published 08/24/23
Tom and I catch up on everything going on in the last couple of weeks, including the DC Fountain Pen Supershow. Tom went on Friday and shared his experience at the show. We also talk about identity theft and a pen that Tom annoyingly cannot talk about.    We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor,...
Published 08/12/23
In this episode we discuss how to make the jump from collecting modern fountain pens to vintage fountain pens. JJ Lax is our esteemed guest, despite the fact he’s not wearing his PenBoyRoy t-shirt. We’ll forgive him because he makes some great points about looking at vintage pens. We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to...
Published 07/23/23
As boring as it might sound, Tom and I had a deep discussion about reading now that I bought a new Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon. We come full circle later in the podcast when we bodyslam Amazon. In between, we discuss inking comic books, and my new green screen.   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail...
Published 07/15/23
This week, our special guest is Ben Walsh of Gravitas Pens. We talk about how he got into using fountain pens, his early boxing career, and a new filling mechanism he's working on for CY of Tokyo Station Pens.    We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens at:https://goldspot.com/?aff=3Use...
Published 07/10/23
In this week's episode, Tom and I discuss when things go horribly wrong. When you require warranty service, will your pen be covered? Will you get help for your older fountain pen or will it be turned away by the manufacturer? Does a pen's warranty influence your purchasing decision? Drop us an e-mail and join the discussion.   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for...
Published 07/02/23
In this episode, we discuss the Dutch Pen Show, the Netherlands, and art - lots of art, with our friend and pen influencer, Vanessa Langton.   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to get Tom fired, head over to our retail sponsor, Goldspot Pens at:https://goldspot.com/?aff=3Use promo code GARFIELD to get an additional 10% off throughout the...
Published 06/24/23
Hemingway Jones has got good words. In this episode, Tom and I talk with the YouTube and TikTok star about his favorite pens, how he became involved in social media, the benefits of a daily journaling practice, and his thoughts on flex nibs. There's so much more to explore in this deep dive of an interview.   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for a new pen or try to...
Published 06/17/23
In this episode, we talk about the passion that goes into making fountain pens. From the brushstrokes on a hand-painted pen design to the team that dreams up the next greatest flex nib fountain pen. We also discuss the Platinum Curidas experiment conducted by Adam of "An Ink Guy" on YouTube. You can find the results of the experiment here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZKc2WP3wCs   Oh, and by the way, here's a behind the scenes video that Montblanc published about making the new Van Gogh...
Published 06/11/23
You know how they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," right? Well, I say, "When in Paris, buy pens and eat baguettes!" In this episode, Tom and I chat about my recent trip, the "souvenirs" I brought back, and how my digestive system is handling the maelstrom of breaking ketosis. Hint: I might install a bidet in my house.   We'd love to read your comments and answer your pen (and fish) questions on a future episode. E-Mail us at [email protected]   If you'd like to shop for...
Published 06/04/23