The Erasable Podcast: Recent Episodes
Tim, Johnny and Andy
From literature to carpentry, accounting to space travel, the wooden pencil and its ancestors have undeniably been at the center of creation and innovation for centuries. Join Johnny, Tim and Andy on the Erasable Podcast as they discuss and pay homage to these seemingly simple tools of human expression. Hosted by Johnny Gamber, Tim Wasem and Andy Welfle.
The Pencil Primer returns with part two: the case of yonder pencil. We trace the wood itself — from Conté's badass eyepatch to eastern red cedar, California incense cedar, and the creeping basswood era — plus why pencils are yellow (blame a Siberian graphite strike and some questionable 19th-century marketing) and why triangular pencils are weird. But first, the summer releases: Blackwing's birding-themed Volume 458 and Field Notes' melty, paleta-inspired Paletas edition get the full review. Next time: ferrules and erasers. Patreon subscribers at any level can watch the video version.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Blackwing Volume 458 — a tribute to birding: Clark's Grebe, Mallard, Green Jay, and Black Rail gradients (Behind the Design)
How Blackwing Pencils Are Made — the making-of video we kept mentioning (also on YouTube)
Field Notes Paletas — nine popsicle notebooks inspired by Paletería Los Magos in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood
Field Notes: The Founding Documents
Outshine popsicles — the official popsicle-flavor icebreaker
Nahvalur Original Plus — new sparkly colors (plus mystery jewel-tone demonstrators spotted at the NYC stationery festival)
Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-gaki ink — Andy's persimmon-orange favorite
Stationery Day recaps from Brad Dowdy and friends
Musgrave Tennessee Red — eastern red cedar, clear lacquer, glorious smell
Musgrave Single Barrel 106 — named for Erasable episode 106 with Henry Hulan of Musgrave
Pencils Past and Present — the YouTube channel reviewing the Single Barrel 106 (and lots of vintage pencils)
ForestChoice — the FSC-certified incense cedar standard-bearer
General's Cedar Pointe — naked cedar, as God intended
Koh-i-Noor Hardtmuth — where the yellow pencil (and its complicated marketing history) began
Caran d'Ache Swiss Wood 348 — reportedly discontinued; pour one out (Pen Addict review; Well-Appointed Desk review)
Dixon Tri-Conderoga — Andy's triangular gateway pencil
Ticonderoga Laddie — the bigger, soft-triangle one
Faber-Castell Grip 2001 — triangular, six design awards, formerly bubbly grip dots
The whole gang is back together to catch up. Andy recaps his Field Notes–filled wedding, starts a new job, and falls down a serious wristwatch rabbit hole — from Bluetooth-modded Casio F-91Ws to a Draplin x Timex Scout. Johnny's loving a $30 Asvine piston-filler, a possibly haunted Cedar Pointe, and a Rhodia Goalbook in Peacock, while Tim is deep in World Cup fever and cheap-but-good Pen+Gear black pencils. Plus: Blackwing's 250 drop, Nahvalur's Fireworks Nautilus, and a locked-in promise that next episode is a Pencil Primer all about wood.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Murchie's Tea (Victoria, BC) — Scottish breakfast blend
ForestChoice #2 pencil — still $5 a pack at Pencils.com
Field Notes Explore America: Northern California — Golden Gate National Recreation Area edition (with Big Sur and Muir Woods)
Range Leather notebook cover
Bound to Be Beautiful by Bari Zaki — from Bari Zaki Studio in Chicago
No Man's Sky
Asvine P90 piston-fill fountain pen (~$30)
Organics Studio Walt Whitman Leaves of Grass ink
General's Cedar Pointe #1
Baron Fig x Caroline Weaver Archer pencil
Rhodia Goalbook in Peacock
James Corden's live after-match World Cup show on Tubi
The Art of Simple Living by Shunmyo Masuno
Replica J. Thoreau & Son pencil from The Shop at Walden Pond
Moleskine Cahier XL notebook — $9.99 at Walmart
Casio F-91W and the Ollee Watch Bluetooth mod (~$60)
Casio Vintage series — calculator, world-time, and the Alien wrist-communicator lookalike
Timex Weekender, Timex Expedition, and a Draplin Design Co. x Timex Scout
Fitbit Air ($99) — strap-only tracker people pair with analog watches
Paper & Pencil (Chicago) custom Stationery Day Field Notes — including a stamp-collecting edition
Delfonics Rollbahn Micro — the impossibly tiny new size, found at Maido
The Blackwing 250 Collection — red, white, and blue pencils, plus the 250-box with a gold one (only 50 sets)
Musgrave America250 Cedar Box Set — 2 dozen red, white, and blue Ceres pencils
Field Notes: The Founding Documents
Nahvalur Nautilus Fireworks limited edition
Pen+Gear round black #2 pencils — back-to-school find at Walmart
Panini World Cup sticker album — $2 packs, 450+ stickers
Andy's out this week for the best possible reason — he got married! (Congratulations, Andy and Erica! 🎉) So Johnny and Tim keep it short and sweet with a catch-up and some fresh points: Tim falls down a Blaze Foley rabbit hole and digs into a new book on heartland rock, Johnny can't stop playing No Man's Sky, and both Henries pick up guitars. Plus: Field Notes' new Explore America memo books, Musgrave's America 250 collection, a pencil-powered fire-starting experiment, and a look at this year's (sadly slim) crop of Pride stationery. We'll be back next time, Andy in tow, with Pencil Primer, Part 2.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
Blaze Foley — Live at the Austin Outhouse
Blaze (2018), Ethan Hawke's film about Blaze Foley
Won't Back Down: Heartland Rock and the Fight for America by Erin Osmon
Andor
King of the Hill
No Man's Sky
A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 by Bill Bryson
A Perfect Circle — "Starless" (new single)
Arab Strap — "You You You" (new single + video)
Field Notes Explore America memo books
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery
Pencil graphite lighter video
Musgrave America 250 collection
Fisher Space Pen — America 250 AG7 Astronaut Pen
Nahvalur Horizon Pride 2026 fountain pen
The Trevor Project
War by Sebastian Junger
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
We kick off the Pencil Primer — a new series for anyone who wants to start at the beginning of pencildom. This installment traces graphite from the legendary Borrowdale lightning strike of 1564 to Nicolas-Jacques Conté's clay-and-graphite breakthrough during the Napoleonic Wars, plus the Thoreau family's role in standardizing the American pencil grade scale and a tour through HB-to-9B. Plus, Tim's into a Bill Frisell biography, Johnny's writing with a sparkly Narwhal "raspberry cheesecake" pen that looks like, uh, something else, and Andy debuts booklet.lol — a vibe-coded book tracker. Patreon subscribers can watch the video version.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable
Read a transcript of this episode at Erasable Scribe
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Facebook group
Erasable Discord invite
Episode references
Episode 57: “The F Bomb”
Podcasts / media
Drug Story
r/pencils
Letterkenny
Books
Bill Frisell, Beautiful Dreamer
Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Pencil / stationery / book arts
Cumberland Pencil Museum
Nicolas-Jacques Conté (Britannica)
Henry David Thoreau (Britannica)
Guild of Book Workers
General’s Layout Pencil
STAEDTLER WOPEX
Derwent
Photography / camera stuff
Micro Four Nerds
PetaPixel
Apps / sites / companies
booklet.lol
People / artists / companies
Willie Nelson
Charlie Crockett
Bill Frisell
JHS Pedals
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
A big one this time around: we celebrate 12 years of Erasable, Andy launches a transcript site and an AI quiz generator, Johnny's been making books and hiking in 15-degree weather, and Tim christens his new Nahvalur Nautilus with a boiling water incident. Plus fresh releases from Field Notes, Blackwing, Baronfig, and Musgrave.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show notes & links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons
Pilão coffee (Tim's Brazilian coffee recommendation from Skip Simmons)
Erasable Scribe
Quizard.cool
12 years of Erasable, by the numbers (according to Claude)
Ed Kemp on zines (Erasable episode) (if you have a specific episode link handy)
Plumbago magazine
Field Notes "Lucky"
Blackwing Volume 343
Blackwing Quarterly Zine, Issue 1
Baronfig Winnie the Pooh Squire Hex
Baronfig Legend hardcover notebook
Musgrave America 250 Celebration Red, White, and Blue set
Nahvalur Nautilus Ti "Toffee"
Mike Masuyama nib grinding
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
The Erasable Podcast turns 12! As of March 12, we’ve officially been doing this podcast for 12 years. 279 hours of audio — that’s more than 11.5 straight days of Erasable! Tim is out today, but Johnny grills Andy about his trip to Hong Kong and Japan, including some of the cool pencils he found at a stationery shop in Kyoto that’s been in business since the 1600s. Have a listen!
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
Gestalt App — join the beta!
Pencil & Paper’s custom Field Notes
J Herbin Vert Pre ink
Iroshizuku chiku-rin ink
Kyukyodo
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
We’re back, after two months away! Sorry for the silence, friends. But we think we have something really special for you — a guest we’ve wanted to come on the show for almost 6 years. It’s Ian Schon of SCHONDSGN, a craftsman who makes incredible, unique fountain pens. We’re talking about his journey to starting his own company, design and engineering challenges that fountain pens present, and his foray into his greatest challenge; making the Monoc, his own fountain pen nib from bars of titanium.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
Schon DSGN
Embassy pen
Auxiliary Mammals
Erasable at the Baltimore Pen Show after party at Write notepads
Schon DSGN Kickstarter
Our Guest
Ian Schon
SCHONDSGN website
@schon_dsgn on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Happy October! This very autumnal episode is a short one — just some fresh points and tools of the trade. Johnny’s playing too much Mario Kart World, Andy regales us with his trip to New York City, and Tim is designing a thuper thecret notebook. Plus: we talk about some new Field Notes and feel very old because of the new Blackwing Eras.
We’ve got a special episode today. Tyler McCall, co-owner of Chicago stationery shop Pencil & Paper, joins us to talk about the havoc caused by the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff policies. These policies aren’t just hurting small businesses like Tyler’s — they’re also driving up costs and creating disruptions for everyday consumers in ways you might not expect.This conversation is for anyone who cares about supporting local shops, stationery or otherwise. And if you’re in Chicago, be sure to stop by Tyler’s store in Andersonville.
Happy International Workers Day, everyone! If you get a long weekend, we really hope you make the most of it. (Andy’s going to the SF Pen Show, for example!) Before we go off and celebrate, we’re coming atcha with some new Fresh Points, including some new Blackwings, a cool film camera, and the question that plagues our minds, “why is loose leaf paper so terrible?”.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
AEnima by Tool
In Case You Were Nappingby Puscifer
True Writer Killarney fountain pen
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders
Slow Horses
Mission Impossible Final Reckoning
Snipe Hunter by Tyler Childers
Blackwing Volume 292
Kodak Etkar
Nahvalur Triad
Blackwing x Fender
San Francisco Pen Show
Monoc Evo by Schon Design
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
Andy Welfleandy.wtf
Tim Wasem
We have a very special episode for you today, folks. We’re joined by Allison King, a novelist who recently published The Phoenix Pencil Company, a multi-generational story about Chinese-American women, data privacy, surveillance, LGBT love, and… pencils! We read the book and loved it, and Allison is here to answer some questions. If you want a copy for yourself, you can buy it at this link, or preferably at your local bookstore.
Warning: this episode contains spoilers! If you’re reading, or intending to read this book, you might want to wait until you finish it to listen to this episode.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes and Links
Last Boat Out of Shanghai
A Tale for the Time Being
Empire of AI
Our Guest
Allison King
Allison's Website@allisonkingwrites on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
After a month full of travel from our intrepid hosts, involving everything from counterfeit theatre tickets to marriage proposals to a literal train wreck, we’re back to regale each other with stories from our travels, and, of course, the stationery we picked up along the way. Plus, we announce a future book club episode with The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show notes and links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King
Untitled Goose Game book
Animal Crossing book
Paris France by Gertrude Stein
Andor Season 2
The Bureaucratic Banality of Andor | RonBronson.design
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets Series
Charley Crockett
Somebody Feed Phil
Is a River Alive?
Remix Album from The Cure
Johnny’s Pride journals
Nahvalur Verdigris Muse fountain pen
Erasable logo hats
Erasable Eraser Friend lapel pin
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
Andy Welfleandy.wtf
Tim Wasem
The summer limited editions are out early this year! Join us for the scoop on two releases from Blackwing, some very watery Field Notes, and finally — you can buy our newest Erasable merch!
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show notes and links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Eraser Friend pin
Erasable logo corduroy hat
Orbital
Andor Season 2
Doctor Who Series 14
Levenger True Writer in Sapphire Mosaic
Diamine Sapphire Blue
Field Notes Summer Tote
Field Notes Is a River Alive?
Is a River Alive? By Robert MacFarlane
New Field Notes box art
The artist and his pencil sharpener collection
Blackwing Labs 05.13.26 pencils
Blackwing Labs 05.13.26 notebook
Blackwing Volume 140
Andy
Johnny/Pencil Revolution
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
Andy Welfleandy.wtf
Tim Wasem
May is upon is, and we’re here with a short one, discussing our tools of the trade, and some fun fresh points — Johnny talked about his sugar cane notebooks for Earth Day, and Andy introduced some new spring Erasable swag for 2025 (Stay tuned!)
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
The Birthday Massacre’s Sleep Tonight
Where the Crawdads Sing
Damned
Puscifer
Nahvalur Nautilus Ti
Herbin Sapphire
Bullet Journal 2.0 2023 Artist Edition
Chiikawa
When We Were Real
Where the Axe is Buried
Led Zeppelin by Bob Spitz
Bad Monkey Soundtrack
Everybody's Live with John Mulaney
Sugar Cane paper notebooks at Pencil Revolution Press
Makers Cabinet
Elipso Kickstarter
IRIS Large Format
Timberlines on Substack (Blog of Charles Berolzheimer, CEO of Blackwing)
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
Andy Welfleandy.wtf
Tim Wasem
To celebrate our podcast turning 11 last month, we’re traveling back in time to channel our 11 year-old selves, and examine what stationery meant to us as Little Guys.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
Bon Iver Field Notes
“The Chicago Look” Field Notes
Nahvalur Original Plus
Nahvalur Nautilus Ti Black
Andy’s Yikes blog post
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
Andy Welfle
andy.wtf
Tim Wasem
Today’s episode is a short one — Tim’s out, and Johnny and Andy talk about some of their new pencil hauls (including a Pentel Black Polymer 999 that Andy’s particularly excited about). Johnny gets civilly disobedient (more so than usual, that is) in his reading from his zilbaldoni.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
The Erasable Podcast Discord
Andy’s new blog, Asterisms
The War on Cars
The Bookmakers
Kiridashi Knife
Kamikokuen
Pencil Grocery
The Hardest Working Font in Manhattan
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
Andy Welfle
andy.wtf
Tim Wasem
Welcome to the first installment of Re-rasable, a new series where we resurface some of our most memorable episodes and interviews from the past ten years.
For this inaugural edition, we’re rewinding to Episode 106 and our conversation with Henry Hulan, Chairman of the Musgrave Pencil Company. This interview was a true highlight, giving us a rare inside look at the history and craftsmanship of American pencil-making. Even more exciting, it led to the creation of the Musgrave Single Barrel 106—a pencil made from vintage red cedar and numbered after this very episode!
Join us as we revisit this special moment in Erasable history.
Links & Resources
The Erasable Podcast – erasable.us
Musgrave Pencil Company – musgravepencil.com
Musgrave on Instagram – @musgravepencil
Musgrave on Facebook – facebook.com/musgravepencil
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow pencil nerd! Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for more Re-rasable episodes to come.
We’re back for the New Year, with a ton of Fresh Points and Tools of Our Trade -- and the first sections from our Zibaldoni!
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Erasable Podcast Discord invite
Ali Serra’s Blackwing extender
ADHD is awesome
Staying Alive by Neil Astley
Port Protection TV series
Vintage Field Notes
Draplin’s “Turquoise Tribute” Field Notes
For our last episode of 2024, we came together to talk about some of our favorite Tools of the Trade from the last year. Andy recounts his trip to Hawaii and Tim talks about a new segment we’re starting next year.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to Patreon to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Long After Dark Tom Petty notebook and Pen
Field Notes: Vintage
Nahvalur Christmas 2024 pen
Blackwing Lab 11.19.24
More Adam Savage pencil hunting
How to ADHD
Nahvalur Nautilus fountain pens
Diamine Onyx
Musgrave Harvest Pro
Best American Food/travel writing
Moonbound
Three Body Problem Trilogy
Stories are Weapons
iA Writer Notebook
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@andy.wtf on Bluesky
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Today on the show, we have a much needed catch up, with a freewheeling discussion around Tools of the Trade and Fresh Points. We cover the new Blackwing 574, the Field Notes Dream Journals, Bluesky, and even talk about something Andy's only dreamed of — Star Trek wine.
For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to Patreon to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!
Show Notes & Links
Arab Strap band
Gangs of London TV series
Stardew Valley
It. Goes. So. Fast. : The Year of No Do-Overs by Mary Louise Kelly
The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
Field Notes Dream Journal Gift Set
Made in Baltimore
Blackwing 574
Find us on Bluesky!
@andy.wtf
@timwasem@bsky.social
@johnnygamber@bsky.social
The Stationery Folk Starter Pack
Eberhard Faber Permapoint 182
Star Trek wine advent calendar!
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@andy.wtf on Bluesky
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
For this shorter episode, we’re fighting our pre-US election anxiety by talking about handwriting in digital notebooks. Johnny had a few questions about it that we didn’t have time to ask Roland in the last episode, so instead he turned to Andy and Tim, both who have some experience writing on a tablet with a stylus, to learn the ins and outs of digital writing.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
The Light Phone
reMarkable tablet
Goodnotes app
Kindle Scribe
The Far Side by Gary Larson
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Tonight, for our special Erasable Book Club episode, we discuss the new book The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper. And who else better to discuss it with, than the book’s author himself, Roland Allen! Roland joins us from the UK to talk about how he researched the book, how the structure of it came to be, and especially to geek out about his favorite notebook and writing utensils.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper
Uniball Micro UB150
Stalogy notebooks at Jetpens
Our Guest
Roland AllenRoland-Allen.com
@notebook_historian on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Tonight we catch up on some Tools of the Trade, from watching too much British TV, to the Allman Brothers. We look at the latest Blackwing release, compare ADHD to stationery, and Andy recaps his trip to Europe. And finally, we reveal our next book club book, which we’ll talk about in the next episode!
If you want to follow along in our book club discussion, pick up a copy of The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen. We’ll be discussing it for episode 217, coming out the week of October 7, 2024.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Our book club selection: The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen
Blackwing Vol. 71
The Library Thief
Fahrenheit 451
The March
The Acolyte
Calexit: The comic
Drunk On All Your Strange New Words
The Power Broker
During our Decade of Pencilcasting celebration, a few folks mentioned that we should talk more about art pencils, and our good friend Leslie Herger from the RSVP Podcast and Comfortable Shoes Studio joined us to do just that!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
XOXO 2024 Field Notes
Gentleman Stationer Shop
Nahvalur Aqua Regia and Terra Firma
Uni-Ball Zento
Pilot Precise: Harmony
Comfortable Shoes Studio
Less is More Healthy
Less’s Kofi
Less’s YouTube recommendations:
Drewscape
Danny Gregory
Koosje Koene
Toby Sketchloose
Alfonzo Dunn
Our Guest
Less Herger
Comfortable Shoes Studio
Less is More Healthy
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
In this episode, we;re taking a break from rooting for Team USA to check in with a midsummer episode about some fun new Blackwings, the latest Field Notes release, and a rousing round of Tools of the Trade to see what we’ve been listening to, reading, and writing with.
Show notes and links
Erasable Patreon
Sturgill Simpson GQ Profile
Johnny Blue Skies - Passage Du Desir
Jason Hardy Songs
Jason Isbell Field Notes
Stephen Wilson Jr. - Son of Dad
Microtomic Blackwing Eras
Robert Brighton Blackwings
Field Notes Index edition
Narwhal Original Plus in Lovina Graphite
Diamine Midnight Hour
Hitide DTLA
On this episode of Erasable, the guys are trying to muster as much patriotic spirit as they can and talk about some of their favorite American-made stationery brands. From JR Moon to Write Notepads, there are still some good quality products made between American shores. Plus: Updates from Blackwing, Andy’s trip to Seattle, and more!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Born in the USA
J. R. Moon
General Pencil Company
Musgrave Pencil Company
Blackwing 746 Collection
Jason Isbell Field Notes
Quintessence: The Quality of Having It
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
After a few weeks of different mixes of hosts and guests, we’re back as The Terrific Trio tonight, talking about the latest Tools of the Trade and Fresh Points.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Star Trek Discovery
Nuclear War: A Scenario
Writers Playing Video Games
Suits
Daisy Jones and the Six
Blake Mills "If I'm Unworthy"
Navel Gazing
Under the Bridge
Guild of Bookworkers Newsletter Archive
Playlist to win a custom journal from Johnny
XOXO Fest 2024
Stephen Sondheim Auction:
OLD old Blackwings
Old and new Blackwings
Pocket Bullet Journal
New Narwhal pens” Spring Nautilus and Pride Editions
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Tonight, Andy and Johnny are chatting, sans Tim, about some of the recent spring releases from Field Notes and Blackwing, recap Andy’s trip to The Happiest Place on Earth™ (hint: it involves many many pressed pennies) and they even talk about $75 minimalist notebooks.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Levenger True Writer Origins
Three Body Problem on Netflix
Three Body Problem Trilogy by Cixin Liu
The Core of an Onion by Mark Kurlansky
Disney pressed pennies
Jerry Garcia neckties
Fancy iA Writer Notebook
Field Notes Flora Edition
Blackwing Volume 710
Independent Bookstore Day 2024 Blackwings
Deadest Prints Field Notes
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
This is a fun episode, folks. We’re joined by Carol Beggy, a longtime listener, group member, newspaper journalist, and author of “Pencil”, one of the latest books in the Bloomsbury Object Lessons book series, joins us to talk about her book and the object of all of our affections. We chat about the wonders of the newspaper supply cabinet of the 1900s, Thoreau, collecting pencils, and much, much more.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Pencil (Object Lessons, by Carol Beggy)
Object Lessons series
John C. Burke
Portage Reporter Notebooks
China markers
The Transcendentalists and Their World
Our Guest
Carol Beggy
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
It’s been ten years, folks. In this episode, we talk to some of our favorite recurring guests — Brad Dowdy, Caitlin Elgin, Les Herger, and Caroline Weaver — and reminisce about the last decade. We even have a cool swag bag that you can buy to help us celebrate! Plus, way more potato content than you probably wanted.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
All About The Musette Bag
Pen Addict
Comfortable Shoe Studio
Caitlin Elgin
The Locavore (Caroline’s latest venture)
Potato Pencil Lovin’ (a song about making a potato pencil written by AI, prompted by Tim)
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Today’s episode is a short one — as we prepare for a bigger 10-year anniversary episode, we spent some time talking about our tools of the trade, and really focusing on the pencils and paper we’re using lately.
A quick note: We’re getting ready to produce a gift for our Nubbin Stage Patreon supporters! We can’t reveal it yet, but it’s so cool. If you’re a current supporter at that level, please update your shipping address! And if you want to get in on it, please sign up for an annual plan at our Patreon before March 11, 2024!
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Andy is back from the other side of the globe, where he visited Japan looking for adventures —and stationery! Tonight, Johnny and Tim team up to grill Andy about his trip, and best yet — they’re in the same room!
If you’re a Patreon member at any level, you can watch video of this episode at patreon.com/erasable.
Show Notes and Links
Photos from Andy’s trip
Erasable Patreon
Pencil, by Carol Beggy
Shift Happens by Marchin Wichary
Blue Lights
How to ADHD
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Happy 2024, friends! We’re starting off with the first episode of the new year with a Fresh Points episode, talking about some of the cool new stuff to hit the market since we last recorded — Draplin’s Tactile Turn pen collab, Blackwing Volume 2, Studio Neat’s Keepbook, and more.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
James, Be Opened by the Wonderful
Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life
Feel Something, Make Something
Dr. Who Xmas Special
A History of Wild Things
Night After Night by Daniel Tashian
Nahvalur Nautilus
Blackwing Volume 2
Draplin pen!
Zines! (andy.supply!)
Star Trek playing cards!
Keepbook by Studio Neat
Stuff That Works Journal
Musgrave Songwriter Set
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
As we wrap up 2023, Johny, Tim and Andy talked about tools that they used unexpectedly more than overs over the year. From Very Old Ticonderoga’s to dinosaur tape dispensers, there are some old reliables and some newcomers on this list. Happy holidays!
This episode is available with video for active patrons supporting the show at any level over on Patreon.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Musgrave Songwriter
Doctor Who Specials
Three Body Problem
Andy’s zine shop
Whiskey Advent Calendar
Jeff Tweedy World Within a Song
Crossing To Safety
Bodies (TV Series)
How Not to Kill Yourself
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
It’s been a while, and a lot of stuff has come out since we last podcasted as our True Selves. We’re rectifying that tonight, as we check out the latest releases from Field Notes and Blackwing. Join us and find out what we’ve been up to!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
BIRCH BARK
Volume 17, the Gardening Pencil
HEARTLAND
Blackwing “Buy Our Trash” Labs
Blackwing/Moleskine Collab
Theory11 playing cards
The Importance of Not Being Ernest by Mark Kurlansky
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Presenting Part 3 of our Dungeons & Dragons campaign with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin! If you’d like to see a video of this adventure, episodes 200 201, 202, and our other D&D episodes, support us at any level on Patreon.
Join our band of travelers — Ralph, Sam, and Andrøs — as they worm their way out of the wormling fight in the (literal) dungeon for the third and final installment of our D&D campaign! Who are the metal dragons? How do they defeat them? Will they save Graphia and their (quite literally) erasable world?
Your Dungeon Master
Monica CorwinWebsite | Amazon | Instagram
Our Adventurers
Ralph Rex
as portrayed by Johnny Gamber
Samik Stoneback
as portrayed by Tim Wasem
Andrøs Goldenbear
as portrayed by Andy Welfle
Presenting the second part of our Dungeons & Dragons campaign with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin! If you’d like to see a video of this adventure, episodes 200 and 201, and our other D&D episodes, support us at any level on Patreon.
Our intrepid heroes are back! Ralph Rex, Samik Stoneback, and Andrøs Goldenbear officially enter the mysterious forests of Graphia, and try to solve puzzles, fight golems, and understand which dice to roll, under the fearless tutelage of Dungeon Master Monica Corwin! Tune in for the second part of The Erasable Spellcast, our celebration of 200 episodes and more than 9 years of podcasting.
Your Dungeon Master
Monica CorwinWebsite | Amazon | Instagram
Our Adventurers
Ralph Rex
as portrayed by Johnny Gamber
Samik Stoneback
as portrayed by Tim Wasem
Andrøs Goldenbear
as portrayed by Andy Welfle
The first part of our Dungeons & Dragons campaign with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin gets underway! If you’d like to see a video of this adventure, episode 200, and our other D&D episodes, support us at any level on Patreon.
Embark on an epic journey in the enshrouded realm of Graphia, a land veiled in ancient curses and enigma. As darkness threatens to engulf this mystic plane, a brave band of adventurers rallies together, fueled by an unbreakable bond of friendship and a collective intellect that defies all odds. In a race against time, they forge ahead, relying on synergy and wit to navigate through veils of mystery and danger. Their ultimate quest: to unearth the legendary Eternal Quill and salvage not only the doomed land but their own fates as well. Will their camaraderie and ingenuity prevail, or will the shadows of Graphia consume all? Step into this thrilling saga and find out.
And coffee.
Your Dungeon Master
Monica Corwin
Website | Amazon | Instagram
Our Adventurers
Ralph Rex
as portrayed by Johnny Gamber
Samik Stoneback
as portrayed by Tim Wasem
Andrøs Goldenbear
as portrayed by Andy Welfle
🪄 A D&D adventure, with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin 🐉
These guys are characters. For our two hundredth episode, we wax a bit nostalgic and also begin a new adventure: Along with a seasoned Dungeon Master Monica Corwin, we’re making D&D characters for a pencil themed campaign (which you’ll hear in our next couple of episodes)! A quick note: Patreon subscribers will be able to watch video of this episode and our further D&D episodes! Subscribe at any level and see our lovely faces.
Our Guest
Monica CorwinWebsite | Amazon | Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
In this episode, the penultimate of the first 200, we’re excited to have the impending Guiness World Record holder for the largest pencil collection, Aaron Bartholmey. Aaron is also the Secretary-Treasurer of one of our favorite organizations, the American Pencil Collector Society. He talks with us about his collection, counting it for the record, and of course, getting involved with the APCS.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
American Pencil Collectors Society
Interview with Aaron in the Associated Press
Interview with Aaron in the Washington Post
Guinness World Records
Current Record Holder for Largest Collection of Pencils
Our Guest
Aaron BartholmeyPencilCollector.org
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
Much as with our retrospective on Blackwings Volumes editions last episode, today we’re taking a look back at the Field Notes releases we’ve gotten since around the beginning of the pandemic.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Le Voyageur from Write Notepads & Co.
Mitsubishi Uni “hahatoco” cat themed pencils!
Pencil penrose (aka our tattoos) pins from Tim Belonax
Vignette
Heavy Duty
United States of Letterpress
Snowy Evening
Fifty
Trailhead
Harvest
Ignition
Signs of Spring
Great Lakes
Hatch
Kraft Plus
Streetscapes
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
We always offer hot takes on each Blackwing Volumes release. But how do things look when we step back a little and look again with some more context and perspective? Tune in as we talk about the last few years of Blackwing Volumes, give our spicy and mild takes, and give each volume a grade.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Blackwing Pencil Release Guide
Basquiat on American Masters
Adam Savage’s Indiana Jones notebook replica
Volume 840: Surfer Dude and the Coast
Volume 3: Ravi Shankar
Volume XIX: The 19th Amendment
Volume 6: Independent Businesses
Volume 223: Woodie Guthrie
Volume 64: Comics
Volume 651: Bruce Lee
Volume 93: Corita Kent
Volume 200: Coffeehouses
Volume 55: The Golden Ratio
Volume 7: Animation
Volume 192: The Lennon and McCartney
Volume 20: Tabletop Games
Volume 57: The Basquiat Pencil
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Today, we have a full episode of just the Tools of the Trade. Skip this if you don’t want to hear about the 16 different albums Tim is listening too, what gritty British crime dramas Johnny’s watching, or what books Andy says he’s reading. Plus: the greatest concert film ever made, starring Seth Rogan.
Show Notes and Links
Boygenius
New Jason Isbell album next week!
Theo Katzman Be the Wheel
Cocaine and Rhinestones
George Michael
Bush
Steven Universe
Ted Lasso
Barry
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
The Diplomat
Transatlantic
A Small Light
The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers
Hidden Systems by Dan Nott
Promises Stronger Than Darkness by Charlie Jane Anders
Don't Tell Anyone the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williams
This Wheel's On Fire by Levon Helm
Otherwise: New & Selected Poems by Jane Kenyon
Beach Badge zine
The Overstory
Keith Smith books
Bellroy tech Dopp kit
Tom Bihn Side Hustle
Platinum Plaisir
Blackwing Eras 2022
Musgrave Pencil Knot notebook
Levenger True Writer Kyoto
Official LT1917 pen
That Field Notes dad thing
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
We’re celebrating National Poetry Month a month too late, but we think it’s always time to celebrate poetry. To that end, we’ve invited Jay Newton, long-time listener and Erasable Poet Laureate, onto the show to talk about his new chapbook, Effigies, and how he thinks about and creates poetry. We also celebrate silly little limericks by pitting Jay against ChatGPT to write extremely specific pencil limericks.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
New Zelda Game
Field Notes Cityscapes
Musgrave’s The Party Bugle
New Musgrave Shorthand Notebook in BLUE
Magic Ink markers
Big ol’ pressed penny notebook
Baronfig Venture Backpack 3.0
PennyCollector.org
Limerick Showdown
Here are the poems that we asked Jay and ChatGPT to write. Read them and judge them!
Limerick about the struggle of using a pencil with an off-center core (from Donny Pearce)
ChatGPT:
With graphite askew, pencil's no fun,
Off-center core makes writing undone.
The lines dance in strife,
Disrupting the life,
Of precision, alas, it's all gone.
Jay:
If there’s one thing I simply abhor,
It’s a stick with an off-center core.
It may write as smoothly as Lapis Lazuli
But some things I just can’t ignore.
Limerick about how the Field Notes pencils should be better than they are (from Donny Pearce)
Jay:
The pencil from Draplin is lacking.
Does he not have financial backing?
It scratches the page
Like a one-million H
While Musgrave is counter-attacking.
ChatGPT:
Field Notes pencils, touted with cheer,
But their performance fails, I do fear.
Smoothness they lack,
Graphite too slack,
In need of improvement, that's clear.
Limerick about how there are only so many words that actually rhyme with “pencil” (from Kathy Rogers)
ChatGPT:
"Pencil," a word we oft rhyme,
Yet choices are limited, no time.
Stenciled, essentials,
Potential, credentials,
Options are scarce, yet sublime.
Jay:
A brooding baboon with a pencil,
Could trace, with his tail, a stencil.
He found it intriguing
That he was a Being
Both prehensile and existential.
Our Guest
Jay Newton
Your Hosts
Johnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilution
Andy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfle
Tim Wasem@TimWasem
We’re here, smack in the middle of National Poetry Month, to read and discuss a few of our favorite poems. We also rap about the latest Field Notes and Blackwing releases, and more!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Magic Wand Pencils
Baron Fig Squire Oracle
Baron Fig Squire Draft
Blackwing Volume 20
Field Notes Streetscapes
Poems of Healing
Almost Cha-Cha (Brett Elizabeth Jenkins)
The Changing Light (Lawrence Ferlinghetti)
“The Cinnamon Peeler’s Wife” (Michael Ondaatje)
“Having It Out with Melancholy” (Jane Kenyon)
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Every once in a while, we like to update one of the most popular features on our website: Our personal Top Five Pencils list. As we stare down nine years on the airwaves, see how much — or how little — has changed.
The Guys’ Top 5 Pencils Spring 2023
Andy
Palomino Golden Bear
Hi-Class Golden Sword 2B
Forest Choice
Blackwing 602
Musgrave Pencil King
Tim
Blackwing Natural
Blackwing MMX
Musgrave Tennessee Round
Mitsubishi 9852EW
Palomino HB
Johnny
Musgrave Tennessee Red
General Pencil Co. Cedar Pointe
California Republic Palomino (capped version)
Eberhard Faber / FaberCastell American / American Naturals
Whatever pencil I’m using
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Shift Happens
Palomino Golden Bear
Hi-Class Golden Sword 2B
Forest Choice
Blackwing 602
Musgrave Pencil King
Blackwing Natural
Blackwing MMX
Musgrave Tennessee Round
Mitsubishi 9852EW/9852
Palomino HB
Musgrave Tennessee Red
General Pencil Co. Cedar Pointe
California Republic Palomino (capped version)
Eberhard Faber / FaberCastell American/American Naturals
Top Dozen Pencils Zine
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Join us as we discuss some truly cool things from Musgrave, a delightful weird two-color pen, Jimmy Smits’s rise to galactic political fame, and why the Bic Cristal doesn’t deserve the hate it’s been getting on the internet.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
The Creative Act
Fragments: Time Out of Mind Sessions
McCartney 3,2,1
All Creatures Great and Small
The Handmade Book Club
Minecraft
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Pencil King
Musgrave Cloth Gift Bag
Big Musgrave Notebook
Musgrave Duet Pens
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Tonight, we’re recapping 2022 on a positive note. We’ll be talking about our favorite things about the year, both in the Pencil World and out.
Show Notes & Links
Venture Brothers
The Orville: New Horizons)
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor
Irvine Welsh's Crime
Roaring Spring composition notebook
33 1/3 John Prime
Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road
Pencil King by Musgrave
Musgrave metal pencil sharpener
Blackwing Eras 2022
Iroshuzuku "Fuyu-gaki" ink
Draplin's Instagram post that mentions the Erasable Squire
Diamine Wild Strawberry
Uniball One
Robert Oster Lake of Fire
Field Notes Kraft Plus notebooks
Field Notes quarterly subscriptions
Pencil Revolution Press notebooks
Leuchtturm hardback notebooks
Tom Bihn medium Café bag
Deep Space Nineties
USPS stamps
Keychron keyboards
Fellow Stagg pour over coffee
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Mr. Jiu's chili crisp
Bluey
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
At the end of Autumn, Andy and Johnny gather to give thanks and to chat about some recent news and developments in the stationery world, including the latest from Field Notes and Blackwing.
Show notes and links
Erasable Patreon
Order Your Private Editions!
Bittersweet
Re-Bound
Our Good Friend Leslie
Magpie Murders
Best American Food Writing, 2022
Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2022
The Good Place
Pluto TV
Field Notes “Kraft Plus”
Blackwing Labs 11.25.22
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Tonight, we’re joined by special guest Joey Cofone, co-founder of Baronfig and author of The Laws of Creativity: Unlock Your Originality and Awaken Your Creative Genius which comes out on October 18, 2022. Joey talks to us about how he turned his belief that creativity is not magic, it’s a skill that needs to be practiced. We discuss some universal truths — or laws — to creative work, and how he pulled them together into a book.
Show notes and links
Erasable Patreon
Baronfig
Pre-Order The Laws of Creativity
Joey on Erasable, Ep. 62 and Ep. 74
Our Guest
Joey Cofone
JoeyCofone.com
Baronfig.com
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
This week, we kick off a multi-episode discussion about creativity, and in particular, books about creativity and the creative process. Today, we’re discussing what we look for in such books: Do we want practical tips? Do we want to be inspired? Maybe a little of both?
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Bright (Kiki Petrosino)
What do Do When Someone Dies
Petty: The Biography
The Way
Watchhouse (Duo)
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Machines Like Me
Laws of Creativity by Joey Cofone
Make Good Art
Ron Carlson Writes a Story
The Messy Middle
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Join Johnny, Tim, and Andy as we invite a long-time friend of the show Harry Marks on, to talk about his new novel, The Library at the Center of the World, and his new job as a staff writer for Grim and Mild, a historical storytelling podcast network. We talk about creative writing, the importance of routines, and of course, frequent screaming on social media.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Harry Marks online
The Library at the Center of the Earth
The Prophet
Grim & Mild
Shelf Life: A Sitcom Podcast
Our Guest
Harry Marks
Linktree
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Being ecologically-minded citizens of the world, we don't like the idea of just throwing away perfectly good paper and pencils. This is especially salient this time of year, when kids are bringing home piles of stuff from their desks and lockers. Tune in this week for a discussion of what to do with all that material.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak
Don’t Go Without Me
James Patterson is a F---ing A$$hole
Petty: The Biography, American Heartbreak
Talk Easy Podcast
Van der Valk
The Paris Library
Big Ole’ Pencil
Sketch Kits on Pencil Revolution
No More Pencils, No More Books: The School’s Out Issue of Pencil Revolution
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
It’s the unofficial start to summer in the United States, and we’re here with white pants and pencils to check in before school is out and everyone starts going on vacations. We cover lots of summer goodness, from Baronfig’s latest journal to cross-country hitchhiking.
Show Notes and Links
Patreon
The President Is Missing
Cruel Country by Wilco
Grace and Frankie
Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America
The Responder
The Interrupters
Atlanta Season 3
Gentleman Jack Season 2
The Cartographers (a novel)
Baronfig Draft
Also
Blackwing Obey
Harry Marks’ The Library at the Center of the Universe
Pencil Revolution Press Shop
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Before our upcoming book club, Caroline Weaver was kind enough to join us for an invigorating discussion about contemporary book clubs, and updates us on what’s going on in her world. Don’t forget to read up on Matthew Battles’ Palimpsest before the next episode in mid-May!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Caroline Weaver
The Orchard Street Reading Society
Bobos in Paradise
Palimpsest
Google Form for Author Questions
Olga Dies Dreaming
Our Guest
Caroline Weaver
Website
Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
We’re getting ready to launch into a few episodes discussing our book club book, Palimpsest, but before we do that, let’s have a short little episode to talk about Fresh Points and some cool stuff we’re reading, seeing and hearing. Plus, a poem for Johnny by Erasable Poet Laureate Jay Newton.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Star Trek Picard
Palimpsest
SNL with Lizzo
Donkey Thoughts
Story Club
Starship Casual
A Man Called Ove
Upload
Valentine by Bill Frisell
Before We Die
Kathy Abbott’s book on bookbinding
Endless Stationery
Codex Book Faire
Over-engineered pencils
Dylan Eakin on TikTok
Kiki Petrosino’s Bright pre-order
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Happy International Pencil Day, folks! It’s officially spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and we have some fun spring releases to discuss in all of their copper and yellow glory. Tune in for our quarterly look at the seasonal releases from some of our favorite brands.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Post Office
Free Guy
Born into This
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors
Vera
Palimpsest
Graphite Diaries
Eve of Destruction covers
Star Trek Picard
Field Notes “Signs of Spring”
Blackwing 200
Baron Fig Earth Day Squire
New Musgrave stickers
Musgrave Duet Pens
Baron Fig Play Stream Squire
Pencil Pusher zine project by Andrew Mecum
National Pencil Day Extravaganza!
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Tonight, the guys are joined by Ashleigh Coaxum, the proprietor of Baltimore’s newest stationery shop, The Paper Herald. Ashleigh talks about her stationery origin story, what it’s like to open a shop during the pandemic, and some of the cool stuff she stocks. Plus: new Field Notes, a book club announcement, and — don’t worry — plenty of bad puns.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
The Paper Herald
The Birthday of the World
Star Trek Picard
Storyteller
Mumford and Sons
This Day (Wendell Berry)
Hand Bookbinding: A Manual of Instruction
Vera
Field Notes Leap of Faith
True Writer History
Field Notes X USPS Title IX
Glass Nib Pen that Andy bought
Our Guest
Ashleigh Coaxum
The Paper Herald
Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Tonight, we are talking about the morning — morning pages, to be precise. We take a deep dive into Julia Cameron’s prescription for an enhanced creative life and talk about our own experiences with this practice.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Julie Cameron
The Artist’s Way
Kimi
The Ministry for the Future
How to Do Nothing
The Art and Craft of Handmade Books
Around the World in 80 Days
Stephen Dunn’s Whereas
The Alchemist
Reacher
BIG THIEF BIG WARM MOUNTAIN I BELIEVE IN YOU
Blackwing Labs 2.22.22
The Miracle of Morning Pages
The War of Art
Julia Cameron in The New York Times
“This column will change your life: Morning Pages” in The Guardian
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
We’re well into 2022, so we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about planners! We discuss how we keep track of appointment and to-dos, and whether or not we can avoid digital calendars (answer: no).
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
All Creatures Great and Small
The Book of Boba Fett
Vienna Blood
Power of the Dog
Jason Bourne films
Retro51 “Susan”
Somebody, Somewhere
A Lush and Seething Hell
Pencil Revolution Subscriptions
The Pen Post Subscriptions
Pencil Revolution #25
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
It’s been a few weeks since you heard our voices, but we’re back for a fun new year of pencil podcasting! We go through some fresh points, like Johnny’s bookbinding supplies, Andy’s new desk, and Tim’s Try-Rex. Thanks for all of your support through 2021!
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
The Missing
All Creatures Great and Small
Harlem Shuffle
Write Notepads Dot Books
Escape to the Chateau
Don’t Look Up
The Every
Project Hail Mary
The Tender Bar
Big Thief
Try-Rex
Emilio Braga books
Letterpress + Pencil Revolution Zine
2021 Wordy Awards
Jarvis Standing Desk
Makers Cabinet Ferrule
Kabamaru | Hajime Okamoto
Dremel 4300
Plumbago Magazine
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Tonight, our good friend (and RSVP co-host) Less Harper joins us for a chat about bookbinding, the craft that she and Johnny practice to produce unique creations to hold our thoughts and sketches. We also talk about the new Field Notes, several new releases from Blackwing, and So Much More™.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Comfortable Shoe Studio
RSVP Podcast
Pencil Revolution Press
Lucifer
Get Back
Call Us What We Carry
Miracle and Wonder
The Midnight Library
The Mandalorian
Radio Headspace
Musgrave Standard Writing Notebook
Field Notes “Ignition”
Blackwing Vol 93
DAS Bookbinding
Sea Lemon
Handmade Books Made Easy
Alisa Golden
Ester K. Smith
Keith A. Smith
Our Guest
Less Harper
Comfortable Shoes Studio
RSVP Stationery Podcast
@OriginalLCHarper on Twitter and Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
This week, we’re looking back on 2021 and talking about what we’re most thankful for — both within the stationery community, and beyond. Plus, we take a look at some of the newest Blackwing X collabs, a few of the new Musgrave stuff, and a discussion around Wes Anderson’s new movie, which might be peak Wes Andserson.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
The French Dispatch
The Searcher
The War on Drugs I Don’t Live Here Anymore
Poems of Gratitude
The Long Call
Dopesick
The Next Thing You Eat
Axiom’s End
Biden and “I, Pencil”
Blackwing x Preservation Hall
Blackwing Composition Book
Rhodia Composition Books at Gentleman Stationer
Pencil Revolution Press Stationery
Musgrave Notebook
Musgrave Factory Seconds
Draplin x Freewaters Slippers
Canon Pixma G6020
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
It’s the annual EraNaNoWriMoSHOW! Join Andy, Johnny, Tim and special guest Jemellia for a discussion of NaNo’s past, present, and future.
Okay, not really! But for tonight it’s just Johnny and Andy, talking about just the Fresh Points. We have some new Field Notes, new Blackwings, a new Squire, and other cool things, including one (or two) last orders from our friends at CW Pencil Enterprise.
Show Notes & Links:
Erasable Patreon
Woodclinched on Etsy
Pencil Revolution on Etsy
Field Notes Harvest
Blackwing 651
Ted Lasso
No Time to Die
In Praise of Walking
The Ickabog
Unforgotten
CW Pencils | Commemorative CWPE Advertising Pencil
CW Pencils | 2021 Shop Sticker by Meredith Miotke
CW Pencils | Grand Finale Emilio Braga A5 notebook
CW Pencils | Natural Baseball Scoring Pencil
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
This week, Tim throws us a curveball. Last week, he asked us what our least favorite pencils are, and then he told us that we should only use that pencil for a couple weeks. In this episode, we discuss our experiences. Plus: a set of bummer fresh points, from a friend who lost his stash in a flood, to our favorite pencil store closing.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
GoFundMe for Harry Marks
On Closing | CW Pencil Enterprise blog
Dungeons and Daddies
Telegraph Avenue
The Defeated
Most Unwanted Zine
The Magic of Walking
LulaRich
Zine Reviews in Broken Pencil Magazine: Depression and OCD
Target Up&Up Pencil
Bic Xtra Fun
Tombow 2558
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
(Download)
Paper is paper, right? Well, only if you think that pencils are pencils. In this week’s episode, your hosts talk about Unicorn Paper — that special formulation that works well with both pencils and fountain pens. Plus: we discuss our LEAST favorite pencil, and Tim makes us write with them all week to discuss in our next episode.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Bullet Journal 2.0
The People of Paper
Schmigadoon
Only Murders in the Building
Mable John
Franny and Zooey
Musgrave Tennessee Round
Musgrave Greenbelt
Pencil Revolution #20
Plotter system
Southworth “Fine Paper” -- 25% cotton, 24lb (wove finish)
Southworth “Fine Paper” -- 100% cotton, 24lb (wove finish)
Southworth Parchment, 24lb (ivory)
HP Premium, 32lb
Write Notepads
Leuchtturm 1917
Rhoda Goalbook
Rhodia Webnotebook
Baron Fig Confidant
Maruman classic spiral
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
This week, we are down one pencil podcaster and up one pen superpodcaster. Brad Dowdy of the Pen Addict joins us to tie up our trio while Andy is away for the week. ZINES! Ever since Ed Kemp launched Pencil of the Week a few years ago and, especially, since he was a guest on this podcast’s Episode 150, zines have been blowing up among stationery content creators and consumers. In this episode, Brad, Tim and Johnny chat about the connection between zines and stationery and the role that these self-published gems play in the larger stationery community.
Join us for a chat about the pencils that we each used during elementary school. With a 9 year age gap between our hosts, coming during the crucial years of a trade agreement with China and the onset of the shrinking of the American pencil industry, we’re sure to have a variety of pencils to talk about! Plus: Olympics, new Field Notes, and many, many green ink samples.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
The Whole Love (Wilco)
Day Tripper
Underland
The Night Manager
The Tunnel
Changing Plane
Field Notes: Trailhead
Blackwing Lab .7.29.21
Pencil Revolution #19
The Pen Post #1
J. Herbin “Lierre Sauvage”
Playdate
Papermate Sharpwriter
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Well, we inadvertently took a summer break so after a month off, we’re back to talk through our collected Fresh Points: from the new Blackwing 64 to an update from Tim about how it’s going with his new electric sharpener.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
The Nickel Boys
Things Fall Apart
Grantchester
Kevin can F Himself
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maus
The Wood Brothers
Alone
404 Magazine #3
Pencil Revolution #18
Blackwing X Timeless Mug
San Francisco Pen Show Pencil Seminar
Iranian Pencil Store
Jessica Drenk
Blackwing 64
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Do you write in your books? Tonight, our special guest Caitlin Elgin joins us to talk about marginalia — why you might want to write them, and how you might want to write them. In fact, one of use does not write in his books, and maybe we can convince him to start. Or not.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Woodclinched on Etsy
Pencil Revolution on Etsy
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
JCS Criminal Psychology - The Wrath of Jodi
The Moss and Green / Corner Shop (High Tide)
Online shop
Pentel Pulaman
Mad at the World
Ted Lasso
Track Changes: A literary history of word processing
The Electric Pencil
Halston
Unforgiven
The marginal obsession with marginalia | The New Yorker
Our Guest
Caitlin Elgin
@cait.elgin on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Tonight, we’re celebrating Field Notes’s fiftieth Colors edition — uh, Fifty — with a pocket notebook retrospective: How did we first encounter Field Notes? What’s our favorite editions for aesthetics? Color? Writing experience? Plus: an amazing new sampler pack from Musgrave.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Field Notes: Fifty
List of Field Notes Limited Editions
Name of the Wind
Steal Like an Artist
1973 Grateful Dead (Dick’s Picks Vol. 14)
Keep Going
Thoreau, A Life of the Mind
Hacks
The Effort
The Musgrave sampler
404 #3
Pencil Revolution #17
Fountain Pen accessory Kit from Jetpens
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Today we’re keeping it simple with just a Fresh Points episode, covering everything from Blackwing’s rerelease of a pencil they’re still selling, Bob Dylan’s pocket notebooks, pencil t-shirts, and a bevy of recommendations for what Andy should pick up after he finishes his current notebook.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Steal Like an Artist
Show Your Work
World of Wonders
Mare of Easttown
Shrill Season 3
Rutherford Falls
The Effort (novel)
Yellowstone
Ron Rash: New and Selected Poems
Brood X notebooks
The Comfort of a Pencil
How to Break in a Sharpie
Blackwing Palomino
Periwinkle Confidants
Deploy Confidant
Brand Name Pencils Etsy
iQuinix keyboard
Bob Dylan’s pocket notebooks
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Today we talk about vintage notebooks, yet another new Blackwing, and mechanical keyboards. But also much to our delight, our friend and creative polymath Tiffany Babb joins the show to talk comics, literary criticism and creativity.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Woodclinched on Etsy
Pencil Revolution on Etsy
Tiffany’s Website
Etsy
Newsletter
Penelope Scott
Sidney Lumet
Essays on EB White
Braided Creek by Ted Kooser and Jim Harrison
Parker Millsap
Another Round
Victories Greater Than Death
Please Like Me
The Night Train to Lisbon
Requiem
Julien Baker
Notebook Therapy
Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
Independent Bookstore Day Blackwings
Brood X Notebooks
Our Guest
Tiffany Babb
TiffanyBabb.com
@explodingarrow on Twitter
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Andy and Tim have wrested control of the show back away from the devious (yet iconic) duo of Johnny and Charlotte, and we’re talking once again to Noah Bier from Makers Cabinet about their brand new Kickstarter project, a pencil extender called The Ferrule.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Episode 111: Eiffel Tower Points
The Ferrule on Kickstarter
Maker’s Cabinet
Stria
Iris
The Sympathizer
The Best of Everly Brothers
Hemingway Documentary
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Burning the Books
How to Make a Journal of Your Life
Four Lost Cities
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America
Independent Bookstore Blackwing
Blackwing 223
PR Compendium
Our Guest
Noah Bier, Co-founderMakers Cabinet
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
You might notice something…strange about this week’s podcast. Do not adjust your podcatcher. What you are hearing is happening in Real Life and in Real Time.
YOUR PODCAST HAS BEEN USURPED.
PENCIL IS SILLY
Transcript
Charlotte: Charlotte. Do you need a pencil?
No, I have a pen.
(Erasable theme)
Johnny: Hello. Hello and welcome to Episode 160 of the former Erasable Podcast. I'm Johnny Gamber, broadcasting from a secret bunker under the Pencil Revolution Headquarters Compound. After over seven years of podcasting about pencils, my oldest child is now ruthless enough to help me in this non hostile takeover of Erasable.
Charlotte joins me tonight and she swears that she's excited to be here. Hey, Char!
Charlotte: Hello, Daddy. Thank you for having me.
Johnny: Thank you for joining me on a school night. So Charlotte, you recently completed a science project in which you explored the permanence of different writing media that folks rely on every day, and the results were frankly SHOCKING. And they prompted us to sell off all of our Blackwings so that we could buy more vintage Parker fountain pens, and antique French notebooks.
We've come to understand that pencils are just plain silly. Charlotte has kindly agreed to present her research tonight. In a short interview with her witty, brilliant, and handsome father. With apologies to Andy and Tim, from whom we are in hiding, we present the first episode of the Pen Punk Podcast.
Let's get down to business. Charlotte, your science project was pretty amazing, even though I tried pretty darned hard to stop you from exploring the idea that ink could ever possibly be more permanent than pencil. Can you tell us what your hypothesis was when you began this reckless endeavor?
Charlotte: Sure. Inks that people rely on will fade faster if they're exposed to light.
Johnny: Uh huh. And what made you want to stab your father in the back like that and write about ink?
Charlotte: I like ink more than pencil because it comes in many colors.
Johnny: Um, have you heard of colored pencils, child?
Charlotte: Yes, but colored pencils are useless for writing.
Johnny: Hmm. Says you. All right, so speaking of gear, let's geek out a little bit. What inks did you use? What kind of pen?
Charlotte: I use a dip pen, India ink. Bullet-proof ink, J. Herbin, Pearl Noire black fountain, pen ink, an InkJoy gel pen, a Parker Jotter ballpoint pen, and… that's it.
Johnny: That is a lot of stuff. So can you tell us briefly, at the beginning, what did you think would fade fastest or slowest?
Charlotte: I thought that India ink would fade less than the other inks.
Johnny: Huh? All right. Can you tell us about your process?
Charlotte: Sure. Get the inks and paper and put them together. Put one in sunlight and one in the dark. Leave them for about two weeks and then determine which ink faded the least.
Johnny: And, uh, what did you find out at the conclusion of your experiment?
Charlotte: I found that both ballpoint pen, ink and fountain pen ink faded.
Johnny: All right. Um, I have to ask, what about the pencil marks? Did they fade?
Charlotte: Well, no, but I wiped them out with an eraser in three seconds.
Johnny: All right. That's enough for me. Let's get some audience questions. First. We have a little guy named Henry from Baltimore who has a question for you.
Henry from Baltimore: But Charlotte, does this mean that you don't like pencils anymore?
Charlotte: Yes. Anything that can be erased with breadcrumbs isn't worth writing with.
Johnny: Hmm, good point. All right. We have another audience question, this time from Andy in San Francisco.
Andy: Yes. Hello, thank you for taking my call. Do you know how long of a line of ink a Bic Clic can write? I've been trying to test it and have been on the road for three days. It's hard because some roads are really dark asphalt, and it's really hard to see the ink. I appreciate your help. I miss my family!
Charlotte: According to my mole at BIC in France, 1.2 miles or two kilometres. Stay safe out there in the dark!
Johnny: That's good advice now all the way from Johnson city, Tennessee, we have another Henry.
Henry from Tennessee: Hi, this is Henry from Tennessee, and I have a question about pens and cold weather. What happens if you take one out in a snow storm?
Charlotte: Well, most inks are going to freeze up on you. Get yourself a Space Pen! They write in extreme weather, and their marks don't disappear if you touch them with rubber.
Johnny: Uh, is it true that the Russians used pencils?
Charlotte: No.
Johnny: Okay. Well, we have another question from Tennessee. This one is from Tim, from the 10 B School.
Tim: Hi, Charlotte. This is Tim from Johnson City, Tennessee. I was wondering if in your research you found out if certain colors of ink last longer than other colors of ink. Thanks for answering my question!
Charlotte: I know, from tattoos and automobiles, that red fades more quickly than other colors. But for your writing, you should be good with any ink that contains pigment instead of dye.
Johnny: I liked red all that time. So now, dialing in from the Bay Area on the West coast, we have Katie.
Katie from San Francisco: Hi Charlotte, it's Katie in San Francisco. Long time listener, first time caller. I'm so excited to have you help me out with my pen problems. So I have a combination of ballpoint pens and roller balls. I don't have any fountain pens. And I'm trying to figure out if I should be storing my pens with the point facing down into the pen cup or up. Thanks so much for your help.
Charlotte: Depends. Dry pens, tip down. Wet pens, tip up. But in the end, you do you.
Johnny: So we have a looks like another call from Tennessee. This is from Lila.
Lila from Tennessee: Hi, this is Lila from Tennessee. I'm wondering why pens dry out?
Charlotte: Inks only dry up when we are not honoring them by writing or drawing with them constantly.
Johnny: Well, I never thought about honoring my pens so it looks like we have one more comment from Rosie and Roland park. Go ahead, Rosie.
Rosie from Roland Park: You are gonna make me cryyyyy.
Charlotte: Go tell Mommy!
Johnny: All right! So thank you for joining us for episode one of the Pen Punk Podcast, and, assuming that Andy and Tim don't either find Charlotte and I or change the password on Squarespace, you’ll hear back from us in two weeks, when I think we're going to talk about our favorite spring colored inks. Take care and stay NOT ERASABLE.
Bye-bye
(closing theme)
Since our recording schedule and the Blackwing and Field Notes quarterly release schedule didn’t line up, we’re keeping it short today to talk about fresh points: zines, old city street guides, and an exciting announcement about the 8th issue of Plumbago Magazine.
Show Notes & Links:
Erasable Patreon
Plumbago 8
T-Shirts
Warlight
The Poets & Writers Complete Guide to Being a Writer
Cat Party zines
Taco Chronicles
Curious Incident of a Dog in the Nighttime
Band of Joy
Raya and the Last Dragon
Pencil Revolution #15
404 Magazine #2
Scrawlrbox Blackwing
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Let’s get to the point: what good are pencils that aren’t sharp? Tonight, we take another look at sharpeners, the ones we love, the ones we recommend, the ones you might want to avoid.
Also, check out our 2021 Erasable Podcast t-shirt campaign!
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Woodclinched on Etsy
Pencil Revolution on Etsy
Somebody Feed Phil
For All Mankind
Hayes Carll
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
The Flight Attendant
I Expect You to Die
Spirits of San Francisco
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
The Walker: On Losing and Finding Yourself in the Modern City
ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction--from Childhood through Adulthood
Amazing paper airplane site
Johnny's Parker “51” review
Mitsubishi Uni KH-20
Blackwing Sharpener
Sonic Rachetta
Classroom Friendly Sharpener
X-acto School Pro
Johnny’s review of the same
M&R keyhole sharpener
KUM single hole longpoint sharpener
On sanding them smooth
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Sometimes there are pencils that you almost love. Almost. Something holds you back, and you just can’t get these pencils to work out for you. Tonight, we examine the pencils that almost make it to our best-of lists but which we nonetheless loathe.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
A Swim In a Pond in the Rain
Nathaniel Rateliff
SNL
Mudlarking
Miss Scarlet and the Duke
The Sinner
The Flight Attendant
Frank Herbert: Unpublished Stories
Phoebe Bridgers
Write Notepads Engineer’s Notebook
Blackwing X Tribe7
Pencil Revolution #14
Home Work Podcast X Erasable
Well-Appointed Desk Vintage Writing Paper Pad
Tim's list
Musgrave Bugle
Viking Rollo XL
BLACKWING 211
Musgrave Harvest
Faber-Castell “Castell” 9000
Johnny's list
Staedtler Norica
Golden Bear
Blackwing Pearl
Tombow 2558
Field Notes
Andy's list
Faber-Castell Grip 2001
Camlin Supreme HD
Eberhard Faber Mongol
General’s Semi-hex
Rhodia pencil
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
(Download)
Tonight’s guest is someone we’ve wanted to have on the podcast since the beginning. Working from home has made the impossible (because of time zones) possible! Luke Sinclair joins us all the way from Australia to talk about his wonderful art and a little about sharpening pencils with a knife.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Luke’s blog
Creative classes with Luke Sinclair
Bridgerton
All Creatures Great and Small
White Teeth
Star Trek Discovery
The Collected Angers
Ted Lasso
Lord of the Rings
Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy
Caran d’Ache Luminance color pencils
Staedtler Mars Plastic stick eraser
Bob Dylan Blackwings
Mitsubishi drawing pencils
Higonokami No. 4 folding knife
Opinel Carbon steel
Our Guest
Luke Sinclair
LukeSinclairArtist.com
Pencilsm.net
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Happy New Year! It’s been a few weeks, and we’re dipping into 2021 tonight with a non-topical episode featuring updates, zines, and predictions for the New Year.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
404 Magazine on Etsy
Pencil Revolution on Etsy
Steve Earle’s J.T.
Ken Burns’ Civil War
Marie Howe, What the Living Do
Maggie Smith, Good Bones
Zen and the Art of Archery
Maggie Smith the poet on Twitter
From a Certain Point of View
Halt and Catch Fire)
Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine
Dogs of Berlin
Parker Jotter XL Brand Name Pencils
Another Evening at Home
Bullet Journal 2.0
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
We’re taking a short break from publishing, but in the meantime, check out a preview of our latest episode of The Indelible Podcast, a Patreon-only podcast where we talk about pens! This episode is all about the ubiquitous Bic Cristal: a history, some variants, and more trivia. Become a Patreon supporter at any level to access this and other episodes of Indelible.
For our first episode of December, we talked with artist and vintage pencil collector Ali Serra about his work, and about how — and why — he finds cool, old pencils and accessories.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Ali Serra on Etsy
Mandalorian
Ted Lasso
Blackwing Volume 6
Chronicle Books Notebook
Field Notes Snowy Evening
Christmas Vacation
Mayor of Macdougal Street
Ramsey Lewis Trio Sound of Christmas
Uncle Frank
Paterson (again))
Make a Zine
Columbo
Piranesi
Pencil of the Week/NAME Collab postcards
Pilgrim Soul Notebook
Bullet Journal Version 2.0
Pencil Revolution Zine #10-11
Pencil Revolution Sticker #1
Linton Rancho 444
Our Guest
Ali Serra
Ernest Theodore Vintage Pencils • Art • Woodworking
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
In this episode, Johnny, Tim and Andy recorded their episode live on a Zoom call with dozens of Erasable listeners. They discussed things for which they are thankful, and some listeners shared their gratitude as this difficult year winds down.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
IDLES
In the Great Green Room: The Brilliant and Bold Life of Margaret Wise Brown
The Crown
Baronfig Letters to the Future
Pencil Revolution Etsy Shop
Ministry for Uncivilized Behavior
Erasable Discord invite
The Word Distribution
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
It’s time for our annual discussion of NaNoWriMo. This year, Johnny is joined by Harry Marks and Less Harper (while Andy and Tim are away) for a good long chat about this annual writing extravaganza.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Comfortable Shoe Studio
Harry Marks on LinkTree
RSVP Podcast
How To: Fitting an Energel Refill into a Baronfig Squire | Comfortable Shoes Studio
Useful Journaling, Issue 1 | Less on Ko-fi
Work/Life Task System | Curious Rat
Buy Johnny’s zines!
National Novel Writing Month
Harrow the Ninth
The Ten Day Outline
Expert Card Technique
The Expert at the Card Table
Dracula (TV series)
Baronfig Guardian Pro
Our Guests
Less Harper
Comfortable Shoes Studio
RSVP Stationery Podcast
@OriginalLCHarper on Twitter and Instagram
Harry Marks
Home Work Podcast
The Shelf Life Sitcom
@HCMarks on Twitter and Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
It’s the time of year that a lot of us enjoy scary stories, spooky films, and morbid poetry. Tune in tonight as Andy, Johnny, and Tim help you to get on your fright.
Pencil Revolution is now a zine! Shop the first few issues on Etsy.
Show notes and links
Erasable Patreon
Keep Moving
Great British Baking Show
“Wildflowers” home demo
The Fall)
Stolen Sharpie Revolution
IDLES
Escape to the Chateau
Last Tango in Halifax
Star Trek Lower Decks
The Invisible Library
Musgrave debate pencils
Musgrave Hat
Baronfig Liberty
Pencil Revolution, The Zine
Coraline
The Mist)
If It Bleeds
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
“The Raven”
House of Leaves
11.22.63
Her Fearful Symmetry
Bruce Coville’s Book of Monsters/Aliens/etc
Get Out
A Quiet Place
Sunset Boulevard
Sleepy Hollow
I Am The Pretty Thing that Lives in the House
Communion
Don’t look now (1973)
The Changeling (1980)
Black Christmas
Doctor Who, “Blink”
Eerie, Indiana
Stranger Things
The Road
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
The Downward Spiral
Undertow
Antichrist Superstar
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Pencils and zines have both survived blogs, social media, even instant video apps. Tonight, we chat with Ed Kemp of The Word Distribution about his zine, Pencil of the Week.
This episode is sponsored by Notegeist, purveyor of fine pencils, notebooks and stationery. Check out their brand-new pencil collection log book, the Geistnotes Pencilog, and save 15% off these fine products in the Erasable Collection using the coupon code ERASABLE150 upon checkout.
Show Notes and Links
Notegeist Erasable collection: Save 15% by using ERASABLE150 on these items**
Geistnotes Pencilog: the Pencil Collection Log Book
Erasable Patreon
The Word Distribution
The Word Distribution Shop
The Corner
Escape to the Chateau
Exhalation
Garden of the Gods
Ozark 3
Freud
Chronicles Vol. I
Ready Player One
Staedtler Pencil Holder
Orange Confidants
Musgrave Debate Pencils
Write Notebooks tear pads
Field Notes United States of Letterpress
Baron Fig Guardian Pro
Baron Fig Mosaic Desktop holder
Stolen Sharpie Revolution
Billy McCall, Zinester Etsy (Last Night at the Casino; Antiquated Future; etc.)
Journaling is good for us. All of us. Tune in tonight as your three favorite journalers chat with journaling teacher and expert Abraham, writer and illustrator of the blog La Vie Graphite.
Show Notes & Links
La Vie Graphiteairwavessongs in the nightgraphite archive
Erasable Patreon
Man of Spain
Portrait de saint Jean de la Croix
Wherever You Go There You Are
Living in the Material World
Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown
Little Fires Everywhere
The Mandalorian
Woke
The Young and Prestigious T. S. Spivet
The Right to Write
The Body Keeps the Score
The Stranger
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Our Guest
Abraham, editor of La Vie Graphite
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
It’s a short, just-the-Fresh-Points episode this week and our three intrepid hosts dive into the newest Volumes release from Blackwing.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Justin Townes Earle
Best American Essays 2013
The Americans
Musgrave HB
Radioactive
Phantom Thread
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Watchmen)
Not Best Seller | Twitch
Blackwing Volume XIX
Baron Fig Bloom Meditation Journal
Hemingway Library of America edition (Use offer code SUM2020)
Rhodia Goalbook
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
We’re giving you, our faithful listeners, a special preview of something we’re trying out for our Patreon supporters — an episode of our inky offshoot show, The Indelible Podcast. After our tools of the trade and fresh points, vintage fountain pen restorer Jesi Raine of Vintage Pen Shop will be joining us to talk about the history of Esterbrook pens, and how she rehabs them.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Vintage Pen Shop
Jesi at The Well-Appointed Desk
The Writing Diet
The Collection
Me Talk Pretty One Day
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
The Hardest Job in the World
If All I Was Was Black
Theft By Finding
Folklore
Blackwing Era
The new Parker 51!
Poe Theatre on the Air
Metaphor Dice
Our Guest
Jesi RaineVintage Pen Shop @jesi_raine on Twitter and Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Tonight, we are time traveling: through three times zones and far into the past. Dave T from Pencil Fodder joins us for a discussion of vintage pencils and maybe even how modern pencil manufacturers can learn from what older makers got right.
This episode is sponsored by Notegeist, an online purveyor of fine stationery. Through August 5, use the coupon code ERASABLE146 to save 10% off your order. For your order of $30 or more, you’ll get a free Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild notecard.
Show notes and links
Notegeist Online Stationery Shop
Erasable Patreon
Pencil Fodder
Work Notes - Endless Recorder
Write Notepads Lenore
Tombow Mono 100 ‘fashion’ blue cap model (HB)
Pentel Black Polymer 999 Alpha (HB)
Montblanc Meisterstück Le Petit Prince LeGrand Fountain Pen - Medium nib
Montblanc Royal Blue ink
Dubliners
Anton Chekhov - Five Plays
Broadchurch season 1 (rewatching)
Lenox Hill
1984
Ahmad Jamal Trio (street food, taste the nation)
Blackwing Era
Moleskine Two-Go
The Crown
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
The Poetry Home Repair Manual
Birds, Beasts and Relatives (Corfu trilogy #2)
The English Game
USCO 486 No. 2
Our Guest
Dave TPencil Fodder
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Maybe you’ve seen artists walking around your city, sketchbooks in hand, drawing what they see — perhaps even drawing you! Our friend Tina Koyama is a veteran urban sketcher, and she’s here to give us the rundown on this growing movement in contemporary art.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Fueled by Clouds & Coffee
Tina Koyama on Instagram
Urban Sketchers Manifesto
Gabi Campanario (founder of Urban Sketchers)
Suhita Shirodkar (an urban sketcher who can sketch anything under any circumstance)
Eduardo Bajzek (whose urban sketching workshop changed the way I use graphite)
Well-Appointed Desk
Tina’s sketch kit
Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle
Viarco ArtGraf water-soluble graphite
Blackwing “MMX” Matte
Mitsubishi Hi-Uni
Tombow Mono KM-KKS 6B
Staedtler Mars Lumograph 12B
White Gelly Roll
Uni Pin brush pen
M+R sharpener
Stillman & Birn sketchbook
Jurassic Park)
Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams
The English Game
The Red Notebook
Freud (TV series))
Broken Bread
New Waves: a novel
The Crown
Hamilton)
Billy Collins’ Notebooks
Blueline Notebook
French-ruled paper
Blackwing Eraser Hack-A-Thon
Our Guest
Tina Koyama
Fueled by Clouds and Coffee
@miatagrrl on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
(Download)
Maybe you’ve heard of the incredibly popular notebook brand Field Notes. Maybe you’ve heard us mention them a few times over the last six years. Tune in as we get to chat with Aaron Draplin, graphic designer extraordinaire, Field Notes inventor, and all-around awesome guy.
Warning: this episode has several R-rated words that we decided not to bleep out, due to the color and richness it lends to the conversation. You may not want to listen to this with kids.
Show Notes and Links
Draplin Design Company
Field Notes Brand
Field Notes Heavy Duty
Third Man Field Notes
Leah’s Note To Self
Baronfig Simple Observations
Blackwing Volume 3
Walt Whitman, Song of Himself
Padma Lakshmi’s “Taste the Nation” on Hulu
How to be an Anti-Racist
White Fragility
Jason Isbell Live at the Brooklyn Bowl
Talking to Strangers
Hello from the Magic Tavern
Outstanding in a Field
Pencil Sharpener Sumulator
Aaron on Pencil Revolution (2011): Part 1Part 2
Our Guest
Aaron James Draplin
Draplin Design Company website
@draplin on Twitter and Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
(Download)
We’re not bringing you an episode about pencils this week, but instead a short message, and some resources for how you can work toward ending systemic racism in your community.
Black lives matter. Period.
If you’re in the United States, please consider a sustained donation to The Bail Project and other organizations working to bring judicial reform to our government.
Being non-racist is not enough: we need to learn how to be anti-racist. Author Ibram X. Kendi has an Anti-racist reading list for us as we begin and progress through our journey.
And when you do pick up these books, be sure you do it from a Black-owned bookstore nearest to your community.LitHub has a great list.
After the media event around the protests against police brutality inevitably ends, white people need to find ways to sustain our support. Tatiana Mac is a software engineer, a writer, and an activist, and has a great Twitter thread with practical ways to avoid burnout and keep up momentum.
Last week, one of our Facebook group members crowd-sourced a list of Black-owned stationery companies or shops that we could support. Here’s what we came up with:
GREERChicago
Loyalty Bookstore in Silver Springs, MD
Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury, MA
Page Eleven Paper Goods
Keynote Stationery
Effie’s Paper
Cloth & Paper
Drama Mama Bookshop
The Quiet Life Los Angeles
Semicolon Bookstore
Odin Leather Goods
The Desiderata Pen Company
Methodical Stationery UK
Paper Penguin Co
We’re sure there are lots more. If you have a Black-owned stationery company or shop, feel free to link them in the comments, and we’ll be sure to add to this list.
It’s been a long time since we updated our Top 5, and tonight’s the night! Tune in to find out what’s the same, what’s off the list, and what’s on.
This episode is sponsored by Kamikokuen, an online stationery shop selling vintage Japanese pencils and fun pencil-themed stickers. Save 20% on your order of 2 items or more, plus a fun sticker, with the coupon code ERASABLE20.
Show Notes & Links
Kamikokuen
Erasable Patreon
Jason Isbell Reunions
Sourdough
Broadchurch
Bubblegum
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
My Family and Other Animals
Robert Frost, Complete
Field Notes Deader Prints
Keith McCleary/RandomThinks
RandomThinks at Notegeist
WorkFromHomeDesks.com
Palomino HB
Mitsubishi 9852EW
Blackwing MMX
Blackwing Natural
Musgrave Tennessee Red
Viking School Pencil
Palomino Golden Bear
Musgrave Test Scoring 100
Camel HB
Vintage Velvet(pencils
Berol Mirado
FaberCastell/Eberhard Faber “American”
PaperMate Mirado Classic
Today’s episode is a short one, but don’t equate that with being light on subject material! We have a chat with Steven Lawson, the creator of a notebook organizational system called Monk Manual. He tells us about his holistic approach to helping people organize their lives and themselves — professionally, personally, and philosophically.
Show Notes & Links
Erasable Patreon
Monk Manual
Broadchurch
Salt Fat Acid Heat
Reunions by Jason Isbell
The Wander Society
American Experience: George W. Bush
Stopping the Noise in Your Head
Stopping the Noise in Your Head videos
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Rick Steves on Hulu
The Membership Podcast
World-Ending Fire
Field Notes Deader Prints
Baron Fig Adrift
Baron Fig Fanatics
Our Guest
Steven Lawson
Monk Manual website
@monkmanual on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
Perhaps this year more than in years past, poetry can help to sustain us spiritually and intellectually during the COVID-19 pandemic. To help us wrap-up National Poetry Month, renowned poet and teacher Kiki Petrosino was kind enough to join us to talk poetry, writing, pencils, and how literature heals the soul.
Kiki’s new book, White Blood: A Lyric of Virginia comes out May 5! Order it from her publisher, Sarabande Books.
Show Notes & Links
Kiki Petrosino (official site)
Kiki Petrosino at the Academy of American Poets
Kiki Petrosino at the Poetry Foundation
Pre-order White Blood
Pencil of the Month: The Viking Skoleblyanten
Star Trek: Picard
Yacht Rock “channel” on Pandora
The Happiness Trap
Light the Dark
Midsomer Murders
Mrs. America
John Prine: John Prine, The Missing Years, and The Tree of Forgiveness
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
American Songwriter
The Show and Tell Show
Huge box of Arrowhead erasers
Baron Fig Do Work
Baron Fig Adrift
Baron Fig face masks
Musgrave Harvest Pro
“Thigh Gap” by Kiki Petrosino
Our Guest
Kiki Petrosino
Website
New book
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
The COVID-19 pandemic is still gripping the globe, and most of us are quarantined to some degree in our homes. To be human is to be connected with other humans, no matter how introverted we are. And letters are the natural way to reach out to other people for the Stationery Inclined. Join the Erasable hosts for a chat with Courtney Cochran, founder of the Snail Mail Social Club — all about letter-writing!
This episode is sponsored by Notegeist, an independent, one-stop stationery shop online. Use code ERASABLEFUN on your order of $30 or more to get a special goodie bag and 15% off Blackwing products. Limited to the first 50 orders or April 30, whichever is reached first.
Show Notes and Links
Notegeist
Snail Mail Social Club
Snail Mail Social Club Patreon
Courtney’s past Erasable Episode
Buy stamps online
Pencil of the Month
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
How to Change Your Mind
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Counterpart
Parker 98r safety razor
La Berlue pencil case
Review of the same
Bulsa Bags
Johnny’s favorite Airmail envelopes
Our Guest
Courtney Cochran
Snail Mail Social Club
Instagram
Facebook
Patreon
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
While March is Women’s History Month, we’re kicking off April with a question based on Virginia Woolf’s 1929 A Room of One’s Own — if you have a room of your own (man, woman, or nonbinary), what does it look like? What kind of stationery is in it to assure maximum productivity? How is this room serving you during remote work? And if you don’t have a room of your own at the moment, what does it look like in your dreams?
Show Notes and Links
PDF of A Room of One’s Own
Ladies of Erasable playlist on Spotify
Iron Curtain Press Task Pad
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Whose Story Is This? by Rebecca Solnit
Hometown on HGTV
Madame Secretary
The Voice
Frozen II
PBS Newshour
The Queen by Josh Levin
Shinola stationery
Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins recipe
Pier 1 Papasan chair
Baronfig Gather Review Journal
Social distancing doesn’t mean we need to be socially isolated. On March 23, 2020, while the world is staying indoors and away from others to stem the surging tide of COVID-19, we recorded a special episode live, as Zoom webinar. We talk about how we’re occupying ourselves, our partners and our children with stationery, in order to stay happy and healthy during a supremely stressful time.
Because of the unusual nature of this episode, we do not have show notes for this episode.
We are back from our Baltimore adventure, with stories to tell, tattoos to show off, and to celebrate our six years of podcasting. Tune in as we reminisce about our weekend together and rap about the new spring releases from Write Notepads, Field Notes, and Blackwing.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
Baltimore Washington International Pen Show
Pencil of the Month: Mitsubishi 9852EW HB
Oracle Night
Needing to Know For Sure
Hunters
The Future of Another Timeline
Erin Rae
Townes Van Zandt (Be Here To Love Me)
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
H. R. Spanks Tattoo
Write Notepads Amethyst
Field Notes Vignette
Blackwing Volume 840
Legendary Lead Co.
(On February 28, 2020, Johnny, Tim and Andy met up in person — for the first time ever — in Baltimore to hang out, get tattoos, and record an episode in front of a live studio audience at the Baltimore Pen Show. This is that recording.)
Since we were recording in front of an audience at a pen show, we thought it only fitting to make the case for wood case — pencils, that is. Joined by pen show superstars Ana Reinert and Brad Dowdy, and fellow graphiteer Dade Scolardi from The Weekly Pencil and the RSVP Stationery Podcast, we laid out what we hope is a compelling case for those who are into fancy fountain pens to pick up and consider a humble wooden pencil.
We have been talking about the exciting new brand and marketing efforts of Musgrave for a few months now. Tonight, we are lucky to have creative directors Nicole and Tim Delger on the show with us, to chat about rebranding an American pencil icon.
Show Notes and Links
Nicole Delger
Tim Delger
Musgrave Pencil Company
Erasable Episode 106
Baltimore Washington International Pen Show
Erasable Patreon
The Body Keeps the Score
Star Trek: Picard
And It’s Still Alright
Nathan Coulter
The Miniaturist
The Year of Magical Thinking
Decomposition Books
Write Notepads & Co Open House
Hipster Logo Design Guide
Our Guests
Nicole Delger
nicoledelger.com
@nicoledelger on Instagram
Tim Delger
timdelger.com
@tdelger on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
We are lucky enough to be joined again by Lady Graphite herself, Caroline Weaver. Her new book Pencils You Should Know is out this week! Tune in to hear all about some of the pencils whose stories are featured.
Show Notes & Links
CW Pencil Enterprise
Pencils You Should Know | Chronicle Books
February Pencil of the Month: Mitsu-bishi 9852EW
Writing is Designing
Miss Americana
Genius
OK Ikumi
Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
When in Doubt, Make Belief
Legend
A Beginning at the End
The Flop House podcast
Shrill Season 2
The Blackwing rebranding
Baron Fig Work/Play 3
Pencil Revolution’s Musgrave Tennessee Red Review
Blackwing single hole sharpener
It’s nearly a month into the new year. How is your organization system working out? Tonight, we are joined by our friend Caitlin Elgin, to talk about getting our crap together for 2020.
Plumbago Magazine, Issue 7 is now available for pre-order! Order your copy of this tiny issue now in the Erasable shop.
Show Notes and Links
Erasable Patreon
January 2020 Pencil of the Month: Musgrave Tennessee Red
Killer Inside
Permanent Record (Edward Snowden)
I Am Dynamite (Nietzsche bio)
Frontline (“America’s Great Divide”)
The New Pope
I Heart Huckabees
All American Boys
The Serpent King
Untitled Goose Game
Pencil Things Palomino pencils
Grow Daily Journal | Baronfig
Monk Manual
Erin Condren Planners
Clear Habit Journal | Baronfig
Poketo Project Planner
Stalogy Washi Tape dots
Moleskine sticky notes
Pencil page flags
Our Guest
Caitlin Elgin
@cait.elgin on Instagram
Your Hosts
Johnny Gamber
Pencil Revolution
@pencilution
Andy Welfle
Woodclinched
@awelfle
Tim Wasem
@TimWasem
(Download audio file)
We are ringing in the New Year with special guest Brian Manning, owner of Portland’s new Revolutions Bookshop. Tune in to learn about the adventures of running an independent bookstore in the Age of Amazon. Plus, a dramatic reading of a Gilmore Girls novel, as a treat.
This episode is brought to you by Notegeist, an online, curated stationery shop, re-launching January 9. Be among the first 40 people to use the coupon code ERASABLES to get a goodie bag with your purchase of $10 or more.
The year is almost over, and as you rush around in a panic over what to get the very specific type of people in your life, don’t worry. We have your back. Join us for mini roundups of our most used tools and our brand new gifting guide, from the middle aged coworker who thinks pencils are for kids, to your third cousin whose main hobby is carving decoy ducks for hunters!
With new releases from Field Notes, Musgrave and Blackwing, tonight we tackle all of the Freshest Points at the setting of Autumn 2019.
We’re pleased to announce the Baron Fig x Erasable #2 Squire, now on sale only until December 13, 2019! Buy yours today and help send us to the Baltimore Pen Show!
Join us for our usual pencil goodness and, later, as Johnny and Tim join forces with Ted Walker and Adam Webb from the Take Note podcast to talk the real skinny about getting into NaNoWriMo.
At the start of National Novel Writing Month, join your three hosts for a discussion about the month ahead -- as well as details about our brand-new Patreon program.
Check our our new Patreon page! Please consider lending your support for our show and future programming by pledging a small amount of money each month. It helps keep us accountable to you, and to develop new programming. Thank you!
Tim, Johnny, and Andy talk stick to a papery set of fresh points this episode, digging into the latest releases from Field Notes, Write Notepads, and Baron Fig. Andy talks too much about video games, and Tim regales us with his stories from visiting the Hemingway House in Key West.
Filled notebooks. We all have them. Or, we don’t, because we burn them or otherwise dispose of them. Tonight, join Andy, Johnny, and Tim for a somewhat personal episode about what your hosts do with notebooks and journals that are full of their writing.
Bullet journaling is everywhere! But often the books you see are full of colors and drawings and all sorts of ink. Tonight, join your three hosts and special guest Jacob Cecil in a discussion of bullet journaling in dark grey — pencil all the way.
It’s Tim’s birthday today, but he’s here with Andy and Johnny, and a very special guest: Jinnie, editor of the blog Three Staples! She talks about how her passion for Field Notes have become an obsession. Plus, we review the new Blackwing Volume 42, the Write Notepads 7th Anniversary edition, and lots more.
Finding the best blogs, podcasts, Instagrams, and photographers in our little world is hard enough. Try picking your favorite! Tonight, your hosts torture themselves picking just one from each category to include in this week’s List of Stationerysphere Superlatives.
Now taking pre-orders for Plumbago Magazine Issue 6!
Teachers says you need a pencil case. You are tired of dropping your pencils down the library stairs. What to do? Tune in to episode 121 for a discussion of pencil cases with special guest Caroline Weaver.
It’s been a few weeks, and some of our favorite companies have dropped some lovely new releases since we last recorded. We’ll be back next week with a special guest, but this week, we present another Fresh Points episode full of limited edition goodness.
Issue 6 of Plumbago Magazine is available for pre-order! Head over to the product page to place your pre-order, and save $2 per issue!
Summer is upon us, and we are here to greet the season with a breezy Fresh Points episode featuring all of the Graphite Goodness you’ve come to expect for 119 episodes, including a discussion of the latest limited edition from Blackwing. If you can find points that are fresher, you listen to ‘em!
Today we get musical and chat about the music we listen to while writing. To accompany this episode, we put together a little Spotify playlist with our music suggestions, available in show notes.
Andy is not with us tonight, but Tim and Johnny are joined by Mike Hagan, of Leadfast fame. Tune in for a short Fresh Points episode from the hairier co-hosts and bearded guest Mike!
Today as the weather gets warmer across much of North America, we’re talking about writing outside. We discuss some of our favorite places to write out of doors, from balconies to firepits to coffee shops. We have our preferred al fresco tools and methods, and of course, will mentally assemble our proverbial desert island pack.
In this episode, Ana, Caroline and Andi — your favorite hosts — go all in on some of their favorite non-pencil products, like lip balm, boxed wine, Imabari face towels, and more. They talk about where they get their best USPS postage stamp news, and how the Orchard Street Reading Society discusses books. We’re so excited you’ve stuck around for five years. Happy National Pencil Day, everyone!
We do a lot of speculating about Blackwing editions here on the show, but today, Andy and Johnny get the scoop straight from source, with our special guest: Blackwing Brand Manager Alexander Poirier! He discusses all things Blackwing, like the release of the extra-firm Blackwing Natural and the brand-new Volume 811, and even the ideation and creation process behind the Volumes editions. You won’t want to miss this!
Erasable is five years old! Join Tim, Andy, and Johnny in this short episode for the Usual Fair of Tools of the Trade and Fresh Points and also a few looks back at five years of pencil podcasting.
This episode is one again sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Visit indefenseofpaper.com/erasable to check them out, and use coupon code erasable to save $5 off your purchase.
Sign here, please. Tonight, we three hosts are joined by writer and signature expert Bull Garlington — the Analog Attorney — as we discuss developing your signature signature.
Holy machined metal! Andy and Johnny are joined by Noah Bier from Brahman Design for the main topic of this episode, in which Erasable hosts a broadcast about pencil planes of international proportions.
This episode is one again sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Visit indefenseofpaper.com/erasable to check them out, and use coupon code erasable to save $5 off your purchase.
As a New Year’s present, Andy, Johnny, and Tim present their current methods of organization and planning for 2019. Tune in to find out who is writing a book, who is using a ballpoint pen, and who has sworn off all forms of caffeine.
The holidays are fast approaching, and we are here to solve all of your stationery related gift-giving issues. Tune in as Andy and Johnny are joined by Mike Hagan from Leadfast as we help you out during this stressful time of year, before which we share our own holiday dream wishlists.
This episode is one again sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Visit indefenseofpaper.com/erasable to check them out, and use coupon code erasable to save $5 off your purchase.
It’s the end of National Novel Writing Month, the 50,000 word November writing sprint in which brave souls pound out the first draft of a novel in 30 days. Tonight Andy and Johnny are joined by Less Harper, of the RSVP Podcast and Comfortable Shoes Studio fame, to talk about how this year’s NaNo went and what we have learned for next year.
This episode is one again sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Visit indefenseofpaper.com/erasable to check them out, and use coupon code erasable to save $5 off your purchase.
Seasons change. People change. Feelings change. It’s true for Exposé, and it’s true at Erasable. Every so often, we like to check back in with our current top 5 pencils. And Tim is back with us after a break; so this is a great night to check in. So check out our top pencil lists and details about other wonderfully pencilicious things.
This episode is sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Check them out at InDefenseOfPaper.com/erasable, and use offer code “erasable” to save $5 at checkout.
You might have noticed the recent social media presence of Musgrave Pencil company, the 102 year old pencil company located in Pencil City, TN. We are very happy to be joined a little later by Henry Hulan, former president of Musgrave and grandson of its founder. Find out what it takes to keep an American pencil factory going for over a century and what exciting developments Musgrave has in store for us in the near future.
This episode is sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Check them out at InDefenseOfPaper.com/erasable, and use offer code “erasable” to save $5 at checkout.
It’s that time of year. School is back in session. Sweaters are coming out of storage. Pumpkin Spice is a phrase uttered with either disgust or excitement. And our favorite stationery brands are releasing their fall releases. Tonight, we take a look at the latest offerings from Field Notes and Blackwing. Tune in to find out the best gear for Autumnal Reveries!
Special announcement: The theme of Issue 5 of Plumbago Magazine has been announced! Read more about that and pitch your idea!
Maybe you’ve heard that graphite is a type of carbon. Maybe you’ve heard about how similar graphite is to diamonds at the molecular level. Maybe the idea that something black and soft being so similar to something shiny and hard made your head hurt. Tonight, Andy and Johnny are joined by Lenore Hoyt, chemist and co-host of the RSVP Stationery Podcast, to talk about the chemistry of pencils.
We’re a podcast about pencils. It is a digital entity that exists in cyberspace but which centers on pencils and related IRL items. The irony has never been lost on us. Tonight in the most ambitious crossover event in history, Andy and Johnny are joined by Will Fanguy, co-host of Andy’s other podcast, Dot Grid, to talk about analog and digital ways to plan and be productive and where these lines get fuzzy. And, stick around after the musical outro for a fun little reunion.
It’s that time of year again: lists, big packs of pencils, and ten cent composition books. It’s back to school time already! Tonight, Andy and Johnny are joined by none other than Caroline Weaver, to discuss the best pencils and pencil paraphernalia with which to outfit your kids and and even yourself this fall.
Bullet pencils used to be souvenirs of adventures had, marketing items, even electoral tools. Tonight, Andy and Johnny are joined by Randy Ragan for a discussion of all things bullet pencil, including their restoration. Tune into episode 101 as we take aim on these bygone portable pieces of pencilry.
More than four years ago, Tim Wasem, Johnny Gamber, and Andy Welfle were just mild-mannered men, until the day they were stabbed with radioactive graphite that turned them into… pencil podcast hosts! Hitting the topics harder than a 4H, interviewing guests with the smoothness of a 6B, no stationery is safe from The Erasables! Special guest host Caitlin Elgin interviews the guys about how the heck they pulled off a centenary of episodes about... pencils?
To help us celebrate 100 episodes, buy a limited edition custom Erasable Baron Fig Confidant! With a bright yellow fabric color and a special variant of our logo foil-stamped on the front (designed by our friend TJ Cosgrove), all proceeds will go to support the continued operation of this show. But hurry — we'll stop selling it by the time episode 101 airs on July 25!
Ah, the hum of AC units, oscillating fans, and bugs. Before we hit the big 100, we’re here to talk about the latest releases from Field Notes and Blackwing, as well as other interesting pencil items.
Issue 4 of Plumbago Magazine is now available for pre-order! Please consider pre-ordering your copy so you can help us raise capital for the initial print run. Plus, it'll guarantee availability of a copy for you. Check out the product page for more information and to place your pre-order.
Field Notes. Maybe you collect them. Maybe you are even a completist. Maybe you fill them like no one’s business. Tonight, Andy, Johnny, and Tim are joined by prolific Field Notes user Lary Grimaldi. The quartet talk favorite editions, interior pages, pencils, and perhaps suggest some Erasable-specific Suggested Uses.
We’ve received many requests throughout the four years we’ve been making this podcast to talk about mechanical pencils. But it’s not something any of the three of we hosts really know a whole lot about. So tonight, we’re going to talk about mechanical pencils as tools used by a regular wooden pencil user.
If you’re a member of our Facebook Group, you get to enjoy Hackwings on the regular. If not, picture well-matched Blackwing ferrules and erasers stuck atop your favorite non-Blackwing pencils. Our guest this week is artist and pro-level Hackwinger Jason Patterson, and your three hosts will wax PENCILSOPHICAL™ about this and other topics.
Plumbago Magazine is looking for a few good illustrators to contribute to Issue 4 (Summer 2018!) Find more information or subscribe to our newsletter at Plumbago.xyz.
Sometimes it might seem like we talk a lot, but we’re only a bi-weekly show, and there are multiple voices. Tonight, we host another live call-in show! We hear from listeners, and even a non-listener as we struggle with how to hang up on people on Skype.
It’s spring. That means that it’s spring release season from our favorite stationery companies. Join Tim, Andy, and Johnny as they levy their judgements on the latest offerings from Field Notes, Blackwing, Write Notepads, and Baron Fig.
Happy belated International Pencil Day! To celebrate, your fearless (new and improved) hosts are talking all about mechanical pencils — mass market clicky pencils, high-end metal ones, and even leadholders.
Have you ever wanted to know more about the old business you read about on an old piece of advertising? Just married this past fall, Jessica Letkemann and Chris Jones are exploring the history of the businesses featured on vintage advertising pencils. Their new blog is called Graphite Confidential, and we’ve got them both here in The Erasable Skyposphere for a casual grilling. Tune in, as we go back in time a bit...
What attracts the Pen Addict himself to pencils? What pencils does he recommend for pen lovers, and what should Inky Folks look for in graphite-friendly paper? Listen in and find answers to these questions and what everyone’s been wondering for nearly four years: What does Erasable sound like without Andy?
While it rhymes nicely with Erasable, we don’t often like the word irreplaceable. Sometimes pencils stop being made. Sometimes they were limited editions to begin with. We all miss the Blackwing 211. But sometimes there are perfectly good substitutes for the pencil items you miss, and we’re here to help you through it.
Pre-show: Listen to a preview of Toffer Surovec's short story, "Crashing Bird," published in Issue 3 of Plumbago Magazine**
Maybe you carry around pens because you’re secretly afraid of falling and stabbing yourself through the chest or neck with a sharp Ticonderoga. Maybe one of Erasable’s hosts has had this fear for over three decades. We’re here to help, as tonight, we dive into point protectors, which will protect not only your fragile body, but also your precious pencil tips.
Plumbago Magazine, Issue 3 is now shipping! Order yours today.
We’re back from the holidays and are ready to chat about pencils and pencil-adjacent holiday gifts we received. Still reeling from the Bomb Cyclone, Andy, Johnny, and Tim present some picks to keep you writing all winter in the Great Outdoors.
It’s that time of year again: Winter release time! Tonight, on the live-streamed 87th episode of Erasable, Andy, Johnny, and Tim talk about the new goods from Field Notes, Blackwing, and Write Notepads and Co. Also, Tim talks about the 10 year-old digital writing machine buying spree he's been on. And finally, we give you the skinny on excellent pencilicious gifts for your loved ones this season. Ho ho ho!
We’re now taking pre-orders for Plumbago Magazine, Issue 3! It'll be 60+ pages of poetry, fiction, comics, illustrations and more — all about stationery. Reserve your copy that ships in early January.
On this episode, we diverge from pencils for a moment to look at another analog writing tool we all know and love — typewriters! In the second half of the show, we’re joined by filmmaker and Grammy Award-winner Doug Nichol, director of the recently released documentary California Typewriter, following the recent days of one of the last typewriter repair shops in the US, and celebrity typewriter enthusiasts, like Tom Hanks and John Mayer. We all chat about the film, about collecting typewriters, and their relevance and utility in today’s technological world.
Tonight it’s just Andy, Johnny, and Tim, talking about some new non-pencil stuff from Blackwing, some Baron Figs that just roll with it, the just-announced Field Notes, and the recent book The Secret Life of the Pencil. Your Terrific Triad also wrap about Plumbago, NaNoWriMo, and glitter-dipped pencils.
Tonight, we managed to pull our collective selves away from Stranger Things 2 and are excited to present another call-in episode — this time, with Caroline Weaver and Meredith Miotke from CW Pencil Enterprise! From erasers to could-have-been careers, our callers get the Pencil Ladies to open up. Speaking of opening up, we get the latest on their new amazing storefront, which includes a secret sticker store! Listen in.
If you’d like to call into our show, you’ll need to be present for our live stream recordings. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook to learn when those take place.
Pens. That’s not a typo. Tonight, Andy and Johnny are joined by Elaine Ku from JetPens, and they all talk all about pens. Basically, what pens are best for dyed-in-the-wool pencil people? Pens. PENS! Tune in.
Fall release season is upon us, with new gear from Baron Fig, Field Notes and Blackwing. Join Andy, Johnny and Tim as they explore what’s new this season and how you might outfit yourself for the upcoming National Novel Writing Month.
You’ve just realized that ink fades and runs, that your computer is less reliable than an actual cloud, that analog is -- to quote our friend T.J. Cosgrove -- NOT DEAD. You find yourself realizing that pencil is the best medium with which to make your mark. But where do you start? Fear not, as your brave hosts are here to help all beginners in the Land of Graphite begin their Pencil Journeys.
In addition to the Fresh Points, Tools of the Trade, and general pencil goodness you have come to expect from Andy, Johnny and Tim, tonight the Terrific Trio is happy to present the first-ever Erasable Call-In Show! This week, you can literally join us on the show and be Internet Famous, just like us. We talk to a few old friends and some brand new voices about their questions, involving notebook set-ups, other passion projects and lots more.
Tim’s not with us today, but we do have a guest we’re excited to chat with: California Cedar Products’ own Charles Berolzheimer! He talks to us about his company celebrating its centennial anniversary, his family’s role in the pencil manufacturing industry, the inception of Blackwing Volumes and sheds some light on the ideation and creation process. What are his favorite Volumes’ editions? You’ll have to listen in to find out!
As temporal beings in a material world, our preferences and usage habits change. As such, we periodically like to update our popular Top Five lists. In Episode 78, join Andy, Johnny, and Tim as they also add paper and accessory categories to this eternal ranking practice. Plus we discuss the Plumbago Magazine Issue 2 preorder, and some of the latest notebook offerings.
Tonight, Andy, Johnny, and Tim take on Summer release season. We talk about the new stuff from Baron Fig, Blackwing, Field Notes, and Write Notepads. There’s a lot of blue, some water, some shapes, fire, even a wooden hammer. From Tahoe to the Chesapeake Bay (with maybe a little campfire along the way), don’t miss this week’s dive into the deep-end of stationery goods.
Coming off of a few weeks’ rest, your three Peerless Pencilheads are back to talk about the art of travel journaling. More specifically, we’re looking at what to pack when you’re packing your pencils during travel season this year. You’ll never look at a zippered pencil case or pencil cap the same way again.
In our three-quarters-of-a-hundo 75th episode, your three aging hosts are joined by pencil blogger Michael Hagan from Lead Fast. They explore the vast world in pencils from India, take a look at the new Blackwing notebooks, and talk about Field Notes’ new writing contest.
You may have heard of a New York-based company called Baron Fig that’s setting the stationery world on fire once every two weeks, and then some. Tonight, Johnny and Andy (Tim is away) are joined by Baron Fig founders Adam Kornfield and Joey Cofone, who are happy to announce a new Kickstarter campaign that will expand their brand out of paper.
Your three fearless hosts are back after an April Fools' coup. Tonight they are joined by their favorite Pencil Ladies, Caitlin Elgin and Caroline Weaver from CW Pencil Enterprise. Join in for candid discussions about Caroline’s new book The Pencil Perfect and rapping about the latest releases from Baron Fig, Write Notepads, and Blackwing.
It's a brand new month, and our fearless co-hosts are refreshed and ready to go with Fresh Points, Tools of the Trade, and a very special discussion about homemade pocket notebooks, fancy chalk and whiteboard markers, and lots of other pencil-adjacent stationery.
Tonight, we are joined by Dee Scolardi from The Weekly Pencil! Join Andy, Johnny, and Tim as they rap with Dee about her blog and discuss such pencilicious topics as the new Archer pencils from Baron Fig and the Big Boy and Baby Confidant notebooks they just released.
Many of us in Pencildom have been going through a box lately; a box from CW Pencil Enterprise that shipped on March 1st. The first installment is out, and your hosts are here to talk about the theme and the contents. We also discuss the latest Field Notes quarterly release, the Utility Edition and much more.
Today, we’re talking with our friend and fellow podcaster Harry C. Marks about a post he made in the Erasable Facebook group about companies that release quarterly subscriptions — how can they sustain these constant reinterpretations of notebooks and pencils? Are their tweaks and reinventions a response to their users wants and needs? Or are users reacting to the constant new releases? A political news show-style conversation ensues. You may notice that there is no episode 68 — that’s because the last time we recorded, we ended up with unusable audio. That’s a shame, so we decided to leave a place for it in the episode lineup. Pour a little out for it.
Tonight, we get to talk to someone responsible for designing pencils! Perhaps you have marvelled at the swelt Bridge Pencils or the rare Jumbo Hex pencils from Hester & Cook. Andy and Johnny get to talk to Music City-based Courtney Cochran, the talented designer behind Hester & Cook’s stationery.
2016 is fast fading and might go down as the year that erased the most celebrities. But not everything that happened this year sucked. We got another year of Blackwing Volumes and Field Notes, and Write Notepads released their membership to wide acclaim. Tune in to wave goodbye to 2016 with Andy, Johnny, and Tim, as they rap about their favorite pencil and stationery items of 2016.
It’s that time of year, and we’re all thinking not only about the gifts which we would like to receive -- but also the gifts we would like to give. To that end, Andy, Johnny, and Tim are joined by Caroline and Caitlin from CW Pencil Enterprise, to talk about suggestions for holiday giving.
Tonight, Tim is back after paternity/Cubs leave. He, Andy, and Johnny update their top fives for the first time in almost a year. Check out the cross-overs and the arguments about which pencil is Top Dog Number One.
Tim is taking a bit of paternity leave, in order to welcome his daughter into the world. Andy and Johnny are joined tonight by Less Harper, artist, art therapist, and pencil hero. We’ll be discussing composition books, as a segue into National Novel Writing Month, which starts today. Tune in, and compose yourself accordingly.
Today, we’re excited to be the first to cover the birth of a brand-new pencil, the Baron Fig Archer. To celebrate, we’ve invited Joey Cofone and Adam Kornfield, the founders, onto the show to celebrate! We get graphitey and gritty with them as we discuss the company’s origins, its future and dig into the details of the Archer.
This fall, the quarterly editions of three of our favorite brands all came out within a week. Join Andy, Johnny, and special guest Chris Rothe of Baltimore’s own Write Notepads & Co. as we discuss the latest Field Notes Lunacy Edition, Blackwing Volume 344, and of course Write Pads’ Royal Blue Edition. Fall in!
For an in-between weeks episode, your three brave hosts are joined by intrepid hostess Caitlin, recording from the CW Pencils Graphite Mines with Andy while he's in New York City. Tonight, we tackle yellow pencils, and not the cowardly kind. Find out if any of these canary-colored beasts are worth your time, money, consideration, and sharpener wear.
Tonight, your hosts take you on a tour of the Back-To-School season of 2016. We run through our favorite back-to-school supplies of this year. If you could go back in time a month, this episode might make your life easier. As it is, you can just reminisce about your frenzied trip down the BtS aisle at Target, dumping crates of ten-cent composition notebooks and brightly striped Ticonderogas into your cart.
Bleistifte! We’ve discussed Japanese pencils and American pencils at length, but we’ve seemingly overlooked products from that great pencil-producing country, Germany. Join Andy, Johnny, and Tim as they discuss a bit of the history of pencil-making in Germany and what makes German pencils so special. Ausgezeichnet!
Have you ever wondered where those funny pencils with a #2 and a fraction pencils fit into the hardness/softness scale of pencils? These are your #2 1/2s, your F grades. Today, we explore that funny little half-grade that exists between HB and H, between #2 and #3. Plus a Snapchat update from Tim, gifts for Johnny, and a plea to Blackwing from Andy.
Johnny's not with us today, but he has a good excuse. Instead, we're honored to be joined by Caitlin Elgin, a genuine Pencil Lady from Pencils.com. We're just talking about our Fresh Points, including a discussion about the new Blackwing Volume 56 (for our 56th episode — coincidence?!), Write Notepad's edition, an update to the CW Pencil shop and a shipment of bright, shiny Indian pencils.
There have been some great releases from the USA in the last few weeks, and we are waiting to see what Blackwing has cooking up for us. While we wax both critical and hopeful on these and other topics, we are joined tonight by Slate’s June Thomas — back herself from other shores, where the stationery getting is good. Tune in for a Worldwide Pencil Party like no other. Tonight’s episode is sponsored by our friends at Write Notepads & Co., whose summer release, The Kindred Spirit, hits members’ mailboxes this week.
After more than 50 episodes, we finally tackle our namesake: erasers. We're joined by our good friend and Veteran Eraser Destroyer Ana Reinert of The Well Appointed Desk (and now also of the Art Supply Posse podcast!). Listen in as we discuss aspects of erasers that we look for and some running-down of our favorite erasers. This episode is sponsored by CW Pencil Enterprise, purveyors of superior graphite. Now through Monday, June 20, CW Pencils is offering an Erasable Eraser pack, with five erasers curated by Andy, Tim, Johnny, Ana and Caroline. Buy a pack on their site for just $4.50, 25% off retail price for individual erasers.
Get out your Stars and Stripes, and get to wavin’. Tonight, we are presenting the second episode in which we explore pencils made in the Land of the Free. Stay tuned to find out how to save 15% on pencils by a certain American brand we know and love with tonight’s sponsor.
The butt. The tip. The non-business end. In Episode 52, we are discussing the backends of pencils -- those colorful dips, those precise plastic caps, the naked rears, and the eraserless ferrules. Join your most Up Front hosts as we discuss the seemingly meaningless end of the pencil. We also rap about the Pencil of the Episode: a Swiss neon pencil from sponsor CW Pencil Enterprise.
We’ve hinted. We’ve teased. Now we finally get Phat and talk about wide-bodied pencils. What are they good for? What are the best? How old can we be and still use them? Listen in, and find out about all this and more.
Tonight, experience our revamped Pencils 101, with some basic — and not so basic — information and strategies for Your Best Pencil Practices. On the occasion of our fiftieth episode, Andy, Johnny, and Tim are proud to present: What To Look For In a Pencil.
We're delving deep into the world's greatest writing utensil: pens. Later, Brad Dowdy of the vastly superior Pen Addict podcast joins us to give his tips on selecting a pen that is better than whatever janky pencil you're using.
Tis the season of spring quarterly releases! Andy, Tim, and Johnny are back to talk about the newest releases from Field Notes, Blackwing and Write Notepads & Co. Tune in for a uniquely graphitilicious take on some of your favorite limited releases. Plus, international pencil aficionado t-shirts and a fantasy stationery baseball league. This episode is sponsored by Write Notepads & Co, now with a membership program! For $99 a year, you get access to their super limited quarterly releases.
Johnny and Andy help Tim through some issues when he admits he has too many concurrent notebooks going at once. They talk about pocket-notebook-only systems, journaling, using one main notebook or several, and plenty of other directions. Plus, Andy tells the tale of the Aaron Draplin art show in San Francisco and of his upcoming travels to London. This episode is sponsored by MetalShop and the Timber Twist Bullet Pencil, now live on Kickstarter!
Sometimes you buy a piece of stationery, full of high hopes, and it annoys, disappoints or infuriates you. This week, Tim, Johnny and Andy engage in a smear campaign (just in time for Super Tuesday!) and talk about their least favorite pieces of pencil gear. Join in for our least positive episode yet.
Tonight’s guests need no introduction. Caitlin Elgin and Caroline Weaver run CW Pencil Enterprise, the online and real-world Mecca for pencil lovers on the Lower East Side of NYC. After spending some time in Frankfurt, Germany at Paperworld, a huge trade show for stationery shops, they have returned to these shores and have agreed to join us tonight for the entire episode. After the show, go listen to our first-ever After Dark episode where we spent an entire half-hour episode talking about The Gilmore Girls.
The guys have a short episode this week with just some fresh points, with a little baseball talk thrown in at the beginning for good measure. We’re discussing Field Notes — the DDC Dead Prints and the Chicago edition — as well as a glossary of pencil terminology stemming from our show and beyond.
This week, Tim, Johnny and Andy are keeping Musgrave weird with their top five pencils at the moment, to kick off 2016. They (belatedly) explain the Palomino Blackwing 1138 in a bit more detail, including the symbology of “1138” and how George Lucas pays tribute to it. Dive deep with the (Musgrave) Bugle Boys into the land of graphite and wood!
We're ringing out 2015 with a special guest from The Emerald Isle: T.J. Cosgrove. Our Four Veritable Pencil Heroes rap about the best pencils of 2015 and what brought Mr. Cosgrove into film-making in general and Wood & Graphite movies in particular. We're also still a bit obsessed with the new Star Wars movie (don't miss the special guest appearance by Henry Wasem at the beginning telling us about his favorite Star Wars character!) Don’t wrap up 2015 with any other pencil podcast!
Tonight, during your last chance to complete NaNoWriMo, we are joined by writer and podcaster Harry C. Marks, host of Covered, a podcast about books and authorship. Harry has written at least one book by hand while on a journey to find his grail pencil for longform writing, and we discuss it in depth. Plus, Johnny has some big personal news, and we discuss his body hair for way too long.
The trio reunites, and Erasable is over the hill! After over 55 hours recording, it's time to pull out the black balloons and suggestive birthday cards. Andy, Johnny, and Tim cover a slew of fresh points and discuss how their pencil habits and preferences have changed since the show’s conception. Also, Tim’s been really into the Grateful Dead, which may or may not explain his absence of late.
Tonight, we have done some time-traveling and are very happy to bring you a true American Pencil Hero. Your hosts coast through our usual Bi-Weekly Pencil Awesomeness, with Fresh Points and Pencil Opinions galore. Then we put up a truly special Skype connection and talk to Henry David Thoreau himself. Join us for a veritably anachronistic episode of Erasable. Just a warning: The time circuits interfered slightly with our Skype connection to Mr. Thoreau, so some of the audio is a bit rough an on a delay. You never know what happens when you pipe your ethernet through a flux capacitor.
For our second live-streaming episode, we are finally tackling colored pencils with special guest Ana Reinert, Chair of The Well-Appointed Desk. Ana shares her expertise, and Andy and Johnny gawk in awe. We talk about the latest Blackwing Volumes edition, the 211.
In this historic episode of Erasable, the guys experiment with a lifestream during the episode. So forgive us if we're distracted by a chat room from time to time. In this episode, we're discussing the big news from the last couple of weeks! A new Field Notes edition, a new Blackwing Volumes edition, the Steinbeck Pencil World Tour, and way, way, more.
It’s that time of year again, when the air smells like pencils, PBJ and school bus vinyl. We are back from nearly a month off the Air, since we took turns being insanely busy at the end of August. Join us as we talk about the latest Target-exclusive Ticonderogas, delicious spirits and which pencils we have in our paws tonight.
Your three pencil hosts are all back together again, and we are joined by our favorite pencil shopkeep, Caroline Weaver. She tells us about the allure of Japanese pencils and lists a few of her favorite Japanese offerings. We ditch the fake drink segment and replace it with Unprecedented Insight into our true Drinking Tastes.
In this episode, Tim flies solo and chats with Mike Dudek from The Clicky Post and Dudek Modern Goods. Mike and Tim talk about the origins of the Dudek Modern Goods pen/pencil stands, why people who love good pencils and fountain pens suffer from similar brands of insanity, and when to say “enough is enough” and focus on using this stuff. Basically, Mike and Tim help you from turning into the Thorin Oakenshield of pencils.
Tonight, we are joined by the amazing Cody Williams, maker of beautiful bags, nifty notebook covers and wonderful wallets. Your hosts rap with our Red-Bearded Friend about leather, pencils, paper and general awesomeness. Join us for more bizarre cocktails and our Pencil of the Week.
Lots of people hoard limited edition pocket notebooks, and lots of people use them. In this episode, your hosts reveal intimate details about their own notebook use and abuse and share some of their contents. This is a very special, cuddly episode of Erasable that will keep you awake at night — at least until we release another episode in two weeks.
Due to popular demand, Andy, Johnny and Tim have compiled a list of their current top five pencils. The guys discuss their lists, chat about the Blackwing 725, and the new Field Notes Workshop Companion edition. Possibly the first Pencil Podcast Review of the KUM Masterpiece in North America, your hosts also wax graphisophical about what might be the best longpoint blade sharpener ever.
On the occasion of our thirtieth episode, we are joined by Chris Rothe, of Baltimore’s Write Notepads & Co. We rap with Chris about brass-ruled paper, his left-handed pencil designs and WNP&Co’s philanthropic work, as well as discuss some new developments in the stationery-by-subscription world.
While we spoke briefly about the first Erasable Book Club Book, The Perfection of the Paper Clip by James Ward on the last episode, tonight we really dig in. We also have stories to tell about the first Material World meet-up between two of our hosts and return visits to CW Pencil Enterprise. Listen in to see if you share a favorite chapter with The Guys and to find out the truth of Andy’s really being taller in real life.
Tonight, Tim, Johnny and Andy are joined by Bryan Bedell, from Field Notes HQ. You might recognize Bryan from the amazing videos Field Notes puts out with some of their special editions. In addition to this great guest, your hosts will be briefly discussing our first Erasable Book Club Book, The Perfection of the Paper Clip, by James Ward.
Who needs fancy fountain pens and archival inks for writing when the Journalling Bug hits you? If you’ve got a pencil, you’ve got a medium which will allow your deepest thoughts to last until you are just a little pile of carbon atoms yourself. The guys rap about journalling in pencil, announce the giveaway winners from our anniversary. And Fresh Points. There’s always Fresh Points. And Johnny almost gets voted out of the show! But fear not: he's still with us.
(Cue party music) Has it been a year already? Your favorite Pencil Pushers are starting off their second year of Casting the Pod, AND celebrating International Pencil Day, with an amazing episode. In addition to three weeks’ worth of Fresh Points and thoughts on the spring 2015 Field Notes, we are lucky enough to be joined by Caroline Weaver, proprietor of CW Pencil Enterprise, an actual wooden pencil shop in New York. Tune in for details about multiple excellent giveaways and for all manner of penciliciousness.
In our second all-Fresh Points episode, we take a breather before our upcoming one year anniversary. We also dish on the Palomino Blackwing 602, one of the most talked-out pencils available today. Just a note: Due to a Skype fart, the last part of this show was recorded several days later than the first part.
In the fourth and final installment of Erasable’s episodes on paper, Andy, Johnny and Tim explore the virtues of the large-format book. Your fearless hosts tackle over-sized journals, big notepads and even the Master of all notebooks. This is the paper episode to end all paper episodes.
In the second Paper Episode, Andy, Tim and Johnny discuss their favorite moleskin-style notebooks for pencil. While big M Moleskines dominated a decade ago, today there are myriad elastic-closed pocket notebooks from which to choose. The guys also discuss the Pencil of the Week, the Ticonderoga Laddie Tri-Write and share three weeks’ worth of Fresh Points. Beat the winter doldrums with your favorite Graphite Trio!
Tonight Andy, Johnny and Tim venture into Paper Territory. We are proud to present our first Paper Episode, in which we discuss the seemingly ubiquitous softcover pocket notebook. Which have the best paper for graphite? Which have the most durable covers? The best bindings? Listen up to find out. You might find your new favorite pocket paper.
In the first episode of 2015, your hosts wax nostalgic about 2014 -- the year of the bullet pencil -- and also look forward to what the new year holds for pencildom. They discuss their holiday hauls, the new Field Notes Roastery edition and more.
In this, the twentieth episode of your favorite podcast, Andy, Tim and Johnny give you three weeks of Fresh Points to make up for our short absence. We wax nostalgic at this small milestone in our Collective Podcasting Career, and talk about our Short Lists for the holidays. Don’t miss this one.
In this episode, Tim, Johnny and Andy put on their red, white and blue and salute their three favorite pencils which are made in the USA. While American pencil production is nothing like it used to be even a decade ago, there are still a few companies making excellent pencils on our shores. The guys also go discuss their usual Fresh Points and the latest offering from Field Notes, the Ambition Edition.
National Novel Writing Month is upon us, and tonight your fearless hosts explore the best writing gear with which to bring forth your 50,000 words before the end of the month and talk about what they use for their projects. As an extra treat, Andy, Johnny and Tim are joined by Gary Varner, longtime Stationery Friend and proprietor of the soon-to-be-open Notegeist — an online shop stocking all manner of writing equipment. They’ll be talking about this episode all month.
Tonight, Andy, Johnny and Tim are joined by Jay Smith and Jon Fontane, otherwise known as Huckleberry Woodchuck and Metal Shop CT. Jon and Jay are the creators of our favorite new Kickstarter, the Twist bullet pencil. We also discuss the Pencil of the Week, the Mitsu-bishi Hi-Uni HB. Listen in for our take on this Japanese beauty and for the backstory of the Twist.
The guys are living up to their podcast’s name this week, where the main topic is about erasers! Did you know, for example, that “rubber” got its name because of how it can rub out pencil marks? From latex to plastic, from kneadable erasers to, um, bread crumbs, we’re talking about our favorites. We also kick off a new feature where we all use the same pencil for a week and see how that goes. This week: The Musgrave Test Scoring 100. Plus, we discuss a new bullet pencil Kickstarter, a new pocket notebook, and more.
We have hit the guest jackpot this month, as we are joined tonight by the be-smocked Mr. David Rees, of Artisanal Pencil Sharpening and Going Deep with David Rees fame. Tonight Andy, Tim and Johnny gang up on Mr. Rees on his passion for pencil sharpening, sharpeners and his veritable inclination to explore deeply issues as how to sharpen pencils and how to make the perfect cube of ice. We begin, as we always do, with our fresh points and a discussion of Field Notes’ Reticle Graph paper, a Swiss pencil and the generosity of our listeners.
This week, the men are joined by veritable Pencil Royalty: Charles Berolzheimer, or “WoodChuck”, CEO of Cal Cedar and Zurückbringer of the Blackwing. We rap about the groovy new Field Notes edition, our beverage and graphite weapons of choice and our Fresh Points. Then we grill Charles about the rebirth of the Blackwing, pencil woods and what would constitute the Ideal Pencil. He gives us his view on the role of social media in the pencil world, and how it launched the online shop that took Pencils.com from an educational resource for teachers and pencil companies alike, to a multi-brand online storefront that launched the Palomino Blackwing.
This week, we have lots of Fresh Points, so we’re skipping the main topic and bringing you a lot of short discussion items! From t-shirts, to stickers, to Word. notebook packs, to back-to-school, we’re on the case. Be sure to check out our TeeSpring campaign to get in on the first-edition Erasable t-shirt before the campaign closes and they’re gone forever! And — guys — we have an amazing September lined up for you. Just you wait.
The guys interview Jeff Grant, engineer and creator of the Bullet Pencil ST Kickstarter project. He discusses his previous Kickstarter campaigns, explains his inspiration and modern twists on his proffered bullet pencil design, and takes some questions from the peanut gallery. Before that, though, we announce our very first Erasable t-shirt campaign and the winner of the Write Notepads & Co Ledger giveaway!
The Erasable Posse is joined tonight by the Master of All Things Ink, the Legendary Mr. Brad Dowdy, the Pen Addict. The men discuss excellent new stationery items, how Pen People might enjoy the wonderful and magical world of pencils, and pose some listener questions to Grand Master Ink in the name of the Graphite Brethren. We also have a giveaway and, er, some audio hiccups.
Today, the hosts got a little extra cray from an additional round of cocktails, after Andy realized he forgot to hit the “Record” button about 40 minutes into the recording. (D’oh!) So, during take two, things just disintegrated. But it’s all good, because we had a very special guest, Ana Reinert from The Well-Appointed Desk with us, who wasn’t afraid to dig in and join us in cocktails. She talks about her blog, her work with Hallmark Cards, and a pencil niche we didn’t know much about — indelible pencils! Plus, we rant about Power Pencils, Word. notebooks and the RoboCop of bullet pencils.
On episode 9 of the The Erasable Podcast, Johnny, Andy, and Tim explore the world of bullet pencils. Johnny invents a new cocktail, “The Podcaster.” There’s a lot of “showing off” going on, and the guys wax on the injustice of the demise of the bullet pencil. But, fear not, they also discuss the recent resurgence in the interest and production of these uber-practical writing instruments. Also, the five winners of the Word. notebooks giveaways are announced, and the guys gush over a thoughtful listenership and the podcast’s new Facebook group.
In which we discuss the first round of Pencil Herodom, heaping praise upon some of the influential pencil-wielding individuals in our lives. We also discuss the excited new Field Notes Brand Arts & Science edition and some other general points of pencilnalia. Finally, the folks at Word. Notebooks have given us five packs of their new Indigo notebooks for a giveaway! Listen to the end to find out how to enter to win yours.
This week, Tim is away, so Andy and Johnny rap with Heath Cates, blogger at Pen Paper Ink Letter. They discuss #PencilWeek, a 7-day long pencil-centric series on his blog (Where Johnny and Andy guest-blogged!) These tireless Pencil People get into the mind of a fellow stationery blogger, perhaps in ways which the Interwebs have not experienced before. They discuss some of Heath’s favorite pencils, sharpeners, and how they will fit into his workflow.
What good are pencils which are not sharp? In this episode, Tim, Johnny and Andy tackle the perplexing issue of pencil sharpeners. Our lovely listeners have sharp questions, and we have pointed answers. We discuss some aspects of pencil sharpeners to watch out for, the pros and cons of the KUM Longpoint sharpener, and some of our favorite sharpeners. And Johnny and Tim each order a KUM brass wedge, LIVE! Finally, things just degenerate into a discussion about Alvin and the Chipmunks, because we put the episode out of its misery.
We discuss how pencils fit into the environmental movement and some issues to think about when weighing pencils’ environmental impact. As we will see, pencils are much “greener” than one might at first assume, and there are eco-pencils to boot these days. Andy, Johnny and Tim discuss these topics and some of their favorite environmentally friendly pencils. A quick note: We were a week late in recording and producing this episode, and embarrassingly, the day we finally were able to record, Skype was not cooperating. At a few points, the quality of audio seriously degrades. We think we have it edited so you don’t have to ensure much of that, but our apologies if we all sound like robots. We’ll work hard to make sure Skype treats us better in the future.
Although we love nothing more than sharpening up a good pencil and writing with it, there are some pencils we just want to keep in pristine shape. It’s the collector in us — an antique pencil, a souvenir pencil, a pencil advertising a business long since past. This episode is dedicated to those specimens that sit on display or, in Andy’s case, one of several cigar boxes in his basement. We’ll discuss sources of finding these sorts of pencils, discuss some of our favorites, and even let you in on a secret society of collectors, so you can network and trade with them.
Happy National Pencil Day! It was this day in, 1858, 156 years ago, that Hyman Lipman patented the first pencil with its own eraser. To celebrate, we’re breaking our usual bi-weekly format to bring you a special “live” episode. (We can’t, of course, really go live, but we can post it right away without editing.) Rather than a “main topic”, we’ll just cover a few pencil points, and then draw winners for our giveaway!
We humbly present The Pencil Glossary episode, in which you will learn everything you ever wanted to know, and everything which is indispensable for you to know, about the anatomy of pencils and the terms we employ when we talk about pencils. Tim tells us about ferrules and erasers and how the two came to meet. Andy explains the process of Woodclinching and how wood becomes a pencil. Johnny talks about the graphite core and pencils and Thoreau. Before that, we chat about the spring 2014 Field Notes, the new Blackwing 602 vs. the old and assorted other Pencilnalia. Join us next week for a special March 30th Pencil Day episode! And be sure to listen closely to this episode for a fun giveaway we’re conducting (Around 17:30).
So the audio’s a little rough, and we ramble about the philosophical implications of writing with wooden pencils, but Erasable is up and live with our inaugural episode! We’re starting off with some basics: our origin stories, why we started blogging about pencils, our top favorites, and the characteristics of a good pencil. We’ll be back next time with a glossary episode: the terms we use when we talk about pencils.