The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 714 - Look

Which one is this year’s LAMY Safari LE release? (via Fontoplumo)

Me, Myke, and the listeners have been working for weeks on solving a pocket pen conundrum. Did we reach a valid conclusion? For a specific product, no. For a theory, yes. We also theorize what LAMY is thinking with their new Safari Limited Editions, and are introduced to a near-unobtanium notebook lineup from Kokuyo.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

St Louis Pen Show: Join us June 25-28. Tickets on sale now!

Penedex: The penultimate app to track and catalog your pens, inks, and what you've got ink'd up. Download now.

Galen Leather A5 Expansi Folio Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

I have loved using my Galen Leather A5 Zip folio for years, and it shows. It has the patina of many grand adventures. And while it has a dignified worn look, it is far from wearing out. We have many adventures ahead of us! It's perfect for holding an A5 notebook, my writing pens, and a few accessories. But there are some instances where my chaos has outgrown it, specifically at work. The Galen Leather A5 Expansi Folio saves the day, here.

My work kit, which follows me from my desk, to meetings, to the reference desk, and on outreach adventures, can get unruly. I have a notebook for taking notes, my planner for making plans, a selection of pens for color coding, a pencil because librarians just need pencils, a general writing pen, stickers (always, and I don't know why), dozens of tiny slips of paper with random notes and call numbers on them, and whatever else I gather throughout my day. And my keys! And my phone, sometimes. Maybe a chapstick. It all takes up space, and the Expansi Folio has the space that I need. There's a pocket for everything.

The Expansi Folio is nearly twice as thick as the regular folio, so I can work in layers. Inside the right cover, there's a flap-folder pocket where you can put a notebook or a notepad. In the spine is a key ring attachment. And on the left there are three elastic tool loops, a handful of card slots, and a removable pen-holder that has elastics for four pens. With a slim notebook on the right, I can fit a variety of writing tools and still fit my Hobonichi Weeks Mega alongside them. And I can stuff the card slots with all the random stickers and papers that I need.

The inside of the case is lined with a suede-like microfiber that will keep the contents safe from scratches and will not transfer any dye to your supplies. The outside is a vegetable tanned leather that shows its character with age. This one is the Crazy Horse Blue, which is more of a teal color in this instance. Colors and markings will vary with each unique piece of leather. Mine is already starting to show its battle scars after a few weeks of work, but aren't we all? The zipper that closes the folio is a brass YKK zipper that goes all the way around the case, stopped only by its spine piece. This allows the case to lie open flat while you use it. The whole piece is a simple but effective design that is effortlessly practical, which is why my older one has stayed in rotation for so long.

The Expansi Folio sells for $149 at Vanness Pens, which is very fair for their handmade quality and durability. It's a big price tag, but a small investment for something that will last forever.

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April Sponsor Spotlight

Sponsor support is very important to me here at The Pen Addict. My sidebar advertisers put their faith in me to deliver good value for them month in and month out, and I want to shine the light on the best of the best for you. If you are shopping for pens, paper, inks, and more, please check out these great companies and see what they have to offer. Some recent highlights:

Vanness Pens released the Wearingeul Modular Glass Dip Pen with three total nibs included, plus the fun Wearingeul Ink Encyclopedia to test your inks in.

JetPens created a set of not just Zebra Mildliners, but in combination with standard pens they have tested to work well with Mildliners. No one does sets better.

Goldspot dropped all four colors of the new Nahvalur Original Plus Fountain Pen, featuring Lavender, Pistachio, Powder Blue, and Soft Coral.

Dromgoole’s is loaded up with fresh Galen Leather inventory, including the popular 3-Slot and 5-Slot Zippered Pen Cases.