Three Questions With Johnny Gamber From Pencil Revolution

The Pencil Revolution will be written, and that’s just how Johnny Gamber wants it. Johnny has been doing his thing online since 2005, making him the godfather of our little online world. My thanks to Johnny for answering Three Questions.

1. What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?

Paper is literally My Brain on a daily basis. It is my Memory and my Expansion Slot. If I need to remember something, I have to write it down. A combination of sleep deprivation, over-exposure to technology and too much time in higher education have combined to really erode my memory. When I realize I haven't written something down, there is a horror I feel in the abyss of my Being because I know it is gone forever. I have an obsession with record-keeping that owning a lot of stationery probably exacerbates. I note cute things my kids say or do and what adventures we have together in my journal or in my 5-year diary (the latter, in seasonally-colored Micron 05 pens). There are also frequent times when I have to write something down to get it out of my head and have a better look at it. This can be something about which I am anxious or a diagram for making matchstick rockets on my marble stoop. In this way, paper becomes a literal space to expand My Brain. I don't leave a room without paper and something to write with. And while we joke about me hating pens on the podcast, this is sometimes a gel pen or a Bic. I usually have a sharp pencil somewhere on or near my person, though, and – to be sure – I will probably impale myself with it one day.

2. What are your favorite products you are currently using?

I am always using an embarrassing array of stationery at one time. Currently, my journal is a Baron Fig Three-Legged Juggler, while I am using a custom Write Notepads and Co. pocket notebook for Erasable podcast notes. In my pocket, my Field Notes change pretty quickly. I am at the last part of an Ambition notebook and am eying my next charge – possibly a Shelterwood for a winter feel. To write in these nice books, I have lately been experimenting with less soft pencils than I usually prefer. The Staedtler Wopex and the Faber-Castell Castell 9000 (in grade B) have been great on the Baron Fig paper, and General's Cedar Pointe has been the weapon of choice for my Ambition books, whose paper I really like for graphite. On the go, there is a short Blackwing 602 and a Bic Cristal in my vest pocket, with a small knife for sharpening and old grocery lists.

3. What post are you the most proud of on your blog?

I think the two-part interview I did with Aaron Draplin back in 2011 stands out the most (Part one, Part two). He was so kind and generous with his answers that I had no idea how famous he was/is. I found out first-hand that Mr. Draplin's kindness is as legendary as his amazing designs.

Bexley Sleeve Filler Fountain Pen Review

Bexley is a brand I was familiar with in name only until my friends at Vanness Pen Shop gifted me this beautiful Bexley Sleeve Filler last year. Not only that, they added a few tweaks just for me that had me grinning from ear to ear.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Bexley has been making pens since 1993 and have an excellent reputation in the market. Their designs harken back to the heyday of fountain pens in the US in the early-to-mid 1900's. My tastes lean towards more modern styles, but seeing a pen like this makes me wonder what else I am missing.

The main feature of this pen is, of course, the filling mechanism. The rear of the pen - aka the sleeve - unscrews to reveal the filler bar and ink sac. You dip the nib into an ink bottle, give the filler bar a couple of presses to intake the ink, twist the sleeve back down, and you are ready to write. It's a very simple system that is implemented well and works perfectly. I was actually surprised at how much ink I was able to drawn in with only one or two presses.

As nice as this Bexley is, what Vanness did (without my prior knowledge or input) to make this pen special for me was really great. First off, Vanness has the ability to engrave and customize pens in their shop, so they borrowed the logo from Nock Co. and zapped it onto the end of the pen. Secondly, they had local pen maker Shawn Newton, who has worked on several of my pens, grind the broad 14k nib the pen comes with into my favorite cursive italic grind.

How awesome is that?

The pen looks cool, writes great, is personalized, and has a great story behind it. I'm so thankful to have met Lisa and Wendi from Vanness Pen at last years Atlanta Pen Show and really appreciate what they did for me with this pen.

The Arkansas Pen Show runs today and tomorrow, so if you are in the area stop by and tell them hi for me and check out their goods (which may or may not include Sailor Bung Box ink!) You can also see what else they have to offer online at Vanness1938.com.

Kyokuto F.O.B COOP Memo Book Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Kyokuto F.O.B COOP memo book caught my eye because of its size and sturdy wire binding. I'd been on a memo book hunt, and this one seemed to be a book worth trying. After using it for a while, I understand that it's not really a good notebook for me, but that doesn't mean it's a bad notebook. Far from it — it's actually a great notebook as long as you're aware of the caveats.

There aren't a lot of caveats, so I'll make this simple. The F.O.B COOP memo book paper just isn't fountain pen friendly. It tends to do OK with fine Japanese nibs, but even those results are hit-and-miss. Liquid roller ball refills get similar results. But really, this notebook shines when it comes to gels and ballpoints. If that's your sweet spot, then this notebook could be a great companion.

As far as size goes, it's roughly the same width and height of a Field Notes book, minus about half an inch on the height. But the depth/thickness is about three Field Notes, which makes it a tad uncomfortable in the back pocket. Maybe you don't carry your memo books in your back pocket, so that isn't really a concern, but just be aware that it's a thick notebook. I'm not sure it's really meant to be carried in a pocket, but it can certainly be done.

Now, the notebook will be right at home in a bag of any kind. The front cover is made of a durable translucent plastic material, the back is a thick card stock, and the wire binding is robust, which means it can take a fair amount of abuse. In my experience, it does great if it's secured in the bag somehow. I wouldn't recommend letting it go freestyle in a bag as it might get banged up by larger objects.

The paper in this version is a 6mm lined format, but you can also get in plain. There are 80 sheets in the book, which is a lot more than you'll find in most memo books. Like I mentioned earlier, it sings when used with gels and ballpoints. The paper is delightfully smooth and feels fantastic when jotting down quick notes.

Fountain pens and rollerballs cause issues in this paper. My guess is that it's a combination of being thin and soft that make it vulnerable to feathering and show-through. Both of these things happen frequently with this paper. Some people may not be bothered by it, and others might outright despise it. Just be warned that it tends to feather and bleed through.

The size and sturdiness of the book make it a prime candidate for holding it in your palm while writing. I've never been a huge proponent of this method, but it does the job pretty well, thanks to the thick card stock on the back. When I jot notes like that, I always feel like a '40s reporter covering a breaking story — but the reality is I just prefer to write on a large, hard surface most of the time.

At just under 4 bucks, it's not a bad deal at all. If you want to try something besides a staple-bound 3.5x5.5" memo book for a change, consider the Kyokuyo F.O.B COOP. It's a fine notebook with smooth, glossy paper that feels great — just make sure you're using a gel or ballpoint pen.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)