Stationery Orbit
John West
Subscribe
I'm slowly getting the word out, one snail mail at a time. Do you love fountain pens, ink, wax seals, and stationery? So do I. Do I know what I'm doing? Not really, but we can have a lot of fun learning together.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
1 day ago
Episode 9, John Bosley of FountainPenLove.com
Welcome to Episode 9 of Stationery Orbit, I’m your host John West and today’s episode is a discussion about paper testing and fountain pens with John Bosley of FountainPenLove.com
John has an extensive set of paper tests on his website. He is also an avid Esterbrook and vintage inks collector.
CVS Caliber
Fabriano Eqo Qua
Fabriano Museum
Mike Masuyama - Mike It Work
Kirk – Pen Realm
Mont Blanc 149
Waterman South Sea blue (Inspired blue now)
Script/Sanford Peacock blue
Carter’s cubes
Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum
Pen Collectors of America
Vintage Inks – John Bosley,2010
https://fountainpenlove.com/paper/the-massive-list-of-fountain-pen-friendly-paper-ratings/
https://fountainpenlove.com/shop/
Instagram
Nick Stewart - @Quinkandbleach
Candace - @Pensivecandy
John Bosley - @fountainpenlove
John West - @gneissguyco
@stationeryorbit
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
Attn: John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
Jul 26, 2020
Episode 8: Interview with Amanda McKay of LettterLetter.com
Welcome to Episode 8 of Stationery Orbit, I’m your host John West and today’s episode is a discussion about letter art with Amanda McKay of LetterLetter.com
Amanda has taught creative letter writing classes at pen shows.
TwoHands Paperie
Back To Zero
Imperial Orders Notepad
Karas Kustoms Ink in Teal Kerakote
Tomoe River Paper
Carved stamps YouTube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlFVrDjAnA0
Letterlocking
Colorado Correspondence Coalition
www.Letterletter.com
Instagram
@letterletter
@gneissguyco
@stationeryorbit
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
Attn: John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
Jul 12, 2020
Episode 7: Interview with Virginia Howell, Director of the Robert C Williams Museum of Paper Making
Welcome to Episode 7 of Stationery Orbit, I’m your host John West and today’s episode is my first interview. Virginia Howell is the director of the Robert C Williams Museum of Paper Making.
Fabriano notebooks
North American Hand Paper Makers
Dard Hunter
IAPMA
Nicole Donnelly
Cave Paper – Minneapolis
Pulp and Deckle - Portland
Facebook
RCWPaperMuseum
Instagram
RCW_PaperMuseum
Jun 28, 2020
Episode 6: The Pen Pal Primer
Welcome to Episode 6 of Stationery Orbit, I’m your host John West and today’s episode is the Pen Pal primer.
http://www.penpalworld.com/
2,300,000 members
Easy to read Privacy policy
Free and paid options
Started in 1998
Mostly online
https://www.snailmailpenpals.net/
Snail mail
Free
Pretty long privacy statement
https://www.globalpenfriends.com/
Email and snail mail
Start in 1995
Good privacy policy
https://www.penpalsnow.com/
more of an online personal ad site for Pen Pals
Does abide by EU Privacy Regulations
Don’t bother signing up if you are under 16
The only info on the site is what you post in your ad
https://www.sassociations.net/
Another a personal ad page looking for pen pals
No privacy policy, again what is on the site is what you post.
https://incowrimo.org (part of the reason I started this podcast)
A letter every day in February
There are address exchanges
Not all Pen Pal sites are for everyone:
https://geekgirlpenpals.com/
Very snail mail centric
Very clever writing on the website
Has a Patreon for support
Good safety page
Get sorted into houses based on age.
They allow any gender, but can we let them have this one please?
http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/penpals/snail_mail_penpals.html
Students, kids, teachers only
Admins will make matches
More of a language exchange
https://www.interpals.net/
http://coloradocorrespondence.co/
https://www.marthastewart.com/1538505/how-to-find-pen-pal
You can find PenPals on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/penpalswanted/
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/snailmailwanted/
Or ideas for SnailMail
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/snailmailrevolution/
www.letterwriters.org
How to get a PO Box
https://www.usps.com/manage/po-boxes.htm
You can find me at
@gneissguyco on Instagram
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
Attn: John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
Jun 15, 2020
Episode 5: The Mail Art Primer
Welcome to Episode 5 of Stationery Orbit, I’m your host John West and today’s episode is the mail art primer.
Cling vinyl stamps allow the stamps to be used with an acrylic handle for support.
Three-color stamps
The TAM Rubber Stamp Archive has a collection of prints of rubber stamps mail-artists have used since 1983.
Harriet Tubman stamp for the $20 bill
https://occupygeorge.com/
https://indroneswetrust.tumblr.com/participate
https://www.stampstampede.org/
East Asian seals
Mulready stationery
https://www.jetpens.com/blog/how-to-use-washi-tape/pt/698
https://every-tuesday.com/10-hand-lettering-enhancements/
You can find me at
@gneissguyco on Instagram
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
Attn: John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
May 31, 2020
Episode 4: The Wax Seals Primer
Welcome to Episode 4 of Stationery Orbit, I’m your host John West and today’s episode is the wax seals primer.
Intaglio seals are cut into the surface of the matrix. Intaglio seals are most commonly used for wax seals and create a design in raised relief in the wax.
Relief seals have designs that are above the surface of the matrix. Relief seals are commonly set behind a piece of paper for embossing that also creates a raised relief design. If a relief seal is used in wax it creates an impressed design more like a mold.
Catherine Craft Supply
Dexter Rings
Regnas Rings
Letterlocking
http://brienne.org/exhibit-4
http://letterlocking.org/about
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-did-people-do-before-envelopes-letterlocking
My personal favorite method is to use wax beads in a wax furnace to heat the spoon with the wax in it and the spoon gives you more control over how the wax is applied to the letter. Melting wax beads in a spoon also gives you the ability to mix wax colors to add to the character of the seal.
Wax furnace
Non-machinable postage
You can find me at
@gneissguyco on Instagram
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
May 19, 2020
Episode 3: The Paper Primer
Episode 3 of Stationery Orbit
This is the Paper Primer.
Show notes do include Amazon affiliate links, which will generate a small commission if you purchase from Amazon.
What is paper?
A thin cellulose mesh
Rags Make Paper
Paper Makes Money
Money Makes Banks
Banks Make Loans
Loans Make Beggars
Beggars Make Rags
-----Anon. English 19th C.
What does it take to make paper?
Pulping
Machining -mesh forming
Drying
Finishing (sizing)
Washi fiber length 13-17 mm, naturally acid free
Cotton 3-5 mm
Wood pulp cellulose 2-7mm
Begasse paper 1.2 mm
Recycled fibers <1 mm
What are the characteristics that make one paper more suited for a particular application?
Absorption/ghosting / Bleed through
Feathering
Shade
Sheens
drying time
Western paper makers
Clairefontaine
Rhodia
Leuchtturm
Strathmore
Baron Fig
Story Supply
Field Notes
G Lalo
Fabriano
Mnemosyne
Life
Apica
Midori
Tamoe River
Kokuyo
Graphilo
Ink Jet paper
Massive List of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper
Best Fountain Pen Paper
Basel Paper Museum
Williams Paper Museum at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA.
Fabriano Paper Museum
You can find me at
@gneissguyco on Instagram
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
May 17, 2020
Episode 2: The Ink Primer
Welcome to Episode 2 of Stationery Orbit, I’m your host John West and today’s episode is the Ink Primer.
Show notes do include Amazon affiliate links, which will generate a small commission if you purchase from Amazon.
The Pen Addict
Anderson Pens Ink Tool
Richard Binder’s website
3 Oysters
Bungubox
Colorverse
Kobe
KWZ
Kyoto TAG
Namiki
PenBBS
Penlux
*Pilot** *
*Platinum** *
*Sailor** *
TWSBI
Taccia
Vinta Inks
Robert Oster
Standard Bindery
Van Dieman's Ink
Akkerman
Blackstone
Aurora
Callifolio
Caran d'Ache
DeAtramentis
Diamine
Ferris Wheel Press
Graf von Faber Castell
J Herbin
Kaweco
Lamy
Leonardo Officina Italiana
Montblanc
Montegrappa
Organics Studio
Please join me for the next primer episode on paper.
You can find me at
@gneissguyco on Instagram
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
May 3, 2020
Episode 1: The Pen Primer
Episode 1 of Stationery Orbit
This is the first of the primer episodes and I’ll be talking about pens today
Show notes do include Amazon affiliate links, which will generate a small commission if you purchase from Amazon.
Update: this podcast will be produced on a two-week schedule.
The Pen Addict
The Nib Section
The Leaky Nib
The Tokyo Inklings
https://www.penaddict.com/top-5-pens/
Uni Jetstream
Parker Jotter
Fischer Space Pen
Uni Power Tank
Uni Deluxe
Pilot G2
The EPIC Refill Guide
Sharpie
Tombow markers
Multi-pens
Glass nib pens
Comic/Manga nibs
Fountain pen makeup
Nib makers
What are nib grinds
Safari
AL Star
Lamy 2000
Sport
Lilliput
Student
Supro
Pelican M1000
https://thepelikansperch.com/
Preppy/Prefounte
3776
Metropolitan
Custom 74
Vanishing Point/Decimo
Custom 823
Pro Gear /Realo
Pro Gear Slim
1911 Large
Go
You can find me at
@gneissguyco on Instagram
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402
Apr 19, 2020
Episode 0: Introduction
Episode 0 of Stationery Orbit, Introductory episode
Show notes do include Amazon affiliate links, which will generate a small commission if you purchase from Amazon.
Primer episodes:
Pens
Inks
Papers
Wax Seals
Mail Art
Pen Pals (coming soon)
The Pen Addict
The Nib Section
The Leaky Nib
2 Guys, 0 Planners
The Tokyo Inklings
BYOB Pen Club
#teamcakeforever
Pilot Metropolitan
Pilot Iroshizuku Kon Peki
Pilot 823
Platinum 3776
Sailor Pro Gear
Kanilea Kohala Sunset
Nakaya Piccolo Cigar
Pelican M1000
SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy)
Colorado Pen Posse
Colorado Pen Show
Fountain Pen Love
Vintage Pen Shop
Pen Realm
International Correspondence Writing Month = InCoWriMo
Roterfaden Tashenbegleiter
Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal
Kanilea Pen Kohala Sunset with Goulet B nib
https://www.gouletpens.com/products/goulet-6-steel-nib-black?variant=11884804833323
G. Lalo Letter Pad
You can find me at
@gneissguyco on Instagram
You can also write to me at:
Stationery Orbit
John West
P.O. Box 621
Golden, CO 80402