Guides

Daily, weekly, or monthly? Dated or undated? Paper quality, size, binding — everything you need to choose the right planner and actually use it.

Matte, Pearl, 602, Natural — every Blackwing pencil explained. Which lead grade suits your writing or drawing, and why these pencils have a devoted…

Tomoe River, MD Paper, Rhodia, Leuchtturm — the best papers and notebooks for fountain pen ink, tested and compared. Find what works for your pens and…

Leuchtturm vs Moleskine compared honestly — paper quality, fountain pen performance, features, and price. Which notebook actually wins depends on what…

Everything about the Traveler's Notebook — sizes, refills, leather, customising, and which to choose first. From the UK's original stockist since day one.

Every Hobonichi format explained — Original, Cousin, Weeks, HON. Which to choose, what paper to use, and how to get the most from your Techo. From the…

Skipping, scratchy nibs, hard starts, or leaking? Our troubleshooting guide fixes the most common fountain pen problems quickly and clearly.

Clean a fountain pen in 5 minutes. Simple steps for cartridge pens, converters, and piston fillers — plus when to clean and what to avoid.

Cartridges, converters, piston fillers — every way to fill a fountain pen explained clearly, step by step. The Journal Shop's complete guide.

EF, F, M, B, italic, stub — fountain pen nibs explained clearly. Find the right nib for your handwriting, your inks, and the way you actually write.

Everything you need to know about fountain pens — how they work, which to buy first, and how to fill, write and care for them. A complete beginner's guide.

A first fortnight with a new Kokuyo Jibun Techo — what to fill in on day one, how to block out a week, and the only rule worth keeping.