From literature to carpentry, accounting to space travel, the wood-cased pencil and its ancestor have undeniably been at the center of the 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.
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?”.
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.
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.
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!
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.