Seasons change. People change. Feelings change. It’s true for Exposé, and it’s true at Erasable. Every so often, we like to check back in with our current top 5 pencils. And Tim is back with us after a break; so this is a great night to check in. So check out our top pencil lists and details about other wonderfully pencilicious things.

This episode is sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Check them out at InDefenseOfPaper.com/erasable, and use offer code “erasable” to save $5 at checkout.

You might have noticed the recent social media presence of Musgrave Pencil company, the 102 year old pencil company located in Pencil City, TN. We are very happy to be joined a little later by Henry Hulan, former president of Musgrave and grandson of its founder. Find out what it takes to keep an American pencil factory going for over a century and what exciting developments Musgrave has in store for us in the near future.

This episode is sponsored by In Defense of Paper, making high-quality notebooks sourced and manufactured in the US. Check them out at InDefenseOfPaper.com/erasable, and use offer code “erasable” to save $5 at checkout.

It’s that time of year. School is back in session. Sweaters are coming out of storage. Pumpkin Spice is a phrase uttered with either disgust or excitement. And our favorite stationery brands are releasing their fall releases. Tonight, we take a look at the latest offerings from Field Notes and Blackwing. Tune in to find out the best gear for Autumnal Reveries!

Special announcement: The theme of Issue 5 of Plumbago Magazine has been announced! Read more about that and pitch your idea!

Maybe you’ve heard that graphite is a type of carbon. Maybe you’ve heard about how similar graphite is to diamonds at the molecular level. Maybe the idea that something black and soft being so similar to something shiny and hard made your head hurt. Tonight, Andy and Johnny are joined by Lenore Hoyt, chemist and co-host of the RSVP Stationery Podcast, to talk about the chemistry of pencils.

We’re a podcast about pencils. It is a digital entity that exists in cyberspace but which centers on pencils and related IRL items. The irony has never been lost on us. Tonight in the most ambitious crossover event in history, Andy and Johnny are joined by Will Fanguy, co-host of Andy’s other podcast, Dot Grid, to talk about analog and digital ways to plan and be productive and where these lines get fuzzy. And, stick around after the musical outro for a fun little reunion.

It’s that time of year again: lists, big packs of pencils, and ten cent composition books. It’s back to school time already! Tonight, Andy and Johnny are joined by none other than Caroline Weaver from CW Pencil Enterprise, to discuss the best pencils and pencil paraphernalia with which to outfit your kids and and even yourself this fall.

Bullet pencils used to be souvenirs of adventures had, marketing items, even electoral tools. Tonight, Andy and Johnny are joined by Randy Ragan for a discussion of all things bullet pencil, including their restoration. Tune into episode 101 as we take aim on these bygone portable pieces of pencilry.

More than four years ago, Tim Wasem, Johnny Gamber, and Andy Welfle were just mild-mannered men, until the day they were stabbed with radioactive graphite  that turned them into… pencil podcast hosts! Hitting the topics harder than a 4H, interviewing guests with the smoothness of a 6B, no stationery is safe from The Erasables! Special guest host Caitlin Elgin interviews the guys about how the heck they pulled off a centenary of episodes about... pencils?

To help us celebrate 100 episodes, buy a limited edition custom Erasable Baron Fig Confidant! With a bright yellow fabric color and a special variant of our logo foil-stamped on the front (designed by our friend TJ Cosgrove), all proceeds will go to support the continued operation of this show. But hurry — we'll stop selling it by the time episode 101 airs on July 25!

Ah, the hum of AC units, oscillating fans, and bugs. Before we hit the big 100, we’re here to talk about the latest releases from Field Notes and Blackwing, as well as other interesting pencil items.

Issue 4 of Plumbago Magazine is now available for pre-order! Please consider pre-ordering your copy so you can help us raise capital for the initial print run. Plus, it'll guarantee availability of a copy for you. Check out the product page for more information and to place your pre-order.

Field Notes. Maybe you collect them. Maybe you are even a completist. Maybe you fill them like no one’s business. Tonight, Andy, Johnny, and Tim are joined by prolific Field Notes user Lary Grimaldi. The quartet talk favorite editions, interior pages, pencils, and perhaps suggest some Erasable-specific Suggested Uses.

We’ve received many requests throughout the four years we’ve been making this podcast to talk about mechanical pencils. But it’s not something any of the three of we hosts really know a whole lot about. So tonight, we’re going to talk about mechanical pencils as tools used by a regular wooden pencil user.

If you’re a member of our Facebook Group, you get to enjoy Hackwings on the regular. If not, picture well-matched Blackwing ferrules and erasers stuck atop your favorite non-Blackwing pencils. Our guest this week is artist and pro-level Hackwinger Jason Patterson, and your three hosts will wax PENCILSOPHICAL™ about this and other topics.

Plumbago Magazine is looking for a few good illustrators to contribute to Issue 4 (Summer 2018!) Find more information or subscribe to our newsletter at Plumbago.xyz. 

Sometimes it might seem like we talk a lot, but we’re only a bi-weekly show, and there are multiple voices. Tonight, we host another live call-in show! We hear from listeners, and even a non-listener as we struggle with how to hang up on people on Skype.

It’s spring. That means that it’s spring release season from our favorite stationery companies. Join Tim, Andy, and Johnny as they levy their judgements on the latest offerings from Field Notes, Blackwing, Write Notepads, and Baron Fig.

Happy belated International Pencil Day! To celebrate, your fearless (new and improved) hosts are talking all about mechanical pencils — mass market clicky pencils, high-end metal ones, and even leadholders.

Have you ever wanted to know more about the old business you read about on an old piece of advertising? Just married this past fall, Jessica Letkemann and Chris Jones are exploring the history of the businesses featured on vintage advertising pencils. Their new blog is called Graphite Confidential, and we’ve got them both here in The Erasable Skyposphere for a casual grilling. Tune in, as we go back in time a bit...

What attracts the Pen Addict himself to pencils? What pencils does he recommend for pen lovers, and what should Inky Folks look for in graphite-friendly paper? Listen in and find answers to these questions and what everyone’s been wondering for nearly four years: What does Erasable sound like without Andy?

While it rhymes nicely with Erasable, we don’t often like the word irreplaceable. Sometimes pencils stop being made. Sometimes they were limited editions to begin with. We all miss the Blackwing 211. But sometimes there are perfectly good substitutes for the pencil items you miss, and we’re here to help you through it.

Pre-show: Listen to a preview of Toffer Surovec's short story, "Crashing Bird," published in Issue 3 of Plumbago Magazine

Maybe you carry around pens because you’re secretly afraid of falling and stabbing yourself through the chest or neck with a sharp Ticonderoga. Maybe one of Erasable’s hosts has had this fear for over three decades. We’re here to help, as tonight, we dive into point protectors, which will protect not only your fragile body, but also your precious pencil tips.

Plumbago Magazine, Issue 3 is now shipping! Order yours today.

We’re back from the holidays and are ready to chat about pencils and pencil-adjacent holiday gifts we received. Still reeling from the Bomb Cyclone, Andy, Johnny, and Tim present some picks to keep you writing all winter in the Great Outdoors.