The Erasable Podcast

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

Episode 213: These Colors DO Run

On this episode of Erasable, the guys are trying to muster as much patriotic spirit as they can and talk about some of their favorite American-made stationery brands. From JR Moon to Write Notepads, there are still some good quality products made between American shores. Plus: Updates from Blackwing, Andy’s trip to Seattle, and more!Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonBorn in the USAJ. R. Moon General Pencil CompanyMusgrave Pencil CompanyBlackwing 746 CollectionJason Isbell Field NotesQuintessence: The Quality of Having ItYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

07-04
01:01:58

Episode 212: Jimmy Neutron Zine Scene

After a few weeks of different mixes of hosts and guests, we’re back as The Terrific Trio tonight, talking about the latest Tools of the Trade and Fresh Points.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonStar Trek DiscoveryNuclear War: A ScenarioWriters Playing Video GamesSuitsDaisy Jones and the SixBlake Mills "If I'm Unworthy"Navel GazingUnder the BridgeGuild of Bookworkers Newsletter ArchivePlaylist to win a custom journal from JohnnyXOXO Fest 2024Stephen Sondheim Auction:OLD old BlackwingsOld and new BlackwingsPocket Bullet JournalNew Narwhal pens” Spring Nautilus and Pride EditionsYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

06-05
54:02

Episode 211: Eating Chicken Soup From A Stormtrooper Helmet

Tonight, Andy and Johnny are chatting, sans Tim, about some of the recent spring releases from Field Notes and Blackwing, recap Andy’s trip to The Happiest Place on Earth™ (hint: it involves many many pressed pennies) and they even talk about $75 minimalist notebooks. Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonLevenger True Writer OriginsThree Body Problem on NetflixThree Body Problem Trilogy by Cixin LiuThe Core of an Onion by Mark KurlanskyDisney pressed pennies Jerry Garcia necktiesFancy iA Writer NotebookField Notes Flora EditionBlackwing Volume 710Independent Bookstore Day 2024 BlackwingsDeadest Prints Field NotesYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

05-14
52:05

Episode 210: A Box of Flamingos (with special guest Carol Beggy)

This is a fun episode, folks. We’re joined by Carol Beggy, a longtime listener, group member, newspaper journalist, and author of “Pencil”, one of the latest books in the Bloomsbury Object Lessons book series, joins us to talk about her book and the object of all of our affections. We chat about the wonders of the newspaper supply cabinet of the 1900s, Thoreau, collecting pencils, and much, much more.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonPencil (Object Lessons, by Carol Beggy)Object Lessons seriesJohn C. BurkePortage Reporter NotebooksChina markersThe Transcendentalists and Their WorldOur GuestCarol BeggyYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

04-25
01:13:23

Episode 209: Potato Podcast Content

It’s been ten years, folks. In this episode, we talk to some of our favorite recurring guests — Brad Dowdy, Caitlin Elgin, Les Herger, and Caroline Weaver — and reminisce about the last decade. We even have a cool swag bag that you can buy to help us celebrate! Plus, way more potato content than you probably wanted.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonAll About The Musette BagPen AddictComfortable Shoe StudioCaitlin ElginThe Locavore (Caroline’s latest venture)Potato Pencil Lovin’ (a song about making a potato pencil written by AI, prompted by Tim)Your HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

04-09
01:19:06

Episode 208: A Watershed Episode

Today’s episode is a short one — as we prepare for a bigger 10-year anniversary episode, we spent some time talking about our tools of the trade, and really focusing on the pencils and paper we’re using lately. A quick note: We’re getting ready to produce a gift for our Nubbin Stage Patreon supporters! We can’t reveal it yet, but it’s so cool. If you’re a current supporter at that level, please update your shipping address! And if you want to get in on it, please sign up for an annual plan at our Patreon before March 11, 2024!Your HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

03-01
40:10

Episode 207: The Old Country Buffet of the Mind

Andy is back from the other side of the globe, where he visited Japan looking for adventures —and stationery! Tonight, Johnny and Tim team up to grill Andy about his trip, and best yet — they’re in the same room! If you’re a Patreon member at any level, you can watch video of this episode at patreon.com/erasable.Show Notes and LinksPhotos from Andy’s tripErasable PatreonPencil, by Carol BeggyShift Happens by Marchin WicharyBlue LightsHow to ADHDYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

02-14
01:33:46

Episode 206: All Reachers Great and Small

Happy 2024, friends! We’re starting off with the first episode of the new year with a Fresh Points episode, talking about some of the cool new stuff to hit the market since we last recorded — Draplin’s Tactile Turn pen collab, Blackwing Volume 2, Studio Neat’s Keepbook, and more.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonJames, Be Opened by the Wonderful Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your LifeFeel Something, Make SomethingDr. Who Xmas SpecialA History of Wild ThingsNight After Night by Daniel Tashian Nahvalur NautilusBlackwing Volume 2Draplin pen! Zines! (andy.supply!) Star Trek playing cards! Keepbook by Studio NeatStuff That Works Journal Musgrave Songwriter SetYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

01-15
55:35

Episode 205: Blood Erasers

As we wrap up 2023, Johny, Tim and Andy talked about tools that they used unexpectedly more than overs over the year. From Very Old Ticonderoga’s to dinosaur tape dispensers, there are some old reliables and some newcomers on this list. Happy holidays!This episode is available with video for active patrons supporting the show at any level over on Patreon. Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonMusgrave SongwriterDoctor Who SpecialsThree Body ProblemAndy’s zine shopWhiskey Advent CalendarJeff Tweedy World Within a SongCrossing To SafetyBodies (TV Series)How Not to Kill YourselfYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

12-16
01:03:23

Episode 204: Shimmery and Sheeny

It’s been a while, and a lot of stuff has come out since we last podcasted as our True Selves. We’re rectifying that tonight, as we check out the latest releases from Field Notes and Blackwing. Join us and find out what we’ve been up to!Show Notes and LinksErasable Patreon BIRCH BARKVolume 17, the Gardening PencilHEARTLANDBlackwing “Buy Our Trash” LabsBlackwing/Moleskine CollabTheory11 playing cardsThe Importance of Not Being Ernest by Mark KurlanskyYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

11-29
44:39

Episode 203: The Erasable Spellcast, Part 3: Mountain Dew Eldritch Blast™

Presenting Part 3 of our Dungeons & Dragons campaign with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin! If you’d like to see a video of this adventure, episodes 200 201, 202, and our other D&D episodes, support us at any level on Patreon.Join our band of travelers — Ralph, Sam, and Andrøs — as they worm their way out of the wormling fight in the (literal) dungeon for the third and final installment of our D&D campaign! Who are the metal dragons? How do they defeat them? Will they save Graphia and their (quite literally) erasable world?Your Dungeon MasterMonica CorwinWebsite | Amazon | InstagramOur AdventurersRalph Rexas portrayed by Johnny GamberSamik Stonebackas portrayed by Tim WasemAndrøs Goldenbearas portrayed by Andy Welfle

11-14
47:22

Episode 202: The Erasable Spellcast, Part 2: Waking up with an Elvish Coffee

Presenting the second part of our Dungeons & Dragons campaign with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin! If you’d like to see a video of this adventure, episodes 200 and 201, and our other D&D episodes, support us at any level on Patreon.Our intrepid heroes are back! Ralph Rex, Samik Stoneback, and Andrøs Goldenbear officially enter the mysterious forests of Graphia, and try to solve puzzles, fight golems, and understand which dice to roll, under the fearless tutelage of Dungeon Master Monica Corwin! Tune in for the second part of The Erasable Spellcast, our celebration of 200 episodes and more than 9 years of podcasting.Your Dungeon MasterMonica CorwinWebsite | Amazon | InstagramOur AdventurersRalph Rexas portrayed by Johnny GamberSamik Stonebackas portrayed by Tim WasemAndrøs Goldenbearas portrayed by Andy Welfle

10-30
01:23:12

Episode 201: The Erasable Spellcast, Part 1: You Gave It Your Awl

The first part of our Dungeons & Dragons campaign with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin gets underway! If you’d like to see a video of this adventure, episode 200, and our other D&D episodes, support us at any level on Patreon. Embark on an epic journey in the enshrouded realm of Graphia, a land veiled in ancient curses and enigma. As darkness threatens to engulf this mystic plane, a brave band of adventurers rallies together, fueled by an unbreakable bond of friendship and a collective intellect that defies all odds. In a race against time, they forge ahead, relying on synergy and wit to navigate through veils of mystery and danger. Their ultimate quest: to unearth the legendary Eternal Quill and salvage not only the doomed land but their own fates as well. Will their camaraderie and ingenuity prevail, or will the shadows of Graphia consume all? Step into this thrilling saga and find out.And coffee. Your Dungeon MasterMonica CorwinWebsite | Amazon | InstagramOur AdventurersRalph Rexas portrayed by Johnny GamberSamik Stonebackas portrayed by Tim WasemAndrøs Goldenbearas portrayed by Andy Welfle

09-28
01:38:25

Episode 200: The Erasable Spellcast, Part 0

🪄 A D&D adventure, with Dungeon Master Monica Corwin 🐉These guys are characters. For our two hundredth episode, we wax a bit nostalgic and also begin a new adventure: Along with a seasoned Dungeon Master Monica Corwin, we’re making D&D characters for a pencil themed campaign (which you’ll hear in our next couple of episodes)! A quick note: Patreon subscribers will be able to watch video of this episode and our further D&D episodes! Subscribe at any level and see our lovely faces.Our GuestMonica CorwinWebsite | Amazon | InstagramYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

08-31
01:27:41

Episode 199: Pencils Under the Table (with special guest Aaron Bartholmey)

In this episode, the penultimate of the first 200, we’re excited to have the impending Guiness World Record holder for the largest pencil collection, Aaron Bartholmey. Aaron is also the Secretary-Treasurer of one of our favorite organizations, the American Pencil Collector Society. He talks with us about his collection, counting it for the record, and of course, getting involved with the APCS.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonAmerican Pencil Collectors SocietyInterview with Aaron in the Associated PressInterview with Aaron in the Washington PostGuinness World RecordsCurrent Record Holder for Largest Collection of PencilsOur GuestAaron BartholmeyPencilCollector.orgYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

07-27
40:45

Episode 198: Shout Out to Linda

Much as with our retrospective on Blackwings Volumes editions last episode, today we’re taking a look back at the Field Notes releases we’ve gotten since around the beginning of the pandemic.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonLe Voyageur from Write Notepads & Co.Mitsubishi Uni “hahatoco” cat themed pencils! Pencil penrose (aka our tattoos) pins from Tim Belonax VignetteHeavy DutyUnited States of LetterpressSnowy Evening Fifty TrailheadHarvest Ignition Signs of Spring Great Lakes HatchKraft PlusStreetscapesYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

07-14
01:37:33

Episode 197: A Shocking Lack of Knowledge

We always offer hot takes on each Blackwing Volumes release. But how do things look when we step back a little and look again with some more context and perspective? Tune in as we talk about the last few years of Blackwing Volumes, give our spicy and mild takes, and give each volume a grade.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonBlackwing Pencil Release GuideBasquiat on American MastersAdam Savage’s Indiana Jones notebook replicaVolume 840: Surfer Dude and the CoastVolume 3: Ravi ShankarVolume XIX: The 19th AmendmentVolume 6: Independent BusinessesVolume 223: Woodie Guthrie Volume 64: ComicsVolume 651: Bruce LeeVolume 93: Corita KentVolume 200: CoffeehousesVolume 55: The Golden RatioVolume 7: AnimationVolume 192: The Lennon and McCartneyVolume 20: Tabletop GamesVolume 57: The Basquiat PencilYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

06-28
01:19:56

Episode 196: Full of Expletives

Today, we have a full episode of just the Tools of the Trade. Skip this if you don’t want to hear about the 16 different albums Tim is listening too, what gritty British crime dramas Johnny’s watching, or what books Andy says he’s reading. Plus: the greatest concert film ever made, starring Seth Rogan.Show Notes and LinksBoygeniusNew Jason Isbell album next week!Theo Katzman Be the WheelCocaine and RhinestonesGeorge Michael BushSteven Universe Ted LassoBarryGuardians of the Galaxy 3The DiplomatTransatlanticA Small LightThe Eyes and the Impossible by Dave EggersHidden Systems by Dan NottPromises Stronger Than Darkness by Charlie Jane AndersDon't Tell Anyone the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda WilliamsThis Wheel's On Fire by Levon HelmOtherwise: New & Selected Poems by Jane KenyonBeach Badge zineThe OverstoryKeith Smith booksBellroy tech Dopp kit Tom Bihn Side HustlePlatinum PlaisirBlackwing Eras 2022Musgrave Pencil Knot notebookLevenger True Writer KyotoOfficial LT1917 penThat Field Notes dad thingYour HostsJohnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

06-02
01:01:09

Episode 195: Flaubert with a Chicago Accent (with special guest Jay Newton)

We’re celebrating National Poetry Month a month too late, but we think it’s always time to celebrate poetry. To that end, we’ve invited Jay Newton, long-time listener and Erasable Poet Laureate, onto the show to talk about his new chapbook, Effigies, and how he thinks about and creates poetry. We also celebrate silly little limericks by pitting Jay against ChatGPT to write extremely specific pencil limericks.Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonNew Zelda GameField Notes CityscapesMusgrave’s The Party BugleNew Musgrave Shorthand Notebook in BLUEMagic Ink markersBig ol’ pressed penny notebookBaronfig Venture Backpack 3.0PennyCollector.orgLimerick ShowdownHere are the poems that we asked Jay and ChatGPT to write. Read them and judge them!Limerick about the struggle of using a pencil with an off-center core (from Donny Pearce)ChatGPT:With graphite askew, pencil's no fun,Off-center core makes writing undone.The lines dance in strife,Disrupting the life,Of precision, alas, it's all gone.Jay: If there’s one thing I simply abhor,It’s a stick with an off-center core.It may write as smoothly as Lapis LazuliBut some things I just can’t ignore.Limerick about how the Field Notes pencils should be better than they are (from Donny Pearce)Jay:The pencil from Draplin is lacking.Does he not have financial backing?It scratches the pageLike a one-million HWhile Musgrave is counter-attacking.ChatGPT: Field Notes pencils, touted with cheer,But their performance fails, I do fear.Smoothness they lack,Graphite too slack,In need of improvement, that's clear.Limerick about how there are only so many words that actually rhyme with “pencil” (from Kathy Rogers)ChatGPT:"Pencil," a word we oft rhyme,Yet choices are limited, no time.Stenciled, essentials,Potential, credentials,Options are scarce, yet sublime.Jay: A brooding baboon with a pencil,Could trace, with his tail, a stencil.He found it intriguingThat he was a BeingBoth prehensile and existential.Our GuestJay NewtonYour HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

05-18
01:28:29

Episode 194: It's Almost a Blurple

We’re here, smack in the middle of National Poetry Month, to read and discuss a few of our favorite poems. We also rap about the latest Field Notes and Blackwing releases, and more!Show Notes and LinksErasable PatreonMagic Wand PencilsBaron Fig Squire OracleBaron Fig Squire DraftBlackwing Volume 20Field Notes StreetscapesPoems of HealingAlmost Cha-Cha (Brett Elizabeth Jenkins)The Changing Light (Lawrence Ferlinghetti)“The Cinnamon Peeler’s Wife” (Michael Ondaatje)“Having It Out with Melancholy” (Jane Kenyon)Your HostsJohnny  GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

04-20
01:01:13

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