PODCAST · technology
The Erasable Podcast
by Tim, Johnny and Andy
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.
Episodes
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Episode 243: A Sheen of Fakery (with special guest Gabe Bullard, author of "Against Convenience")
Journalist Gabe Bullard joins us to talk about his new book, Against Convenience: Embracing Friction in an Age of Endless Ease. We dig into what we trade away for ease: the Starbucks app, robotaxis, New Release Tuesdays, memories apps, and AI's "sheen of fakery" — plus Wendell Berry's rules for...
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Episode 242: Ren Faire LARPing (Pencil Primer, Part 3)
The Pencil Primer returns with part three: the other end of the pencil. We trace the eraser from stale bread crumbs to Goodyear's vulcanized rubber to Hymen Lipman's well-timed patent sale, then get into ferrules — wartime plastic ones, the Blackwing's famous clip, and why American pencils wear...
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Episode 241: Disney Meth
No Pencil Primer this time (part three is coming, promise) — instead, a Fresh Points extravaganza to say bye-bye to summer. Blackwing goes big with a Mickey and Friends collection and the gorgeous Frida Kahlo Volume 143, Andy's wristwatch rabbit hole deepens into designing the perfect podcaster's...
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Episode 240: Synchronized Head Molts (Pencil Primer, Part 2)
The Pencil Primer returns with part two: the case of yonder pencil. We trace the wood itself — from Conté's badass eyepatch to eastern red cedar, California incense cedar, and the creeping basswood era — plus why pencils are yellow (blame a Siberian graphite strike and some questionable...
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Episode 239: Mavis Beacon for President
The whole gang is back together to catch up. Andy recaps his Field Notes–filled wedding, starts a new job, and falls down a serious wristwatch rabbit hole — from Bluetooth-modded Casio F-91Ws to a Draplin x Timex Scout. Johnny's loving a $30 Asvine piston-filler, a possibly haunted Cedar Pointe,...
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Episode 238: No Playing Lawyer Ball
Andy's out this week for the best possible reason — he got married! (Congratulations, Andy and Erica! 🎉) So Johnny and Tim keep it short and sweet with a catch-up and some fresh points: Tim falls down a Blaze Foley rabbit hole and digs into a new book on heartland rock, Johnny can't stop playing...
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Episode 237: Pencil Primer, Part 1
We kick off the Pencil Primer — a new series for anyone who wants to start at the beginning of pencildom. This installment traces graphite from the legendary Borrowdale lightning strike of 1564 to Nicolas-Jacques Conté's clay-and-graphite breakthrough during the Napoleonic Wars, plus the Thoreau...
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Episode 236: An Impressionistic Budget
A big one this time around: we celebrate 12 years of Erasable, Andy launches a transcript site and an AI quiz generator, Johnny's been making books and hiking in 15-degree weather, and Tim christens his new Nahvalur Nautilus with a boiling water incident. Plus fresh releases from Field Notes,...
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Episode 235: Little Podcast Mustache
The Erasable Podcast turns 12! As of March 12, we’ve officially been doing this podcast for 12 years. 279 hours of audio — that’s more than 11.5 straight days of Erasable! Tim is out today, but Johnny grills Andy about his trip to Hong Kong and Japan, including some of the cool pencils he found…
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Episode 233: The Dark Side of STEM (with special guest Ian Schon)
We’re back, after two months away! Sorry for the silence, friends. But we think we have something really special for you — a guest we’ve wanted to come on the show for almost 6 years. It’s Ian Schon of SCHONDSGN, a craftsman who makes incredible, unique fountain pens. We’re talking about his...
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Episode 231: Stocking up on Scalpels
Happy October! This very autumnal episode is a short one — just some fresh points and tools of the trade. Johnny’s playing too much Mario Kart World, Andy regales us with his trip to New York City, and Tim is designing a thuper thecret notebook. Plus: we talk about some new Field Notes and feel...
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Episode 230: The Hobonichi To-Do (with special guest Tyler McCall from Pencil & Paper)
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...
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Episode 229: Fresh Points of Bel Air Part 491043
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...
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Episode 228: We All Have a Little Graphite In Us (with special guest Allison King, author of "The Phoenix Pencil Company")
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...
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Episode 227: No Canoodling at Walden
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...
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Episode 226: Hot n Early
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! For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see...
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Episode 225: Justin Timberlake Was Supposed to Be Here
May is upon is, and we’re here with a short one, discussing our tools of the trade, and some fun fresh points — Johnny talked about his sugar cane notebooks for Earth Day, and Andy introduced some new spring Erasable swag for 2025 (Stay tuned!) For this episode, we recorded video, available to...
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Episode 224: Keep That Eye Jelly
To celebrate our podcast turning 11 last month, we’re traveling back in time to channel our 11 year-old selves, and examine what stationery meant to us as Little Guys. For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual...
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Episode 223: We Use Glasses Like Civilized People
Today’s episode is a short one — Tim’s out, and Johnny and Andy talk about some of their new pencil hauls (including a Pentel Black Polymer 999 that Andy’s particularly excited about). Johnny gets civilly disobedient (more so than usual, that is) in his reading from his zilbaldoni. For this...
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RErasable: Episode 106 with Musgrave Pencil Company’s Henry Hulan
Welcome to the first installment of Re-rasable, a new series where we resurface some of our most memorable episodes and interviews from the past ten years. For this inaugural edition, we’re rewinding to Episode 106 and our conversation with Henry Hulan, Chairman of the Musgrave Pencil Company.…
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Episode 221: I Found Some Dorks!
We’re back for the New Year, with a ton of Fresh Points and Tools of Our Trade -- and the first sections from our Zibaldoni! For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss....
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Episode 220: A Very Soft Triangle
For our last episode of 2024, we came together to talk about some of our favorite Tools of the Trade from the last year. Andy recounts his trip to Hawaii and Tim talks about a new segment we’re starting next year. For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a...
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Episode 219: Indiana Area Code Day
Today on the show, we have a much needed catch up, with a freewheeling discussion around Tools of the Trade and Fresh Points. We cover the new Blackwing 574, the Field Notes Dream Journals, Bluesky, and even talk about something Andy's only dreamed of — Star Trek wine. For this episode, we…
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Episode 218: I Want To Go To There
For this shorter episode, we’re fighting our pre-US election anxiety by talking about handwriting in digital notebooks. Johnny had a few questions about it that we didn’t have time to ask Roland in the last episode, so instead he turned to Andy and Tim, both who have some experience writing on a...
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Episode 217: Posh Blond English Protagonist (with author Roland Allen)
Tonight, for our special Erasable Book Club episode, we discuss the new book The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper. And who else better to discuss it with, than the book’s author himself, Roland Allen! Roland joins us from the UK to talk about how he researched the book, how the structure…
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Episode 216: Roll On the Wrap On
Tonight we catch up on some Tools of the Trade, from watching too much British TV, to the Allman Brothers. We look at the latest Blackwing release, compare ADHD to stationery, and Andy recaps his trip to Europe. And finally, we reveal our next book club book, which we’ll talk about in the next...
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Episode 215: I Got Spinners on my Xacto (with special guest Leslie Herger)
During our Decade of Pencilcasting celebration, a few folks mentioned that we should talk more about art pencils, and our good friend Leslie Herger from the RSVP Podcast and Comfortable Shoes Studio joined us to do just that! Show Notes and Links Erasable Patreon XOXO 2024 Field Notes Gentleman...
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Episode 214: Original Poison Core
In this episode, we;re taking a break from rooting for Team USA to check in with a midsummer episode about some fun new Blackwings, the latest Field Notes release, and a rousing round of Tools of the Trade to see what we’ve been listening to, reading, and writing with. Show notes and links…
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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...
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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 Links Erasable Patreon Star Trek Discovery Nuclear War: A Scenario Writers Playing Video Games Suits Daisy Jones and the...
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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 Links…
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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 Links Erasable Patreon BIRCH BARK Volume 17,...
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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...
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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…
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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 Links Erasable Patreon Le Voyageur from Write Notepads & Co. Mitsubishi Uni “hahatoco” cat...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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 Links Erasable Patreon Magic Wand Pencils Baron Fig Squire Oracle Baron Fig Squire Draft Blackwing...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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.
HOSTED BY
Tim, Johnny and Andy
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Erasable Podcast have?
The Erasable Podcast currently has 243 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Erasable Podcast about?
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...
How often does The Erasable Podcast release new episodes?
The Erasable Podcast publishes regularly with 243 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Erasable Podcast?
You can listen to The Erasable Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Erasable Podcast?
The Erasable Podcast is created and hosted by Tim, Johnny and Andy.
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