I'm A Sad, Pathetic Stationery Junkie.

[Misfit]

Yesterday I received the Clairefontaine Neo Deco Constellations notebook from Atlas Stationers. I tried to buy it twice from Goldspot, and was sent one that looks like hexagons, and the peacock covers. They could just cancel that, and not send an alternative. 

[AmandaW]

A visit to Daiso today yielded a 3-pack of 4B Kitaboshi pencils and a rectangular ceramic tray. I think the the tray is meant for serving food, but it's long enough to hold pencils etc so I'll  be using it for that. Should look nice on my desk. That makes it stationery, right?

 

 

[ParramattaPaul]

Has anyone tried using the 'stone's paper with fountain pens?

[Penguincollector]

39 minutes ago, ParramattaPaul said:

Has anyone tried using the 'stone's paper with fountain pens?

  I have heard that stone paper feathers, and there were concerns about it messing up tipping material (or maybe untipped nibs, I can’t remember) on a video I watched, but I haven’t looked into it any further. 

[ParramattaPaul]

12 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

  I have heard that stone paper feathers, and there were concerns about it messing up tipping material (or maybe untipped nibs, I can’t remember) on a video I watched, but I haven’t looked into it any further. 

My concern us that it might be abrasive, so your comments about it affecting tipping material is not surprising.

[Penguincollector]

21 minutes ago, ParramattaPaul said:

My concern us that it might be abrasive, so your comments about it affecting tipping material is not surprising.

   Yes, I would worry that it would act like micromesh after a time. 

[Runnin_Ute]

Got the latest Levenger catalog/mailer in the mail today. Of course, I spent some time perusing it. Always something that looks interesting. Today was no different. One of those this time was something they call a Writer's Traveling Tool Box. Made of alder. Or a Circa Writing A Novel Workbook (for those that are interested in that kind of thing)

 

After reading Joshua Danley's review of the new Pelikan M200 Copper Rose Gold pen spent some time looking at it onine today.

[Misfit]

@Runnin_Ute I’ve noticed those. Please let us know how you like it, once you’ve used it.  

[Penguincollector]

  I bought a very soft leather 4 pen case in antique brown by cirollgico from the consignment lot I was helping price. I found out the lot belonged to an old coworker’s father, it’s nice to help out my community.

[Runnin_Ute]

On 3/31/2024 at 1:41 AM, Misfit said:

@Runnin_Ute I’ve noticed those. Please let us know how you like it, once you’ve used it.  

 

I haven't bought it. If, I do, I will. I suspect it will be like most M200's of which I have a few. (Cognac, Brown Marbled, Gold Marbled, Blue Marbled (old style), M205 DUO (BB),

 

[pucipatas]

On 3/23/2024 at 5:49 AM, AmandaW said:

A visit to Daiso today yielded a 3-pack of 4B Kitaboshi pencils and a rectangular ceramic tray. I think the the tray is meant for serving food, but it's long enough to hold pencils etc so I'll  be using it for that. Should look nice on my desk. That makes it stationery, right?

 

 

We’re getting a Daiso locally this summer. I’m terribly excited to check it out in person. 

[Misfit]

☹️ I wish a Daisy would open up close to me. 
 

Awhile ago I got a Leuchtturm notebook in Berry with dotted paper. I wish I’d bought lined. I compared the two, and the lines are spaced probably 1mm wider than dotted paper.  I was looking online for Berry with ruled paper. It is at a few sites, but not always with ruled paper. Leuchtturm has it on their website. I missed getting it at Barnes and Noble for $16 and change. 

[OregonJim]

Ok, so I made myself an A6-sized Traveler's Notebook style cover out of water buffalo leather (inspired by a similar design made by September Leather).  It turned out gorgeous - I love the dark brown color and texture (the picture looks washed out compared to in person).  I woodburned an oval birch nametag to slip onto the elastic band that holds the notebook closed, and stained the edges a matching brown.  After getting it all set up with my calendar, planner, journal, sketchbook, and wallet inserts (made those, too), I found that none of my writing instruments really complemented the color and feel of the cover.  I have two pen loops sewn into the cover, plus a third (removable) one that is attached to an insert.

 

I've spent the past two weeks searching for, and ordering, and receiving, a matching brown pocket fountain pen (chestnut-brown anodized aluminum HongDian M2), a matching brown Pilot Hi-Tec Coleto multi-pen (for planner duty) , and a matching brown Pentel Sharp Kerry 0.5mm mechanical pencil.  The closest brown(ish) ink for the fountain pen I have on hand is Diamine Writer's Blood, which is close enough for now - but I'm sure two or three brown inks are bound to be incoming.

 

Oh, and I'm making another cover in A5 size out of the remaining leather.  It will probably need the same treatment.

 

Something is wrong with me.

 

 

[Penguincollector]

Beautiful work,  @OregonJim!

[SLinkster]

1 hour ago, OregonJim said:

closest brown(ish) ink for the fountain pen I have on hand is Diamine Writer's Blood, which is close enough for now - but I'm sure two or three brown inks are bound to be incoming.

 

That's a lovely notebook cover! Did you do the stitching by hand? Do you have a way to easily replace the elastic keeper when it tires out?

 

A nice mahogany-brown ink is Monteverde Red Velvet. I don't yet have it in a pen but my swatches show it as a rich brown with red undertones. 

[SLinkster]

Quick paper review. I received this paper free of charge as part of the Amazon Vine program. My only obligation is to provide an honest review of the product, which I will be posting to my Amazon account shortly.

 

Arrtx Marker Paper Pad 2 Pack,11x 8 inch,56 sheets,18LB/70GSM,Glue-Bound,Acid-free Art Marker Pad for Alcohol,Acrylic Markers Drawing

MSRP $18.99 (as of 04/05/2024 there's a 20% off coupon available, bringing the price down to $15.20 plus tax plus the amortized cost of your Prime account to cover shipping)

 

Packaging: Two pads arrived tightly wrapped/taped into bubblewrap, in the usual Amazon brown recyclable padded envelope. The pads were shrink-wrapped together, fronts facing out. Individual pads were further shrink-wrapped. I appreciate the care in wrapping to ensure the paper arrived without any bashed corners, but there could be one less layer of shrink on a 2-pack.

 

Presentation: The cover of each pad is a slightly textured, frosted sheet of plastic over a glossy cardstock cover showing the pad's particulars. The chipboard backing is heavy-duty and can easily double as a writing surface. Pages are securely glued at the top but easily removed. Overall impression is of a sturdy go-anywhere pad.

 

At 14 cents per sheet this paper is not cost-effective for notes, but could be a good option for slow art. 

 

Tested with my current pen+ink pairs as shown in the photo.

• A4 paper goes through my Canon ColorJet with no problem.
• Paper is "squeaky" under all Pelikan nibs tested (EF/B/B steel, 18kt M) with three Edelstein inks and one Monteverde ink.
• Paper is "squeaky" under a Kirk Speer A-nib with Levenger Pinkly ink. This ink is also the only ink that showed any bleed-through - just a couple of dots.
• Paper is toothy with the Sailor H-F 21kt nib and Sailor Jentle Black.
• All other nibs skated right along. 
• Inks that sheen did their thing, though you can't see that in my scan.
• Inks that shade did their thing, some more than others.
• Surprisingly, the Noodler's Stockyard Signature behaved VERY nicely on this paper. Every other paper I've tried it on (with maybe two exceptions) the stuff has been poorly behaved. On this paper it went down, stayed put, and dried fast.
• Ghosting is exaggerated in my scan. In person the ghosting is minimal and would not bother me at all were I taking notes using both sides of the page.

[Misfit]

I bought four notebooks on amazon that are Eclipse themed. The only hardcover one arrived today. 
 

 

It has one black ribbon bookmark, a gold elastic strap, and a pocket in the back. The pages are lined, lack numbers, and are cream colored. 
 

The other three I ordered are paperback. One is for the 2017 eclipse that was my first total solar eclipse. Two are for the 2024 eclipse. One has a map on the cover, the other has an eclipse image (the Diamond ring).

[pucipatas]

I’ve gone down another rabbit hole searching for paper. Anyone else have any resources, local or online that they use for paper to play with?  I’ve heard about hammermill 24, 28, and 32 lb being good for fountain pens. But I also learned about Mohawk superfine and vellum paper like is used in Rhodia notebooks.  I’ve also tried out a few sale notebook packs from Amazon in A5 and B5 sizes, and while the paper is fountain pen friendly, they’re both ivory/cream colored. Now I’m on the hunt for white…

[DilettanteG]

On 4/7/2024 at 11:26 AM, Misfit said:

I bought four notebooks on amazon that are Eclipse themed. The only hardcover one arrived today. 
 

 

It has one black ribbon bookmark, a gold elastic strap, and a pocket in the back. The pages are lined, lack numbers, and are cream colored. 
 

The other three I ordered are paperback. One is for the 2017 eclipse that was my first total solar eclipse. Two are for the 2024 eclipse. One has a map on the cover, the other has an eclipse image (the Diamond ring).

I love the idea of a commemorative notebook! I’ve purchased a couple of soft cover Graphic Image traveller journals for trips, but now need to take the actual trips to use them.

[SLinkster]

On 4/7/2024 at 11:05 PM, pucipatas said:

I’ve gone down another rabbit hole searching for paper. Anyone else have any resources, local or online that they use for paper to play with?  I’ve heard about hammermill 24, 28, and 32 lb being good for fountain pens. But I also learned about Mohawk superfine and vellum paper like is used in Rhodia notebooks.  I’ve also tried out a few sale notebook packs from Amazon in A5 and B5 sizes, and while the paper is fountain pen friendly, they’re both ivory/cream colored. Now I’m on the hunt for white…

HP premium 32# is dense and smooth, some inks take a long time to dry on it because it is not at all absorptive. The 24# is almost as good and slightly cheaper. Both are (I believe) 96 white, very white. 

 

Mohawk superfine shows quite a but of feathering but it's good with dry inks and narrow nibs. 

 

I'll scan some of my sample sheets for you tomorrow.