I'm A Sad, Pathetic Stationery Junkie.

[A Smug Dill]

 

I just have to be a little bit organised.

I am — or was, before even opened bottles wouldn't all fit inside my desk any more now — organised with my inks, but how I store spare converters, nibs, etc. is a total mess.

 

I am certainly looking forward to visiting our store again - having three nearby is unthinkable,

 

You inspired me to visit two of my local Daiso stores today, in search of better storage solutions for converters and components, but it sadly wasn't surprising that I ended up spending over an hour testing and deciding on storage solutions for the "overflow" of opened bottle inks that won't all fit inside my desk any more. It was certainly premeditated; I brought a bunch of different ink bottles, of the types that most need relocating, with me on each trip to test the suitability of different storage products in store.

 

I ended up buying half a dozen of these (for A$2.80 each), which are almost perfect for storage Diamine 30ml and 80ml bottles:

 

 

 

 

They are obviously designed to stack stably, each with feet that would neatly fit the indentations on the cover of the one below. Having a handle, in particular one that folds away out of the way when not in use, is very convenient too.

 

All six of them are just about completely filled now; and only one of them contains entirely new and unopened bottles. That's roughly the scale of the "overflow", literally contained for now, and so I didn't end up getting any of these:

 

 

which are the perfect size for storing Herbin 'La Perle des Encres' 30ml bottles, and possibly Lamy T53 Crystal Ink bottles (which I didn't have with me at Daiso) — but probably not any other readily recognisable bottles of the common fountain pen ink brands — whether you choose to use the product standing up as a display case or lying down as a (stackable) partitioned tray.

 

This series of cube cases comes in different sizes and configurations:

 

I think there's a '2 Cube' case as well. The '4 Cube' and '3 Cube' cases cost the same, so the latter is relatively poorer value for money — but, of course, if you really want the 3x1 configuration for stacking then that's just what you have to pay for it — and so is the former in contrast to this:

 

 

when the Large tray holds sixteen bottles of Herbin ink (with a little bit of useless extra room to spare). The Medium tray in that series isn't very useful for storing ink bottles, though.

[XYZZY]

Thanks for the overview! I guess I should check my local Daiso first to see if they have those, but that really makes me want to go buy a bunch of 30ml Diamine bottles

[AmandaW]

 

I ended up buying half a dozen of these (for A$2.80 each), which are almost perfect for storage Diamine 30ml and 80ml bottles:

 

Those very good, but our Daiso asks $3.30...

 

Did you find a solution for sorting and storing cartridges?

[A Smug Dill]

Those very good, but our Daiso asks $3.30...

Two (i.e. Haymarket and Chippendale) out of the three Daiso — which I suspect are the franchise stores — in my area wanted $3.80 for the same 'handy box' product shown above but with a different product label, which clearly states the domestic price is ¥150. Their translation of domestic pricing to Australian pricing keeps changing and creeping up, and it's annoying that they don't just do it in one go, and now it seems they are not always consistent for a particular domestic price even on the same day. There's even one product (essentially the same as the trays made of woven colourful straps shown in this photo, but in a sombre monotone neutral colour) that went up to $3.80, but new stock I saw yesterday was $2.80 again. Now I treat those stores with a fair amount of dislike and distrust.

 

The Sydney CBD, on the other hand, sells 'everything' (other than food and mobile phone covers, as far as I'm aware) in its stock for a consistent A$2.80 irrespective of whether the Japanese domestic price is ¥100, ¥150 or ¥200; it simply doesn't carry too many products with a ¥200 domestic price, and none of the relatively more expensive Daiso products at ¥250 or above.

 

Did you find a solution for sorting and storing cartridges?

Yes, there are a few compartmentalised boxes (nominally for holding beads, pins and other hobby/craft stuff) that could fit the bill, but I have so many converters — and the Japanese ones tend to still be in their retail packaging — that it's challenging to find something organised but compact.

 

I bought one of these:

 

 

with (some) removable internal partitions, and it can work for loose nibs, feeds, converters etc. There's another Daiso product (made in Korea) with three fixed walls partitioning the rectangular space breadth-wise into four columns, with removable partitions that are almost infinitely adjustable within each column; that could also do the trick. Neither of those boxes is going to hold the contents of my crate of Japanese converters and cartridges, though.

 

I'm also looking for something that will hold assorted pieces of my stamping kit together:

 

with about the same sized footprint, but that could be a challenge.

[essayfaire]

Those very good, but our Daiso asks $3.30...

 

Did you find a solution for sorting and storing cartridges?

Ammo boxes (like the ones you would get at a hunting/fishing store) work well for storing cartridges, as do old cigarette cases. The trick is to remove the cartridges from the boxes in which they arrived. I have had some luck with tackle boxes as well, especially the ones that have multiple telescoping levels.

[SpecTP]

I just picked up this collection of paper from jetpens. https://www.jetpens.com/Yamamoto-Fountain-Pen-Friendly-Paper-Collection/pd/28400

it has pages of paper from 18 manufacturers collected in one place. A bit of an impulse buy, but I like trying out different paper and gauge their qualities for my own.

Edited September 23, 2020 by SpecTP

[inkypete]

I am worried - this thread has been quiet for a few weeks. Surely someone has succumbed to the pleasures in that time?

[AmandaW]

I am worried - this thread has been quiet for a few weeks. Surely someone has succumbed to the pleasures in that time

 

Do samples count? Smug Dill sent some that have added many more bottles of ink to my wish list, indeed several of them are in the Must Order Immediately category. And two Daiso pens as well - both we still don't have at our store. I was lucky enough yesterday to travel the 130km to check, because I just had to know. It's very difficult to be a long-distance stationery junkie.

 

Edited to add: I have been considering ordering the new TWSBI Eco because it's grey, but nervous because I got a defective one some months ago and don't want to go through that again. Ever. Like any good addict, I'm thinking if I can find a dealer who will test it before shipping... Or maybe instead of facing my fear I should look for a nice grey Lamy instead.

Edited October 17, 2020 by AmandaW

[inkypete]

Still no retail in Melbourne so I am waiting to get to my Daiso and check out these FPs.

[A Smug Dill]

Surely someone has succumbed to the pleasures in that time?

 

 

I'm sure it gets boring for others to keep hearing how my stash of Paperblanks journals just grows bigger and bigger. Now the count is at 83.

[N1003U]

I'm sure it gets boring for others to keep hearing how my stash of Paperblanks journals just grows bigger and bigger. Now the count is at 83.

Given the title of this thread, your posts seem to me to be spot on topic...😃

 

I am down to my last 5 pads of Rhodia dot grid and I am beginning to have concern over such a low level of inventory.

 

I also find myself a little bit irritated because Rhodia-branded Clairefontaine papers are for whatever reason somewhat difficult to find in B&M shops here in Germany along east side of the Rhine (less than 40km from the Clairefontaine factory where the pads are manufactured), while they are almost ubiquitous along the west side (in the Alsace). Ordinarily, it is not a big deal to pick up a few pads when I happen to be in France, but with a second pandemic wave building, crossing the border without hassle is not necessarily a given.

 

Of course I can order paper on-line, but what is the fun in that when one has the option to go look at and touch the paper?

 

Is the strange geographic availability an ironic quirk of paper marketing, or is the EU perhaps not as united as they pretend to be? 😃 NB: a wide selection/range of German-made Oxford Papier (Hamelin GmbH, 31028 Gronau/Leine) products ARE easy to find, as are cheap Clairefontaine stapled/folded school notebooks, but the mid-and upper ranges of Clairefontaine products are, at least in my limited experience, more difficult.

 

Is there anyone else here in SW Germany (SW Germany for this purpose defined as SW of Stuttgart, and especially anywhere west of the Black Forest) who knows a shop that carries Rhodia-branded papers?

[stacybean]

I am worried - this thread has been quiet for a few weeks. Surely someone has succumbed to the pleasures in that time?

[stacybean]

If anything my paper issues seem intensified. Ive purchased the Galen 400 page Tomoe River journal and a great set of Vanguards from Baron Fig with New York scenes on them. I stockpile Field Notes that I dont manage to use.

[inkypete]

We Victorians are no longer under house arrest. Off to Daiso on Saturday morning to check stocks of the small Apica style noteblocks and to see if they have any of their FPs in stock. Simple pleasures I have missed. Also a Milligram there so that's also worth a wander.

[A Smug Dill]

Also a Milligram there so that's also worth a wander.

 

 

Milligram's pretty much off my list now for browsing from time to time, ever since they refreshed their web site platform and changed the pricing on most items (e.g. Pilot Iroshizuku and De Atramentis inks, which as far as I know was not because the respective manufacturers or local distributors raised their RRPs; and Rhodia products, which seems to have been in response to the regional distributor raising prices).

 

We've received the 84th Paperblanks journal purchased, which my wife graciously took to keep in her stash while "laying down the law", and declared last week, "Dill! No more Paperblanks! I don't have any more space to store what you order!"

[AmandaW]

We Victorians are no longer under house arrest. Off to Daiso on Saturday morning to check stocks of the small Apica style noteblocks and to see if they have any of their FPs in stock. Simple pleasures I have missed. Also a Milligram there so that's also worth a wander.

Congratulations! If we had a Milligram, I would definitely be going for a look, just because I could. Likewise, I hope your Daiso yields a treat. We will require a report.

[A Smug Dill]

Milligram is offering Studio Milligram A5 notebooks with red linen covers and 192 ruled 80gsm pages for $10 each, through Milligram Outlet (which doesn't offer free shipping no matter how much you buy in a single order) only. When I tried just now, it seemed to allow me to put 200 units on the same order without protest on account of available stock level. (No, I didn't actually go ahead and buy any.)

 

The same type of notebook with dot grid pages are $20 each... and Milligram calls that a clearance price. Ha!

Edited October 27, 2020 by A Smug Dill

[Runnin_Ute]

I realized this afternoon that I only have a few sheets left of Tomoe River 52gsm (A4) in the current opened package. Time to get at least one more. I do have at least one to open up.....

[Misfit]

I bought an Exceed 100gsm notebook from Walmart because I read about it in the comments of an ink review blog while FPN was down. Another notebook with no plans on how to use it. But it’s supposed to really show off the green sheen of Waterman Tender Purple, and that ink is in an Edison Menlo with a 1.5mm nib.  Maybe it will become another notebook to write down pen and ink.

[Karmachanic]

3 Elia Note TR A5s with minor defects ordered and on the way. Not worried about the defects, as they get recycled when filled. I may have to order more, as that will bring me up to only 12 A5 TR, plus 4 Stalogy 😳