The Penwell Desktop Pen Holder

November 29, 2017

Penwell Co. was formed this year “with the simple goal of making and selling a useful, attractive, and well-built product.” That product is the eponymous Penwell, a pen stand that “turns any pen into a desk pen” and not only comes in quite handy, but looks great at your workspace.

Based in Wallace, South Dakota and run by pen enthusiast Dan Keller, Penwell Co. is “Singularly Focused, Singularly Named.” The company aims to do one thing very well, and by this standard has not only succeeded but should have a bright future.

The Penwell is ingeniously simple, and has only four parts: (1) the base, currently available in either walnut, aluminum, or brass; (2) an internal clip, which grips the pen; (3) a foam insert, which protects and pads the pen cap; and (4) a microsuction pad that adheres to your desk or other surface. The Penwell does not use any sort of adhesive, but rather thousands of tiny microscopic suction cups. The microsuction system works incredibly well. It stays put, and I’ve moved my Penwells multiple times without damaging the finish on my wood desk.

To turn your pen into a desk pen using the Penwell, simply insert the pen cap-first into the foam insert until it’s fully secured. Larger pens and slip cap pens may require further adjustment, and Penwell Co. offers detailed use and care instructions on its website, including pointers on how to make these pens fit. For the record, I’ve had no issues with any of my pens not fitting in the Penwell, including larger pens like the Montblanc 146 and my Kanilea pens (which look absolutely gorgeous in the Walnut version).

Kanilea Pen Co. Nui Nalu fountain pen in the Walnut Penwell. The Penwell matches the wooden box that comes with all Kanilea pens.

The great thing about this product is that it creates versatility. I love desk pens, but I don’t like the fact that a dedicated fountain pen desk set has to stay parked on your desk all the time. I’ve had issues with the ink drying up from disuse. Penwell solves this problem by making it easy to grab your "desk pen" out of the Penwell and go - to a coffee shop or my downtown office, for example - and then re-park the pen in the Penwell once I get home.

Another thing I love about the Penwell: it helps me out with those pens that won't post at all or are too long posted to use comfortably. (Parker’s Modern Duofold and Conklin’s Duragraph are two that recently crossed my desk.) I generally prefer to post my pens, in part because I have so much stuff sitting on my desk at any given time that I tend to lose track of caps or drop them on the floor. These longer, "unpostable" pens are perfect for the Penwell, which will hold the cap while I'm writing. Another problem solved!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Many thanks to Dan at Penwell Co. for sending me these two Penwells and making this review possible. This is one of those well made, thoughtful products that makes you smile and which I have been using every day. Since the Penwell was released just in time for the holiday season, it made its way directly into my 2017 Holiday Gift Guide, and would make a great present for any pen enthusiast.

You can purchase the Penwell directly from the Penwell website. The walnut version costs $49, the aluminum version $59, and the brass $89. These prices are more than fair, given the quality, originality, and obvious effort that went into finalizing and packaging this product.

Disclaimer: Penwell Co. sent me the products featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes.

Ink Review: Noodler's Blue

November 25, 2017

I rarely review an individual ink by itself. I tend to prefer to review them in batches of three or more from a particular line or brand because it makes it easier to see whether the line as whole is consistently good or whether certain inks are outliers. Occasionally, however, an ink will surprise me, and I'll give it its own writeup. One of those inks turned out to be Noodler's Blue.

Ink swab on a Col-O-Ring Ink Testing Book.

Noodler's Blue is one of the standard Noodler's colors, meaning that the ink is not waterproof, "bulletproof," lubricating, glow-in-the-dark, etc. It's straight up water-based fountain pen ink, and I found it to be very well behaved, with a reasonable dry time and no smearing. The color is gorgeous - a bright blue with none of the washed-out look that you sometimes get with standard blues.

While Noodler's Blue isn't what I would call a heavy shader, you will probably see a bit of shading and variations of tone and color with a wider nib.

With an ink this vibrant, I expected to have issues with staining. When I was syringe-filling a pen from a sample vial, I spilled a rather significant amount of Noodler's Blue into a white sink. I'm happy to report that the ink cleaned right up with water and a paper towel, and my marriage survived. That said, I currently have this ink loaded into a TWSBI 580 clear demonstrator, so we'll see how easy that pen can be cleaned out after a few weeks.

A Note on Noodler's

Noodler's gets a bad rap in certain corners of the pen community because some of their inks have a tendency to be "high maintenance," meaning that they can exhibit slow dry times, clog and stain pens, and bleed through what should otherwise be fountain pen friendly paper. A few general observations that I try to keep in mind when using Noodler's:

The brighter, more saturated colors contain high concentrations of dye. These are often beautiful, very unique colors, but be aware that inks with heavy dye loads often have a tendency to smear even after the ink is dry, and can clog a pen if you leave it unattended for too long. I sometimes decant Noodler's Ink into a sample vial and add a couple of drops of water, which dilutes the ink ever so slightly without affecting the color much at all.
Some Noodler's inks are famous for their "special properties." (i.e., the "bulletproof" inks are permanent, the "eel" series contains added lubricant, the "polar" inks won't freeze, etc.) Those properties, however, require adding chemicals to the ink that may impact the ink's performance in everyday writing situations. The trade-off may not be worth it if you don't have a good use-case for an "eternal" ink or one that doesn't freeze. A great guide to the different Noodler's Inks and their special properties can be found at Goulet Pens.
Because so many Noodler's Inks are "permanent" or "bulletproof," that necessarily means that they not only are hard to wash out of paper, but also pens (and carpet). Exercise good judgment when deciding which pens to use with permanent ink - your light-colored vintage celluloid collection isn't the best option here.

Where to Buy

You can purchase a bottle of Noodler's Blue at Anderson Pens. One great thing about Noodler's is the value - you get 3 oz. (90ml) of ink for $12.50. A single bottle of Noodler's will last you a long time, especially if you dilute the more saturated colors with a bit of water, as I discussed above. Each of these glass bottles comes filled to the brim, so be careful when uncapping.

Disclaimer: Anderson Pens sent me this ink sample free of charge, for review purposes. Many thanks to the folks at Anderson Pens for sponsoring the blog and making this review possible.

Pen Review: Giuliano Mazzuoli Officina Ballpoint and Fountain Pen

November 22, 2017

Giuliano Mazzuoli is one of those brands that’s come on and off my radar over the past few years. I recall reading about one of their pens on the now-dormant FPGeeks website four or five years ago, but then they seemed to have dropped out of sight until this year’s D.C. Pen Show, when I noticed them at the table for distributor Luxury Brands. A month or so later, Carol from Luxury Brands reached out and asked whether I would be interested in borrowing some pens for review.

A Bit About Mazzuoli, the Company

Mazzuoli pens are the product of their eponymous designer, and are sold as part of his 3.6.5 sub-brand that focuses on writing instruments. (Giuliano Mazzuoli also designs a line of wristwatches.) Per the company, the pens are made in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy, and the website references a design partnership with motorcycle company Ducati.

While I have a few different Mazzuoli models to review, I figured that I would start with the most classic design, the “Officina,” which Luxury Brands sent me in both a fountain pen and ballpoint version. Capped, the fountain pen and ballpoint look the same: a medium-sized, semi-cigar shaped metal pen (but for a flat back-end), featuring different patterns of knurling on the barrel. The first thing I noticed was the weight: these are very light metal pens, made from aluminum, yet they don’t feel insubstantial. The pens were a touch short for me to use unposted, but posting the cap did not affect the weight and balance at all.

Officina “CassetTa” Ballpoint

The Officina "Cassetta" includes a leather pen sleeve.

The Officina ballpoint (dubbed the “Cassetta”) is my favorite of these two pens. And it’s not just a ballpoint - it’s a convertible clutch pencil! While not a true “multi pen,” the option to swap in a pencil scratches that itch for me, and I love how Mazzuoli includes all of the necessary accessories in the box, so you don’t have to go searching for a lead pointer, etc.

Under the "false bottom" of the box, you'll find three additional Schmidt Easyflow Refills, the clutch pencil insert with multicolor leads, a lead pointer, and an eraser.

One note on the ballpoint’s design: I had to adjust my grip a bit to account for the lack of a smooth section on the Cassetta. In order to avoid holding the pen by the somewhat sharp threads, I had to either slide my grip back higher than I normally would, or move it down almost to the tip. Since I don’t use ballpoints for longer writing sessions, but rather only for shorter notes, this didn’t end up being that big of a deal, but it warrants mentioning here.

Officina Fountain Pen

The fountain pen version of the Officina that I received sported a different design, called “Micrometer Chrome.” While the pen kept the same shape, it featured three “bands” of knurling on an otherwise smooth metal pen. (Note, the fountain pen is also available in the “End Mill” and “Knurler Chrome” designs, if you prefer a completely textured barrel.)

Giuliano Mazzuoli fountain pens feature stock Schmidt stainless steel nibs. Not particularly exciting, but quality and reliable.

The fountain pen does not have the same section as the ballpoint. It instead sports a polished metal section that offers more room to grip the pen, and as a result the Officina fountain pen ended up being quite comfortable during my limited test. Mazzuoli chose to go with a Schmidt stainless steel nib - a reliable German workhorse that is relatively inexpensive, and has the added benefit of keeping the price of the pen down. The Officina uses a cartridge/converter filling system.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Mazzuoli Officina collection is a fun set of writing instruments all around, but if I had to choose, I’d probably go with the Cassetta ballpoint. For starters, it’s a good value, considering what is included in the package. In the box, you receive the pen, three Schmidt Easyflow refills (red, black, and blue), a swappable clutch pencil mechanism, a set of clutch pencil leads, and eraser, lead pointer, and a leather pen sleeve. I love the presentation, and the Officina Cassetta would make a great gift idea for a ballpoint fan who also draws or enjoys writing with pencils. MSRP on the Cassetta ranges from $172-183, depending on the model, with the retailer "street" price typically coming in lower. MSRP on the Officina fountain pen ranges from $103-112 (again, typically with a lower price at actual retail) and also represents good value, but for some reason the uniqueness of the Cassetta "system" really drew me in - I've never seen anything like it on the market.

While more retailers are starting to stock Giuliano Mazzuoli writing instruments, the pens are still relatively difficult to find. Currently, you can purchase them from our sponsor Pen Chalet, who carries both of the Officina pens reviewed here (the fountain pen and the “Cassetta” ballpoint) as well as other available models. Stay tuned for additional reviews!

Disclaimer: These two pens were sent to me on loan by Luxury Brands, the U.S. distributor for Giuliano Mazzuoli writing instruments, as well as Platinum, Noodler’s Ink, and others. Many thanks to Carol for making this review possible. This post contains affiliate links.

EDIT: This post has been modified to clarify some information on pricing.

Notebook Review: Action Method Notebooks

November 15, 2017

“Action Method” notebooks have been around for a while, and are one of a handful of products I’ve reviewed here that could be considered “mainstream.” (As in, I have a colleague at work who swears by the Action Method notetaking system, and only uses these notebooks. He actually found them on his own, too, as opposed to me enabling him.) You may have seen these notebooks marketed in the past as the "Behance Action Method" notebooks, and the current iteration is a collaboration between designers at Behance and Ghostly, two boutique design houses.

The Action Method Notebook is a great basic, black spiral-bound book that will seamlessly blend in around the office.

Action Method sent me two notebooks for review: a standard dot grid spiral bound notebook, and a notebook in their “Action Method” format. The "method" itself is a riff on Cornell-style notetaking, where the page is divided into two or more sections: one for actually taking notes from a lecture/meeting, and another section for synthesizing the notes into themes or, as here, action items. With the Action Book, “[f]our distinct zones on each page help you to get the most out of meetings and everyday brainstorm sessions.”

Action Method notebooks are “designed to help push projects forward, by organizing ideas with a focus on action steps.”

The notebooks are double spiral-bound and all feature a durable black “hard suede” cover. These are sturdy notebooks that should stand up to some considerable daily abuse in your bag or around the office. The paper is 80lb, 30% recycled blend, which Action Method calls “via Vellum cool white." I’d compare it to Doane or Miquelrius paper in terms of how well it stands up to fountain pen ink: you’ll be ok with extra fine or fine nibs, but with a medium or broader you should expect a bit of bleed or show through. The recycled paper has a nice pleasant tooth to it, though the texture may be a bit much for ultra extra fine fountain pens or “ultra micro” Japanese gel pens.

Finally, I want to discuss something that many notebook makers ignore, but which I absolutely love about these notebooks: page perforations. The Action Method notebooks are double perforated for maximum versatility. If you aren’t someone who tears pages out of your notebooks, and prefers to use separate notebooks for different topics, you can certainly do that here. On the other hand, if you’re like me at the office, I tend to organize my notes and papers in folders or binders, and sometimes need to scan individual sheets for electronic storage or distribution. That’s impossible - well, not impossible, just really messy - with a nonperforated hardbound notebook or a spiral notebook without perforations where you’re left with a torn “fringe” at the top or side of the page. Here, the double perforation gives you the immediate option of having a plain sheet for scanning/foldering, or a three-hole punched sheet to stick in a three-ring binder. (Yes, people still use those in a law office.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I like the Action Method notebooks. While the “Action Method” notetaking system itself isn’t necessarily something that I use on a daily basis, these are well-built notebooks and I wish more notebook companies would incorporate the double perforation. I can see this one having a place in my stationery toolkit, especially at work.

You can order the Action Notebooks directly from the Action Method website. The price on these notebooks ($16) is fair, though maybe a bit on the high side for a notebook with only 50 pages. To compare, a similar-sized Rhodia spiral notebook gives you 80 sheets for a few dollars less, and the Rhodia “Meeting Book” costs a few dollars more but also gives you 80 perforated sheets. I’m not especially cost-sensitive when it comes to notebooks, especially workhorses that I use around the office, and I do think the price is fair, but in the interest of providing an accurate description of where these sit in the market I figured I would mention it here.

Disclaimer: I was provided these two notebooks free of charge for review purposes. Many thanks to the team at Action Method for making this review possible

Baron Fig Confidant Cover by One Star Leather Goods

November 11, 2017

I’ve more or less settled on the Baron Fig Confidant as my preferred hardbound notebook. The combination of value, size, and paper quality make it an excellent choice for my day-to-day work. That said, I’m pretty rough on my notebooks, and cloth covers like the ones that Baron Fig uses can eventually look pretty grungy, especially if you’re carting them around in a bag full of graphite dust, ink, etc. I’m all for a little Wabi-Sabi here and there, but I don’t go through notebooks that quickly, and I’ve been in the market for an attractive leather cover that would both look great and extend the life of my Confidants.

One-Star-Leather-Baron-Fig-Confidant-Cover

One-Star Leather Goods, run by Keegan Uhl, has been many people’s go-to source for custom handmade leather products for years. Keegan emphasizes durability, craftsmanship, and using top quality materials, offering excellent leather products at a fair price. You may have seen reviews of Keegan’s pen sleeves (particularly for the Kaweco Sport), wallets, and recent collaboration with Nock Co. on a leather Fodderstack. So when Keegan reached out asking if I’d like to review one of the Confidant covers in advance of his “holiday rush,” it really was a no-brainer.

The hand stitching on my Confidant cover is pretty much flawless. Also, the leather is soft to the touch while still feeling sturdy, if that makes sense. None of that "plasticky" feel that you sometimes get with cheaper notebook covers.

This particular notebook cover is entirely handmade in chestnut harness leather from Wickett & Craig. While I generally prefer brown or cordovan leather, the Confidant cover is also available in black. I’ve carried the cover for the past month or so, and while it’s accumulated a few dings and scratches here and there, that’s part of the charm. Leather goods will not stay pristine. Scuffs and scratches add character as your notebook cover takes on that worn, “vintage” look. In order to maximize its life, Keegan recommends that you apply leather balm periodically, which is relatively inexpensive and sold by One Star Leather. (Note: A jar will last you a long time - a little goes a long way.)

Keegan also sent over this gorgeous pen sleeve in red leather. It's become another regular addition to my pen carry.

Those of you who use hardcover planners may want to consider investing in a leather cover to ensure your book makes it through the year intact. Also, if you’re not a Baron Fig user, worry not, because One Star Leather offers many more options for notebooks made by Hobonichi, Leuchtturm, Nanami Paper (Seven Seas), Moleskine, Midori, and more. I chose to review one of the more basic notebook covers, but others are available with card pockets, pen loops, snap closures, etc.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

One-Star Leather makes an exceptionally sturdy and attractive leather notebook cover that will age well and should last a very long time. I look forward to enjoying this one for years to come. You can order One-Star Leather products through the Etsy storefront or directly from the One-Star Leather website. Keegan’s pricing is extremely reasonable. The leather Confidant cover reviewed here costs $75 and comes preloaded with a lined Baron Fig Confidant notebook ($18 value).

Guest appearance by my Ryan Krusac Legend (Cocobolo with Turquoise Inlay)!

Earlier I mentioned the “holiday rush.” Because One-Star Leather is a small operation, you need to provide plenty of lead time if you want to have your product by Christmas. If you are interested in a custom item, be sure to place your order by Thanksgiving.

Disclaimer: I received the product featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. Many thanks to Keegan and One Star Leather Goods. I’m an Etsy affiliate, so because One-Star Leather’s store is powered by Etsy, all links here are affiliate links.