I’ve received a few questions via social media and e-mail over the past couple of weeks about a product that I’m now selling in the T.G.S. Curated Shop: Book Darts. Since Tuesdays are generally pretty quiet around here, I thought I’d take a few minutes to do a quick post explaining Book Darts and why they might be one of my favorite pieces of non-pen/paper stationery that I keep on my desk.
Book Darts are pretty simple products, really. Each “Dart” is a paper thin, precision-cut folded metal clip that slides onto a page from your book or notebook. Since Book Darts are pointed, you can use them to mark entire pages or specific passages or lines. Because they’re so thin, you can stick dozens of Darts into a book without noticeably increasing bulk. Importantly, Book Darts are “archivally safe,” meaning that they don’t damage paper. The company states on their website that they “have tested our Darts on varieties of paper under accelerated heat and humidity conditions, and they have never imparted any stain to any page.”
This Nanami Paper Cafe Note currently has at least six Book Darts marking various sections. Closed, you can barely tell, even on super-thin Tomoe River paper.
While a Book Dart is not the same thing as a standard bookmark, you can certainly use them that way. Most people, however, view them as replacements for dog-eared pages, paperclips, sticky notes, or whatever else you might use to flag pages in a book you’re reading, a journal, or a notebook. Book Darts are reusable, and you can remove them or move them about as you like.
On the left, a standard Book Darts tin, and on the right, my custom tins sold in the store!
I currently sell Book Darts in tins of 50, in either stainless steel, brass, or bronze, as well as in sleeves of 12 or 18 Darts that feature a mix of all three metals. They’re a fairly inexpensive tool to add to your workflow, and one that I find incredibly helpful as I do a lot of reading and research that requires me to come back to revisit passages I’ve read or notes I’ve taken, even years later.
The sleeves ship with a folded “bookmark sheet” of 18 mixed darts - you can use it as a bookmark while you read, holding your Darts until you want to mark a page. These are great for travel!
If you like the look of a Book Dart, but perhaps want something more durable for use as a more traditional bookmark, consider these sterling silver Page Points by WMS & Co. (sold as a set of three). They have the streamlined profile of a Book Dart, but will likely hold up better to repeated use over time as the metal is quite a bit thicker and they’re actually intended for long-term bookmark use. They’ll also take on a nice patina, or you can polish them to maintain the shine.
Disclaimer: I am an authorized retailer of Book Darts, and all links are to my own shop. This post does not contain affiliate links.