For months now, I’ve seen all the pen dudes raving about the Dudek Modern Products The Groove ($55) — this gorgeous solid wood walnut block with holes for pens and a slot for the ubiquitous Field Notes books (or similar) and I thought “Wow, that’s a pretty manly product.” I confess, I thought it was a “Guy Thing”. Then Mr. Mike Dudek kindly sent me one and, holy smokes, was I ever impressed! It is beautifully finished with a smooth satin stain, the edges are ever-so-slightly rounded in a way that makes you want to touch this block, to fill it with your favorite notebooks and writing tools and set it proudly on your desk.
As soon as it arrived, I filled it with a few of my favorite things. My vintage Esterbrooks (and my lone Parker Duofold) look fantastic against the warm wood block. The Field Notes Salesman Edition is almost a perfect match for the color finish on The Groove.
I was able to fit four Field Notes into the “groove” comfortably and Mike sent me The Groove model with 0.5″ holes for pens. Mike also offers a version of The Groove with three 0.675″ holes in the center row for larger diameter pens. All the fountain pens, my Karas Kustoms RETRAKT and Retro 51 all fit easily into the 0.5″ holes. The only pen I had that is large enough to require a larger diameter hole is the Kaweco Student.
If you are not interested in storing pocket notebooks, Mike also makes The Cube ($40) which is just a 9-hole walnut wood cube and is also gorgeous.
I knew The Groove would be well-crafted and perfectly created for its task but I didn’t realize how much I would like it. It really is fabulously beautifully and suitable for any well-appointed desk. Just just for dudes!
Now, for the giveaway! Mike has graciously offered one Groove to a lucky reader here at The Well-Appointed Desk. To enter, leave a comment and tell me which of your pens or pencils are worthy of such a classy home.
FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Friday, November 1, 2013. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? One entry per person, please. Winner will be announced on Saturday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 30 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Fulfillment will be handled through Clicky Post/Dudek Modern Goods and this giveaway is open to US and international readers.
DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Dudek Modern Products AKA Clicky Post for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
I have a Parker Vacumatic from the 40s that would look stunning in a block like that. Of course, my Noodler Ahab and a couple of others would have to join it for posterity sake…
The storage honor would have to go to my collection of vintage Parker pens and my Field Notes Night Sky books!
Lamy, Karas Kustoms, Kaweco, Rotring… My modest but growing collection could use some more room.
Would love to win! My Lamy Vista and my Retro51 Tornado Crossword pencil would fit this nicely…
As follows: The Levenger tortoise shell true writer needs such a home. Because it’s sleek and modern, my Midori fountain pen. Additionally, because they get such use, my Ohto F Spirit and Kaweco. As for the slot, that will hold all the plain, blank 3 x 5 cards, as well as a cahier….or probably a Clairefontaine (my favorite because of the awesome paper).
Love your blog! Only Rotring or Lamy in this holder! And Field Notes.
I’ve got an old Mabie Todd Swallow that would look incredible in that holder. Thanks for hosting this contest!
I have a Lamy and a couple of nice Esterbrooks that would look swell in this holder. And once that vintage Pelican is restored it would move to number one on the list. Nice to see a fellow estie fan! (Just found your blog through Gourmet Pens.)
I have vintage Parker pens that would look really pretty in that holder! Thanks!
I’m not sure if I’d be storing my Hi-Tec-C Maica pens or my J. Herbin Rollerballs or possibly my collection of fountain pens, but I’m pretty sure my Rhodiarama journal would fit instead of pocket notebooks!
I have to say the my Kaweco Special mechanical pencil side by side with my Kara’s Render K would be a beautiful sight in the groove.
I’ve don’t think I own a pen worthy enough…yet! I’ve got a start Pilot fountain pen I’m trying out.
Hmm…a Levenger True Writer or two, a P51 with a Kullock cap…almost anything would look good in that lovely holder!
My Parker 51, my Lamy Safari, my Parker Vac, my Parker 100, my Sheaffer Touchdown, and my Nemosine Singularity will all be up there on the list.
A Render-K, Bolt and Retrakt from Karas Kustons. A Lamy Safari, Rotring Ballpoint and Prometheus Writes. Finally the three Hi-Tec-C (red, blue, navy) for interface design.
My pilot vanishing point!
I just received a random and unexpected gift from my Mum who knows that I am into fountain pens. She had a bunch of pens and pen parts from an elderly gentleman that she visited and wondered whether I could make use of any of them. Most of it was junk in terrible condition, but the one useable piece turned out to be a Parker 51 in great condition. It has cleaned up beautifully and would look great in this block.
Let’s see… Lamy Studio, Pilot 78G, Prera, Falcon, 91 the old Parker Vectors, mb 114, 144 …
Hello!although it really looks solid and “manly” I couldn’t help thinking that it would serve perfectly as an air freshener, once (or twice) sprayed with my favourite fragnance!of course, my PILOT 78G along with my girlish styled Midori (not so stylish like Lisa’s http://livingwithliisa.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/midori-travelers-notebook/ but I am getting there) would make a perfect couple in such a safe nest! keeping my fingers crossed and waiting…
I have a flock of Pelikans looking for a place to nest!
my pilot metropolitan would looks really nice in that!
but so would all my sharpies….
My TWSBIs would love to hang out together in the block!
Perfect for my 3 sets of 3:
Lamy Vista,Safari,&ALstar,
Pilot Prera, Metropolitan,& Vanishing Point, and
Retro 51 black matte, Jefferson, stainless…
And 3 Field Notes: County Fair, Night Sky, Drink local
Gorgeous chunk o’wood, there. Perfect parking place for a Sharpie Pen, Itoya Finepoint .2, Kuru Toga .5, and an old Pentel P225 .5
That is beautiful… Would do any desk proud!
I’m not sure what should go in there, but I’m sure that I have the pens to fill it up. Probably with whatever I’m writing with most that week. Right now it’s a Wahl Skyliner in mint green and a Rotring 600 in black.
Which pens are worthy? All are. But if I have to choose…my Pilot Falcon, Parker Vacumatic and 51, Platinum Cool and Century, TWSBI Micarta and Vac700, Mabie and Todd Swan, and Waterman 52. That’s nine right? Beautiful stand!
Having this beautiful piece on my desk would definitely inspire me to up my FP game!
This would fit in perfectly on my desk at work. And my Parker 51s and Esterbrooks would look beautiful in this.
I’ve got a beautiful blue Recife pen that would look great in Mr. Dudek’s Groove. Now, choosing which 4 Field Notes books would go in there is another matter entirely!
that would Absolutely stunning on my mission style desk with a couple of Mont Blancs, Pelikans, Namikis, Cross and Lamy’s tucked nicely inside.
I have a lovely green vintage Sheaffer Prelude that would look, well lovely and would fit perfectly. (A pen that proves not everything made in the 70s was bad.) My slightly less lovely, non-vintage pens would also get to stay as well.
Good question! I would have to go with my Lamy Safari, two Pilot Metropolitans, a Pentel Energel, a Pilot Acroball, and a General’s Cedar Pointe. I’d keep the rest of the slots open to whatever I’m feeling for the week. Awesome giveaway!
I don’t have a gigantic collection but have out grown my tray. I think that a couple of non-ring Conklins and an Aurora would be a good start.
The Dude’s work is gorgeous. Thanks for doing this giveaway.
I would put a Lamy Safari, a Lamy Vista, a Lamy Al-Star, a TWSBI Diamond 580, a Pelikan M200, a Kaweco Ica-Sport, a Scrikss Peak, a Pilot 78G and a Hero 616 Jumbo.
Thanks for the giveaway…
I would love to be able to display my vintage pen collection more prominently on my desk top.
I have a TWSBI, 2 Lamy’s, and soon, a Pilot Decimo that need a home beside my MTN.
I’d definitely store my Tombow Zoom 101 and Sharbo X carbon fiber pens in it. I think that the contrast of more traditional material (wood) and more modern material (carbon fiber) would look sharp.
I would pair the pen holder with some carbon fiber pens (Tombow Zoom 101, Zebra Sharbo X, etc). The contrast of materials would look great (in my opinion).
Very handsome product. If I win I would use it to store my vintage pens: Sheaffer snorkels, Esterbrooks, …
That would look stunning on my desk filled with Lamy, Mont Blanc, Montverde, and other lovelies…
That looks great! I like the look of your vintage pens in there and I would probably do the same.
I would put my pelikan m600 ruby red, platinum, bourgogne, edison pearl (in wine acrylic), lamy al star in ruby and turn it into a “red” themed pen block!
My trusty Parker 51 would be real snug in there with my Lamy Safari and my chinese pens.