The Well-Appointed Desk

Breaking News from the Stationery World: Paper Source Files Bankruptcy

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I was all ready to turn off my laptop and take a much-needed 7-day siesta when an extremely urgent bit of news crossed my desk. So here goes…

Paper Source, the Chicago-based stationery shop goliath, has faced its fair share of challenges during the pandemic. Paper Source closed 11 stores in the past year.

However, many small stationery makers (card creators, printers, designers) have recently received unprecedented orders from Paper Source in the last three months. Some makers were surprised by the large orders but, in the wake of slow sales in 2020 due to the pandemic, they were inclined to believe that the large orders were a sign that the economy was improving so they rushed to fill the orders. Many of those orders came with requests to urgently ship product to the Forest Park, IL distribution facility as recently as two weeks ago.

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Then, Paper Source filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Sitting in their warehouse is all this newly acquired inventory and what most expect is absolutely no intention of making good on the outstanding invoices.

A search on Instagram or Facebook for mention of “Paper Source bankruptcy” and dozens of small makers and manufacturers can be found commiserating and regaling the sleazy way that Paper Source has chosen to essentially rip-off these small, struggling businesses in order to fund their bankruptcy. We found references to outstanding invoices from several small stationery creators to the tune of $10-20K each that Paper Source owes them. For a business like ours (Well-Appointed Desk or Skylab) this would mean we would have produced 1000s of units which would have cost us in time, materials, labor costs and more. I am sure it is the same for all the other card makers and stationery product creators who fulfilled orders for Paper Source with their “net 60” payment schedule only to realize now that the money will never come. If I were out $10K in merchandise to a wholesaler, I would be close to financial ruin. (We have not sold any product to Paper Source but if we did, this would suck big time! And it has for many of our friends.)

All of these underhanded dealings look like they were clearly set-up to cook the books for an impending equity buyout in the next 90 days that is supposed to create a “more productive store base and more liquidity to support the brand’s omnichannel growth strategy.” Omnichannel? FU, Paper Source, you money grubbing shits.

Why am I telling you about this?

To convince you to no longer spend even a cent at Paper Source. Ever again. Makers are very unlikely to see even a penny or cents-on-the-dollar for the outstanding invoices so as much as our instinct is to buy goods from Paper Source so they make good on their debts, it’s unlikely that they will actually pass any profits on to the makers.
To encourage you to support small, local stationery shops (like CW Pencil Enterprise, Wonder Fair, Baum Kuchen, Little Otsu, Yoseka Stationery, Omoi Zakka, Greer Chicago, etc, etc.) and small online shops (see sidebar for some of our favorites).
If you found something you genuinely loved at Paper Source, continue to support those makers by buying direct from their Etsy or online shops.
Write an email or letter (Paper Source 125 South Clark St. Chicago, IL 60603) telling them what you think of their business practices. Tell them if they can’t pay their bills they should return the merchandise to the makers. “Liquidating assets” you never paid for is stealing.
Pass the links in this post on to others so that no one will unknowingly spend money with Paper Source.

I realize that stationery and paper goods are not the most important thing in the world but for many (myself included) this is their livelihood. So many small businesses have been adversely affected by the pandemic, many owned and operated by women, POC and minorities, and stationery makers are no different. Large corporations continue to thrive or find ways to “beat the system” which only widens the gap. The only weapon we have available to us is our wallets. Use it wisely.

For more information, check out the posts below that provide more nuanced coverage and not an opinionated rant.

(Side note: Apologies for the plethora of Instagram links. I wanted to connect my lovely readers directly with some of the posts from makers who were directly affected by Paper Source and be sure that the posts were properly linked and credited. If they show up as empty boxes, I apologize. Instagram does not always show images from people if you are not already following them.)

In Tools

Eye Candy: Hightide Metal Book Rest

AnaMarch 5, 2021March 5, 20211 Comment

Joe at Gentleman Stationer sent me the Hightide Metal Book Rest ($12) in the perfect shade of turquoise. It matches my kitchen perfectly. But the best thing about the Metal Book Rest is that it is totally freakin’ useful.

My other mother has one (bright red!) in her kitchen that she keeps her iPad propped on for quick access to chat messages, recipes, the occasional urge to doodle and more. I’d always admired it so I was tickled to have my own and give it awhirl.

The Book Rest packs flat so it would be easy to transport with your books or fold and store on a bookshelf with your cookbooks. There are three notches on the base to allow options in the angle at which your book is held.

The bar in the front is hinged to help keep pages down and helps to stabilize the stand when there’s a book held in the Book Rest. I have read several books utilizing the Book Rest and the bar helps keep the pages flat as I moved from the front of a book to the back when the pages may not lay as flat. Hardback books layflat more easily than softcover trade paperbacks but I just cracked the spine a little and everything was fine.

The bar can also be laid flat when the Book Rest is used with a digital device and access to the screen is needed.

I was also able to use the Book Rest with my notebook/planner as a way to quickly review my notes and to-do list while I was working and check things off throughout the day.

With so many of us working from home, this handy little Book Rest serves a lot of purposes, is sturdy, nice looking and very reasonably priced. What are you waiting for?

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Gentleman Stationer for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In feature

Fountain Pen Review: Kaweco Supra Fire Blue

Jessica ColesMarch 4, 2021March 4, 20216 Comments

The Kaweco Supra is a fascinating pen – a pen that not only transforms from a pocket-sized pen to a full sized pen, but can also be arranged to fit nearly every hand size.

I received a Kaweco Supra Fireblue on loan a few weeks ago. Thank you to Appelboom for lending it to Well-Appointed Desk!

Like most Kaweco pens, the Supra came in a lightweight metal box nestled inside a paper sleeve. Out of all pens that I have purchased over the years, Kaweco boxes are the only ones I have reused for other purposes – nib storage, puffy sticker storage, paint box, pencil carrying case, even a hair tie case. I would love it if more companies followed this thinking – I have stacks of empty boxes that only take up space until I sell the pen.

Anyway, to get to the inside of the box – Fireblue! This is actually a steel pen that has been treated with an open flame to produce a bluish finish. I don’t have insight into the process for this bluing, but I like the result. Every pen is unique in pattern and colors. The Fireblue Liliput that I own seems to have changed slightly over time, although much of that is from keeping the pen in a pocket most of its life. I’ve owned mine since 2015 and the tempered steel still has a great finish.

The pen was surprisingly heavy when I first picked it up. When the full pen is assembled, it weighs in at 50 grams. Nearly twice the weight of a Pilot Metro! If you enjoy heavy pens, this may be one you want to check out.

A better pen for comparison would be a Schon Pocket 6 pen in brass (38 grams) or in copper (48 grams).

The Supra uses a Standard International cartridge or converter in its fully assembled state and uses a #6 Kaweco nib. Since the nib on the Supra is a standard nib, I haven’t included a look at the nib performance here – mainly because the pen has so many other features to cover.

The length of the Supra when closed is about 13cm (5.25 inches), approximately the length of a Frankiln-Christoph Model 45L. At this length it is too big for my pocket (when they exist on my clothing) but fits well in any pen case of mine. When the pen is posted, however, it is long.

Posting the full Supra pen makes it the same length as a Pilot Parallel pen – a bit over 15cm (6.5 inches). While the pen still felt balanced at this point, it felt incredible awkward.

But the unposted pen feels much nicer. Unposted, the Supra weighs 42g (1.48 ounces) so it still feels hefty, but the length is cut down to around 12.5cm (5.25 inches).

The unposted Supra is the same length as the posted Liliput.

But that isn’t the end of the Supra’s options. This pen consists of the cap, the nib section, and two body sections. The pen can be used without the middle section. In this configuration, only a Kaweco Sport converter or a short cartridge will fit.

This allows more flexibility in size. So far I’ve shown the Supra closed, open and posted, open and unposted. The fourth size is closed with only one body section.

This brings the size down to close to Liliput size.

From here, the pen can be posted without the middle section, making it 13.5cm (5.25 inches). Just slightly longer than the pen with the middle section, unposted. This was my favorite setup – the pen weighs 39 g, so most of the weight remains, but the length is great for my hand.

Finally, the pen can be used without the middle section, unposted. This gives a pen that is just 9.5 cm (3.75 inches) long and weighs 31 g (1.1 ounces). This was by far my least favorite setup.

Holding the pen with no middle section and unposted made my hand feel cramped and awkward. Not something I would ever enjoy using.

Because hands come in so many sizes and preferences vary so widely, I can see the Supra being an attractive option to a wider audience. Perhaps a couple sharing the pen? A growing child? Someone who likes both very long and very short pens? I can’t think of many situations where it would be necessary. Rather, the Supra is an impressive looking pen that can transform into several different pens.

If the fully assembled Supra could fit in my pocket, I think it would be a great pen for me. As it is, I would probably only use it without the middle section but I’m not excited to have a pen that has a piece of it floating around my desk, just waiting to disappear. Without the center section, the pen also loses the ability to use a standard converter, further cutting back its desirability to me. My preference is to use the smaller Liliput or other pocket pen options.

However, I do see the Supra as being a great pen for individuals who like the aesthetic of Kaweco but are turned off by the length of the current offerings. The Supra is like a big brother version of the Liliput – definitely in the same family, but with heftier proportions. For these individuals (who hopefully have larger pockets than mine), I would recommend looking into the Supra. Appelboom is currently selling it for €152.89 ($182 as of 3/4/2021) with free shipping using DHL if you are in the states. Right now DHL is by far the fastest shipping option!

Weights:

Closed: 50 g (1.75 ounces)

Unposted: 42 g (1.5 ounces)

short: 31 g (1.16 ounces)

back most section: 21g (.75 ounces)

cap: 9g (3/8 ounces)

middle section: 11g (3/8 ounces)

nib, section, converter: 12 g (ounces)

Lengths:

Full pen, closed: 13cm ( 5.25 inches)

Full pen, posted: 15cm (5.5 inches)

Full pen, unposted: 12.5cm ( 5.25 inches)

Pen, no middle section, closed: 10cm (4 inches)

Pen, no middle section, posted: 13.5cm (5.25 inches)

Pen, no middle section, unposted: 9.5 cm (3.75 inches)

Diameter: 11mm (.75 inches)

Kaweco Supra Fire Blue (€152.89) at Appelboom

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Appeloom for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Stationery Vacation

AnaMarch 3, 2021March 17, 202110 Comments

I’m tired. I don’t know about anyone else but after 12 months of quarantine, working-from-home, self-isolation, and the complete upset of the world, I’m tired.

I’ve done my best to stay positive this past year, being stuck in my house with internet access, electricity (most of the time), delivery services and the occasional outing to pick-up groceries, I have it extremely easy, all things considered.

But that doesn’t mean that the isolation and constant frenzy to try to fill every moment with work to keep the previously mentioned lights and internet on hasn’t started to wear on the psyche.

I’ve been telling myself that I would just keep plowing on but I need a break. We all need a break.

So, for the first time in years, we are taking a week off. I was inspired by my dear friends at Wonder Fair who are doing the same thing. Next week is Spring Break for the college where I teach as well. This will be a much needed Spring Break Staycation. It will be quiet here on the blog but we will be back on Monday, March 15.

The shops will remain open and orders will be sent out in a timely fashion.

We need each other. Please support our sponsors and affiliates. Your patronage will let them know you appreciate their support of the pen community. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In Paper Review

Notebook Review: Kokuyo Me Field Notebook

Laura CameronMarch 2, 2021March 2, 20212 Comments

I was browsing Vanness last week, like you do, and I found some cute notebooks that I wanted to try. I ordered the Kokuyo Me Field Notebook ($6.50) in Purple (also known as Chic Plum) and a matching gel pen ($4.50).

The Field Notebook is designed to be a slim, compact notebook to go with you everywhere. The notebook is hard cover, featuring a glossy patterned print in several different colors. Inside the notebook is full of 3mm grid paper, 40 sheets to be exact. The paper is white, and the grid is light blue. The notebook comes in at 3.75″ x 6.5″ (9.5cm x 16.5cm) making it non-standard for “pocket size,” but still small enough to fit most places.

The paper was actually quite surprising. When the notebook arrived and I got a good look at it, I figured that the paper was just fine for ballpoints and gels, but wouldn’t stand up to fountain pen ink. That’s where I was wrong – it did beautifully!

I went ahead and ordered the matching gel pen, the Kokuyo Me Ballpoint .5mm Gel. There’s also an option to order a matching mechanical pencil ($10.00). The gel pen wrote smoothly and the two make quite a nice little set. My only disappointment in the gel pen is that the ink cartridge is actually black, not purple!

Writing in the notebook is a pretty easy experience. As I said, the paper stands up to gel and fountain pen ink. It’s very smooth with no extra texture. The gridlines do show through the ink, particularly the fountain pen ink, if that’s something that bothers you. The notebook also doesn’t lie 100% flat unless held open. I expect that with some breaking in and wear it might, but I did have to hold it flat for the photos.

Overall I can see myself tucking this cute little set into my purse, or keeping it desktop for jotting down notes and ideas. The bonus of the graph for me is that it might hold knitting design sketches as well!

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Fountain Pen Review

Fountain Pen Review: Meister by Point Slim Liner Fountain Pen (Black Body Medium Nib)

AnaMarch 1, 2021March 1, 20213 Comments

The Meister by Point Slim Liner Fountain Pen ($13.50) was a total impulse purchase a few weeks ago. With an Under-$20 price point, it was hard to resist.

The pen shipped in a blister pack which I destroyed getting the pen out of the package. Delightfully, the pen shipped with a converter. Quite generous at the $13.50 price point.

The Meister by Point Slim Liner is only available with a medium nib but at quick glance, the nib looks like it’s the same size as the nibs in the Pilot Vanishing Point and Decimo but does not have any of the hallmarks of the Pilot nib.

When compared directly with the Pilot VP/Decimo nib, it’s easy to see that the Meister nib is rounder while the Pilot nib is more flat across the front. The Meister nib, on second glance, reminds me of the mapping dip nibs which are smaller than most regular dip nibs and much more cylindrical in shape.

I think because the nib is so small, there is a little bounce and flex to it –not flex-nib flex but a little spring. I found the medium nib to be surprisingly broad and wet for the overall size of the pen. I wish there had been an option for a fine or extra fine nib, especially with how tiny the pen is. It seems ironic to need to write big with a pen that’s so small.

My biggest complaint with the pen is the short grip area and distinct step down between body and grip section. The placement created an awkward grip for me so I had to either grip higher or lower than I normally do. If you have a tendency to grip higher on the pen, then this probably won’t bother you.

When compared with other smaller, slimmer pens, it’s easy to see just how slender and petite the Meister is. From left to right in the photo above: Kaweco Special FP, the Meister, YStudio Brassing FP, Caran d’Ache 849 FP and Pilot Decimo.

With the caps removed, the Meister is also a fairly short pen. The cap does NOT post at all so that’s something to consider. Also, the pen barrel is completely cylindrical with no clip or roll stop so it will quickly roll away given half the chance.

Length: 5″ (127mm) capped, 4.625″ uncapped
Weight: 12gms capped, 9gms uncapped

The matte black paint on metal gives the pen a sophisticated but minimal look. The size of the pen makes the Meister by Point Slim Liner fountain pen something that only a select few people might be interested in buying but, for the price, it’s not a huge commitment.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Pen Review

Brush Pen Review: Pentel Extra-Fine Pigment Ink

AnaFebruary 26, 2021February 22, 20212 Comments

Review by Tina Koyama

Last Inktober, I got a new brush pen (previewed here) – the Pentel Pigment Ink Brush Pen with extra-fine tip ($7; many similar brush pens are available; this one has the model number XFP5F). Although I’d be the first to admit that yet another brush pen is the last thing I need, I still had fun with it then – and I’m still having fun with it now!

The black pigment ink is nearly completely waterproof (heavy applications of ink might require waiting several minutes). The test scribble shown below, made on a Col-o-Ring Oversize page, was swiped with a wet brush after about 10 minutes. Only a trace of washed ink is visible. (Refills are available in other colors, but only the pigment option is waterproof.)

To push ink in the reservoir toward the brush, simply squeeze the center of the plastic barrel. Ink advances fairly fast, so don’t hold the brush over your work as you squeeze in case it drips.

Similar to most reservoir brush pens of this type, it has nylon bristles that taper to a point. The extra-fine Pentel, however, has a point that is about one hair width wide – making it the finest-tip brush pen I own.

I enjoy using this Pentel to see how minimal I can make my daily hand sketches while still evoking a hand. (My mom was a sumi-e painter, so I like to think I am channeling her with these attempts.) You can see that by using the very tippy-tip hairs, I can make a darn fine mark. I also like the dry-brush look I get just before the barrel needs a squeeze.

This Pentel is a worthy addition to my (admittedly vast) collection for its exceptionally fine point. The waterproof ink is a bonus.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

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