In Ask The Desk

Ask the Desk: More Refills (Pen and Paper)

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments

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Carlos hoped I could help with this:

I would like to buy some refills for a Dunhill ballpen sidecar and a Montegrapa rollerball (refill with 12 cm long).
Could you tell me what refills should I buy?


According to my research, it looks like the Montegrappa rollerballs all take the standard Pilot G2 style refill, also described as the Schmidt/Euro Rollerball refill size, that are about 110mm (4.5″) long. That’s great because there are lots of options and you may even have a plastic pen laying around with the right size refill on your desk right now. If you have a Pilot G2 retractable, you should be able to twist it apart and pull that refill out and try it in the Montegrappa.
Check out my Epic Refill Guide to find your favorite refill in the Pilot G2 section.
The Dunhill should take a standard Parker-style refill or a “capless style” G2/Euro refill. They are about 98mm (3.875″) long. Most office supply stores like Staples, Office Max or Office Depot should have a selection of Parker-style refills. A list of many Parker style compatible refills are also on the Epic Refill Guide.

Kate asks:

I came across your blog’s review of the Leuchtturm Weekly Planner, and I’m thinking you might be the person who can help me on my quest for the holy grail planner.  What I’ve been searching (unsuccessfully) for is a weekly planner with substantial notes pages.  So, something that has the weekly spread,monthly spread and two or three year overview you’d find in a typical planner, but also has at least 100 ruled or blank pages for notes.  This seems to be an impossible ask. I’ve tried the levenger circa system, but I’m not wired for one that I have to constantly assemble or move stuff around in.  Have you come across anything that fits this bill? I would love to know about it!

Your grail planner is a tall order, indeed! My first instinct was to ask if you’d considered a Midori Traveler’s Notebook or a Fauxdori (leather covers made and sold by individuals on Etsy and such)? There are many inserts available for this system that let’s you have a planner and a notebook for lots of notes. Each blank, lined or grid insert has about 64 pages in it. There is one insert available for the Midori with extra thin paper that I think has over 100 sheets in it. Something like this might give you the option of having a full booklet for notes plus a planner/calendar.
MTN Current Set-up
You might want to do a search on YouTube or Google for how people set up their Midori Traveler’s Notebook (MTN) or a Fauxdori to get an idea if the system might work for you.
There are also many printable planner system options available from folks on Etsy like DIY Fish. Her systems are also available for Midori Traveler’s Notebooks, Filofax ring binder systems or half-sheet sizes that could be used with a mini 3-ring binder. The last time I was in Target, I saw they had a good sized assortment of half-sheet 3-ring binders, if that might be an option that would work for you? Its not quite as fiddly as the Circa but still might require rearranging pages every once in awhile.
I’m not sure if I gave you any suggestions that might be the golden solution but hopefully it will give you some other options to consider.
And finally, Pat asked:
I’m searching for a nice leather notebook for a gift.  Do you emboss names or initials on your notebooks?I would also like your recommendation on the best notebook that can be refilled.  Also, are there any stores in the Baton Rouge area that sell your products?

Despite the confusion in her question that I was an online shop, I do think I might be help to help Pat find someone who can engrave and/or leather and refillable. Not sure I can find anything that is the trifecta though.

As for leather engravables, I know that Vanness Pens in Little Rock, AR does engraving. They have a separate web site for engraving called A Personal Statement. They offer a variety of notebooks.

Filofax has recently introduced a refillable notebook. Goldspot Pens and Goulet Pens both stock them online. While not leather, they are pretty nice leatherette and look good.
As for a good local source for notebooks in Baton Rouge, I do not know of any. The closest pen-and-paper shop that I know of in Louisiana is in New Orleans. Its called Papier Plume. While I’ve not had a chance to visit it yet, I have several friends who have highly recommended it for fountain pens, ink and accessories.

Do you have a pressing pen, paper, pencil, ink or other stationery item issue? Use the “Ask The Desk” link in the navigation bar to send in your questions!

In Fashionable Friday

Fashionable Friday: Dot Your Eyes

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

Fashionable Friday: Dots

This week I was totally inspired by Janine Basil’s fabulous pom pom heaband. And really, who doesn’t love dots?

  • Pom Pom Headband $34.31 (via Janine Basil on Etsy)
  • Dots Planner $16.99 (via Shop Ampersand on Etsy)
  • Uni Style Fit 5 Color Multi Pen Body Component in Dot Black $4.25 (via JetPens)
  • Pilot Metropolitan Aquamarine with Dots Fountain Pen (available soon from Pen Chalet)
  • J. Herbin Fountain Pen Ink Tin of 6 Cartridges in Orange Indien (Indian Orange) $5.50 (via JetPens)
  • Sonic Ratchetta Pencil Sharpener with Notification in Orange $3.30 (via JetPens)
  • The Block $60 (via Dudek Modern Goods)
  • Kaweco Sport Skyline fountain pen pink €17,95 (via Fontoplumo)
  • Filofax Domino Patent Pine with Spots A5 Organizer $49 (via Goldspot Pens)
  • Kokuyo Neo Critz Transformer Pencil Case in Pink Dot $17.50 (via JetPens)
  • Beverly Kokosasu Film Page Markers in Sharp Dot $7.25 (via JetPens)
  • Kyoei Orions Shitajiki A5 Writing Board in Dots $2.70 (via JetPens)
  • Caran D’ache 849 Popline Fluorescent Yellow Ballpoint Pen $26.95 (via Goldspot Pens)
In feature, Planners & Organizers

Rethinking My Planner System

Author AnaPosted on 11 Comments

I can’t believe there are just three months left in 2015. Where did this year go? For the better part of 2015, I’ve been using my Midori Traveler’s notebook for planning. My Midori has three inserts in it: a notebook in the front that was supposed to be for personal projects, a center insert with my planner calendar and an insert in the back for sketching.

While I love the size and format of the MTN, and I did find fabulous weekly planner pages, things are starting to get a little out of control, organizationally speaking.

What’s ended up happening is that I tend to open the MTN to whatever blank page appears and start writing, so notes have gotten all jumbled. There are work notes in the sketchbook, grocery lists in the personal projects and just general chaos on the calender. I’m also running out of space in the weekly calendar to include all the various projects, to-dos and lists that I am needing to keep up with each day. I now understand what people mean about their planner system breaking down.

I need more space per page for planning. I need a place to take work-related notes that can then be collected or moved into specific projects. I need to have a more dedicated method for organizing blog content and personal projects. All of this is making me want to return to a ring-bound planner. However, I think that my current job assignments and life projects need something more spacious than the traditional personal size. I think I’m going to make the leap into the A5-sized planner.

rethinking my planner system

A switch to A5 will require new inserts and rethinking whether a week-on-two-pages will work. Not to mention I must now choose a new binder.

Great posts to re-started:

I think I’ll pair the new turquoise Domino with my Uni Style Fit in black with white dots and maybe a Zebra Mildliner in Mild Violet? And I might need a silver Binder Clip.

Are you happy with your current planning system? Are you working through it or ready to make a change?

In Link Love

Link Love: Messy & Self-Congratulatory

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments
(via Leigh Reyes, written in her Midori Traveler's notebook with a flex nib and her beautiful handwriting)
(via Leigh Reyes, written in her Midori Traveler’s notebook with a flex nib in her beautiful handwriting. Image via her Instagram feed but definitely check out her blog and Twitter feed too!)

Post of the Week:

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Paper & Notebooks:

Planners & Organizers:

Other Interesting Things:

In Ask The Desk

Ask The Desk: Grippy Fountain Pens & Cross Refills

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments

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Jon wrote me recently about left-handed pens:

I’m a lefty. Never quite got over someone confiscating my ancient Parker VP, loved that pen. For the past couple of years I’ve been using inexpensive Schneider pens that have facets on the grip that make positioning it automatic.

Thought I’d upgrade a bit and have found the Conklin Durograph in cracked ice rather attractive. But it doesn’t seem to be offered in a dedicated left handed model.

I do understand lefties can use just about any fountain pen, but I find the grip designed for lefties appealing. I am an underwriter.

Please tell me what I need to make myself happy.

I’m really considering in the $40 or so range. Don’t need to impress anyone but me and how it writes is pretty much all that’s important. Medium points work well and I’m stuck in the blue/black mentality.

Thanks. Jon

Conklin Duragraph Cracked Ice

I actually have the Conklin Duragraph in the cracked ice finish and it has a smooth grip area so it can pretty much be held at any angle.

If you’re looking for a molded grip, the Lamy Safari might be a good option. The grip is molded symmetrically so you wouldn’t need a special left-handed model. I know a lot of lefties who underwrite like the molded grip section on the Lamy Safari and Lamy AL-Star. The Safari sell for less than $30 and the AL-Stars (the aluminum model of the Safari) sell for about $40. Its available in a full array of European nib sizes and the nibs are easy to swap out should you decide you want a different nib size. Nibs are sold for about $12.

Lamy Safari Neonlime

Jim asked about finding a pen refill:

Hi, I asked a question a good bit ago and your answer rocked.  I was wondering if you could help me with something else.  I’m a bit of a pen junkie.  Years ago I purchased a Cross pen.  It’s was little and fat.  I’ve been trying to get a refill for years. I have no idea what pen it is or if they even still make a cartridge.

I totally understand being a pen junkie. I am also a refill junkie. I’m always worried my favorite refills will become obsolete. But I also am a firm believer that a little refill hacking can get you back to writing as well.

Do you have the old refill still? Was it a ballpoint or rollerball?

If you have the refill and you know it was a Cross, you can use the Refillfinder app site to see if the refill is still available. Refillfinder is a division of one of our fine sponsors, Goldspot Pens. FYI.

If they don’t have the exact size you need, is it possible to cut down a different refill? You might scan those junk drawers for old rollerballs, ballpoints or gel pens and try to disassemble them. If you have the old refill, just hold it up next to the refills you find and then cut the length or use a bit of hardware store tubing to make a spacer if the refill is too short. People often plug the end with air dry clay or other materials if the refill originally had a cap. I trim refills, wrap tape around the ends to make it wider if necessary and other minor modification to get non-standard refills to fit into a pen.

Here’s my last example of pen hacking and Mike Rohde’s hack. And of course, it never hurts to check through the Refill Guide to find comparable refills.

Cross Townsend Darth Vader Fountain Pen
OFF TOPIC:
While we’re on the subject of Cross Pens, do you see the new Star Wars pens from Cross? I am loving the look of the Darth Vader Townsend fountain pen. But at the tune of $575 I’m thinking it may have to stay in a galaxy far, far away for me.
In news

Giveaway Winners: Sketchnote Notebooks & Stickers

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment

Sketchonotes Workshop Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who read and commented on the Sketchnotes Workshop recap. I’ll have reviews of both of Mike’s books posted in a couple weeks. In the meantime, here are the drawing winners for the Shizen blank notebooks, Sketchnotes KC stickers and pen sets. I’ll contact you both via email to arrange delivery!

Winner #1:

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Comment: My Periscope handle is: wellapptdesk

Winner #2:

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