Stephen – Page 111 – pencil talk | pencil reviews and discussion

September 19, 2007September 19, 2007

Nightjar Books found paper notebook

Nightjar Books found paper notebook
This is a notebook made from found and reused paper. It’s an absolute delight because of the whimsical paper choices – the pages have surprise bits of poems and illustrations.

There is a downside – it falls into the category of being so nice that you don’t want to use it. And since it’s one of a kind, it won’t be possible to replace it. I admit that I haven’t yet marked it.

Although I bought this at a local craft fair, Nightjar have an Etsy store where you can see some of their products.

September 18, 2007

Pastellini – a tin of colour!

Pastellini Colour Pencils
Pastellini is a set of 98 small colour pencils housed in a cylindrical tin, made by Seletti in Italy.

The tin has a lid with a clear cutout to see the many colourful pencils.

The pencils are quite small and round – making them more of an amusement than a practical tool. Still, they look great, and really brighten up a desk.

There aren’t 98 different colours – there is considerable duplication. And the leads are quite waxy, with weak colours.
Pastellini Colour Pencils

They were $11.95 at a bookstore. That’s about 12 cents a pencil!

September 17, 2007

Fabriano Classic Artist’s Journal

Fabriano Classic Artist's Journal
Fabriano is possibly the world’s most distinguished paper mill, with roots dating to the 13th century. It created the paper that Michelangelo and many other greats used.

One of their many current products is the Fabriano Classic Artist’s Journal, a paper journal with various formats. All are 192 sheets of toothy, mould-made (Ingres) 90 g/m² paper.

I have the small version (12cmx16cm) with twelve alternating sleeves of white and cream paper. Alternately, there is a version with the twelve sleeves each a different colour! These journals are very nicely made. There is also a larger 16cmx21cm version.
Fabriano Classic Artist's Journal
They seem expensive, but they’re actually in the same range as the Moleskine, which tells me that one of these brands is overpriced. Guess which?

Felt tip pen, charcoal, pastel, and chalk all lay down very nicely. The tooth of the paper loves these media.
Fabriano Classic Artist's Journal
Overall, it’s a great product, and I’m looking forward to trying the other formats.

September 13, 2007

Exacompta Bloc Faf – Retro Office Excellence

The Exacompta Bloc Faf is a cool retro inspired pad of paper held together with real metal bolts and washers. People just adore this pad of paper when they see it. It has a mid-20th century styling (think Perry Mason and Della Street) while being incredibly sturdy and useful.

It stays put on a desk, with the underside having five rubbery feet. A bloc of two hundred sheets is deposited on two metal spokes, and held in place with a metal bar and two washers. The metal does corrode a bit over time.
The Exacompta Bloc Faf
It will definitely get double-takes in an office – yet it is in no way fancy or overdone – just great design.

A nice “upgrade” I recently discovered is that it can take quadrillé (graph paper) refills! I’ve got one waiting to jump into service.
The Exacompta Bloc Faf
Recommended without reservation!

September 11, 2007May 20, 2010

British pencil industry is alive.

Cumberland Pencil Company, makers of the famous Derwent line, are building a new £4.5m, 45,000 square foot factory.

This is quite historic. The graphite mines in the region have an incredible history, and this new factory continues the contribution. Petroski’s The Pencil has dozens of references to this area of Britain.

Link: http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=539829

September 10, 2007

Koh-I-Noor Hardmuth Triograph 1830 pencil

Koh-I-Noor Hardmuth Triograph 1830 pencil
The Koh-I-Noor Triograph is an unusual offering. The oversized triangular shape along with the rich stained wood finish make these pencils seem like small pieces of furniture.

The pencil diameter is 10.5mm, and the core a very wide 6mm. It weighs 11 grams. To contrast this with other large triangular pencils, here are some statistics (all values approximate):

Pencil	Weight	Diameter	Core	Sharpened	Cap
Koh-I-Noor Triograph	11.2g	10.5mm	6mm	yes	finished
Faber-Castell Jumbo Grip	7.3g	9mm	3mm	yes	unfinished
Dixon Tri-Conderoga	7.1g	7mm	2mm	no	ferrule/eraser
Mongol Trio	8.2g	9mm	3mm	no	ferrule/eraser

Even compared with other oversize pencils, the Triograph is quite hefty.

Made in the Czech Republic, the pencil comes in three soft grades – 2B, 4B, and 6B. (Pictured are the 6B, with the darker stained wood, and the 2B.) They have a nicely finished black cap, and the stamping is in gold. The pencil’s wood stain surface is what makes it so unusual. It really does look like something that shouldn’t be disposable.
Koh-I-Noor Hardmuth Triograph 1830 pencil
The lead is dark and rich, and certainly quite usable. The finish is unique, quite different from any other pencil I’ve seen. The large triangular shape will be a deciding factor for many. It’s large enough that you either like the feel or not. As well, like the International Arrivals pencils, it’s too wide for even the wide hole in dual hole sharpeners. This puts it in sharpen-by-knife territory, which may or may not be something you’re fine with.

Author: Stephen