Extra Staples #0020

Extra Staples is a series of posts where I share various links I find interesting. It is not on any regular schedule, and the links can be old or new. For more frequent updates from me, I can be found on Instagram and Twitter, under the same moniker, Threestaples.

My goodness, I’m really terrible at keeping this regular! A lot has happened since the last installment of Extra Staples, especially on the Field Notes front: this year’s summer edition, Byline, was released, their Chicago HQ moved, and the DC version was finally added to County Fair’s line-up.  Oh, and the Commemorative Reprints (pictured above) finally shipped out this month for the subs that started with Sweet Tooth, and the special L.L. Bean edition was released out of nowhere. Phew!

---

Stationery-related

Other links that made me happy I am a part of the stationery community:

Graphite Report on the New Reporter’s Notebooks. – PENCIL REVOLUTION
A thorough comparison of two new reporter’s notebooks that came out on the same day – Field Notes’ Byline and Write Notepads & Co.’s Reporter’s Notepad – from a pencil lover’s perspective.

Episode 56: For Rosie (or, Fresh Points of Bel Aire, Part 5) | The Erasable Podcast
What a fun episode, with Caitlin Elgin from CW Pencil Enterprise joining the show as a special guest. If they ever throw a midnight release party, I’ll be there. And congrats to Johnny (of Pencil Revolution) on his new baby!

My First Field Note (And Thoughts on Notebook Sizes) | pencils and other things
Sometimes you need a fresh set of eyes when you’re in too deep. Sola shares her first impressions of Field Notes, with interesting thoughts on its format, and there is a ton of additional info in the comments, too.

Field Notes COLORS: America The Beautiful — M B S-P-B
I wholeheartedly agree with Mike’s review on one of my favorite Field Notes. I can’t believe I resisted America the Beautiful for so long, and now I find myself loving it more and more. Great job, Mike! You upped my appreciation of this edition even further. And I have a serious tabletop envy. :)

Who is Mike Dudek? And, 3 Year Dudek Modern Goods Anniversary Giveaway! — The Clicky Post
The giveaway has long since closed but this post is mostly about Mike’s journey so far (a very inspirational one at that), and I still want to say congrats to Mike on his anniversary! His blog is one of the first stationery-related ones I started following, and I’m always impressed by his dedication and passion that shine through in his writing (and awesome photography).

Embracing Simplicity and Familiarity — Modern Stationer
A new post from Modern Stationer! Doug shares how he stopped looking for the perfect notebook because he’s had it all along (in this case, Field Notes), and how he’s simplified his journaling workflow. Simplifying is not easy to do, so I admire his will to do so and to embrace it.

Non-Negotiable: Eleven Days of Morning Pages | From the Pen Cup
Another inspirational post from Mary on how she’s been writing every morning. “A thing needs to be done and you do it. Simple.” And we know simple isn’t necessarily easy. I’m still thinking about my non-negotiables. :)

My Highly Recommended List — The Finer Point
I swear I’m not including this post just because my blog is in it. I’d already decided I would mention it, even before I finished reading it. I enjoy this type of post because it’s a good reference point. I get to discover something new, and also get to know the person who compiled the list. Don’t forget to check another fantastic post from The Finer Point: My Journaling Habits. And congratulations on your growing family, Jenny!

 

Things I tried recently (and liked)

Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-same Ink (Misty Rain) - 15 ml Bottle - JetPens.com
Adding a new gray ink to my small collection of fountain pen inks!

Hi-Polymer Eraser Caps Non-Abrasive Erasers - Pentel
I'm beginning to like eraser-tipped pencils, and these caps have been a qood solution to my untipped pencils.

Adding to my wishlist

Volumes by Blackwing - Vol. 56 - Blackwing
I'm not a fan of baseball at all but I still like the look of this newest offering from Palomino.

Fun

Solid Gold MONO Eraser
Whaa?? It’s a solid block of real gold in the same shape (and size) as the popular Tombow MONO eraser. I guess only 3 were made in celebration of the release of MONO Air (correction tape). You enter the giveaway by submitting the correct answer to a question here, and they’ll select 3 winners by lottery. No, I didn’t participate; I believe you have to be a resident of Japan. Good luck...?

Artist Lisa Swerling Transforms Book Scenes into Whimsical Dioramas | Chronicle Books Blog
Book-themed shadowboxes.. Wow.
 

San Francisco

Japan Film Festival of San Francisco 2016
Coming up very soon! And OMG, Director Shunji Iwai will be a special guest at this year’s JFFSF. I am crushed I will not be able to make it to his Q&A after the screening of his new movie, A Bride for Rip Van Winkle. Other films I’m excited about: DASHI & SHOYU: Essence of Japan, and Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno.

Asian Art Museum | Emperors’ Treasures
I got a tour of this exhibit, and it was fascinating. Must go back and absorb at my own pace!

---

Hope you all have a good one,
♥ Jinnie

DIY Blackwing Erasers

You know you’re in too deep when you start customizing your pencils...

Yup, I made my own erasers for Palomino Blackwings. I like these pencils, especially the Pearl and the vol. 211, but I don’t like the erasers that come with them. They’re decent. They get the job done. But I prefer softer erasers. So I took some soft (and cheap) erasers and cut little blocks out of them that could fit into the Blackwings. Voilà, custom erasers.

It really was as simple as it sounds. Tools I needed, other than blocks of replacement erasers (I used colorful ones, for fun and variety):

• Cutting board
• Utility knife
• Ruler
• Pencil for marking dimensions (a Blackwing was an obvious choice)

The dimensions for the new eraser that worked for me:

• Width: 8.5 mm
• Length: 18.5 mm
• Thickness: 3.5–4 mm

I had to make the new eraser shorter than the original (which is about 21 mm) because of its softness. I learned that when it's as long as the original, it bends too much when I put pressure on it and is harder to control. In other words, it requires more support from the metal holder.

That was a fun project! I assume any rectangular block of eraser that's big enough should work, as long as it's not too hard to cut (please be careful with the knife!). The color erasers I used in this post were from Daiso and Ichibankan; they were sold in assorted sets, ranging about $1.50 to $2.50. At that price, I didn't feel too bad slicing them up. And I haven’t done any extensive testing but they erase quite nicely, decently enough for casual writing (and crossword puzzles). Maybe a tad too soft, but they're definitely an improvement over the original erasers for me. I have some white and black erasers, too, so I might make more, for times when these pencils need to look more “professional.”

I decided brown still looks the best with Vol. 211, so I looked for a brown eraser and found this silly, Cola-scented eraser. Unlike the other erasers (they're scented, too), this scent lasts, and I like it. :)

You can tell I like the Pearl a lot.

Do you like the Palomino Blackwing erasers? Do you ever switch them out for more colorful options? I’ve only seen the black and white replacement erasers in stores but I see that they are also available in pink, orange, green, blue, and red online.