Posts filed under Accessories Review

Kokuyo Book Weight Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

As the end of the year draws near, readers across the world are frantically tearing through their to-read lists in order to meet ambitious reading goals we set for our own darn selves before the arbitrary deadline of the calendar runs out. Or so I hear. Anything that makes the task easier is welcome. This Kokuyo Book Weight helps, though I've found other practical uses for it, as well.

This seagull-shaped book weight is designed to fit the curves of your book pages, weighing them down so that your page stays open neatly for easy reading. The thin design makes it less obtrusive than clip-style book holders. It fits nicely in the margins of the page so it doesn't get in the way of the words.

It comes in three colors. The black one that I received is made of cast iron and has a wonderfully rustic look to it. The rough texture keeps it from sliding on the pages. There is a silver colored one that is also made of a coated iron. Both the iron ones sell for $29. There is also a raw brass one, which sells for $60, which is more than I'd personally want to pay for a book weight, but it's very pretty and screams "welcome to my elegant book parlor." I dig it.

This book weight isn't perfect for all books. Its distinctive mustachio shape works very well with standard hardcover books, or with larger books, but it doesn't work as well with smaller paperbacks. It will still weigh the page open, but the silhouette doesn't fit right, making it less stable.

It is very good for weighing down the pages on books that require you to be hands-free. I've used it for knitting pattern books and cookbooks already, and it was perfect for the task. It will also be amazing to have on hand the next time that I have to type up a handwritten manuscript. I also used it to hold my planner open while a very wet ink took its time drying.

Overall, I think this is a great tool. I'm a fan of page weights, and the one I've been using for the last few years is much wider, which covers part of the text. I have to move it around a bit to get to all the words, which defeats part of its purpose. I don't expect I'll have that problem as often with this one.

I hope you're all enjoying your end-of-the-year reads. Snowy days make me want to read even more, and as it is currently blizzarding out, that's what I'm off to do, with my handy book weight. Happy reading!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on December 5, 2024 by Sarah Read and filed under Kokuyo, Accessories Review.

Bello Leathers Pen Holder Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, Root Rot, is now available for pre-order!)

Keeping pens handy and ready to write is important--and so is showing off pretty pens. This Bello Leathers two-pen holder is a great way to do both.

The pen holder is made of sturdy leather with a thick double-layer base that lays flat on the desk. A thinner piece of leather curves like a wave over it, with two holes cut for the pens to sit in. On the inside of the base, two cut-out circles lined with velvet make a soft spot for the pen's end to rest on. The end rests are set back against the far wall of the base, so that the pen stays at the perfect angle to be removed for use. The seams are hand-stitched with thick cord and all leather edges are smoothed and sealed.

All of the elements of the holder are hand-made, with no machines involved. The quality of this work is evident in the neatness of the finish. It looks very polished and perfect.

The shape and simplicity of the design are elegant and effective, and the holder looks great on the desk. The holder comes in several colors and textures of vegetable tanned leather, and models are available that hold anywhere from one to ten pens. They also offer an engraving service, if you want the holder to be personalized.

Overall, this piece is attractive, works well, and is well-made with excellent materials. All of that factors into the price, which is a bit on the steep side. Stands start at $49, and go up to $186 for a 10-pen model. While that is more than I'd typically want to spend for a pen holder, the fact that the pieces are entirely handmade justifies that price, in my opinion. Given the quality of the work, that's a low hourly rate.

This lovely bit of functional desk art lives on my work desk, now, where it holds my pens handy for an abundance of note taking. I also found it useful for holding eyedropper pens steady while they're being filled. It would be a secure spot to place pen parts while doing maintenance or cleaning, as well. No more pens rolling off the desk! Instead you can feel like King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone.

(Brad bought this from Bello Leathers at the 2023 Orlando Pen Show.)

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Posted on December 7, 2023 by Sarah Read and filed under Bello Leathers, Accessories Review.

NFP Design Block 6 Pen Box Review

I met the team from NFP Design at this year’s Washington D.C. Pen Show, and came away impressed. Not only are they great people who took the time to share their story with me, I have been in love with the products I came home with.

One of those products, the 2-pen Tile, was too cool to keep for myself, so I added it to the recent Raffle for St. Jude. It features beautiful traditional Turkish artwork on the exterior, and would be a stylish addition to any workspace.

The product I hung on to for my own desk, and for this review, is the awesomely Orange 6-pen Block. It does come in other great colors - such as Purple, Green, Yellow, Blue, and Grey - but Orange! I wasn’t going to pass this one up.

Given the architecture background of the founder of NFP, you can bet the technical aspects of the Block are completely dialed in and refined. The square shape of the Block 6 features slightly beveled edges and rounded corners. There are two notches on each side near the opening to assist with opening. Once open, the brass hinges allow for the lid to be open fully, and stay in place. The 6 interior slots are lined, and sturdy - not pliable to the touch - and fixed in place. The exterior finish is spotless.

When you see a collection of design decisions made this well, you can’t help but be impressed with the end result.

That’s where I am with the Block 6. It’s as impressive to use as it is to look at. And priced fairly, too. This model is around $73 given the current conversion rates of the Turkish Lira to the US Dollar, and, even with another $40-ish dollars for shipping, puts it in a good spot. There is also a Block 11 model (around $91) available if you need more storage. Why not both?

Pen shows offer a great opportunity to meet new makers from around the world, especially shows as large and well-attended as Washington D.C.. I’m fortunate to be able to make these trips, and love sharing stories about the people I meet. Huge thanks to NFP Design for their time, and for sending me home with some great products.

(NFP Design provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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