Stationery

See also pens and pencils, which I should probably merge.

Places I like

Types of stationery and their uses

Just some thoughts about different types. Some of which I don’t actually have yet, some I do.

Lead holders

: (Also mentioned in pencils.) Got a Koh-I-Noor Tecnigraph 5611 2mm lead holder for ~$11. I like the feel of it, but haven’t evaluated it seriously (only just got it). It doesn’t have an eraser (probably better because sometimes built-in erasers suck). It’s quite lightweight (at least compared to my heavy Rotring 800), which is nice. Actually, measuring it on my analog postal scale, it’s about ½oz, wheras the Rotring 800 is about 1oz, and a Ticonderoga® wooden pencil is <¼oz.

  • Sometimes described as the convenience of a mechanical pencil with the variation of a wooden pencil.
  • Use case over a mechanical pencil: You can vary line widths like a traditional wooden pencil, whereas mechanical pencils kind of have a single thin line width.
  • Use case over wooden pencil: Possibly easier to sharpen or advance the lead? Perhaps you can have a more comfortable grip and better control over erasers?
  • To sharpen: apparently use sandpaper (on a stick?) traditionally, or a lead pointer

Grease pencils or China markers

Two names for the same thing. “China marker” is pretty typical (it’s how Sharpie and Phano brands label theirs). The term “China marker” comes from the fact that you can mark porcelain or “China” with it.

Use cases:

  • I use China markers for labelling mason jar tops (or sides), or marking things with prices, as it can be erased. Also marking leftovers with the date or what it is. For labeling Mason jars, China markers work wayyyyy better than dry erase or wet erase markers (which tend to not go on thick, and moisture tends to erase them over time).
  • When marking a mason jar top, it’s better if the top is slightly warm or not greasy (use dish soap to ensure no grease on metal surface).
  • China markers are kind of like crayons, but with a sturdier holder.
  • I find China markers/grease pencils work better than permanent markers for some things (like milk cartons). Also, permanent markers have the disadvantage that you have to take off the cap, and sometimes they’re dry or ran out of ink.

China marker brands

I like both Sharpie® Peel-off® China Marker, and Listo® marking pencils (Pencil No. 1620, Refill No. 162, but I don’t know if they even have any other items besides that and carton cutters anymore).

I found that the Sharpie brand of China markers is the smoothest compared to Phano (but I’m comparing a black Sharpie to a white Phano) and Listo, but the difference seems to be most apparent on glass like Mason jars, where I suppose the traditional formula of Phano or Listo can sometimes skip. Although, just testing a Listo on a Mason jar right now, it seemed pretty smooth, so maybe it’s also about learning the right pressure? Or making sure something isn’t damp? Dunno.

I bought some Listo grease pencils (website is https://www.listo.com/) on the recommendation of someone online. They’re cool because they’re more like mechanical grease pencils where you can easily advance the lead and refill it, rather than having to peel away paper (which never seems to tear cleanly for me). Perhaps the drawback of the mechanical style is you may not know how much lead you have left.
Another benefit of their style is they’re shorter and have a clip, so you can carry it in your front shirt pocket.
I find the smoothness to be good, depending on the material, comparable or maybe a bit better than Phano brand, but not as smooth or thick as Sharpie brand, especially on glass. However, on other materials it is really smooth, and I really enjoy the different colors (I bought the assorted pack of a dozen ~$15, or $1.25 per marker, which is a bit cheaper than a Sharpie marker I got for $2 at retail). Oh, also, Listo marking pencils are made in USA (Sharpie says “USA”, Phano doesn’t say on the marker) and their company is based nearby in Alameda, and I like that when I ordered from their website, the shipping label was handwritten (but then someone put a print-out label over that). Listo feels very “classic” in its branding and mechanics (I also got their carton cutters); their box says they started selling their “premier marking instrument” since 1940.

Todos

Things to write about.