Full Circle

There’s an old saying, “All roads lead to Rome”. Well for me it seems “All graphite trails lead to Southern Illinois University”

I live a quarter of a world away from SIU Carbondale, but it seems I am somehow inexorably linked to it. Back in the days when a penfriend necessitated pencil and postage stamps, I had one, and as the years rolled by she ended up at her local college…SIU (before moving onto Boise and poll-dancing, but that’s another story). Then my first contact with internet pencildom came via that leading beacon of graphite, Pencil Revolution, based at…SIU Carbondale.

One aspect of this blog I have really enjoyed is contact with other people from far away places. Recently an MP user contacted me for a bit of advice, and later, as a thank you, offered to send me a few promotional items from their business. Guess where they are based…yep, Carbondale…and they have an association with SIU.  So, here I am, inspired to actually post something on this blog for the first time in a very long time. You might say this blog sort of started due to SIU and has sort of been re-started by SIU. To say thanks for the promotional items they sent my way, and acknowledge the role of SIU, here’s a little free advert for Little River Research & Design. Remember folks, if you are in the market for some river simulation, some fluvial geomorphology in a box, then Little River is the place for you!

Check out the videos about the Emriver river process modelling…in a box. Cool. I like those little rivers.

Oh, and here's the goodies they sent me.

Littel River Research & Design cotton carry bag and cap

Emriver - it's fluvial geomorpholgy made even more fun!

Official SIU Salukis Team Merchandise.
Left = new, right = 25+ years ago
Appears there has been some shrinkage...I certainly haven't changed!

Go Salukis!

DMP 2011 Awards

Well, 2011 is nearly over, and despite my recent lack of activity I thought I should make an effort for the 4th annual DMP Awards...but not too much effort! So, there is only going to the one announcement, the supreme award, the “Mordan-Hayakawa Trophy” for the best mechanical pencil (or item) of the year. So, without further to do, the winner is...drumroll...Tombow Mono Stick Eraser. Insanely useful. Enough said.

Time to go now, good luck for the end of year holidays, etc. I'll see you all in 2012.

Wish List

The Christmas holiday season is fast approaching for me, and a reader has suggested a "What pencil would you chose for Christmas' money no object competition? survey? thing?" Thats seemed like a worthwhile idea, so, if money and availability were no object, what mechanical pencil would you wish for?

Remember, availabilty is not a problem - you can wish for discontinued and vintage items. Just because money is no object, don't feel compelled to go all diamond encrusted solid gold on me, not that there's anything wrong with that, but maybe a 1930 plastic Eversharp would complete your collection, or that MP you had when you first started school?

New Home

A few folk wanted to see the collections new home, so here it is -

Down in the garage in a nice freestanding cupboard, about 1.8m high x 0.8m wide. There's also some spill over into the cupboard next to it.

I am still only part way through organising it within the cupboard, but basically items with their own packages or cases are stored in small boxes (like photocopy paper boxes or shoeboxes) by brand

The Lamys

and loose pencils are stored mostly in these plastic paper filing drawer sets. In side each drawer I have folded up paper inserts (acid free paper, archival grade glue, etc) to organise the contents. Again storing by brand.

One of several Pentel trays

Trays are double layered and can easily be taken out.

Basically I've still got to re-box things, but then it's pretty much done.

Packaging

I have been silent for a long time now. I would like to say that the rest has refreshed me, and that my muse has returned, but it hasn’t. However, I get occasional flashes of inspiration, like last weekend when I was moving the collection to its new home in a nice big storage cupboard. I was rearranging the Lamys, Rotrings and a few others and was struck by the variety of boxes they used. Perhaps they are not so important to many collectors, but I’m sure for many people who are buying a writing instrument above the everyday price range, then a nice presentation package or box is part of the decision making process, particularly if it is a gift. From some catalogues I have, it seems that most writing instrument sellers have a standard range of packages and boxes, and within reason retailers have some choices to do some mix and match of boxes, particularly within the business ranges offered to corporate gift buyers. So, here’s a quick selection of packages from my Lamy collection.

Lamy are a company who pride themselves on design and innovation, and some, though not all, of their packaging matches that.

A clear plastic cigar tube sort of container. I really quite like this one.

Very unusual. Black foam, split in two with a hole drilled down the middle for the pencil to fit into. This is the sort of thing that sets Lamy apart. I am surprised they do not do more of this unusual type of packaging, although it is not terribly functional.

A clear plastic package with silver-paper binder. Unusual, but I’m not so sure I like it that much. Let’s say it is a little bit too economy class when matched with a Lamy.

These cardboard packages are a staple of the Lamy range. The grill-like cut-outs are some attempt to set them apart from others.

These plain metal containers are another common offering from Lamy, and lots of others too.

Plastic cases are another common alternative to the metal cases. Nice enough, but nothing special.

A more expensive and less common plastic case, double hinged.

A somewhat more retro case on an older pen-pencil set.

Another older item, with a cardboard case with elastic binder.

This may not be the greatest post to make a return with, and the photography may not be the best, but hey, I had some inspiration, 10 minutes spare time and Arnie’s comment gave me a kick in the pants at just the right moment. So there you have it.

Relief

New Zealand 8 - France 7