I'm A Sad, Pathetic Stationery Junkie.

[A Smug Dill]

1 hour ago, Penguincollector said:

That sounds like a worthwhile endeavor. I did see that some of the promotional product makers have them in bulk, so you could get them made with your username on them.

 

I'm still trying to make up my mind whether it's something I would sell to recoup my costs, or give away to fellow attendees at pen meets as I please.

 

Postage (which has just gone up as of midnight, 1 July 2025) makes it not worthwhile to sell individual units, considering the transparent gauge cards can be bought on AliExpress for as little as US$2 (assuming it's tacked onto a larger order of Choice programme items). I'd have to make it substantially better by design and with thicker, stiffer material to be attractive to prospective buyers; and most people won't find the A Smug Dill branding on it a value-add, haha.

 

Whereas if I can, or am, just getting a batch of fifty or a hundred custom gauge cards made with basic 0.1mm-thick transparent film to give away randomly or whimsically, then I'd obviously want to brand/deface the specially designed, non-standard format to either make it practically useful yet less Instagrammable for those who fancy posting their (measured) writing samples in social media, or get my name all over photos online so that it would be in the faces of those who greatly dislike my Smugness if the recipients/users of the free tool don't mind themselves.

 

Update: I just ordered some gauge cards of various thickness, from a manufacturer on Taobao that is open to orders of bespoke designs, to test them out; and I've sent the vendor a question about the MOQ for such custom orders. The MOQ and price will help me decide which way to go. As usual, I elected to use shipping by sea for the order I'd just placed, so I probably won't be receiving the batch of test units for five or so weeks yet.

[inkypete]

Will you people stop this!!!!!!!!! Now I want a crack gauge ruler and can't find them locally. Why do you do this to me? The film one looks so simple and practical. Come on folks. Where can I get it without $100 shipping?

[inkypete]

22 hours ago, Misfit said:

Have you tried contacting Brad via the Pen Addict? Or maybe check with Rickshaw Bagworks as they (Nock and Rickshaw) have collaborated on a pen holder, the Sinclair model R.

 

https://www.penaddict.com/search?q=Nock cards

 

⬆️If you click on the various links, you’ll find reviews Kimberly did as she looked for index cards to replace the Nock cards. 
 

Have you ever tried Levenger cards?⬇️

https://www.levenger.com/search?q=Index card

 

I could send you a few Levenger cards in regular US post. If I keep it under an ounce, the US Global stamp will cover the shipping, which is $1.65. I bought my Global stamps before they were that price per stamp. Send me a private message if you want to try them. 

Thank you for your advice. I have tried the Levenger cards but many years ago and they were terrible. I haven't been brave enough to order again. I will take you up on your sample offer - thank you.

[Penguincollector]

13 minutes ago, inkypete said:

Will you people stop this!!!!!!!!! Now I want a crack gauge ruler and can't find them locally. Why do you do this to me? The film one looks so simple and practical. Come on folks. Where can I get it without $100 shipping?

  Well maybe you and Smug can catch up at a pen meet on that giant island continent of yours if/when he gets some made up .

[A Smug Dill]

4 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

Well maybe you and Smug can catch up at a pen meet on that giant island continent of yours if/when he gets some made up .

 

I just offered to send him one in the post while you were writing that. 😅

[Penguincollector]

Just now, A Smug Dill said:

 

I just offered to send him one in the post while you were writing that. 😅

 You’re awesome!

[inkypete]

Thanks everyone - resume normal posting, thanks.

[effrafax]

23 hours ago, inkypete said:

Will you people stop this!!!!!!!!! Now I want a crack gauge ruler and can't find them locally. Why do you do this to me? The film one looks so simple and practical. Come on folks. Where can I get it without $100 shipping?

 

Try this one:

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008747240018.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.6baa38daHOS40k&mp=1&pdp_npi=5%40dis!AUD!AUD 2.59!AUD 2.59!!AUD 2.53!!!%402101c5bf17514187861145526ed408!12000046499366136!ct!AU!2170987570!!1!0

[inkstainedruth]

On 6/30/2025 at 2:48 PM, Penguincollector said:

  I think many companies have stopped using Boolean searches (*puts tin foil hat on* because they want people to buy more things impulsively) in their item search boxes.

Yeah.  Except I HATE having businesses "suggestive sell" me stuff -- especially when it's not REMOTELY what I want -- or what I was looking for (sort of like how half the time the "autocorrect" function decides IT knows what word I'm trying to write -- even when it isn't REMOTELY the word which I *AM* trying to type in....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Penguincollector]

6 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Yeah.  Except I HATE having businesses "suggestive sell" me stuff -- especially when it's not REMOTELY what I want -- or what I was looking for (sort of like how half the time the "autocorrect" function decides IT knows what word I'm trying to write -- even when it isn't REMOTELY the word which I *AM* trying to type in....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

  I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes suggestive selling, nor a system that actually suggests anything worth buying.

[inkstainedruth]

Well, with the possible exception of the threads (especially the reviews and photos) of pens and inks, here on FPN, of course.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Penguincollector]

   We’re all a bunch of influencers 😂 

[ParramattaPaul]

46 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

   We’re all a bunch of influencers 😂 

Influencers, or enablers?

[inkstainedruth]

Um, yes?  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[A Smug Dill]

1 hour ago, Penguincollector said:

I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes suggestive selling, nor a system that actually suggests anything worth buying.

 

To be fair, I sometimes don't mind what Taobao or AliExpress proactively suggests to me. Of course, why a marketplace platform would do that is on the assumption (and I believe a correct one) that a significant proportion of consumers want shopping — which implies spending of their funds — to be a low-effort and “stressless” pursuit. AliExpress even used the slogan of “Shopping is entertainment” in recent memory! Whereas, as I fancy myself an astute online shopper (but individual who is stupid when it comes to management of personal finances), I feel shopping … as a “hobby”, ought to be effortful and calculated. Part of the “fun” is when product-pushers throw a hundred things at me, and takes me hours or even days to carefully consider them, I imagine that other online shoppers who are my social peers and equals could either be led astray or entirely overwhelmed. Sometimes being shown stuff uninvited actually opens up new opportunities on the landscape; I wasn't in the market for tattooist ink caps/cups, but once I was shown those (and their low prices), they're now one component of a tentative solution to a problem I've been contemplating.

 

I think it comes down to this: when some party pushes “suggestive selling” onto you, you could possibly “win” if you're inclined or prepared to spend three- or four-fold their effort to consider the offers.

[inkypete]

My biggest weakness is that when I find something I really like I tend to buy a stack of that product. Love my small clairefontaine notebooks. I bought 25 of them as I was using them as a pocket notebook. The circumstances changed and I use them far less. Plenty in stock in my cupboard now. I was using A5 and A4 loose leaf and found some Muji that were sensational. Bought a stack. Yes, circumstances changed so I don't use the quantity I thought I would. The good news is that when the great paper shortage of 20?? arrives I will make a killing on the black market. 

[inkstainedruth]

I'm actually the same way, to some extent.  At one point years ago, I had five different sweaters all -- all the same brand and size, but in different colors.  But at the time I got them, I was buying them on sale when I needed sweaters.  

And I also did something similar after finding journals I liked (the 300 sheet Miquelrius lined pages journals with the soft covers).  Sadly, I don't know if they make that size any more -- the last time I looked at their website I saw the 200 sheet ones, but not the 300 sheet ones.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ParramattaPaul]

10 hours ago, inkypete said:

My biggest weakness is that when I find something I really like I tend to buy a stack of that product.

I know a bloke who lives in a gun-friendly state in the US who is an early 20th Century Military historian.  He bought the rifles of each of the major combatants (French, German, British Empire, Russian, & Austro-Hungarian) to test for some research he was doing for a book.  He fell in love with the British No. I Mk. III (SMLE) Rifle handling and compactness, and within a couple of months he had enough of them to equip a WWI infantry rifle section.

[Penguincollector]

15 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

To be fair, I sometimes don't mind what Taobao or AliExpress proactively suggests to me. Of course, why a marketplace platform would do that is on the assumption (and I believe a correct one) that a significant proportion of consumers want shopping — which implies spending of their funds — to be a low-effort and “stressless” pursuit. AliExpress even used the slogan of “Shopping is entertainment” in recent memory! Whereas, as I fancy myself an astute online shopper (but individual who is stupid when it comes to management of personal finances), I feel shopping … as a “hobby”, ought to be effortful and calculated. Part of the “fun” is when product-pushers throw a hundred things at me, and takes me hours or even days to carefully consider them, I imagine that other online shoppers who are my social peers and equals could either be led astray or entirely overwhelmed. Sometimes being shown stuff uninvited actually opens up new opportunities on the landscape; I wasn't in the market for tattooist ink caps/cups, but once I was shown those (and their low prices), they're now one component of a tentative solution to a problem I've been contemplating.

 

I think it comes down to this: when some party pushes “suggestive selling” onto you, you could possibly “win” if you're inclined or prepared to spend three- or four-fold their effort to consider the offers.

 

  The slogan they like to use in the marketing emails they send me is “Don’t worry, just shop!”  I don’t know why they’re being so reassuring.  It’s nice to see that the algorithm works for someone. I think I have too much of a defiant streak to make much use of it. 

[inkypete]

Quick visit to Daiso today. Had to be somewhat conservative as had the wife with me. Bought a few packs of index cards. Held back as they are branded made in Cambodia. Hadn't seen them before. Wish I had bought more - excellent writing surface. I noticed an increased range of notebooks especially the Apica knockoffs. Bought a few leather look cable ties that are excellent (the leather look press stud type) a few packs of labels that I use for various things that are very good, and a couple of paper cutters. Wish the Daiso was closer, but probably better that it isn't.