Big Giveaway! ATELEIA Raw Aluminum, Doane Paper, Dudek Modern Goods

This is going to be an exciting one...

With my recent review of the ATELEIA raw aluminum pen, Chris was kind enough to offer an Energel version of the pen to be given away to a reader!

In addition to it, I thought we'd make a bit of a "kit" out of the giveaway by also including two large utility notebooks from Doane Paper as well as The Groove pen and notebook holder from Dudek Modern Goods. All of these products are made in the USA and distributed by small businesses (including mine) in the stationary community.

I know I can speak for all of us that we are grateful for the support we receive for our goods and take great pride in sending out our wares. 

This is a really fun prize and am excited to pick a winner! See how to enter below:

CONTEST RULES (the "fine print"):

- Contest will run through Saturday, September 19th and will end at 11:59pm Arizona Time, USA

- To enter, leave a comment below (limited to one entry per person; no cheating!): what are your favorite small business products in the "stationary/writing" category? Or, what are you looking to buy soon?

- I will arrange the entries in numerical order and randomly select a winner.  The winner will be announced on the blog on Sunday, September 20th and will need to connect with me within a week to claim their prize. 

- This giveaway is open to both US and International readers.

ATELEIA Raw Aluminum Pen - Pentel Energel Insert

It is so exciting to see people take an idea and turn it into something tangible.  

We're coming up on two years ago that I first was introduced to the minimalist brass pen by Chris Williams which has since had a successful Kickstarter funding and fulfillment, and hopefully the wind in the sails of Chris' brand, ATELEIA, is just starting to pick up momentum in the grand scheme of things.

As mentioned, the original pen was machined from solid brass, but to delve into a lighter, less patina-prone material, ATELEIA has recently released a version of the pen in either raw or black anodized aluminum.  

I really love the original brass pen, but I was REALLY excited to get my hands on an aluminum version to see what the lighter material felt like in the sleek design. I was not disappointed...

This really is a fantastic design. Its elegance really does come from its simplicity.

The original design for the pen took only the Pilot Hi-Tec C which is a beloved refill for many artists and creative types, but from my experience I can never seem to get a good one for ongoing writing. In discussions about refills with Chris, a couple I mentioned were the Uni Signo 207 and Pentel Energel for everyday writing and he was good to oblige and now offers an insert for both the Hi-Tec C crowd and the Energel crowd.  Kudos!

For weight considerations, the fully loaded brass Hi-Tec C version of the pen comes in at 49 grams (on my scale), while the aluminum Energel comes in at just 17 grams.  That is a huge difference.  

The weight of the brass pen allows the pen to do a lot of the writing for you, but the aluminum allows for a bit less hand fatigue and more control in my opinion. And if the "smell" that brass or copper pens seems to get over time really isn't your bag, the aluminum would be a fantastic option.

Still a consideration to be made with this pen is the fact that you need a crescent wrench to open it safely when replacing the refills. You wouldn't want to take a pair of needle nosed pliers or other "toothy" wrench as you will definitely run the risk of damaging the pen.

That being said, from a durability standpoint this pen would fair well in a pocket, bag or notebook cover just fine. As long as you don't mind dinging it up a bit with your keys, I've yet to see there be any damage to my pens that would cause them harm. That solid metal construction and all...

I own three of these pens (two brass and one aluminum) and I really enjoy them. No clips and a little bit of higher maintenance with the need for tools, but awesome nonetheless.

You can find all of Chris' pens and leather wares at ateleia.com. 

Fall Sale - Pens, Pencils, Notebooks...

My recent post about having excess is something I've really tried to take to heart. Its been a bit slow going, but I am going through my office and digging down into what I am finding I don't use often (or wont have time to use fully in my lifetime) and trying to consolidate. 

My Pen Sale page only allows for a certain number of items at a time, so as things sell I'll be adding others (more notebook lots). Take a look and let me know if you have any questions.