One Star Leather Goods - Park Sloper Sr. Notebook Wallet

August 9, 2013

This review is one that I've been really, really excited about sitting down to write.

My first encounter with One Star Leather Goods was about 6 to 8 months ago I'd imagine when I was looking on Etsy for leather Field Notes notebook covers. My first impression when seeing the stuff in the One Star store was pretty much that my jaw dropped. When perusing the shop owner, Keegan's, wares, I was particularly drawn to the notebook wallets with the built in pen holder. I literally kept saying to myself, "how cool are these things!?"

Keegan and I connected through email a couple months back and we chatted back and forth about each other's wares and it was cool to "geek out" with him about his leather goods and the different types there were. I've always loved leather goods, but I've never known the lingo or would be capable of carrying on a leather conversation. Pens? That is a totally different story...

I have the pleasure of owning one of his goods called the Park Sloper Sr. It is a beautiful wallet with space for several cards, some cash, a 3.5"x5.5" notebook of your choice, and a slim pen all in one. You might even be able to stash something behind the notebook flap like a secret compartment... Pretty ingenious if you ask me, and extremely well made.

While I generally always have a Doane Paper utility notebook in mine, the Park Sloper Sr also takes a Moleskine, Field Notes, or other notebooks available in this size, so just know you have some options if there is a brand you prefer.

I was also given the pleasure of sharing one of my Cubes and Blocks with Keegan which he has put to extremely good use in his studio. In speaking for myself, my workshop is not always organized to a "T", but it is where the magic happens. There is something about chaos that often breeds creation. It is an organized, and well-oiled chaos though, right Keegan?

Photo courtesy of One Star Leather Goods

Literally after two days of trying to decide which color to choose, I opted for the natural chromexcel outer with a dark brown inner for the card slots and money flap. The decision for the chromexcel was based on Keegan's suggestion that this would be a cool choice if I was looking for a leather finish that would darken and age naturally into a rich brown color. I was hooked and I'm glad he helped me make that decision.

One great feature is that this thing smells awesome. Weird? Nah. Actually, when I grabbed the envelope from the mailbox, I could smell the leather already and couldn't wait to tear that baby open to see what he had made.

What I uncovered was a quality made product that looked, felt, and smelled great. I've had the privilege to carry the wallet now for awhile as I wanted to do so before doing the review to let it break in and age a bit. This thing has aged wonderfully. She has her bumps and bruises, but thats all part of the process. The color is rich and it still looks and feels amazing.

It is a large wallet at about 6 inches in height, but he has designed it so the profile of it is very slim. Even loaded with four cards (Driver's License, work badge, credit card, and debit card), a bit of cash, a Doane Paper utility notebook, and a Cross Click pen, it sits about as thick as my iPhone (without a case) . Sitting down isn't uncomfortable at all, and is actually more comfortable than my previous, smaller wallet that was thicker. Depending on your style of pants, you might even be able to carry this front pocket or this would also be a great all-in-one wallet to throw in a bag, purse, or satchel.

The pen slot is slim, although Keegan could probably adjust it for an additional amount, but fits thin pens like the Caran d'Ache 849, the Cross Click gel (recently reviewed), and the Fisher Stowaway Space Pen. There are others that will fit I'm sure, but these are ones Keegan has shown posted with his goods.

By far, this is one of my favorite handmade products I've seen and used and enjoy it thoroughly. Keegan does an amazing job with his wares and I was blown away by the quality of workmanship he presents. If you are in the market for a new wallet, notebook cover, or other handmade leather goods, give One Star Leather a look.

www.onestarleathergoods.com

One Star Leather Goods on Instagram

One Star Leather Goods Store on Etsy

Doane Paper Promo - 15% Off

August 7, 2013

Just wanted to post a quick reminder of the great deal Chad Doane is offering on his goods to readers of The Clicky Post!

Visit www.doanepaper.com and use the promo code CLICKYPOST in the discount section at checkout to receive 15% off your order.

Thanks again, Chad, for your offering!

Kaweco AL Sport Rollerball Raw Aluminum - Pen Review

August 6, 2013

I’m sensing a bit of Kaweco obsession coming on as of recently. With my recent review of the AL Sport ballpoint, AL Sport fountain pen, and the Classic Sport rollerball, you’d think I’d had enough. Unfortunately not… or, fortunately? I suppose that depends on perspective.

This particular pen is one that I’ve been extremely excited about since the first time I came across it. The raw aluminum (glossy silver) editions of the AL Sports are all stunning, and when I saw the rollerball edition, I was intrigued. When I found out the refill it takes I was even more excited.

The Kaweco AL Sport Rollerball is kind of an enigma though as it really isn’t an easy pen to find. It’s not on JetPens, Amazon, eBay… or even Kaweco’s website for that matter! I saw this pen while perusing Cult Pen’s site for AL Sports and literally stumbled upon it. In doing more research, it baffled me how little presence this pen had online or really anywhere.

My experience of actually buying this pen was a bit crazy. In trying to buy it locally I contacted my local pen shop, Scottsdale Pen, and Jay let me know that this model was not available on his list to order. I reached out to JetPens who said they may look into carrying it at some point; no luck there either. So, I reached out to Kaweco specifically to ask about where to find the pen in the US and they referred me to a wholesaler, that then referred me to email a retailer that didn’t have it available. Upon visiting Cult Pens it showed that they were out of stock, but I emailed them to see when they might be getting more and they quickly replied and said they did find one that wasn’t listed on the site. I quickly bought it through the cart as to hopefully not miss it forever!

On a side note, if you’ve never done business with Cult Pens, you should at some point. They have a selection that is much broader than many online retailers and they are always extremely prompt in their shipping. Even though it may cost a little more in shipping to get the product to the US, I’ve found that my price point is generally not much higher overall because their prices are reasonable. So, kudos to Cult Pens. Thank you.

I'm going to make a pretty bold statement here and say flat out that this is one of my favorite pens. The build quality of the AL Kawecos really is superb and the design is so unique. With the glossy, polished aluminum finish, this thing really stands out.

Even though these pens are small, when posted, they are comfortable to write with and I really enjoy the grip section. I actually wish there were more metal barreled pens that had the concave grip section like this (not like an overly tactical pen) that is done in such a classy way. The metal is cool to the touch and slick, but feels great in your hand.

A unique design feature of the Kaweco Sport line is the octagonal faceted cap. Most of the aluminum offerings are in a matte colored finish (although somewhat metallic), but the raw aluminum versions have a shiny, reflective surface that catches the light in really cool ways. You find yourself spinning it to watch the change on the various surfaces. Really, such a beautiful design that they've been making for a really long time.

Now, for the icing on the cake: the refill. This pen can take the standard Parker style refills, but is designed to take the Schmidt cap-less rollerball found in the Retro 51 Tornado. I've noted this refill so many times in my posts, including the recent Classic Sport review. I'm actually working on compiling a list of pens that take this refill because I enjoy it so much. If you know any others, please feel free to share.

The only thing I see that could be an issue for some are the scratches on the surface that really are bound to happen due to the raw aluminum. Honestly, I think for me this will allow me to actually enjoy the utility of the pen over time as I won't be worried about it. Kind of a blessing and a curse.

This pen was a little bit of a splurge, although not crazy expensive, but I am so glad I made this purchase. This is a pen I know I will enjoy for years.