ACCESSORIES FOR THE DESK: MAKERS CABINET HØVEL & IRIS REVIEW

As with so many hobbies, most things within the writing community aren't about making sensible financial decisions. Let's be honest, it's quite easy to be tempted into buying (ahem, hoarding) all kinds of pens, pencils, desk accessories, and gadgets that nobody really needs... but everybody wants! The two desk accessories by Makers Cabinet we'll be looking at, certainly categorize as such. I can't help but be quite enamored by these nifty tools. 

UK-based Makers Cabinet hit the market somewhere in 2017 (then as 'Brahman Design') and was started by three product design graduates. Aesthetics is the name of the game with Makers Cabinet. You'd think 'form follows function' is out of the door then, but after using the Makers Cabinet Høvel pencil sharpener and Iris compass, the meticulous attention to detail quickly becomes clear.

As aesthetics are a big part of the appeal of the Høvel and Iris, so let's start there...

One key element returns throughout the entire product catalog of Makers Cabinet: all of their products are made out of brass! But as much as that ties together their different products, each item still very much brings its own unique look and feel. 

The Hovel - a very minimal, miniature interpretation of a wood planer - is a slick and sleek chunk of brass, with rounded edges and a highly polished finish. The rectangular cutout that houses the blade setup received a lightly sandblasted finish for a subtle contrast, it also has the 'Høvel' logo laser-engraved there.

The Iris - a brilliantly overengineered take on the classic circle drawing compass - is quite the opposite in terms of design. Its crisp beveled edges, knurling, and mixture of finishes (machined finish, brushed, and sandblasted) interweave to create a distinctly industrial look and feel. One thing I noticed while using both products, is that the type of brass they use isn't very prone to tarnishing (even though it's not coated), I'm still waiting for the Høvel and Iris to take on a nice vintage appearance. 

The 'Makers Cabinet' and 'Iris' branding only appears when you close the blades of the Iris!

The solid brass construction creates a wonderfully hefty tactile appearance. So much so, that I'm constantly tempted to play with the Høvel as a worry stone... if it wasn't for the blade sticking out of the bottom (not quite so practical as a fidget toy!).

No, neither Iris nor Høvel are cheap products by any stretch of the imagination, but it has to be said that the production quality on both is really, really impressive. Machining is precise, assembly and fit and finish is flawless, finishing is cleanly done. I have no remarks, it's as simple as that. 

Especially on the Iris - a rather complex mechanical construction with a lot of moving metal parts - it's extra impressive how everything fits together perfectly and the diaphragm slides open and closed buttery smooth. The only remark I could make is that stainless steel diaphragm blades of the Iris do pick up scuffs from sliding over each other, but that's to be expected with these moving parts.

Let's move on to functionality, because yes, you really are getting more than just a good-looking paperweight for your money!

It doesn't take much practice to get nice and clean sharpening results.

Starting with the Høvel; it has been mocked in the past for its very concept: a plane for a pencil sharpener, why even?!? I must say, I was skeptical as well, and my view aligned with some reviews that stated it's awkward and unnecessarily difficult to use.

Though as soon as I started testing the Høvel myself, I found it surprisingly easy and intuitive to use. That does come with a slight sidenote that I often sharpen pencils with a pocket knife (I'm weird like that), so I do have some practice with unconventional sharpening techniques (that's undoubtedly my weirdest flex ever!). The alignment of the blade - just a millimeter below the plane surface - allows thin curls of wood to be shaved off using minimal pressure. With some practice, you can get straight and clean cuts and even make a nicely symmetrical point onto your pencil. 

The Høvel, just like a knife, gives you more freedom in varying the angle and shape of the pencil tip entirely to your liking, and it can also be used for oddly sized and shaped pencils that don't fit a traditional sharpener. The Høvel comes with a cute tiny package of 10 blades, which is more than enough to keep you sharpening for a while. 

One remark I have with the Høvel is that you have to hold it sort of precariously at the very edge to keep your fingers out of the way of your pencil, and the mirror-polished finish is quite slippery. Perhaps it would be useful if they'd add some knurling or texture to the sides of the Høvel. Maybe an idea for a future iteration? 

The Iris is probably my favorite of the two tools, and that's mostly due to the incredibly smooth and precise action of the 20-blade diaphragm opening and closing by turning the outer ring. It's very satisfying to play with! 

The centimeter scale on the outer edge enables you to precisely draw circles with a defined diameter, or measure them. Talking about that scale: I of course tested the accuracy, and it's accurate down to a millimeter or so. One slight caveat is that, even though the diaphragm has a lot of rounded blades, you always get a subtly 20-sided circle, not a perfectly round one. At some circle diameters it's more noticeable than others, though (circles above 5 cm appear perfectly round). With that said, I'd say the Iris is still perfectly suitable for drawing, sketching, or doodling. Anything but precise technical drawing. 

The rubber padding on the underside of the Iris keeps it firmly in place on the paper, which is necessary as the twist mechanism does require a fair bit of force to operate. 

The Høvel can also be placed upside-down in the wooden base and used as such

One more thing... Both the Iris and Høvel have a purpose-built walnut wooden base. With the Iris, it's included in the box (and doubles as a center-point finder when you place it within the Iris). The base for the Høvel, unfortunately, isn't included and adds an additional 14$ to the cost of the pencil plane. Frankly, I think the base for the Høvel should also be included in the price, as you miss out on a lot of functionality without it. For one, it protects the blade (and also your desk!) when not in use, but it also doubles as a pencil shavings tray, and a holder to place the Høvel upside down to sharpen your pencil with the Høvel on the table  (although I personally find it easier to use handheld). 

If price is no object, and you want something unique on your desk - certainly a conversation piece -, the Makers Cabinet Høvel (69€/ 80$) and Iris (120€/ 138$) are two tools (because despite the beautiful and unique design, that's still what they are) that are definitely worth checking out. Build quality is second to none, and I'm sure the Stria ruler and upcoming pencil extender 'Ferrule' will hold to the same high-quality benchmark Makers Cabinet has set for themselves. 

Better yet - with the upcoming Holiday season in mind - both the Iris and Høvel could make for ideal gifts for the design-minded writing or drawing enthusiasts that already have all the other essentials covered on their desk!

NOTE: These products were provided by Makers Cabinet, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

PEN CASE REVIEW: ABSOLUTE BRETON PEN DISPLAY BOX

Pen cases and pen storage boxes are at least equally big business as the pens we put in them. That makes sense, we want to protect our prized possessions after all... and in a stylish way too, if possible! 

So today we're looking at something I actually have never tried out: pen boxes! I got in touch with Breton (Absolute Breton), a luxury and custom leather goods maker from Spain, up until recently perhaps one of the more obscure brands on the scene, but they seem to be slowly gaining traction within the community especially for their leather 'Travel' pen cases.

We're not looking at the Travel pen cases today though, instead Breton sent over the 11-pen box with glass lid (their products don't seem to have actual names). I was actually surprised because I didn't know Breton also made pen boxes like this. In fact, it seems that I didn't know much about the brand at all. If you have some time to peruse their website, I'd definitely urge you to do so. Breton is known in the industry for their custom work on yacht interiors and upholstery of suitcases to accommodate everything from watch or pen collections, to entire minibars. They even make custom safes for watches and pens, fully upholstered in leather, of course! 

So yeah, we're talking really high-end products here, and serious eye candy, to say the least! But anyway, back to the pen box, because there's quite a lot to talk about... 

I'm all too often put off by pen boxes due to their often gaudy, ornamental, and very classic designs, which doesn't fit my personal style at all. This had me a bit worried about the design of Breton's pen box, because I tend to associate their brand with a fairly classic look and styling. The Breton pen box managed to change my opinion, though, with a pleasantly modern design. 

It's a nice, straightforward rectangular design, unadorned from all sides and covered entirely in leather. Of course with a glass window in the lid that takes up almost the entire top of the case for a more or less unobstructed view of the pens inside.

The box has no handle to open the lid, so on both sides of the case, you'll find oval indentations through which you can lift the lid. I like this solution because it means there are no knobs or handles sticking out from the case, and no metal hardware is visible for a clean and simple look.

The style of leather further aids in providing the Breton pen box with a modern appearance - although of course you can choose from a selection of leather types and colors when you order from them directly (for example with crocodile leather, you'd clearly step away from the modern appearance of the finish I tested!) Unfortunately, I have no idea what the exact name or specification is of this leather, but it's some kind of perforated, black leather. All I can say is that it's very soft to the touch, and it looks modern - which fits the overall design of the box. The perforated leather reminds me of steering wheels in luxury sports cars, which is quite cool. The inside of the box is finished in light grey microfiber material, giving an overall muted color scheme.

It's subtle, but the pen box is angled about 5 degrees towards you, because of two sturdy metal feet at the back. The feet are rounded, so I don't expect them to damage the surface you put the box on, but I would've preferred if they were rubberized to keep the box from sliding. Because the box does like to slide around a bit, especially since it's surprisingly lightweight without any pens in it (with 11 pens inside, the case becomes rather heavy, of course!). Some high-end pen boxes feel weightier, which might be associated with quality, but I honestly have no complaints in terms of build quality so I think it would be unfair to make the same association here. 

In fact, I'd say the build quality is downright excellent. The leather on the outside is neatly applied (the perforated pattern doesn't show any stretching or warping anywhere), corners are nicely tucked in, and no seams or unfinished edges are visible. The bottom of the case is finished with a durable fabric to prevent wear. 

If I'm being very picky, maybe one area where I do think they were a bit too fanatic (if that's even possible?) about the finishing, is in covering up the lid hinge. This strip of leather covering the hinge, overlaps on the top of the lid, causing a slightly bulkier finish and more seams than necessary. In my opinion, having the hinge visible wouldn't distract from the overall clean aesthetics of the case. 

Talking about the hinge, it's probably my favorite feature of the Breton pen box! It's incredibly well-adjusted to the weight of the case and requires just the right amount of force to neatly lift it open without having to brace the rest of the box. You can literally open it with a single finger, and the hinge is nicely dampened, so even when you let it fall closed, it shuts relatively quietly. The lid only opens to less than a 90-degree angle. It would've been nice if it opened up a bit further to give more unobstructed access to the pens inside. It's not really a dealbreaker though.

L to R: Wahl-Eversharp Decoband, Scribo Feel, ASC Bologna Extra, Pelikan M1005, Montblanc 149, Leonardo MZ Grande, Conid Kingsize, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The entire 11-pen box (other sizes are also available) measures 26cm/ 10.2" by 18 cm/ 7.1", and is about 5cm/ 2" deep at the highest point. To give some perspective, Visconti's - now discontinued - Dreamtouch 11-pen case isn't much smaller, measuring 26.5cm/ 10.4" by 16.5cm/ 6.5" by 3.5cm/ 1.4".  So the Breton pen box manages to be quite compact and doesn't take up too much space on your desk.

On the inside of the Breton 11-pen box, you'll find a rather interesting layout for the pen slots, which don't cover the interior top to bottom. The pen slots only run up until about two cm from the top of the case, where a horizontal 'channel' cutout interrupts the pen slots. I assume the design is meant to provide easier access to taking out the pen by the cap, but the functionality of this design quirk depends quite strongly on how large the pens are.

The slots of the Breton box are wide (pens up to 21mm/ 0.83"), and every square inch of the interior is lined with an incredibly plush and soft microfiber material. The slots are concave too, not just flat, so your pens can be neatly aligned and will stay that way. Larger pens have ample space, even going into really oversized territory. Up until 16cm/ 6.3" long pens - effectively the size of the ASC Bologna Extra pictured above - will fit... but barely! Ideally, you'd want to stay below that 16cm threshold, because it just looks a bit weird when it's squeezed in there like that. 

The Breton 11-pen display box made me look at pen boxes differently, I have to say. I've always been a bit wary of them and used to prefer pen cases for their more versatile (read: portable) nature. But there's a certain elegance of having your pens displayed on your desk, and especially a smaller box like this is not too terrible in terms of the space it takes up on your desk. In fact, there's also 3- and 6-pen variants available in this design, which may be even more appropriate if you just want to keep a couple daily carry pens on your desk. Particularly the modern looks of the Breton pen box appeal to me, especially since so many brands (from budget to extremely high-end) stick to a very classical styling that just doesn't' resonate with me.

Given Breton's luxury status, I expected a price tag to match, so I was pleasantly surprised by this 11-pen box's price point. While 271€ is arguably still a lot of money for a case that only holds 11 pens, it can certainly be a lot worse when looking at other high-end brands like Agresti or Ladon, which are easily double the price for a similar setup. Breton's website offers these pen boxes in different sizes (up to 34 pens - 491€), with a variety of leather options to choose from. But of course, you can always inquire about a fully bespoke design (although you might have to dig a bit deeper into your wallet for that!).

This product was sent to me by Breton, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

PAPER REVIEW: ENDLESS RECORDER NOTEBOOK

A few months ago, a mystery package arrived at my doorstep. Inside was a notebook by the brand Endless, and a letter adressed to me. I couldn't recall ever communicating with Endless before, so I was sort of spooked by the fact that it arrived without a heads-up. Then I realized I had been talking to Dr. Sreekumar from Krishna Inks in India, and I realized this was a joint effort of his brand and Endless, both being shipped out from The Pen World shop online store in India (not to be confused by either Penworld or The Penworld Magazine -confusing indeed!).

So once I realized how the Endless Recorder made its' way to me, I cracked it open and tried it out. The Recorder comes with Tomoe River paper inside (the heavier 68 gsm version, not the more 'famous' 52 gsm), which is probably its' biggest selling point right off the bat.

On the outside, it's a pretty simple hardcover notebook made of a nicely textured leatherette material, minimally branded with the Endless logo embossed on the front. The cover material reminds me a lot of the Dingbats Earth notebook. It only comes in one size, A5 (8.4" x 5.6"). The Recorder counts 187 pages, of which the last 16 are perforated. The lower-than-average page count, combined with lightweight TR paper makes for a fairly thin notebook, which is quite practical in use.

In terms of build quality, I've actually read some mixed reviews. My sample seems quite good, although I did also find that the paper stock isn't cut and bound very precise, which causes the printing (e.g. the page numbers) to not be perfectly aligned on each page. Apart from that, the paper block has a sewn spine and the entire notebook feels sturdy. I've been using the notebook for a few months, and the leatherette cover still looks like new.

The Recorder features all the usual doodads: ribbon pagemark and elastic closure (always in turquoise), a back pocket for loose papers or cards, numbered pages and a table of contents on the first two pages. The notebook itself doesn't have an elastic pen loop, but the linnen bag in which the notebook is packaged, does! The drawstring bag makes for a neat way to present the notebook, and it can be used to keep your notebook pristine while also carrying a pen.

The Brooch  can be personalized with your name

Endless has created two other products to further improve the functionality of your Recorder. One is the 'Brooch': a metal clip that snugly fits on the cover of the notebook and can be customized with a laser-engraved name or initials. It doubles up as an additional way to store loose sheets of paper. The second product is the 'Toolkit'. This is a free download that you can get from their website, and it provides you with several sets of guide sheet downloads. Especially if you choose the blank paper option (which already comes with a lined and grid guide sheet), these guide sheets can help in creating certain layouts for journalling, sketching or writing. Sometimes it's the small gestures like this that differentiate a product from the rest. Things like the Brooch, carrying pouch and Toolkit it shows how the people behind Endless are committed in packing a lot of funtionality into their product.

Let's get down to business: the paper.

sheen for days!

As I already mentioned, the Recorder uses the 68 gsm version of Tomoe River paper (steadily becoming a more common choice in many TR notebooks), which is still a good bit below the average 80 or 90-ish gsm paper that is commonly found in notebooks. I actually like that it's a bit thicker and more substantial than the regular Tomoe River, it feels a bit less frail. The paper handles fountain pens with absolute ease. I threw everything at it, from fine to broad, stubs, flexible nibs and other wet writers... and it all looks equally crisp with plenty of shading and sheen but without bleedthrough. If I had to really nitpick, the 52 gsm TR still is the king of shading and sheen... but it's a subtle difference. The slightly thicker paper seems to handle ghosting a little better, with the back side of the page still perfectly usable. 

Showthrough (ghosting) is not bad at all on this 68 gsm Tomoe River paper

As usual, Tomoe River is not without its' quirks. Very wet applications of ink (swabs or calligraphy dip nibs), or permanent marker WILL get the paper to yield and show bleedthrough. Although to be fair, very few paper brands can actually deal with this. Also, dry times are of course a bit longer than usual. These downsides are common for all TR paper though. It may not be the most practical paper for generic use, but as far as fountain pens go, I can't think of another paper that renders inks quite like this.

The Endless Recorder honestly wasn't really on my radar. So if they hadn't sent one out of the blue, I probably never would've reviewed it. I'm glad I did though, because I'm really quite enjoying it as my main journal (I don't actually journal, but I always carry a notebook for ink and pen testing, and random doodles, so TR paper is ideal for me).

The reported build quality issues are the only negative I can really think of, although my particular review sample didn't show any major issues. Other than that, I think it's a well-rounded product. I very much enjoyed my time with the Endless Recorder notebook. 

22€/ 23$ Is very much in line with typical prices of Tomoe River notebooks, and it's well worth the premium over a 'regular' paper notebook. The closest competition I can think of is perhaps the GLP 'Author' (28$) notebook, which has the same paper stock and similar pagecount, but in a softcover design.

NOTE: This product was provided by Endless, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

back of the test page

REVIEW: GOOD MADE BETTER PENWELL TRAVELER PEN STAND

Not too long ago, I had a look at the Penwell from Good Made Better: a small wood or metal -nondescript- object that sits on your desk and turns any capped pen into a desk pen (find my review HERE). The idea is so simple that it makes you wonder why nobody had thought of this before. As Mike Dudek from The Clicky Post puts it: 

"It is something unique and something most pen lovers wouldn't think they'd need, but could probably use and enjoy."

But Dan's quest for making capped pens more user-friendly didn't end there! Enter: the Penwell Traveler! 

Traveler or Original, which one would you choose?

The Traveler is a more modern-looking -almost futuristic- iteration of the same concept: A suction pad base clings to your desk surface, and a foam tube on the inside nestles your pens and holds the cap in place while you write. the design is made of two pieces that swivel around a brass pivot screw, so you can adjust the angle at which it holds your pen, and it also folds closed when not in use.

L to R: Snow White Cerakote, tumbled aluminium and Storm Gray Cerakote

Three finishes are available: tumbled aluminium with silver screw, Snow White cerakote with brass screw, and Storm Gray cerakote with silver screw. The two cerakote finishes are available in limited quantities, and the Gray version is already sold out, unfortunately. Cerakote is a durable ceramic coating, and it has a nice matte finish that is soft to the touch. Although my favourite is actually the tumbled raw aluminium version. 

The Traveler really is quite the logical next step for the Penwell, and it actually bridges an issue that I had with the original. The originall Penwell was pretty great when you're at your desk, but you're not ALWAYS at your desk when you write. Portability was close to non-existent, because even if you'd be willing to take the relatively large (it's not huge, but it's a clunky shape) Penwell with you in its' tin case, you'd still be left with the suction pad getting all messed up and grimy during transport. The Penwell Traveler -as the name suggests- is made to travel with you wherever you go.

It's more portable for two reasons: The first one is simply that it is a good bit smaller when closed, and the rectangular form factor makes it easy to pack in your bag. The second reason is the carrying case and protective cover that come along with it. I have early production samples of the Traveler, so I don't actually have the cover and case. But the idea is simple: the protective cover slips over the suction pad to protect it and keep it clean during transport, and the entire penwell can be tucked into the zippered case to keep it safe in transit. 

The Traveler accomodates a wide variety of pens: (L to R) Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000, Pentel Sign Pen, Pilot Vpen, Montblanc Meisterstuck 149.

The foam sleeve on the Penwell Traveler is a new design, and is more of a 'one size fits all' shape that is tapered on one end, and narrower on the other end. Flipping it around gives some latitude in terms of what pen size will fit. It's definitely aimed at medium-sized pens, but larger pens -Even up to a Montblanc 149!- can fit too (though rather snugly.

Just like the original Penwell, the Traveler is an excellent accessory for your desk. It's not something you NEED, but you'll appreciate having it when you need to do a lot of writing. The fact that this new iteration of the Penwell is made to take with you, makes it a more versatile tool, perfect to take with you to the office or when out and about! 

The Kickstarter for the Penwell (LINK) Traveler has only about a week left on the clock, and is already funded way past the goal. Pricing starts at 37$ (32 EUR) for the tumbled Al finish, and 43$ (38EUR) for the Cerakote colorways (only the Snow White version is still available). That's a good bit lower than the regular Penwell, and I feel like it's a comfortable price point for an accesory like this.

This product was sent to me by Good Made Better so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affilate links.

REVIEW: GOOD MADE BETTER PENWELL & PEN STAND

Last week I reviewed the Franklin-Christoph 66 Stabilis fountain pen, which is one of FC's longer fountain pens that is meant to be used at your desk. This week, to stay in the theme of desk pens, we'll have a look at an accessory that will turn ANY pen into a desk pen! 

Desk pens used to be a common item found on office desks back in the days when everyone still, well...wrote with pens! Nowadays, computers have most likely taken over that real estate on most desks, and a lot pen manufacturers (however, not all of them!) stepped away from producing real desk pens. You can still find some here or there, but it'll most likely be one of those crappy Bic desk pens at the bank or postal office, gross. 

Good Made Better, a relatively new American brand, aims to bring back the heydays of the desk pen with their Penwell and Pen Stand. They sent an aluminium version of the Penwell and a brass Pen Stand over for review, so let's take a look at how they can brighten up your desk!

L to R: Good Made Better Pen Stand Model No.1, Penwell, and Karas Pen Co. Cube

There aren't many options on the market if you want to store and display your pens. Probably the most obvious and widely-known option comes from Dudek Modern Goods, with their Walnut Cube (or the similar Karas Pen Co. aluminium Cube, made in collaboration with Dudek). These chunky blocks of wood or metal can accommodate a couple pens, but don't offer much additional functionality besides holding them neatly in one place. 

In comparison, the Penwell is a small piece that looks a bit quirky at first. The major selling point of the Penwell is of course that -apart from storing your pen- it transforms ANY pen into a desk pen, making it possible to cap and uncap your pen single-handedly. It's available in a variety of materials, with walnut, brass and aluminium being the standard offerings. Other materials (such as acrylic, ebonite or ceramic) are occasionally available as limited editions. The Penwell doesn't take up much space on your desk (with a footprint of about 5x6 cm / 2"x2.75"), and looks more elegant and light compared to the Karas Pen Co. Cube (which, of course, holds more than one pen). 

Apart from the Penwell, GMB also offers the Pen Stand Model No.1: an even smaller desk accessory that -as the name suggests- displays a single pen.

If you take a closer look at the Penwell, you can see that the way it works is actually quite simple: it stands at an angle to keep your pens pointed towards you, similar to a traditional desk pen. A metal clamp inside provides a secure fit, and a black foam tube prevents the clamp from damaging your pens. The bottom of the Penwell is covered in a special 'microsuction' adhesive tape. You can place it on any (relatively) smooth surface, and it will adhere due to the small bubbles in the material that act like tiny suction cups. No actual adhesive is needed, so it doesn't leave a residue and you can re-use it (although you do have to clean it occasionally with a damp cloth to remove dust from the microsuction pad). I placed them on a wooden desk, and it adhered quite well, despite the surface not being entirely smooth.

The microsuction pad up close, you can see the tiny holes that provide adhesion

In practice, there are some pens that work very well, and others that don't. Some examples: Snap caps that aren't too strong will work (like the Lamy 2000), but I found I would occasionally pull out the entire pen when the cap wasn't inserted properly. It's excellent for twist caps, but only those with a short or moderately long thread. Some pens take two rotations or more to uncap, which makes the whole process a bit tedious. Both pens with or without clip can be used, but of course the clip adds to the diameter of the pen and creates a tighter fit.

The metal clamp narrows down towards the bottom, so a good variety of pens will fit. You can also take it out and slightly squeeze it together to create a tighter fit. Additionally, a larger foam insert is available separately (for both the Penwell and Pen Stand). 

It takes a bit of experimenting to see which pens are best suited, but once you find a good combination, it becomes a useful tool on your desk. I often paired it up with the TWSBI Eco, which is one of my workhorse pens that I always like to keep inked up and ready to write. As a sidenote: Good Made Better has a Youtube channel where they post tips and tricks to improve the usage of the Penwell, which is definitely useful to watch if you're not sure which pens to use and how!  

Let's take a closer look at the Pen Stand (Model No. 1). It's quite a simple product that holds and displays your pen. It's nothing groundbreaking, but again the execution is quite on point. The Pen Stand has a straight cylindrical shape with a strongly beveled top edge. It's more minimal in looks, whereas the Penwell has a design with a slight vintage nod to it. I quite like the sleek look of the Pen Stand, especially in this brass finish (also available in walnut). The same microsuction pads are used to affix the Pen Stand to your desk, and the foam insert hugs your pen. I especially like it to display minimal machined pens, it shows them off perfectly.

The Pen Stand Model No. 1

As mentioned earlier, you can buy larger foam inserts separately.The foam inserts that come standard with both the Penwell and Pen Stand have a smaller inner diameter, which will hold your pens (especially narrower ones) a bit tighter and will make usage easier in some cases. The standard size accommodates pens between 1cm and 1.6cm (0.375"-0.625"), and the large goes from 1.3cm to 2cm (0.5"-0.75"). I requested the large foam inserts for both Penwell and Pen Stand (which are available separately), because I tend to use larger pens.

Something I haven't touched on -build quality- is excellent on both the Penwell and Pen Stand. The aluminium and brass versions (I can't speak for the walnut version) are machined precisely with nicely rounded edges, and are polished to a shiny finish. The GMB logo is engraved at the back of the Penwell.

My only gripe I had with both the Penwell and Pen Stand is that the foam inserts are open at the bottom. Since I asked for the larger inserts, smaller pens would push all the way through the stand and hit your desk (ok, so maybe it's kind of my own fault!). If you plan on using 'normal' diameter pens, it's probably best to stick with the standard size foam inserts to provide a snug fit. 

The Good Made Better Penwell and Pen Stand are great desk accessories for those who don't want a bulky display with a lot of pens (like the Dudek Cube) on their desk. It's quite convenient if you're like me, and keep your pens stored in a leather pen case to take with you, but want just one pen on the desk for quick and easy access. Both products succeed at being simple but functional additions to your work environment, that make something trivial, like capping and uncapping your pen, easier.

Prices start at 49$ for the Penwell and 29$ for the Pen Stand in walnut wood, and go up from there, depending on the material. Especially the Penwell isn't exactly cheap, but it's very well made and offers a functionality that is quite unique on the market.

This product was sent to me by Good Made Better so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affilate links.