Posts filed under King Jim

King Jim +Kraft File Cover Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

When I first saw the King Jim +Kraft File Cover, I thought it would be just that--a folder. Maybe not exciting, but it looked pretty sweet and vintage and like something I'd like to put files in, so I thought I'd try it out. I was shocked to open it and discover that, in fact, it has features. Quite a lot of them.

The outside is unassuming, unexciting, but elegant in a minimalist way. It's made of plain kraft paper that is fibrous and feels almost like felt. It's not flimsy in any way, and it feels like it will stand up to a lot of use. It's a tri-fold design with two full-size pocket sheets and the flap that closes over the top. It closes with a simple elastic loop over a cardstock button.

Instead of just a pocket inside, it has a plethora of pocketses. On the left is a narrow flap that goes from the top to the bottom of the folder. In that flap is a small slot for business cards. On the right is a set of three pockets. One clear plastic slot covers the whole right side of the folder. An A4 notebook cover can be slid behind this pocket flap, and the folder then becomes a notebook cover.

The other cover of the notebook can be tucked inside the narrow left flap for extra security, or the left flap can be used for papers. There is also a leather ribbon bookmark at the top for use with a notebook. Across that larger pocket, a half-size pocket spans the width. If you're not using an A4 notebook in the larger pocket, an A4 notepad or legal pad can fit in this pocket.

And inside that pocket is another slot that fits index cards or sticker sheets, etc. You could even put a slim A4 notebook in each side, and have two notebooks in one folder. And then a pocket notebook in the smaller pocket for a whopping three notebooks! There's also a pen loop on the right side.

So what I thought was just a folder turned out to be a complex, versatile notebook system. To say I was delighted is an understatement. I had expected boring utilitarianism, but instead I am having fun arranging all the possible configurations. I think these would be great for teachers, students, or business people. Even artists might find this a useful way to take work on the go. I don't use many A4 notebooks, but this folder makes me want to. There aren't a lot of good cover systems for A4 sizes, so I think this product helps to fill an industry gap.

The King Jim +Kraft File Cover costs $19 on JetPens, which is a lot for a folder, but not a lot for a versatile notebook cover system. Perhaps its name is doing it a disservice, but my low expectations did make for a very pleasant surprise.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on April 15, 2021 by Sarah Read and filed under King Jim, Folder, Notebooks.

A Stationary 2020 of Stationery

Here we are at the end of 2020, with 2021 looming. Perhaps rather than a sparkling ball, we'll be dropping the other shoe. But, as Galadriel says, "Hope remains while the company is true" and there's no better company than the stationery community. A lot of us have sought solace and sanity in our hobby and in each other this year, and despite my analog disposition, I'm so grateful for the tech that has kept us in touch.

Whether it was Twitter, Instagram, or Brad's Twitch streams, reaching out to my pen fam helped dull the sting of lost pen shows and clubs. And thank goodness for online pen stores and the mail carriers who make them possible. I didn't save any money by not going to a pen show, that's for sure. Instead of the Chicago Pen Show, it was the Sarah's Mailbox Pen Show. I regret nothing.

A number of my 2020 acquisitions deserve a special shout-out. And my first accolade goes to the noble highlighter. I started grad school this fall, studying Library and Information Science. As you can imagine, there's a bit of reading in that field. I burned through 2-3 highlighters a week for my 14-week semester. Some were too dry, or too wet, or too awkward to hold, or ran out too quickly--but they all were necessary and I never went anywhere without a few of them. I could not have functioned without them and they were absolutely necessary to a successful semester. I raise my glass to you, highlighters.

My highlighters' constant companion was the King Jim Magflap Clipboard. A lot of my reading was scholarly articles that I'd printed out, and this clipboard made reading them a lot easier and more comfortable. I could curl up in a cozy chair and still have a reading and writing surface, and it fit perfectly in my bag when I needed to take my work on the go.

My third accolade, also used for school, was the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter. It held the notebooks I used for lecture notes. The clip system, which I expected to be obtrusive and possibly even annoying, is actually fabulous. It's much more secure than an elastic band notebook system, and the clips never got in the way at all. I've already got it refilled for next semester.

Clearly the majority of my praise is going to practical things--in the year 2020, I most appreciate the things that made my life easier. But don't worry, it's not all school supplies. My absolute favorite stationery item I got this year was my birthday/mother's day present from my husband, a long-coveted Galen Leather Writer's Medic Bag in crazy horse green. In the stationary year of stationery it mostly sits on my desk, holding pens and looking pretty. But it is SO pretty, and sometimes I carry it around the house with me. You know, in case I want to write upstairs, or in the kitchen while I make more tea. I can't wait to take it to a pen show, though I know that may not be till 2022.

My favorite pen of the year was the Spoke Roady, and I'm not just saying that because Brad is my friend. It's a phenomenal pen and I've used it every day since it arrived. If there's one thing to look forward to in 2021, it's more Spoke pens.

I think there's a lot to look forward to in 2021, though. Maybe not all the things we normally look forward to, but I know I'm looking forward to chatting with you all about pens and paper and ink for the coming year. Take care and Happy New Year!

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Galen Leather, Highlighter, King Jim, Roterfaden, Spoke Pen.

King Jim Magflap Clipboard Review

The King Jim MagFlap Clipboard is one of the best stationery items I have ever owned and I do not say that lightly. By the time I was in my second week of grad school, and realized that I would be reading a minimum of 500 pages of scholarly articles every week, I knew two things: 1) I could not do that much reading on a screen. 2) I was going to need a way to contain, transport, and highlight a lot of papers all day every day. So I requested one of these. I've named her Maggie and she's my partner in crime. We go everywhere together, even from room-to-room in the house. If you have any need at all for a portable writing surface, I recommend this one.

The clipboard is thin, but very sturdy with no flexibility, so you can hold it at one corner and still write on a firm surface. The clip is very strong and goes the whole width of the top, so the corners of your document are protected and secured. At the bottom, there is a magnetic flap that closes over the bottom edges of the papers, so they do not flip up or fly around, and it keeps the entire page secured. There is another magnetic flap on the back of the clipboard, so when you finish a page, you can flip it up and over the clip, and secure it at the back, so it isn't dangling and it is protected from getting tattered.

The magnets are very strong, so nothing slips or slides around. Watch your fingertips, though, because they are strong enough to pinch a bit. It can also be attached to metal surfaces, like a refrigerator. While the specs say it holds 10-30 sheets, I can attest to it holding much more than that securely with no trouble at all. I know I've carried at least 50 pages at a time in it with no issues, and the clip is still holding strong.

The one thing this clipboard is missing is some kind of pen loop. If it could also securely hold my highlighter, it would be the most perfect thing ever. As it is, it's still very great. I think it would be perfect not just for students, but also artists, office workers, or anyone who has to do a lot of writing on their feet, like nurses or teachers. It isn't cheap at $14.50, but it is totally worth it. I might even need a backup or two, and one for the fridge as well.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)