The Lanier Briefcase - Now On Kickstarter

Our latest project at Nock Co. is now live on Kickstarter. The Lanier Briefcase is our vision of a low-profile briefcase, made to hold just enough digital and analog tools for a solid day of work.

Jeff and I enjoy making products that fit seamlessly into our daily carry. Our pen cases are a direct result of that, and moving into a larger case like the Lanier is the logical next step.

I use my Lanier every day to carry a 13” MacBook Pro, A5 hardbound journal, several pens and pencils, a spare pocket notebook, earbuds, and a few other small accessories. It fits everything I need to work and to play. Nothing more, nothing less.

Our customers have come to expect nothing but high quality construction from Nock, and the Lanier is no different. It uses the same 1000D Cordura nylon exterior and 400D pack cloth interior that our pen cases use, plus several upgrades in the zippers and padding to make this a more robust part of your every day carry.

All of the specs, pictures, and video are now live on Kickstarter, so head over, check it out, and let me know if you have any questions.

We are very excited about the Lanier, and hope you are too.

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Nock Co., Kickstarter.

First Look: BN Works BNdot

BN Works is a new player on the pen manufacturing scene, and they recently sent me a prototype of their first design, the slick-looking BNdot.

The industrial design and clean lines remind me a lot of Lamy, as does the refined feel of the pen. The 304 stainless steel barrel is smooth, and comes in three PVD coating options in Champagne, Gold, and Black, along with the standard Chrome.

What sets the BNdot apart is the clip design. It is rock-solid and works flawlessly as the refill deployment method. One press down to extend the tip, another press to snap it right back up into the barrel.

While using this prototype I noticed a bit of tip rattle from the Schmidt Easy Flow 900 ballpoint (this is a Parker compatible refill pen). I emailed Tony, the designer behind BN Works, and that tolerance has already been tightened for production to eliminate the rattle. Tony has been wonderful to work with since I have had this pen in fact.

For just $65 with free worldwide shipping, and even free custom engraving, the BNdot provides great value for those looking for a sleek, sturdy, well-designed Parker refill compatible pen. Look for the launch on Indiegogo tomorrow morning at 10:30 eastern.

My thanks to BN Works for sending me this pen at no charge for purposes of this review.

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Posted on September 19, 2016 by Brad Dowdy and filed under BN Works, Pen Reviews.

First Look: BIGiDESIGN Ti Arto

I finally have a pen barrel for the Uni-ball Signo DX refill.
I finally have a pen barrel for the Uni-ball Signo DX refill.
I FINALLY HAVE A PEN BARREL FOR THE UNI-BALL SIGNO DX REFILL!!!

To say I’m excited about the BIGiDESIGN Ti Arto is a bit of an understatement. Ever since Kickstarter pens became a thing, the Uni-ball Signo DX (UM-151) has been left out in the cold, despite being the best gel ink pen on the market. It’s refill design isn’t compatible with many others, thereby leaving the market open to Parker and Pilot G2 compatible refills.

Sure, you could hack and slash the DX into other barrels, but few people want to go that route. They want a pen barrel that will fit their favorite refill easily, and the Ti Arto does just that. In fact, it fits over 200 refills, even the mini-sized D1. And it fits them all well.

How BIGiDESIGN accomplishes this is with an internal compression cone within the nose cone of the pen. You unscrew the barrel above the grip section, slide in your refill, then as you screw the section back on the internal nose cone compresses and tightens around the refill. As you can see in their project video, you can adjust the amount the refill is exposed, and it does require a little playing with it to get it just right. Well, for me it does, because I am super anal-retentive.

Did I mention it fits the Uni-ball Signo DX?

I tried a few different refills and they were all dead solid perfect. This is a fun pen to have in your arsenal for sure.

Titanium is BIGiDESIGN’s calling card, and that is your only option for this campaign. Which, for $65, is a great deal for a titanium barreled single cartridge pen. This one happens to fit more than 200.

I backed this pen the moment it went live - in fact I was backer #1. Getting this prototype in hand from Chadwick and Joe only solidified my thoughts on this pen. It’s really good and I can’t wait to get the final version in hand.

My thanks to BIGiDESIGN for sending me this pen at no charge for purposes of this review.

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