15 November 2013

Free for All Friday No. 261

When I bought my first Filofax to replace my Palm Pilot, I decided on A5 and not Personal because it was to be used for work, and I could also get notebooks with the same size paper. Now that I had chosen a format, I could develop a new, paper-based system.

I left work and ran (literally) into a stationery store at 5:55 p.m. (they closed at 6:00) and bought the only A5 they had—a black Finsbury. The shopkeeper had every reason to think I was a little crazy. Here was this breathless woman who needed an A5 Filofax and needed it NOW.

Which brings me to this week's question: What's the craziest thing you've ever done for a Filofax?

27 comments:

  1. I notice that the dedicated Filofax Flex website www.flexbyfilofax.com has been taken down this week. Anyone know why?

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  2. The craziest thing I've ever done for a Filofax? - Driven to two different cities to get the various inserts that I wanted, so that I could set up my A5 Kendal over a single weekend.

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  3. The craziest thing would be ordering my crimson Malden from the Filofax store in France--since I live in the US!
    But what made it really crazy was that I did this twice--a second time when I had to replace the first one--after accidentally making a small spot larger by rubbing leather cleaner into it. But it was so worth it!

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  4. Back in 1982, Filofaxes were not so available as they are now, even here in the UK, and having seen a work colleague with one, I knew that my life would be transformed if I owned one too, now :) So I made many phone calls (no internet back then) to find out who stocked them and drove many miles to get mine. The upside was that the range in the store was huge (they had over 150 different inserts back then) so I came away, having spent a small fortune, on what was to become a very useful companion for the next thirty odd years,

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    1. Driving over two hours, yes two hours back in the day - think 1980's to find a store that carried FFs inserts/supplies...it was well worth it! I came home happy and penniless ! Ah...those were the days of every kind of FF insert you could imagine...remember the tissue paper inserts anyone ? Or was it onion skin ?

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  5. @Tim The redesign of the filofax.co.uk website would suggest that Flex is being integrated into the main Filofax range as "Notebooks". Marketing fripperies ....

    Has anybody any experience they would share about the rival X47 product range? They sell a product called DUO 4 (http://www.x47.com/en/wallets/coin-purse-wallet-italian-leather-womens-bifold/) which claims to have overcome the age old problem of keeping a diary, notepad, bank notes and coins in one place, and for it to be usable. I'd kill for such a product, but as it's pricey, I'm fishing around for others' experiences before buying it.

    Thanks

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    1. Graham - I've not purchased one but I have exchanged emails in the past with "Missy Watts" - a huge fan of the X47 and who has written about them on her blog. Here's an extract of what she wrote to me in 2011: -

      "I absolutely love my X47 planner and cannot endorse it highly enough. Over time the owner of the company has found my blog posts about it and we have been in contact. When you order mention my name....I want him to know how people are finding information on his product as it will help him to expand (something he is trying to do).

      When I first ordered mine I had to order in German, but now he has the site all in Englsh. I have the largest size available..now I think it is being called "The Professional". I love the system because I can fit a small address book, the whole year's calander (it comes in two books) , a journal and another notebook all in the one leather binder.

      The products are top notch.....they will arrive in beautiful packaging and the leather is very luxurious....I chose a pebbled brown leather for the cover. The cover is the real investment...buying the refills is minor. I am happy to answer any question you have about it......I am a very satisfied customer" (Missy Watts).

      Hope that helps. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you emailing her. If you email me, I'll pass anything on. (timatwestwoodlodgedotcodotuk - replace dots with real dots!). Good luck! Tim

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    2. Graham or Tim,
      Can one of y'all post Missy Watts' blog address? I'd love to check this out!
      Thanks!
      PM

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    3. It's at http://missywatts.typepad.com/good_life/ with the X47 posts amongst those at http://missywatts.typepad.com/good_life/wont_fit_in_any_other_category/ . Missy told me she continued to be impressed with the quality and customer service but hasn't any experience with the wallets. Me, I've found the customer service slow (24 hours is what they promise and what they achieve, but I'm an impatient kind of guy) but they do respond. :-)

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    4. Thanks, Graham!
      I also found a ton of videos on youtube--if you type in X17X47 you'll certainly get a better idea of what they look like.
      They are beautiful--curse you! But I bet you might be able to get a used one for considerably less. You could always try posting an ad in Adspot.
      Are you going to take the plunge?
      PM

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    5. Yes. I was weak ... it's on its way ...

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    6. HURRAY! Please will you do a review of it after you've had it a few weeks??

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    7. Just to let anybody interested know, that I've reviewed the X47 at http://www.plannerisms.com/2014/01/guest-post-review-of-x47-duo4-wallet.html

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  6. Thanks Tim. I found her blog and read her posts. I'll drop her a line.

    I'm completely in love with my yellow slim personal Finsbury, but when on the move I have to carry a mini Finchley for notes, a Secrid for my plastic cars and bank notes, and a coin carrier. At any checkout, juggling all that stuff just makes me the butt of humour and annoyance from those behind me in the queues. One can carry coins in various ways in Filofaxes, but not in a way that makes them easy to use. That's why the DUO4 seems so attractive .....

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    1. STOPPITTT!
      I now want a yellow Filofax...

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  7. Is it just me, or is it really hard to find Filofax binders and inserts in shops now? Was out and about today and found a very poor selection in shops which used to have a good range. Are Filofax moving to a web based only supply model?

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    1. Short answer? Yes - probably. WH Smith now carry such a paltry range that they can hardly be described as stockists in anything but name (but then they carry a paltry range of every, right?), while Paperchase seem to be carrying the flag for genuine (viz. shop-based) retail on their own, with a little, but only a little, support from Websters Pen Shops. This seems to be to be a big error of judgement when something as tactile and relatively expensive as a Filofax is concerned, but I guess it's the way of the new 'improved modern world.

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    2. If FF sell direct their margin will be a lot bigger.
      Not so good for the independents.

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    3. Was just browsing the other international sites and noticed that the selection on some of the other European sites is really small... it is very sad to see.

      I agree with David that Filofaxes are very tactile and I like seeing them before I buy, it is part of the experience.

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  8. why the craziest thing ive done for filofax has to be to sell my whole collection and buy it back again lol

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  9. Hello Steve,
    When I merge the MO2P word base with the excel for the month on two pages(personal size), it skips every other month. So I get January, March, May, July, September, December, then January of the next year. Someone else has posted the same query on the download page. Is there some step that we are missing out on. Much appreciate your help. Thanks!

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    1. Hi Fleur,
      Can you please email me your files philofaxy [at] gmail [dot] com I have tried it this afternoon and I can't repeat the error you are seeing.
      Regards
      Steve

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  10. The Journey has been gone from the website (UK, it never came to the US) for a while. Does anyone know if it's gone forever? It doesn't say out of stock the page is was on is just gone. I really wanted one for a travel wallet that could hold some pages - not many, just enough for vacation info or directions. The only review I saw was steve's on philofaxy -- did anyone else even get one of these??

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    Replies
    1. See here: http://www.websterspenshop.co.uk/shop/filofax/new-2013-filofax/bags-purses-and-leather-ware/filofax-the-journey-travel-journal-mushroom/

      I don't think they will be getting them back on the main site unless a lot of them are returned. I don't know what number were made.

      Steve

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  11. Thanks for the info Steve. I can't manage buying now so it looks like I'm out of luck on one of them and darn.
    Tracy

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