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Questions tagged [stationery]

Hacks related to paper, instruments used to cut and organize papers and writing implements.

Hacks related to paper, instruments used to cut and organize papers and writing implements.

This does not include hacks related to machines such as copiers, printers, or scanners; use instead.

69 questions
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How to revive dried up pens

I found a box of several old ballpoint pens. When I open them up, I can see each has a significant amount of ink in it. However, when I try to write with one, no ink is transferred to the paper. I've tried running them under water, but this doesn't…
Mooseman
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Is there a way to erase pencil without a standard eraser?

There are times when I am away from home with my sketchpad and I realize I do not have my eraser with me. Are there any quick tricks to erase pencil marks on a paper without ruining the paper, or smearing the other pencil marks? I use a particular…
Phlume
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How to cut paper without scissors?

I have some paper that I need to cut down to size but do not have any scissors (not that I am very good at cutting in straight lines with scissors anyway...). I was wondering if anyone had any good methods of cutting / ripping paper that would…
MrPhooky
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How to seal envelopes without licking

I'm sending out Christmas cards and I have to seal about 100 envelopes. However, I can't stand the taste of the part of the envelope meant to be licked. Last year I used tape to seal each envelope but that took too long. Is there any easy way I can…
michaelpri
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How to write in a straight line without lined paper?

I cannot write in a straight line unless I have lined paper to help guide me along the page. However sometimes the task calls for plain paper where no such lines are in place (i.e. a poster or some such). I usually write with a ball point pen.…
MrPhooky
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I need to attach two+ pieces of paper without staples, glue, tape, or the like

I have recently, in more than one circumstance, had to attach two or more pieces of paper together when the typical resources to do so were lacking. I have tried: Folding in the corners Folding in the corners and edges Folding in the edges Origami…
Conor O'Brien
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What can I do to find the end of the tape roll easily?

A lot of times when I use some kind of tape roll, I just fold it and then when I want to use it again, I spend some agonizing moments trying to find the beginning of it. What can I do to find the end of the tape more easily?
Shevliaskovic
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A book fell in a sink full of water. How can I dry it?

How can I dry out a book that falls into a sink of water (or similar) and gets soaked? I've tried: Using a hair dryer to blow the pages back and forth until they're dry It wasn't that great an idea, because it left the pages wrinkled/warped, and…
J. Musser
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How can I sharpen pencils without a dedicated sharpener?

There have been times when I was without a sharpener, and a pencil I was using became dull. I tried using my knife, but that seems to break the point. Am I doing it wrong, or is there a better way to get out of the problem? I was using pencils…
J. Musser
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How to restore Sticker's stickiness?

I have some old stickers from my collection that are almost fallen off of their backing paper. I was wondering if there's a decent way to restore them and they would still be stickers (would be able to peel them off of paper and apply to whatever…
Giancarlo
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How do I remove postal stamps neatly from envelopes?

I collect stamps as a hobby. I always face difficulty peeling off the stamp without damaging the the perforation around it. Also it is difficult to remove the adhesives and envelope paper stuck behind the stamp. I usually peel off the stamp with my…
Joachin Joseph
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How do I remove hard-to-remove ink from my hands?

Sometimes I'll be working with stamps, and stamp ink is sticky and hard to remove. Even after trying lots of soap, body soap, scratching against a table, and sandpaper the ink still remains on my hands for a day. What can I do to get rid of the ink…
QuyNguyen2013
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How to make a NEW fountain pen write smoother?

Sometimes, the nib of the pen seems rough, and it sort of doesn't feel right. The writing is rough and ink flow isn't quite good. How to make it so that the ink flows elegantly and the nib writes smoothly? The pen in point resembles the below…
Amit Joki
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How do I prevent pencils from breaking?

At school, it can be annoying when you have to go up to sharpen your pencil because it has broken. I have tried using it more gently. Any other ideas? What should I do?
The Idiot Gamer
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Signing a new credit card

Today, I received a new credit card which still needs to be signed in the little box on the back. I have never been able to do this successfully. A ballpoint pen won't write on the surface properly and leaves a miserly thin line. Most felt pens…
Lefty
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