"When you're looking for precision in a nib, Japanese brands are hard to beat. For over 30 years I've been using Preference brand agendas in a proprietary format but the paper quality has dropped, so my solution is to use a finer nib for my daily notes rather than the typically wetter nib of my weekly writer. Pilot's metal Falcon with the Soft Extra Fine nib is ideal for this; the wonderful nib gives me full control while the metal construction and discreet threads provide perfect ergonomics."

"When the latest selection of Japanese notebooks recently arrived I was immediately drawn to the beautiful green cover of the Nakabayashi Logical Prime B5. Opening it I discovered velvety smooth cream coloured paper with subtle lines that I'll be using to practice my cursive writing (which has deteriorated over the years) - one of my New Year's resolutions. While A5 is my preferred format due to portability, I think the slightly larger B5 will stay on my desk waiting for me to use the added area to receive and revive my cursive efforts."

"For almost 30 years I've carefully selected my 'Ink of the Year' colour, and to accomodate my weekly rotation of a wide range of brands my choice has to work reliably in all my pens. That's why for the past five years Pilot's Iroshizuku ink has been my go-to brand; it's never let me down. This year's colour is Fuyu Syogun, a subtle grey with tinges of blue. I often write on cream-coloured paper - for example the new Nakabayashi notebook - so any lighter grey might lose contrast on it. I'm sure that even with my extra-fine nibs the colour will remain distinct. I'm looking forward to recording my thoughts, life events and ideas in this delightful grey - every day."

"Scissors are one of those everyday tools that one often overlooks - until the need arises. While I use the long Merchant and Mills Editing Scissors for paper, they are rather large to live in my dedicated pencil cup. The black Before Breakfast Everyday Scissors are wonderfully crafted, and feature a nicely pointed profile to execute tight cuts and the all-steel consatruction speaks quality. In spite of my larger fingers, I find they are quite comfortable to use and the black finish is quite discreet."