The Ascendant Journal - Tool for Deliberate Inquiry

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• The Ascendant Journal
  A tool for Deliberate Focus
  The Ascendant is a journal for transforming observation into wisdom.

  Time is your ally.
  The weathered screw serves to remind you that wisdom is not found on the surface. It is earned through deliberate inquiry, friction, patience, and experience.

  Not information.
  Not opinion.

  This journal is about examining before concluding.
  Learning before declaring.

  Allowing time to refine your understanding.
  Record the lessons.
  Distill what experience has taught you.

  Keep only the wisdom worth carrying forward.

  "Wisdom is not discovered. It is distilled."

• The Story

  The Three Sharp Instruments
  Inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's The Will to Power

  For the past month, I have been reading, wrestling with, and reflecting on Friedrich Nietzsche's The Will to Power. I do not agree with everything Nietzsche wrote, but his relentless habit of questioning inherited assumptions challenged me.

  That wrestling inspired this July 4th collection.

  Much as Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements offers principles for living, The Three Sharp Instruments offer principles for thinking.

  Not what to think.
  How to think.

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  The Heretic
  The tool of deliberate focus. Observe the world. Question your assumptions. Decide what deserves your attention.

  The Ascendant
  The tool of deliberate inquiry. Follow those observations deeper. Allow friction, experience, and reflection to distill them into wisdom.

  The Author
  The tool of deliberate action. Curate the lessons you've learned and deliberately shape the path you intend to build.

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  Individually, each journal serves a purpose.

  Together, they become a practical framework for moving from observation, to understanding, to action.

• How These Journals Work Together

  While each journal can certainly be used on its own, The Three Sharp Instruments were designed as a complete thinking process. Together they move you from observation... to understanding... to deliberate action.

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  Step 1 — The Heretic
  The Tool of Deliberate Focus

  The raw world enters your glimpse.

  Observe without immediately reacting. Record what captures your attention. Question assumptions. Decide what deserves your focus.

  Ask: What will I see?

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  Step 2 — The Ascendant
  The Tool of Deliberate Inquiry

  Move your observations into The Ascendant. Follow them through time, experience, and even friction. Distill them into clear lessons worth keeping.

  Friction is not the enemy of wisdom. It is often the means by which wisdom is formed.

  Ask: What will I learn?

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  Step 3 — The Author
  The Tool of Deliberate Action

  Transfer only your strongest lessons into The Author. Curate what has proven itself. Decide how those lessons will shape your future and the person you are becoming.

  Ask: What will I build?

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  The goal is not to fill pages.

  The goal is to cultivate the habit of deliberate thought.

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  Exceptional Value
  Each July 4th we release a limited-edition collection of handcrafted journals. Every collection has its own unique theme and intention, and is permanently retired at the close of the July 4th holiday event.

  Arthur handcrafts each journal one at a time from full-grain Italian leather, 100% cotton rag, hand-torn archival French papers, and our durable modular design—no elastic bands to overstretch or metal clips to bend and break.

  These journals represent the best value of any journals we make and are backed by our Lifetime Guarantee... even if your dog eats it.

  They also make exceptional gifts—for yourself or for someone whose life is shaped by writing.

  This is the only opportunity you will ever have to own The Three Sharp Instruments Collection.

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  August Delivery
  Because each journal is handcrafted to order, The Three Sharp Instruments Collection is scheduled for August delivery. Thank you for your patience while Arthur creates your journal, one at a time.

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  Modular by Design
  Each journal holds up to two individually removable refills and is available in four sizes.
  Watch how to remove and replace refills HERE
  

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  Available in 4 sizes

  Companion — 3.5" × 4.5" - Includes 2 refills.

  Pocket Moleskine Cahier — 3.5" × 5.5" - Refills NOT included.
  Designed to accept standard Pocket Moleskine Cahier refills.

  Large Moleskine Cahier — 5" × 8.25" - Refills NOT included.
  Designed to accept standard Large Moleskine Cahier refills.

  SOUL — 5.5" × 8.5" - Includes 2 refills.

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  Specifications

  • Full Grain Italian Leather
  • 100% Cotton Rag, Hand-Torn, Archival French Papers (Companion and SOUL sizes only)
  • Durable Modular Construction
  • Signature Solomon's Knot
  • Handmade in Raton, New Mexico
  • Guaranteed for Life, even if Your Dog Eats It.

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• When ordering you can choose:

  MAIN BODY COLOR: 3 leather colors
  Choose MAIN BODY Leather Color (shown as Sailboat and Flight Jacket in the photos)
  
  
  HARDWARE: Solid Brass in 2 finishes, Antique Brass & Nickel Matte
  
  see the Materials Tab for more info on our leather and hardware

• The video below tells more about the product. Currently there are no contrasting leather colors available. The available colors are Rustic Brown, Rustic Dark Brown and Black.

• While we are your Makers and you know exactly where your leather goods come from, it’s also important to know the source of the materials we use in making them for you. If you would like more info about our products and sources then let’s connect to discuss.

  Italian Leather: Our Primary Ingredient

  

  We are soft leather experts and have developed proprietary techniques for working with softer Chrome tanned Italian leathers. 

  Unlike the stiffer, belt like,  Vegetable tanned leathers, our leathers are soft right out of the box. Like the blue jeans you wear that only get softer and more comfortable with age, our leathers will immediately conform to your lifestyle and develop a great patina over time, making your life’s adventures more memorable and meaningful.

  Unbranded English Cow –Chrome/Oil tanned - Full Grain – Struck thru (dyed all the way thru the hide) Tanned in Italy – Unavailable anywhere else in the world.We worked with a 6th Generation tannery in Italy for 2 years to develop our proprietary leather.

  View our Processes and Proprietary soft leather-working techniques

  Hand-torn European Fine Art & Writing papers

  

  We offer you a choice of 3 European, hand-torn papers: Arches Text Wove, Frankfurt White, and Frankfurt Creme.

  Whether you write, draw or do both... using anything from a fountain pen to watercolor brushes, you will have the perfect paper.

  Our Standard paper is Arches Text Wove. The Frankfurt papers are our premium papers and while made more for fountain pens, work very well for water coloring too.

  Our papers are all 120gsm in weight which give them the body you will love.
  They will not feather or bleed with a fountain pen and are acid free. You can also watercolor on our papers. They take light and heavy washes well and will dry completely flat.

  And because you can write on both sides with any pen or pencil, it's like having twice the amount of usable pages you would have in a book with thinner paper.

  We also hand tear all of our papers from larger parent sheets to give you the rough, authentic and artisanal look and feel.

  Solid Brass Hardware

  

  Our hardware is all low lead solid brass

  Low Lead means harder and stronger hardware.

  Unlike much less expensive Zinc, Solid brass is not only strong and patinas well but the low lead content complies with California safety standards.

  We have 2 finishes, Antique Brass and Nickel Matte and because we believe in building things the way you want them, we offer you the choice of hardware finish on all of our products. If you don’t see that choice then just ask us.

  We want your tools in life to match your individuality without compromise and inspire your life’s adventures.

  Threads and Cords

  

  All kinds and all colors

  Waxed Linen, Polyester and Nylon thread and cords are used to hand-sew our permanently bound journals and for creating the Solomon’s Knot on our Modular Journals.

  We have all kinds of proprietary techniques for making our journals and you can learn them all with our DIY kits.

  Ancient and Hand-carved Beads

  

  The beads we use are anything but common.

  Some of our beads are over 300 years old. Others are individually hand carved. Some are and rustic and tribal in nature while others are more elegant.

  We use ancient African trade beads, Jade, Lapis, unpolished Tiger Eye, Jasper, Opal, solid bronze and Sterling Silver and are always adding to and changing out line.

  See our Machine Demos
  

• Personalize Any Item

  If there’s one thing that really gets us off it’s making your item look totally cool and unique.

  And, when it comes to Personalizing your item, nothing gets more personal and unique.
  That’s why we offer so much more than just initials, a name or a short line of text.

  While it’s impossible to list all the creative and different ways we can personalize your book, bag or cover, we tried grouping them into the categories below. Any and all of these can be combined so if you need something special then contact us.

  Also, keep in mind that while we usually have standard placement for personalization, we can put it just about anywhere on your item at your request. There is no additional charge for that but you do need to tell us.

  See our Personalization Gallery for Ideas

  

  3 Initial, Full or Multi-line Personalization

  included in the ordering options for most journals and covers

  3 Initial Personalization... the simplest and most popular choice.

  If you get a cover or a journal with 3 Initial Personalization, at our discretion we will usually include a matching leather bookmark and will personalize it with the same 3 initials.

  Full or Multi-line Personalization includes up to 15 spaces, counting the spaces in between the words or name.

  But just in case you are really close, we let you fudge 20% more by letting you add up to 18 spaces. When entering your desired pesonalization please remember that what you enter is CaSE sEnseTIve.

  We can put more letters on a single line but if it goes over the space limit then it will need to be entered as an additional line and will be charged accordingly.

  

  

  
  

  Symbols

  We have a Unique & Growing collection of Symbols which we can put on your item.

  To see the full collection just click on the BUTTON below.
  When ordering a Symbol we give you the choice of adding up to 3 initials directly below it.

  Symbols can also be combined with a Patch but must be ordered separately.

  See Symbols Collection

  

  

  
  

  Patches

  Leather Patches are one of the most Unique forms of personalization we know of and nobody that we know of does it.

  This is where we create a leather patch, put whatever you want on it… a Symbol, up to 3 full lines of type…. basically, whatever you would like, and sew the patch onto your item. Because setup on these can take a long time, we typically make at least 2 just in case we make a mistake. But we usually don’t so in that case we will either just give you the second one or sew it onto your bookmark (if it's included) and if it fits.

  Combinations & Variations:
  We can combine patches, Symbols, Single or Multi-line Personalization in whatever way/s you would like.

  There are near unlimited variations and we do our best to make your patch look as cool as possible.
  But if you have certain placement needs or desires then you can just let us know.

  See our Personalization Gallery for Ideas

  

  

  
  

  Custom Logos and Graphics

  If you have a logo or graphic you would like debossed into your item or on a patch then we can do that too.
  The max size is 5x2 inches. We send out to have a special metal die made which can be used over and over again.

  

  

  
  

  Custom Metal Casting

  beads, logos, findings and more...

  

  We have partnered with G&S Jewelry Mfg. in Albuquerque to vacuum cast your wildest dreams in just about any metal you would like.

  We can make just 1 or many pieces for you.
  This is great if you want to create a journal and use your own custom bead design for your own Unique series of modular journals.
  It can be a corporate logo or a family crest, a meaningful symbol between you and your loved one... almost anything you would like.

  Creativity is your only limit.
  So let your imagination run wild and contact us with your idea.
  You can watch our on location video to learn more and give you an introduction to the process. Just click the button below.

  Watch our Custom Casting Video