Desk paper weights and note clips

On my boss' desk, there lay a particular little item made of wood.  Whenever I went there, I used to see it curiously. There was a biggish paper clip fixed to a cuboid block of rosewood. It was little memento given to him at some conference/meet. It served as a weight to prevent papers under it from flying away [mostly from fan breeze] while it also held smaller pieces of official notes and scribbled paper securely.

This paper-weight-clip was 'makeable' by me!

I had some pieces of wood at home.  One particular piece suited this little project. It was a portion of an old shelf that was protruding upwards and this was coming in the way of keeping my metal trunk in which I used to keep clothes.

For the clip, suitable wire was needed.  Ordinary wire was out of question as it is not strong. Paper clips like these require some tension which comes from basic manufacture of the wire.  There was an old calendar which had punched holes and was spring bound.  It had a stiff wire at the top running through the plastic spring.  This wire was for hanging.  There was a small curve provided at the centre for the nail.  I knew this was not ordinary wire. I immediately went working on it. When I used my plier, my guess was confirmed.  It was a strong steel wire.  It perfectly suited the need of the minute!  Bent it carefully and brought it to the shape of a paper clip.  A long portion was kept down to insert it into the wooden block to which I drilled a hole.  The clip had to fit in tight into the block.  It came off well!

Some years later, my boss retired.  The new boss did not want a few things his predecessor used on his desk.  So certain things were kept aside. A few items like a pen stand and glass paper weights were taken by some colleagues.  I took my favourite.

I was tempted to make another one.  This time, from a broken golf club [wood] that my grandfather used in golf-playing days in the 1940s and 50s. I gave a pen holder to it too, for free!