Tom Barrington sent over this gorgeous dark brown ostrich leather pen sleeve for review.

Tom Barrington Leather Goods Two-Pen Sleeve

September 7, 2016

Tom Barrington Leather, based in California, makes a wide variety of leather goods and accessories, including pen cases, pen sleeves, wallets, and glasses cases. They were kind enough to send over one of their two-pen sleeves in brown ostrich, and it's one of the nicer leather pen sleeves that I've had the opportunity to review.

I've tested a lot of leather goods, and this pen sleeve is extremely high quality.

This two-pen sleeve looks, feels, and smells like good leather. It's supple, the stitching is tight, and I can't find a visible flaw anywhere on the product. The exterior of the case is made from "fully quilled" ostrich leather - the highest quality. The interior lining is cowhide. The two layers of leather give the case a substantial feel, but at the same time it's still soft and not at all stiff. (On a lot of cheaper leather pen cases, the leather can feel thin and flimsy, or rough and not pliable.)

The pen sleeve arrived packaged in a white canvas bag with an embossed leather label and drawstring. I always enjoy seeing packaging like this - which reflects some thought - as opposed to generic boxes.

The Tom Barrington two-pen sleeve easily fits two large pens. Pictured in this review are my Pilot Custom 823 fountain pen (a large pen my most standards) and my Sailor 1911 Black Luster. The sleeve is snug enough to hold your pens securely - they won't be falling out - yet it's not so tight that you can't deploy them easily.

Tom Barrington sells directly through their website, and they also operate an Amazon store with most of their products eligible for Prime delivery. While the ostrich leather case featured in this review is not inexpensive, Tom Barrington offers a range of products at multiple price points. Cow leather sleeves start at $34, Stingray leather starts at $80, and Ostrich at $119. I have a thing for brown crocodile grain leather, so I'm eyeing one of these glasses sleeves next.

Thanks very much to Tom Barrington for sending this over for review, and for sponsoring The Gentleman Stationer!

Disclaimer: Tom Barrington provided me with this product free of charge for review purposes. This post also contains affiliate links.

The attention to detail at the price point is impressive. The "Designed for Arrangement" logo is understated and attractive.

Reasonably Priced Pen Carry: Lihit Lab Bags and Cases

July 16, 2016

In the market for versatile, low-cost pen and writing/art supply storage, Lihit Lab remains a popular option. I don't know much about the company - information is sparse but it's been around since 1938 and is based in Osaka, Japan. Their cases rarely top $15, come in a standard - if a bit uninspired - range of colors, and are good enough quality to hold up to the demands of most people's daily use. About a month ago, I acquired two Lihit Lab cases to plug some holes in my daily carry arsenal. One was a huge hit; the other a major fail.

Lihit Lab Bag-in-Bag

I love portfolios. I consider them to be one of the most practical bags to carry on a daily basis. I've had several in the past, but I tend to wear them out so quickly I have a hard time spending money on nice cloth or leather options. Enter the Lihit Lab "Bag-in-Bag." The purpose of this case is twofold. The Bag-in-Bag can serve as a standalone portfolio, holding a computer and/or tablet, one or two writing pads (up to legal size), your phone, chargers, notepad, and a few pens. Basically, anything you need for an afternoon of business meetings or a morning working at the coffee shop. It can also serve as an easily swappable insert for a backpack or briefcase, which comes in handy if, like me, you're someone who regularly rotates between the two.

At the $13-15 price point (depending on the color you select), this is really a no-brainer if you're looking for a portfolio and don't mind canvas over leather. The material isn't as nice as the cordura used by companies like Nock Co., and this Lihit Lab bag probably won't hold up forever, but it's good enough for my needs right now. The one draw back is that it stains and shows dirt very easily. Whatever material they use isn't coated and is highly absorbent, so the case has picked up dust, dirt, etc. when I've worked at coffee shops and outside on my patio. With the brown version this probably won't be as much of an issue, but be warned if you're considering lighter colors such as the orange or light green. For those of you who like oversized fountain pens, take note that the pen slots on this case are fairly tight and shallow, so big pens don't fit.

You can carry a lot in this case.  Here, I have a Nock Co. Sinclair stuck in the side pocket, as well as a Pelikan M205 Blue Demonstrator and a Rotring 600 mechanical pencil.  Both fit perfectly in the otherwise snug pen slots. — You can carry a lot in this case. Here, I have a Nock Co. Sinclair stuck in the side pocket, as well as a Pelikan M205 Blue Demonstrator and a Rotring 600 mechanical pencil. Both fit perfectly in the otherwise snug pen slots.

I use the larger 10" x 13.8" (A4) version ($15 via Amazon), as opposed to the smaller 7.1" x 9.8" (A5) case ($11 via Amazon). The larger bag-in-bag easily holds my 12" Macbook and/or my iPad Pro, which is a necessity for the kind of work I do. This case has become part of my daily carry.

The A4-size Lihit Lab Bag-in-Bag easily holds a 12-inch Macbook in a sleeve (which I'd recommend since it otherwise doesn't offer much in the way of protection.  The sleeve pictured here is the excellent (and inexpensive) Inateck Cover Bag. — The A4-size Lihit Lab Bag-in-Bag easily holds a 12-inch Macbook in a sleeve (which I'd recommend since it otherwise doesn't offer much in the way of protection. The sleeve pictured here is the excellent (and inexpensive) Inateck Cover Bag.

Lihit Lab Double-Sided Pen Case

As much as I love the Lihit Lab Bag-in-Bag, I simply can't recommend the second case I reviewed, which is the double-sided "Teffa" pen case ($10-12 via Amazon). I can give you a quick overview regarding the build and setup, but I can't speak to durability, practicality, etc. because I couldn't use this product. Why? The smell.

This pen case emits a horrifically strong chemical odor. I would compare it to oil or gasoline but I (and others, from reading the Amazon reviews) find it much more offensive. I assume that they used some sort of petroleum-based glue to hold parts of the case together. Within minutes of opening the packaging for this case I had a splitting headache.

This pen case is a great idea, in principle, and should be one of those products I can wholeheartedly recommend because it looks nice and can be had for a bargain. For things like markers, gel pens, ballpoints, and any other pen you want to store in bulk and don't mind touching, this case should do the trick. The back section has pockets to store pencil sharpeners, erasers, post-its, scissors, you name it. I just couldn't get past the smell. Fortunately, Amazon refunded me (and didn't even want the product returned to them).

Otherwise, this Lihit Lab pen case can carry a lot of pens.  In terms of storage space for gel pens, mechanical pencils, etc., it's got plenty of room. — Otherwise, this Lihit Lab pen case can carry a lot of pens. In terms of storage space for gel pens, mechanical pencils, etc., it's got plenty of room.

Where to Buy:

You can buy Lihit Lab cases from either Amazon or Jetpens, which carries a wider range of products other than the cases. I purchased mine from Amazon because I have a warehouse near me in Tennessee and they qualified for free Prime "same day" shipping. I ordered them in the morning and they were at my front door by 4:00pm. Pretty cool.

One more thing: I get a lot of e-mail about the pen cases I use, and what I consider the "best" pen case. While I'm working on putting together another "Top 5" list, it's been hard, in large part because everyone's needs are different. There are far more than five solid options out there right now, with more cases coming to market every day.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased the products featured in this review with my own funds, for my personal use.

Franklin-Christoph's Covered Pen Tray in "Boot Black" Leather

Pen Storage Options: Franklin-Christoph Covered Pen Tray

July 6, 2016

Back in February I discussed various pen storage options, and how I store my own personal collection. All of that still holds true, though since then I've added a Franklin-Christoph Covered Pen Tray in "boot black" leather. This is a product I can easily recommend, especially if you're looking for a storage option that looks really nice on a desk or display shelf.

Franklin-Christoph

I've reviewed several Franklin-Christoph products in the past, and I've never had a bad experience. The company, which has a long history, is based in North Carolina, and manufactures pens, inks, and related accessories. I'm generally a fan of their pens, and I especially like the fact that you can purchase a pre-ground nib from Mike Masuyama in various standard customizations such as italic, cursive italic, needlepoint, etc. What doesn't get enough attention, in my opinion, is their line of pen cases, which includes your standard pen sleeves, holsters, and zippered album-style pen cases, as well as more unique products like the "penvelopes" and the Covered Pen Tray.

The Covered Pen Tray

The Franklin-Christoph Covered Pen Tray in "Slotter Box" Mode

The Covered Pen Tray is based on the traditional "slotter box" that many pen dealers use to transport pens to and from pen shows, and was originally conceived as a means to both carry pens to shows and easily display them upon arrival. The tray (or "CPT", as it's referred to on the Franklin-Christoph website), is made from leather, lined with durable textured cloth, and comes configured to hold either 12 pens or 7 pens plus accessories (converters, cartridges, spare nibs, etc.).

The Franklin-Christoph Covered Pen Tray in "Display Stand" Mode

If you want to display your pens, whether at a show or in your home, the double-hinged lid of the Covered Pen Tray folds under to create a display stand that sits at an angle. When you want to put them away, the lid closes securely using a magnetic front flap. The intention is to allow you to use the box to transport pens, though the Covered Pen Tray shouldn't be used as a daily carry or travel case for inked pens because there's still some room in the slots for the pens to slide around. You might end up with a mess on your hands.

The red cloth inserts on the Covered Pen Tray look like they are durable and will stand up to heavy use.

The Covered Pen Tray is available in the same maroon, black, and brown color options as Franklin-Christoph's other leather goods. Recently, Franklin-Christoph changed their leather, so instead of the matte "boot leather" pictured in this review, the new Covered Pen Trays are made from "FxCel oil tanned leather," which the company says offers a "smoother high quality finish". I haven't seen the new leather in person, but will definitely be checking it out next month at the Washington, D.C. Pen Show.

I love the matte look of the "boot black" leather. It's embossed with the Franklin-Christoph logo on two places: the top of the lid and the foldover hinge.

Franklin-Christoph has created a unique product. Other "display boxes" or pen stands aren't portable, like Levenger's Point of View Pen Case or the various model of boxes and stands offered by Lanier Pens. Personally, I'm partial to leather over wood, so I'll gladly pay the extra premium. The leather has a good feel to it (as in, not plasticky like some leather used to make inexpensive pen cases), the stitching is flawless, and the burgundy cloth used to line the interior is both attractive and durable. One note about the interior and the slots themselves: the Covered Pen Tray doesn't use "pre-made" slot inserts that you see in a lot of other pen boxes (and that I used to make my cigar box pen case). I suspect these are handmade, and the result is a much more high-quality piece than other products I've seen on the market around this price point.

A close up look at the textured burgundy cloth used to line the Covered Pen Tray.  It's durable while still being soft enough not to scratch your pens. — A close up look at the textured burgundy cloth used to line the Covered Pen Tray. It's durable while still being soft enough not to scratch your pens.

Where to Buy

The Covered Pen Tray can be purchased directly from Franklin-Christoph for $149.50. This is not an inexpensive storage option, though once you get into pen cases, trays, and boxes that are meant to be displayed and not simply to store pens out of sight in a drawer or a bag, you're going to be paying more money, especially for quality leather goods. This one occupies prime real estate on my desk in my home office.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased the product featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. This post also contains affiliate links.

I won't even go into how many pens you can cram into this case, if you're not squeamish about them touching.

Nock Co. Sinclair: The Most Practical Pen Case

May 25, 2016

It's no secret how much I love the Nock Co. line of pen cases, primarily because of their versatility and functionality. The designs of the various cases lend themselves to many more uses than advertised. The Sinclair is a prime example. While it's billed as a "three pen and a notebook" case, I've used the Sinclair as a "three pens, index cards, and my iPhone 6s-plus" case (yes, it fits), a "how-many-pens-can-I-cram-in-this-thing" case (see picture above), and a general carryall where I throw in some cash, a debit card, a pocket notebook, and a couple pens to go to a coffee shop. It's this ability to use the Sinclair as a zippered pouch for stuff other than pens that makes it particularly useful for me.

The Nock Co. Sinclair comfortably fits three pens (from top, Newton Shinobi, Tactile Turn Gist, and Sailor Pro Gear Realo), my iPhone 6s Plus, and a Field Notes pocket notebook.  You could easily squeeze in another pocket notebook and some busi… — The Nock Co. Sinclair comfortably fits three pens (from top, Newton Shinobi, Tactile Turn Gist, and Sailor Pro Gear Realo), my iPhone 6s Plus, and a Field Notes pocket notebook. You could easily squeeze in another pocket notebook and some business or index cards.

Nock Co. has carved out a niche for themselves in the accessories world. The Sinclair is a unique product: I have not been able to find anything comparable. Lihit Labs makes some nice zippered pen cases, at a lower price point, but the construction isn't as good and the pens generally aren't separated in their own slots--they will touch and, eventually, scratch. I'm not particularly squeamish about that with most of my pens--I use them pretty hard, after all--but I have a handful that I'm protective of. Since the Sinclair has three dedicated single-pen slots, I don't think twice about using this case to carry my nicer pens.

Like all Nock Co. products, the Sinclair is reasonably priced at $35, though prices are set to increase to a still-reasonable $40 in the near future. Given that all of Nock's cases are handmade in the good-ol' USA, I consider that a bargain. The construction is impeccable and the color schemes are classic. Customers seem to agree: Nock can't keep these in stock and they are currently sold out AGAIN, despite just restocking a few days ago. (I managed to snag this one at the 2016 Atlanta Pen Show.) They are in the process of building up their production capacity so keep checking the website, get on their mailing list, follow them on Twitter, etc. if you see something you are interested in.

Back in the day, when I was just starting out in the blogging world, I did a three-part mega review of my Nock Co "All the Cases" Kickstarter Reward. If you missed that review, you can find the parts here:

Part I: The Chimneytops. The smaller Chimneytop has been discontinued, from what I understand. I use these as stuff-sacks for cables, small chargers, lip balm, ink cartridges, etc.

Part II: The Lookout, the Sassafras, and the Maryapple. The Sassafras and the Maryapple have been discontinued, or at least are no longer featured on the Nock Co. site. I use the lookout a lot, but sold the other two cases since the Hightower met all my needs.

Part III: The Hightower and the Brasstown. Two of the most successful Nock cases, and other than the Sinclair, the two that I still use the most. I picked up another special edition Hightower in the 2015 Atlanta Pen Show Kickstarter.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased all items featured in this review for my own collection with my own funds, though I will disclose that I am personal friends with the proprietors of Nock Co., so take that for what it's worth. Many thanks!

My homebrew cigar-box pen chest, made from an old H. Upmann cigar box.

Favorite Pen Cases and Storage Options

February 10, 2016

After you’ve been in this hobby for a while, pen storage becomes an issue, especially if you’ve invested in some valuable writing implements that you care a lot about and want to protect. A wide variety of storage options exists, ranging from the simple single-pen leather sleeve to leather-covered pen trays to 80-pen albums that are reminiscent of those things we old people used to carry our CDs around in (remember those?). I’ll take you through what I consider to be the best options on the market right now, though I’m happy to open up the comments to suggestions of things I missed. (In case you haven’t noticed, I’m also a bit of an organization/storage/productivity nerd.)

One-to-Three Pen Storage

The average person has no need for a pen case that holds more than three pens. The average pen addict is a different story, but even the most ardent pen hoarders among us should have a simple three-pen holster to protect those “daily carry” pens in your briefcase. My personal favorite, and the one I carry everyday, is Nock Co.’s “Lookout” model. I also have one of the leather three-pen cases sold by Anderson Pens, which is a cost-effective and high quality leather option. Finally, I recently picked up some pen wraps from EXB Pens, and I’ve been very happy with this Japanese-style storage option. Look for a review of these at some point in the future.

Certain of the major pen brands such as Visconti and Pelikan also make leather pen cases, but they are more expensive and you will pay a premium. I personally have not felt the need to spend a lot of money when there are high quality storage options available at lower price points. I would note, however, that a lot of people seem to be very happy with the Visconti cases.

Nock Co. Lookout with Field Notes Pocket Notebook for scale.

If you’re into carrying pocket notebooks or notecards alongside your pens, then check out Nock Co.’s Fodderstack, Hightower, and Sinclair models.

Five-to-Twelve Pen Storage

Still portable, but large enough to handle the entire collection of most “normal” people. To get a quality pen case this large, you probably will be looking at spending more money, but if you have a collection that is larger than you can carry at any given time, it’s worth the investment. On the smaller (and less expensive) side, the Nock Co. Brasstown is a combination pen case/pen roll, that has room for six pens in the “roll” portion and some room for additional pens and accessories on the side. Anderson Pens again offers some cost-effective leather options, including 6-12 pen envelopes and zippered “portfolio-style” cases. Finally, for those of you that also like to carry around a lot of gel pens, pencils, sharpeners, and office accessories, people really like the Lihit Labs series of cases.

On the higher-end, I highly recommend both Franklin-Christoph and Aston Leather products. I do not own the Franklin-Christoph “Penvelope” or one of their covered pen trays, but I have seen these items in person at pen shows and they are gorgeous. Both have been added to “the list”. Currently, my vintage and celluloid pens not in use are stored in two Aston Leather 10-Pen cases that I purchased from Goulet Pens years ago. The leather is exceptionally high quality and these cases age really well. I also use these cases to transport pens to shows or meet-ups.

Aston leather 10-pen folio (though I've found you can easily get 14 pens into this case).

Mass Storage Options

Here is where you may have to get creative. If you’re a true collector (or you just own a LOT of pens), you really do need a convenient way to organize and archive them. The default storage option for most people is one of the large “album-style” pen cases that can hold anywhere from 24-80 pens. These cases are a fixture at pen shows, as they offer an easy way for dealers to protect and transport their inventory. Multiple options exist. Check out these offerings from Anderson Pens and Franklin-Christoph.

I haven’t gone this route (at least not yet). The 10-pen Aston Leather cases hold the majority of my pens, but for my overflow, I built my own storage solution out of an old cigar humidor and some faux velvet-lined plastic pen trays. The result is a two-tiered wooden pen chest that I’m extremely pleased with. While you can purchase cigar box pen cases pre-assembled, like these from Bama Pens, you might find it fun to make your own. Cigar stores usually sell empty boxes for a nominal price, and you can source the inserts online. (I purchased mine from Pendora Pens.)

My cigar box pen chest (personalized with stickers, of course).

Now, ink storage is another issue entirely. I’ve pretty much sworn off all non-sample ink purchases until I burn off some of my stock. Ask me how that’s going in about 10 years.