Non-Leather Pen Case/storage Options

[oraxia]

I'm still pretty new to fountain pens, so I don't actually have a collection of pens, but started poking around looking for pen storage/carry options for when I eventually do have multiple pens and perhaps start carrying one or two on a daily basis. For personal reasons, I don't really like leather (the fake stuff is okay, but also not my favorite), so I was hoping to find some non-leather options, and a LOT of what I have noticed in the forums is leather. Anyone have or know of a good non-leather case?

 

These are the things I'm looking for, by order of importance (with the first being the thing I'm most interested in):

1. I'd like to find something to carry maybe two or three pens in my purse or backpack that would keep them from getting too banged up once I am comfortable enough to start using fountain pens on a daily basis. I tend to be rough on my purse and its contents, so something protective, but easy to get into, and since I'm not sure if any pen I get would leak, maybe some leak resistance?
2. I have a family heirloom pen that I'd eventually like to have a nice, safe (from damage) storage/display option for, so I'm thinking I'll probably seek out a wooden case of some sort for that but I would like to know if there are other, more fun options (especially for a cluttered desk with very little real estate left). I intend to write with this pen, but as it is a sentimental piece, it will live at my home desk.
3. I have some dip pens that are in a pencil tin at the moment, and am curious if there was a better storage method for those, as well.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have!

[cattar]

2-3 pens in a not-leather case. Look at Nock cases.

 

storage at home. Consider drawer divider, cigar box, wooden box...

 

I keep dip pens in a glass on the shelf near my desk. nibs in flatish dish.

[MHBru]

I'm on a similar quest...

 

nock for sure but also check out liz newton designs... really nice fabric choices and by some deductive reasoning i believe this is shawn newton's wife ( or sister, or daughter ) either way, I'd check out her work.

 

I'm looking for something in the 6-7 pen range and really like the pen wraps at Franklin Christoph... likely going to purchase one shortly

[oraxia]

2-3 pens in a not-leather case. Look at Nock cases.

 

storage at home. Consider drawer divider, cigar box, wooden box...

 

I keep dip pens in a glass on the shelf near my desk. nibs in flatish dish.

 

Oh, the Nock cases look nice I can't really tell from the website and photos, but does it have padding in it? I'm assuming the two layers of fabric would probably provide enough, but I'm also not kidding when I say I am rough on my stuff ._. (I am a monster.)

 

Where does one find cigar boxes? I've seen some pictures in the forums of recycled cigar boxes for pen storage, and they look beautiful, but I've never come across a cigar box in the wild (maybe because I'm a non-smoker from a family of non-smokers?). I might opt for a random wooden box from a craft store, but having something with some visual interest on the outside is always a plus

 

I really want to keep my dip pens in a cup, but the reality is that my desk is usually covered in stuff and I do all of my actual dip pen work on my dining table and then have to pack it all away afterwards A small dish for nibs sounds really nice, though... Thanks for the suggestions

 

 

I'm on a similar quest...

 

nock for sure but also check out liz newton designs... really nice fabric choices and by some deductive reasoning i believe this is shawn newton's wife ( or sister, or daughter ) either way, I'd check out her work.

 

I'm looking for something in the 6-7 pen range and really like the pen wraps at Franklin Christoph... likely going to purchase one shortly

 

Huh, looking at the Liz Newton cases, that actually gets me thinking I could potentially try to sew my own if I could find fun fabrics like hers (she has great taste!) Not sure why I didn't think of that before; I can be kind of dense I'm still a fairly novice sewist, but it might be worth a try with some on-hand fabric before I make a purchase! Thanks for pointing those out!

 

Oh my, those Franklin Cristoph cases are so sleek I think I'd seen those before, didn't realize there were fabric ones!

[akrohn2010]

I just picked up one of the Franklin Christoph 3-pen glasses/pen cases. They're a steal for under $50 in my opinion, and the perfect size for "just a couple pens" for travel/EDC. You can get the grey suit fabric if you want something softer, or their tougher fabric which feels slightly canvas-like and is very durable.

 

I've only had it a couple days but it's a great option! Nock also makes great stuff, though haven't tried anything yet.

[Kelly G]

I like the Taccia Kimono Pen Roll. They come with either 4 or 8 pen slots and are made from traditional Kimono materials. They can be pricey, but are occasionally offerec on Massdrop or there are ebay sellers who carry them. I have other cases and wraps and they are fine, but the Taccia is the best in my opinion.

[sansenri]

for your delicate pen, you may wish to use a hard case.

Surprisingly enough you may have one lying around at home, some hard case for glasses can make perfect pen holders, that when you put in your back pack will avoid your pen getting squeezed by the mass of other stuff inside...

If not, there are some hard cases available for pens (Fedon makes some, in faux leather covered aluminium, which work great. not sure if available in US).

I wonder why your description makes me think of how my daughter stuffs her handbags to death...

[senzen]

What I have:

 

Single velvet pouches, mostly for notorious evaporating pens: Sonnets, Vistas. Can also be used to protect them inside bigger bags. Very cheap (five for a couple of bucks), they ship from China, got them on Amazon. You could probably make your own, I'm not very good at such things.

 

Cubix Easy Open Mini Pen Case. Just a regular canvas pen case, cheap, good looking, not much padding.

 

Kokuyo Neo Critz Large Pencil Case. This one stands up, nicely paded.

 

Nock Co Lookout, for pens that don't evaporate easily. Good looking, not everyone will have the colour combination you want.

 

I have a small wood case (I think from Poland?) that holds one or two pens. Used cuban style cigar cases also work and look very cool.

[bitterwonder]

I just keep all my pens in a zippered makeup case but, for someone both rough and careful and non leather try Jetpens (online) - they usuallyhave lots of pen cases. I have returned tothe makep cases becasuethey are cheaper $5 dollars as opposed to $12.

[oraxia]

I just picked up one of the Franklin Christoph 3-pen glasses/pen cases. They're a steal for under $50 in my opinion, and the perfect size for "just a couple pens" for travel/EDC. You can get the grey suit fabric if you want something softer, or their tougher fabric which feels slightly canvas-like and is very durable.

 

Huh, I haven't seen the 3-pen in fabric (so far I've only spotted the fabric option on a penvelope 6). I will keep an eye out, as they sure look slick Thanks!

 

I like the Taccia Kimono Pen Roll. They come with either 4 or 8 pen slots and are made from traditional Kimono materials. They can be pricey, but are occasionally offerec on Massdrop or there are ebay sellers who carry them. I have other cases and wraps and they are fine, but the Taccia is the best in my opinion.

 

I do quite like chirimen fabric, that looks lovely How easy are pen rolls to get pens in and out of, though? I hadn't really considered it until I visualized tossing it in my purse and then wanting to get a pen out... I've never used rolls for anything but double-pointed knitting needles. I'll have to experiment at home with my DPN roll, maybe, but that's promising Thanks!

 

for your delicate pen, you may wish to use a hard case.

Surprisingly enough you may have one lying around at home, some hard case for glasses can make perfect pen holders, that when you put in your back pack will avoid your pen getting squeezed by the mass of other stuff inside...

If not, there are some hard cases available for pens (Fedon makes some, in faux leather covered aluminium, which work great. not sure if available in US).

I wonder why your description makes me think of how my daughter stuffs her handbags to death...

 

I had recently just looked at a thread that mentioned an eyeglass case, actually! I will have to look around the house and see if we have one (and if not, I'm pretty sure I could pick up a cheap one)--that is such a great idea Thank you!

 

Sounds like your daughter may also have "magic purse syndrome" (aka. Mary Poppins Purse) But I'll bet she always has what she needs on hand A handful of my friends have learned to come to me for random things they need while we're out, and I often have it or something I can substitute...

 

Single velvet pouches, mostly for notorious evaporating pens: Sonnets, Vistas. Can also be used to protect them inside bigger bags. Very cheap (five for a couple of bucks), they ship from China, got them on Amazon. You could probably make your own, I'm not very good at such things.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by an "evaporating pen"? I'm still pretty new to fountain pens (and trying to sort out what I might be doing wrong with the working one I have), but I'm guessing it's the ink evaporating... Does velvet help stop that? Either way, that might be a nice way to individually pad pens in a larger container, I'll look into it Thanks!

 

 

I just keep all my pens in a zippered makeup case but, for someone both rough and careful and non leather try Jetpens (online) - they usuallyhave lots of pen cases. I have returned tothe makep cases becasuethey are cheaper $5 dollars as opposed to $12.

 

I do have some cheap dollar store pencil bags that I keep things like my colored pencils and some other art supplies in, admittedly, but I don't often carry that stuff with me (it usually stays at home or goes on pretty short trips to a friend's place), so I am not sure how well they'd hold up against my everyday battering I should probably just try to be more careful, but old habits (esp. bad ones) die hard... But I appreciate the frugal suggestion Thanks!

[akrohn2010]

Huh, I haven't seen the 3-pen in fabric (so far I've only spotted the fabric option on a penvelope 6). I will keep an eye out, as they sure look slick Thanks!

Here ya go: http://www.franklin-christoph.com/glasses--pen-pouch.html

 

It doubles as a glasses pouch, but with the insert becomes a 3-pen case. I got the light blue fabric and it's very sturdy and feels like it will last a long time: the grey suit is softer but still well made.

[oraxia]

Here ya go: http://www.franklin-christoph.com/glasses--pen-pouch.html

 

It doubles as a glasses pouch, but with the insert becomes a 3-pen case. I got the light blue fabric and it's very sturdy and feels like it will last a long time: the grey suit is softer but still well made.

 

Oh! I think I mistakenly thought you mean the 3-pen pouch instead, which didn't look like it came in fabric! Did you get the insert with yours? If so, is the insert pliable?

[akrohn2010]

I did - and I haven't bent it to see but it seems firm but not horribly rigid. I'll check when I get home. I'd definitely thick enough to protect from scratches and bumps, but probably won't protect you if you run over it or bend it horribly...

[senzen]

 

 

Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by an "evaporating pen"? I'm still pretty new to fountain pens (and trying to sort out what I might be doing wrong with the working one I have), but I'm guessing it's the ink evaporating... Does velvet help stop that? Either way, that might be a nice way to individually pad pens in a larger container, I'll look into it Thanks!

 

 

 

It took me a while to understand this, and how much it mattered to me (others might not). Some pens evaporate faster than others, and some inks in turn change colour faster and more dramatically depending on how fast they evaporate:

 

Pens I have that evaporate less quickly: Pelikan m600, m205, Sailor Professional Gear. What they have in common: screw on caps.

 

Pens I have that evaporate more quickly: Parker Sonnet, Lamy Vista, Faber Castell Ambition in pearwood.

 

Inks that change a lot: blue greens, like Sailor Souten, Pilot Kon Peki, Ama Iro.

[oraxia]

 

It took me a while to understand this, and how much it mattered to me (others might not). Some pens evaporate faster than others, and some inks in turn change colour faster and more dramatically depending on how fast they evaporate

 

Thank you for explaining! That makes a lot of sense, but I honestly never thought about either certain pens evaporating their inks faster than others OR inks changing color as they evaporate. In retrospect both probably should have been obvious to me, but either way, I learned something new today!

[knarflj]

 

I had recently just looked at a thread that mentioned an eyeglass case, actually! I will have to look around the house and see if we have one (and if not, I'm pretty sure I could pick up a cheap one)--that is such a great idea Thank you!

 

 

 

I do have a made-for-pens case that I picked up from JetPens several years ago, but I still occasionally throw a pen or three in an old eyeglass case. I have several flannel "sleeves" that I use when putting more than one pen in this case, to protect them a little bit from banging each other up whilst in the case - I just cut a few rectangles from the hem edge of an old nightgown, folded in half, stitched two sides (the two cut edges), and turned them right-side-out. Very quick and easy.

 

Jenny

[pen2paper]

Pen sleeves/rolls might work for you. A few options can be found in the pen community.

Elizabeth Newton was mentioned, and DaveT's wife too.

Nock cases may offer a little more structure, if not padding of a closed roll, but what you're carrying (pen material), & where (heat/humidity) may factor.

 

Your heirloom pen "in a box" enclosed could be a problem if the material is celluloid (& metal). Air circulation and out of direct sunlight is usually good for old objects. Perhaps search: care for specific (old) materials.

[oraxia]

I do have a made-for-pens case that I picked up from JetPens several years ago, but I still occasionally throw a pen or three in an old eyeglass case. I have several flannel "sleeves" that I use when putting more than one pen in this case, to protect them a little bit from banging each other up whilst in the case - I just cut a few rectangles from the hem edge of an old nightgown, folded in half, stitched two sides (the two cut edges), and turned them right-side-out. Very quick and easy.

 

Jenny

 

Ah, see, now that I know I could do As soon as I can clear some space to break out the sewing machine, I think that might be my best (and likely most economical) option to start with--simple pouch inside an eyeglass case Thank you!

 

 

Pen sleeves/rolls might work for you. A few options can be found in the pen community.

Elizabeth Newton was mentioned, and DaveT's wife too.

Nock cases may offer a little more structure, if not padding of a closed roll, but what you're carrying (pen material), & where (heat/humidity) may factor.

 

Your heirloom pen "in a box" enclosed could be a problem if the material is celluloid (& metal). Air circulation and out of direct sunlight is usually good for old objects. Perhaps search: care for specific (old) materials.

 

I hadn't given consideration to heat/humidity or UV exposure, hmn. I'm honestly not used to dealing with anything vintage... The heirloom is an all-metal pen with celluloid (pyralin?) inserts, so I'll have to look for some information on proper storage for those materials--thanks!

[akrohn2010]

Here are a few pictures of my 3-pen eyeglasses case w/insert from F-C -- as you can see the insert is a bit pliable, and relatively soft. It has a felt/suede texture to it but is thick enough that it definitely protects against scratches/nicks. The case itself is fairly thick but soft and the inner lining is quite soft too.

 

Hope that helps!

[oraxia]

Here are a few pictures of my 3-pen eyeglasses case w/insert from F-C -- as you can see the insert is a bit pliable, and relatively soft. It has a felt/suede texture to it but is thick enough that it definitely protects against scratches/nicks. The case itself is fairly thick but soft and the inner lining is quite soft too.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Interesting... And thank you for the pictures, I hadn't seen good close-ups of the inner case on their site, and certainly nothing that demonstrated pliability Maybe if I get ambitious with the sewing machine I could try to replicate that to throw into the eyeglass case I'm planning to use (Or actually, maybe I could just buy the insert and use it in my intended eyeglass case, that would be easier...)