Pen Storage Ideas

[mke]

@Paul-in-SF

Have you got an answer from Pendora?

Any link?

Edited March 7, 2020 by mke

[sansenri]

I really don't want to display my pens particularly, but I do want to store them neatly and compactly and relatively safe from being knocked around. I didn't want a case where the top lifts, that just means (to me) that you can't put anything on top of the case. So I picked these drawers that are usually sold as artist's pastel or marker storage. The drawers are 1/2" deep (except for the deeper one at the bottom, which is 1") and the case is just under 16" wide. The drawers can be taken out completely for easy re-organization. The cases come in 2-drawer to 6-drawer configurations, and are available on Amazon. The 3-drawer is the one with the deeper drawer, the others all come with the shallower drawers. You can stack these units, as I have done. You can put things on top of them without any problem.

 

I have fitted the drawers with the flocked plastic pen tray liners you can get from gopens.com. With careful trimming, you can fit 5 slots in each of the wider sections of the drawers, and two slots in the center narrow section,. I just have the liners friction fit, they didn't need to be glued or anything. You can trim those pen trays with scissors or a knife. Or theoretically you can remove those dividers (they supposedly aren't structural, but I haven't tried it) and then have one pen tray with 22 slots across in the drawer.

 

These tray liners are suitable for pens of medium to small girth, larger/girthier pens really don't fit well in the tray liners (the drawers are deep enough for almost any pen). I am still waiting to hear back from Pendora about the wider-slot tray liners they sell. I don't know how many of those will fit in a drawer, probably 14 to 18. The bottom two drawers are reserved for larger pens.

 

I have 8 drawers here which just about holds all my current pens, with a few slots left over for new acquisitions. All in a very compact space. This solution is not perfect, but it suits me pretty well.

 

Impressive space, I like it

[sansenri]

this is my pen box. It's by far insufficient (holds 56 pens).

Also, it looks rather neat, but on close inspection quality is quite bad...

It's not wood, it's painted MDF, which is OK, but construction is not so accurate and the internal dividers are not fixed solidly and tend to swivel. It was bought on the bay from a Spanish maker, reasonably cheap (around 70-80 Euro, if I recall)

Several spaces are empty because the pens are in use...

I have several other boxes and pen holder I use as storage, but ideally would prefer a drawer solution like this one (I also find the opening top to be a nuisance)

[txomsy]

The pastel storage drawers/boxes are a great idea. I'll have to look into them. For now, I use a tall drawer of Indian origin to store a variety of items (watches, pens, pen drives, Chinese brush/ink sets...

[corniche]

The pastel storage drawers/boxes are a great idea. I'll have to look into them. For now, I use a tall drawer of Indian origin to store a variety of items (watches, pens, pen drives, Chinese brush/ink sets...

Hi all,

 

You might wish to think twice. I have three 7-drawer cabinets sitting in my basement because I jumped on the idea. They only accommodate slimmer pens; consider the narrow girth of most pastels. Larger pens will drag against the upper tier, especially if you line the drawers with felt - which you should because I found the wood they use to be on the rough and abrasive side.

 

Later today, I'll post a pic of what I use - which hasn't been mentioned yet.

 

Sean

[bsenn]

In the same width (length?), pendora trays fit 16 pens and gopens trays fit 24.

 

Sheet music cabinets are fairly common at antique stores and estate sales (in the US). Drawers can also be used for stationary, but are likely not tall enough for ink bottles.

 

Brian

[WLSpec]

Cigar boxes are nice and you can often score ones for free. The inserts can be bought or you can do as I did: just folding hard paper.

 

The etruria to the right of the pelikan is the alter-ego edition, right? Looks amazing! Nice pens

 

I store my pens in a Monteverde 36 pen case and a Fahrney's black display box with a clear top. I quite like both of them, they do the job.

Edited March 7, 2020 by WLSpec

[WLSpec]

Cigar boxes are nice and you can often score ones for free. The inserts can be bought or you can do as I did: just folding hard paper.

 

The etruria to the left of the pelikan is the alter-ego edition, right? Looks amazing! Nice pens

 

I store my pens in a Monteverde 36 pen case and a Fahrney's black display box with a clear top. I quite like both of them, they do the job.

[mke]

@A Smug Dill

> If Toyooka Craft has made other models in exactly the same design, but with a different type of wood, for a different stationery shop or department store, my Google-fu fails me and I can't find any mention of it online.

I said it also depends on the seller, see here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyooka-Craft-Wooden-Fountain-Pen-Display-Case-100-Slot-Stationery-Box-F-S-New/202326268673

 

And there is another 100-pen solution, from Maruzen for their 150th anniversary last year, similarly expensive: https://honto.jp/netstore/pd-book_29460313.html

 

[A Smug Dill]

I said it also depends on the seller, see here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyooka-Craft-Wooden-Fountain-Pen-Display-Case-100-Slot-Stationery-Box-F-S-New/202326268673

 

I was only trying to help by pointing out you could easily get the item you apparently wanted for much less than $600, and thought you'd prefer to be wrong about the particular product's price but save on out-of-pocket expenses for the solution that fits the description to a tee.

 

If you strongly prefer to spend some other seller's higher asking price, instead of treating Kingdom Note's list price as the product's official or street price (given that it's made for KN, and still available from KN directly today to consumers in Japan like yourself), because it ticks the "(would) spend $600" box for you, please suit yourself.

 

And there is another 100-pen solution, from Maruzen for their 150th anniversary last year, similarly expensive: https://honto.jp/netstore/pd-book_29460313.html

 

Is that the one you want, or just prefer it because it satisfies the "spend $600" criterion?

[Noihvo]

 

 

[RubenDh]

Nice collection Ruben! I know your Etruria, but is the second to left a Tibaldi?

Thank you! Yes it is. I fell in love with the Iride celluloid a few years back but the Tibaldi Iride Fountain Pen was just way out of my league pricewise. I was lucky, though, to have found an Iride Pencil (the one in the case) which is the right balance between being afforable, practical and beautiful. I LOVE that celluloid.

[RubenDh]

The etruria to the right of the pelikan is the alter-ego edition, right? Looks amazing! Nice pens

Thank you! And yes indeed, that is the Alter Ego ☺️

[sansenri]

Thank you! Yes it is. I fell in love with the Iride celluloid a few years back but the Tibaldi Iride Fountain Pen was just way out of my league pricewise. I was lucky, though, to have found an Iride Pencil (the one in the case) which is the right balance between being afforable, practical and beautiful. I LOVE that celluloid.

Ah, I did notice it might be a ballpoint or pencil, I have the corresponding blue one (Tibaldi Trasparente)...

great celluloids

sorry for the OT...

[mke]

Nice pens but please make a new thread about your Tibaldis. Thank you.

[WaskiSquirrel]

They even make big cabinets:

 

I stared at and drooled over this for a long time! This is exactly what I want. Shame about the price.

 

I too am looking at better storage for my pens and inks. Currently I use the zippered binders for my pens, but they are not convenient.

[sansenri]

@max dog

Unfortunately, the seller is not able to answer questions - this is what the Ebay system says. Too bad, not possible to ask if he could send it to Japan. They send to US and Canada, they write.

But thank you for showing.

 

@Paul-in-SF

That is a very acceptable solution and Amazon sends it to Japan. I will look into that. Especially, if you keep us updated with the liners.

 

And this is the Toyooka pen box which I would like to have if I would spend $600

They even make big cabinets:

I like the Toyooka solutions in terms of quality of material and manufacture. The $600 pen box would be great in terms of additional space.

In terms of furniture style I need a more modern look for my home, that vintage wooden look does not fit so well.

 

This Ferocase would fit better

however I believe my current pen box is of similar origin and quality was not so great, despite it serves it's job,

there aren't so many other alternatives that I have seen

 

[AGxM]

I had a crazy idea of designing something to store pens, inks and paper in and contacted a few companies here in Singapore for price to be made in reclaimed wood of some kind.

 

Quotes I have so far are around the SGD$1000 mark.....so may have another look around.

Apologies for the crappy drawing - I am by no means a designer lol

Edited March 10, 2020 by AGxM

[sansenri]

the idea is clear nonetheless.

If it were up to me I'd want only pen drawers...

(The Toyooka drawer is similar to what you want, cost is $900 approx...)

[mke]

@Paul-in-SF

A question about your art supply drawers. What is the diameter of the biggest pen which doesn't touch the wood of the drawer above during opening?

Could you also please measure the height of the drawers so we can compare with the actual product on sale. To make sure that they meanwhile haven't reduced the dimensions and we are talking about a different product.

Thank you.

Edited March 10, 2020 by mke