The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 705 - Montblanc Is Buying Up All the RAM

*It’s a trap(door)! The* *Writech Clictek Fountain Pen* *(via JetPens).*

Don’t get any ideas stationery companies, RAM is already expensive enough! Stationery companies should focus on the areas that matter, like erasable gel ink. Sailor’s latest is out, and Fudefan has the first look. It’s not compelling at first glance, but we will see how it goes. Myke and I also cover a wide variety of other products, including build-a-pens and retractable fineliners.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Penedex: The penultimate app to track and catalog your pens, inks, and what you've got ink'd up. Download now.

Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PENADDICT.

Pen Chalet: Check out this week's special offer, and to get your code for 10% off.

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Podcast.

TOYO Steel Cantilever Toolbox Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

It's like an expert quilter's sewing basket and a high-rise beam welder's lunch pail had a baby and I'm obsessed. The Toyo Steel Cantilever Toolbox blends practical storage with a kitschy vintage vibe.

The box is made of thin sheet steel with a brick-like pattern texture and minimal branding. The steel is coated in a variety of bright colors, so you can color-code your storage, just like in Stardew Valley.

The box opens by pulling the two hinged top handles away from each other, which pivots hinged steel bars on the short ends of the box, lifting and spreading the upper tier of the storage box. That upper level storage, like a balcony of compartments, has customizable dimensions. The small silver dividers are slotted into cuts in the walls, so you can decide how big you want the compartments to be. Make space for pens, scissors, or a variety of smaller supplies. The dividers that aren't in use have their own storage spot at the end of the shelf.

Below the balcony of bounty, there's the lower, large, open storage space. It's deceptively huge. It can fit a stack of five A5 notebooks, and still have space at one end for some bottles of ink or other gadgets.

The whole box itself can hold a sizeable stationery collection. While it's perfect for storage, it's maybe not too practical for transport. It would work, but the steel box, when fully loaded, is a bit heavy. It also doesn't latch, though there is a small hole where a string or wire could be tied. While gravity holds it closed, and carrying it by both handles keeps it shut, if it were to tip or fall, it's going to be messy. There's also no padding inside, so it won't work well for very delicate items.

I can, however, think of a whole handful of hobbies that would benefit from this fun and clever organization. The only thing stopping me from collecting one of each color is the price. At $155, it's pretty pricey. It is extremely well made and well thought-out, so I won't say that it's not worth that price. It's just a lot for a box. You can buy regular toolboxes in similar styles for much less, though they don't have the same vibe.

Toyo does have a lot of other, smaller boxes as well, which could be a good place to start. There's a whole ecosystem of storage in this line, and it all looks fantastic. I've swapped mine between stationery storage, knitting storage, my dollhouse building tools, and toiletries, and I liked it for all of them. I can't make up my mind, which might mean I need five of them. The only thing saving me is that I also can't make up my mind on the color choices.

(This product was purchased from Dromgoole’s at regular price.)

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Posted on February 26, 2026 by Sarah Read and filed under Toyo, Storage, Accessories Review.

Talking Stationery on YouTube

As part of last year’s St. Jude fundraising, I challenged myself to make a few YouTube videos around various stationery products. It took a while, mainly because I wasn’t sure how I wanted to do it, and honestly, I was a little nervous about it.

Once I decided to just record me being me talking about things I love, I got more comfortable with the concept. If there is one thing I can do, it’s talk about stationery. So, here are a couple of what I’m calling One Take stationery videos. No bells, no whistles, no editing - just good, clean stationery fun. Exactly how I like it.

Here are the links to the two videos, and there are at least two more on the way. Will I do more? Should I do more? Who can say. Let’s see how it goes and I’ll decide from there.

Enjoy!