Posts filed under Pen Case

Kamio Japan Paco-Tray Case Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

One of the many side effects of collecting lots of pens, pencils, and other writing instruments is amassing a similar collection of cases to carry everything around. Like writing instruments, cases come in a variety of sizes and shapes to meet specific needs and niches. The latest case I've been carting around falls into the category of "case meets tray," and it's called the Paco-Tray.

I've tried other cases and pen cups that convert into a handy tray when opened, but this is a unique take on the category because it offers up three distinct trays for your writing instruments. On the outside, it looks like any other rectangular pen case complete with tidy zips and a minimal logo tag, but the inside has a couple of surprises that will delight most people.

Before we jump into the inside, let's take a closer look at the outside. The case is made entirely of polyester, which makes it both strong and light. The bright red version I have here has a great texture and looks great under the light. There are several other variants to choose from, so you're sure to find something that suits your personality. The fabric has a soft but tough feel, and the overall construction feels solid. The zips are very smooth and don't make a lot of noise when opening and closing the case. I'd recommend adding some paracord or something else to the zip pulls since they tend to jingle together when the case is closed.

Once you open the case and take a peek inside, you're greeted with the three separate compartments. The middle compartment seems to be lifted up as an offering as you fold the case walls down. It reminds me of the old cantilever tool boxes or tackle boxes that my grandfather had strewn around his basement. The three compartments offer ample room for different pens, pencils, and art supplies. The middle compartment is closed in on all four sides, while the outer compartments have a small slit on the top and bottom to allow everything to compress. I've found that some smaller pens can slide out through the slit if you're opening the case in a hurry. Not a terrible thing, but something to be mindful of when opening the case.

The great thing about the trays is that they make it easy to see all the various things, but it also closes down and zips up into a small overall package. This makes it great for storage and transportation, but also superb for working.

As an added bonus, there are a few magnets in the bottom of the case that snap together to keep the trays open. This is helpful with the amount of objects and weight that the trays can hold, and the magnets add an extra bit of structure and delight that add to the overall design of this nifty little case.

In all, the premise of the case is ingenious, and the execution is nearly flawless. Combine this with the accessible price of just $16 and you've got a solid product offering. I'm sure that almost any Pen Addict reader could find a use for this case — and if not, they probably know someone who would love it, making it a great gift.

The Paco-Tray case is available in ten different colors and styles to suit every taste.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on May 8, 2019 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Kamio, Pen Case.

Kamio Japan Paco-Tray Pen Case 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 Twitter. And check out her first novel, The Bone Weaver’s Orchard, now available where books are sold!)

I'm eternally delighted by the many ways a simple concept like a pen case can be made new and exciting and clever. The Kamio Japan Paco-Tray Pen Case is all of those things. It appears as a simple rectangular cuboid--not very big, not ornate or fancy--but put into practice, it's a wee genius of a thing.

It's a clamshell-style, nylon canvas case, with the zip opening lengthwise across the front and side edges. It has a double zipper, which is always a plus. When opened, the inside lining blooms like an accordion into three separate trays. Magnets in the spine snap together to hold the case open. When you close it, the dividers hold the contents nested in those trays, so everything stays neat and orderly and is easy to find when you need it. If you overstuff the pockets (lol if), there may be a few things that smoosh out into other compartments, but otherwise it does a great job of keeping things separated. When the case is closed, the magnet in the spine can be used to attach the case to a metal surface, like the front of a desk drawer.

Despite its small size, the case can hold a surprisingly large number of pens. A few dozen easily, plus accessories. It is, alas, too short to hold some wood case pencils at their full length, but once they've been sharpened down a bit, they'd fit, too. The rectangle shape makes it easy to fit in bags alongside books and other pen cases.

One downside is that you can't just open one end of the case and dig out a random pen. Because of that tray lining, the case has to be opened the whole way to get to anything. So, it's great for sitting down to a work station, but not great for quick access.

It is, overall, one of my favorite pen cases that I've reviewed. I love compartments, and I love the way the magnet keeps the case open. It doesn't so much hold your pens as present them to you, like the small treasures they are. At $16 on JetPens, it's also a really good price. If you need more ways to carry your pens (lol if), this is a great tool for the job.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on February 14, 2019 by Sarah Read and filed under Kamio, Pen Case.

Musubi Oversize Two-Pen Case in Murasaki Seigaiha: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Musubi is a manufacturer of beautiful fabric-covered journals and pen cases. I’ve long coveted the Manekineko (“Fortune Cats”) journal in Ao, but I haven’t purchased one because, even though I love the craftsmanship of these hand bound journals, I would be intimidated to use them. I wish Musubi made A5 journal covers so I could reuse the cover with journals like the Seven Seas Writer.

While ogling Musubi’s journals, I discovered they also make pen cases. I decided to purchase their oversize case in the Murasaki Seigaiha (purple waves) pattern.

One reason I wanted to buy a product from Musubi is their commitment to helping women. The pen cases are made in Indonesia by abused women. According to their website:

In Indonesia, we train women from abusive family backgrounds in the same high-tech methods used to make our pen cases, providing them the skillset necessary to gain financial independence and escape their unfavourable circumstances. The end result: every Musubi creation directly and measurably benefits the least fortunate amongst us.

The Musubi case is made with an impact-resistant frame covered with a single piece of Japanese fabric. The case is rigid and retains its shape regardless of whether or not pens are inside.

There is a pull tab for the snap closure, which makes the case easy to open. Fabric covers the snap on the inside of the case so your pens aren’t in danger of being scratched.

I chose the oversize case (which is 150mm/6 inches long and 63mm/2.5 inches wide) especially for two pens I’d like to carry in my purse all the time: my 1970s Montblanc 149 (named “Walter” for reasons I’ll explain in a review someday) and my Nakaya Portable Cigar, which I reviewed last week.

These two are oversized pens, and the pen case fits them perfectly. You can see that they are easily accommodated with only the tops showing.

Musubi includes a removable matching fabric insert that keeps the two pens from touching while inside the case.

Although you can use the case without the insert, I would be worried that my two pens would scratch one another, so I keep it inside. At first I wished that the insert was permanently sewn inside, but I discovered that it’s actually better that it’s moveable. Walter is a bit larger in diameter than my Nakaya, so the pen insert adjusts to accommodate two pens of unequal size.

You can, of course, put smaller pens inside the case. I tried it with a Sailor 1911L and a Pilot Vanishing Point. Those pens have wiggle room inside the case, but the fabric protects them from any damage.

I hoped that maybe the Musubi case would be large enough to fit a pair of glasses so that it could perform double duty, but my glasses did not fit. I suppose a small pair of reading specs might fit inside, however.

I’m very happy with my Musubi pen case. The fabric is beautiful and the case is well constructed. I have no doubt that my two pens will be protected while they are inside my purse and on my desk. And, although I’m not going to do a drop test, the case is rigid enough that I’m confident my pens would not suffer damage.

You can purchase a pen case (either regular size or over size) from the Musubi website. Regular size (140mm in length) cases are about $65, and oversize cases are about $75. With shipping from Singapore, I spent around $92 total. My case arrived in less than a week. Although $92 is rather expensive for a two-pen case, you are getting a handmade product with beautiful fabric, and you are helping women escape abusive situations. That’s totally worth it to me!

If you aren’t interested in the pen cases, you might want to purchase Musubi journals, which are made by persons with physical and intellectual disabilities. I am so impressed with the mission of Musubi to employ people in difficult circumstances who make products of such beauty. Now if they would just make the pen cases in the Fortune Cats fabric!

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