Shibui 3-Pen Case Review

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

There's certainly no shortage of supplies when it comes to pen cases, and that's not a bad thing in my book. The more options, the better. And as long as manufacturers and designers are coming up with their own unique, creative offerings, it's a great situation for sellers and buyers alike. The latest pen case to come across my desk is one from Shibui — a 3-Pen Case made from a lovely leather that zips up to keep your pens safe.

If you're interested in keeping your pens secure and making sure they don't touch, this is a great case option. There are three slots inside the case that can be adjusted to fit pens of different diameters. It's a clever leather design that makes it fairly easy to adjust, but very difficult for the loops to come loose on their own. In my experience, I've had no issues with the loops becoming loose with regular use.

The ability to secure your pens inside the case is one thing, but what about protecting what's inside from the outside world? Well, the Shibui has you covered there as well. The case closes completely using a YKK zipper, and there's very little chance of anything getting in or out while it's zipped up. The zipper mechanism is very smooth and feels well-made, which is to be expected from YKK.

The case opens easily, but it doesn't lay flat when open. The leather is just a bit too stiff to manage this, but I'm not sure it's even necessary. By the way, the leather used in this case is great quality. It's full-grain, so you know it will last quite a while and will also develop a spectacular patina over time and with use. The stitching that hold the panels and zippers together is well-done, and I don't have any concerns with anything coming undone over time.

The inside of the case also has a small flap pocket on the front side, but I haven't found a use for this yet. It would hold business cards, but that's not a common use case for me — just something to give you a concept of how small the flap really is. If it could hold standard 3x5 index cards, I'd be thrilled, but the don't fit without being bent quite a bit. On the upside, the size of the size of the closed and zipped case is fantastic for throwing into a bag, and it also manages to fit most organizational pockets with ease.

I've been really impressed with the materials and build quality of the Shibui 3-Pen Case. The unique adjustment loops are great for making sure every pen is snug when being transported, and I can see this lasting a really long time. At around $45 USD, it's also a pretty good value considering the quality and materials. Definitely something to check out if this design interests you!

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

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Kutsuwa Dr. Ion Multi Box Pencil 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 latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

If you need to upgrade your pen case to a pen suitcase, you might want to take a look at this Dr. Ion Multi Box from Kutsuwa. There are so many features that I haven't even figured them all out yet. There are pockets and loops and straps and compartments and room for a little of everything.

The case is made from sturdy nylon canvas and is split into two double-zippered sections. Between the sections is the PVC handle that is on metal loop hinges for comfortable carrying. You could even handcuff it to your wrist, if you've got it loaded with your most precious pens.

The sections open lengthwise, and the double zipper allows you to open and close from either end. One side of the case has a zippered mesh pouch on one side. A center flap divides the space. That flap has an elastic band with a bottom pocket on it that can hold multiple pens. The flip side of the flap acts as padding for the other side of the compartment where there are other elastic pen loops. This is the largest space in the case, and could be filled with tons of pens.

The other side of the case zips open to show four deep pen pockets on one side, and a few smaller elastic-bound pockets on the other side. These work great for sticky notes, erasers, or other small accessories.

This is the most high-capacity pen case I've ever used. I packed it with everything I thought I'd need on my recent writer's retreat, and I could have easily added a ton more. It worked great and I really liked the organization of it all. I think this case is the perfect thing for students who have to carry a variety of stationery, where they can organize their pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils, erasers, glue sticks, sticky notes, etc. My middle schooler had to upgrade to two pencil cases last year to carry all the stuff on his school list--but this case would hold it all. So he's probably going to get this case, come Fall. And then I'll need another one for myself.

The kicker here is that this is the MEDIUM size of this case. There is a large! The medium is a very reasonable $24.50, and the large, which has considerably more capacity, is $36.50 and is more purse-sized. You can even get a shoulder strap for it. Part of me thinks this might be too much stationery capacity ... and part of me really wants to put it to the test.

These cases aren't really designed for the transport of truly delicate pens. I wouldn't put my handmade acrylic fountain pens in it--there's not a lot of padding to speak of, and the compartments knock into each other a bit. But for school or art supplies, this is a really nice way to organize and carry your supplies.

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

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The Sendak Mini Artist Roll by Peg & Awl: 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.)

The Sendak Mini Artist Roll is a pen/pencil/paintbrush/tool holder. It's the little brother of the Sendak Artist Roll, measuring 14.4 in. by 8 in. (365mm by 202mm) when fully open and 4.3 in. by 8 in. (110mm by 200mm) when folded.

The roll is hand made with waxed duck canvas.

It features a vegetable-tanned leather strap engraved with "The Sendak Mini Peg & Awl." The strap is attached with brass rivets and closed with an antique steel buckle.

Inside there's a small zippered pocket on the left.

In the middle are two large pockets and eight slots for various artist implements.

A flap provides protection for the instruments inside the roll.

Outside, the back part of the roll has two full length, large pockets.

Everything about this artist roll is well made. The canvas feels rugged and virtually indestructible. The leather strap is thick and sturdy. The zipper is made of brass.

The four large pockets can accommodate scissors, knives, skinny sketchbooks, a cell phone, and a host of other objects. The inside pockets are 3.3 in. (85mm) wide and 8 in. (202mm) tall. The outside pockets are 3.7 in. (95mm) wide and 8 in. (202mm) tall (you could fit longer objects in the outer pockets since there's no flap in the way).

The eight slots are not quite an inch wide. Regular pens and pencils and paintbrushes with slender handles fit easily into the slots.

Even though the Peg & Awl website says that the slots will accommodate fountain pens, that is true only for medium and small sizes. I tried a variety of fountain pens with the roll. Larger pens, such as the MB 149, the Opus 88, and even a Franklin Christoph Intrinsic will not fit.

The rugged design of the Mini Sendak means it's not meant for fancy fountain pens. Rather, this is a roll for EDC pens and artist's instruments. It's for stuffing in your backpack so you can whip out your sketchbook or journal in the middle of a meadow or at the top of a mountain. I would not take Walter (my MB 149) on hikes, thank you very much, but I would take mechanical pencils, my Spoke Pen, any of my Karas Kustoms pens or a Lamy Safari all nicely bound up in this roll.

The Mini Sendak Artist Roll is available in the following colors (mine is moss): Truffle, Almond, Coal, Moss, Slate, Spice, and All Black. It costs $120. You can add a tool protector for $8 or a monogram for $15.

Is this pricy for a pen roll? Yes. However, the products from Peg & Awl are not manufactured in bulk. They are hand made using antique materials, such as old, military-issue gun slings. The craftsmanship is exquisite, so if you appreciate handmade goods, you'll love the Sendak Mini Artist Roll.

(My sweet husband purchased the Sendak Mini Artist Roll for me for Christmas.)

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Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!