Even though pen pouches in various formats are reviewed a few times in this blog, actual fountain pen case/storage is a rare sight. Besides the one I have cobbled together several years back, most of my fountain pens still live in their original packaging and are collectively stored in a plastic tub. Thanks to staff at Pen Boutique, I received a black 12-pen leather case by Yak Leather, as well as a brown mini pen sleeve by the same company for review.
Truth be told, I do not have a dedicated fountain pen carrying case. The one I have been using is a leather pen pouch that I have since I was in third grade. Perhaps this pen pouch has been formative in my pen case experience, I have wanted to look for something similar but with a bit more protection for my everyday carry. After using Nomad Easy Classification Pencil Case and roll pen case by Saki Collection for about 6 months each, the thought of “maybe there is a more suitable product” continuously surfaces. Alas, the quest of searching for a pen case continues.
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| Guess how many pens are in the case? |
One of the hardest decisions of any given day is deciding which pen and how many pens I should carry with me to work because I am always afraid that I will not have the pen in the moment of need. The fact is that I am no octopus and I can only use one pen at a time, so I try avoiding stuff my pen case as if Armageddon is coming. This roll pen case by Saki Collection is made with traditional Japanese fabric. Initially I was attracted by the fabric design, but after using it for two years, I am impressed by its durability and capacity.
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| 1. Inner set up of the pen roll. The pen roll can be roll up to three, tie with a cotton cord 2. front side of the pen roll, with a discreet label of “Saki Collection”. 3. inner pockets. The extra flap on top provides more protection to treasured pens |
The pen case measures 17.9 cm (7.04 inch) by 18.9 cm (7.44 inch). Not as voluminous as Nomadic or Lihit pen cases, but with its three equally distributed compartments, it can fit 2-3 pens in each pocket without being too bulky.
Looking closely, the stitches around the three pockets are in identical color as the fabric and a thicker textile is used as inner lining that increases the durability. The top flap gives additional cushion to protect the pen. I have not yet have any damaged pens while encasing in this pen roll for the past two years. Though the protection might be adequate for gel and ballpoint pens, it is a bit shy for fountain pens. I have placed toss-around fountain pens such as Pilot Petit in this pen roll and it made it unscathed. Should I want to carry nicer fountain pens around in this pen case, I would put the pens in the middle pocket and leave the two on the side empty, so when I wrap up the roll, the two side pockets can be double as extra cushion. However this arrangement is still not optimal because sometime the cord comes untie, and there is a risk of pens falling out. If the pen roll is used at home for temporary storage of fountain pens, it will be okay, but as for daily carry, this pen roll is more befitting for gel and ballpoint, or any fountain pens that you would not mind toss around.
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| It might not carry the entire Staples, but it can contain a compact small office! |
With two multipens (one three-color, one five-color), two single gel pens, and a highlighter, the pen roll can still be rolled up nicely. In fact, I have fit four multipens easily in it. One other impressive fact about this pen roll is that the fabric does not seem to be soiled easily. For the past two years of consistent use, it still looks presentable and tidy even though I did not clean it at all. Extra bonus for a pretty pen roll, right?
Interested in it? Check out other varieties that Saki Collection offers at JetPens.
