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Hi, I'm getting a Montblanc Meisterstück Classique pen in either gold or platinum (can't decide!) and would be grateful for any advice regarding my concerns with Montblanc's leather pouches. I already have a Montblanc Meisterstück 1 pen leather pouch but having read through some threads on this site I'm concerned about the risk of scratching the pen (especially as the 'precious resin' appears to be vulnerable to surface marks) and possible long-term corrosion to the gold plated parts such as the clip caused by the chrome tanned leather. I checked Montblanc's website which does not disclose whether chrome tanned leather is used for the Meisterstück 1 pen pouch. However, a search on Google showed that chrome tanned leather may be used for the Boheme pouch and chrome tanned leather is used for belts. I understand that a pen won't stay mark free forever, but I wouldn't expect a protective product like a £105 pouch to inflict damage. Could the jacquard lining scratch precious resin? Has anyone noticed marks appear on an otherwise brand new pen simply from being inserted into or removed from a pouch? It's entirely possible that damage referred to in other threads may have been caused by other factors and the threads are quite old. I've looked at alternative leather pouches and whilst Lucrin's look promising they don't mention the tannage used. Similarly, Onoto's case has a felt lining but Montblanc pens may not fit. Is there any real advantage to choosing platinum over gold? Are these concerns groundless? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks, Martyn

A review of the 6-Pen Case from Visconti. Have also replicated the content with some more pictures in the blog. Happy reading ! Below is a link to the same: Visconti Dreamtouch 6-Pen Case I was looking for a quality pen-case for quite sometime to serve as a handy storage of my fountain pens, outside their hefty boxes. Existence of nice fountain pens, necessitates invention of great fountain pen cases. I do use a Pelikan 3-pen case to carry my daily fountain pens, but I required something more secure which can double up as a travel companion, if I ever intend to carry more than three pens at a time. The Dreamtouch leather series were launched sometime in 2012. For the leather pen cases, Visconti offers 5 variants in an ensemble of a compact and unique design, housing 1/2/3/6/12 pens. PRESENTATION As usual, there is a white Visconti fabric pouch, inside which the case rests once you take it out of the cardboard box. It ensures that the leather remains intact and unscathed before use. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eOYqK-kKuIc/VaFl4P_Y_ZI/AAAAAAAAEyE/_KmlEfJ8j1Y/s1600/DSC_4389.jpg DESIGN & BUILD (6/6) The outside is made of aniline-calfskin with a clean and precise workmanship. Aniline leather making techniques preserve the natural surface of hide and render a soft natural feel of the same. The flip side is they do indeed carry the natural porosity of skin. When you look at the threads and feel the case you would instantly know, that you have landed upon great workmanship. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xvxlN3Tayw0/VaFlxMmIZ-I/AAAAAAAAEyA/9dunSEv02uY/s1600/DSC_4391.jpg Then at the top of the flap, there is the V logo inside an ellipse, which is made of chrome plated metal. It seems minimalist aesthetically, but it does succeed in drawing your attention. The zip looks flat and compact, converging with the geometrical dimensions of the case. You will neither find the case too pliable nor you would find it too hard. A very compact case indeed! The rear-end is plain and coveys volumes instead. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qj18C_i-8PU/VaFmPzdXAHI/AAAAAAAAEyU/debT-ddExws/s1600/DSC_4397.jpg The flap converges with the overall flat design quite well. The slider is chrome plated metal and sports the same logo which is present on the finials of Visconti pens. The name VISCONTI lies within a mirrored V. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V3dBYnt9Uiw/VaFmQEuzJEI/AAAAAAAAEyY/u1almhYSecY/s1600/DSC_4401.jpg The back-side sports an embossed VISCONTI with the name of its birthplace, the renaissance town FIRENZE. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qCJBgeghgR8/VaFm5Vtt0pI/AAAAAAAAEzA/jw38IaBc258/s1600/DSC_4419.jpg PHYSICS & PERFORMANCE (5/6) The 6-pen case weighing around 150 grams and is quite light and easy to hold. It can hold a pen upto 15.5 cm of length. A thicker pen will of course displace the divider by a tiny bit. The flat design of the case, makes it a convenient storage box. I just love the compactness of this case. Length ~ 16 cmWidth ~ 14 cmDepth ~ 2.7 cm A 15 cm scale can completely rest inside with additional leg-room. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4CimC4JGjFo/VaFmoQZrzVI/AAAAAAAAEyo/yH1V_8swTgs/s1600/DSC_4417.jpg You can observe that the dividers are placed at least 2.3 cm apart, which makes it capable of housing most of the pens. The inside linings are made of black velvet, a touch would reveal it's quite dense and should protect your pens well. One downside is that all the pens will not fit snugly inside these slots and there are chances of bumping inside it, in case you are travelling. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbN80EZ50lM/VaFm2ZUwpxI/AAAAAAAAEy4/xFNMhmxf62c/s1600/DSC_4406.jpg The finial of a rather large pen like an Izumo (>16 cm) could become exposed to the zipper material. Had it been a metallic finial with a flat top (say Pelikan), there are chances of scratches, due to lack of any additional protective lining on the insides of the zip. Although the zippers have plastic teeth, the slider with its metallic clasp still has to traverse along these lines. From left to right : Pelikan m605, m805, Platinum Izumo Tagayasan, MB146, Pilot Custom 823 and a Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvjPBECw8ZY/VaFmr0yqKeI/AAAAAAAAEyw/BwVRRyapOGA/s1600/DSC_4413.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (6/6) Although the 6-pen case retails in the market at around USD 120, I was able to win this one in an auction, at around USD 77. From time to time, I find multiple auctions for these cases on ebay as well. I feel that's a good price for any aniline leather product. OVERALL (5.7/6) Overall, I do feel that the 6-Pen Dreamtouch case has been a nice buy, custom made to my requirements of compactness and aesthetics. It is subtle yet elegant at the same time. I would keep the large pens inside their boxes.

Save 50% Off select Aston Leather pen cases while they last: Aston Leather Single Pen Carrying CasesRetail: $40.00Sale: $20.00 available in 3 colors view details... Aston Leather Double Pen Carrying CasesRetail: $50.00Sale: $25.00 available in 4 colors view details... Aston Leather Triple Pen Carrying CasesRetail: $65.00Sale: $32.50 available in 4 colors view details... Aston Leather Four Pen Carrying CasesRetail: $75.00Sale: $37.50 available in 4 colors view details...

Hello Everyone, I found this reasonably priced pen case from China: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fountain-Pen-Roller-Pen-Brown-Coffee-Color-4-Pens-Case-Holder-/261419805754?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cddd5ac3a Has anyone tried buying similar cases (for similar prices) from Chinese sellers? I think it looks quite nice but I don't want it to break down in a few months, so any feedback would be great and any general comments/ suggestions for pen cases are welcome! Thanks!

Hi Everyone, I have started creating some leather pens cases and I would love to get some feedback from the wonderful people at FPN. Here are some pics.

Finally, giving in to all my desire, I went for a midori traveler's notebook. This is a regular sized notebook with a brown leather jacket. I have also replicated the content with some additional pictures in my blog, as the images are/will be reduced to a small thumbnail after a short-while by the image hosting service. Below is a link to the same: Midori Traveler’s Notebook Review Lately, along with a fair bit of travel, my focus has shifted towards acquiring various paraphernalia, genetically consistent with the core fountain pen ecosystem, while the pen themselves are in transit . Having used parker notebooks with the usual ivory coloured paper, for my travelogues; I was fascinated by the idea of a notebook enclosed in a traditional manner within a leather jacket. To my limited knowledge and much elation, the Midori Traveler Notebook came out to be much more than that. I came in touch with the Midori brand, when I had got myself an aluminium multiple ruler. As per their website, Midori is a 65-year old Japanese company specializing in paper products and creative design stationery. You may also bump into MD Paper, while searching for quality paper products across Asia. From the perspective of paper, the company also makes stitched notebooks along with the flagship Traveler Notebook. And the core part of the notebook i.e paper manufacturing remains with Midori, Japan. Traveler Notebook comes in two different sizes – Passport & Regular acorss two standard colour variants – black & brown. (Additionally a blue - special edition is being released in April - 2015). The one being reviewed here is a regular sized traveler notebook. PRESENTATION (6/6) One of the enchanting parts of the notebook is the multi-tier packaging. Nothing expensive, but enticingly ‘differentiated’! A polyethylene plastic wrap, diaphanously enclosing a package wrapped in traditional brown paper, increases the excitement for unwrapping the gift. A note on the Traveler’s notebook in traditional Japanese paper, reveals a consistent purpose and description. It does reveal that the brown leather jacket is handmade in Chiangmai, Thailand, whereas the notebook is manufactured in Japan, thus referencing and embellishing quality http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20001_zpsn3bkbpwx.jpg At the backside of the package, rests some information regarding manufacture of the notebook and the leather jacket – from the countries of JAPAN and THAILAND respectively, along with product/bar codes and other compliance details in Japanese script. The brown package is fastened with a reddish-brown elastic band. Opening the package, unveils a notebook enclosed in a white cotton bag. Additionally, one spare elastic band (orange) is provided in a poly-pack. You can also remove the reddish-brown elastic band from the outer enclosure. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20005_zpsvgrigln6.jpgI had also ordered a 64-page refill along with the notebook (Refill#001), which has a simple wrap with a coloured stamp conveying the details of it. DESIGN (6/6) A leather enclosure secured by a single brown elastic band going through a perforation at the back of it, expresses the sense and simplicity part of it. The cover is made from cowhide leather, with an elemental texture and it acquires grace with time. It’s supposed to scratch, acquire colour over time to transform into your signature companion. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20007_zpsbewykgcf.jpg The enclosure carries one single stitched notebook with blank pages (Refill#003). There is a series of two strings running across the notebook and the leather cover through multiple perforations on the it and those are anchored by a small tin clasp placed at the top-left end of the notebook system. The elastic band fastens the notebook while the rather loosely held non-elastic one is meant to be a bookmark. The only embossed mark on the leather jacket is at the botton-left side of the back cover, which states MIDORI & MADE IN THAILAND. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/traveler%20ends_zpsgtncgrzr.jpg So, the primary ecosystem for the traveler notebook consists of two categories of refills – notebook and accessory. Notebook refills come in 64 pages (both sides) across blank (003), lined (001), grid (002), monthly planner (005), lightweight paper (128 pages, 013) and kraft paper (014). Accessorizing your traveler with sticky notes (022) or film album (023) or a pen-holder (015/016) is pretty easy once you purchase the refills and they may be priced between $4 to $10. There are several other inserts that are available for the traveler. You can find a complete list here. The design of the notebook is primarily based upon an Add-On model: base + spares like the Gillette razor-blade model. But again Sony too sells the PlayStation at a loss and makes up for the same with the entire gaming ecosystem. PERFORMANCE (6/6) The enclosing elastic band can be replaced with another by pulling it out from the inside of the back-cover. Adding a notebook is easy, by using one of the spare elastic bands to connect the new notebook with the existing one, which needs securing the band around the spine of both these notebooks. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20014_zps6pujgcto.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (4/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING A very portable one, the dimensions (13 X 21 cm) match closely with the standard parker notebook. However, given the availability of pages (192 in parker) and an absence of a pen-holder, the parker does score some brownie points here. If you are looking for pure table-top writing experience, then parker can be more appealing, given its solid frame. The leather cover does offer a lot of flexibility when you are travelling and it’s meant for traveler. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdp%20comp_zpswhmmm4aj.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6) The traveler notebook and a 64-page refill cost me around USD 35, with free shipping from Japan. While the price might still be low for a comparative analysis (with other shops), the economic value of the notebook does not do very well against the likes of competition - parker costs less than one-fourth of the same. Then again, you have to purchase refills typically costing anywhere between $4 to $10. That’s midori’s ecosystem for making money. The Add-On model! OVERALL (5/6) The design and vogue part of the traveler is exquisite. And yes, the MD paper is nice, thick and smooth for all your beloved fountain pens. Since, it was another Japanese product, I tested a Sailor Pro Gear Sigma Slim (Medium) with it. And it did run like a dream, laying quite a fine wet line. The thickness and texture of the MD paper makes even a relatively wet ink dry up pretty fast (sailor jentle ink dried within 6 seconds). However, that again comes with an little although unnoticeable bit of feathering, unlike the parker notebooks . However, there is no bleed-through for the paper. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mds%20001_zpstbof40zu.jpg It was fun reviewing the Midori Traveler Notebook. Hope you enjoy the review and find it useful. Thanks, Sonik

Hi! First of all, I'm from Hungary so its important to me to find a site which is based in the EU (UK, Germany etc.) and sells that product. I need one about A5 - B5 size, neither too big, nor too small, its better if its thinner rather than taller. Its also important to be fountain pen friendly ( But i still can't decide which fountain pen should i get for my money ( 70 - 80 gbp / 100 - 120 usd ), so if you suggest a few i will be glad! ( Right now im looking into the reviews of TWSBI 850-AL and Platinum Sai Limited Edition). I want to start to write a journal, so i i not really need a notebook, more a journal, and i prefer leather cover.

At the beginning of December, the folks at Fountain Pen Revolution (FPR - http://www.fountainpenrevolution.com) unveiled their new roll-up pen pouch - with a normal retail price of US$29 (plus $3 flat-rate postage), they were offering an introductory price of $19. The offer was too good to pass up - so I placed an order, pretty well straight away. I was away on a family holiday at the time - and was pleased to find the package waiting for me on my return. (Well, waiting at the post office, anyway!) The pouch is made pretty well entirely of leather - a thick, durable, lighter-brown leather exterior... http://i.imgur.com/STNmMuv.jpg while the interior was cut from a more supple (calf-skin?) leather. http://i.imgur.com/xbOhNMl.jpg The stitching on the pouch seems pretty durable too - though you'll notice, the bottom of the fourth pen slot from the left was not properly stitched in to the binding, and has come loose. The leather straps that wrap around and tie together to hold the pouch shut are both sown in to the middle of the 'back' of the pouch, and are made of the same (outer) leather material. I decided to test the pouch's carrying capacity by filling it with a few of my largest pens - a FPR Triveni, a TWSBI 540, a Pilot Vanishing Point, a Jinhao 159, and a Ranga Duofold. All of them fit (relatively) comfortably - though the Triveni and the Duofold both protruded a fair way from the top of their slots. http://i.imgur.com/Cihje3c.jpg Rolled up, the pouch looked like this: http://i.imgur.com/WOgeegn.jpg And from on top, like this: http://i.imgur.com/0QUSVOd.jpg This will help you to see why I only put five of my pens into the pouch: Given their wider girth (the Vanishing Point excepted), a sixth pen would make the pouch fairly bulky when rolled up. That said, with a smaller pen in the 6th slot, it wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be: http://i.imgur.com/iC6q3Ic.jpg So what do I think of the pen pouch? On the plus side (and it's mostly pluses), the exterior is made of very sturdy leather, while the interior leather is soft and supple enough that it's not going to scratch or damage my pens. The stitching (with one minor 'blip' is secure, and I don't anticipate this is going to fall apart any time soon! I like the form factor, too - and the fact that it's big enough to fit my largest pens. The individual pen slots are generously sized (though the 5th a little smaller, while the 6th could conceivably fit 2-3 skinny pens!). The 'branding' on the pouch is visible (see the 'FPR' logo on the bottom left of the exterior), but not obnoxious. I like the 'unpolished', not quite 'distressed' look of the leather - it gives the pouch a rustic aura. On the minus side, it was a little disappointing that the stitching wasn't quite right at the bottom of the 4th pen slot - though it's unlikely to be a problem. And I'm not sure I'm entirely sold on the two leather straps - it might have been better to have one strap, affixed to the right-hand rear of the pouch, so that it could wrap around and tuck in on itself. But that's a minor quibble - it works fine as it is. One last possible concern - Kevin from FPR mentioned this to me - is that the pouch was meant to be manufactured with a leather flap that would fold down over the pen clips, and ensure they didn't rub up against each other. I was able to orient my pens so that the clips weren't touching - due in part to the width of the individual pen slots - but I agree, a flap would minimise the risk of the clips scratching each other. One the down-side, though, I can imagine that the Triveni and the Duofold might foul that up, given how tall they stand. I believe that the next batch to be manufactured will come with the leather flap - so if you're thinking of buying the pouch, you may want to keep that in mind. All things considered, though, $29 is an absolute steal for a pen pouch made from these materials - and the introductory price of $19 was just insane! I'd be more than happy to recommend this to anyone looking for a low-cost, good value, great looking "on-the go" storage option for your more valuable pens. Any questions, feel free to ask - I'll do my best to answer them. Standard disclaimer: I purchased this product with my own money, have no affiliation to FPR, and was not compensated for this review.

I've always really liked the Nakaya leather pen case but as I've been saving to buy my dream pen I couldn't stretch my budged to include the dream pen case as well. I like to dabble in a variety of handcrafts and when a few weeks ago at a craft fair I came across some very nice leather pieces I decided to have a go at making my own. And here it is. I'm very happy how it turned out especially considering I have very little experience in leather crafts. Some of it was pure luck I'm sure. I used a cardboard tube from a tin foil roll as a mold for the larger half and a thick marker pen with paper wrapped around it to get the diameter needed for the smaller piece (and thin plastic bag on both to help put them in and take out and to protect from moisture). I bought wooden half spheres for the ends at a hobby shop. The inner diameters are 21mm for the smaller half and 27mm for the larger. The molds are 22mm and 28mm but the leather shrank a bit as it dried. That is one thing a would do differently the second time, take the molds out a bit earlier. I waited too long and the leather shrinking caused the seams to open just a bit. It doesn't show in the pictures (very difficult to get sharp pictures on a cloudy winter day, too little light) but there is a tiny crack in the seams. The leather I found is very nice. It's 2mm thick (that is 5 oz i think). The reverse side is velvety soft. In the finished case the inside is pressed against the mold so it's no longer fuzzy but it is very smooth and I don't feel any need to make a lining for the case.

Does anyone know of a commercially available leather pad cover that will fit a Rhodia no 12 dot pad? I just moved up to the Sacramento area, and I am super happy to have Rhodia available to me now. I use my small no12 everyday, as well as larger notebooks, and it would be perfect if I could only find a leather cover! Thanks in advance guys!

I ordered a custom Renaissance Art cover for my Hobonichi Techno planner. It's the small custom cover in wintergreen. The measurements I gave them were 5 7/8" high by 4 1/8" wide by 5/8" deep. It arrived safely in only about a week. I really like the leather and the simplicity: this is a book cover, period. No extra pockets, no closures, no bookmarks, no pen loops. It has a comfortable, rustic feel to it.The leather is beautiful and I'm sure will get better with age. Sorry about the lighting. The leather is a deep forest green that leans slightly toward yellow. It's dark but still obviously green. Source: http://www.renaissance-art.com/catg96/category.aspx Pics:

Can anyone recommend a leather cover that would work for the A6 Hobonichi Techno Planner, other than the ones available directly from Hobonichi? The planner's measurements are listed as 4.1" x 5.8" (http://www.1101.com/store/techo/2015/planner/). I like the Gfeller covers but the measurements for an A6 cover for a Rhodia "webbie" are 3.5" x 5.5". (http://www.gfeller.us/noncart.html)

Are there any companies that make a leather pen sleeve to fit the TWSBI Mini? Thamks.

I've been looking for a decent pen case for a little while and I've narrowed down my choices to two similar cases. They are both hard ish leather, hold three pens, are similarly sized, and the price is similar as well. I'm just curious to know if anyone out there would recommend one over the other, since I don't know which of the two to pick. Pelikan or Aston? There is also this Aston 4 pen case, but the leather is softer and it doesn't look quite as protective or sturdy. Any advice? Sorry if this has been asked [a million times] before.

Hey there! School is approaching quickly, and with it the need for new supplies! I (think/hope I) have my pens covered, with my soon to arrive Pilot VP (practicality at its finest), but I'm still in dire need of some paper to write on. Although the simplest option is to just have a separate notebook for each subject, I'm worried about the practicality of toting around 6 near-identical notebooks, and attempting to differentiate between them. For this reason, I'm craving something that can hold all of my notebooks, or fountain-pen friendly paper, in one convenient school-friendly booklet-esque thing. The closest example of what I'm looking for is the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter (http://www.roterfaden.de/), but at a steep price of $150 + Shipping, tax & customs this is a tad too expensive. It is essentially perfect though. To get to the point of this post, could someone please recommend me a binder or brand that fits the my specified needs? Opinions on such are greatly appreciated. If no other such thing exists, allow me to change the topic and ask; What are some low-key (Think: Opposite of the garish Rhodia orange), fountain-pen friendly & relatively inexpensive notebooks? Thank you! EDIT: Immense formatting issues. I'm sorry. I live in Ontario, Canada. Closest pen store being Phidon Pens (http://www.phidonpens.com/). I've also heard what I'm looking for called 'Folios'.

A5 size note-pads are my "go-to" size for jotting things down at my desk, playing with pens working on my handwriting, and taking to meetings for note taking. I kind of wanted a leather portfolio for the meeting part (and also to close at my desk and hide my doodles...). I ran across the Van der Spek writing cases at Appelboom, and ordered the "bottom of the line" model for 39 euro to see if I liked it. http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Van%20der%20Spek%20Writing%20Case/VanderSpek001_zps4721de0a.jpg For where it's priced, it's hardly a base model. The leather is very nice and the whole thing exudes quality. This won't be my last one, and I think I'll see about having a custom one made. (more on that as we go along). Included is a very nice Van der Spek labeled A5 notepad. A thoughtful inclusion so you are free to write immediately, in case you didn't already have an A5 notepad... http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Van%20der%20Spek%20Writing%20Case/VanderSpek003_zps343476a1.jpg Another thing that sold me on this brand was that there is a pen loop built in. It appears quite small, and a Pelikan M300 fits easily and snugly. http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Van%20der%20Spek%20Writing%20Case/VanderSpek004_zpse8d5fbed.jpg The problem with pen loops is that they're almost never the right size for the pen you intend to use. Van der Spek gets around that issue by hiding a bit of elastic in the loop. The loop that securely holds an M300 will also accept a large pen like this Omas Extra (roughly MB 146 size). http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Van%20der%20Spek%20Writing%20Case/VanderSpek005_zps8c284e9d.jpg Here's a closeup of the elastic. http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Van%20der%20Spek%20Writing%20Case/VanderSpek006_zpsd0a5570c.jpg I'll use the included paper for something (or give it to the wife), but I prefer to have some Rhodia in there (which is why I bought the thing in the first place. As you can see, the A5 sized Rhodia pad fits perfectly. http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Van%20der%20Spek%20Writing%20Case/VanderSpek007_zps9e24277d.jpg Overall I'm quite pleased with the case. The leather is very, very nice and supple to the touch. One minor complaint is that they used a bit of foam underneath to give it a "pillow touch". I'm not a fan of that and wasn't aware that this would be the case (no pun intended!). The small pockets will hold a business or credit card, but I would probably prefer if one held Exacompta note cards (I like the 74x105mm ones readily available in Europe). I put a few of these in my Midori Passport notebook for jotting a to-do list or being able to pass along a quick note or info. The last thing is the pen loop. It is quite snug, and while a tapered pen like the Omas (or a Lamy 2000) will fit; I have some concerns about the durability of the elastic. A pen like a Pilot 95S seems to snag on the lip where the cap meets the body. I think I would like a finger pouch fashioned in place of the loop instead. I'll call Van der Spek and see if they can do something like that. http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Van%20der%20Spek%20Writing%20Case/VanderSpek008_zpsc4801ff8.jpg

What companies make leather covers, made with thick full grain leather, for the Field Notes notebooks? Thanks.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a number of new lines from Kaweco, including their premium bottled inks, Liliput Brass, AL Sport Stonewashed, Deluxe Octagonal Pocket Clips, and best of all, and exclusively available at Cult Pens, the Eco Wild Raw Leather pouches. Kaweco have given us a number of interesting product finishes over the years, but none have been quite as unusual as the new AL Sport Stonewashed, available in black or blue. The premise is simple, take the popular AL Sport range and stonewash it like you would a pair of jeans. The result is a writing instrument that looks as though it has been well used over the years. Creating the finish in this way also means that no two pens are the same - the pen you have will vary from everyone else’s, perhaps by a little, maybe by a lot. As usual, pocket clips are optional, but the new Deluxe Octagonal Pocket Clips do add to the vintage-look of the Stonewashed. Add in a Kaweco Sport converter for the fountain pen, and you can use Kaweco’s new high-quality bottled ink, available in 7 colours, each in a 30ml bottle. Kaweco inks are a premium formulation, very reminiscent in character and colour of the old rotring inks. 2014 has also seen the introduction of a new super-compact Brass Liliput. Milled from solid brass, the untreated finish means this pen will - like the AL Sport Raw that came before it - wear over time and develop a unique patina depending on use and storage conditions. This finish can either be left to develop its patina or can be restored using brass polish and a liberal application of elbow grease. Available as either a fountain pen or a ballpoint, in smooth or waved finishes. Following these recent future-proof additions to the Kaweco family, comes the Eco Wild Raw Leather Pouch, a high-quality and incredibly strong leather pouch, which will acquire its own unique character over time. Eco Wild Raw leather pouches are manufactured from high-quality cowhide, sanded and oiled to a velvety, rustic richness. As the leather is not artificially coated, it will readily acquire a patina, along with the scuffs and scrapes of daily use adding to the character of the pouch. These pouches go beautifully with most Kaweco pens but especially with the plain metal finishes. The MD of Kaweco carries his richly-scuffed AL Sport Raw in one of these – a superb combination. Available exclusively from Cult Pens now, the Kaweco Eco Wild Raw Leather pen pouch comes in one- or two-pen sizes to suit both the Liliput, and Sport ranges. Get 20% off an Eco Wild Raw Leather Pouch when you buy any Kaweco AL Sport or Liliput, by using discount code FPNK20 at the checkout.

I've always been a huge fan of leather furnishings, and would really love to find a good pen with a leather barrel. I know that Faber-Castell makes their "Basic" in a leather finish, but I'm not a huge fan of the rubbery cap. On the other end of the spectrum I know that S.T. Dupont used to make an alligator leather pen, though they're a bit beyond my price range. Does anyone know of any pens finished in leather somewhere between those two extremes?

I think it is about time to do my first review (way overdue). I've always liked the looks and feel of leather notebooks but either the paper was not what I wanted or I was to scared to spoil them with my scribbles. So I opted to go for a nice leather cover. I searched a while to find a nice leather cover that could fit the notebooks I like. Most covers out there seem to be made for Moleskin and that's, well lets just say not my cup of tea. Not to long ago I came across a Dutch website www.writersplaza.nl were they sell handmade leather notebooks and covers by an Englishman named Paul Francis. Just when I was about to order the reddish one I noticed the dark brown one. I could not choose so there was only one option left I ordered both Both are just awesome. They fit about any A5 notebook I think. So far I have tried them with my favourite at the moment the Leuchtturm (currently in the brown one) and the Rhodia (web) and the thicker softcover Rhodia (shown in the reddish one). The reddish one has an extra flap where you can store businesscards, creditcard, etc. The extra flap also protects the notebook more when carried in a backpack or sorts. You can put the flap over or under the front cover. They both are pretty soft leather and lie as flat as the notebook allows. As a bonus the are made environmentally save. (http://www.writersplaza.nl/c-1443210/paul-francis-how-your-book-was-made/) They can stain a bit at the beginning. Needless to say I'm extremely happy with them and they put a smile on my face every time I see them or pick them up to start writing. After some googling I think I found his ebayshop http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Diary-Shop No more words let's show some pictures Some very nice diamondshape stiching

Hi! I'm starting to build my collection, but want to take multiple pens out with me, how ever, as I am a student, I don't want to be lugging around a large case to keep my pens safe. So what would you guys suggest, I'm after a small(ish) case, which can hold 3 pens which will protect them from becoming scratched or crushed within my bag. Hopefully something like this exists. If not, anything similar will help. And all answers appreciated. Many thanks Tom

So I have been reading and browsing looking for a quality leather notebook cover, while at the same time looking for quality paper to use with my FP. I have seen so many pictures, read into so many brands, that I have a general idea of what I want. However, I find myself now completely overwhelmed with the choices, sizes, etc. By now I've seen how to make your own covers as well as the enormous range of planner-styles. So yes, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Rather than just start buying and experimenting with what I've seen, I'd like my first purchase to be done with some input from you paraphernalia buffs. I use a Medium 14kt Montblanc nib with Diamine Green/Black quite often so lets assume that's what I will be writing with in this notebook. I make lists often, but this paper will mainly be used to write letters to my daughter. She is 2 and I write her a letter every day I can so when she gets older she can laugh at how awesome I was. I am looking for both a leather cover, and paper to fill it. Cover I would like to purchase the cover once, and replace the paper as necessary so it must have replaceable paper, to be used often. There must be a spot/pocket to fasten my pen. I'm a laser engraver and will be putting my own intricate designs into the leather if/when I feel like, so plain covers would be preferred. So far I have seen some nice-looking stuff, but like I said, overwhelmed. I liked the Midori's, is there something better to look at? LeatherReplaceable PaperPen SlotPaper I will only be using a FP with this notebook, so it must work well with FPs. Lined paper would be best, but I am open to other types if people have recommendations for letter writing paper. As I mean to pull the letters from the notebook, this means I will need lined paper, that can tear away clean (to be placed in a folder or book/scan). I would prefer the paper to not be hole-punched as well. I have read good thing about Rhodia, but didn't see if it would fit in covers or if it tore away clean. Lined PaperFP CapableTearaway Non Hole-punched So there ya have it, the method to my new notebook purchase madness. I really would appreciate some input on what pairing of cover and paper would fit my needs. Looking to spend under $100 but its its more... hey, I'm worth it. Just not $200 worth it Also, thanks for taking the time to read this novel, I know I can run on for a while.

I've always liked Moleskine notebooks and especially the pocket-sized ones - 9x14cm. Just ideal for the everyday 'get off my chest' sort of comments. A bit like my LOMO camera used to be for 'photo-thoughts'. I know that the Moleskines have a bit of bad press but that's probably down to people's reluctance to sort out what is right with Moleskine for themselves, rather than complain and whinge that Moleskine 'doesn't like my ink' sort-of thing. So I decided that I'd start using them again, in favour of the Leuchtturm pocket ones and see what happened. I've gone back to the soft-cover ones for the simple reason that I've found a superb chap who makes leather covers for them (along with a load of other stuff) and mine arrived this morning. I'll come to that in a bit. When I first started my first Moleskine I'd done a bit of searching for 'good' inks for Moleskine and came across this excellent series of reviews. I immediately went for the Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black - just my sort of colour anyway - and have never looked back. Therefore, I would suggest that people might care to try Moleskine-friendly inks first, before they rule out the paper altogether. (Sorry about the pun.) Making something work for you is a lot more fun than complaining that something doesn't suit you. Just my opinion. Anyway; soft covers here I come and as I mentioned, I've a perfect soft leather cover for the start of my next project. This is the one I went for, from Fenner Crafts. A fabulous chap to deal with and the service has been excellent. The soft Italian leather and soft cover of the book just go together perfectly. Of course, that's my opinion and some people might prefer hard covers and thicker leather. I've not tried a hard cover book in there but the covers are designed for both and I guess that a similar-sized book, like a Rhodia, would fit too. But I don't want to use either of those. Here's a picture of mine. So, come on people - give Moleskine another shot! You know you want to.

My EDC is a Parker 51 Aero, reporters style notebook, and a journal. I used to carry all the items separately but always wished I could consolidate. I made this for myself over the last week after seeing (lusting after) a pen case journal combo but not liking their choice of materials. If there is a desire for it I can make more of these to order. I used full grain vegetable tanned leather and hand stitched it using waxed poly thread. I will most likely only do plain and natural (unfinished) if there is interest as that is the aesthetic of the items I typically make as an artist regardless of medium. I oil the cover with neatsfoot, sun tan the leather slightly, and hand burnish the edges after stitching. The rest of the details are left to the user. With proper oiling and commonsense leather care the item will age beautifully. The item was a very personal project so I haven't yet decided on a price but it will be reasonable. I have moleskine notebooks in the pictures but rhodia A6 webbies should fit. I won't make another for at least a month or two while I test the durability of the one I just made. I can also upload the template I created for this project if any DIY'ers are interested in taking on the challenge. EDIT: As promised... here is the template! FYI The colors are a little wacky but I used a BW laser printer so all I needed was contrast.

Hi FPNers, I'd like to share something with all of ye today. After a lengthy search for the perfect 3 pen case, trolling through the cheaper junk, the more expensive but yet unsuitable due to size or other factors, I have finally obtained what I feel is the ultimate 3 pen case for me. Let me start by the requirements that I was looking for: 1. 3 pen case 2. Leather - good quality, preferably soft and supple (not stiff and unforgiving), black or brown. 3. Size - This is important to me as I carry it in my pants pocket, I was looking for one that wouldn't sit like a brick in my pocket, yet would fit larger pens like the MB 149. This put options like the MB Sienna 3 pen case and the recent newer Visconti 3 pen case (which is really nice too) somewhat out of the question. Due to some hype surrounding the Piquadro Nikolai pen cases, I looked high and low for this and only managed to find the Piquadro Tamponato, which turned out unsuitable as it only manages to fit the smaller pens and was tight even for a MB 146! Anyway, fast forward to today when I've finally got my hands on this baby, also made by Piquadro, but not in production anymore as confirmed by them in the email. Strangely enough, I can find no references to it online either.. Enter the box. A simple logo at the front and that's about it.. A little wrapping on the inside.. There it is, in all its glory, a magnificent piece of leather, subtle, supple, and sexy! A little close up for your viewing pleasure. 3 of my most frequently used babies (MB 146, MB Alexander Dumas (size of 149?), and my Pelikan M800 Tortoiseshell) sitting inside their new home. The leather actually will stretch to accomodate a larger pen. My MB 149 is away for service so I'll put in it and add another shot of it after to show you that it should fit when it gets back. There it is, stretched out in all its glory..This is what I like most about this pen case..in addition to everything else! Shot from the front.. And another.. The softness of this leather and how thin it is make it the perfect ideal pen case I have been searching high and low for.. Bendable softness..in fact the entire case will bend if you wish it to. This case isn't for heavy duty protection of your pens, not a case to dump into your back with keys and coin, oh no..It is for transporting it in your pocket for daily use, for your pens to have a nice and soft happy home, for your hands to feel the luxuriousness of this premium leather as you dig your hands into your pocket to grab your pen.. Well that is my review on this case, sorry if I gushed a little, when you finally find the thing that you have been searching for after such a long time and it exceeds your expectations, what else are you supposed to do? Cheers and have a Happy Christmas ladies and gentlemen. Julian. edited for spelling error.