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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.

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.

Today I'm reviewing a leather notebook/diary system made by a German manufacturer. The X47 is their high end line, there also is X17 which is cheaper and, I think, uses a less sophisticated system to attach the refills. As I haven't found anything about the brand on FPN yet I feel it's high time. I've never liked ring notebooks like Filofax but the idea of something refillable always appealed to me. That's why I own two Midori Traveler's Notebooks and three A5 sized handmade leather journals of various colors. The X47 is a very different animal as it doesn't breathe "handmade and rugged" but "businesslike and classy". http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Necke6IoktI/UkZ43LC7SKI/AAAAAAAAAws/Q4dIkE7-1r4/s1600/x471.JPG They are handmade though, sewn here in Germany. A5 and A6 size are available. There is a range of leather colors and surfaces to choose from. I chose glossy chestnut brown calfskin and it's beautiful. Boyfriend is working with leather and if you've touched and worked with hides, good ones and poor ones, you can feel if it's good quality. For me, a glossy surface notoriously rouses suspicions because many poor quality leathers try to hide behind a ton of lacquer and dye. These are the leathers that feel like painted cardboard. My X47 isn't like that! It's nice and supple and feels good. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GkCd_lzgcGQ/UkZ7TXbtM4I/AAAAAAAAAw4/BsuGLY578_g/s1600/X472.JPG The notebook offers a few goodies. For instance if you choose the A5 size you can insert an extra A6 cahier into the inside of the front cover. The one currently sitting there is a little smaller than A6, but it's wise to put something there, else the gap could be bothersome when writing on the first pages of the first refill. There is also a stamp sized space with a leather flap but I have no idea what that's for. It's definitely too small for business cards (plus there is space for business cards at the inside of the back cover). Any ideas? The leather is really thin so there's something stiff between the layers of the front and back cover. It will prevent the whole thing from becoming too soft and wobbly over time. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi77-B4cofA/UkZ8Vo29n0I/AAAAAAAAAxA/kwpAAfj7Bh0/s1600/X473.JPG Refills are inserted using slim aluminium rods. The curvy parts are attached to the leather, the straight parts can be taken out and have two thorns which go through the spines of the notebook refills. Near the lower edge of the next picture you can see such a thorn. The ready made refills you can buy at X47 already have such a straight rod attached to their backs so exchanging them is quick and easy. You can also remove those rods and attach them to any notebook you'd like, in my case a Midori MD light, a Rhodia and a Semikolon. Another cool detail: sewn-in ribbon bookmarks. The ends of those have been covered in resin or something similar so they won't fray. I don't know if I would mind them fraying but I'm a little impressed by the thoughtfulness. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbqfCY9pwAo/UkZ-h0xVUTI/AAAAAAAAAxM/zQZOprNfnqw/s1600/X474.JPG This picture also shows the color better, a very nice reddish brown. The glossy surface makes it even more lively. I have to say I like this system, it's very slim and elegant. Even though it makes using your own paper a little more complicated than with a Midori I feel it's worth it. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xA-ZTw347O8/UkZ_kXpxNmI/AAAAAAAAAxU/BVWmpiPtzRI/s1600/X475.JPG There's also a pen loop large enough for a slim fountain pen - part of it is elastics but anything fatter than, say, a Pelikan M400 would be a really tight fit. The notebook weighs 570 g with said 3 refills, which is a little heavier than a larger sized Midori TN - which is still quite a bit smaller than A5 -, but lighter than my handmade notebooks. I'm still not sure if this very classy style is really for me but no matter what, this is some really nice piece of work. Hope you've enjoyed my review. P.S.: The decorative pen is an Omas Extra Lucens.

I'm tempted: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Italian-Leather-Journal-Handmade-Blank-Notebook-Travel-Diary-Black-Brown-/221285851448?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item3385aa2138

Having seen the review of a cover made for Clairefontaine notebooks here, I eventually contacted Ray Clark and asked about producing one for me, for the Leuchtturm 1917 pocket notebooks I favour. Although happy with using Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black on Moleskine paper with perfect results most of the time, I've gone onto the Leuchtturm ones in both pocket and A5 sizes. So his response was marvellous - he said he'd produce the Leuchtturm model, which is only 10mm higher in effect, than the Moleskine template, for the same price. The one I chose was £35.00 plus the postage etc. I went for the simple one with no stud fastening and asked him to round off the corners. The result was just what I wanted and the notebook fits perfectly. There's enough room around the edges to actually make writing in it a lot easier and the leather helps to keep it open and lie much better. The first picture is of a Moleskine one from Ray's Etsy page. Then a couple of the one I've received. I would suggest that this product is well worth considering for a lot of different notebooks and Ray will certainly help with any questions that one might have. A courteous service throughout and I'm very pleased. His Etsy page can be found here.Enjoy.

Cross pens will have a new owner this month after the pending sale closes. Has this subject been addressed before? I remember the day when a service/repair request was handled free under warranty, and quickly. Any thoughts?