Posts filed under Shibui

Shibui Pocket Pen 12-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 latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

As an avid pocket pen user, I was excited to try the Shibui Pocket Pen 12-Pen Case in hopes it would help transport my mini pens in style. My usual pen sleeves are too long to conveniently carry my pocket pens, and I always have at least a few pocket pens inked, so I was hoping for a gamechanger. I found this case to be a mix of excellent innovative design, and some design decisions that ultimately didn't work for me, but might for you.

The case is made from high-quality, full-grain leather. It is very well stitched, everything lines up nicely, and it's sturdy and protective without being too heavy or inflexible. The zippers are metal and pull smoothly, even around the corners of the case.

The best feature of this case is the trademarked Pull-Tag that allows the user to adjust the tension of each pen loop so that the case can accommodate pens of any circumference. Since I have pocket pens that range from a slim Kaweco Liliput to a chonky Pen BBS, that's an amazingly useful feature. It also allows clip-less pens to be cinched in snug and sound, so the case will work for a variety of styles.

The case holds 12 pens, with six inside each side of the clamshell opening and a padded, soft divider between them. The divider is velvety on one side, and has six card slots on the other. Personally, I'd rather have the velvet on both sides. I don't quite understand the need for pockets in this case, unless you want to carry the ink swatch cards for your currently inked pens. I can see the use case for that, though it's not something I do. Whatever is in those pockets will be touching the pens on that side.

Ultimately, for me, this case works better for storage than carry. That's because I don't carry a dozen pocket pens at once. If I'm carrying a pocket pen, it's usually just one or two, and I've picked them because I'm going for a minimal carry or a light load. It would be good for bringing a collection to a pen show, so it may be the perfect thing if you visit a lot of shows. It's also worth noting that it can fit shorter standard pens. A full-size TWSBI was too long, but it would fit most pens smaller than that.

While I don't find myself carrying this case, I think I'd use something similar in a two-pen design. I will definitely use this one for storage, though, and I don't hesitate to recommend it if you're hauling a lot of wee pens around. The case is currently priced at $85, which is fair considering the design, materials, and construction. I often try to guess the price of something before I look, and this was half the cost I expected. I think my pens will be very happy in this case while they nap between uses.

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

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Posted on June 8, 2023 by Sarah Read and filed under Shibui, Pen Case.

Shibui Olive Green 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.)

Storing and carrying pens and other writing instruments is one of the delightful side avenues of the stationery hobby that I enjoy almost as much as the pens and pencils. Storing and organizing different pens based on functionality, job, or mood provides endless fun and variation, and it's nice to have the right tool for the unique situations that come up.

The Shibui 3 Pen Case in Olive Green is a smart-looking leather case for carrying three pens in style. In terms of pen cases, this one falls into a specific category for me. First off, it zips closed to provide full coverage and prevent anything from falling out. And, It only holds three pens, and I like that constraint sometimes. When I only need three pens, and I want them to be secure, this is a go-to case.

The outside of this case is really pleasing. The full grain leather is soft and durable, and the YKK zippers are smooth and robust. I have no doubts that the pens I keep in this pouch will fall out or get damaged along the way.

The full grain leather adds some rigidity and structure to this case, which is really good for carrying and protecting your pens, but it also means that it doesn't lay flat when open. This isn't a big deal, but might annoy some.

The exterior dimensions are also great for stowing it just about anywhere. It's not too big to throw into any bag or internal pocket, but it also holds three pens with plenty of room to spare. The overall dimensions when the case is closed come out to 6.3in. x 3.15in. x 1in. (160mm x 80mm x 25mm).

The inside of the case is really simple. The left side has a single slash pocket that runs from top to bottom, so that's about 6 x 2 inches to work with. You can't fit a 3x5 notecard, so I haven't really found a good use for this pocket. You could use it to store small pieces of paper (like receipts), but no notebooks. If you have something the size of a business card, that will easily fit.

The right side of the case is where the pen storage magic happens. Shibui's trademarked Pull-Tag system allows you to securely store pens of various sizes and easily adjust the tightness for each pen slot. The leather strap that runs horizontally is really soft and pliable, which makes it easy to adjust while also protecting your pens from scratches when they're fastened in. This system stored my largest and smallest pens side by side, and there wasn't a chance they'd fall out. That said, the friction-fit is easy to overcome when you actually want to insert or remove a pen. It's such a simple but ingenious system.

The Shibui 3 Pen case is $50, which is a great value for the organization, protection, and style this case provides. It protects and stores your pens, but also has a unique and pleasing aesthetic that will age beautifully as the leather breaks in. If Olive Green isn't your thing, there are a handful of other leather colors available as well.

(This product was purchased from Goldspot at a discount.)

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Posted on March 1, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Shibui, Pen Case.

Shibui A5 Life Organizer Review

It's weird to say something like this, but I love everything about the Shibui A5 Life Organizer except the design. The things I dislike about it might not bother you, in which case (pun intended) you might really enjoy this product.

For one, it is extremely well constructed. The stitching is strong and even. There are sturdy, metal YKK zippers--one for the main compartment that has a metal pull, and two interior ones with leather pulls. The whole case is made from a suede-textured genuine leather (this one is called Desert Tan). The finish of the leather takes on the character of its environment, absorbing hand oils, etc. The suede finish means it will show stains and damp fingerprints very clearly, which I like but it might drive you nuts. There's a brass snap closure inside, and a pull-to-adjust pen loop that can accommodate a wide range of pen widths. The outside is very minimal looking, and the inside has the Shibui logo embossed on the left side.

Inside, on the left, there is a small, fabric-lined zipper compartment, four fabric-lined card slots, one long vertical leather-lined zipper pouch, and a folder pocket behind that. At the center is the adjustable pen loop. On the right side there is a card slot, a snap-closure loop, and a large folder pocket for a notebook cover.

These inclusions are fairly standard for an organizer cover. I've tried out at least four other A5 cases that have similar features in the past few years. The issue I have with this case is the configuration of these features.

For one, the pen loop is placed so that any pen you put there will be aligned with the metal zipper teeth and slider. That's likely to damage the finish of any pen you place there. That may not be an issue at all if you're just carrying a disposable pen or a metal pen that's made to take a beating, but if you're inclined to carry fine pens, this is an easy deal breaker.

The other design issue I have with this cover is the snap loop closure on the inside back cover. I have a serious Princess and the Pea situation going on with that snap. Placing it behind where the notebook is supposed to sit creates a huge lump in the middle of the page. And if I were to actually use that loop to hold cords as it's intended, it would be even more lumpy. Of course, not everyone uses this space for notebooks. Some use that pocket for devices. And if you're using it for a planner where you're just jotting down quick entries, maybe that lump isn't so intrusive. But for longer writing, it's not very nice.

Overall, this is not a bad product, and it's competitively priced at around $70, which is much less than many genuine leather A5 cases cost. And for the average person, who is not as fussy about their pens as we are in this community, and who isn't as likely, perhaps, to sit and write for an hour or two in their notebook, this could be a wonderful addition to their stationery setup. It really doesn't work for me, though, and I wouldn't recommend it to a general audience in the pen community. There are people who would love it, though, and they'd have good reasons, too.

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

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