Lihit Lab Teffa Pen Case Review

(This is a guest post by Brian Draghi. You can follow Brian on Twitter @Sketchscape)

I recently had been looking for a book type pen case that would help keep all of my favorite pens organized with enough space for a small sketchbook to be stored with them. I wanted a something that contained everything I need in an all in one case without having to grab multiple items.

The Lihit Lab Teffa Pen Case fulfills everything l wanted in a case for small portable sketching sessions. This is an amazing case from first glance. It is deceptively small and holds quite a large amount of items. I was able to hold 17 pens comfortably along with a flash drive, small stylus, iPad camera connection kit, ruler and a small sketchbook.

The inner straps on both left and right side are very secure and create a tight fit to attach your pens to. I noticed that pens with clips that rest close to the top of the cap are easier to place on the right side since the strap is higher on that side. The straps are lower on the left side of the case which limits the amount of space on the bottom especially if the pens are longer. My configuration has all my writing pens on the left and all my sketching pens on the right side divider.

Turning the divider, the mesh pockets are constructed well and provide a secure fit for items without the worry of anything falling out. The back mesh pocket is large enough to hold a stylus and a #12 5x5 Rhodia dot pad. The mesh pocket is just large enough to only hold a small Moleskine sketchbook without anything else in the pocket.

Overall

This is probably one of the best cases that I have to keep my pens organized and everything ready to go. The shiny nylon material of the case is great because it seems to resist stains or marks. It can be simply wiped down with a damp cloth to remove any type of dirt or marks. The case is thick enough to accommodate all of your pens and items without it being too bulky. The one drawback is the lack of some type of strap or handle on the back of the case for carrying. I would have preferred a strap that was sewn on the back similar to my Brenthaven iPad case where I can just slip my hand through and easily carry it.

Verdict

This is a must buy case for anyone that like to keep their top collection of pens organized and accessible for travel. This is by far the best case that I currently own and it works perfectly for me and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Rating 4.5 out of 5 pens

Pros

* Compact design with large capacity

* Holds 17-24 pens comfortably

* Case thick enough to accommodate every pen.

* Great shiny nylon material

* Contains everything in one item

Cons

* No strap or handle to carry

* Difficult to store bulky items in small mesh pocket

* Front cover pockets limit storage

(Ed. Note: These sold out so fast at JetPens.com that I wasn't able to get one myself. Be sure to to sign up on the product page to be notified when they restock.)

Ohto Fine Fountain Pen Review

There is no doubt that the Ohto Fine is a beautiful fountain pen. Long, sleek lines, sharp chrome accents, and a few curves for added visual effect. But functionality is the most important thing for me when using and reviewing a pen, and that is where the Ohto Fine falls short.

I have had great success with other Ohto pens I have reviewed, so I was surprised to be let down by this one. First of all, the length and weight of the pen with the cap posted makes it top heavy when writing. This leads to balance issues, and eventually writing fatigue if you use this pen for long periods of time. I didn’t make it that far due to my second issue with the pen - nib alignment.

I am not a fountain pen expert by any stretch, so it took me some time to figure out. The pen was very scratchy when making certain strokes, and upon closer inspection, the nib appears to be mis-aligned. It is very slight and hard to see, but one side of the nib is higher than the other. I could probably adjust it for slightly better performance, but by this point I was disillusioned with it.

The final issue - and one that will vary between user - is the grip section. Ohto may have gotten too aggressive with the design on this one, because the sharp curve of the barrel hits me right where I grip the pen. That angle cut digs right in to my fingers, and again limits the length of time I can write with it.

At $22.00, it isn’t going to break the bank, but there are better options in the same price range - the Lamy Safari comes to mind immediately. Sorry Ohto, three strikes and you’re out!

Ink Links

– The October Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper (Economy Pens)

– Pilot Hi-techpoint v5 & v7 (Penfan.ru)

– Yoropen Superior Ergonomic Ballpoint Pen (Multi Pen Dimensions)

– Pen Organization! (Gourmet Pens)

– My daily writing routine (John August)

– Handwritten Letters, 1860s (Vintage Me Oh My)

– Moleskine Classic Roller Pens (JetPens Blog)

– Do you use an ink blotter (Quo Vadis Blog)

– A.W. Faber Castell Jubilator (Bleistift)

– Book Review - I Draw Cars: Sketchbook & Reference Guide (idsketching)

– Review: Rhodia ‘R’ Pad No. 16 Orange (Gourmet Pens)

– Faber-Castell 250th Anniversary Pencils (Selectism)

– My Small Collection of Cute Pencils/Pens (Days of my boring life…)

– Vintage Parker Vacumatic Fountain Pen (Pocket Blonde)

– Uniball Vision RT .6mm (Office Supply Geek)

– Levenger True Writer Blue Delft Fountain Pen (An Inkophile’s Blog)

– General’s Semi-Hex 2/HB Soft (Stationery Traffic)

– Lamy nibs comparison: EF vs 1.1mm, 1.5mm, 1.9mm italics (Peninkcillin)

– Paper Mate Pacer 300 (The Leaky Pen)

– Kaweco Prototype (Pentrace Message Board)

– Finding a better fountain pen for drawing comics (Turn Page Now)