Stationery Spotlight: Pen Cases from MIVLXLX
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A while back, I had a friend loan me a set of pens to use for a project I’d been working on (and thank you again!). They came to me in a black hard-shell pen case, the kind of common generic ones that I’ve seen around the internet for years. They weren’t something I ever paid attention to until I finally had one in my hands, and the build impressed me enough to buy a few for myself.
These are the same pen cases you can find under the brand listed as MIVLXLX (which I’ve decided is to be pronounced “Mivlickslicks,” with a very straight face). I’ve heard that they may be or have been listed under other names, but these are the ones that were available now. The listing says they’re manufactured by “MOCHUI,” and the box says Shenzhen Magic Hammer Leather Goods Co. Since then, I’ve purchased an additional case which came in a completely different box, so all I can tell you is that results may vary in terms of labeling/packaging. This is a mystery that I’m not prepared to solve, so we’re going to move on.
The Build
I have one in each available size and color. The 3-pen case in brown and blue, the 6-pen case in red, the 12-pen case in grey, and of course, the black 12-pen case I already had on hand. Despite the name of the manufacturer implying that they might be made of leather, they’re not. The box says it’s PU leather, but at their price point, it’s understandable, and I’m not surprised. Despite not being real leather, the cases still look good, especially the colors! The grey is more of a chocolatey brown, but the colors are bright and saturated, and they’re very pleasing to the eye. I especially like the blue and brown ones!
One thing about the grey case is that when I got it, it had a white, powdery film when I opened it, which showed fingerprints all over. At first, it didn’t wipe off that easily, and it required a little extra rubbing down to remove, but thankfully, it came off. None of the other colors had this.
The case has a top that flips open, and on the inside, there’s an insert that can be slid in and pulled completely out. Even with the insert removed, the case is surprisingly rigid. The stitching is neat and consistent, and overall, the build is solid. The closure is magnetic, and it works well enough for the convenience of easy opening. It’s strong enough to keep the case closed under normal handling, but since there’s no latch, it’s the kind of thing that has me worried it might burst open if it were to fall and hit the ground hard enough.
Another concern with the design is the tab on the inside edges. They’re sewn in, so they’re probably fine, but I fear that it might start to lift slightly in the center from removing the insert over time. With that said, there aren’t any signs of wear on the one that was lent to me. In general, that case seems to have held up very well.
In some of the product images I saw that they had the pen cases standing up on it’s lid, and in my experience this isn’t a great idea. In both of the images above it was only a matter of time before they slid back, and especially on smoother surfaces, it’s not going to hold well. I don’t reccomend doing this.
Pen Fitment
The inserts have sturdy dividers lined with a very soft material built into them to separate the pens. The spaces are (roughly 20x20mm wide and 157mm long), and they’re more than large enough to accommodate most pens that you might want to fit in them. I like the dividers especially for metal pens because it stops them from knocking into and damaging each other.
Pulling the inserts out is easy enough, but I think it would have been nice if there were a pull tab to make getting them out even easier.
I was worried that a lot of pens with large clips would interfere with the outer edges of the shell, but they can be rotated out of the way to fit. The 3 Conklins in the pen case above also have large protruding external filling mechanisms, and shockingly, they were all able to fit in the case just fine! I’ve always had a hard time finding good ways to store these, so it’s a welcome surprise.
The size of the pen slots still has its limits, though, and extra-large pens may have a hard time fitting. From left to right, I have a Franklin-Christoph Model 40, an Asvine C80, and a Carolina Pen Company Charleston. These are big pens (some of the biggest in my collection), and they fit, but it makes the insert fan out slightly on each side. It will still slide in and out of the shell and close, but it’s a noticeably tighter squeeze, and you might be introducing some extra wear to the case over time as it slides against that tab on the inside I mentioned earlier.
On the flip side, it will accommodate a lot of standard to pocket-sized fountain pens comfortably without jiggling around too much. Extra slim pens like the ones on the right side above will jiggle around more, and a lot of pens are going to slide up and down in the case when you move it around. If there is a downside to having a hardshell pen case like this where the pens aren’t tied down, this is it. This isn’t a problem unique to the MIVLXLX pen case, and I would recommend it regardless, but make sure you always open these cases facing up. There’s no stopper, and there’s always a chance they may slide right out if the case is facing down.
A Look at Each Size
The 3-Pen Case
The 3-pen case is a great choice for daily carry, and it’s my second favorite of the 3 sizes. It’s not necessarily pocketable because it’s still a thick case, but it’s great for throwing in a bag. It might only hold 3 pens, but I think that’s going to be enough for a lot of people’s daily carry requirements.
I happily carried the 3-pen case exclusively in my bag for a few months to see how I liked it, and compared to the other 2 cases, it doesn’t take up nearly as much space, leaving plenty of room in my bag for my traveler’s notebook, as well as a small A6 notebook with some wiggle room left over. The 3 slots were plenty for my 2 larger carry pens, and an open space for a trip to my local pen store, just in case they gave me a deal I couldn’t refuse.
The 6-Pen Case
The 6-pen case is the jack of all trades that you might expect. It’s not quite as perfectly compact as the 3-pen case, but it can still be easily carried around without taking up too much space, and I have a feeling that a 6-pen daily carry will more than cover most people’s needs. More than a daily carry, however, I think this is a great option for short trips. It slips nicely into a suitcase, and I asked around: most of my friends who dare to travel bring around 6 pens or less with them.
The pen isn’t quite as good for basic storage as the 12-pen case, but it sits nicely on a desk and slips comfortably into a drawer. It’s a decent option if you like to limit your currently inked pens and keep them stored in a separate case.
The 12-Pen Case
The 12-pen case is the largest and my favorite of the 3 sizes. At this scale, the case is a little too large and inconvenient for daily carry. I only carried this in my bag for a few days before deciding it was just too big. Sure, it might fit (and more power to you), but you’re losing a lot of space. Like the 6-pen case, it would also be great for traveling, especially if you plan on doing some pen shopping or popping into your local pen crew meetup. You can throw it in a larger bag or suitcase, and it’ll keep your pens perfectly safe.
But my preferred use, and why it’s my favorite, is simple home storage. Twelve pens is a perfect size for partitioning your collection into different groups, because even if it isn’t full, it rarely feels like there’s too much space left over. The 12-pen cases fit nicely in a drawer, stack well together, and if you have more than one, look great standing up on a shelf. In fact, they’re almost perfectly book-sized in both height and depth. I used some Traveler’s Company brass label plates for decoration, and unlike, say, a large wooden pen box, these are easy to grab off a shelf one case at a time.
Final Thoughts
The MIVLXLX pen cases are nothing short of an excellent option if you’re looking for a hardshell pen case on a budget. Despite the low price point, there’s not a lot left to be desired, especially in the 12-pen case. They’re well put together and absolutely sturdy enough to keep your pens safe. I can see myself buying a lot of these as my pen collection continues to grow. I love how they sit on my shelf, and that alone has me considering exchanging some of my wooden pen boxes for this solution. The 6-pen case, in particular, has been in regular use transporting my pens to and from my office, to the cleaning station, back to their regular storage spaces after they’re finished being used for this blog. Assuming you’re not looking for real leather, they’re great.