Review: Nock Co. Brasstown Zip Roll Pen Case

After being relentlessly teased in Atlanta for carrying my pens in a rolled-up shop towel, I finally purchased a Nock Co. Brasstown zip roll pen case ($35). I purchased the now-discontinued Mandarin/Mango colorway. Both shades of orange are still available but combined with more subdued colors. The Mandarin/Mango combination is pretty vivid in a don’t-lose-this-in-your-bag sort of way.

What is so appealing about the Brasstown is that the case has a divided roll that holds six pens inside a zippered case. In the photo above I included an assortment of different fountain pens to show that, with a clip slipped over the edge, a wide variety of pens comfortably fit into the dividers. Some of my pens are particularly small, like my Esterbrook on the far left and my TWSBI Mini on the far right, but since they both have clips, they don’t slide to the bottom. Even clipless pens are easy to remove from the case, even if they slide down, by pinching the bottom like a Flav-For-Ice Pop. Now that I think of it, the Mandarin/Mango colorway reminds me of an orange Fla-Vor-Ice!

Once the roll is filled, there is still room in the case to put additional tools and accessories. I like to put my “good” fountain pens in the roll section and then stick other pens in the case loose. Unfortunately, the Brasstown is not long enough for a freshly sharpened Palomino Blackwing 602 or similarly long pencils so this is definitely a PEN case. A well-loved pencil or mechanical pencil will fit however.

One of the best, most thoughtful features of the Brasstown is the double-ended zipper closure. Whether you are left- or right-handed, opening the case is a breeze. The zippers can meet at any point on the case so if you like the zippers on one end or the other or meeting in the middle, that’s flexibility exists.

Overall, I think this is one of the most useful and clever pen cases. It’s particularly useful if your pen collection is starting to include pricier, vintage or rare pens that you don’t want tossed hurdy-gurdy in a zip pouch or in the bottom of your bag. The Brasstown is priced right and made in the US by people who genuinely care about making good products.

And finally….

PS: Today’s model stand is my new giant plush S’more from My Paper Crane via Land of Nod. See her S’more on Instagram.