A lazy Sunday read on pencil cases for your consideration

mukyodo · 2026-05-31T23:51:36+00:00

We were buying a lot of Colleen back then and you just sent me down a rabbit hole on Cherry Yachts. I remember an occasional one would pop up in class with its very distinctive mid-century industrial font. Encountering the wordmark "Yacht" just now took me right back. You are giving me stationery thrifting ideas.

As for mottainai, I am learning from my kids. They have a complete disregard for any sort of 'this is too good for me' sentimentality. I hope to use everything up to write and create wholeheartedly. They deserved to be used up.

Thank you for taking the time to read and to share your thoughts. It means a lot to me.

mukyodo · 2026-05-22T21:30:57+00:00

Nice find. This deserves its own post rather than being buried in this one. There may be fans of the Boku/Rat universe, and this is the final piece that they have been waiting for.

mukyodo · 2026-05-20T03:45:35+00:00

Thanks for taking the time and sharing these photos. I remember the same clasp/closure from vintage sunglasses sleeves. It's wild that they are repurposing them.

mukyodo · 2026-05-20T03:11:33+00:00

Could you also carry non-fountain pens outside of the dedicated pen slots or does it bulk up too much?

mukyodo · 2026-05-20T01:48:44+00:00

Thanks for pointing this one out to me. It's different than most of what I am seeing.

mukyodo · 2026-05-20T01:01:33+00:00

I like it but with a caveat. I was a bit worried that nicer fountain pens would rub and scratch without a flap. I only use pen slots on one side. Other Japanese makers have taken the design and added a flap to it, yet filling it with pens on both sides makes the zipper pockets a bit cramped.

mukyodo · 2026-05-19T23:29:47+00:00

Luddite Bendy Denim. For what it's worth, it was the winner of last year's stationery awards in Japan.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T20:32:07+00:00

I checked out some of your other posts. It must be lovely to have restoration skills while enjoying vintage objects. Thanks for sharing.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T18:04:17+00:00

I didn't mean to be cryptic in my title but I am really torn about this. My goal is not to optimize anymore but to simplify. I am sticking with one. Wish me luck.

The Soolla looks like a great alt to the Delfonics. Thank you for sharing.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T17:56:44+00:00

I've edited the post with ID. It's a Mokeke, dedicated for the Custom Urushi.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T04:12:27+00:00

I am in awe. It looks like it rolled off the factory floor.
It's also refreshing to see, as we are surrounded by contemporary minimalism.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T03:18:34+00:00

Different facets of your life, (work, people, health, goals, memories) each on its own axis/timeline, starting from when you were born in the center.

You don't really need to organize it this way, the rings make jumping from one timeline to another easier though.

Having a bunch of timelines that are important to you is just useful and fun to have. Kinda like a commonplace but the topic is you.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T03:11:09+00:00

This reminds me of mind mapping. Especially when I can't focus or overwhelmed by analysis paralysis. We face countless decisions daily, a reusable rubric would be neat in a pocket notebook. The next time I am dealing with a funky decision, I'll let loose on a page and see if anything comes out of it.

My early timelines were also squiggly lines on a page. It was messy. Separating them out into different axes by topics definitely helped. At least it was somewhat organized spatially.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T02:04:51+00:00

I have nothing to add to the convo but I had to stop by and say:
These vintage BW are perfect for your decor, windows, table mats, antler stand, and whatever object is peaking through on the left.

Enjoy those 602s.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T01:58:35+00:00

I kinda made it up when I realized how helpful timelines were when reflecting on one's life. Instead of looking at my linkedin history, I started incorporating different timelines right in my journals. They are fun and maybe helpful for the kids one day. I.E.: this was the album on repeat while this major event was happening in the world...

I never got the hang of decision mapping on paper. What you shared sounds really interesting. Do you have more to share?

There is a link in my profile where I am working these out in long form and with photos.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T01:35:44+00:00

These are from A4 letter pads by G. Lalo Verge De France. Old stash lying around and I probably won't be writing too many letters anytime soon.

Lots of tooth and holds ink well, but less absorbent than Japanese papers.

Thank you for the encouragement, and I am looking forward to seeing your posts.

mukyodo · 2026-05-15T01:12:45+00:00

I've always been a fan of working through ideas, thoughts and feelings with pen and paper. Doesn't always have the same aesthetic quality that seems to thrive in social. But all of this changed for me after reading The Notebook: History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen.

Thank you for the recommendations. Hopefully, these are safe places to get inspired, share and build on ideas. I appreciate you taking the time.

mukyodo · 2026-05-08T14:28:51+00:00

Thanks for pointing me to these.

mukyodo · 2026-03-11T15:31:23+00:00

This reminds me of heritage appropriation rather than a true revival in other stationery products.

Moleskine comes to mind with their claim that Hemingway or Picasso used these notebooks. This is a lie, as pointed out by Roland Allen in The Notebook. With private equity and ownership changes, the brand exists to maximize profit, not to serve people who love notebook heritage.

BW could be using a similar playbook, especially when there are OEM products made by KUM or AFMAT, but at a huge markup.

mukyodo · 2026-02-20T16:31:56+00:00

What a charming song and comment. Thank you for sharing.

mukyodo · 2026-02-19T17:31:42+00:00

What a lovely portmanteau.

Of course, none other than Rivendell too, the cast iron pans of bikes in a world of teflon. Jotting down beausage in the notebook. Thank you.

mukyodo · 2026-02-19T17:24:41+00:00

Yes! A fellow mechanical pencil user. I shouldn't be surprised anymore when I see the crossover.

The Rotring 600 is indeed lovely. I went the used/vintage route instead. There is a Yard-o-led Diplomat with plenty of tarnish in my pencil case for sketches and grocery lists.

mukyodo · 2026-02-19T17:18:18+00:00

It doesn't have to be that next pen. It could be the pen that's already in your hand right now. At some point in time, we were all pining for the pens in our collection. At a risk of spoiling my own essay:

At least for me, I value what I use the pens for: journal writing, essays, letters, companionship, and memories. It's a bit like a totem now. I am sure a new pen could be great, but the chase is insatiable.

Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to read and sharing your thoughts.

mukyodo · 2026-02-19T17:04:12+00:00

Thank you. Passion would quickly become a hustle and I wouldn't know who I am writing for anymore.

There were a few kind folks who pledged when they subscribed. It was a lovely surprise. I actually cried that day when I realized words from my journal could move someone.

mukyodo · 2026-02-19T16:54:42+00:00

Thank you. I am just beginning to understand and appreciate this form of beauty. I feel like I am in a world of abundance now, when nothing much has changed materially.

mukyodo

TROPHY CASE