This is a review that has been delayed for almost a year now, something I’m still kicking myself for. So without further ado, I present to you, my Nock Co. gear reviews.
This post is going to be rather long, so I’ll be splitting it up into three parts. One for the Hightower, another for the Brasstown and a final one for my newest addition, the Fodderstack.
The Hightower
In the beginning, Nock Co. was a project on Kickstarter. The brainchild of the pen addict himself, Mr. Brad Dowdy and Mr. Jeffrey Bruckwiki. They debuted the project under the banner of Nock Co. in September 2013. Their funding goal was set at $5,000. The community responded overwhelmingly, successfully funding the project within an hour. The project went on to receive nearly $79,000 by the end of the funding period. The initial design of the Hightower was what drew me instantly. At the time, I was a little hesitant to splurge on a pen case, as I had just started my journey down the rabbit hole that is the stationary world. I was skeptical about the actual sturdiness and quality (sorry Brad and Jeff! >.<) and it was overall a leap of faith. Well my faith paid off and I ended up loving my Hightower. It took it’s well deserved place as the pen case I use for school.
Specs:
- Exterior Material: 1000D Nylon with DWR coating
- Interior Material: Nylon Pack Cloth
- Dimensions: 8″ x 6.75″
* Taken from the Nock Co. website
Since Day 1, the Hightower has become my go-to case for literally all my activities. Whether I was studying at the local cafe, practicing my calligraphy at home, taking notes in school and recording random ideas for the future. This case has me covered for all of those activities. I’ve fit 3 pocket notebooks in the slot and I’ve fit a max of 6 pens (two per slot) albeit they were gel pens and rollerballs not fountain pens. My usual school loadout is 2 fountain pens, a gel pen and a mechanical pencil. Since I use fountain pen friendly notebooks for all my schoolwork and assignments, the gel pen and pencil are there for taking scantron tests and filling out worksheets on standard copy paper. I managed to somehow leak a huge blob of black ink on the inside recently and am currently stumped how to get it out. I don’t remember if the case was washer friendly, so I’ll get back to you guys on that. If you know you’ll need more than three fountain pens, then the case I’ll be reviewing next might be worth consideration.
The Brasstown
Now this was nothing but a splurge on my part. I decided that my burgeoning collection of rather expensive fountain pens needed a nice home when they weren’t in use. Enter the Brasstown. With enough space to hold up to 6 fountain pens and even more space inside for 3-4 more! This behemoth of a pen case was one of the most unique designs I had ever seen. The design was debuted in the Kickstarter campaign, but just didn’t appeal to me at the time (I was happy with just 3 pens).
Specs:
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Exterior Material: 1000D Nylon with DWR coating
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Interior Material: Nylon Pack Cloth
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Dimensions: 8.5″ x 2″ x 2″
* Taken from Nock Co. website
The Brasstown didn’t necessarily stay just in my drawer and it soon started making trips with me to school. At the time, I was taking an English class that required the use of 5 different colored pens. I had a field day with inking up all the exotic colors of ink with my 5 pens. The fact that nearly all of them were seeing daily use made me happy. In addition to just pens, the inside of the case had enough space to carry a ruler, eraser, whiteout and just about anything else I needed. Nowadays, it usually sits in my drawer and is exclusively used for storage.
The Fodderstack
A gift from my parents for doing well in my Fall quarter, the Fodderstack is the the latest addition to my Nock Co. case collection. This case however, has a single function: storing 3″ x 5″ note cards, and a single pen. The case was designed to be used with Nock Co.’s Dot-Dash note cards, but can be used with any standard brands out in the market. As long as the size is 3″x 5″, it’ll fit snugly. This however presented a quandary for me. What pen shall I use along with my note cards? From my testing over the weekend, I found that I could fit only one fountain pen, but up to 2 gel pens, pencils or a combination of both. I received the Nock Co. Dot-Dash note cards to use along with it, but that review will have to wait until after the New Year.
Specs:
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Exterior Material: 1000D Nylon with DWR coating
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Interior Material: Nylon Pack Cloth
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Dimensions: 5.125″ x 3.25″
* Taken from Nock Co. website
I haven’t had a lot of time with it, but I can tell that the Fodderstack and the note cards are going to be used a lot in the upcoming quarter (I’m taking a public speaking class). The only problem I’ve had so far was with how unbending and tough the shell is. I’ve faced this issue with all my Nock cases for about a week maybe two max. They require some breaking in to be able to smoothly slide pens in the slots. This however is pretty normal for any cloth product, so I’m not too worried about it. After I’ve spent enough time with it, I’ll update this section with my thoughts.
Final Thoughts
All I can really say is: wow. The design and idea behind these cases are so simple, yet they are clearly designed with function and convenience in mind. Since my first one, I have been hooked on Nock Co. cases, causing me to salivate with anticipation for their upcoming products. Since it’s inception, Nock Co. has grown considerably, debuting new designs, vivacious new colorways and increasing the choices available for new and returning customers alike. The innovation and well marketed brand has allowed for a lot of exclusive products and collaborations with well known individuals and pen companies. In my personal opinion, I attribute most of the success to the fact that one of the founders is heavily involved in the pen and stationary community. When someone who runs a company is very involved with the market their company’s products cater to, it’s that much easier to understand the needs and desires of the community. With the addition of a talented seamster and designer, it’s a very solid business idea.
As the year comes to an end, I would like to wish all those at Nock Co. a very happy New Year. I look forward in anticipation to the ideas you’ll bring to the table next year and may you enjoy many years of success.
The Passionate Penman 