Pen Cases

Lochby Quattro Pen Case Review: A Waxed Canvas Four-Pen Case Built for Everyday Carry

A flexible waxed canvas four-pen case that slips into a pocket, protects from scratches, and travels well, with a few trade-offs to weigh before buying.

Published: 9/30/2026 Updated: 9/30/2026

Olive waxed canvas pen case partially unzipped on a concrete surface with a fountain pen inside

Introduction

The Lochby Quattro is a soft, zippered pen case made from waxed canvas that holds four fountain pens in a staggered layout so the barrels do not rub against each other. It is designed for people who actually carry pens, not just store them, and after daily use and a week of travel it has proven to be a practical, well-balanced everyday companion.

This review covers who it suits, how it protects your pens, where it falls short, and whether the price makes sense.

Who This Case Is For

This is a case for anyone who brings pens on the move and wants them protected without bulk. If you carry a single pen to the office, you probably already use a one-pen sleeve, because sliding a bare pen into a bag pocket is a good way to end up with scratches. The Quattro steps in when you need more than one pen and still want something that stays out of the way.

It earned its place on a recent week-long trip where four significant pens came along, including two large Pelikan fountain pens and a prized Omas Bologna, and the case handled all of them without fuss.

Waxed canvas pen case lying open on a wooden desk with fountain pens beside it

Protection: What It Does and Does Not Do

There are two kinds of protection worth separating when choosing a pen case. Structural protection means the case keeps a pen safe even under real weight, and very few soft cases can do that. The Quattro is not one of them. It offers what might be called casual crunch protection: it guards against scratches and the everyday squeezing that happens when a case is wedged into a crowded bag.

If you need a case that survives being piled under heavy objects, rigid boxes are the better category. For most real-world use, though, that standard is unnecessarily strict, and the Quattro’s flexibility is exactly what makes it easy to live with.

One practical habit: tuck pen clips inward rather than leaving them facing out. Clips look nice and make pens easier to grab, but they are vulnerable to scratching against the zipper. With the clips tucked in, pens slide out just as easily by reaching in or pushing from the bottom.

Fountain pens staggered inside a zippered pen case to avoid contact

Materials and Construction

The outer shell is waxed canvas, which adds a pleasant amount of water resistance. You cannot immerse it, but a spilled drink wipes off. The interior is a type of nylon, likely ballistic nylon, which keeps the overall weight light while still holding pens firmly in place.

The staggered interior design keeps pens from rubbing against each other when the case is zipped. There is a learning curve with any zippered case: the zipper itself can scratch a pen barrel over repeated use, so a thumb-in-the-way technique becomes second nature. It is a minor quirk shared by nearly every zippered case in this class.

Person sliding a slim pen case into the back pocket of trousers

Size and Fit

The case measures a little under 7 inches by a little under 4 inches, which is genuinely pocket-sized. It slid into a back pocket and was easy to forget about, which is high praise for a four-pen case. Having four pens within reach at museums and landmarks during a trip felt effortless and unobtrusive.

Fit is worth noting. Oversized pens are tight at first. An M1000 felt snug initially but the material loosened slightly over time. Larger pens still fit, but expect a break-in period.

Buying Advice

The Lochby Quattro costs $39 plus $6 shipping. For a well-made waxed canvas case that holds four pens and lives comfortably in a pocket, that is a reasonable ask, and it stands among the best everyday carry pen cases found so far short of significantly more expensive leather options.

The honest downsides: the soft construction means it is good for scratch protection but not crush protection, and for a single-pen commute it carries more capacity than necessary. A two-pen version would suit that daily office run better. Still, if your pattern is traveling with several pens or keeping a rotation close at hand, the Quattro does the job with an appealing expedition-style aesthetic.

Travel journal open on a cafe table with a fountain pen resting on the page

Conclusion

The Lochby Quattro is a solid, flexible four-pen case that balances weight, protection, and pocketability better than most soft cases in its price range. It protects from scratches rather than crushing, rewards you for tucking clips inward, and needs a little patience with oversized pens. For fountain pen users who carry more than one pen and want an unobtrusive everyday solution, it is an easy recommendation.

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