Accessory review ~ Ahnitol Crab pen holder
This is by far the cutest fountain pen related purchase I have! I saw this beauty by Ahnitol on Inky Rock’s video on the 2020 Tokyo International Pen Show (at around 6:09). I fell in love with it the moment I saw it and decided I had to get one. Inky Rocks gave some interesting information about the brand in her video so I’d highly recommend watching it (there’s some other nice stuff in the video too so watch the whole thing!)
As mentioned in the video, I saw all sorts of knock-offs/copies on Amazon and elsewhere, so I stayed away from those. I’m sorry but I wanted the real-deal-original-maker, so I pursued it.
My Japanese is zero for reading and writing. And verbally I only recognise a few phrases I picked up from watching Naruto all the way through medical school. So, still Zero… So, getting one of these cuties was a bit of a challenge. Nothing that a little bit of website translation and faith couldn’t solve.
I found them (which I later realised is more like a “him, singular”) on Twitter initially, to definitely make sure I found the right site. The link above is correct.
Next, the site doesn’t look like an online store one would be used to when buying from Goulet or wherever. So despite it looking a bit daunting I gave it a go. I wanted to email the guy to make sure it was a real person, and it was.
I emailed, as advised on the site with the “code” and type of pen holder crab I wanted. I chose “red A” and “blue” of the 800yen version. Shipping wise, I took a chance on the low cost 200yen version. My order was like 20AUD in total and I thought to myself, “to hell with it, if that’s $20 gone in the toilet and I get nothing then so be it, it’s not the end of the world.”
It was a bit confusing to actually pay. In the end a “PayPal invoice” seemed to work best. I still don’t really understand how or what that is? Anyway, I forgot about it for a couple of weeks and hey presto! One fine day, I had a package on my doorstep with Japanese writing all over it!
Isn’t it the cutest desk accessory you’ve ever seen!
It is to me and my patients. I find that the kids love it, the mums love it because the kids love it and my “alternative” patients love it because it’s a bit quirky and shows off a little of my personality in my office and let’s me show of my pens too. Most of my patients now know to look out for what pen I’m using on any given day, and this beauty puts them front and centre on my desk. Some patients actually refer to me as “the doctor with the crab pen holder” when calling to book an appointment or something.
I have it blu-tacked to the base of my monitor and have my speakers behind it, so everything is symmetrical and orderly, with no doctor shit cluttering up my desk. It looks professional.
Pros
- It’s super cute
- It works exceptionally well
- It holds almost all pens
Cons
It is very delicate!
I think the minute I tried to blu-tac it down, I heard a tiny weany snap noise and I think I broke one of the hind legs. I’ve been utterly terrified to investigate any further, in case I do more damage (this is also why I bought 2.) I am very gentle with the claws and pulling my pens on and off this thing is a delicate process. I’m mostly on auto-pilot now on how gently I use it, so it doesn’t bother me anymore, but it really did at the start, so it takes some getting used to. I’m thinking I might try dipping it into some clear epoxy resin to give it some more sheen and an unbreakable coating? I’ll have to try it and post an update one year…
I do not throw pens at it, I do not let any of my desk/medical equipment touch it, I do not let pens even slightly bounce on the crab claws for fear of it breaking. So, if you’re a klutz, this is not for you.
It’s not heavy, it will not stay in one place without it being stuck down. This isn’t the heavy duty, serious Penwell penholder, this sweetie needs to be stuck down. I’ve used blu-tac.
Lastly, most of the models are now sold out. You have to keep your eye out on the site to see what’s available and snap it up quick-smart.
Why is this in my pen collection and is this fit for a GP?
It’s obvious why it’s in my pen collection. It’s flipping cute and functional at the same time. It adds a little personality to my otherwise boring doctor’s office and let’s my patients know that I am indeed a human being with very poor taste.
My room has mostly blank white walls, a few things (like my otoscope and fundoscope) stuck to the walls and medical posters. So the addition of this item adds some much needed character. A pen holder of any kind will tidy up your desk, I clearly like my desk tidy at all times, with everything in it’s place, but something novel like this just gives a little personality too.
Yes, this is fit for a desk based GP. No diggidy, no doubt.
Thanks so much for reading and remember no matter who you are, “first, do no harm.”
