A red typewriter for Christmas! And it was hiding the uncommon Sears Futura typeface (aka Smith-Corona Numode No. 61) for its American 88 No. 423 keyboard which also features the Change-A-Type functionality. (Sadly it’ll be a slog to try to find matching Numode typeface slugs to match, though some of my math slugs may work well.) This means that it meets my current collector’s criteria for an interesting model I don’t already have as well as an uncommon typeface.
I’ve been on the hunt for one of these for over two years and always lost out in online auctions which generally went in the range of $150-200 in part because of the hot reddish/burgundy paint job with white racing stripes and the fact that Taylor Swift used this same typewriter in her All Too Well: The Short Film.
In the last two years I’ve only seen three of these on ShopGoodwill, so they definitely don’t pop up often. There are only 5 others on the Typewriter Database. Many of the online auctions where they went for a few hundred on ShopGoodwill.com had them being relisted by flippers on eBay in the $600-800 range within two weeks with no cleaning or restoration work. I’ve seen prices for them on eBay for $1,000 and over. For comparison, similar typewriter models in the 5 and 6 series of the period would otherwise be selling in the $25-50 range in this condition. (Ultimately, I’m glad I waited.)
This one is in generally exceptional shape and works well out of the box. The shop it came from (or more likely the prior owner) was definitely on the liberal side with their lubrication. One of the two carriage release levers is broken off, which is extremely common on the 6-series models which used plastic which apparently brittled with age. I’ll give it a once over to touch up some of the dirtier parts and make some subtle adjustments. I will probably hold off on a major overhaul at the moment because it’s in such good condition. The platen is solid and plastic-y feeling. It definitely needs an upgrade on this front.
This model seems to bridge the gap between the 5 series Smith-Coronas into the 60s and the 6 series machines like the Galaxie. It’s a top-of-the-line model with the keyboard tabulator and the hood hinges up and back like the 5 series rather than sliding forward like the 6 series models. I don’t have one, but I would suspect it’s closest to the Sterling 5AX typewriter which started in 1963. It’s also got a great little paragraph indent button for use at the beginning of new paragraphs. I look forward to seeing how they implemented this feature mechanically.
Not surprisingly, I don’t always file away my index cards as quickly as I probably ought to. Every now and then I go through my deck of unfiled cards and try to sort them into my card index/zettelkasten. The end of the year seems like a pretty good time to clear the decks.
Because I haven’t documented some of this portion of my process before, I thought I’d take a few photos of my C-Line document sorter which I use to do a fast sort of cards before filing into my card index. I bought it a while back from Brodart Library supplies and it comes in quite handy for sorting and filing documents. It’s got sections for sorting by alphabet, days of a month, months of the year, days of the week, and numbers up to 30,000 (which I primarily co-opt for Dewey Decimal sorting). The days of the month and month sections come in handy for use with my Memindex work, and the months of the year are useful for sorting receipts for expenses and at tax preparation time. In all, it’s fairly flexible analog office tool.
As I go through my stack of index cards, I use a Mitsubishi No. 772 pencil (the vermillion side) to underline topics for filing and cross-referencing purposes. This allows me to cross-index topics quickly as well.
I went through several hundred cards the other day and only had about 150-200 left for filing into the commonplace book section of my card index. Most of these cards were from 2025, but some dated into 2024 with a handful from as far back as 2023.
Over the coming days, I’m hoping to finish cleaning up some of the notes from this year’s reading work.
I’ve had an oddly large number of emails over the past few months asking me for advice about what sorts of index card cases and carrying options I use on a daily basis. Rather than tip out my zettelkasten in fits and spurts on the topic, I thought I’d pour out all those ideas out here instead.
If you’re all-in on the ever-growing neo-index card lifestyle, then you should really work at adding some actual style to your fichier boîte practice. If your note taking has you going through cards like water, you’ll likely want something to carry them on the go, and often it can be useful, especially in meetings, to have something that not only looks nice, but will hold up through heavy use over the years. Maybe you want something fashionable to fit the change of seasons? Something to suit the occasion whether it’s a corporate board meeting or something to go with your red carpet black tie look? Are you taking notes at romantic wedding get-aways or at the beach? What are you using for storage?
In the vein of my article The Ultimate Guide to Zettelkasten Index Card Storage, below I’ve collected a number of various sorts of daily carry index card cases, wallets, covers, and folios one might consider using. Some, where indicated, are items I use regularly, but others are interesting options I’ve run across in my travels, and though they didn’t fit my particular needs, they might fit yours. I don’t (yet) consider it to be the ultimate guide to this space, so if you’re in the market, feel free to check back occasionally or add your thoughts, suggestions, or reviews to the comments below. Since some items aren’t designed specifically for index cards, notes about their usability and portability with respect to note taking or zettelkasten practices are appreciated.
As I did for boxes, I’m going to focus primarily on the 3 x 5 inch and 4 x 6 inch index card form factors which are more common, and for which these products are often more readily available. If you’re using larger cards, then you might consider searching for folders, cases, and related containers for equivalent sizes of paper in terms of notebook covers, filing solutions, and other binders keeping in mind that equivalent European or DIN A-sizes (A5, A4, etc.) may also suit your needs as long as they’re big enough to physically accommodate your cards. If you find something spectacular, let us all know.
Please double check sizing as I have run into instances where some items were fractions of an inch too small to fit the cards I wanted to use.
If you’re doing your own targeted searches some of the following words can be useful: cases, wallets, covers, pocket briefcases, folios, pouches, bags, pen and/or pencil cases, and fountain pen cases. While some of the pen related cases may not be as suitable, some are free-form pouches which will easily accommodate index cards in addition to other items you may want to carry with your cards. You can’t take notes without a writing instrument, so having space for a pen or pencil or two isn’t a bad thing. You’ll probably notice that some items come with pen loops for such eventualities. Trawling through some of the fountain pen and stationery communities can also give you some creative ideas for portable index card storage.
While not the most spectacular option, this double zippered, expandable pen case fits a huge number of pens and small office supplies as well as loads of either 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 inch index cards.
It bears noticing that one could also go the DIY route and make their own portable index card holders. This would allow one to have the exact form factor and specifications for their personal note taking styles. If this is you, hopefully some of the options below will give you some ideas about what form factors are available for designing your own. You’ll find that there are options in a variety of materials including leather, cotton, canvas, waxed canvas, sailcloth, metal, and even Harris Tweed.
What will you choose?
Size independent options
Before we delve into some of the card size-specific choices, let’s look at a few that are size independent.
Binder Clips. Everyone is likely aware of it, but we will mention that in true old-school hipster PDA-style (aka Parietal Disgorgement Aid), one could certainly use a binder clip, which makes a certain statement, though not the one that many might wish. In a similar vein, I’ve heard people say they rely on rubber bands, or especially in hot climates where rubber bands break down quickly, plastic sandwich bags (Ziploc to keep out the moisture), or even envelopes. Envelopes may present an intriguing practice for those into slip-based project management or forms of kakeibo (家計 簿).
The classic Hipster PDA dressed up with a brass binder clip.
Binder rings. If you want to go flashcard style, then you’ll want to search for a good hole punch (I recommend the Mutual Centamatic Punch No. 250) and some binder rings which come in a huge variety of sizes, materials, and even colors.
Chicago Binding Screws. If you appreciate the flashcard style, but not the esthetic and would rather look a bit more corporate than playground, then perhaps Chicago binding screws (available in various sizes and finishes) will give your deck of index cards a more buttoned up look? For those who are fans of index card filing rod solutions, these can also be used to bundle up cards on the go using your pre-punched cards. Higher end metal finishes (brass, copper, oiled bronze?) can really up the game on this option.
Gangnam Style. Just kidding—I’m just checking to see if you’re still awake. But seriously, the stiff upper body movements in the video were the result of decks of index cards in the suit jackets. I swear!
Uninspired Plastic. If you really must… Only for the indiscriminate completists, I’ll mention the ubiquitous cheap plastic cases, some with snaps or elastics for closure which hold 50 to a few hundred cards. If you carefully follow some of the zettelkasten box market, you can get a solid antique or vintage wooden box for almost as much as you’d pay for a dozen of these cheap toys. I don’t want to shame anyone, particularly those who are still test driving the analog index card life, but perhaps this is what you’ve got now and you’re here searching for a modest upgrade? Good! Keep exploring to find your new index card lifestyle.
Everyone has a few of these plastic holders lying around. Do they spark joy? Probably not.
3 x 5 inch index card versions
Not only are there a variety of custom solutions specifically designed for 3 x 5 inch index cards, but one can also profitably search for and use items designed for passports (3.5 x 5 inches) or pocket notebooks which are slightly larger, but still serviceable. A variety of high quality solutions are designed specifically for a variety of common brand name pocket notebook products including Field Notes (3.5 x 5.5 inches), Moleskine (3.5 x 5.5 inches), Leuchtturm (A6), Hobonichi, Midori, Jibun, etc., so searching for these within the space can provide some additional options for the discerning buyer.
In some cases, products meant for A7 size paper (74 mm x 105 mm or 2.91 x 4.13 inch) may also work, but check the sizing as A7 is physically smaller than 3 x 5 inches. Similarly A6 size paper (105 x 148mm or 4.13 x 5.83 inches) products should work as they are slightly larger than both 3 x 5 inch and 4 x 6 inch index cards, though depending on your card size they may be a bit roomy.
Products
Simple leather wallets. I have an inexpensive, but nice leather notebook cover/wallet that I usually have a few 3x5s in. Searching for covers for pocket notebooks or A6 notebooks one will find lots of these which are more ubiquitous than those that will hold the larger 4×6 inch cards. Hundreds of variations of this sort can be found on Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and other online and leather retailers. After you’ve seen a few you can pick and choose ones with the number of pockets or slots you’d like, whether or not you want a pen loop, the ability to use it as a wallet for your cash and credit cards along with your notes, etc. Prices can generally range from US$15 to well over $100 with a variety of colors, types of leather, and even personalization options.
Passport wallets. Similar to the above, there are a huge number of commercially available passport wallets in a variety of shapes, configurations, and materials. Most should fit index cards within the pocket designed for the passport. Search and see what you come up with. One correspondent said they loved their Aspinal of London passport cover.
Levenger carries some nicer index card-specific “pocket briefcases”. Their offerings are only for 3 x 5 inch form factors, but they do have a variety of those size cards and small notebooks as well as the ability to custom print stationery at that size if you’re looking for something personalized.
Kaitiaki has a unique form factor. It not only holds cards, but can be stood up as a display as well as be used as a small writing desk while you’re on the go.
Rite in the Rain has a variety of notebooks and index card products whose primary premise is that they are waterproof. Naturally they also carry a variety of protective cases and pouches, most made of cordura, with a variety of configurations to suit a variety of needs. Browsing around here will find a variety of interesting and rugged options. Also of note, they have an index card wallet designed specifically for 3 x 5 inch index cards. Some may also appreciate their field desks for writing on the go. Slightly more difficult to find amid their cordura offerings are their Guide and Sherpa leather wallets which should comfortably fit 3 x 5 inch cards.
Lochby is primarily in the notebook and planner space with a variety of offerings featuring a durable waxed canvas esthetic. Their Pocket Journal case, meant for pocket notebooks, will easily hold a hundred index cards with additional internal pockets for business cards or credit cards and external pockets for miscellanea as well as a pen. It is small enough one could use it as a wallet and it will fit in most back pockets, though depending on its contents, it may not be comfortable to sit on for extended periods. Their larger Venture Pouch has two zippered sides, one for pens and the other with two separate spaces for index cards or other portable office supplies. If you don’t mind a bit more bulk in your portable office, Lockby’s Tool Roll should easily fit 150 index cards along with a variety of pens and side pocket for miscellaneous needs. If you’re price sensitive, sign up to their newsletter as they have regular sales and discounts throughout the year.
IF provides some off-the-beaten-path options for the avid reader and note taker. Of particular note in their line up, is the Bookaroo Notebook Tidy, which is available in a number of colors. It provides eight elastic bands on the front for a variety of storage options, one of which could easily be your 3 x 5 inch index cards (it sadly won’t fit 4 x 6 inch though one could use a binderclip to attach them to the back of the tidy in a pinch). Turned over, the back is a firm surface that could be used as a small writing desk. Also included is an adjustable elastic band which can be used to attach the tidy to an A5 notebook or to a wide variety of standard hardcover novels and non-fiction (9.5 inch tall) books. Just attach your tidy with some note cards and you’re ready to read and take notes at your favorite home away from home.
Rickshaw, an offshoot company from Timbuk2 bags, offers a wide array of bags, wallets, pouches, and miscellanea in a huge variety of materials and form factors. While some of their larger items will certainly fit 3 x 5 inch cards, some of their smaller offerings include: The Diplomat, a wide variety of pocket notebook folios, and lots of pouches and wallets.
Traveler’s Notebook manufactures passport size notebook covers meant for their range of notebooks which are held in by way of elastic bands. This makes them potentially less useful the index card afficionados as unbound or unclipped cards may not stay in them as easily. However, if you’re making or using small index card pads of the sort I’ve discussed in the past, then you can easily slip them in and go. TN also makes a variety of other useful inserts which may make this a intriguing choice.
4 x 6 inch index card versions
In this category, there aren’t as many custom made solutions, so searching specifically for them has generally been fruitless. The better bet for this size factor is to search for the slightly larger A6 sized notebook covers, holders, cases, and pouches and be comfortable with them being slightly larger. In most of my experience this is fine and there’s isn’t so much extra space that the difference is worrisome or noticeable. Some particular brands that might work include Hobonichi, The Superior Labor, Leuchtturm, etc.
Products
King Jim makes the cotton Flatty Works #5460, an A6 horizontal pouch with small internal and external thin pockets and a clear front plastic window. At H4.8×W6.8×D1.4 inches it easily fits not only 4 x 6 inch index cards but has enough clearance for tabbed dividers as well. I have one I use as a daily carry and love it. I’ve written more details and a review elsewhere on the site.
Lochby. Mentioned above, their only product which will fit 4 x 6 inch cards is their “Adventure Pouch”. It will also provide you with space for a variety of pens, pencils, a pair of glasses and other small niceties. 4 x 6 inch cards won’t fit into the pockets of their tool roll (pictured above), but if it’s compelling enough, you could roll them into the apparatus and they shouldn’t fall out when clasped shut.
Rite in the Rain. Also mentioned in the 3 x 5 inch section, Rite in the Rain offers a handful of covers and pouches which are slightly bigger than 4 x 6 inch and will easily accommodate these index cards. Weatherproof, most are made out of cordura and have a rugged appearance and feel.
ateliers PENELOPE makes a variety of canvas bags and storage solutions, but their large Diary Pouch may be a classy solution for some of your larger index card on-the-go storage. Given its size, it’s got space for both index cards as well as some of your other portable storage needs. It’s small enough that it should fit easily into a briefcase or other larger bags or purses. If you have some index card “notebooks”, you might also consider their A6 canvas covers which are lovely and colorful.
Rickshaw. With a pedigree stemming out of Timbuk2, this San Francisco purveyor of bags for a variety of purposes offers two that look like solid options for the portable 4 x 6 inch index card fan (and which are certainly big enough for 3 x 5 inch users). The first is their Travelers Notebook Case and the second is the Coozy Case. Some may find that their larger A5 cases or their pouches may also suit their needs. The benefit of these options is that they come in a huge array of colors with customizable options. Browse around their site to see if something here strikes your fancy. Houndstooth anyone? Harris Tweed!?! Add-a-Patch? Yes, please. May I have some more?
Galen Leather. Galen, generally beloved within the fountain pen and stationery communities, offers a wide variety of leather notebook covers, folios, bags, and zippered cases which are compatible with a variety of index card sizes. One unique option here is their Writing Box, inspired by a writing desk owned by Thomas Jefferson.
Mind Papers. This German company has a somewhat elevated version of the hipster PDA and combines a leather “folder” and a customized binder clip-cum pen-holder to hold a number of index cards in a variety of sizes. In addition to the wallet-style holders, they also offer a variety of booklets and pre-printed cards for planning and other purposes. They’ve got a short preview of their product on on YouTube.
Custom solutions
I’ve been trying to get Aaron Aiken to make a custom leather billfold/cover, but it’ll be a few months before he gets around to it. If this is of interest to you, do ping him with your interest. (See conversation thread for details.)
Thoughts?
Have I missed anything interesting?
What is your favorite index card holder when you’re out on the go? What’s holding your fleeting notes?
Generally, Exacompta cards are the closest in price per square foot to the nicer notebooks while most 4 x 6 inch index cards are comparatively much cheaper (even if you’re only writing on one side).
Wishing all my friends and fellow note takers a happy holidays!
In part because of the Eaton Fire, I've been way behind on filing my index cards. Today I blew through a massive stack of about 300 index cards!
Stocking stuffers anyone? Santa brought 6,000 index cards down the proverbial chimney today. Should have enough now to index all the books in the house?
With no advance notice or apparent fanfare, Brodart, one of the major library supplies and furnishing companies in the United States, has quit manufacturing, distributing, and selling library card catalogs and library charging trays. This seems sad news for analog library enthusiasts coming just two days after Melvil Dewey’s 174th birthday on December 10th.
I’ve got word in for specific details about end dates for manufacturing and the last sales on some of these products. Apparently the last purchase of charging trays was someone wiping out their stock of 50 remaining units in the last two weeks.
No, you’re not dreaming, that is a blue Menorahcorn decoration on the lawn across the way. 🕎🦄🤩
Brodart has recently discontinued their salmon card index cards with pre-drilled holes #23-188-218. This has been a shift since the summer of 2025, though they’re still carrying the standard salmon index cards (without predrilled holds for card catalog rods).
A conversation with their customer service team seems to indicate there aren’t plans for discontinuing their other cards (blue, green, ivory, white, and buff), but: caveat emptor as they no longer list their card catalog furniture or their charging trays on their website, their Dewey Decimal tabbed cards are now gone, and Demco recently quit carrying their buff/red-lined Library of Congress cards this past year.
Incidentally, they’re doing a 20% discount on their index cards (and related circulation supplies) for the holidays right now, so stock up if you need them.
In honor of Melvil Dewey’s 174th birthday yesterday, I’ve just purchased 6,000 cards in an attempt to get them to continue stocking them all and to have a happier 2026.
Keep your A6 notebooks, pens, and essentials organized on the go with the Field Folio A6. Durable, vegan waxed canvas, slim design, and flexible pockets—perfect for travel, journaling, or everyday carry.
I recently asked the kind folks at Lochby “if the Folio A6 will comfortably fit 25-50 standard 4 x 6″ index cards which are slightly larger than an A6 notebook? If not, is it something you might consider for some of us ‘Hipster PDA’ tribe members in the future?”
Erring on the side of caution their customer service replied, “Unfortunately, since the Field Folio A6 zips up, there’s no way to fit this many index cards in it without the potential for damaging them when zipping it up. But I’ll take note of your suggestion and pass it on to our product development team so we can consider it as well as gauge interest.”
Because I often use A6 sized notebooks, I couldn’t resist adding to my Lochby collection, so I went ahead and ordered it anyway.
It arrived in the post yesterday. Today I’m happy to report that it actually will accommodate 4 x 6″ index cards reasonably well. I can comfortably fit about 30 cards into the right side pocket and still have room to tuck a Hobonichi A6 notebook into the folio and still zip it shut handily.
Because I usually have a few pre-glued decks of index card “notebooks” sitting around, I tried one of these and can happily report that the back cover/board fits into the right pocket easily (just as you’d tuck the back cover of a notebook into it) and works well with the Lochby A6 folio! (The center elastic bands are slightly smaller and fairly tight, and could work with these glued decks too, but will tend to cut the glue at the ends, so one should take care here or carefully only glue the center 5 inches of the deck for this use case.) I suspect that if one had a plastic wallet-photo type holder, it might work well in this, particularly if you’re carrying around some of your daily use cards in addition to blank cards for future use.
