I love pens. I love how there are different inks and different designs and the regional differences of pen design. Pens are just really interesting to look at and think about. I know it sounds slightly nuts and probably a bit boring, but I’m serious. I love going to the office supply store and looking at all the different pens and if there is anything new (there usually isn’t, things get added and such about twice a year). This past year, I have gradually fed my pen addiction. These are my current favorite pens.
Uniball Jetstream
This is my current go to ballpoint. It is retractable with a click mechanism. I love the Jetstream’s ink. It’s so smooth and clear, but looks like rollerball ink. I’m not a big fan of ballpoints, to me they don’t write as darkly or as clearly as I’d like them to. But the Jetstream doesn’t write like a traditional ballpoint. I have the 0.38mm version and it is so nice to have that nice fine line. I have what I think is the classic Jetstream, which comes in three ink colors, black, red, and blue. I love my jetstreams so much. They are the pen that I’ll loan to someone if they need to borrow a pen. I’ve been complimented on this pen twice. I’ve never been complimented on a pen before. I had to order my Jetstreams online because they are not sold in stores currently (I’m not even sure if they ever were).
Retro 51 Tornado
Retro 1951 is a pen company that creates nice pens that are grown up, but fun. The Tornado is one of their collections and the largest. I have the Albert from the Vintage Metalsmith line of the Tornados. It has Einstein’s equation, E=Mc2, printed on it. I love to use it when I need a boost in feeling science-y. I don’t use it as much as I did when I first got it, but it is in my rotation of pens I use from time to time. I did have some ink problems when I got it. The refill that was in it was skipping from time to time and was getting annoying. I ended up getting a different refill and the problem was sort of solved. It still skipped, but not as often. Recently, I pulled the ink from one of my other pens, clipped the tail a little and put it into my Tornado. I know this ink refill doesn’t skip, or if it does I have yet to experience it. Anyway, the craftsmanship of this pen is so beautiful. It is rounder than the typical BIC ballpoint and definitely the heaviest pen I own. It is retractable with a twist mechanism instead of a click.
Zebra Fountain Pens
Recently, I was walking around an office store and saw that Zebra had a pack of fountain pens. I’ve had a fountain pen before and they are fun to use, so I got a pack. They are pretty easy to write with, sometimes it’s tricky to get the ink going. They have a medium tip, so the ink writes a bit thicker than I like for everyday use. I use them for my bullet journal layouts. If I’m careful they don’t bleed through the page, but it does take a moment to dry. I’m left handed, so I learned quickly to not drag my hand across the page because the ink will smear if not given a moment to dry. They have a cap and the cap is postable (able to be put on top of the pen while in use). Overall, they’re a fun pen to get used to fountain pens on.
Uniball Vision Elite
These are my colored rollerball pens. They write a bit thick for my liking (pretty much all pens that are sold in the US are), but they write well. They have a cap that is postable. The colors are kind of dark. They’re pretty, but some have a strange tint to them, or at least I think they do. I use them for taking notes from a book sometimes. I used to take them to class with me, but now I keep them next to my textbooks, ready for note taking. The ink flow is great and smooth. I haven’t had any problems with skipping. They also have that sleek Uniball design that I love.
Uniball Signo 307
I don’t even know how I came to get my Signos. They came before I got my Jetstreams. The ink in them is so beautiful. It’s dark and smooth and dries quickly. It is a gel pen and retractable with a click mechanism. The design is pretty sleek. It has a rubber grip that is flush with the body of the pen. It writes really well and doesn’t skip. If you aren’t careful however, it can and will bleed through the paper. A lighter touch is all it needs. You can control how much ink comes out with the amount of pressure you apply to the paper. A heavier hand will get you a little bit thicker line compared to a lighter touch.
Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto
The Hi-Tec C has so much love for it. Well, the ink refills do. Many a person has tried to create a body worthy of the Hi-Tech C ink. Anyway, I finally decided to give the Hi-Tec C a whirl. Of the Hi-Tec C line, I decided to get a Coleto, the multipen version. The Coleto is a customizable multipen. It comes in 3,4, and 5 refill capacities and has 15 colors. There are more colors throughout the whole Hi-Tec C line, but for the Coleto there is only 15 colors, which is still a lot. I got a set of all 15 color refills in the 0.3mm size. What makes the Hi-Tec C different from my other pens is that it has a needle point style tip instead of the general cone shaped tip. It took some time to get used to and I’m still learning what angle to hold it at to reduce scratching against the paper. I love the fine point the 0.3mm gives me. I don’t think I’ll ever go smaller in tip size, because the smaller a tip is the more fragile they are. I love the ink. It writes smoothly and the colors are beautiful. I totally recommend the Hi-Tec C. If multipens are you’re thing, then I also recommend the Coleto.
That’s it! If you haven’t figured it out, I’m a fan of Uniball. I think their pen design is so sleek and nice and just on point. The Signo ink is a favorite of mine (and a fan favorite too apparently). I’m hoping to get a set of one of Uniball’s colored pen lines that contain the Signo ink, of which there are several. One day I hope that I’ll take the plunge and get a fountain pen with a converter. Until next time, Sanders out.
Apparent Togetherness 