Review: Pilot FriXion Highlighter

I try to like you Pilot FriXion, I really do.  I've tried, and tried some more, but it just doesn't seem to be working out.  Your fancy barrel caught my eye, and you were quite a treat to hold, but deep down inside I know it isn't going to work out.  I'm sorry Pilot FriXion - I think we should see other pens.

Sorry - that just came out of me, but yeah, I don't like this FriXion Highlighter either.  If you click on the photo, you can see that the eraser smudges the ink when erasing (the gel ink pen is the 0.3mm Pentel Slicci).  It does a fine job erasing just the plain highlighter, which you can see at the bottom of the photo, but what good is that?  The color is too light and tends to pool at the tip as well, so there isn't much that I like about this pen.

Thank you Readers!!!

This blog reached a couple of milestones recently that I just wanted to make a quick mention of.  After starting this blog in December of 2007, the pageview count just recently crossed over the 100,000 mark right around the first of September.  It actually happened so fast, I missed it for a few days.  Also, the Feedburner count just crossed over the 500 subscriber mark this week, which is really nice.  I just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone who visits, reads, comments, and emails The Pen Addict - you guys and gals really keep this site going!  This blog has exceeded every expectation I had when I started it.

I've got some cool things planned in the near future, including the first of what I hope to be several giveaways.  As always, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, send me an email via the link on the sidebar, or leave a comment on any blog post.  I read them all and try to respond in a timely fashion.

Thanks again!

Review: Uni-Ball Lakubo Ballpoint 0.5

The Uni-Ball Lakubo Ballpoint is kind of meh - it's not bad, but nothing really stands out.  Aside from delivering a comfortable writing experience, the list of positives isn't very long.  Pen spinners might like the length and shape of the barrel, but that's about it.  I just feel that the line leaves a little bit to be desired.  I'd like it darker, but I have to remind my self that this is a much finer ballpoint than normal.  Try it for yourself though - at $1.50 it's a fair price.  This pen was a sample sent by JetPens, and also comes in a 1.4mm width.

Review: Copic Multiliner 0.5

This blue Copic Multiliner 0.5mm was another of the samples received from my friend Marianne at I Like Markers.  I am very impressed with how firm the tip is and how tight my lines are.  This tip falls in the middle of the size range, but it writes as sharp and as clean as a smaller diameter tip.  The blue is a very deep blue, which I personally enjoy.  It is also very comfortable and lightweight, which is nice in a drawing pen.  All in all, another great Copic!

Ink Links

-- Pentel Slicci 0.4mm (ISOT 2007 Winner) now in stock (but going fast) at JetPens  (JetPens)

-- Sakura SumoGrip Mechanical Pencil Review  (Dave's Mechanical Pencils)

-- Are Rhodia Webnotebooks the Moleskine replacement?  (Spiritual Evolution of the Bean)

-- Mucu Type RN-B Notebook - looks really neat  (Pencil Talk)

-- Review: Pilot Precise V5 RT  (Cheap Pen Review)

-- Jon Burgerman interview  (Format Mag)

Quick notes:
I'm finding myself Plurking a lot these days, so feel free to friend me if you are a Plurker too!

Also, I had to turn on comment moderation for posts older than 14 days - too much spam is getting through.  Your comment will be posted, I just have to approve it, so it may take a short while for it to show up.

Welcome Metafilter Readers

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy your stay!  Here are a few links to get you started if you are new to the blog:

Review: Pentel Slicci 0.3mm

Review: Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto

Review: Sharpie Pen

You know you are a Pen Addict if.....

Please feel free to comment away, or send me an email with any questions.  Have fun!

JetPens Flickr Winner for August

Pen Addict reader and commenter Kataish won the very first JetPens Flickr group contest with a this drawing of Jet-Do taking flight on a fountain pen.  Check it out:

Congrats Kata!

You can check out the winning entry on Flickr right here, and don't forget to add your photos to the pool!

Review: Pilot Symmetry Ballpoint Pen - 0.7 mm

With all of the cool stuff that JetPens has been getting in stock recently, I am turning more and more into a ballpoint pen fan.  I have always viewed ballpoints as messy and inconsistent, but of course that is coming from someone with very little ballpoint experience.  This Pilot Symmetry really impressed me from the moment I opened the package.  And I'll be the first to admit that it took me a few seconds to figure out which end to press to get the tip of the pen to come out!  Once I got that under control, I put it to the test and it performed great.  It lays down a nice, clean, and fine line that rivals any other ballpoint I've tested recently.  The click part of the pen is neat in that it is contained in a rubber sheath that turns concave when you click it in (see additional picture below).  I even slid the window on the pen over to D (for dowdyism of course!) because I am cool like that.

If it seems like I have been praising all of the ballpoint pens I have reviewed recently, it is because I have.  I am going to have to work on a ballpoint pen specific ranking soon, because I personally see them as a different category from gel ink and liquid ink pens.

When I do come up with those rankings, look for the Pilot Symmetry near the top.

Here are the JetPens notes for the Pilot Symmetry:

This pen symbolizes Asia’s appreciation of balanced harmony and the complementary yet opposing forces of the Yin and Yang (two balanced yet opposing aspects of any one phenomenon). The pen is symmetrical and was designed not only as a beautiful object but also one of improved stability. The body's center of gravity makes it very ergonomic to write with. In addition, a special silicon rubber was adopted for both the grip and cap area to improve the durability of this pen. Pen features a rolling ring in the middle that can scroll through all 26 letters of the alphabet so that you can personalize the pen with your initial. Six body colors are available including aqua blue, cherry pink, happy pink, mint green, snow white and vitamin orange. Don't forget to be environmentally friendly and buy refills! Each pen writes in black ink, but black, green, blue, pink, and red ink refills are also available.

Blue Sharpie Pen Blues

My original Sharpie Pen review is easily the most viewed page on this blog, and because of that, it is still drawing frequent comments that most of you are unaware of.  One item has recently appeared in the comments section of that page that I had to bring up, because it is just too good to let wither away.

Pen Addict reader and commentor Stunod7 has seen some of the same issues that many of us have with the shade of blue in the Sharpie Pen being too light.  I never persued it any further, but luckily for the rest of us addicts, Stunod7 did.  I'm going to repost some of the comments here so you can see the chain of events:

August 25, 2008 9:37 PM
Stunod7 said...
    Here is what is crazy. I've bought several packs of these pens and have the same complaint about the blue color. I've bought 10 pens total and 2 of them are a deep, dark, very rich blue. The rest are this namby-pamby light blue color that I hate. I trying to get some kind of resolution from Sharpie. I've sent them a message and I'll give them a call if they don't respond because I love the way the pen writes but I'm a blue person and this light blue won't cut it.

August 26, 2008 3:51 PM
Stunod7 said...
    So far the only thing I've gotten back was an address that I can ship the pens back to and they will replace them. I asked them to clarify the color for me because I wasn't interested in getting back pens of the same color ink.

    The investigation continues....

August 27, 2008 4:55 PM
Stunod7 said...
    According to a Sanford Consumer Affairs Associate that I spoke with these pens should be producing a deeper blue. They are replacing the... 8 or so pens I've purchased and sending me an additional 2 as well.

    They actually requested that I scan and eMail them the samples of my specific issues, which I did. Also posted them on Flickr (see below)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/stunod7/sets/72157606984074337
    Am I taking this too far... Am I that much of a pen addict...

Stunod7 went on to exchange emails with the Sanford Consumer Affairs Associate, which he has forwarded to me, noting their willingness to make things right for their customer.  Channeling my inner Consumerist, nice job by the Sanford team for going above and beyond, and thanks to Stunod7 for sharing his tale.

And yes Stunod7, you are that much of a pen addict!

Review: Uni-Ball Jetstream Alpha Gel Grip Ballpoint 0.7mm

The Uni-Ball Jetstream Alpha Gel Grip Ballpoint is one bad-ass looking pen.  I can see Jason Bourne ripping this out of his backpack to jot down a quite note while wire-tapping the local CIA contact.  It is that cool looking.  Brushed metal body, super soft gel-grip, Jetstream ink technology - what's not to love about this pen?

I forgot to mention that I received this pen as a sample from JetPens, where you can order it with a black, pink, or silver body.