Review: Zebra F-701, Ballpoint, 0.7mm

by Andrew

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The Zebra F-701 is a stainless steel ballpoint, similar to the Zebra F-402 and based on Zebra’s popular F-301. And if you find Zebra’s numbering system as confusing as I do, here’s an easier way to think about it: the F-301 is the base-model (~$2 per pen) , the F-402 is the mid-grade (~$3 per pen), and the F-701 is Zebra’s premium pen (~$6 per pen). And while I believe the upgrade from F-301 to F-402 is definitely worth the money, the premium upgrade to the F-701 is less clear-cut.

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The F-301 (top) has a hard-plastic grip, the F-402 (middle) has a rubberized grip, and the F-701 (bottom) has a stainless steel grip.

While the F-701 is a much more substantial pen than the F-301, it’s about equal to the F-402 in terms of size and weight (though all three pens share the same mediocre ballpoint refill). What distinguishes the F-701 is its knurled, stainless steel grip, which looks nice, feels extremely durable, and is surprisingly comfortable. The F-402, on the other hand, has a soft, padded grip, which is a little more comfortable but will wear down over time.

There are two other, less substantial differences as well. First, the F-402 definitely has a thicker, sturdier clip. And, second, the F-701 has a plastic retracting mechanism that makes a quieter “click” noise. Both these differences, unfortunately, make the premium F-701 feel a little cheaper and less hardy.

Still, if you feel the need a tougher pen, then the F-701, with its all-stainless steel body, is still the clear winner of the group. However, at half the price, the F-402 is a better value for people who are less hard on their pens, such as those who do most of their writing at a desk. Meanwhile, you can probably skip the F-301 altogether.

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Review: BIC Cristal, Ballpoint, 1.0mm

by Andrew

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With over 100 billion pens produced since 1950, the BIC Cristal is the most popular – or, at least, most common – pen in the world. It’s the king of the office supply closet and the original economy pen, manufactured and sold worldwide. The Cristal even made it into the Museum of Modern Art for being a classic example of efficient, industrial design. It’s inexpensive and available everywhere, but, in terms of performance, the Cristal is a mixed bag.

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It’s a reliable pen that always writes when you pick it up, but the thin, plastic barrel becomes very uncomfortable to hold after writing more than a few sentences. For a ballpoint pen, the ink is nice and dark, but it’s also very sluggish. It often feels like writing with syrup. But for the price – a dozen pens for a couple bucks – it’s difficult to complain too much.

Whether you love it or hate it, the BIC Cristal is an icon that’s here to stay. It’s easy to find a better pen by pending a few extra bucks, but it’s impressive that BIC can deliver a functional product for such a low cost. The Cristal may never be my go-to pen, but it has my respect nevertheless.

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Extra Links

  • A history of the BIC Cristal, produced by BIC at the Cristal’s 60th anniversary. It’s an interesting read, especially if you want to see Salvador Dali holding a Cristal.
  • A review at Scribomechanica summarizes the Cristal really well: you can do better with other pens, but that’s not the point. The point is that the Cristal is really inexpensive, yet reliable.
  • The review at The Pen Addict is very positive towards the Cristal, with his primary complaint being the white-space within the lines of ink.

Notes on XOXO 2015 Field Notes

by Andrew


The people at Field Notes, the producers of the popular pocket-sized notebooks, seem to enjoy making limited-run editions. They’ve made so many, in fact, that anyone trying to collect them all is likely to wind up both crazy and broke. Getting your hands on the rarer books can often just be a matter of right place, right time.

Case in point, for the past few years Field Notes has been creating custom notebooks for the XOXO Festival, an art and technology conference in Portland, Oregon. While these special notebooks can be easily obtained at the conference, it’s a mad rush when they are sold online afterwords. And for the 2015 XOXO edition, it only took about 45-minutes before they became out of stock on the Field Notes website. So, if you weren’t online during this 45-minute window or couldn’t make it to the festival, you are pretty much out of luck. Unless, of course, you’re willing to pay a premium.

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Originally sold for $10, a sealed 3-pack will currently fetch 40 to 50 dollars on eBay. Setting aside the artwork for a moment, there’s not anything particularly special about these books that make it worth that price. They contain 60# white paper with a light gray grid, they’re the standard 3.5 inch x 5.5 inch size, and they even use the usual “practical application” list on the inside back cover. Aside from hardcore Field Notes collectors who covet the notebook’s scarcity, there’s really nothing here to warrant a 400% price increase.

I will admit, however, that it’s hard to ignore those awesome cover designs, created by artist Brendan Monroe. If you’re so inclined, check out Monroe’s Instagram feed. He creates a lot of these black-and-white topographical paintings, and it’s easy to lose a chunk of time scrolling through his artwork. In fact, one big upside to carrying these designs in my pocket was that I got to color them in!

Overall, it’s a good special edition, if only for the artwork, and I hope to see Field Notes using other painters (or even more of Monroe’s designs) in the future. It really is a good way to discover artists, as I never would have otherwise heard of Brendan Monroe. Let’s just hope that next time they print a larger run.

Additional Notes:

 

Review: M&G Wisdom, Erasable Gel Ink, 0.5mm 

by Andrew

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I don’t know why M&G chose to name their erasable pen “Wisdom,” but it makes me think of the Serenity Prayer, the aphorism that asks for wisdom to know the difference between the things that can and cannot be changed. I guess that makes it a bit ironic, then, that the M&G Wisdom has such an awful eraser. With this pen, you’re better off not trying to change anything.

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As erasable pens go, the Wisdom pales in comparison to the Pilot Frixion. The Frixion uses a  heat-activated ink that disappears with a few swipes of its eraser. The Wisdom, on the other hand, uses a very wet ink, and its eraser simply smears it across the paper. Instead of a clean writing area, a large, gray blob will take the place of any mistake you attempt to correct.

The Wisdom’s ink flow is also unreliable. It cuts out frequently, requiring a nearby scratch pad to get flowing again. It’s not particularly comfortable to write with either. For some reason, the soft, rubbery barrel makes way for a hard, plastic grip section.

So, in the end, you’re better off sticking with the Frixion and leaving the Wisdom behind.

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Review: Lamy Dialog 2, Rollerball, Medium Point

by Andrew

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I received this Lamy Dialog 2 rollerball pen as a gift for my birthday last year (thanks, Dad!), and with online listings at $100+, it’s probably the most expensive pen in my collection so far. However, that hasn’t deterred me from taking it out of its case a handful of times. I’ve used it both at home and taken it to work, being careful not to leave it sitting anywhere unprotected for too long.

The Dialog 2 was designed by Holscher Designs, a Danish company founded by architect Knud Holscher, which specializes in industrial designs. It is a beautifully machined pen, made of stainless steel with a finish of palladium, an element commonly used in jewelry. It has a great weight and even balance, and the barrel has a good thickness, making it a pleasure to write with and hold. But the most interesting and impressive design element of the Dialog 2 is the retracting mechanism.

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When the tip of the pen is exposed, the metal clip lays completely flush with the barrel of the pen. To retract the tip, twist the pen at the midsection, and a spring-loaded clip will simultaneously pop out. It’s a very neat design that ensures against clipping the pen to your pocket with an exposed tip, preventing stains to your shirt or pants. Just don’t set it down on your desk un-retracted because this mechanism can also make the pen a rolling hazard.

The only real downside of the Dialog 2 is the ink refill. It’s a nice refill with a dark ink that writes very smoothly, but it’s a proprietary design by Lamy that is only offered in medium and broad tip-sizes. If, like me, you like finer-tipped pens, you’re out of luck. I’ve yet to find another refill that will fit.

Overall, the Lamy Dialog 2 is a great pen for its unique and innovative design. At its price point, it’s not the type of pen I’d ever be comfortable throwing in a backpack or clipping to a notebook. It will likely spend most of it’s time in its case on my bookshelf. It has, however, become the first pen I reach for whenever I need to write my rent check.

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