Review: SKB Roller Tip, Rollerball Ink, 0.5mm

by Andrew

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It might just be the large Asain characters splayed across its barrel, but I really enjoy using the SKB Roller Tip rollerball pen. After all, it’s difficult to point to anything that makes it stand out. It’s not a particularly durable or fancy pen – the body is mostly plastic with a cheap-ish cap –  but I can say that the Roller Tip is definitely a solid performer.

The SKB Roller Tip lays down consistent lines, has a rich black ink, and is moderately comfortable to hold. The ink does smears some, though not excessively for a rollerball pen. Overall, it might be the best disposable rollerball pen I’ve reviewed so far. It’s better than the uni-ball Air or the BIC Triumph 537R for sure, but it’s not as if the SKB Roller Tip blows those pens out of the water.

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As with SKBs other products (e.g. the Soft Ink SB-1000, the Click Ball, and the V6), you’ll need to find the Roller Tip online if you want to purchase it in the U.S. And it might be even be worth hunting down. Just be sure not to expect anything beyond what it is; a good disposable pen.

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Colors Review: Pilot B2P, Gel Ink, 5-Color Set (0.7mm)

by Andrew

The Pilot B2P gel pen has been one of the more popular reviews on this blog, and that doesn’t come a surprise. The B2P is cleverly marketed as an eco-friendly pen, and it has a unique look that is supposed to resemble a plastic (and recycled) water bottle. It’s a pen which calls to you from the store shelf, begging you to try something that’s a little different (even though it uses the same ink as the most popular gel pen on the market, the Pilot G-2).

Even though the colors in this B2P set don’t really resemble water bottles, they still have a unique look to them.The barrels of the pink and light green pens, in particular, look almost luminescent when light passes through them.

As for the ink colors, I like the light green and the blue (which is also a lighter shade), and the pink has a nice brightness to it. Overall, however, these colors come across as somewhat generic. It would have been neat to see a theme for the B2P colors, similar to what Pilot did with the G-2 Mosaic Collection. They could have done five colors of the ocean, perhaps.

Consider purchasing this pen set only if you like the look of the colorful barrels. They are surprisingly comfortable to hold, despite not having a grip, and they feel fairly sturdy for pens entirely composed of plastic. And luckily, the cartridges are easy to swap out. In fact, I might end up just throwing some standard black ink inside these pens.

Review: Wexford Retractable, Gel Ink, 1.0mm

by Andrew

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There’s nothing particularly special about the Wexford Retractable gel ink pen. It’s a generic brand – Wexford is  distributed by Walgreens stores here in the U.S. – and it manages to fit a “generic” description, being neither the best nor worst in its category. Basically, it’s a another “premium plastic” pen, similar to the Pilot G-2 or Zebra Sarasa, with a clear body, black trim, and a rubber grip.

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I wasn’t expecting too much out of this gel ink pen when I grabbed it off the shelf, and it certainly isn’t a bad pen. It doesn’t smear as much as I expected for a 1.0mm gel pen, and the ink is nice and dark – perhaps even a shade darker than the Pilot G-2. Ink flow consistency is the only noteworthy issue the Wexford Retractable has, randomly running thick or thin while in use.

If you happen to be in need of a gel pen while at a Walgreens store, the Wexford Retractable is a fine choice. Or in other words, there’s no reason to go out of your way for one of these pens. Plenty of better options are out there for gel ink pens. However, the Wexford Retractable will likely suit your needs in a pinch.

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Review: Sakura Pigma Micron, Porous Point, 0.3mm

by Andrew

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It doesn’t take long to realize that the Sakura Sigma Micron is a high-quality porous point pen. Along with it’s sturdy metal clip and light body, it lays down clean and crisp lines with only slight smearing and minimal bleed-through. Beyond that, the Pigma Micron’s big selling point is its “archival ink,” which it prominently advertises on the barrel of the pen.

In the words of Sakura, the archival ink is a “permanent, fade resistant, chemically stable, pigment-based ink” that will not “bleed or run if liquids are spilled on or applied to the document after the ink has dried.” Plenty of other pens are advertised with similar features (like the the uni-ball Signo 207), but since Sakura makes a big point of it, I decided to test it out.

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I placed a few drops of water, methanol, and hydrochloric acid on a page with Pigma Micron ink, then quickly wiped it off. The water made the ink smear a little bit, but the methanol surprisingly had almost no impact. The Pigma Micron stood no chance against the hydrochloric acid, however, which actually began to eat through the paper before I wiped it off. All in all, I’m impressed.

Regardless of it’s archival ink – which, to be honest, is overkill in most situations – the Pigma Micron might easily be one of the best porous point pens available. My only complaint is an annoying ridge right in the middle of the grip section where the cap secures onto the barrel, making it a little uncomfortable to use. Still, this may be just a personal gripe having to do with the way I hold a pen, and anyone looking for a good porous point pen will likely find a winner with the Pigma Micron.

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Extra Links

  • A Review by Mike Shae. He liked the Sakura Pigma Micron enough that it has become his daily carry pen (though maybe not anymore, this review is from awhile ago). He does have a few minor quibbles, but overall it’s a positive review.
  • The review of it at Pens Paper Pencil describes it as a good drawing pen.
  • Well Appointed Desk has a good comparison of a bunch of porous point (aka nylon tip?) pens, including the Pigma Micron.

Retro Talk: The Big Five Tornado, #504

by Andrew

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It was in the display case of a local pen shop where I spotted this orange-patterned Retro 51 Tornado. My girlfriend had taken me to the shop as a birthday gift and wanted to buy me a pen of my choosing. It was fun, but there were so many different pens – few of which I’ve used – that it was all a bit daunting. When I saw the Retro 51 Tornado, however, I knew exactly what I wanted. I’m a big fan of my Black Lacquer Retro 51 and an even bigger fan of my Albert Retro 51, so I was more than happy to add another to the collection.

From what I’ve been able to find on the Internet, this Tornado – called the “Big Five” model – was produced in 2007 in a limited quantity. A total of 1,951 pens having been made, and it looks like I snagged myself #504.

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It features a South African theme with the design including the five “big” animals of the region in silhouetted form: the elephant, the rhino, the buffalo, the lion and the cheetah. But what I really like about this Tornado is just its black and orange color scheme. It even has an orange sunburst design on top that really makes the pen stand out. In fact, it’s one of the few pens strangers have actually complimented.

I’m very happy to have it as part of my (small) Retro 51 collection.

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Oh, and it also pairs nicely with a Rhodia notepad.