0.5mm

Review: SKB V6, Gel Ink, 0.5mm

by Andrew

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While SKB’s Soft Ink and Click Ball pens showed some promise, SKB’s V6 gel pen mostly gave me trouble. With a classic silver-on-black color scheme, its design is nice enough. The cap secures and posts very well, and the clip is sturdy enough for daily use.  And though it lacks a soft grip, it still manages to be somewhat comfortable to hold.

That’s all for nothing, unfortunately, when the pen has a bad refill. The V6 tends to skip out quite frequently, and it is one of the roughest writing experiences I’ve had – it feels like I’m scratching the paper with every stroke. And while the ink doesn’t seem to bleed at all, smearing is still a problem.

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In Taiwan – where SKB primarily sells their pens – the V6 costs 15 Yuen (about $2.35 US dollars) for a 12-pack (or about 20 cents per pen). So in Taiwan, you get what you pay for. In the U.S., however, I paid $3 for a 3-pack, which is overpriced considering almost any other gel pen will give you a much better writing experience.

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Review: BIC Triumph 537RT, Gel Ink, 0.5mm

by Andrew

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When I first saw the BIC Triumph 537RT, I assumed that BIC just took its Triumph 537R pen, added a retracting mechanism, tacked a “T” onto the end of the name, and called it a day. After all, it would have still been an improvement because the worst part about the 537R was its cap.

However, when I got my hands on the Triumph 537RT, I realized that not only is it retractable, but BIC also added a grip, removed a bit of the dull gray color, and replaced the rollerball ink with gel ink. It’s practically a different pen altogether, and, luckily, all these changes make it much better.

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That isn’t to say the Triumph 537RT is a great pen – all said and done, it’s an average gel ink pen. It has a satisfyingly dark ink and it writes reliably, but it also smears fairly easily. It’s adequately comfortable with a sturdy clip, but the remaining gray on the plastic barrel still looks a little cheap. It’s not the worst gel ink pen on my desk, but it’s not the best either. At least BIC is heading in the right direction.

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Review: Zebra Sarasa, Gel Pen, 0.5mm

by Andrew

Zebra Sarasa

The Zebra Sarasa, like the BIC Velocity Gel and the Pilot G-2, is a gel ink pen with a clear barrel and black trim. It’s a style of pen which I call “premium plastic,” a very standard (and somewhat boring) design found on most store shelves. It is, however, still an upgrade from the average pen found in the office supply closet.

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The Sarasa is a nice pen overall. It smears only a little, writes consistently, has a comfortable grip, and a rich dark ink. At the end of the day, it’s a pen that will get the job done.

Still, the Sarasa just isn’t a pen that stands out along side a sea of similar options. There’s really no reason to go out of your way to get one. And if you find it on a store shelf next to a Pilot G-2, then you might as well pick out whichever one is cheaper.

Zebra Sarasa Review

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Review: uni-ball Signo 207 (micro), Gel Ink Pen, 0.5mm

by Andrew

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At first glance, the uni-ball Signo 207 looks a lot like many other gel pens you’d find on the store shelves. It’s made mostly of plastic with black accents and metal trim, and the only thing that really stands out is its uniquely shaped clip, which does make it look a bit more classy and professional. But after using it for a couple days, I would definitely rank this unassuming gel ink pen among the best that I’ve used.

The Signo 207 has the basics down: it is comfortable to write with, and it draws clean, consistent lines. More than anything else, however, I am impressed at how smear-free the ink manages to be. I really had to try hard to get it to smear on standard papers, and that’s definitely not something you can say about most gel ink pens.

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The black ink doesn’t seem quite as rich and dark as other gel pens, but If you’re willing to accept this trade-off, I imagine the Signo 207 will become an instant favorite. For lefties looking for a low-smear pen, it’s definitely worth a try. For everybody who might be looking to resupply their pen cup, you won’t go wrong with the Signo 207.

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Review: SKB Soft Ink SB-1000, Ballpoint Pen, 0.5mm

by Andrew

SKB Soft Touch SB-1000

You can’t walk into a store in the U.S. to pick up a pack of SKB Soft Ink SB-1000s. In fact, you might even have trouble finding them online. As far as I can tell, they’re the “generic office pen” of Taiwan, and they certainly look the part.

Inside the clear plastic barrel and underneath the ordinary cap, there is a thin stick of ballpoint ink. These pens look like they’re produced very cheaply and are probably quite inexpensive in Taiwan, though you’ll be paying around one dollar per pen to get them here in North America. Beyond having one for its novelty value, it certainly isn’t worth purchasing.

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What makes the SB-1000 interesting, however, is how well it writes compared to the standard office pens here in the U.S. The 0.5mm tip skips and occasionally produces small ink blobs on the page that are common with cheaper ballpoints, but the ink itself is surprisingly dark and smooth. Maybe American office supply chains should take note.  

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