retractable

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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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.

Review: Parker 1M, Ballpoint, 1.0mm

by Andrew

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The Parker Pen Company has been making click-style ballpoint pens for more than 60 years, and this 1M model proves they know what they’re doing. It looks and feels good to hold, it’s balanced well, and the thickness makes for a comfortable writing experience. However, there’s one major problem with the 1M ballpoint; the refill is atrocious.

While using the Parker 1M, I have to keep a scratch pad nearby because it takes a few pen strokes to get going. Even then it occasionally skips out in the middle of a sentence, and it always feels a bit sluggish against the paper. I didn’t notice many issues with ink blobs and smearing, but this wasn’t enough to make up for its deficits.

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I really do like everything else about the Parker 1M ballpoint. It even has the same hardy retracting mechanism as the Parker Jotter, which I love to “click” incessantly whenever I use it. If you’re willing to spend a little extra money, Parker has a lot of other refill options available. Hopefully I’ll find one that works better than the one included here.

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Colors Review: Zebra Sarasa, Gel Ink, Ten Assorted Colors

by Andrew

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When I reviewed the standard black Zebra Sarasa, I called it a pen that failed to stand out alongside a sea of similar options, and I felt very similar when I cracked open this 10-pack of Sarasa colors. Included in the pack is a black pen plus three shades of blue, two shades of green, a red, a pink, a violet, and a brown. Oddly, orange and yellow – standard colors in larger sets – are absent.

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I quite like the aquatic hue of the light blue and the reddish tinge of the brown, but none of the other colors stand out as anything special. The pens are relatively comfortable to hold, and the ink is relatively smooth. The Zebra website also touts its “rapid dry ink technology,” though the pens still manage to smear somewhat.

If you already have a stash of colored gel-ink pens, you aren’t likely to find much new here. However, these will do fine as a standard set of color pens. At the very least, that brown ink will look good in my notebooks.

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