pen 29: pentel energel

so, this is what i've been up to the last few days.the other night i was sitting outside and sketching, there wasn't all that much going on so decided that since i needed sketches for this entry anyway, that i should probably kill two birds and all that by practicing things that i need to work on and using different pens for these posts. i've owned this pen for many years, i believe that i bought it in college. its traveled with me, moved residences with me, filled notebooks, i've owned this pen longer than any (and probably all of the) relationships i've been in over the years. the energel is perhaps a little thicker than average, it sports a rubber comfort grip, a clear area where you can see the ink level... kinda, and a nice metal clip. do not underestimate the value of a metal clip. plastic ones tend to break, and there has been a few times in my life when a metal clip was turned into a makeshift tool of necessity, i've also used the elastic in a pair of socks one or twice as makeshift dental floss but i guess that's another story for a different blog... hmmm, i may have just had an idea there. anyway the pen is smooth, has a bite, doesn't skip or skid. the tip is small enough (5mm.) for detailed work, the bleed is fairly minimal, dries quickly and is great for gesture and contour drawing. the flow of the pen makes for great hatching and crosshatching,   and at about two dollars it makes for a good addition to your arsenal of tools. just a quick note and ill leave you all to your barbecues and fireworks, or whatever the rest of the world does today: i've had this pen for so long that when i looked it up on their webpage i discovered that the pen's shape and overall appearance had been changed, i doubt that they messed with it's performance but i will either try and get my hands on one at some point or would love to hear what any of you out there think about this (or any of for that matter) pen.