pen 139: uni-ball uni roller pen super ink

today' s pen is the older and fatter sibling to the uni-ball roller stick micro and the uni-ball roller stick micro eco. both of those pens count themselves among the few pens that have earned the honor of a 5 on the rating scale at the end of each post. this is a pen that i haven't seen in a long time. in fact, i kinda thought that this pen was discontinued. that might actually be the case, im not entirely sure, but even on the official uni-ball website it doesn't mention this pen specifically, but does have a brief description of a pen that could be today's pen, or one of the two others mentioned above.

as usual, it falls to me to fill in the blanks.

the roller pen is a basic stripped down, no frills pen, the kind that seems to appeal to me, it is considerably thicker than the roller stick, which usually makes pens feel bulky and awkward. this pen has a 0.7 mm metal ballpoint tip, but unlike the micro stick, is not as likely to tear the paper since it has a little more surface area touching the paper. still, i wouldn't press too hard.

the uni roller pen has great flow, a consistent line, fair glide and good bite. am am a huge fan of the rich, velvety nature of the ink on paper. this pen is an extremely clean pen, it dries instantly, it doesn't acquire buildup on the tip, it doesn't pool on the paper, bleed out or though and is great for writing and drawing. the ink is supersaturated, it's an all or nothing pen, that will ink over pencil lines with no problem at all. there are things, like writing over paints or large format pieces that i would use a different type of pen, but this is one of those pens that is so versatile that i tend to carry one around with me at all times, either in my pocket, my bag, and my car. finally, at the end of the day, these pens are so inexpensive, you can lose one and not have it be the end of the world.

i highly recommend this pen, or one of it's siblings to anyone who has ever used a pen.

pricing:
amazon.com: $8.79+s/h (twelve pens)
staples.com: $10.49+s/h (twelve pens)

websites:
www.uniball-na.com
www.amazon.com
www.staples.com

what they say:

amazon.com

• Writes as smooth as a fountain pen, without the mess.
• Smooth, quick-drying premium liquid ink.
• Stainless steel point.
• Sold by the Dozen (12 each)

staples.com

• Fine point, 0.7 mm
• Black
• Durable stainless steel point with long-lasting tungsten-carbide ball for skip-free writing
• Black matte barrel with brushed stainless clip
• Quick-drying, smooth-flowing ink provides neat, accurate lines
• 12 per pack

pen 138: bic for her

oh bic, the great equalizer... no, wait... huh?

today's pen is the fashionable, sleek, purple... pen for her.

im not really sure what to make of this. does the existence of this pen imply that all other bic pens are for men by default? does this pen somehow ease cramps, turn into chocolate, wear ribbons, or automatically dot "ï's" with hearts?

no, it just has curly q floral designs on its body and has purple or pink ink.

the bic for her is what i have come to think of as "fancy pens" or cosmetic accessory pens. the focus seems to be more on the look than the performance of the tool. this pen is a ballpoint retractable tip pen that is contoured in a sleek shape and has a rubber grip that makes extended use a little more comfortable. the ink is colored purple or pink, dries moderately fast has minimal value range and can be a little messy in that it will occasionally deposit ink blobs as it is used. the for her has fair flow and fair glide, it doesn't seem to have issues with skipping or stuttering and has a fair amount of bite. this pen is pretty good for writing, and it will ink over pencil, but because of the limited color choices it is not a pen that i personally would choose to draw with. maybe if i need to make a few corrections or something and can find a red pen or something like that.

soooo...

as mentioned this pen is nothing special, especially when you consider that it works as well as a cristal or stic pen and costs a considerable amount more than both those pens added together and multiplied by thirty or so.

pricing:
amazon.com: $7.15+s/h (two pens)
officesupplyhut.com: $3.78+s/h (two pens)

websites:
www.bicworld.com
www.amazon.com
www.officesupplyhut.com

what they say:

bic:

• Retractable ballpoint pen
• Medium point: 1.00mm
• Fun comfort grip
• Modern design

amazon:

• Sleek pen silhouette and jeweled accent add style to her day.
• Soft-contoured embossed grip for all-day comfort.

office supply hut:

• Designed for professional women
• Sleek pen silhouette and jeweled accents add style
• Soft, contoured grip offers all-day comfort
• Features Easy-Glide System for smooth writing
• Refillable

pen 137: foray gelio

i would like to begin this review for thanking one of my favorite grocery store clerks, beth, for letting me borrow today's pen, so i didn't have to go out and spend money that i don't have on one.

the foray gelio is a medium ballpoint retractable tipped gel ink pen. these pens are available from office depot (internet and retail) as well as online resources like ebay, amazon, or other supply websites.

the gelio is made of a clear,tough plastic, with a rubberized grip and metal clip. it's contoured hour-glass shape makes for a fairly comfortable grip, but still feels a bit thicker than i personally like when it comes to pens. i associate those thick pens with children's art supplies - cheap and made for clumsy fingers. the ink is a light gel ink that dries moderately fast, although if you aren't careful you can smear the ink if you don't let it have a few seconds to dry. the ink is also not extremely dark, it is all or nothing, no real range of value, but it seems to be fairly translucent. this pen has a fair flow, it does skip and spot a bit, has poor glide but good bite. it can be a bit messy as it can pool up a bit on the paper, which, along with the slower drying time can cause problems. this pen is good for things like writing (unless you're a lefty) it can be used for moderate detail work and inking over pencil lines, but if i really had to chose a good fit i would say exercises like gesture drawing come to mind.

as for a recommendation, i am going to say that i would pass on this pen, there are other gel pens out there that are cleaner and have a better quality of ink. this isn't a bad pen or anything, it just isn't all that great.

pricing:
officedepot.com: $10.99+s/h (dozen)

website:
www.officedepot.com

what they say:

Controlled comfort meets smooth writing

• Our most popular style for making a bold statement. 
• Contoured rubber barrel and grip for feel-good performance. 
• Great choice for extended writing and heavy-duty note taking. 

week 18: recap

pen 136: infinity permanent marker

today's pen is the infinity permanent marker. this pen is analogous to the sharpie fine point permanent marker sharing a few common features and fill the same roles.

to begin, both pens are permanent, the infinity doesn't have the same kind of bleed as the sharpie, not noticeable in the bleed out, and minimal on bleeding though the page. like the sharpie it has a felt tip that starts out with a god tip but  wears down to a blunt nub with very little use. these pens are not sold separately, at least not that i've found, so if you want one, you more or less have to buy a set, which range in different size groups at different prices. there are around 26 colors, which is a good selection of color, thoughtful too as there are colors one might not expect to see in the lower end marker brands.

lastly they smell funny, like formaldehyde - it reminds me of what the morgue smelled like in anatomy class when we went to the medical college to draw... well parts of human bodies.

overall i would say that these pens are so close to being sharpies that i would recommend that you just buy a sharpie. if you have kids and don't really care how they are used or treated, these might be a good pen for that.



pricing:
wallgreens (retail): $11.99
boarddudes.com: $18.99+s/h (26 pens)

website:
www.boarddudes.com

what they say:

With unrivaled design and technology, these acid-free Infinity permanent markers add vivid brightness, making anything you write pop off the page. Triangular grips allow your fingers to use less pressure while writing – promoting great control and amazing comfort.  This ultimate value pack includes 26 bold colors including Neon and Metallic markers, making it perfect for note taking, drawing, letter writing or even creative scrapbooking.   

Key Features:
• Ultimate Color Pack includes 26 bold, bright, neon and metallic colors
• Triangular grip for comfortable writing
• Heavy-duty clip won't snap off
• Durable, acrylic tip design delivers long-lasting, permanent ink
• Writes clearly on light and dark surfaces
• Quick drying, acid-free, and fade resistant–ideal for scapbooks, arts & crafts, school projects, and more
• Quality Guarantee

pen 135: pilot razor point II

it is no secret that i am a huge fan of ultra fine, plastic tipped ink pens, if you are one of those who have followed this blog, you will have noticed that sharpies, microns, copics and a few others usually top my list of pens worth not only buying, but using. there have been several times over the last one hundred and thirty odd reviews where i found myself having to use the pen i was reviewing on the art sample that accompany each post rather than the appropriate pen choice - for example - this pen.

the pilot razor point II is basically the ultra fine version of the pilot razor point. basically a well made plastic body pen, it poor glide, fair flow, doesn't really skip or stutter, the line can be a little inconsistent - but for me, not really a bad thing - it has great bite, dark ink that doesn't bleed, and a .3 mm porous plastic tip that is right around the best size - again, for me - to sketch with, anything smaller, i usually reserve for fine detail work.

this pen is good for writing, sketching, inking - it covers pencil lines with no problem - and detail work is actually pretty easy, especially since the pen doesn't have much if any bleed.

i would say that hands down, this pen is at least an equal to the micron or staedtler pens of the same size, and have the added bonus as being a bit more durable than the micron's tip and a price that is actually a little lower than the  competition.

it's a good pen, and a great price, and yes, i will be buying more.

pricing:
placerville news company (retail): approx $2 (single pen)
pilot.com: $20.28+s/h (12 pens)
blick.com: $1.59+s/h (single pen)

websites:
www.pilotpen.us
www.dickblick.com


what they say:

pilot: 

• Genuine Razor Point Marker Pens for delicate, smooth writing 
• Plastic point tip supported by metal collar for long-lasting performance 

blick:

• A unique liquid ink produces crisp, fine lines through its extra-tough plastic point. 
• Sleek, modern design with barrel that coordinates with the ink color. 
• Writes a fine 0.3 mm line.

pen 134: sakura gelly roll

today's pen, the sakura gelly roll, is one of those pens that i had seen here and there on the internet, but had never come across in all of my pen hunting years, not that i was really actively looking for one, but when i went to michael's arts and craft store, and randomly looking at their stamp supplies, i happened upon this pen in an unexpected section.
for whatever reason, they didn't stock these with the rest of the pens, but among the scrap-booking materials instead.

anyway, i bought one.

the gelly roll is a plastic bodied, ball tip gel pen. the pen's ink is dark, with no value range, dries on the slower side and can be kind of messy. the pen has some skipping and stuttering issues, and while it has a good bite, it often just indents the paper. the metal tip is pretty sharp as well, so tearing through the paper can be a problem, especially if you are heavy handed. this pen is probably not the best choice for writing, especially if you are left handed, and there are other gel pens on the market that dry faster and minimize smearing.

having had a few weeks to mess around with this pen, i have come to the conclusion that while this pen has some fine points, overall it is not a pen that i plan on purchasing again.

pricing:
michaels (retail): approx $2-$3 (single pen)
blick.com: $1.25+s/h (single pen)

websites:
www.sakuraofamerica.com
www.sakuraofamerica.com (full product line)
www.dickblick.com

what they say:

sakura:

Select Gelly Roll, the gel ink pen that was invented to make writing and self expression effortless. The creamy ink and incredible array of colors provide plenty of favorite "flavors" for letting your thoughts flow onto paper.

Handwriting is as unique as a fingerprint. Sign your name, doodle, express your artful self, or celebrate the thrills and document the spills of your life. Leave a mark that will last a lifetime.

Sakura Color Products invented and patented gel ink and the pen casing used to create Gelly Roll pens. The first of its kind, these Gelly Roll pens created the gel ink pen category within the writing instrument industry. The Gelly Roll pen collection has grown to provide a wide variety of colors to support the company’s motto: Power to Express™.

The Gelly Roll Fine and Medium Point gel ink pens feature:

• Fine is 0.3 mm line / 0.6mm ball, Medium is 0.4mm line / 0.8 mm ball
• Ice Cream Smooth™ in a roller ball
• Archival quality ink – chemically stable, waterproof, and fade resistant
• No smears, feathers, or bleed-through on most papers
• Black, blue, royal blue, purple, and burgundy ink colors are excellent for writing checks due to the gel ink’s resistance to fraudulent washings

blick:

Gelly Roll, the gel ink pen invented to make writing and self-expressioneffortless, has ink that is Ice Cream Smooth — and an array of favorite "flavors" for letting your thoughts flow onto paper. Choose a finer line (0.3 mm) in classic colors, or a medium line (0.4 mm) in metallic colors that add a bit of sparkle. Every Gelly Roll pen contains archival-quality ink that is chemically stable, waterproof, and fade-resistant. What's more, the ink won't smear, feather, or bleed through most paper. Black, Blue, Royal Blue, and Purple Gelly Rolls contain fraud-resistant ink that is ideal for writing checks. Handwriting is as unique as a fingerprint. Sign your name, doodle, express your artful self, or celebrate the thrills and document the spills of your life. Leave a mark that will last a lifetime with Gelly Roll. Set of 10 Metallic Colors — Two Metallic Gold pens and one each of Metallic Purple, Metallic Copper, Metallic Red, Metallic Silver, Metallic Pink, Metallic Green, Metallic Blue, and Metallic Emerald. Note — Use this color chart as an approximation of the real color. If exact color matching is necessary, use actual samples of the materials.

pen 133: tul rollerball -rb1

i honestly do not believe that i can overstate my fondness for this brand. i simply love them and have yet to be disappointed in purchasing one.

the tul rollerball rb1 is a great pen for activities like writing, sketching, and inking. the ink is super saturated, there is no range of value, all or nothing. the ink dries quickly, and is extremely clean. the flow is a little heavy, it puts a lot of ink on the paper in a very short amount of time and is good for inking over pencil lines. the bold lines and good bite make this pen a favorite of mine, and the pen is a little bit more durable than pens like the Z+.

overall, it's a tul, buy one with no and rest assured that the money you paid was well spent.

pricing:
officemax.com: $9.99+s/h (four pens)

websites:
www.tul.com
www.officemax.com

what they say:

tul.com

• Quick-drying ink reduces smearing
• Ergonomic design gives optimal balance and writing precision
• Rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control
• Needle point provides precision writing
• Stainless steel clip secures to pockets and notebooks

officemax.com

Offers Exceptionally Smooth Ink Flow. Quick-drying ink reduces smearing. Ergonomic design gives optimal balance and writing precision.

Quick-drying ink reduces smearing

• Free Ink System
• Rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control
• Stainless steel clip secures to pockets and notebooks
• Medium, 0.7mm

pen 132: tul gel-gl3

the tul gel-gl3 is another fine example of the quality of product that tul produces.

the overall design is very sleek, it's a good looking, black, thin, ballpoint gel pen with a retractable tip. the pen is made of a single plastic body with a metal tip cap, has a metal clip and a rubberized grip that spans half the length of its body.

the gl3's ink is dark, there really isn't any range of value, all or nothing, has a good flow that doesn't skip or stutter, has a good bite, dries almost instantly and is a very clean pen to use. as a person that is not the greatest fan of gel ink pen i would recommend any of the tul product line to like minded individuals, i am fairly confident that, even if they don't fall head over heals for the pen, they probably won't hate it either.

pricing:
office max (retail): approx. $3-$4
officemax.com: $6.49+s/h

website:
www.tul.com
www.officemax.com

what they say:

tul.com

• Offers smooth, skip-free writing
• Extra-long, rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control
• Ergonomic design gives optimal balance and writing precision
• Retractable tip protects from unintentional marking
• Stainless steel clip secures to pockets and notebooks
• Needle point provides precision writing

officemax.com

Delivers Bold, Vibrant Color. Offers smooth, skip-free writing. Extra-long, rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control.
Extra-long, rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control

• Retractable tip protects from unintentional marking
• Stainless steel clip secures to pockets and ebooks
• Medium, 0.7mm

pen 131: milan gel touch

today's pen, the milan gel touch, is another example of a product made well. this pen is made from durable plastic, essentially a solid body, covered in a thin rubber layer, sports a .7 ballpoint tip and is a gel ink pen.
 like the milan touch, this pen is inexpensive, well crafted, comfortable to use, clean - the ink dries extremely quick, with minimal skipping, stuttering, the glide and the bite are well balanced as well.

this pen is good for writing, sketching, but as for inking over pencil lines, i would use another pen, the gel touch has difficulty getting a bite on graphite.

overall this is a great pen, within it's limitations and intended use. while i probably will not be going out of my way to buy another, i do not regret the purchase.

pricing: 

placerville news company (retail): between $3-$4

website:

www.milan.es


what they say:

Gel ink pen with rubber touch finish. Quick-drying ink. Ink made in Japan.

pen 130: sanford 20/20

today's pen is the sanford 20/20 easy-to-read felt tip poster marker.

having never heard of this pen before in my life i was curious, it was labeled "easy-to-read" i figured it would be a good fine tipped pen that would be useful for inking.

i was wrong.

this pen has a felt tip that has little firmness, it has a soft inconsistent line and is a poor second to other brush tipped pens i've reviewed here. the ink doesn't bleed out or through and is not all that dark, it kind of seems like someone created this pen to sell to people like me who don't know any better, and the medical profession.


when you consider this pen is made by the parent company of sharpie and paper mate pens it makes me wonder why this pen was created in the first place. this is a dark stain on the rubbermaid corporation.

i am considering melting this pen with a lighter after i finish typing this, i hate it so much.

to the point... the 20/20? don't bother.

pricing:

placerville news company (retail):around $3

amazon.com:$9.95 (single pen) +s/h

www.visionaidsystems.com

$1.93 (single pen) +s/h
websites:

www.amazon.com
www.visionaidsystems.com

what they say: 
amazon.com

• Dries almost instantly
• Designed to not bleed through paper
• Bold tip makes reading and writing easier to see
• Useful for many tasks
• Perfect for someone with low vision

week 17: recap

pen 129: sharpie stained

much like pen 95, today's pen, the sharpie stained is a brush pen that allows you to lay ink down on paper with the flexibility of a brush as opposed to the standard plastic and felt tipped versions that we all love and know so well.

as i mentioned in yesterday's review, the sharpie stained brush tip pen is the the latest step in pen evolution, the liquid ink is dark, flows flawlessly, doesn't bleed, while the brush tip allows for lovely organic lines. the brush also allows for line width variation, much like a paint brush and is capable of filling in large areas of black while still being useful when inking detail, especially on medium and larger format pieces.

while i don't usually this pen as a drawing pen, i do use them for inking, and most importantly, this pen can ink over acrylic and latex paint without drying out the tip, something that happens with most of the permanent markers that i've used for inking detail on paintings.

the only downside to this pen is that i can't seem to find individual pens for sale. as an inking pen, i really only need black, and i've had to buy two sets of four pack assorted colors for the on pen that i wanted out of the quartet. still, this is the only pen that i have found that can draw on any surface with no issues whatsoever, aside from using these pens so often that i have gone through several pens in that last year or so.

still, i highly recommend this pen, it is extremely useful and is a wonderful tool to have in any pen drawer, coffee mug  or pencil box.

i love this pen so much that if you buy one and are unhappy with the results, i will trade you an original drawing for the pen.

pricing:

wallmart: (retail)
$5-$6 (4 pens)

target.com: 
$9.95 (8 pens) +s/h

website:
www.sharpie.com
www.target.com

what they say:

sharpie.com

• You Stain it, You Own it.
• Brush tip fabric markers let you start a line of your own design.
• Developed for optimal performance on most fabric surfaces.
• Fabric ink. Brush tip.
• Available in eight vibrant, bold colors.
• Wash without worries. Ink resists fading on most fabrics.

target.com

• Make your mark on the world with Stained fabric markers. Developed by Sharpie, these permanent markers have 8 bright colors that are designed to work on most fabric surfaces. Your creative doodles will be fade-resistant during most normal washing cycles, so draw your creations without worry.
• Style and color assortment may vary
• Number of Pieces: 8
• Ink Color: Green, Blue, Red, Orange, Pink, Purple, Black
• Features: Fadeproof, Durable Tip, Quick Drying, Contoured Grip
• Manufacturer's Suggested Age: 5 Years and Up
• Dimensions: 7.25 " L x 7.65 " W

128: liquid sharpie

i wish i could remember where and when i bought this pen, i'm fairly sure it was back in college and that would suggest that i would have gotten it at walgreens or rite aid.

as near as i can figure this pen has been discontinued, or perhaps, rather that i evolved into the current stained brush tipped sharpie pen line.

i was unable to find anything about these pens after a quick check around the internet, that it would be discontinued, well, that doesn't surprise me, it seems that they always discontinue the best pens.

go figure.

this particular sharpie seems like it was a missing link between the traditional sharpie and the newer models that use ink that is bleed free and brush tip liquid ink pens that work really well for painting on all sorts of different materials.

the liquid sharpie has a solid body, a window to the ink reservoir, a slightly stubby version of the fine point tip, and smells more like rubbing alcohol than the chemically smell we all love about our sharpies.

the ink doesn't bleed the same way the standard pens do and it seems to go on smoother, giving the lines a nice velvety look.

if you have a chance to buy one of these pens, do so... buy two actually and send one to me, i'll send you a drawing in return.


pricing: n/a

website: n/a

what they say: n/a