I’m not into fine point pens. I believe I said it when I originally reviewed this pen. However the line was so lovely and the color so brilliant I charged ahead and kept writing with it, until this past Friday.
The pen on the right fell apart when I depressed the clicker. I attempted to screw it back together to no avail. I moved on to the pen on the left which was writing fine momentarily until the tip broke and scratched the page so hard I thought it ripped.
I have never had two pens, back to back in the same sitting, break. So, the Pilot Precise and I are breaking up. The review is revised down to a ✍🏾.
Maybe it was a trend or something in the early seventies but there was this wave of interest in calligraphy and fountain pens. I might have begged my mom for a fountain pen to which she obliged, one with cartridges. Once those cartridges ran out, I was done with my fountain pen fascination and moved on to whatever fickle elementary school girls were into.
Having been writing non-stop and talking about pens just as much the last few years, I wanted something different. The memory of that fountain pen came to mind, so I started looking for a disposable set. The first set I found was the Zebra Fuente Fountain Pen set, assorted colors of course.
These pens could not have come in more disappointing packaging. A plastic baggie, really? This is not the packaging I saw in the photos when I ordered so I knew that these pens were going to janky but much to my surprise, they were not.
The barrel, cap and clip are made of translucent plastic reminiscent of gelatin. The pens are short and chunky much like the writer. The length of the pen however, is not a hinderance to writing.
On one side of the barrel is an ink level indicator, which could be handy or not. For those who plan ahead, an ink indicator could be useful for determining when to reorder. For others the indicator is for aesthetic purposes only.
The grip is a clear plastic so the ink flow to the nib is visible. The plastic grip for this pen works because it is, again, a thicker pen, so slippage is not a problem.
I thought that writing with the pen would be a scratchy affair but the experience was quite the opposite. The look of a fountain nib for me, adds to the visual experience of seeing words, symbols, or drawings on paper. The tip of the Zebra fountain rolls as smooth as any rollerball. The ink, at least so far has not come flying out in a blob-filled mess.
The Zebra Fuente Fountain Pen is a solid entry point for use as a daily writing instrument. Since it is disposable and relatively inexpensive, if you hate it, you can just pass it on to somebody who won’t. ✍🏾✍🏾✍🏾.5
I discovered the TUL .7 mm medium point retractable gel pens while looking for TUL Disc Planner refill pages at Office Depot (TUL is an Office Depot brand). I have purchased several sets of these pens for the ink color assortment and because some of the limited-edition sets are visually lovely. The question is, do they do their job as writing instruments?
The “basic” color set is all plastic except for the metal pocket clip and the pen tip i.e. the end of the cartridge from which the ink flows. What keeps the whole cartridge from flying out of the barrel is the nose cone, which for the TUL is plastic as well.
The grip is a perforated rubber (preferred) for no slippage and is of moderate size so there should be little hand fatigue when there is considerable writing to accomplish.
The clicker/thrust mechanism easily depresses and retracts when operated and features a clear flat-topped outer case, revealing the pen/ink color in the assorted color sets. The special edition black ink sets do not have the clear outer casing likely for aesthetic reasons.
When writing, the ink flow is smooth, and the tip does not skip nor leave ink blobs. Any skips observed would likely be from having a tad bit too much coffee when writing. The ink colors are rich especially in the solid barrel limited edition assorted set.
Though the colors are great and the tip rolls smoothly there are two issues with the TUL, ink longevity and overall construction. I have pitched at least one full set in the last year because the ink dried out. Critics may say that the pens are not being used enough and that is a possibility, however, there are sets from other brands that I have had multiple years that did not dry out as quickly as the TUL. In terms of construction, though the grip is quite suitable, the pen feels and sounds flimsy as one can hear the cartridge rattling around inside the barrel when writing.
The TUL is a basic pen, with great colors, think “great gowns, beautiful gowns”. If this is a writer’s pen of choice, I recommend keeping plenty on hand because they will run out quickly and if heavy handed, you may break a few. ✍🏾✍🏾.75
There is no escaping the Pilot G-2 gel retractable. I have written with them for years in various jobs because it is the standard work pen. Yet for personal writing, I steered clear since I had choices when using my own hard-earned cash. I may have been missing out in my rebellion.
The Pilot G-2 easily meets the physical specs of my favored pens as it has a ridged rubber grip and a clicker that does not stick.
The G-2 also comes in a variety of colors, point sizes, and finishes so one is not limited to the black, red and blue fine point of the office. Although the metallic variety is likely only practical for making art.
For writers of letters, notes, and journals, the bold variety G-2 1.0 with its rich color performs well, providing a smooth clean line despite its point size.
Not just for the office, the G-2 is highly recommended. These pens are long-lasting, reliable and a make a great edition to your writing instrument collection ✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽.
Full disclosure, I purchased these pens because I thought they were cute. As a writing instrument, the Pentel EnerGel Pearl Deluxe RTX Gel pen outperforms said cuteness.
Writing is a smooth experience with a super clean line emanating from a .7 mm stable needle tip.
In general, a narrow tipped pen is not desired because I write hard and loopy and think the tip will break. Breakage is not an issue with the EnerGel Pearl. The non-slip rubber grip absorbs some of that pressure as well.
One thing I noticed and it may not be as clear in the photo, is that the manufactured date on the ink chamber says 2019. The pen was purchased in 2021 and is still writing in 2022👍🏾.
The clicker does the job and the clip bends out and snaps back into place when clipped to a notebook or shirt pocket.
The ink color stays true regardless of the paper color. The paper on the left is a grayish blue while that on the right is white.
If there is one thing that precludes the Pentel EnerGel Pearl Deluxe RTX from receiving that perfect rating, it is that thing it does similar to white clothing. The grip yellows over time. Otherwise this pen is a go to and highly recommended for your writing needs ✍🏾✍🏾✍🏾✍🏾1/2.
Who hasn’t used a Sharpie? The pointed felt tip permanent marker has graced many a paper, posterboard and football (think T.O.). I have used the felt tips and even the Sharpie highlighters but never a gel pen from the brand, not until Amazon suggested it of course.
The S-Gel is built like a tank and is almost as impenetrable as one due to the little rubber piece on the tip when the pens are packaged.
Those bad boys were hard to remove and I basically had to write them off because prying off was so difficult. Look at the second pen from the right.
Once past the tip shenanigans the Sharpie S Gel performed well with the clickiest of clickers, and a juicy smooth line from the .7 mm medium point.
Since writing the sample on the left, many a journal page has been filled by the Sharpie S-Gel. They write smooth like butter every time.
So, if you are in the market for a new gel pen with a juicy line, the S-Gel should be a go-to choice. 🖊🖊🖊🖊
These pens ended up in the grab and go pen cup for my beloved to use. OMG the blobbiness of it all! I had to cut them loose. If you have these pens make sure you’re not writing on a public facing document or are anywhere near something that you can’t clean. These are now rated 🖊1/2 for emergency writing only.
I just refuse to let this ballpoint pen situation rest. I mean manufacturers are making them for a reason. I just haven’t seen compelling evidence for their sustainability in my stash until now, maybe. So let’s talk about the Pentel RSVP RT.
A medium ballpoint at 1.0 mm, the RSVP RT is another pen that the manufacturer claims gives a smooth, no skip experience.
The Pentel RSVP RT is a well constructed, almost beefy pen, with an indented rubber grip that feels great in the hand. The clicker (push button) is the clickiest and the in/out position is obvious.
The barrel is a clear thick plastic with the barrel colors reminiscent of Jell-O.
The question of course is, does the Pentel RSVP RT ballpoint live up to what the packaging says. The answer is for the most part, yes.
The Pentel RSVP RT is a smooth writing experience. It is not skip free, however the ballpoint rolls nicely on the page and the ink blobs are minimal. The feel is nice and the colors are truly representative of the barrel color. This pen is a keeper, that knocks one of its lesser competitors right out of my pen holder. 🖊🖊🖊🖊
If you use the Pentel RSVP RT, let me know your experience in the comments.
I’m starting to feel a way about these ballpoint pens. The latest entry is the Zebra Z Grip Plus 1.0 ballpoint.
The clicker is nice, sturdy and doesn’t give indication that it will fail any time soon. The grip is really nice, a soft ridged-rubber with nice placement. One day, when not ashy, I’ll put a hand in there to demo.
This pen is a little light in the fanny for my taste. Big Mama likes a pen with a little heft to it. This felt fragile but appears to be a solidly built plastic barrel.
And the writing of it all???? It’s okay, the flow is fairly smooth but as noted in the photo, there are some skips. The ink blobs I guess are a thing with ballpoint 1.0s a fine tip may yield different results.
Overall the Z Grip is serviceable for jotting down notes and journal writing, not so much if the written product is to be distributed. Rating: 3 of 5
My favorite pen right now is by BIC so I decided to stretch out and try one of their ballpoints. Let me introduce to you Count Blobula, the BIC Atlantis.
So close but yet so far because there are some positives. The colors are brilliant and bright. The grip is a soft rubber that fits nicely in the fingers and it is positioned very well. However the ink blobs when writing are an absolute no go.
Also the clicker/thrust mechanism is “soft.” When pushing down on the clicker it is so soft that I had to look to make sure the actual tip was out and ready to write. Maybe this was a bad pack, I’m not sure. I am sure that no more coins will be spent on the BIC Atlantis.
Not An Expert 