Posts tagged pen

The last of the Hong Kong Pen P**n

Inside CN Square in HK

These are some of the last photos from my trip to Hong Kong. These are some insider shots at the various office supply/pen shops I visited. A lot of stores are very touchy about photography so I had to be fast. Oh, the delicious colors and selections! I just had to bring a few photos back to share. If you ever needed a reason to visit Hong Kong, this might just be it.

Clickety, click, click.

This is a retractable pen lovers dream. How do you pick just one?

More pen colors!

Pilot Frixion Point and Colors in a wide array of configurations. A reader commented that these are great for planners as meetings often get cancelled or rescheduled and being able to erase a meeting is more aesthetically appealing than repeatedly crossing them out, especially in those small spaces.

gel pen colored goodness

Lots of gel-based pens in an array of brands and colors.

Hi Tec C refills and pen bodies

Being able to select refills for my Hi-Tec-C from a whole display was a joyous experience. The thrill of instant gratification, for sure.

(All photos were taken with my phone inside either City’Super or Log-On except the first photo which was taken at CN Square.)

Original Article

Have I got a giveaway for you this month! I want to giveaway one of my favorite pens: a brand-new Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain pen! This giveaway is generously sponsored by JetPens. Just leave a comment here on The Well-Appointed Desk (comments in Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook will not be valid) between now and Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 at 10pm central time. Let me know what you would do with your very own Kaweco Sport? Would you embellish it with a clip? Provide it with the finest of inks? Write the next great novel? Or jot down the best looking grocery list ever? THE FINE PRINT Winner will get to select a body color and nib width from the available stock at JetPens. Winner will be select by random number generator. Please include your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options, international shipping or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. Original Article

Have I got a giveaway for you this month! I want to giveaway one of my favorite pens: a brand-new Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain pen! This giveaway is generously sponsored by JetPens.

Just leave a comment here on The Well-Appointed Desk (comments in Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook will not be valid) between now and Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 at 10pm central time. Let me know what you would do with your very own Kaweco Sport? Would you embellish it with a clip? Provide it with the finest of inks? Write the next great novel? Or jot down the best looking grocery list ever?

THE FINE PRINT

Winner will get to select a body color and nib width from the available stock at JetPens. Winner will be select by random number generator. Please include your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options, international shipping or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money.

Original Article

Link Love: Oh so late but oh so bountiful!

Pencil news:

Pen News:

  • Three shades of green Lamy (via The Writing Desk)
  • Even the proprietress of Lovely Bicycle occasionally needs to jot a few things down. Of course, she does it in style:

Other stuff:

Shout outs to all my Twitter contacts for keeping me posted about reviews, products and all sorts of fun goodies. Follow me or keep in the loop at @wellapptdesk.

Original Article

I had the good fortune of getting to attend the first-ever Spectrum Live art expo. While I was dazzled by the art and starstruck by the artists, I couldn’t help but peek at whatever tools each artist was using to doodle or autograph. Some made me shiver (really, a Bic ballpoint?!?! Your art deserves a better tool!), some made me boggle (What mechanical pencil is that??). I met two lovely artists who were willing to share a peek inside their tool kits. Archer Dougherty and Chris Ryniak were kind enough to show me their favorite tools so without further ado… Archer’s kit was a large zip pouch whose previous life may have been as a document case or iPad sleeve. She said she loved just throwing her tools into the bag with a book or sketchbook and not treating them as particularly precious. She was sitting quietly drawing with a simple lightweight Zebra mechanical pencil which she admitted to preferring when she was out and about because it did not require sharpening and always kept a sharp point. In stark contrast Chris Ryniak carried his tools in a very organized pen roll. His favorite tool was a newly acquired matte Zebra Sharbo X LT3 in orange flame. He praised his Pentel Twist-Erase 0.5 mechanical pencil for the large and wholly usable eraser, to which I can agree. He also showed me his Zebra Hi-McKee markers which he liberated on his last trip to Japan and which he loves. It seems to be a marker comparable to a Sharpie though I have not found much additional information about it. Anyone have personal experience with these? As both artists were busy fielding questions and comments from actual art-buying customers, I didn’t get to ask them all the questions I might have wanted but I am grateful for their time and generosity. Hope you enjoyed the peek into their kits as well! Original Article

I had the good fortune of getting to attend the first-ever Spectrum Live art expo. While I was dazzled by the art and starstruck by the artists, I couldn’t help but peek at whatever tools each artist was using to doodle or autograph. Some made me shiver (really, a Bic ballpoint?!?! Your art deserves a better tool!), some made me boggle (What mechanical pencil is that??).

I met two lovely artists who were willing to share a peek inside their tool kits. Archer Dougherty and Chris Ryniak were kind enough to show me their favorite tools so without further ado…

Archer’s kit was a large zip pouch whose previous life may have been as a document case or iPad sleeve. She said she loved just throwing her tools into the bag with a book or sketchbook and not treating them as particularly precious. She was sitting quietly drawing with a simple lightweight Zebra mechanical pencil which she admitted to preferring when she was out and about because it did not require sharpening and always kept a sharp point.

In stark contrast Chris Ryniak carried his tools in a very organized pen roll. His favorite tool was a newly acquired matte Zebra Sharbo X LT3 in orange flame.

He praised his Pentel Twist-Erase 0.5 mechanical pencil for the large and wholly usable eraser, to which I can agree.

He also showed me his Zebra Hi-McKee markers which he liberated on his last trip to Japan and which he loves. It seems to be a marker comparable to a Sharpie though I have not found much additional information about it. Anyone have personal experience with these?

As both artists were busy fielding questions and comments from actual art-buying customers, I didn’t get to ask them all the questions I might have wanted but I am grateful for their time and generosity. Hope you enjoyed the peek into their kits as well!

Original Article

This Muji retractable gel ink pen in 0.38 purple is another in a long line of goodies I grabbed while at the Muji store in Hong Kong. It has a clear, frosted, hexagonal body and the total absence of graphics which is one of the things that make Muji such a nice antithesis to big box office supply pens. Even the clip is integrated into the overall look in the same frosted plastic. Its probably not a heavy-duty clip but enough to clip on to the front of a notebook or pocket easily. There is no cushion on the grip but it has a wider-than-usual body making it comfortable for the price. Probably not the pen to write your next novel with but would be perfectly comfortable for daily notetaking. Through the case, you get a hint of the ink color with the cap matching the ink (or at least coordinating with it). I had never used this particular Muji pen model before and I don’t normally gravitate to retractable pens (nor purple pens) but this one is a delight to use. It glides across the paper with ease, the color is bright and rich without being too pale or too dark. Its actually a lovely violet purple color, not the pale lavender of the cap. It writes with a fine 0.38 tip and it really cannot be beat for the price. I paid $9HK which is about $1.16US. At this price, this is a pen you can leave on your desk and not be devastated if it was co-opted by a co-worker. I wish I had purchased more colors of this pen. If you’re ever near a Muji shop, I recommend seeking it out. RECOMMENDED! (This pen was tested on the Miquelrius medium flexible 300 grid paper book purchased from B+N.) Original Article

This Muji retractable gel ink pen in 0.38 purple is another in a long line of goodies I grabbed while at the Muji store in Hong Kong. It has a clear, frosted, hexagonal body and the total absence of graphics which is one of the things that make Muji such a nice antithesis to big box office supply pens. Even the clip is integrated into the overall look in the same frosted plastic. Its probably not a heavy-duty clip but enough to clip on to the front of a notebook or pocket easily. There is no cushion on the grip but it has a wider-than-usual body making it comfortable for the price. Probably not the pen to write your next novel with but would be perfectly comfortable for daily notetaking. Through the case, you get a hint of the ink color with the cap matching the ink (or at least coordinating with it).

I had never used this particular Muji pen model before and I don’t normally gravitate to retractable pens (nor purple pens) but this one is a delight to use. It glides across the paper with ease, the color is bright and rich without being too pale or too dark. Its actually a lovely violet purple color, not the pale lavender of the cap. It writes with a fine 0.38 tip and it really cannot be beat for the price. I paid $9HK which is about $1.16US. At this price, this is a pen you can leave on your desk and not be devastated if it was co-opted by a co-worker. I wish I had purchased more colors of this pen. If you’re ever near a Muji shop, I recommend seeking it out.

RECOMMENDED!

(This pen was tested on the Miquelrius medium flexible 300 grid paper book purchased from B+N.)

Original Article

Muji 0.5 Retractable (Don’t LIME if I do)

Muji 0.5 green retractable pen

Do I have a soft spot for anything lime green? Yes. I do. So when I spied the lime green retractable gel pen at the Muji store, I was weak to the temptation. Sadly, lime green is often a difficult color to read on paper, particularly if it has to fight with grids, lines or other markings that are often darker than the precious lime green ink. Sadly, the Muji 0.5 retractable suffered the same fate. It writes smoothly, has a nice soft grip, is in the fine tradition of Muji virtually free of all graphics and logos and cost a mere $1.29US. So, while I would not necessarily recommend this particular shade of ink for anyone but the diehard lime-green fans out there, I would recommend snatching up a few of the other colors available next time you are within shouting distance of a Muji shop.

Sadly, the retractable 0.5 gel ink pens are not available online through Muji.

Muji 0.5 green retractable pen

(This pen was tested on the Miquelrius medium flexible 300 grid paper book purchased from B+N.)

Original Article

Pilot Frixion Colors and Point 0.4

Pilot Fixion

While in Hong Kong, I was able to pick up both the Pilot Frixion Point 0.4 (similar to a rollerball or gel ink pen) and two Pilot Frixion Colors (which are more akin to a felt tip pen).

Pilot Fixion pens, capped

I purchased a black and brown Frixion Color from a small stationery shop in Hong Kong called Chun Kee  (no jokes please). On paper, the inks were not as dark and opaque as a Sharpie and the erasability (using the friction eraser) would not make these appropriate for labeling boxes or other places where a permanent dark line is needed.  But, the erasability did work as advertised which was kind of cool though I don’t know how often I would use it. An advantage of the lighter inks is that it did not feather or bleed through much on my standard notebook  If you’re looking for a felt tip pen that does not bleed through on the average notebook paper and is erasable, this may be just what you want.

Pilot Frixion Colors and Point 0.4

One unusual quirk that I discovered between the Frixion Colors and the Frixion Point is that the eraser tip on the Colors was on the cap so you need to post the cap on the end to have it available as you write. Alternately, on the Frixion Point, the eraser was on the end of the pen body so if you post the cap, the eraser is hidden. I don’t necessarily say one method is preferred but I find the inconsistency between models a little odd.

Pilot Frixion Point 0.4

Now, let’s talk about the Frixion Point 0.4. I purchased the blue-black model which had super smooth flowing ink and a sharp thin line comparable to a Pilot Precise V5 which is my go-to big box pen for ease-of-use and quality for the price. The Frixion adds the ability to erase to the equation making it a great option for notes and rough drafts. The ink quality alone is enough to recommend this pen, the eraser is just a bonus.

So, for what purposes would you use these pens?

Pilot Frixion pen tips

Final word:

Pilot Frixion Point 0.4 in blue-black. Recommended. $3.75 US

Pilot Colors in black and brown. Interesting but not sure of its usefulness. Maybe a bright color like orange or yellow to annotate notes might make this a useful tool but the black and brown seem to serve little purpose for me. $1.75 each US

(This pen was tested on the Miquelrius medium flexible 300 grid paper book purchased from B+N.)

Original Article

I have a confession, though if you’ve read The Well-Appointed Desk for awhile now, you’ll notice the absence of almost any reference to ballpoint pens. Those Bic Stics. Yuck. As a lefty with a hook, my high school years were filled with smudged papers, ink all over my pinky from smearing through my work and a overall distaste for the oily, slow-drying ink of those budget ballpoints that plagued my youth. Since then, I have done everything I can to avoid them. On the rare occasion that I am asked to sign a credit card slip with one, I die a little inside. So I had firmly avoided ever reviewing a single implement described as a ballpoint. Until today. I’d heard people wax poetic about the Uni Jetstream pens for years now. “How great could they be,” I thought, “they are still ballpoints.” Well, let me stop for a moment to eat this large plate of crow (please pass the hot sauce, I’ve got a lot to choke down). I picked one up in Hong Kong on a whim, more because it was a fabulous color described as “ash green” than for the fact that it was a (dare I say it) ballpoint. Then I put the pen to paper. What is this? It writes smoothly, dries quickly, does not stutter or smear. It has a fine delicate nib. The pen has a simple casing with just subtle graphics on a white case. Could it be that not all ballpoints are created equal? It writes more like a cross between a rollerball and a gel pen which I suspect is really what it is — the ink color is bright and clear like a liquid ink or gel ink and not at all the consistency of those Bic Stics that still make me cringe. If you too fear the ballpoint, then the Uniball Jetstream may be the pen to break your distaste for them one and for all. I know it changed my opinion about them and made me seriously wish I had purchased more than one. From Log-ON iSquare in Kowloon, Hong Kong for $12HK (about $2 US). Similar pens can be found at JetPens but I have not seen the illusive ash green color unless it is what they refer to as blue-black. Original Article

I have a confession, though if you’ve read The Well-Appointed Desk for awhile now, you’ll notice the absence of almost any reference to ballpoint pens. Those Bic Stics. Yuck. As a lefty with a hook, my high school years were filled with smudged papers, ink all over my pinky from smearing through my work and a overall distaste for the oily, slow-drying ink of those budget ballpoints that plagued my youth. Since then, I have done everything I can to avoid them. On the rare occasion that I am asked to sign a credit card slip with one, I die a little inside. So I had firmly avoided ever reviewing a single implement described as a ballpoint. Until today.

I’d heard people wax poetic about the Uni Jetstream pens for years now. “How great could they be,” I thought, “they are still ballpoints.” Well, let me stop for a moment to eat this large plate of crow (please pass the hot sauce, I’ve got a lot to choke down). I picked one up in Hong Kong on a whim, more because it was a fabulous color described as “ash green” than for the fact that it was a (dare I say it) ballpoint. Then I put the pen to paper. What is this? It writes smoothly, dries quickly, does not stutter or smear. It has a fine delicate nib. The pen has a simple casing with just subtle graphics on a white case. Could it be that not all ballpoints are created equal? It writes more like a cross between a rollerball and a gel pen which I suspect is really what it is — the ink color is bright and clear like a liquid ink or gel ink and not at all the consistency of those Bic Stics that still make me cringe.

If you too fear the ballpoint, then the Uniball Jetstream may be the pen to break your distaste for them one and for all. I know it changed my opinion about them and made me seriously wish I had purchased more than one.

From Log-ON iSquare in Kowloon, Hong Kong for $12HK (about $2 US). Similar pens can be found at JetPens but I have not seen the illusive ash green color unless it is what they refer to as blue-black.

Original Article

I don’t normally read Fox News but this is a nice little fluff piece about pen collecting that makes for a nice introduction to the hobby (or should I say passion?), particularly in the vintage market. The article does go on to mention a jewel-encrusted Montegrappa worth a small fortune so there’s something for everyone. (via Fox Business) Original Article

I don’t normally read Fox News but this is a nice little fluff piece about pen collecting that makes for a nice introduction to the hobby (or should I say passion?), particularly in the vintage market. The article does go on to mention a jewel-encrusted Montegrappa worth a small fortune so there’s something for everyone.

(via Fox Business)

Original Article

Link Love: The Catch-up Edition

I culled through three weeks of accumulated blog posts and thought I’d share a few gems you might have missed:

Also, while I was away, The Well-Appointed Desk got a couple shout-outs:

Finally, I’d like to send a shout out to Melissa of Craftgasm and the National Postal Museum for the letter writing social they hosted on Saturday. If I had not been crippled with debilitating jet lag, I may have mentioned it sooner — like in time for people to actually go. Mea culpa.

Original Article