Stabilo Bionic Worker Roller Ball Review

I've been making some changes and needed to take a break from blogging, but I've started a new project with a lot of writing so this seems like a good time to come back and write some pen reviews.  

JetPens has been very generous in supplying me with some great items, so a big thanks to them for the next few posts.  Please do go over to their site and drool browse the incredible selection of pens, paper, and office supplie.  My favorite tab is "New Arrivals" at the top right, always a jaw-dropping experience clicking that one.

One pen I've been looking at for some time is this bright orange Stabilo Bionic Worker Roller Ball (there's a basic black model as well).  The Bionic is available with a 0.3mm and 0.5mm tips, the latter is considered a medium so that's the one I went with for my review.

The Bionic's body is covered in a soft rubber coating that feels great but isn't too squishy.  It has a great hand-feel, and keeps your fingers from gripping too hard.  There's also a small nub in the middle of the barrel that keeps the pen from rolling.  Another feature is a nickel silver tip for a smoother writing experience, and I have to say this pen really glides across the paper (Clairefontaine 90gsm was used, which I admit is a great paper to use).

I like the thick, solid clip on the cap, and the indented end of the barrel which locks the cap firmly in place when posted.  The pen measures 5.6 inches, and is 0.4 inches in diameter at its widest point.  The clear colored section near the barrel is a nice touch as well, echoed in the cap and end so you can pick out the color quickly (the above is blue ink, but you have a choice of black, red, and green as well).

 

The Bionic 0.5mm line is a bit wider than I'd normally use, but not too wide for a good writing experience. The ink flows smoothly, and overall it's a great pen if you're looking to add some color to your collection. Definitely check this one out at JetPens, or the 0.3mm if you want a thinner line. You'll like it.

Monami Love Pet Pens @ShopWritersBloc

When Cheryl from Writer's Bloc very generously offered me a set of Monami Love Pet gel ink pens to review I was really thrilled, and couldn't wait for them to arrive. What an incredible set of 10 gel ink, 0.38mm needle tip pens in a great array of colors.

Each pen is labelled for a specific dog, and there's a small picture of a puppy on the end of the pen. I'm guessing that the Love Pet label is a literal translation of the Korean, and on a whimsical level it works well. Who doesn't love their pet? Whatever, let's move on to the pens and leave the explanation to someone else.



First, the design: these are square pens and very easy to hold, the edges don't get in the way of holding the pen and so aren't really noticeable. All of the details are coordinated to the pen's color, so with orange you have an orange barrel, orange detailing on the barrel, and orange writing and accenting on the end where the specific dog picture is located. Each cap is labelled 0.38, and the 10 pens have their own plastic carrying case so you won't misplace a color in your bag.


The colors are: black, dark blue, red, green, purple, pink, light blue/turquoise, navy blue, brown, and orange. Each one features a dog, such as a maltese, siberian husky, shihtzu, fox terrier, and pomeranian.

I have to say that the first blue above, which I think of as a regular blue, really caught my eye. It's a deeper blue, while the royal blue below has a decent touch of purple to it. The 0.38mm width of the tip is perfect for both reading and writing, and the line seems to jump off the page.

If you want just one Love Pet pen rather than the 10 pack, Writer's Bloc has the blue, black, and red available.



The pens are refillable, and while I don't see a refill available at Writer's Block I'm pretty sure these are standard sizes. A Hi-Tec-C or something similar would probably fit, but an email or phone call would give you better information. The above pic shows them capped, posted, and taken apart to show off as much of the pen as possible.

What a great pen set, and the price is quite reasonable. Definitely Shop Writer's Bloc, and check out the Monami Love Pet gel ink pen set. They also have an amazing selection of Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks and pads that make a great combination with the Monami Love Pet pens.

EcoVerte Pens and Pencils

Another National Stationery Show exhibitor that showcased its "green" line of writing tools and supplies is EcoVerte. The company has a number of lines that focus on recycled newspaper and plastic as well as a line of bamboo pens and pencils that are unusual-looking but not so weird as to be put in the re-gift drawer.

From left to right above is a bamboo ballpoint pen (also comes in pencil flavor), a recycled plastic ballpoint pen, and a woodless pencil that's one of the nicest of its type I've seen (very simple one-color design). All are fun and functional, and if you happen across any of these in a local shop they are definitely something to consider adding to your lineup.

One thing I loved about the recycled plastic pen is its shape. The barrel from tip to mid-section is round, tapering into an oval as you get to the end and the plunger. The clip has a beautiful soft, flowing curve while the clear blue barrel shows off all of the spring action at both ends. This pen's design is excellent and interesting, definitely check it out. Where to buy is again the question, but if you see any check them out.

The Pen Addict's Easy Glide Review & Giveaway

Great review of Bic's Easy Glide ballpoint and a few to giveaway over at The Pen Addict. And don't forget to stop by his place next Tuesday, when he hosts the 15th Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper.

Staedtler Triplus Fineline

Here's a really unusual looking pen the Staedtler triplus fineliner. I found this and a purple one at a local stationery store and liked the look and feel. It's a very long, slim, triangular pen with a porous needle point that I thought looked like a 0.5mm width line or larger. The info from Staedtler is that it's about 0.3mm. Hmmm.

Anyway, the ink has a Dry Safe feature: the pen can be left uncapped for days without drying up. I'm sure I'll be testing that out very soon, and hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised. The ink is water-based, so it will wash out of clothing and there's an airplane safety feature--an automatic pressure equalization prevents the pen from leaking while flying.

Cool looking liquid ink pen, reminds me of the Flair. If you find any, give them a try.