The Pen Addict

Sharpie 80s Glam Permanent Markers Winner

I tell you what, I couldn't have scripted the winner of the Sharpie 80's Glam Permanent Markers better if I tried. First of all, I have a favorite number that a few of you have caught on to over the years, and lookie what popped up on Random.org this afternoon:

So, congrats Jesse!

And for all of you 80's fans, you know what is coming next (spelling be damned!):

 

Sorry Jesse - it had to be done! Leave me a comment on this post and send me an email with your mailing address and I will get your pens out ASAP!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

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Sharpie 80s Glam Permanent Marker Pens Giveaway

I am a child of the 80's so I thought it was pretty cool when I saw the new Limited Edition Sharpie 80s Glam Permanent Markers show up at JetPens. How can you resist colors like Argyle Green, Banana Clip Yellow, Jellie Pink, Leg Warmer Orange, and Valley Girl Violet? I know I couldn't resist grabbing all of them to giveaway. One winner will take home all five limited edition pens - here is how to enter:

***Note: I have shortened the default duration of the giveaway window. Please take note below.***

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Wednesday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.  You are limited to one entry. This contest is limited to US residents only.

2. Please follow @jetpens on Twitter and "Like" JetPens on Facebook. This is not mandatory, but I sure would appreciate your support! Feel free to follow me @dowdyism as well.

3. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post.  The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on.  The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

4. The contest winner will be posted on Thursday, June 23rd.  The winner will have one week to email me at the address posted in the right sidebar.

Thanks and good luck!

 

Review: Sharpie Ultra Fine Permanent Marker - Brown

I mentioned it in the written review above, but it bears repeating here - you can thank Chad Doane for this review.  I read in his recent "What's on Their Desk" interview at Office Supply Geek that his daily arsenal consists of the Sharpie Ultra Fine Permanent Marker in Black and his own Doane Paper Flap Jotter.  I had some black Sharpies laying around the house, but I figured I would order a few of the more non-traditional colors from JetPens since they recently started stocking them.

One of the things I have always enjoyed about the Sharpie Ultra Fine markers is how rich the colors are, and this brown is a perfect example.  The way it lays down on the page makes it look almost as if it were painted on.  That being said, you also know going into it that you are going to get some bleed through the page.  If that is acceptable to you, then you are looking at a marker that can accomplish a wide variety of tasks on a daily basis.  It's no wonder why Sharpies are the marker of choice for so many artists and designers around the world.

What do you use your Sharpies for?

Click here for the XL review.

Review: Sharpie Liquid Pencil

My friend Brian (aka the Office Supply Geek) recently did a bang up review of the new Sharpie Liquid Pencil.  He pretty much covered it all, from design to performance and with tons and tons of photo samples.  For a super in-depth review of the Sharpie Liquid Pencil, be sure to check his review out, because I am going to take this one in a little bit of a different direction.

I am not going to ignore the performance of this pencil, but I am not going to belabor the point either: the Sharpie Liquid Pencil writes horribly.  It is inconsistent, streaky, messy, and the barrel rattles when writing like there is no tomorrow.  Being the tech nerd that I am, I relate the quality of this pencil as similar to an alpha release of software.  It feels nothing at all like a finished product.

I could continue bagging on this pencil until the cows come home, but that would be a waste of time, because all things considered, this pencil makes me happy.  "How in the world can this pencil make you happy if you hate it so much" is what you are probably saying at this point, but hear me out.  I think by putting a product out like the Sharpie Liquid Pencil that is different than anything else on the market is a bold and innovative move.  Sharpie is showing the office supply community that they aren't going to rest on their laurels and just keep pumping out the best permanent ink pen on the market.  That would be so easy for them to do, wouldn't it?

Ever heard of the Sharpie Pen?  I assume so if your are reading this blog.  Think about the Sharpie Pen and then think about the last time you saw something new and innovative on the store shelves from Pilot or Uni-Ball or Pentel?  The mass market American consumer doesn't like change apparently, because every time I go to the store, all I see are the standard G2's or 207's or Energel's that have been on the shelves for years.  B-O-R-I-N-G!  Why do you think I shop at JetPens anyway?  But Sharpie put out four versions of the Sharpie Pen in a reasonably short time frame, and they have all been a huge success.

While my overall experience with the Sharpie Liquid Pencil has been poor, I am glad to see Sharpie taking risks and putting new products out on the market.  I hope this model succeeds or there is a version two in the pipeline.  The last thing I want to see is for Sharpie to stop innovating.  Maybe the other brands will follow suit in the American market like they do overseas.

Big thanks to Sharpie and especially @SharpieWhit for sending me this sample for review.

Click here for the XL review.

Review: Sharpie Pen Grip

I have been holding off reviewing the new Sharpie Pen Grip for a few weeks now in an effort to get some good quality writing time with it, and to avoid rushing to judgment about the pen and getting burned like I did with the Sharpie Pen RT.  The RT ended up being not so hot, with the tips on several of mine hardening up in a very short period of time.  Is the Grip the best of the bunch, or is it heading down the path of the RT?

First of all, what is different about this pen compared to the first two versions?  The Grip has just that - a rubber grip.  The original Sharpie Pen had no true grip area to speak of, and even had a very sharp edge around the grip area that was a problem for some people.  The RT, on the other hand, not only added a rubber grip, but based on the barrel diameter, almost made the grip too wide.  The Grip slimmed down the rubber grip area to a more traditional diameter, and the feel is just right (I feel like I am heading into Goldilocks and the Three Bears territory here).

The overall design of the Grip is excellent, with a torpedo shape that isn't as wide as the RT, and again more along traditional pen sizings.  The silver cap and butt end of the pen really pop against the molded black plastic barrel, which is a carryover from the RT, but a great improvement on the paint peeling barrel of the original.  The one thing I don't have nailed down with this pen yet is the feel.  It is so lightweight, yet balanced, it is like no other pen I have tried.  It's almost like you are holding a piece of balsa wood or solid foam to write with.  It is kind of neat, but I can't help but think about the weight of the pen every time I pick it up.

So which is the best Sharpie Pen of the three?  I can tell you which one it isn't - the Sharpie Pen RT.  But I think I still need more time with the Sharpie Pen Grip to see if it can oust the original Sharpie Pen from the top spot.

Click here for the XL review.