The Pen Addict

#OnePenOneDay Pentel Slicci 0.25mm Black

Another one of my all-time favorite pens, the Pentel Slicci 0.25mm still lives up to the hype. You don't hear much Slicci talk these days, but this is a pen you should keep handy in your arsenal. Some people are not fans of the thin barrel diameter - which is understandable - but the line is one of the sharpest, cleanest, and most consistent around. It passed the #OnePenOneDay experiment with flying colors.

Review: Pentel Slicci 0.4mm Purple

Is this the long lost review you have all been waiting for?  Well, not exactly, but it boils down to the fact that I did this review in April - of 2009 - but never posted it to the site.  I found it in my Flickr stream, and as I re-read the review, I realized it touched on a few points that are worth updating since I originally wrote it.

First of all, I talked about how excited I was about the Pentel Sliccies line.  That excitement was pretty short lived after using the Sliccies for a while though.  They aren't terrible pens by any stretch, but they fall short of the standard single barrel Slicci.  I like the wider barrel, but I don't feel the lines are as sharp.  Also, in the three cartridge barrel, I feel that the tip of the cartridge comes out at too much of an angle, which annoys me on a lot of levels.  The ink colors are really vibrant, but the single barrel is the Slicci for me.

Secondly, I mentioned that the Slicci was ahead of the Hi-Tec-C at the time, but those roles have reversed for me recently.  I have become hooked on the grip model Hi-Tec-C pens, and while I still fight with them on the stopping and starting issue, the barrel is so much more enjoyable to write with.

For the Purple Slicci reviewed here - it is a really nice pen.  They are some of the most consistent writers around, and lay down a clean, sharp line.  As long as you can handle the skinny barrel diameter, you should enjoy it very much.

Click here for the XL review.

Product links:

Pentel Slicci Gel Ink Pen - 0.4 mm - Purple Ink from JetPens

Large Writing Pad from Doane Paper

See also:

Review: Pentel Sliccies Multi Pen

Review: Pentel Slicci 0.25mm

Updated Top 5 Pens List

It is time to make a few updates to my Top 5 Pens list that I keep on the sidebar.  The Zebra Sharbo X remains strong at the top, but an old standby - the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto - has come charging back into the number two spot.  I ordered two limited edition Coleto barrels off of eBay which renewed my interest in that pen, and I have been using them a ton recently.

The Sharpie Pen RT, formerly at #5, no longer makes the cut.  I have had a bunch of trouble with the tip of the pen drying out, which the original never did.  I think I was a little too quick to rank that one, but I did just pick up the Sharpie Pen Grip, and it looks like an improvement.  Taking the final spot is a pen that keeps growing on me, and I find myself reaching for all of the time - the Uni-Ball Jetstream Basic Series 0.5mm Blue.  I love how fine and clean this pen writes, and is a great value for the price.

The full list:

1. Zebra Sharbo X

2. Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto

3. Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38mm

4. Pentel Slicci 0.3mm

5. Uni-Ball Jetstream 0.5mm

Top 10 Pen Reviews of 2009

Since this post was such a hit last year, I want to make this an end of year tradition here at The Pen Addict.  The rankings below consist of the top 10 pen review posts for the 2009 calendar year as determined by Google Analytics.  This list isn't my top 10 favorite pens, but rather a snapshot of what was popular over the last 12 months.

Zebra Sharbo X - Pen of the year?

1. Zebra Sharbo X
I had no idea I would like this pen so much.  The price tag is a barrier to entry, but I'm glad I finally broke down and bought one (and then two).  This is a very well made pen, fun to use, and fun to look at.  If you want to strut your cool Japanese pen stuff, then the Zebra Sharbo X is definitely the way to go.

2. Pentel Slicci 0.25mm
As long as I write this blog, the Pentel Slicci will have a prominent place in these pages.  For my money, this is one of the best micro point gel ink pens around.  The 0.25mm model may be a stretch for some, but it is very easy to write with, and the colors really pop off the page.

3. Sharpie Pen RT
One of the two new Sharpie Pen models this year, the Sharpie Pen RT really changed things up from the original.  The barrel is much better, and the rubber grip is a great addition.  I have been running into an issue of late where the pen tip firms up more than the original, so that is something I am going to dig into more soon.

4. Lamy Safari Charcoal/Black EF Nib
Any and every Lamy Safari post is always a huge hit, and this one was no different.  One of these years I am going to get off my butt, buy a converter, and start testing out other fountain pen inks.  Maybe.

5. Uni-Ball Signo 207 0.7mm Needle Tip
It took me FOREVER to come up with one of these pens.  A reader actually sent my my first one, then I finally came across some on the shelf at an Office Max on a trip to Florida.  This is a really cool variation on the Uni-Ball 207, but I wish it was more accessible.  You hear me Uni-Ball?  :)

6. Uni-Ball Jetstream 3 Multi Pen
Jetstream + Multi Pen = win.  I am a big multi-pen fan, and find myself using the Jetstream more and more, so this pen is a no-brainer for me.  Black, blue, and red are the three ink colors, and with some nice barrel colors available and at just $6.00, this pen is a great value.

7. Uni-Ball Kuru Toga High Grade 0.5mm
Along with the Zebra Sharbo X, this is one of my favorites.  This is the only pencil I carry with me on a daily basis, and I have yet to find a reason to carry any other.  Plus, I just like saying Kuru Toga.  And Mount Wannahockaloogie.

8. Zebra F-701
This is a hugely popular pen with the Every Day Carry crowd, and one I was missing out on for the longest time.  The construction of this pen is awesome, with a sleek stainless steel body and knurled metal grip.  If the ballpoint ink cartridge was a little bit nicer this pen could crack my top 5.

9. Bic Triumph 730R
Bic has always been a second tier pen company to me, ranking behind the big boys like Uni-Ball, Pilot, Pentel, Zebra, and others.  But this year, Bic brought a couple of nicer pens to market, including this 730R.  It is a refillable needle tip liquid ink pen, very similar to the Pilot Precise V5.  Good job by Bic on this one.

10. Pentel Energel Multi-Function Pen
This is an interesting pen to round out the top 10.  The Energel is one of the best writing gel inks around, and is nice to have available in in a multi pen version.  I also appreciate the fact that the cartridges are 0.5mm instead of 0.7mm, which is more common in the American market.

Pentel Slicci Metallic Gel Ink Pen - 0.8 mm - Blue

The Pentel Slicci Metallic gel ink pen is not a pen I was super anxious to try, but color me impressed, in a crafty, glittery kind of way.

I'm generally a fan of all things Slicci as it is, and the metallic Slicci's are built just like the regular ones.  The barrel is the same shape, size, and weight, with the only difference being a few additional graphics around the label and the end of the pen.  My one concern prior to using this model was the 0.8mm tip size.  I reviewed a regular 0.7mm orange Slicci earlier this year, and didn't like the bluntness of the pen and how the ink transferred to the paper.  I felt I couldn't get as sharp of a line as I wanted.  The metallic gel ink Slicci does a better job when writing, and I wonder if the tip is slightly different.  I'll need to break out the magnifying glass one day to check them out.

The blue glittery gel ink wouldn't play too well in my office, but it is a really fun color and I am surprised at how much I like it.  The line is solid, almost like you would get from a felt tip pen.  I was worried that the color would be washed out and watery, but it is not in the least.  The gel ink also doesn't bleed through the page, so it would be perfect for scrap booking and craft projects.  My good pen friend Alberto at Lung Sketching Scrolls did a great review of all the available colors on his blog, so be sure to check it out.

Click here for the XL review.