Uni-Ball Multi 5 Multi Pen + Pencil Review

When choosing pens, sometimes superficiality rules the day, and in the case of the Uni-Ball Multi 5, I just had to have the Capri Blue body color, no matter how the pen performs. I haven't seen to many barrels in this shade of blue, and as well as Uni-Ball designs pens, I thought they did a great job with the overall package.

Fortunately from a writing perspective, this pen holds up pretty well. This is no Jetstream ink, but Uni-Balls standard ballpoint ink is pretty nice in its own right. The 0.7mm ink cartridges write neat and cleanly, although they are prone to a small bit of streaking. The black and blue inks are great (I really like how my lettering came out on the page), the red ink is decent, but the green ink is a lost cause. It is far too light for me. The pencil is just that, but at least if you like that option in your multi pens, the Multi 5 comes with an on board eraser, which sometimes isn't present in pens like this.

The overall package won me over, and while this pen isn't going to top any of my personal lists, it gets the job done nicely. The Uni Multi 5 can be found at JetPens for $7.50 in Black, White, Navy, Rose Red, and Capri Blue body colors.

Click here for the XL review.

Pilot RexGrip 0.7mm Purple Ballpoint Review

I wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to review a basic ballpoint like the Pilot Rexgrip 0.7mm, even more so after my bad experience with the 1.0mm model. But I said in that review - over two years ago - that I would get one of the 0.7mm models, and I'm glad I did. Sometimes low expectations lead to the best discoveries. 

So my first question is: Where have you gone Der Bingle? The once prolific commenter mentioned in my original review that while I disliked the 1.0mm model, I needed to give the purple 0.7mm a shot. I finally took him up on that advice, and was happy to find a pen that was completely different than the original one I reviewed. I was very pleased at how clean the lines were, especially with my small, fast paced handwriting. I actually tried hard to find something I disliked about this pen, and I couldn't. Where the original was streaky and light colored. this one is solid and vibrant. A totally different experience.

The barrel is pretty basic, but what do you expect from a pen that only costs $1.50? It is very similar to the Pilot G-Knock - a barrel I like very much and is very comfortable. There aren't a lot of options out there for purple ballpoint pens, so this one is definitely worth a look.

Click here for the XL review.

Products used:

Pilot Rexgrip Ballpoint Pen - 0.7 mm - Purple Body - Purple Ink from JetPens.

Writing Pad from Doane Paper.

Review: Sailor Pica Kirei Anti-Bacterial Multi Pen

An anti-bacterial pen? Call me skeptical, but that is what the Sailor Pica Kirei Anti-Bacterial ballpoint multi pen presents itself as. How does it work? The product page at JetPens has all of the details:

This pen utilizes material developed by Tokyo Advanced Technology Research Center and Fujitsu Research Lab. The pen body material is a combination of photocatalyst titanium apatite and silver apatite, materials commonly used in advanced air purification systems. This composite can absorb and decompose microorganisms and various other substances such as bacteria, pollen, fungus, and more. The apatite adsorbs contaminants even without exposure to light. The material adsorbed by the apatite is decomposed by the photocatalyst titanium apatitet on exposure to sunlight (ultra violet). Silver apatite inhibits growth of the germs and keeps this anti-bacteria effect without sunlight.

Can I verify this with my own lab tests? Of course not, but it does sound like a really good idea for doctor offices, schools, restaurants, or any other place where the public is in repeated contact with the same pen.

From a writing perspective, I am generally a fan of all Sailor products, and this one is no different. The ballpoint ink cartridges are nice and clean, with little to no skipping.  I actually enjoyed writing with it, regardless of whether I was spreading cooties or not. Maybe its not a pen you want to use every single day, but it wouldn't hurt to leave one around the house or on your desk for when those germ laden hands come calling.

Click here for the XL review.