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.

Review: Platinum Double 3 Action 2 Color Ballpoint Multi Pen + Pencil

I have had this review in the hopper for the longest time (uploaded the image to Flickr on 9/14/2010), but I am just now finally getting around to typing it up.  Why?  Who knows.  The Platinum Double 3 Action 2 Color Ballpoint Multi Pen + Pencil has a lot going for it - besides a long name - but I have found that it is not for me.

The thing that attracted me most to this pen was the fact that the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Slims refills fit perfectly into the Platinum body, making this one of the fancier Hi-Tec-C multi pens around.  The barrel is exceptionally well designed, with a sleek gunmetal body and sharp chrome accents.  The cartridge switching mechanism is interesting in the fact that a single button press exposes the cartridge you want.  All you have to do is face the text of the ink color you want towards you, press the button, and bingo!  Out pops your ink or lead.

I have never been able to get used to it though.  I felt the overall package was a little lighter feeling than I expected, plus the switching mechanism caused some rattling when writing.  Not terrible, but enough to notice.  In the end, I haven't gotten much use out of it.  Maybe it is time to take the Slims refills back out and use them for something else.

Click here for the XL review.

Review: Pilot Acroball 3 Color Multi Pen

The first time I used the Pilot Acroball, I loved it.  From the smooth, clean lines to maybe the best grip in the business, my love for the Acroball hasn't waned at all since that time.  In fact, I keep one within reach at all times, and find myself going to it more frequently than my Jetstreams.  So when JetPens started carrying the Acroball 3 Color multi pen, it was a no-brainer order for me.

The multi pen version is just as great as the single barrel originals.  The ink cartridges write just as well, and the grip is identical.  But you know what?  I can't get into ballpoint style multi pens as much as their gel ink counterparts.  The is really nothing wrong with this pen at all, but I prefer the single barrel Acroball (and Jetstream for that matter) much more than the multi pen.  This isn't the case at all with my gel ink multi pens.  I like them as much, if not more, than the single cartridge versions.  Why is that?

I don't have a great answer, but for me, I think it boils down to my writing form.  Ballpoints lend themselves to a looser, more flowing writing style, and the wide barrel doesn't allow me to write as cleanly.  But I don't seem to have this issue with wide barrel gel ink pens.  I don't know if I am making any sense at all (I am writing this while watching Tosh.0 so my brain has shut down), but I have noticed this for a while.  My ballpoint multi pens just don't get a lot of use despite being nice pens.

Click here for the XL review.