Zebra Sarasa Clip Viridian Green 0.3mm Review

This post is by Lou Rinaldi, who can also be found at cfug.org and on Twitter @LouRinaldi.

There must be something I’m missing when it comes to Micro Tip Gel Ink pens. The Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3mm feels good in the hand, but it seems like it will take some time for me to get used to. This is definitely the finest point I€'ve ever used for writing, and there€'s undoubtedly going to be an adjustment period. They seem to be well-loved by aficionados, so I'€™m being very patient and giving it a chance.

Every stroke is like sandpaper across the desert. And I can hear it, too. For my writing style, at least, it’s quite fatiguing. Nor is it a smooth writing experience. Perhaps this was a poor choice with which to begin my journey, but if nothing else this will give me a valuable sense of perspective as I continue to explore different options.

Love the push clip design, and I suspect I’d love the whole package a lot more in a 0.5mm or 0.7mm tip. The Viridian Green ink is gorgeous in color. I don't usually give much consideration to color when writing, but this ink€™s vibrancy made me take notice.

Maybe I’m just not ready for the 0.3mm yet. It's too scratchy for my inexperienced hand. I’ll have to revisit this down the road. I'm not ready to pass final judgment, but for now, this isn't a pen I'€™ll be returning to on a regular basis.

Pen: Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3mm, Viridian Green (furnished by JetPens)

Paper: Ampad Envirotec Recycled Steno Book # 25774

Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen - Super Fine Review

Continuing my suddenly recurring theme of pens I never really cared for but all of a sudden find fun and useful, the Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen has worked its way into every day use. Since I don’t pretend to be an artist of any kind, I never had a use for brush pens until recently talking with one of my co-workers at JetPens. She uses super fine hard tip brush pens for taking notes and wondered if I did too.

I do now.

I honestly had never considered it before this conversation, but it makes sense. I love using drawing pens to take notes with, so why not brush pens? The tip is not quite as firm as the felt and plastic tip pens I regularly use, but it is closer than you would imagine. Not all brush pens are going to be able to do as well this Kuretake Fudegokochi though. It has a very firm tip, and you can see in the writing sample above that while there is some line width variation, it is a tight enough range to make my notes look good.

There is one big difference between this pen and a felt tip drawing pen: the drying time is much longer. I don’t have enough experience with a wide variety of brush pens to know if this is just with the Kuretake or not, but I’m sure there are many differences between the brands.

Now I am on a new hunt. What are some of the most firm, super fine tipped brush pens out there? I have used the popular Zebra Disposable before, but the tip is not as firm. Is there anything else on the market like this pen? Maybe my brush pen guru Kalina knows.

Ohto Rook Fountain Pen Review

Just as I have turned the corner on the erasable ink of the Pilot FriXion, I have really started to come around on fountain pens as well. The more I am around them, the more I want to use them. The more I use them, the more I enjoy how they write, and all the different options that are available. The Ohto Rook doesn’t fall into the category of a traditional fountain pen, but it is a fun portable fountain pen that I am very much enjoying.

When I first took the pen out of the package, it took me a few seconds to realize how to open it up to write with. When capped, it measures just 3.7 inches in length, but once I figured out how to pull it apart and post the cap, it reached its full writing length of 5.6 inches, which is comparable to most standard pens. Getting it to open after that first time hasn’t been an issue.

From a writing perspective, the Rook does a fantastic job. The fine iridium nib lays down a smooth, clean line, and the ink is a nice shade of black. The silver portion of the barrel is made from aluminum, while the black sections are plastic, making for a very light weight pen.

This is about as portable as you can get from a fountain pen. If you would like to get another perspective on the Ohto Rook, check out the review by Brian at Office Supply Geek.