Ohto Fine Fountain Pen Review

There is no doubt that the Ohto Fine is a beautiful fountain pen. Long, sleek lines, sharp chrome accents, and a few curves for added visual effect. But functionality is the most important thing for me when using and reviewing a pen, and that is where the Ohto Fine falls short.

I have had great success with other Ohto pens I have reviewed, so I was surprised to be let down by this one. First of all, the length and weight of the pen with the cap posted makes it top heavy when writing. This leads to balance issues, and eventually writing fatigue if you use this pen for long periods of time. I didn’t make it that far due to my second issue with the pen - nib alignment.

I am not a fountain pen expert by any stretch, so it took me some time to figure out. The pen was very scratchy when making certain strokes, and upon closer inspection, the nib appears to be mis-aligned. It is very slight and hard to see, but one side of the nib is higher than the other. I could probably adjust it for slightly better performance, but by this point I was disillusioned with it.

The final issue - and one that will vary between user - is the grip section. Ohto may have gotten too aggressive with the design on this one, because the sharp curve of the barrel hits me right where I grip the pen. That angle cut digs right in to my fingers, and again limits the length of time I can write with it.

At $22.00, it isn’t going to break the bank, but there are better options in the same price range - the Lamy Safari comes to mind immediately. Sorry Ohto, three strikes and you’re out!

Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3mm Grip Black Review

Finally!

After all of the talk, after all of the praise, after all of the top rankings, I finally have a review of the exact Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3mm Grip Black that I talk about so much. This is my go to pen.

So, what makes this pen so special? The lines. This pen lays down the best, sharpest, and most consistent lines around. The grip is an added bonus that is only available on the black, blue, and red ink colors, so why not take advantage of that? I also buy the 0.3mm black refills for my Cavalier when I want to switch up the barrel but keep the same writing experience.

The only thing I regret is my photography. I might break down and reshoot this page. The lighting is funky, and the clarity is poor, making it hard to see how clean the lines really are, even in the larger size photos on Flickr. I didn’t realize how bad it turned out until I sat down to write this post.

As much as I love this pen, it is not for everyone. Some find that the 0.3mm tip is just too fine. But if you ever want to take a chance on a pen and a new writing experience, the Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3mm might just be for you.

Zebra Mini T3 Ballpoint Pen Review

Mini pens are a tough thing. I think that everybody can benefit from having one for various reasons - wallet carry, pocket carry, purse carry, etc. - but there are equally as many reasons for not carrying one. Most of those arguments are size related, and are valid points. Can I even grip a pen that small? How long will the ink last? Am I just going to lose it? The Zebra Mini T3 Ballpoint doesn’t pretend to solve those problems, but it may be the best of the bunch if you want to give a mini pen a try.

The thing that stands out to me the most is the barrel construction. It is fully metal, and just feels durable. If a pen is going to be this small, I at least want to feel the weight in my hand when I write. On top of that, the default blue ink cartridge pleases me to no end. You can order black, red, and green refills for the Mini T3, but blue ballpoint ink is my favorite. It writes wonderfully.

One minor issue that cropped up from time to time is the knock release in the clip. You press the knock down like normal to write, then to retract the pen you press the end of the clip. Since the pen is a shorter length, I sometimes hit the clip with the cup of my hand if I rotate it when writing. Most of the time it isn’t an issue, but I did want to mention it because it happened more than once.

It may not be perfect, but I am not sure what else I could ask for in a mini pen. What do you look for in a mini pen? What other mini pens do I need to check out?