Uni-ball Insight 0.7 mm Rollerball Review

If you are anything like me, a trip to the store is not complete without a visit to the office supply aisle. The majority of the time there is nothing new, and on the rare occasions there is, it is coming home with me - for better, or for worse.

I was hoping the Uni-ball Insight would land in the “for better” category, but my expectation was it would fit squarely in the “for worse” bucket. At the risk of ruining the rest of the review I’ll go ahead and cop out right now: It is somewhere in the middle.

The good: Like most of Uni-ball’s products, the design and overall quality are top notch. I rarely have any issues with their pens and the Insight is no exception. The barrel is solid, lightweight, and comfortable to hold. It also uses Super Ink technology, which means the ink is archival quality.

The average: Shockingly, the Insight is also “refillable”. I use quotes around the term because one, I haven’t laid eyes on any refills, and two, like the Uni-Ball Vision Elite, you are replacing at least 50% of the entire pen (ink cartridge, grip, and tip) with each refill. I don’t see how that is good value.

The bad: While I do appreciate the Super Ink technology, the ink flow of the Insight is too heavy for me. In my book, this is a redesign of the base-level Uni-ball Vision, a pen that I don’t care for at all. It bleeds profusely on most standard papers, and is overall a messy writer. If you enjoy the standard Uni-ball Vision then you will like the Insight very much. But, if you are looking for a liquid ink Uni-ball pen that performs better than average, skip these and go straight for the Uni-Ball Vision Elite.

One pricing note: The black and blue dozens at Amazon run in the $15 range, but for some reason the red dozen is only $8. If you are a heavy red pen user that is an excellent deal. The Insight is certainly worth that.

TWSBI Diamond 540 ROC 100 Fountain Pen Review

I’m not sure if I am crazy, or crazy like a fox, but this newfound fountain pen obsession is going to cost me for sure. I’ve mentioned on Twitter and on the podcast over the past few weeks that I have purchased a TWSBI Diamond 540 ROC 100 fountain pen and I wanted to share my initial thoughts.

TWSBI is a company that many of you outside the fountain pen world may not have heard of. While they have been around for decades as an OEM manufacturer they only recently created their own fountain pen product line. In just a few years time they have become a well respected brand in fountain pen circles. After a few weeks with my Diamond 540 I can see why.

If you haven’t already noticed, this is a striking looking pen. The translucent barrel with red and blue sections really pop. It looks as good in person as it does in the pictures. I’m not wild about the faceted cut in the clear mid-section of the barrel (I would have preferred smooth) but it blends in well and I am willing to overlook it.

Since I am just starting to spread my wings in the fountain pen world there were a couple of things that took some getting used to. While the Diamond 540 would not be considered a large pen, compared to the Lamy Safari and Pilot Prera it is bigger and more substantial feeling. I would say this is very normal sized compared to most fountain pens. It took me almost no time to get used to.

Secondly, the nib is larger physically than any other fountain pen I own. Again, I would say this is more of the norm in the grand scheme of things. I chose an EF nib and it writes wonderfully. It is very smooth and comparable in line width to both the Kaweco and Lamy EF nibs.

I was a little concerned as to how the piston filling system was going to work for me but it couldn’t possible be any easier to use. A quick dip and a twist and I was ready to write in a matter of seconds. I love how I can see the ink sloshing around in the barrel.

The TWSBI Diamond 540 is going to get a lot of use around the house and would be a good choice as my ink testing pen. I will have to see how easy it is to clean - my guess is not too difficult.

From what I have experienced in my limited TWSBI use I am very pleased with their products. Looking through their various lines I can see myself purchasing several other pens in the future. Are there any other TWSBI fans out there? I would love to hear about your experiences and your favorite TWSBI models so please let me know!

Deleter Neopiko Line 2 0.3 mm Review

Any time a new drawing pen hits the market I get an itchy trigger finger. I ordered the Deleter Neopiko Line 2 when it first came in stock at JetPens, reviewed it shortly thereafter, then completely forgot to post the review in a timely fashion. It was only when I saw Alex’s review at Economy Pens that I remembered I needed to post this.

My main concern with this pen is the softness and flexibility of the tip. I’m not sure if this is a design feature as opposed to a personal annoyance, but the tip is very different from the standard bearing Sakura Pigma Micron. The Micron sports a firm, rounded tip while the Deleter has almost a mini-brush pen type of feel. It is not quite that extreme but it doesn’t lend itself to writing, which is my primary use for this type of pen.

If you are using the Deleter Neopiko for its intended purpose - manga art - then the value question may not come into play. For me, since I use it for writing, value is an issue. It is much more costly in comparison to the aforementioned Micron, the Uni Pin, and a few other quality pigment liners. Be sure you know what you are getting into when checking out the Line 2.

For a third take on the Deleter Neopiko check out Brian’s guest post in April. There seems to be a recurring theme.