Ohto Dude Fountain Pen Review

There are a wide variety of fountain pens available in the entry-level price range of around $20. Some on the lower-end of that price scale are excellent (the Platinum Preppy and Sailor HighAce Neo for starters), as are ones on the higher end like the Lamy Safari. While there are many good choices, there are poor ones as well, and unfortunately the Ohto Dude falls into the latter category.

The Ohto brand has always appealed to me from a design perspective. Their barrel design ideas are interesting, and they generally pull them off very well (the Ohto Rook being the lone exception). Where they have been lacking - more times than not - is in the area of performance. Most importantly, where the nib meets paper.

I should have learned my lesson with the Ohto Fine. That nib gave me serious problems at the time, and the cost of repair would be greater than the original price. I was hoping the unfortunately named Dude would be better. It was, but only marginally.

What I have repeatedly experienced with Ohto fountain pens is the nib digging into the page. I don't mean that it is scratchy when I write - that is a different feeling - I mean that it is almost gouging the page. This made for a poor and inconsistent writing experience.

I have learned my lesson with this pen. Ohto ballpoints and rollerballs are good pens but I am going to swear off any future Ohto fountain pen purchases.

Sakura Pigma Sensei Drawing Pen 0.4 mm Review

There are not many pens that I like more than the Sakura Pigma Micron. It has been a long time favorite of mine, and along with the Pilot Hi-Tec-C it is a pen I keep handy everywhere I am, or might be. The Sakura Pigma Sensei Drawing Pen shares some of the same properties as its cousin the Micron but has many unique qualities of its own.

What intrigued me the most about the Sensei line was the range of tip types offered, especially the porous tip found in the 0.4 mm. The product line is made to be sold as a set, with the 0.3 mm made to look like the traditional Micron for fine lines, and the wider 0.6 mm and 1.0 mm designed like markers for wide, bold lines. Fortunately for me, JetPens sells the pens individually as well because I really wanted to try the 0.4 mm the most.

Porous tip pens are one of my favorite types of pens because of the sharp, clean lines they produce. The ink is generally darker as well, compared to other similar types of pens. The Sensei is a winner in both of those areas, but the tip is a little more fibrous than I prefer. I believe it is designed like that for a reason, allowing artists some variation in line width. For me, I'd prefer a firmer, solid tip for every day writing.

I was hoping the Sensei would take a spot in my arsenal right next to the Micron, but it is one notch below for me. It is excellent for sure, but for my needs the Micron suits me better.

Zebra Prefill 3 Color Multi Pen Review

The Zebra Prefill Multi Pen is about three years too late to the gel ink multi pen party. The Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto is the heavyweight champion in this space, holding down that title for longer then The Pen Addict has been in existence. Uni-ball joined the party in 2009 with the Style Fit, along with the Pentel Sliccies. You would think Zebra would have jumped into the fray by now, no?

Despite the delay, Zebra came out with a pretty good product. I was hoping that the ink refills would be as good as the Zebra Sarasa Clip and I think they are. I ordered the black barrel with black, blue, and red 0.4 mm gel ink cartridges. All of the inks performed well with clean, sharp lines. The barrel is no-frills, taking a lot of design elements from the aforementioned Style Fit.

Where does the Zebra Prefill rank amongst its competitors? You may be surprised. Here are my rankings:

1. Pilot Hi-Tec-C - The leader, and no one else is close.
2. Zebra Prefill - Not as many options as the Style Fit, but better writing performance.
3. Uni Style Fit - Well made, but don't love the writing experience.
4. Pentel Sliccies - Don't bother.

How do you rank your gel ink multi pens?