Caran D'ache 849 Ballpoint Review

A Pen Addict reader requested months ago that I review a pen from the Caran d'Ache 849 series, and I was more than happy to oblige. I had my eyes on this pen for a while, and it didn't take much for me to hit the buy button.

I ordered the Black Metal version from Amazon and the photos don't do justice to how great looking this pen is. And honestly, I didn't expect anything less from a company that manufactures very high end pens. The 849 series is a way for us common folk to get in on a well-made and highly-respected Swiss pen.

The hexagonal aluminum barrel enhances the clean lines of the pen, and the chrome clip and knock add a sharp touch. My only issue with the design is that I would prefer more feedback from the knock. Maybe it is a Swiss thing, but there is no audible feedback when engaging or retracting. It is more of a squish-down, squish-up feeling and I would like to hear a more solid click when the ballpoint is engaged.

About that ballpoint ink cartridge - it is terrible. The tip is scratchy and there is a lot of white space in the line. That is normal ballpoint cartridge performance, but I expect more from a company like Caran d'Ache. I will be looking for a suitable replacement soon because this barrel deserves to be used.

One sentence review: The barrel is built to last but swap out the refill to protect your sanity.

My Fountain Pen Education: Pelikan M405 0.2 mm Masuyama Nib

The Atlanta Pen Show is coming up this weekend and I am pretty excited about it. Last year was my first pen show experience, and honestly, I was unprepared to take full advantage of everything the show had to offer. This time around, things will be different.

In the past year my fountain pen knowledge has grown immensely, but I'm still just a babe. Having someone like Thomas allow me to test out a wide range of pens and teach me about them while we are at it has proven invaluable. I am admittedly very, very lucky.

So how do I repay that luck? Let me start by telling you a little about the Pelikan M405 that Thomas loaned out to me.

Thomas sends his pens in batches and there is always a very detailed note about the contents. Specifics like any extra nib work done or some personal history behind the pen. The Pelikan M405 was part of the third batch of pens he sent, and for the first time, Thomas let me know how important a particular pen was to him. The M405 is his baby.

In fact, knowing that I don't turn pens around quickly, Thomas asked if I could review this one soon and get it headed back his way. Absolutely, I said, so I reviewed it plus three other pens over a few days and shipped them back.

And how did I repay Thomas for loaning me out his favorite pen? I forgot to clean it before sending it back.

I am super meticulous about cleaning my own pens. Someone else's pens? Even more so. I talked to Thomas about it and I think what happened was I cleaned the pens I sent back to him as a group, and somehow I missed that one among the others. I was so embarrassed! Thomas was a saint though, as he has been through this whole process. Needless to say, I don't think this mistake will happen again.

So, about the Pelikan M405 itself. This was the first Pelikan fountain pen I have used, and I can see why Thomas loves it so much. There is not a lot of pomp or flash with this pen, but everything it does have it gets exactly right. The weight is right, the balance is right, the feel is right, the look is right. I could tell all of these things the second I picked it up. And the nib, well, it is just exquisite.

The German extra fine 14K gold nib has been ground down to a Japanese extra fine 0.2 mm by respected nibmeister Mike Masuyama. This is what I am looking forward to most at the pen show that I wasn't prepared to handle last year. Mr. Masuyama will be at the show, and I plan on having him work on a couple of my nibs. I felt too green to even approach him last year, but working with Thomas these past few months has changed all of that.

And who knows, I may even come home with a Pelikan.

Pilot Juice Gel 0.5 mm Black Review

Stop what you are doing right now, click this link (Update: No longer available), and then click on the blender icon. Trust me.

The Pilot Juice is a pen imported from Japan by JetPens. This means there are likely import taxes, customs fees, and shipping costs just to get this pen across the Pacific. After all of that, this pen only sells for $1.65. In Japan, I would guess the Juice sells for less than the equivalent of one dollar. This is about as inexpensive of a pen as you can get, and it gets the full marketing treatment with an incredibly cool interactive website.

This is why we can't have nice things in the US.

In Japan, stationery is regarded much more highly than in the US. The tradition is greater, the products are cooler, and the marketing is fantastic. The Japanese people support these products because they are an integral part of their every day life. In the US, stationery is mostly an afterthought.

Why has the Pilot Juice got me so riled up? Because this isn't just some cheap no-frills pen. It is a pen with impressive features like pigmented ink (water-resistant and fade-resistant) and 30 shades of ink. And it is $1.65. This just doesn't happen very often.

The 0.5 mm gel ink cartridge is a solid writer too. I bought the black model and the obvious comparisons to the G2 are apt. The Juice barrel is slightly thinner, especially in the grip area, and has a spring loaded clip. The tip writes very similarly as well - my lines were dark and clean.

The Pilot Juice is a no-brainer. While it may never be the best pen you ever own, it will hold its own in any pen arsenal. You aren't going to find more features at a better price than this.