Maxmadco Retractable Pen Review

One of the fun things about writing this blog is getting emails from readers talking about their favorite pens. As if you didn't know this already, people are passionate about their pens, and love to share the ones that make them happy. Many times I have heard of and likely used the pens in question, but an email from Joe a few months back introduced me to something brand new.

How the Maxmadco Retractable Pen was not on my radar is a shocker to me because it pushes all of my buttons. Aluminum body, anodized black finish, tight clip, a very responsive spring loaded bolt style mechanism, and made in the USA - what's not to love? Joe let me borrow his and from the moment I took it out of the box I was impressed.

As I wrote in the sample above, this is what a 10 out of 10 build quality looks like. The Maxmadco Retractable is flawlessly designed and manufactured. It is so clean and sleek I just kept looking at it instead of writing with it. Before getting it in my hands I was worried the bolt would protrude too much from the side but my concerns were unfounded. It is subtle enough to stay out of the way but substantial enough to allow for quick engagement. Very well done.

The supplied refill is the medium Parker Gel which was ok for the review, but if it were my own pen I would swap it out for another Parker compatible refill like my favorite 0.5 mm Moleskine Gel. The Fisher Space Pen refill would be another consideration.

The only hangup with this pen is the price. At $85 dollars it is fairly priced but that is outside of the no-brainer purchase zone for me. I will own one someday soon (it comes in stainless steel also) but I need to save up my pennies before jumping in. If you want that one pen you can take anywhere and will last a long time the Maxmadco Retractable should be on your radar.

Thanks again to Joe for letting me borrow this outstanding pen!

Pilot Prera Clear Body Fountain Pen - Calligraphy Medium Nib Review

Well, it looks like I am officially a stub man.

When I first started using fountain pens I was content with European EF nibs like those found in the Lamy Safari. Then I discovered what the Japanese had to offer nib-wise, setting the hook deeper. While those Japanese ultra fine nibs are my daily writers the lure of the stub nib has reeled me in. And, like my standard nibs, the finer the better.

The Pilot Prera is a pen that has been around for years. It is known for its quality build, great feel, and excellent value. I have three solid color barrels that make it into the rotation from time to time, but only when the calligraphy medium (CM) nib came out did I pick up a Clear Body model from JetPens.

Compared to many other fountain pens the Prera is lighter and smaller. It still fits the bill as a full sized fountain pen, albeit near the small end of that chart. This makes it extremely portable, which is one of the main reasons I enjoy it so much.

This review is all about the stub nib though (calligraphy, italic, and stub are not necessarily interchangeable - I use "stub" in the general sense). Checking in at approximately 1.1 mm, the nib is as firm as a nail and writes a wonderfully sharp, yet smooth, line. I talk all the time about finding the proper tools to suit your handwriting style and I have found that stubs fit me perfectly.

My collection of stub nibs is growing fast, and I am searching for more in the 0.9 mm and smaller range. Do any manufacturers have stock nibs in that range, or am I looking at custom only?

Pro Tip: If you like the idea of the Prera CM but not the price tag you can get the same nib in the Pilot Plumix for under $8.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Pentel TRFS Tradio Mini Fountain Pen Review

When someone says Pentel Tradio this is the pen I think of. Black barrel, windowed cap, and most importantly, angled felt tip. It has been around for years and seems to be the traditional model. Pentel has found a way to dilute the Tradio line with several unrelated models, such as the Tradio Energel, Tradio Fountain Pen (some people refer to the original as a fountain pen too), and the disposable Pentel Pulaman, which uses the original Tradio tip. Is the Tradio name more about the barrel design than the tip design?

I'm confused, but we are not done yet. Say hello to the Pentel TRFS Tradio Mini Fountain Pen.

The Mini takes the traditional barrel design, shrinks it, makes it translucent, and adds a medium steel fountain pen nib. The size of the pen is nice, but I'm not a fan of the grip area. It almost has a convex feel to it. The nib is decent, although not as glassy smooth as the full size model, but it does take short international cartridges, which is a bonus.

All that said, I don't see a need for this pen. Mini fountain pens are a tough nut to crack and no one does it better than Kaweco. They are well made, come in many price points, and have wonderful (and swappable) nibs.

I'm interested to hear from you on this: Do you have a go to mini fountain pen?