TWSBI Micarta Review

I'm feeling guilty about this review for many reasons.

One, this pen was loaned to me by the wonderful Ionsomnia many a moon ago. This is his pen in the review, we discussed it and the additional nibs he sent with it several times, and I sent it back in a timely fashion. But I never posted the review, because...

Two, the TWSBI Micarta was discontinued. Version 1 only came with a gold plated nib and clip, plus it had some feed problems that TWSBI wanted to correct. Version 2 corrected the feed issues and added a clipless version to go along with the gold furniture model. Now we are talking.

Three, I bought the clipless model, swapped in a silver steel crispy bold cursive italic nib, and fell in love. And you can't get one now, at least not easily through direct channels.

But this is a great pen and it deserves to be talked about, so here we go.

What the heck is Micarta? That is probably the most often question asked about this pen if I had to guess. I had no idea either, but learned from Wikipedia that it is "a brand name for composites of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber or other fabric in a thermosetting plastic". To me, that sounds like scrap repurposed to make a new material, and that is kind of neat.

You can see some of the material and texture in the Micarta pen body, and it has a feel that is warmer than that other acrylic pens. I found myself just holding it on more than one occasion because it felt so great. That is also partially because the barrel shape is fantastic, fitting my hand as good as any pen I own.

These partially natural materials do have some downside though, primarily the ability to be stained by ink. Kind of a problem in a pen, huh? Ionsomnia found that out by dipping the pen in an ink bottle to fill it. I found out by having a bad feed in mine. As you can see below, a crack caused the ink to spread, soaking the inside section threads and the front exterior edge of the grip section.

TWSBI replaced the feed for me, which works fine now, and I didn't ask them to replace the pen. Why? Wabi-sabi. Old me would have had a conniption and would have wanted a new, pristine pen as a replacement. New me has found the beauty in acceptance of imperfection. That acceptance is why I was finally able to purchase my first Nakaya and not worry if it might get dinged or scratched. It's my pen, and things happen, and it's ok because the pleasure of using a pen far outweighs being afraid to take it out of the pen case.

So my Micarta is not perfect, but it is mine, and I love it. That's why I'm guilty about this post, because I think a lot of you would love this pen too. Maybe TWSBI will surprise with a Version 3 one day.

Pentel Hybrid Technica Gel Ink Pen Review

So did the Pentel Hybrid Technica vanish from JetPens, or is it such an average pen that it never really went away and I only noticed it again when the 0.4 mm tip sizes popped into the new products feed? Knowing myself the way I do, my money is on the latter.

Average is ok in my book though, as that places it ahead of most pens that you find in the office or out and about. To put it into perspective, I consider the Pilot G2 an average pen. The barrel is strong and sturdy and the ink flows well. What keeps it from being in the top tier with pens like the Uni-ball Signo DX is that the line is not quite as sharp and the grip is slighty waxy. These are things I can feel when writing and are noticeable when compared to its peers.

As an option, I added the 0.3 mm refill to my order and that refill is superior to the 0.4 mm for me. It's cleaner and sharper, which stand to reason being a small size. Regardless, it was better to write with and going with the 0.3 mm barrel from the get go would have been the better choice.

One bonus if you are considering the Pentel Hybrid Technica is that they fit the Pentel Slicci perfectly, as in it is the exact same refill size an shape. An excellent option for those who want a wider Slicci barrel.

Overall, this is a solid pen, and if you are a fan of Pentel pens and inks you won't be disappointed.

(JetPens is a sponsor of The Pen Addict and this product was received at no charge.)

Morning Glory Mach 3 Roller Ball Review

The Morning Glory Mach 3 0.38 mm Roller can safely be added to the "best pens you have never heard of" list. I knew this last year when they first came out and I reviewed the lime green model. It left a crisp, clean line and for an 0.38 mm liquid ink pen and that is no small feat.

I forgot about it though, until I saw someone mention the blue black model and realized it had fallen off my radar. That was corrected when I snagged three of them in a recent JetPens order. Why three? When a pen writes this well and is inexpensive, why not have one handy everywhere?

The "everywhere pen" puts it in good company with some of my other favorites like the Uni-ball Signo DX and Jetstream, Zebra Sarasa Clip, and Ohto Graphic Liner, to name a few. All are pens that work flawlessly and provide enjoyment when in use, and therefore I want to have them handy at home, at work, and on the go. While fountain pens are my first choice these days, finding a $2 pen that makes me smile is always great.

While my writing sample below came out a little dark, this is what I would consider a true blue black ink color. It's right in the middle of the spectrum with no hint of green, which is where I like it. And as I mentioned above, the lines are exceptionally clean for a liquid ink pen. Granted, I used Rhodia for this review, and many other nice papers are in the rotation, but this pen would be nice in a Moleskine, for example.

For $2.00 it is worth checking out. And if you like it, Morning Glory has a rainbow of colors to choose from at JetPens. Add it to an order or your wish list and thank me later.

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