Zebra Sarasa Clip Mister Donut Scented Gel Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

The scented Zebra Sarasa pens are back with new limited editions, this time celebrating Mister Donut in some scrumptious sweet scents. If you missed the last scented gel pen release, definitely grab these. If you already have the last scented set, you can probably skip these, because the colors and scents are mostly repeated. The previous editions had lemon yellow instead of caramel brown. Of course, these versions are decorated with adorable donuts and the Mister Donut characters: French Wooler (set A) and Pon de Lion (set B)--so they're still great fun. I was just disappointed that it wasn't a whole new product. I'm also disappointed, now, that I don't have a real-life matcha donut. But that's one of those problems that stationery can't solve.

These pens have all the fantastic features of the Zebra Sarasa Clip—a lovely, sturdy alligator clip that secures reliably to even fat stacks of paper; fast-drying ink that is water and fade-resistant; a satisfying click mechanism; and a soft rubberized grip. The clips make them a little bulky, but they're functional enough that I think they earn that extra space in the pen case.

They write smoothly and the colors are bright and saturated. I didn't experience any skipping or smudging. The .5 mm tip is great for fine lines while still being easily readable in lighter colors. They're good pens for those who like practical reliability, and the special editions add whimsy that makes writing with them extra delightful. The scents are fun, but not overpowering. I can't say that they smell like what they claim to be--they all have a general "sweet" smell and some are easier to discern than others. But if you had me take a sniff test to determine the scent, I'd fail. The orange and the strawberry are the easiest to identify by smell alone.

Like the previous edition, this one is broken up into two sets of four. Set A has chocolate black, matcha green, peach pink, and vanilla light blue. Set B has caramel brown, milk blue, orange, and strawberry red. Both sets together make a nice array of colors. Individually, the sets seem oddly grouped. It would make more sense, to me, to put the red, blue, and black together--the office-appropriate colors--and then the more wild colors in the other set. Or just make it one set of eight--because who just buys half of the limited edition?

At $10.75 per set, they're a little on the pricy side. But the pens are refillable (just not with the limited scented ink). They're also well-made enough to withstand many repeated uses, so I don't think the price is unreasonable.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

I hope the next limited series will include some more new colors and scents, but in the meantime, I'll enjoy these very much.

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Zebra F-701 Ballpoint Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

When you see a Zebra F-701 in the wild, you instantly recognize the stainless steel barrel and knurled grip section. It's been around quite a while, it's widely distributed and available in big-box stores, and it's very affordable. At around six bucks, some people might think it's a bit pricey, but they're comparing that to the number of Pilot G-2s they can purchase for the same price. If you've held a F-701, you know there's a big difference.

The F-701 has a special place in my heart because I used them in college for the majority of my classes. It was a reliable, durable, and classy-looking pen that I enjoyed using to take notes. The refill was never my favorite due to the typical ballpoint splotchiness, but it's a reliable refill despite the normal ballpoint downfalls.

In short, if you've never used a F-701, you should try one out. You can't come close in this price range, and it also has a nice trick up its sleeve to make it worth your while.

From the outside, the F-701 is all stainless steel except for the top section that houses the nock. If you're motivated enough, you can swap out that black piece for the stainless counterpart used in the F-402, but I haven't tried that modification yet. The grip has a pleasant knurling effect that makes it extremely easy to hold on to, but without being uncomfortable or stabby like more aggressive knurling patterns. Despite being metal, it's still light. The clip is strong, and you don't have to worry about this pen falling off your clothes or bags. The click mechanism is incredibly smooth and quiet. From an aesthetic point of view, this pen is sharp. You'll know immediately if you like it.

From a writing perspective, it performs along the same lines as other traditional ballpoints. The ink is a bit splotchy and light, and the 0.7mm size makes a very fine line. It never has issues starting or skipping, and I've never had any defective refills in my years of using this pen. Apart from the normal downsides of a ballpoint refill, this is a top notch example of a great performing refill.

But, what if you want something better? Well, you're in luck. The Fisher Space Pen refill fits this pen like a glove — it almost seems like Zebra had this in mind when making the pen. If you want my advice, throw a Fisher refill in the cart when you purchase the F-701 to cover your bases. The combination of this pen and the Fisher refill yield a cost-effective, durable, and attractive EDC writing instrument. If you're inclined, I'm sure other refills will fit this pen as well. The Schmidt EasyFlow seems like a good candidate if you can negotiate the plastic butt that extends the overall length.

The Zebra F-701 is a classic, and for good reason. It's a sturdy and affordable pen that most people recognize. Coming in at $6 means you can afford to take a chance, and you can probably find them at your local big-box retailer. If you haven't used one before, throw one in on your next order!

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Conklin Herringbone Burgundy Fountain Pen: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Conklin Herringbone is a metal fountain pen etched with the herringbone pattern, then coated with lacquer and epoxy for a shiny finish. The herringbone pattern gives the pen a nice tactile feel, plus it is absolutely gorgeous in sunlight. Although this pen is called “burgundy red” it’s really more of a cherry red, in my opinion. Regardless of what you call the color, it’s quite striking.

The pen comes packaged in a blue clamshell box with a soft, cream interior.

Stainless steel, conical finials adorn the cap and the bottom of the pen’s barrel. Because it is made of metal, it’s a fairly heavy pen for its size, weighing 42 grams. It is 146mm capped, 125mm uncapped, and 160mm posted.

The screw-on cap comes with a solid clip engraved with the Conklin name. This clip will hold the pen firmly to a shirt pocket or a tablet.

The cap is also adorned with a stainless steel ring engraved with the word “Herringbone” and crescents on either side.

The Conklin Herringbone is a cartridge/converter fountain pen, and the converter holds about 1ml of ink.

This pen came with a 1.1mm stainless steel stub nib. It has Conklin’s signature crescent-shaped breather hole and is engraved with the Conklin name, Toledo, USA, and the nib size.

Unfortunately (for me, at least), the grip is also stainless steel. I’ve discovered I’m not a fan of metal grips because they can become slippery if you have sweaty fingers (which I often do). The grip on the Conklin Herringbone is also pretty slim (9.1mm). I prefer wider grips because they prevent hand cramping, which is becoming more of a problem for me as I get older.

Aside from being a bit too narrow, the pen is comfortable in the hand. I’ve been using it at school for the last two weeks inked with Robert Oster Astorquiza Rot, and it has performed well in my Hobonichi notebook. I also tested it on a page of Baron Fig Mastermind paper which I keep at my desk to write notes. I spent some time writing out the alphabet and a quote from the current Harry Potter book my First Year Seminar is reading.

The pen writes well—I didn’t experience any hard starts or blobs while writing. However, I did notice that sometimes the pen skipped a little bit on the downstrokes of letters like “l” and “f.”

The Conklin Herringbone retails for $70.00, but you can purchase it on sale from Goldspot Pens for $55.95. It comes in burgundy red, gun metal gray, and navy blue, and you have a choice of fine, medium, and 1.1mm stub nibs.

Pros

• I really like the look of the Conklin Herringbone. The pattern is eye-catching, and the lacquer and epoxy make it shine.
• The pen is a reasonable size for most writers, though some may find it a little heavy since it’s made of metal. Others, like me, will find the grip to be too narrow for comfort.
• The 1.1mm stub nib wrote well. On Tomoe River paper (in my Hobonichi) the nib produced a generously wet line. On the Baron Fig paper, the ink soaked in a bit more and the nib seemed less wet. Regardless, I found it wrote pretty consistently aside from a few skips on downstrokes.
• This pen is reasonably priced, especially on sale.

Cons

• Although I like hefty pens, I don’t care for thin, hefty pens. The Conklin Herringbone is too thin for my aging hands. I need a wider grip to write for long periods without hand cramps.
• If you struggle using pens with metal grips, like I do, then you probably will not like this pen.
• As stated above, the nib performed well, but skipped occasionally on downstrokes.

(Goldspot Pens loaned Pen Addict this Conklin Herringbone fountain pen for review purposes.)