Posts filed under Pen Reviews

BN Works Twiist 2-in-1 Pen Review

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

There's at least one universal truth in regards to the machined pens market: It's never dull. Every time I look up, it seems like there's a new metal machined pen making a debut in our little corner of the internet. The most recent one to come across my desk is the new BN Works Twiist 2-in-1 pen. Why 2-in-1? Well, aside from the pen refill, it also features a silicon stylus tip in the top of the pen instead of a finial.

Like the name implies, you twist the pen to extend and retract the refill. Likewise, you twist the top cap area to extend and retract the stylus. When not in use, the stylus stows away nicely, which is something I really appreciate. I've never liked the look of the large silicone stylus tips, and if pen manufacturers insist on including them on their pens, providing an option to hide it is best. This stylus works well enough, but I honestly don't use them much. One downside of this design is that lint and dust are attracted to the stylus cavity when it's retracted.

After tearing in to the minimal packaging, the BN Works Twiist immediately catches the eye. It's a good-looking pen, and it will make a nice gift for most people. Along with the pen, BN Works include a Schmidt P8126 refill and two additional stylus tips in case the included tip wears out. The stylus tip simply unscrews from the pen if you want to replace it or remove it. Inside the pen, there's a Schmidt P900 ballpoint refill. As for the clip, it's incredibly strong. It's so strong that I might call it a down-side. It works well in most cases, but you might experience some trouble when trying to slide the pen into a pocket or sleeve sometimes if the material is just thick enough.

The twist operation of the pen refill is smooth and sure. It really is a pleasure to use, and it feels well-made. The twist mechanism for the stylus tip can be a bit tight, but it's still easy to use. The pen is made of copper and aluminum, and from what I can tell, the copper makes up the foundation and the aluminum is used on the outside to provide a nice texture and color. There are four total options in regards to pen body colors: Silver and Black, Rose and Black, Black and Copper, and Black and Silver. It seems confusing, but just remember that the first color in the name indicates the color of the top portion (the part that includes the clip) of the pen. Price-wise, all four pens come in at $85 each.

At first glance, this is a gorgeous pen that feels great in the hand and has a nice design aesthetic. Once you pick it up and start writing, the good times keep rolling. The finish on the silver barrel on the model I have has a very pleasing texture that offers a great grip while writing. The matte black half of the pen compliments the silver grip perfectly. There's a bit of weight due to the brass body, but it's not so heavy that it makes it difficult to write. It still has a good balance that makes long writing sessions enjoyable.

But, the Twiist is not without its problems. My main complaint involves the included refill. I've never used a Schmidt P900 refill before, so I did some research. From what I can tell, the P900 predates the EasyFlow 9000 refill that Schmidt is known for. When it comes down to performance, the P900 just can't compete with the EasyFlow. The P900 leaves a light, skippy line that has trouble starting. Compare that to the dark, smooth, gel-like EasyFlow, and you can see why I'm confused with this choice. The makers obviously know a good refill when they see one, because they chose to also include a P8126 in the box (as a reminder, this is the refill that Retro51 Tornados ship with). I'm not sure if there's a large cost difference between the P900 and the EasyFlow 9000, but I think BN Works would have a much better product on their hands if they chose the better refill as the default.

My other complaint is a simple one: this doesn't feel like an $85 pen. To reference Retro51 again, the manage to pull off a similar design for a much lower price. That's not a completely fair comparison, but it's also hard to ignore. Knock off $20 or $25 from the price, replace the P900 with an EasyFlow 9000, make shipping free, and then you've got a great deal.

Overall, this is a great pen. It features a unique aesthetic, it feels great in the hand, it's made extremely well, and it would make a great gift for a graduate. If you enjoy the look, don't mind the price, and know your way around alternative Parker-style refills, I'm sure you'd enjoy it for many years. BN Works is a fairly new player in the stationery world, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.

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

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Posted on May 16, 2018 by Jeff Abbott and filed under BN Works, Pen Reviews.

Cross TrackR Ballpoint Review

There is no sense in burying the lede with this one: The Cross TrackR Ballpoint exceeded my expectations. Not only is it a better writing pen than I expected, the technology involved actually works.

The idea behind this pen is straightforward: It’s a nice pen that you can’t lose. Cross is the first writing brand to add TrackR technology to the pen itself, allowing the pen to be tracked if you leave it behind or are separated from it.

Like with any analog/digital crossover product, I was skeptical. This is simpler technology than handwriting conversion products like the Moleskine Smart Writing Set, but any time new technology is added to classic writing tools, the odds of usefulness decrease greatly. Not with the Cross TrackR.

*Top to bottom: Cross TrackR, Studio Neat Mark One, Retro 51 The System*

The first thing I was concerned about was the pen itself. It’s large - a requirement to fit the batteries and TrackR components - but quite usable. The metal barrel is lighter than anticipated, and is well balanced even with the additional hardware in the upper section of the pen.

When I took apart the pen I was surprised that the refill was only D1 sized. That’s about as small as refills go, but it makes sense for this pen because the area for the refill is limited to the lower half of the pen. The included Cross medium black ballpoint refill is nice, and D1 sizing gives you other refill options, but I do think a pen this size would be better served with a larger capacity refill. It just may not be technically possible.

Connecting the TrackR technology does require you download an app to your iOS or Android phone. Setup is as simple as pairing a new Bluetooth device, and once connected, you can adjust the alerting settings as needed. In my tests, once I walked approximately 25 feet away from the pen it began to alert me. “Hey, don’t leave me behind!” The pen plays an audible ring until you pick it up and press the TrackR button, letting the app know it is now in hand.

If there is any concern that your pen will be going off all the time in your house or office, fear not. The TrackR app has a section for Wi-Fi Safe Zones, which once added, keep the alerts off when connected to approved networks.

If you are thinking about purchasing this pen for yourself or as a gift, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. One, the price. At $95 it isn’t cheap, but with the built in technology and overall quality of the pen, I think it is fair. The accompanying app is free to download and use. Two, it’s fidgety. There are batteries to keep up with (a backup set is provided), a low-capacity refill (extras are also provided), and an app to set up. That’s way more than your normal pick it up and go pen.

That said, the Cross TrackR is a nice pen. It is a quality writing instrument - which has to be first on the list of requirements - and has the added benefit of TrackR technology for those who enjoy that aspect. All in all, I’m impressed, and I’m glad I have this pen in my arsenal.

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

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Posted on May 14, 2018 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Cross, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Aurora Style Rose Gold Fountain Pen Review

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

Over the past couple of years, I've had the opportunity to use several different high-end Aurora fountain pens, so it's always a bit difficult to judge other Auroras by a separate standard when the situation requires it. In the case of the Aurora Style, this separation is needed due to the vast price difference. At under $100, the Style fits into an entirely different tax bracket, but it's still made by the Aurora brand that I've come to love. With that in mind, let's see how the Style stacks up against other pens in this same category.

The Rose Gold tier of Style fountain pens is a fairly recent addition at JetPens, and it's a nice step up from the standard pastel-colored Style tier. I'd love to see a silver or chrome family offered as well, but that's a different discussion. The Style is offered in either EF, F, M, or B nib sizes and does not come with a cartridge-converter. While Aurora does include a free blue ink cartridge with the pen, you'll need to think ahead about how you want to ink this pen since the Aurora cartridges are a proprietary design. I'd suggest purchasing the Aurora converter at the same time, even though that will add about $17 to the total price. With that in mind, I think the true price of this pen is somewhere around $110.

At first glance, the Style in Rose Gold looks strikingly similar to a Parker 51 when capped. It's a classic, vintage design that will likely speak to a lot of people. It looks great, and the Parker 51 similarities quickly disappear after you remove the cap. Unlike the Aurora Duocart, the Style does not feature a hooded nib. The black body is made of polished black resin, which, while it looks fantastic, picks up fingerprints quite easily. The cap is a rose gold-plated material that also picks up fingerprints rather quickly. The rose gold and black resin is a fantastic combination, though. The grip section is a nice size and shape that makes writing comfortable, and the nib features the same rose gold plating as the cap. In all, it's a good-looking pen.

The cap secures to the pen with a snug snap mechanism, and it also friction-fits to the back of the pen if you want to post it. I've been really happy with the feel and dependability of the cap. I've been posting the pen about half of the time that I write. The cap provides a nice balance and length, but the pen is also completely comfortable when using it without the cap posted. It's great that it works well either way.

The nib is made of steel, features minimal branding, and writes incredibly well. I made zero adjustments to this pen out of the box, and I couldn't be happier with the performance. It's a wet medium that's capable of producing a small amount of line variation if you press down slightly. I can barely feel any feedback from the nib when writing with this pen — it's just buttery smooth. This is exactly the kind of writing experience I expect from a luxury brand, even on their "lower-end" offerings.

While this pen has been an absolute joy when it comes to the writing experience, I have reservations when it comes to recommending it to people. Like I mentioned earlier, I think the real price of the pen is $110 due to the fact that you need a proprietary cartridge-converter in order to use it properly. The $100 price point is an awkward place to be. There are numerous offerings at the $40, $60, and even $80 range that offer more and perform just as well as this Aurora. Likewise, if you're willing to spend just $20 more on a pen, you arrive at an entirely different price and feature tier. A personal favorite of mine, the Pilot Custom Heritage 92, is about $23 more expensive than this Aurora, but I think it's a much better pen (14K gold nib, people!). And, if you decide to look at a pen with a lower cost, you can choose to purchase an additional pen or a couple of different inks to try out.

When it comes to retail and making choices, the sky is the limit. Ultimately, it always comes down to personal preference. Apart from the Aurora brand name, a well-performing steel nib, and a vintage aesthetic, the Aurora can't really compete in the price range it's currently in. If the Style was in the $60 range (and included a converter), it would be a different story.

That being said, if the Aurora Style Rose Gold speaks to you and fits your budget, you can't go wrong. I've really enjoyed writing with this pen due to the feel and wonderful nib. It's a great pen, but it's not for everyone.

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

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