Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Zebra Sarasa Mark On Gel Pen Review

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

I'm continually amazed at the level of specificity that some stationery tools tout today. My most recent surprise came with the Zebra Sarasa Mark On gel ink pens. They look like a Sarasa Clip on the outside, but there's a different design on the barrel. What gives? Well, this particular model of Sarasa is made specifically for people who want to use a highlighter along with their gel pens while taking notes.

It's been a long time since I've regularly used a highlighter for emphasizing notes, so I had forgotten that ink can sometimes bleed after running a highlighter over it. That's exactly what the Mark On line of pens aims to solve. The ink in the Mark On is unique in that it dries quickly and is water and smudge resistant. Since highlighter ink is water-based, these two are a great match.

The models I have on hand are the 0.4mm variant, although they are also available in 0.5mm sizes. The color selection isn't great (just the standard black, blue, and red), but it covers the absolute basics. This is such a niche use case that I can't expect dozens of color options.

Just like the other Sarasa models, this model features a strong, beefy clip that secure the pen to anything that fits into the jaws. There's also a comfortable rubberized grip on the section that makes note-taking sessions a little easier to endure. In all, it's a standard Sarasa that we all know and love, but it has that one trick up its sleeve.

How does it stand up against highlighter smudge? In my tests, it works great provided you give the ink about five seconds to dry before using a highlighter over it. No matter the color, the gel ink doesn't bleed when introduced to highlighter ink. It's fantastic.

Even with the smaller 0.4mm tip size, the Sarasa Mark On writes smoothly and reliably. Just like other Sarasa gel inks, this is no surprise and I wouldn't expect anything less.

The Zebra Sarasa Mark On gel ink pens are a delightfully narrow-minded use case that will fit the specific needs of people taking notes all over the world. If you use gel pens in conjunction with highlighters in any capacity, this is worth checking out.

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

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Posted on August 29, 2018 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Zebra, Sarasa, Gel, Pen Reviews.

Karas Pen Co. Reaktor Galaxie Rollerball Pen Review

As someone who designs their own products, and who follows others who do the same, I know this to be the one universal truth: Designing is hard. And, when a company is willing to take a stand on a product design - in this case the Reaktor pen lineup by Karas Kustoms - I am even more impressed.

All of us outside of the building only see the end result of a product. What goes into the creation of that product usually escapes the public eye. Karas Pen Co. set out to break away from their usual product lineup and focus on making a product that both first-time pen buyers and experienced users would enjoy. And I think they succeeded.

Designing is hard, but designing with restrictions in place - such as cost and simplicity - is even harder. What can be eliminated to make the product as simple as possible, while keeping the aesthetic and quality the company is known for intact?

The Galaxie Rollerball features an aluminum barrel with an o-ring snap cap, and comes in four different colorways. That’s it. And it’s the same across the other three products in the Reaktor lineup, with the only difference being barrel length, finial design, and a clip on the XL models.

When dishing out these pens to the Pen Addict review crew, I chose the pocket rollerball because that is one of my favorite pen formats. I carry this type of pen more than any other, and was anxious to put it to the test.

I’m happy to say it held up well, minus a couple of small nitpicks. Primarily, the wiggle of the cap when the pen is closed. It’s a small issue, and affects the use of the pen none. It’s the result of using the o-ring instead of cap and barrel threads to keep the cost down. If you aren’t fidgeting with the cap then you won’t notice it, and it doesn’t make it less secure. The fit is tight.

That said, I did wiggle the cap off the back of the pen a couple times when writing with it, just from constant movement as I write. I run into this issue with other non-threaded pocket pens as well, likely due to a heavier than normal grip. Maybe I didn’t have it pushed down as firmly as needed to snap into the barrel grooves during the times it moved on me.

The Galaxie ships with the Schmidt P950 pressurized ballpoint, which is a good choice for this pen. For any pocket pen really, as it gives you that write anywhere, on anything, ability. If you have another Parker-style refill that you prefer, it will swap in just fine.

Color-wise, it’s hard to pick a favorite. The Black looks the best, the Tumbled feels the best, and the Red and Blue sections are the most fun. I think I would pick Tumbled as my first choice, but it is impossible to go wrong with any.

Let’s get to what makes this pen so unique and impressive in my mind: The price. It’s not listed on the site yet, but with the larger Galaxie XL coming in at $45, I’d guess this one will be the same, or slightly lower at say $40. For a made in the USA pen from a small company that is a great price.

I’m interested to see how the Reaktor product lineup will perform for Karas, and if they keep the minimal design and price point intact. Hopefully it will do well for them, and allow them to keep experimenting with colors, shapes, and designs on the higher end of the spectrum.

We make things to allow us to make more things, and I hope Karas Pen Co. keeps going down this path of experimentation.

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

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Posted on August 27, 2018 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Karas Pen Co., Reaktor, Pen Reviews.

Pilot Grance 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.)

The Pilot Grance is a relatively new addition to Pilot's North American lineup (in 2024!), and I'm really glad they decided to bring it here. When you look at fountain pens as a whole, there's an overwhelming majority of pens that use a screw on cap versus a friction fit slip or snap cap. While that's not a bad thing, I've always wondered why that's the case. The Grance is an elegant, slim-bodied pen that packs in a fantastic nib and comfortable feel that looks great in any setting.

In my mind, the Grance is the more refined and elegant version of the Metropolitan. The Metropolitan is affordable, accessible, and a great deal. The Grance builds on top of that with more premium materials, but also nails the writing experience. From what I can tell, the interior of the Grance is made of brass, with a thick metal covering that features a metallic, pearlescent finish that glimmers in the light. There are also black resin accents that are offset with yellow gold pieces. When I first saw this pen, the gold hardware put me off until I picked the pen up and started writing with it. While I wish there were other options (they're all gold, baby!), I quickly got over my aesthetic issues with the yellow gold. It might not be my number one preference, but this pen is a champ that has become my daily writer despite our color differences.

The Grance is also a fairly small lineup, sporting only three color options: Pearl White, Pearl Pink, and Pearl Blue. Again, the options aren't plentiful, but I can only imagine that Pilot have plans to expand this line if it does well.

The grip section is a black resin that picks up fingerprints easily, but feels great when in use. There's a small taper toward the tip of the pen, but there's also a small ring of gold around the end of the grip that provides a nice place to rest your fingers when writing. In my experience, the grip does not get slippery when writing despite the lack of texture. And the slim body makes longer writing sessions comfortable as well.

The cap design for the Grance is a snap cap that works very well in practice. In some instances, the snap cap can be too tight, requiring too much effort to open and close. In these cases, it can be an annoyance, but it can also cause you to sling ink if you're not careful. Luckily, the Grance does not suffer from these issues. It's just the right amount of snug to keep the cap on securely. It also posts nicely using the same snap mechanism.

The clip on the Grance is much stronger than I expected it to be. It easily keeps the pen secure on almost any material it can fit over. Even when my bag has been thrown around a bit, the Grance stays put where I clipped it.

In terms of ink options, you have plenty. The Grance fits standard Pilot cartridges, but you can also use a Pilot CON-40 converter to use any ink you like.

Now, let's move on to what really makes this pen sparkle for me: the writing experience. The best part about this pen, and the part that also brings the price point into the low-premium arena is the nib. It's a 14k gold nib that feels smooth, bounces a bit while writing, and flows well. I've always really enjoyed Pilot gold nibs, and this one is no exception. In the unit I have, I'm using the FM nib, which is somewhere between fine and medium. It's also one of my favorite nibs due to the size.

When writing with this pen, there's a slight (but noticeable) spring in the nib due to the soft gold material. It doesn't provide much in the way of line variation, but it does give the pen a soft feel when writing, added to the premium experience.

I've been using this pen as my daily driver for several weeks, and I've never once had any issues with skipping, hard starts, or excessive ink flow. It's a work horse - it's simply ready to write the instant you pick it up and uncap it. Even leaving it uncapped for a couple of minutes doesn't faze it. It's incredibly reliable, and I love it for that.

This is true of most Pilot pens I've used, and the Grance is no exception: this nib is incredibly smooth on paper. Writing is pure joy and this pen can keep up with most everything you decide to use it for. It's reliable, pleasing, and delightful.

Overall, I was reluctant to use this pen when I first saw it. It's slim, it uses gold accents, and the color options are few. Despite all this, I've fallen in love with it over the past few weeks. I didn't expect this, but the nib is what caused this. It's an excellent nib, the pen is comfortable to use, and it's incredibly reliable. When that's the case, the exterior aesthetics can sometimes take a backseat.

The Pilot Grance is available in three colors and four nib sizes (EF, F, FM, M). It's in the lower premium price range at $140, but that price is about as low as you can go with a gold nib. If this pen fits your style, then you'll love using it.

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

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