Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Parker Jotter XL Ballpoint Pen Review

When I think of classic ballpoint pens, the first one that immediately comes to mind is the Parker Jotter. There are older ballpoint pens, and there are better ballpoint pens, but there is only one Parker Jotter.

It's place among the pantheon of all-time great pens is well-deserved. Parker has treated it as such, with regular updates over the decades.

The most recent to hit the shelves is the Parker Jotter XL. As a Jotter fan myself, I was anxious to give this one a shot. And, while I like it fine, it's not compelling enough for me to recommend it over the classic-sized Jotter.

Let's talk about the XL moniker first. As it relates to the original, yes, it is longer, wider, and heavier. That puts it squarely into standard pen size for me, as the basic Jotter is actually a smaller-sized pen. That small size was certainly closer to expectations from this ubiquitous pen in its 1960’s and 70’s heyday. But like almost every other product that has been around this long, bigger is assumedly better.

I don't think the larger size serves the Jotter well.

The Jotter has always been a small, skinny, lightweight pen, with a plastic lower barrel and a thin metal upper barrel and clip. It tapers down towards the tip of the pen, and yes, with that thinness I see it being a non-starter for those with large hands. The XL does solve that issue, but I think that is where the benefits stop.

Due to the taper that is also present in the XL, the pen becomes more unbalanced the lower you grip it. It is a high-grippers pen, if you will. The top weight shift is not drastic - it's still a generally light pen - but I could feel it instantly.

The refill also does this pen no justice. It shipped with a standard Parker 1.0 mm blue ballpoint refill, and while the smoothness and color were enjoyable, it was a blobby mess. Ballpoint refill technology has improved greatly over the years, so what passed for reasonable ink output a decade or so ago no longer cuts it. As I wrote, the ink collected on the tip, and subsequently transferred to the page when I rotated. I hate messy ballpoint pens, although it is correctable by swapping it out.

That brings up the biggest issue I have with this pen: The price. At over 60% more than the standard ($23.50 vs $14 at JetPens) it is only justifiable if a short, specific set of criteria are met. One, if you are a Jotter fan and the XL barrel fits your hands better, or two, if you are buying it as a gift. It's tailor made for engraving.

That's it in my book. It's not different enough for me to choose it over any of the few standard Parker Jotters I already own and love. Make it in bright orange or hot pink and I may change my tune (and the refill) but otherwise I'll stick with what has worked for decades.

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

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Posted on July 15, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Parker, Jotter, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Moleskine Go Ballpoint Pen Review

Moleskine surprised me several years ago when they updated their pen and pencil lineup. And by several years ago, I mean 2011, when I first reviewed the Moleskine Classic Roller Pen. Has it really been that long?

It has. I enjoyed that pen at the time, but the real winning feature of it was the Moleskine 0.5 mm Parker-style gel ink refill it was loaded with. I remember snapping up extra refills and using them in various compatible pens - at least until Moleskine stopped making them.

Despite the disappearance of one of the best gel ink refills on the market, Moleskine continued to produce pens, but stuck to a more basic ballpoint refill. The rectangular barrel shape and side-opening clip remained the same, which allows users to clip the pen easily to the cover of their Moleskine notebooks. That is a nice, well thought out feature, although some users will not be able to hold the pen comfortably if they use a non-standard grip.

I had forgotten about Moleskine pens until my trip last fall to New York City, where I went on a city-wide stationery tour with my friends Ana, Myke, and Tiff. That tour brought us to Goods for the Study one afternoon, where I managed to spend way too much money. That’s what I was there for, right?

One of the benefits to shopping at a brick and mortar store is the ability to stumble into things you haven’t seen before. I was surprised when I saw a grouping of Moleskine pens - not realizing they still made them - and even more surprised when I found one calling my name.

Having enjoyed my previous Moleskine pen experience, there was no way I was going to turn down one with a graph paper ruling on the barrel. Specifically, this one is called the Moleskine Go Pen, Squared, Ivory. The name is that detailed because by my count there are 12 different models in this particular lineup (yes, including Lined, Blank, and Dot Grid versions.) On top of that, the pen costs only $5, which surprises me a little bit.

That’s more than fair in my book. In fact, I apparently also reviewed the predecessor to the Go pen - the Moleskine Click Roller Pen - and had this to say: “At $15 they are way overpriced - it feels like a $5 pen.” Moleskine reads The Pen Addict!

Ok, not really, but I’m glad to know that the price is now accurate for what this pen is. The Moleskine Go features a lightweight plastic barrel that is great for pocket carry, or notebook attachment. The refill is a 1.0 mm black, Parker-style ballpoint that is good, not great. It takes a second to crank up on occasion, but is consistent once it does.

Most of all, this pen is fun. I love the look and style of it, and my grip gets along well with the rectangular barrel. Even when I am not actively using it, it stays on my desk for me to fiddle with, and because it looks cool. Not many of my pens retain desktop status, so it means a lot when one does.

I pay attention to what Moleskine offers as a brand. It’s time for me to watch their pen lineup a bit more closely going forward.

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Posted on July 8, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Moleskine, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Opus 88 Omar Tiger Eye: 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.)

I reviewed the Opus 88 clear demonstrator last year. I was so impressed that I later bought a Picnic Blue. The Opus 88 Omar is my third Opus fountain pen. I really love this brand because they are well made, they have huge ink capacity (3.4ml!), and their JoWo nibs are smooth writers.

The Omar adds another enhancement to an already excellent line up: beauty. It’s not that the other Opus pens aren’t beautiful, but they are just single-color pens. The Omar boasts a flecked resin cap with a coordinating translucent barrel. It comes in several lovely colors: Emerald, Amethyst, Smoky Quartz, and Tiger Eye, the model I’m reviewing this week.

The Omar is an oversized pen, measuring 5.9 inches/150mm capped, 5.4 inches/137mm uncapped, and 7.1 inches/180mm posted (don’t even think about posting this pen!) The barrel at its widest is 18mm and the grip is 11.2mm. Capped, the pen weighs 36 grams (with ink), but uncapped it weighs 20 grams (with ink), which is quite reasonable. But, if you prefer very light, thin pens, the 88 is not for you. I find it very comfortable and balanced.

The pen comes in a large, black, magnetic closure box. A glass eyedropper is included.

The Tiger Eye cap has various shades of brown and opalescent flecks. The finial is ivory and the clip is stainless steel. The only branding is a lightly engraved “Opus 88” at the top of the clip.

The barrel is translucent brown with an ivory piston knob.

My pen has a large #6 JoWo stainless steel nib in fine, though the Omar is offered with a choice of fine, medium, broad, and 1.5 stub nibs. It is engraved with some scrollwork, Opus 88, and the nib size.

Opus pens are easy to fill. You just unscrew the grip, dip the eyedropper in ink, and carefully squeeze the ink into the barrel. The rubber o-ring seals the barrel so the ink doesn’t leak out.

To write, you need to unscrew the piston knob a few millimeters so that ink flows into the feed. Afterwards, re-tighten it until you’re ready to write again.

I filled my Omar with SBRE Brown ink (reviewed here) which is a perfect pairing with the Tiger Eye.

The fine nib writes smooth and wet--in fact, of my three Opus pens, this one has the best nib. Unless you purchase your pen from a retailer that tunes your nib prior to shipping, you have to rely on good fortune that your nib will be trouble free. So far, all three of my Opus pens have had decent nibs, but each one is slightly different. The nib on my original Opus 88 was good, but I replaced it with a Regalia Writing Labs Crossflex nib (reviewed here) that is fantastic. My second Opus had a rather dry nib, but it was usable. This Omar’s nib has just the right amount of wetness to it.