Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Zebra CLiCKART Retractable Marker Pen Review

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

It's been years since I've tried a new type of marker, and after trying the Zebra CLiCKART markers, I can only conclude that I need to try markers more often. Felt tip markers aren't my favorite writing instrument for day-to-day notes and doodles, but they're just so much fun to use.

The particular variant I have is a 12-pack of CLiCKART markers that cover a basic range of colors. At around $14, this set is a great value for what I consider to be excellent markers.

Taking a look at the exterior, each marker features a white body paired with a color-coordinated nose cone and click mechanism. There isn't a clip, but there is a nub where a clip would be that prevents the markers from rolling on your desk.

Zebra CLiCKART Retractable Marker Clicked

There's also a round window in the barrel (close to the nock) that is black when the marker tip is retracted, but red when the tip is extended. This is a cool feature, but I'm a little confused as to why it was included since you can tell the tip is extended by looking at the length of the nock button (and also by looking at the tip). The nock button sits low when the tip is extended, but it looks fully extended if you turn the pen upside down. Either way, I'm not complaining about the little window — it's a great feature!

The pen barrel diameter is a great size that fits comfortably in my hand. The plastic material provides plenty of grip without getting slippery after a little use. The nose cone is short and doesn't cause me any issues with the way I grip the marker. I actually found myself wanting the nose cone to be smaller so I could use the broad side of the felt tip to make a wider line. The large nose makes this nearly impossible.

Now, getting to the felt tip that makes this pen so great. Out of the box, the felt tips lay down a 0.6mm line that is a sharp and crisp. I imagine the line definition may get a little larger and maybe a little fuzzy as the felt tip wears down with use. I've been drawing and writing with these pens for a couple weeks, and the tips show no sign of wear yet. That said, I've been consciously trying to use light pressure when using them.

The colors are vibrant and solid. No wishy-washy colors here. A couple of the colors are light by design, but the only one that is hard to see on white paper is the yellow. This color works best on a dark paper or in conjunction with other dark inks on a light paper. Still, when you use the right paper or approach, the yellow is vibrant.

Felt tip pens are great, but most of them use caps. Caps are easy to lose — especially when you have several different colors on your desk at once while working on something. The convenience and practicality of a retractable felt tip marker is amazing. The only downside I can think of is the felt tips drying out prematurely since they're exposed to air constantly. Well, Zebra have thought that through and claim that these markers don't dry out. In fact, they supposedly absorb moisture through the air to remain viable. I haven't had these markers long enough to vouch for this claim, but I hope that the marketing lines up with real-world performance because markers deserve some popularity and notoriety.

Like I said at the beginning, felt tip markers aren't really my thing, but I've really enjoyed using these Zebra CLiCKART markers over the past couple of weeks. My drawings aren't any better for it, but at least I've had a lot of fun making them!

Zebra CLiCKART Markers are available as individual colors for $1.75 each, and in various 12-color multi-packs, and one 36-pack of all the colors, both of which bring the price down closer to $1 per pen.

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

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Posted on November 16, 2022 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Zebra, CLiCKART, Marker, Pen Reviews.

Skogsy Pens Cholla Micarta Fountain Pen Review, Featuring Nib Tailor Architect Grind

How’s that for a post title? I could have gone longer, adding in the pen size and material name, plus the ink, but I figured I would stop while I was ahead.

The story of this pen begins on Twitch, where I stream 2-3 times per week. A viewer with the handle “zskogsy” is a frequent viewer and chat commenter. As I got to know this digital presence, I learned more about them, eventually prying out information, such as “oh, I make pens.”

Boy, does Zach Skogsberg ever make pens.

As I got to learn more about the man behind the lathe, I learned he would be making his first ever pen show appearance at the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show. Seeing Skogsy Pens in person was at the top of my priority list that weekend, and I came away with this beautiful Cholla in Black Micarta. And by “came away with,” I mean “I had to pick one out quickly,” as these pens were flying off the table at a rate even Zach, and his wife Amy, were surprised by.

Seeing the quality craftsmanship, fun colors, and unique materials, I am not surprised in the least. Zach admitted that they were undertaking a big home move immediately upon returning from the show, so inventory wasn’t quite up to the levels he wanted, but still, having what, three total pens left by Sunday morning? That’s a pretty great show.

The Black Micarta Cholla is a pretty great pen, too. If you aren’t familiar with Micarta, it is a composite material with different types of fabric, or fiberglass, compressed in different laminates, such as various resins or epoxy. It’s a unique barrel material for fountain pens, and, according to makers who use it, not the easiest material to turn into pens.

From a user perspective, Micarta provides a hard barrel exterior, but with a warmth in the material once you start using it. The exterior is smooth, except for where the threads are cut, leaving some of the material exposed. And yes, if you get ink in that area it will stain. Easily. To buy a Micarta pen is to embrace the wabi-sabi, as not only will ink stain the pen if it gets on the barrel, your hand oils will continue to be absorbed over time, darkening the overall color. Micarta fans call these “features.”

Skogsy Micarta Fountain Pen TWSBI — *My new-ish Skogsy Pen with my well-loved TWSBI Micarta.*

Skogsy Micarta vs TWSBI — *A cracked internal nib housing left this stunning green stain on my TWSBI barrel. Own it!*

My pen features a 16 mm grip section, which would be considered slightly wide. Skogsy also offers a more standard 14 mm grip section in most pens as well. The barrel width is sized to compliment either size grip section.

I’ve had this pen in regular use since returning from San Francisco, and it puts a smile on my face every time I use it. It’s that nice, and I made it even nicer, for me, with the addition of an Architect grind on the Medium steel Jowo nib I chose when purchasing this pen.

When I sat down with JC Ament, aka the Nib Tailor, I knew I wasn’t going with one of my standards (Stub, Cursive Italic, Needlepoint,) and wanted something cool, befitting this cool pen. I settled on a traditional Architect grid, and JC absolutely nailed it. My most-used Architect grind is more of a mini-style, befitting my small handwriting, so having this more traditionally-sized nib has been great.

I like pen and nib pairings, and I think I put together a perfect combination. But my results are only as good as the people behind the products, and Zach, Amy, and JC should all be proud of their work.

Zach and Amy are still settling in after their big move, so follow Skogsy Pens on Instagram for the latest info, and for when commissions open back up. JC can be found at Nib Tailor, and at a pen show, or stationery retailer, near you.

(I was provided the Skogsy Pen at no charge at the San Francisco Pen Show. I paid regular price for the Architect nib grind from the Nib Tailor.)

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Posted on November 7, 2022 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Skogsy Pens, Nib Tailor, Nib Grind, Pen Reviews.

Gravitas Delrin Fountain 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I'm continuously surprised and delighted by Gravitas Pens. I've rarely seen a pen creator dive into the job with such playful abandon. Ben Walsh is trying something new every few minutes and the results have been phenomenal.

The newest model to cross my desk is the Delrin. It's similar in design to the Sentry, but made of engineered plastic, with an Orange Cerakote-coated stainless steel grip section. The body is slightly tapered, and both finials come to an angled point. The cap screws on and it posts securely if you're the posting type.

The body of the pen feels smooth but it's lightly textured, so it's easy to grip. It's also extremely lightweight. Nearly all the weight of this pen is in the steel grip section. It feels perfectly balanced when writing, as the weight of the pen sits in your hand and the length helps keep it stabilized.

The grip section is gently ridged to keep your fingers from slipping, and the Cerakote has a rough texture to it. It's comfortable and gives great control when writing, but it does get ink in it, leaving some marks that are a little tricky to wash away. It doesn't bother me, but if you like your pens looking pristine, this one might not be for you.

My pen came with a medium nib that writes very well, with smooth writing and great ink flow. It's a #6 Jowo nib, with some scrollwork but no branding.

The pen comes with a converter, though it can also take standard cartridges, and it can be eyedroppered (though some additional silicone grease is recommended if you do this).

Like many Gravitas pens, this one is underpriced at 95 Euros. I appreciate and admire the affordability, even if it feels a little wrong.

Of all the Gravitas pens I've tried, I like this one a bit more than the metal ones, and only slightly less than the polycarbonate ones. It has a special quality to it that when I pick it up, it makes me want to write even when I don't feel like writing. Maybe it's all of Ben's wild creativity traveling through his creations to other creators. Whatever it is, I can't get enough of it.

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

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