Uni Alpha Gel HD II Shaka Shaker Mechanical Pencil Review

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

The more stationery products I see and use, the more I'm convinced that there is really is a specific product for every tiny use case you can imagine. In some cases, you might want the convenience of a "shake to advance" lead system in a mechanical pencil combined with the luxurious grip of the Uni Alpha series. It seems like a completely random combination at first, but I'm also glad that it exists in case someone does need this specific combination of functionality. And even if you don't care much about the nifty shaking mechanism, it's still a great mechanical pencil that features the soft Alpha grip section.

The (take a big breath for this one) Uni Alpha Gel HD II Shaka Shaker Mechanical Pencil is the exact combination I described above. At first glance, it looks like a Uni Signo with the Alpha grip. We've reviewed these gel refill cousins before, and they're fantastic for people who want a soft and gel-like cushion on the pen grip. The pencil we have here is the same concept, but with a mechanical pencil component inside. On top of that, you can also advance the lead by gently shaking the pencil.

I've used pencils like this in the past, like the Tombow Mono Graph Shaker and Pilot Mogulair, and the concept of shaking the pencil to advance the lead is quite interesting. With this feature, you can advance your pencil lead with one hand and without moving your fingers from the grip section. I can see where this can be convenient, but it's also partly a marketing gimmick to set this pencil apart from the many, many other options. That being said, it's a really well done gimmick that works great in practice.

Similar to the Tombow, you can lock the advancement mechanism on the Shaka so that it doesn't accidentally extend (and break) lead while being jostled around in a pocket or bag. To do this, you have to rethink the top button of this pencil. The top button can certainly advance the lead if you press it down about 80% of the way. One press advances roughly 1 millimeter of lead, and you can also press and hold to push the lead back into the pencil when it's time to pack up. But, if you press the top button all the way down (it feels like pressing the nock of a normal ballpoint or gel pen), it clicks and stays in place. When the top button is down, it means the shaking mechanism is disabled and won't advance lead while the pencil is in transit. It took me a few minutes to figure out how this works, but once your brain gets over the confusing aspect of how the button being down seems like the opposite of a "ready to carry" position, you're all set.

It's entertaining to picture someone furiously shaking this pencil like a dried up bottle of Wite-Out or a fresh Polaroid, but that's not the kind of effort you need to exert with the Shaka pencil. All it takes is a small flick of the wrist to extend the lead by a millimeter or so. I can easily do this without moving my elbow or shoulder, and I really appreciate how easy it is to use in this regard. Let's be real: if it required the kind of effort that I mentioned above, you're not likely to use this pencil in public.

Along with the cushy grip and unique lead advancing system, you get the usual perks of almost every mechanical pencil ever made. There's a small eraser under the top button, and you can add more lead by removing the top button and the eraser to open the lead reservoir.

If you've never tried out one of the Uni Alpha Gel grip pens, you really owe it to yourself to try one some day. It's not for everyone, but you never know until you try one.

At less than $8, the Uni Alpha Gel HD II Shaka Shaker Mechanical Pencil (seriously, who came up with this name?) is an excellent value. If you try it out and don't like it, you're only out a few bucks, and maybe someone you know will love it instead. The pencil only comes in 0.5mm lead size, and you also only have two choices of color: the white featured here, and a classy Navy with chrome hardware. It's a fun pencil that I can definitely recommend if you want a unique mechanical pencil experience for a few bucks.

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

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Tactile Turn Stainless Steel Pencil Review

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

Tactile Turn is one of those names that the Pen Addict crowd have heard about at some point or another. Maybe you've seen the brand on Instagram, or seen one of the Kickstarter campaigns for their unique machined pens. Or, maybe you've seen one in person or even own one (or several) of these high-quality metal pens. Whatever the case may be, if you haven't heard of Tactile Turn before today, it's your lucky day.

Starting with a machined pen to hold either a Parker refill or a Pilot G2 refill, Tactile Turn made their debut many years ago with the Mover and Shaker pens. These are still available today, but not in their initial form. The team at Tactile Turn have iterated on these pens to make them the best possible version. They also make several other pen models, including a sliding bolt variety and even a fountain pen.

Most recently, the gang at Tactile Turn have produced an outstanding mechanical pencil that features the same design cues as the rest of their unique lineup. The mechanical pencil, dubbed the Pencil, borrows the shape and bolt design of the Bolt Action Pen but manages to squeeze in a mechanical pencil insert instead of a pen refill. And of course, what mechanical pencil would be whole without an eraser on top? The Pencil features a larger than normal black eraser for those mistakes that you just can't stand to leave on the page if you forgot your big eraser at home.

When purchasing the pencil, you can choose between a 0.5mm and 0.7mm lead size component, and you can also opt for a Damascus bolt over the standard titanium bolt. Not sure what Damascus is?

Titanium Damascus is different allows of titanium that are forged together and twisted to create a cool pattern. After they are machined, we heat them to bring out the pattern. Every bolt looks a little different. These are unique pieces and every one has variation from the next.

For an extra $20, I would go for the Damascus bolt every single time, and that applies to the Bolt Action Pen as well. The pop of blue-green-purple color on the all-business machined body is just too good to pass up.

The bolt is an interesting way to advance the pencil lead. Opposed to the Bolt Action Pen, which has a curved path for the bolt to slide down into action, the Pencil has a short 4mm path for the bolt to travel down. It doesn't feel entirely natural, but you can get used to it. Another aspect that doesn't feel entirely natural is the amount of force you have to use in order to advance the lead. It would be easier if the bolt was bigger or stuck out further, but that would ruin the aesthetic. Maybe a lighter spring on the internal pencil component would also help? Either way, I have found it slightly frustrating to operate the bolt on this pencil, but it's not a deal-breaker for me. After a little use, my thumb remembers how to operate it efficiently.

Another small design decision that gets under my skin is the fact that the lead pipe doesn't retract into the pencil body. This isn't something that you find on many mechanical pencils in general, but it's always nice to have. To be fair, I can't even imagine the engineering nightmare it would be to design a retracting lead component on this pen, and that's probably the end product lacks it. This omission doesn't detract from the pencil at all, as the point isn't very "pointy" and doesn't get stuck on things (like the insides of pockets) very easily as long as the lead is retracted.

Moving on to the rest of the pencil, you'll certainly notice the heft of the stainless steel model as soon as you pick it up. It's not a lightweight pencil! The entire body features the same uniform grooves that go around the body to create a tiny and textured grip surface that feels great to hold. On top of feeling great, it also gives the pen part of its unique aesthetic that all of Tactile Turn's products boast.

The clip is the same clip that you'll find on all the other Tactile Turn pens, and it does a fantastic job. It's strong enough to keep the pencil attached to whatever you clip it into, and the aesthetic matches the rest of the pencil perfectly.

The eraser looks right at home on this pencil, and also offers an instant visual cue that this is indeed a pencil (in case you have several Tactile Turn pens laying around on your desk). I wish there was an option to purchase an alternative cap for the pen if you want to leave the eraser behind and prefer a more streamlined look for the top of the pen. An option like this would definitely diminish the utility of the pencil, but I'd buy one pretty quickly to add to my Pencil since I don't really need the eraser built into the top.

Writing with the Pencil takes a little getting used to because of the significant weight. Most of the mechanical pencils I use are extremely light, so this one is quite an adjustment. Of course, this is one of the heavier options available. If you prefer a lighter pencil, I'd go with the titanium or aluminum models.

The Tactile Turn Mechanical Pencil is certainly an attractive looking pencil that looks great on my desk, feels good in my hand, and does a good job at making marks on the page. A few design quirks aside, it's an excellent writing instrument that I would happily recommend to anyone that is drawn to the Tactile Turn aesthetic. The Stainless Steel model shown here starts at $89, but you can pick up an anodized aluminum version for $69, a copper or brass version for $79, or a titanium model for $99. With each model, you can spend an extra $20 to upgrade to a Damascus bolt over the standard titanium, and I'd highly recommend it.

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

Rotring 800 Lead Holder Review

(This is a guest post by Nick Folz. You can find more of Nick and his work on his blog, Smallberry Drive, Twitter, and Instagram.)

The Rotring 800 2mm Lead Holder is a master class in minimalism. It’s a knock advance instead of a clutch/drop system, it has no built in sharpener, there is no grade indicator. A case could easily be made against it, especially when grading on specs alone. Comparing this model against a Rotring Rapid Pro 2mm, or a Staedtler 925-35 would be a difficult sell. Both of those models are cheaper and are very fine lead holders, and on paper it is easy to write off the 800 as an expensive oddity. But line them up on a desk and I will pick up the 800 every time. Finesse, build quality, and design are one hell of a factor in person.

The 800 series has had a bit of a troubled past for Rotring, the early versions of the mechanical pencil entries (.5mm and .7mm) have a retractable lead sleeve. Lots of reviewers complained about this mechanism breaking lead internally, making the cleaning of it (which was never fun or easy) a near routine.

The 2mm model has no such sleeve, thank goodness. One of my favorite things about lead holders is their innate pocket friendly nature, which also cuts down on “whiz-bang” gimmicks like sliding sleeves and moving parts. I’m not bad mouthing features like those, I have a Rapid Pro .7mm that I LOVE because of it (Some of my best friends have sliding sleeves), but I also like the utilitarian nature of a stripped down tool.

That predisposition might explain a lot about why I love this pencil. It is everything it needs to be and nothing it’s not. No grade indicator, no tiny sharpener, the fanciest thing this pencil has is a clip, but that clip is substantial. Every part of this little machine is substantial. It is made entirely of metal and the parts do not shake or jiggle. It is machined perfection. Taking the 800 apart is not unlike a ritual, placing the finely designed parts and arranging them is a thing of beauty. Do all the parts need to be metal? No. Does it make a difference that they are? Yes.

The weight is nice, it has a heft to it that helps when writing or drawing for extended periods. If you like a lighter pencil then I would recommend the above mentioned Staedtler, which is aluminum. The brass construction of the 800 gives it that extra weight that I prefer in a drawing utensil. If someone asks to borrow a writing utensil it is an instant conversation piece. One co-worker has bought one for herself and others as gifts for friends and family.

The shape of the outer body is my favorite thing about this pencil. The hexagon body with circular knurled grip sections mix form and design in a symphony of utilitarian style. Rotring’s own Rapid Pro has a similar design but the hex shape isn’t as pronounced and the edges don’t extend past the circumference of the grip sections, so they don’t have the same effect, in aesthetics or function, as the 800. The hard edged middle hex section recalls the history of wood case pencils in a nice visual tribute, but the design also achieves that which was the point of the original design: it keeps the pencil from rolling around. I’m speaking plenty of sugar here, but when something about a design looks cool and adds to the function of the item, I swoon a bit.

Writing and drawing with the 800 is a pleasure. I use a softer lead, 2B, and the added weight of the pencil makes it very comfortable and the lead just glides across the page with little effort. My drawing style usually hides my love of lead: I pencil first, then lightly erase, ink, then erase again to hide all of the sloppy planning lines. I’ve tried to break myself of this and leave the planning pencil marks in on a few pieces. I like the overall look, but I mainly enjoy leaving the part the pencil played in the final product.

If you aren’t sure about lead holders and want to try one out, don’t let this one be your first choice.

If you have one lead holder that floats around your pen case, surfacing every now and again and you think “Oh yea, I should use that more,” only to grab a wood case pencil or a .5mm mechanical pencil instead, don’t buy another one.

If you have a few lead holders, have several packs of 2mm lead in various grades cluttering up your desk, have a lead smudged writing hand, and are looking for one lead holder to rule them all? DING DING DING DING. You found it.

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

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