Posts filed under Zebra

Zebra Funwari Fude Color Brush 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.)

Brush pens are so fun, but so tricky. I learned a lot listening to Ana on the recent Pen Addict Podcast (episode 292). These Zebra Funwari Fude brush pens have the firm, reinforced felt tips she mentioned that are ideal for beginners.

The pens have a white plastic body with a snap cap that matches the color of the ink (sort of). The cap does post, but not very deeply. Overall, it's a plain design. The real feature on these is the brush point.

The tips are felt, but reinforced with some plastic so they aren't as flexible as some. That helps a lot with line control and learning how and when to add pressure to get your desired line width. At first, they didn't seem to flex much at all, but they did break in after some use. They were still firm enough that the tip could be used to write with to get a finer line. Gentle pressure adds some width to the line, and then using the sides of the tip adds even more variation.

All the ink colors are water-based, but the black has some extra water-resitance so that it can be used for sketching and outlining. The pens would be great for drawing or calligraphy, though I did get a little feathering where I put down more pressure.

This set includes eight colors--black, grey, red, golden yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink. It's the full color range of the model, which has a lot of gaps, unfortunately. There isn't an orange! That shouldn't be allowed.

At $22, I do think they're a bit pricey. The overall feel and use is more school supply/beginner tool, rather than an artist's pen, but they're priced higher than some much fancier models. If you're wanting to get more into brush pen techniques,though, and struggling with the full-flex brushes, these are a great way to ease into the hobby.

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

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Posted on February 15, 2018 by Sarah Read and filed under Zebra, Brush Pen, Pen Reviews.

Zebra DelGuard Type-Lx 0.3 mm Mechanical Pencil Review

Zebra has been making inroads in the mechanical pencil market over the past couple of years, and the DelGuard model has been the primary vessel.

The DelGuard features an internal mechanism to prevent lead breakage for both vertical and sideways pressure. It works amazingly well in every model we have reviewed on the blog. Never once have I had a lead breakage or writing consistency issue.

Since Zebra has seemingly nailed this technology, they have ramped up the styles and models available in the DelGuard. There are different price points, different materials, and yes, even Hello Kitty. Getting that Sanrio deal is when you know you have made it in the stationery market.

The model I’m reviewing today is the Type-Lx, which is currently the highest priced model at $13.50. It’s the only DelGuard model to feature a metal grip section, which is where much of the price increase lies. It also features a rotating grip section which none of the other models have…and I wish this one didn’t have it either.

I was ready to compare this pencil - at least in barrel style and price point - to the Uni-ball Kuru Toga High Grade and the Uni-ball Shift Pipe Lock. Both are metal section/plastic barrel mechanical pencils in the same price range, each with a different feature set than the DelGuard. But this rotating section threw me for a loop.

Why it is there I can’t fully say. It’s not listed in the product description, and I didn’t even notice it until I slid my fingers down to where the nose cone connects with the section. Have you even been using a pen and feel like the nose cone has started to come unthreaded from the barrel? That’s what I assumed I was feeling. No big deal, I’ll just tighten it back up. What, what? The whole thing rotates 360 degrees?

I don’t like it, and it is unnecessary. I can’t figure out why it was designed this way technically either. If it was an auto-tip rotation pencil like the Kuru Toga I’d understand, but this is a lead protection pencil. Maybe pressure gets displaced slightly as you write, lessening the chance of breakage? If that is the case, the the Type-Lx has better design than all of the other DelGuards, which doesn’t make logical sense.

Traditionally, one rotates the pencil in hand while writing as the lead wears down. Having the section rotate eliminates that on occasion, like if the clip of the pencil is resting in the cusp of your hand in the direction you are rotating. You will attempt to spin the pencil but the clip works against the section rotation, and it gets you nowhere.

Yes, I obsess over these somewhat minor things because there are better choices for you to make. I can’t think of a situation offhand where I would recommend this pencil over any of the lower priced DelGuards.

DelGuard technology is fantastic and the build quality of these pencils is excellent. Just don’t feel like you are getting an upgraded experience buying the upgraded barrel. In fact, it could be a downgrade for you like it was for me.

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

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Posted on October 30, 2017 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Zebra, DelGuard, Mechanical Pencil.

Zebra Sarasa Clip Mister Donut Scented Gel 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.)

The scented Zebra Sarasa pens are back with new limited editions, this time celebrating Mister Donut in some scrumptious sweet scents. If you missed the last scented gel pen release, definitely grab these. If you already have the last scented set, you can probably skip these, because the colors and scents are mostly repeated. The previous editions had lemon yellow instead of caramel brown. Of course, these versions are decorated with adorable donuts and the Mister Donut characters: French Wooler (set A) and Pon de Lion (set B)--so they're still great fun. I was just disappointed that it wasn't a whole new product. I'm also disappointed, now, that I don't have a real-life matcha donut. But that's one of those problems that stationery can't solve.

These pens have all the fantastic features of the Zebra Sarasa Clip—a lovely, sturdy alligator clip that secures reliably to even fat stacks of paper; fast-drying ink that is water and fade-resistant; a satisfying click mechanism; and a soft rubberized grip. The clips make them a little bulky, but they're functional enough that I think they earn that extra space in the pen case.

They write smoothly and the colors are bright and saturated. I didn't experience any skipping or smudging. The .5 mm tip is great for fine lines while still being easily readable in lighter colors. They're good pens for those who like practical reliability, and the special editions add whimsy that makes writing with them extra delightful. The scents are fun, but not overpowering. I can't say that they smell like what they claim to be--they all have a general "sweet" smell and some are easier to discern than others. But if you had me take a sniff test to determine the scent, I'd fail. The orange and the strawberry are the easiest to identify by smell alone.

Like the previous edition, this one is broken up into two sets of four. Set A has chocolate black, matcha green, peach pink, and vanilla light blue. Set B has caramel brown, milk blue, orange, and strawberry red. Both sets together make a nice array of colors. Individually, the sets seem oddly grouped. It would make more sense, to me, to put the red, blue, and black together--the office-appropriate colors--and then the more wild colors in the other set. Or just make it one set of eight--because who just buys half of the limited edition?

At $10.75 per set, they're a little on the pricy side. But the pens are refillable (just not with the limited scented ink). They're also well-made enough to withstand many repeated uses, so I don't think the price is unreasonable.

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

I hope the next limited series will include some more new colors and scents, but in the meantime, I'll enjoy these very much.

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