Review: Pentel Sliccies Multi Pen

It's a hot new Japanese multi pen review kind of week here at The Pen Addict, and the new Pentel Sliccies line is next on the docket.  I have mentioned in a couple of places on this blog that if Pentel and Uni-Ball would come out with a similar customizable multi pen like the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto they would be a big hit.  Little did I know I would be reviewing both new models in the same week.

A reader sent me an email tip a while back about the existence of this pen, and my expectations had been building to unrealistic heights ever since.  I was looking for the holy grail of pens with the release of the Sliccies line, and I have to say Pentel came thisclose to delivering, but as always, there are a couple of minor items that keep this pen from being a real knockout.

The ink cartridges perform great, just like the regular Slicci line.  The ink flows smoothly with no skipping at all.  I am noticing, and maybe it is just me, that the design of the tip has a little more roll to it than the normal Slicci, which I find to be sharper.  I prefer the sharper, but the Sliccies seem to write smoother, so that is a fair trade in my book.

The barrel seems to be very sturdy in limited use so far, but I'm not crazy about how the cartridges load.  The barrel unscrews in the middle and the cartridges are inserted from below and snap in, as opposed to the Pilot Hi-Tec-C where they load from the top.  This must be a popular new design because the Uni Style Fit is the same way, but what it does is prevents you from seeing the color of the ink cartridge easily like with the Coleto.  You have to peer through the barrel to see what color is loaded, or remember where you put the cartridge to begin with.  My problem with remembering is I already have four barrels populated with ink, and I'm old so my memory is fleeting as the days go by.

One other issue with the barrel is the ridiculous Slicci logo that cuts through the grip ridges on each side, right where I hold it of course.  It's not a deal breaker, and I get over it after a few minutes of writing, but why break up the grip ridges with smooth letters right where you grip the pen?  That doesn't seem like the best decision to me, falling in the form over function category.  At least the two and three cartridge barrels have now solved the barrel being to thin problem many had with the single cartridge model.  They are both a very nice size.

But if the photos below don't say enough, I'm a pretty big fan of this pen.  I have used them almost exclusively since getting them from JetPens last week, and Mariko surprised me with a three cartridge barrel that I didn't have and already put into the rotation.  For someone who enjoys using multiple colors of ink as frequently as I do, the Pentel Slicces will be right up your alley.

For more review of the Pentel Sliccies, check out Mind Most Peculiar and Big Jim.

Big May Copic Giveaway

Marianne from I Like Markers really outdid herself this time, sending me a load of Copic Markers, Multi Liners, Drawing Pens, and Sketchbooks to test out and giveaway.  The markers are the cream of the crop as far as art and drawing markers go, and since I am not much of an artist myself, I figured I would try to get these in the best hands possible.  This giveaway is for all of the markers, carrying case, and sketchbook shown in the photo above.  One person will take away the entire kit.  But this isn't going to be a standard Pen Addict giveaway - you are going to have to earn these sweet goodies.

Since I want to be sure that these markers get into the hands of someone that will really use them well, the rules are going to be a little more strict for this giveaway.  Don't worry if you don't qualify this particular one - I still have the Multi Liners and Drawing Pens to giveaway, which I will do soon in the regular fashion.

PLEASE READ THE RULES CAREFULLY!!!

1. I am going to need proof that you will put these Copic Markers to good use.  If you have any type of presence on the internet - blog, Flickr, Etsy, etc... - you will need to email me a link to your artwork, drawings, sketches, doodles, etc.  This is not an art contest, and your artwork will not be judged.  I just need to see the intent to use these markers.  This counts as one entry.

2. You may also create an original artwork either a) using Copic products (please list or photograph the ones used), or b) make a drawing of Copic products.  Upload this to Flickr, your blog, or any other photo hosting site and email me the link to the artwork.  It doesn't have to be big or elaborate, but it does need to be new - not something you have already posted.  This counts as one entry.

3. Write a blog post about why you want these Copic goodies titled "My Entry Into The Big May Copic Giveaway".  The blog post must contain a link back to this contest post, and a link to www.penaddict.com.  This counts as one entry.

For each entry into this contest, you must email me at the address on the sidebar, and the subject line of your email MUST read Big May Copic Giveaway Entry.  This email should contain the link to your entry, and the item number you are entering it as (#1, #2, or #3 as listed above).  You can of course roll all of your entries into one blog post which contains all three elements above, and that will count as your three entries.

You can have a total of three entries into this contest depending on which route you take.  I will be picking the winner randomly from all of the entries.  This giveaway will run for two weeks, which should provide you ample time to enter if you are so inclined.  The giveaway will close on Tuesday, May 19th at 11:59 PM EST.  I will post the winner shortly thereafter.

It is crucial that the subject line of your email is Big May Copic Giveaway Entry, since this is how the mails will be sorted.  Also, I am closing the comments on this post so as not to confuse things.  If you have a question about how this contest works, please send me an email with the subject line of Giveaway Question and I will get back to you ASAP.

Thanks and good luck!

Review: Uni Style Fit

I first spied the Uni Style Fit on Partrick Ng's excellent website Scription back in February, and knew right then and there that I must get my hands one one.  Luckily for me, I have the best readers in the world, because my pen friend Mariko from Super Eggplant was headed to Japan for a couple of weeks and was wondering if there were any pens I was looking for.  Needless to say, the Uni Style Fit was at the top of the list.

At its core, the Style Fit is a multi pen in the same vein as the Pilot Hi-Tec-C or Pentel Sliccies (review coming this week also), but with a few additional options to set it apart.  First off, there are three different barrel sizes: one, three, and five cartridge.  Three always seems like the sweet spot for me, but why a five cartridge barrel?  Well, the variety of cartridges is what sets this pen apart from the pack.  You can choose from any of the following to populate your Style Fit barrel:

Signo Gel in 0.5, 0.38, and 0.28 sizes in the full rainbow of colors
Jetstream in 1.0, 0.7, and 0.5 sizes in black, blue, and red
Nano Dia pencil in 0.5mm

Mix and match to your hearts content.  My friend Bryan in Okinawa emailed me about this pen just last week saying how popular it is and how the displays in the stores are just ravaged.  If I lived in Japan, I may just have to take the whole display home myself!

Performance wise, this pen lives up to the great standards of just about everything else from the Japanese Mitsubishi Uni line.  Mariko sent me the blue three cartridge barrel plus three Signo 0.38mm catridges in black, sky blue, and green. As I mentioned in the written review, these write almost exactly like the ink cartridges found in the Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.38mm pens, which is a good thing.  Sharp, clean lines, no skipping, no delayed start, vibrant colors - just good, solid performance.  I really have no complaints about how it writes, but there are a couple of things I should mention about the barrel that may become an issue.

As you can see if you click on any of the photos, the grip area is clear - and completely smooth.  No ridges, no texture, no rubber, no anything.  I haven't had any problems yet with slipping, but I could see where that may become an issue down the line if it gets hot or my fingers are the least bit sweaty.  It's not too bad right now though.  The other issue which is more annoying is that I have trouble getting the plunger that is also the pen clip to click down tight when I first press it down.  My three cartridge barrel has two plungers on the side, and the pen clip servers as the third, which is common on many multi pens.  When I push down the clip, it regularly takes me two or three tries to get it to lock into place.  Once it locks in it stays, but getting it there is frustrating sometimes.

The only other item that I can see being an issue with an otherwise excellent pen is the size of the ink cartridges.  They seem awfully small compared to the Coleto or Sliccies refills, but it is yet to be determined how long they will last.  Sometimes appearances can be deceiving.

I really can't wait for this pen to be readily available in the U.S. because I think it is going to be a big hit - especially to my wallet.

(Click on any image to enlarge)