Review: Faber Castell Conic Silver Ballpoint

This Faber Castell Conic Silver ballpoint pen is an interesting number.  From a purely aesthetic standpoint, I'm not crazy about the looks.  If I saw it in a store, I probably wouldn't even pick it up to try out.  But as it turns out, it feels pretty good in the hand, and writes decently to boot.

My main consternation is the entire concept of the pen - its "conic" shape.  I don't mind a tapered pen, or a torpedo shaped pen, but it has to be balanced just right.  This pen feels a little top heavy, but once you start writing, it feels pretty good.  The grip leaves a little bit to be desired - the rubber is firm and non-flexible - and since I grip all of my pens low, the taper towards the tip gets a little too skinny for me.

I experienced no real issues with the ballpoint ink cartridge.  It was reasonably smooth and not messy at all.  Looking at the XL sized picture, the ink actually looks very nice on the page.  This is a solid, middle of the road offering from Faber Castell, and I wouldn't mind trying out a few more of their products.

Click here for the XL review.

Pentel Slicci Metallic Gel Ink Pen - 0.8 mm - Blue

The Pentel Slicci Metallic gel ink pen is not a pen I was super anxious to try, but color me impressed, in a crafty, glittery kind of way.

I'm generally a fan of all things Slicci as it is, and the metallic Slicci's are built just like the regular ones.  The barrel is the same shape, size, and weight, with the only difference being a few additional graphics around the label and the end of the pen.  My one concern prior to using this model was the 0.8mm tip size.  I reviewed a regular 0.7mm orange Slicci earlier this year, and didn't like the bluntness of the pen and how the ink transferred to the paper.  I felt I couldn't get as sharp of a line as I wanted.  The metallic gel ink Slicci does a better job when writing, and I wonder if the tip is slightly different.  I'll need to break out the magnifying glass one day to check them out.

The blue glittery gel ink wouldn't play too well in my office, but it is a really fun color and I am surprised at how much I like it.  The line is solid, almost like you would get from a felt tip pen.  I was worried that the color would be washed out and watery, but it is not in the least.  The gel ink also doesn't bleed through the page, so it would be perfect for scrap booking and craft projects.  My good pen friend Alberto at Lung Sketching Scrolls did a great review of all the available colors on his blog, so be sure to check it out.

Click here for the XL review.

Review: Pentel Tradio EnerGel Combo Pen

When I first saw this pen posted on Scription, I knew I had to have it.  I have used and reviewed a traditional Pentel Tradio in the past, but I didn't totally fall in love with it like many hardcore Tradio users have.  But this EnerGel model has changed the game for the better in my case.

The overall design of the Tradio has not changed much from the original, but there are a few upgrades of note.  First off, the barrel is now coated with a very thin layer of rubber, giving the pen a very nice feel to it compared to a standard smooth plastic barrel.  Secondly, the grip area has changed over to the EnerGel swirl style, and while it is not a rubber grip, it does a good job.  Even with those nice upgrades, the main selling point is the addition of the EnerGel ink cartridge.  Widely regarded as one of the best writing gel pens, this is a great combination that Pentel has formulated.

For all of my fawning, there are a couple of things I want to point out.  One, the cap of the pen does not like to stay posted.  I normally write with the cap on, but as I write my hand bumps it and slides it around.  So it is not really a tight fit, and is prone to falling off.  I did order two more Tradios to see if it is just the green one I have, and it might be.  The other two have a tighter fit, so your mileage may vary.  Another item that may throw some readers is that these pens run $8.50 a pop at JetPens.  For a glorified EnerGel that may seem a little steep, but I didn't think it was too bad for a unique pen.

Overall, if you like how the Pentel EnerGel writes and how the Tradio barrel looks, then this pen is an easy purchase.  I am really enjoying mine so far.

Click here for the XL review.

Product links:
Pentel Tradio EnerGel Combo Pens from JetPens
Idea Journal from Doane Paper