Review: Sailor Pica Kirei Anti-Bacterial Multi Pen

An anti-bacterial pen? Call me skeptical, but that is what the Sailor Pica Kirei Anti-Bacterial ballpoint multi pen presents itself as. How does it work? The product page at JetPens has all of the details:

This pen utilizes material developed by Tokyo Advanced Technology Research Center and Fujitsu Research Lab. The pen body material is a combination of photocatalyst titanium apatite and silver apatite, materials commonly used in advanced air purification systems. This composite can absorb and decompose microorganisms and various other substances such as bacteria, pollen, fungus, and more. The apatite adsorbs contaminants even without exposure to light. The material adsorbed by the apatite is decomposed by the photocatalyst titanium apatitet on exposure to sunlight (ultra violet). Silver apatite inhibits growth of the germs and keeps this anti-bacteria effect without sunlight.

Can I verify this with my own lab tests? Of course not, but it does sound like a really good idea for doctor offices, schools, restaurants, or any other place where the public is in repeated contact with the same pen.

From a writing perspective, I am generally a fan of all Sailor products, and this one is no different. The ballpoint ink cartridges are nice and clean, with little to no skipping.  I actually enjoyed writing with it, regardless of whether I was spreading cooties or not. Maybe its not a pen you want to use every single day, but it wouldn't hurt to leave one around the house or on your desk for when those germ laden hands come calling.

Click here for the XL review.

Review: Pilot Delful Double Knock Mechanical Pencil

Pencils are a phase for me.  Day in and day out I'm a pen guy, but I always keep at least one good mechanical pencil within reach.  Normally, that is the Uni-Ball Kuru Toga High Grade, but I pick up one or two others here and there from JetPens to try out, and the Pilot Delful Double Knock Mechanical Pencil was one of my recent purchases.

If it wasn't obvious already, the barrel design is what originally drew me to this pencil.  Sure, I love the classic body styles like many of the engineering style pencils I have bought in the past, but Pilot did a great job with the cool factor here.  I especially love the non-standard barrel colors the Delful comes in.  This one is the green and soft blue, but they have others like black and green or pink and orange to check out.

Aside from the barrel design, one of the things that seperates this pencil from many others is the fact that not only is is a shaker pencil, but that the tip of the pencil retracts completely into the barrel, making it highly portable.  After all, who wants to be stabbed in the chest or write with a bent tip?  The construction feels very durable, so I think this pen would travel well, especially in backpacks for students.

Sure, its not a Kuru Toga - which is the pencil I unfairly compare all others to - but this is one of the best pencils for all around writing, durability, and fun that I have used.  Not a bad overall package for $7.50.

Click here for the XL review.

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