Just as I have turned the corner on the erasable ink of the Pilot FriXion, I have really started to come around on fountain pens as well. The more I am around them, the more I want to use them. The more I use them, the more I enjoy how they write, and all the different options that are available. The Ohto Rook doesn’t fall into the category of a traditional fountain pen, but it is a fun portable fountain pen that I am very much enjoying.

When I first took the pen out of the package, it took me a few seconds to realize how to open it up to write with. When capped, it measures just 3.7 inches in length, but once I figured out how to pull it apart and post the cap, it reached its full writing length of 5.6 inches, which is comparable to most standard pens. Getting it to open after that first time hasn’t been an issue.

From a writing perspective, the Rook does a fantastic job. The fine iridium nib lays down a smooth, clean line, and the ink is a nice shade of black. The silver portion of the barrel is made from aluminum, while the black sections are plastic, making for a very light weight pen.

This is about as portable as you can get from a fountain pen. If you would like to get another perspective on the Ohto Rook, check out the review by Brian at Office Supply Geek.

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Fountain Pens, Ohto, Pen Reviews.

Pilot FriXion Biz Point 04 Review

I’m not sure where I was when it happened, but I have turned into a full fledged Pilot FriXion fan. I think it must be Pilot’s constant updating and improvements to the entire FriXion line that made me sit up and take notice. Have you seen how many products they have released just in the past year?¹

When the first round of the FriXion Biz came out, I wasn’t on the bandwagon yet. The barrel looked great, but it contained the standard 0.5mm conical tip that was present in the regular FriXion. A year or so ago, Pilot came out with the FriXion Point 04 - a needle tip 0.4mm erasable gel ink pen. Now we are in business! The FriXion Biz Point 04 was released shortly thereafter, and I finally picked one up last week.

I went with the Metallic Blue Body, and it is both fantastic to look at and to write with. The barrel reminds me a lot of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Cavalier barrel, but full sized as opposed to the slimmed down Cavalier. I also bought the blue ink refills, because I am weird about using different color inks than the body color (it comes with a black ink cartridge).

Looking at the written review², you can see how nicely the pen writes. Very clean lines, and no skipping to speak of. The shade of blue is lighter than most, but that allows it to be more easily erased, and doesn’t bother me a bit.

One thing that did bother me originally was the eraser placement under the cap. I am learning to deal with it, because in the case of the Biz, it would make for a less attractive pen if the rubber eraser was on top. If I was using a mechanical pencil I would have to remove the cap to get to the eraser too, right?

The Pilot FriXion Biz 04 has earned a place on my desk, and I reach for it often. I wouldn’t sign any official documents with it, but it is a fun pen to use in nearly every other situation.