Platinum OLEeNu Lead Breakage Prevention Mechanical Pencil Review

Aside from the Uni-Ball Kuru Toga, there haven’t been any great strides made in pencil technology over the past several years. That is not a bad thing. Pencils - mechanical included - are some of the most traditional writing instruments around, and it is difficult to change an almost perfect tool.

The Platinum OLEeNu attempts to bring something new to the table with its lead breakage prevention mechanism. This is not a world changing advancement in technology, but I will say it works as intended and is a nice feature.

When I started the written review, I was writing with standard pressure and at a standard pace. If you look closely at the page, you can see the gradient variation when I started pressing down really hard to see if I could get the lead to break, and I couldn’t. Now, I didn’t get violent with it, but you can see how hard I was pressing by how dark the lead is.

That is the major feature of the Platinum OLEeNu, and it works well. What I don’t like about this pencil is the barrel design, specifically the clip. Like most of you, I rotate all non-Kuru Toga pencils in my hand as I write to keep a sharp point on the lead, and the extra large clip gets in the way of my rotation. Not a deal breaker - more of an annoyance. The grip area wasn’t my favorite either - it is best described as funky. I can’t really put my finger on it, but I don’t love it.

In lieu of posting all of the technical details here, check out the specs and photos on the JetPens product page. There are some great photos and descriptions of how this pencil works.

Zebra Sarasa Clip Viridian Green 0.3mm Review

This post is by Lou Rinaldi, who can also be found at cfug.org and on Twitter @LouRinaldi.

There must be something I’m missing when it comes to Micro Tip Gel Ink pens. The Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3mm feels good in the hand, but it seems like it will take some time for me to get used to. This is definitely the finest point I€'ve ever used for writing, and there€'s undoubtedly going to be an adjustment period. They seem to be well-loved by aficionados, so I'€™m being very patient and giving it a chance.

Every stroke is like sandpaper across the desert. And I can hear it, too. For my writing style, at least, it’s quite fatiguing. Nor is it a smooth writing experience. Perhaps this was a poor choice with which to begin my journey, but if nothing else this will give me a valuable sense of perspective as I continue to explore different options.

Love the push clip design, and I suspect I’d love the whole package a lot more in a 0.5mm or 0.7mm tip. The Viridian Green ink is gorgeous in color. I don't usually give much consideration to color when writing, but this ink€™s vibrancy made me take notice.

Maybe I’m just not ready for the 0.3mm yet. It's too scratchy for my inexperienced hand. I’ll have to revisit this down the road. I'm not ready to pass final judgment, but for now, this isn't a pen I'€™ll be returning to on a regular basis.

Pen: Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3mm, Viridian Green (furnished by JetPens)

Paper: Ampad Envirotec Recycled Steno Book # 25774

Counterpoint

(Or, what the heck am I doing, writing for a pen blog?)

My name is Lou Rinaldi, and I am probably the last person who should be contributing to this blog; you see, I absolutely hate handwriting.

Allow me to explain. I work in the field of information technology, in a higher education environment. As you might imagine, I do a lot of typing. Ever since receiving my first computer in the 1980s (a Texas Instruments 99/4A), I have strongly preferred typing to handwriting. Learning how to write cursive in third grade was agonizing; I hated how cramped my hands got from using those oversized red square-edged pencils. My interest in computers as a hobby grew with me, and I soon found myself able to type much faster than I could ever write. I was the only student in my high school graduating class who regularly used a laptop for in-class work, long before geek was chic (think 1991-1995). Rather than handwrite an undergraduate final in one of those blue exam books, I begged the professor to let me sit in front of the entire class and type my answers on the lone computer in the classroom. I don’t think I hand wrote a single thing during all of grad school. And signing the myriad of legal documents when buying and selling real estate was the seventh level of hell for me.

So, what am I doing here? You’ll recall I mentioned that I work in higher education. A growing aspect of my job function involves interfacing with Ivy League faculty; talking with them face to face, gathering their feedback on various issues, and recording it in a non-disruptive manner. One thing I’ve learned quickly is that many of them appreciate a more conventional approach to note taking in these scenarios. That means leaving my laptop behind, and picking up a writing implement. The time has come for me to make my peace with the pen.

Now that you know a bit about my background and the perspective from which I’ll be approaching my contributions, I’d like to hear from you. What products do you recommend for someone in my shoes? What tricks or techniques should I know? How can I ease the transition from typing zealot to handwriting hero?

This post is by Lou Rinaldi, who can also be found at cfug.org and on Twitter @LouRinaldi.