Uni-ball Signo RT1 0.38 mm Blue Black Gel Review

(This is a guest review by Brian Draghi. Find Brian on Twitter @Sketchscape)

I have enjoyed the retractable Signo RT series of pens for while now and they have been working well as-is, or at least so I thought. Uni-ball recently released an updated version of the Signo RT called the Signo RT1 with a sleek new body and a tip design that provides a smoother writing performance that the original.

The new body style of the RT1 really caught my eye the first time I saw it. It has a unibody design that looks like it’s made from one continuous piece. The bottom part of the pen near the tip is made from smooth rubber that is comfortable to hold for longer periods of time. Unlike the grip of the RT that stops near where the pen tapers towards the tip, the RT1 grip continues on to the very end of the pen. If you like to hold the pen near the tip, you still have a nice grip for your fingers to hold on to.

The main body of the RT1 is made of a translucent color that reflects the color of the refill you prefer and is see-through enough to allow you to see how much ink you have left. It’s an excellent feature and makes the RT1 feel like a streamlined, stylized pen. The RT1 also has a clip that is integrated with the click mechanism. This causes the clip to move when you extend and retract the pen instead of being stationary on the regular RT.

Comparing the line quality of the original RT to the RT1, the RT1 has the smoother writing experience. The RT1 just glides across the page without any effort required. It creates a smooth, dark, fine line that does not skip across the page.

The RT, in comparison, almost needs a bit more pressure to use since it tends to drag across the page slightly. This causes the RT to have a scratchy quality when writing. Maybe it’s this particular RT refill I currently have or I just never noticed the scratchy quality until now.

Despite the many positive elements, the clip is one of the worst things about the RT1. It is too flexible and doesn’t feel as secure as I would like. This is something that could break off after frequent use, especially if you are one that likes to fiddle with their pen clips. Another problem with the RT1 is the retracting mechanism. When you press down on the click mechanism to extend the refill, the clip and mechanism tend to rattle back and forth when you lightly shake it. This would be a huge issue if this occurred while you were writing but thankfully that does not happen. The rattling isn’t too distracting unless you are waving your pen around like a crazy person with a purpose.

Besides the minor issues with the clip and click mechanism, this is a great pen to carry away from home. The updated barrel design is nice, and the line is smooth and dark.

The RT1 is $2.50 at JetPens which is slightly more expensive than the RT but it is well worth paying an extra dollar for. It’s hard to complain about a pen that works consistently every time you put it in use.

Ink Links

-- The Art of Fountain Pens (PDF and Video) (Morse Museum)

-- Episode 66: People Still Use Paper with Dave Caolo (Mikes On Mics)

-- Organics Studio Foggy Bottom Yellow Sepia (inktronics)

-- @TWSBI Diamond 540 & 580: What I Like About You (Gourmet Pens)

-- Uniball Power Tank: A review (The Ruminator)

-- March & April - Inked in Spring (Ink of Me Fondly)

-- Noodler's Gruene Cactus Eel (Inkdependence!)

-- Sketchbook Pages by Designers and Illustrators (Notebook Stories)

-- Review of Palomino Blackwing 602 (Pencil Revolution)

-- Serendipity: Magnetic Pens by Bob & Virginia (From the Pen Cup)

-- Review: Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-Rin (Bamboo Forest) Ink (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- Ink Notes: Montblanc Burgundy Red (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Sailor 1911 Medium Clear Demonstrator inked with Noodler’s Van Gogh Starry Night Blue (JustDaveyB)

-- Super 1970s (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- The Sailor Nagahara Retirement commemorative takenuri pen (Leigh Reyes.)

-- Desk Essentials for an Office Supply Geek (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Pilot Hi-Tec-C, 0.4mm – Black (Ed Jelley)

-- Do you write with a heavy hand? (Rhodia Drive)

-- Taccia Savanna Fountain Pen Review (Write to Me Often)

-- Tweaks for Geeks a Big Success! Learn How to Tune your Nibs! (Edison Pen Company)

Platinum SBTB-1000H Roller Ball Review

The sleek and shiny barrel is what caught my eye on the recently added Platinum SBTB-1000H Roller Ball at JetPens. But as I have said many times before, don't let looks get in the way of performance. What good is an expensive pen if you don't like how it writes?

Fortunately, the SBTB-1000H writes almost as well as it looks. I say almost because I did notice if I hold the pen at too low of a writing angle I start to feel some scratchiness. This happens with many pens. If your writing angle is low you start catching more of the tip cone than the actual ball of the pen. Raise your writing angle a bit and you should notice a completely different feel.

With my normal writing angle the ink flowed smoothly and very cleanly for a rollerball, which is sometimes hard to pull off. There is little to no feathering or bleed, and the ink is pitch black.

The aluminum barrel feels great and the design is top notch. It reminds me of a cross between the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Cavalier and the P1 on Kickstarter, two outstanding pen designs. All in all I am happy with this pen.

My only hang up is the name. "Would you like to borrow my Platinum SBTB-1000H" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Oh well, it's not like us pen people talk to real human beings anyway. ;)

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)