Ohto Minimo Ballpoint Pen Review

Take any idea of what you think is a tiny pen and throw it out the window. The Ohto Minimo Ballpoint trumps them all, even claiming it is the world's thinnest ballpoint. After using it I have no disagreement with that statement.

This is the first mini pen I have used where I couldn't use my normal tripod-style grip (index finger and thumb on front, backed by my middle finger). It has been close with other pens like the Zebra T3 but I could always get there. With the Ohto Minimo I could only grip it between my thumb and index finger to write with. This was a problem at first but I adjusted quickly and got decent writing performance.

With a pen this small comfort isn't necessarily the priority - vanishing into any notebook, pocket, or purse is. In fact, Ohto packaged this pen with its own credit card sized holder so you can keep tabs on it. That's a hint folks.

The Minimo is too small for me to get any regular use out of. My choices in the mini pen arena are downright gargantuan comparitively, but I'll stick with the Monteverde Poquito or the Pentel Slicci Techo for my mini needs.

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

Ohto Dude Fountain Pen Review

There are a wide variety of fountain pens available in the entry-level price range of around $20. Some on the lower-end of that price scale are excellent (the Platinum Preppy and Sailor HighAce Neo for starters), as are ones on the higher end like the Lamy Safari. While there are many good choices, there are poor ones as well, and unfortunately the Ohto Dude falls into the latter category.

The Ohto brand has always appealed to me from a design perspective. Their barrel design ideas are interesting, and they generally pull them off very well (the Ohto Rook being the lone exception). Where they have been lacking - more times than not - is in the area of performance. Most importantly, where the nib meets paper.

I should have learned my lesson with the Ohto Fine. That nib gave me serious problems at the time, and the cost of repair would be greater than the original price. I was hoping the unfortunately named Dude would be better. It was, but only marginally.

What I have repeatedly experienced with Ohto fountain pens is the nib digging into the page. I don't mean that it is scratchy when I write - that is a different feeling - I mean that it is almost gouging the page. This made for a poor and inconsistent writing experience.

I have learned my lesson with this pen. Ohto ballpoints and rollerballs are good pens but I am going to swear off any future Ohto fountain pen purchases.

Ohto Graphic Liner Needle Point Drawing Pen 03 Review

The Ohto Graphic Liner Needle Point Drawing Pen is one of those pens that caught me off guard - in a very good way. I wasn’t paying attention when I ordered it to be honest. I thought it was another plastic tip drawing pen but when I received it I realized just how wrong I was.

The Ohto Graphic Liner is actually a metal-tipped drawing pen, somewhat of a cross between a Sakura Pigma Micron in ink quality and properties and a Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle in style. It is a little bit hard to explain but it works wonderfully. I went with the 03 thinking it had an 0.3 mm tip, but that is a little misleading. From one of the reviews at JetPens, here is how the tip widths line up:

005 = 0.3 mm

01 = 0.4 mm

02 = 0.5 mm

03 = 0.7 mm

05 = 1 mm

1 = ? (could not find this one)

I would say the 03 translates into right around an 0.7 mm so the list is probably accurate. That is too wide for me, but I was so impressed with this pen that I can’t wait to try a few of the smaller tip sizes. Too bad they have been out of stock for months.