Sailor Fude Nagomi Brush Pen Extra Fine Review

I like the fact that I am seeing more and more Sailor pens of the non-fountain pen variety become available. It's possible these pens have been all over Japan for years, but I feel like it is a special treat when someone like JetPens imports them and makes them available to more people.

The Sailor Fude Nagomi Brush Pen was made in conjuction with a popular Japanese calligrapher named Ryofuka. She had a hand in the design of the pen, including the curved grip section, which I quite enjoy. In looking at the pamphlet of tips that came with the pen, it appears she prefers holding the pen at a very vertical angle. I find that interesting because I do that when writing, but for the broader strokes required with brush pens it seems odd.

It may work well with this extra fine model though, because there is very little line variation to be had. It reminds me a lot of the Kuretake Fudegokochi which I love for its general writing ability. This Sailor is very much the same, and will be primarily used for tasks that require smaller, more defined styles.

Many other, more standard, brush tips are available too, so be sure to take a look at all of the options that Sailor has brought to the table if you like the shape and style of this barrel.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Pentel EnerGel Tradio 0.5 mm Needle-Point Gel Ink Pen Review

I'm not sure what Pentel is trying to accomplish here. On one hand, the EnerGel is a staple in the world of gel ink pens because of its smooth, dark lines. On the other hand, the Tradio is well respected by artists and writers alike for its wild nib and line variation. Put them together and you get...what exactly?

The Pentel EnerGel Tradio Needle-Point Gel is a good pen. A really good pen in fact. It writes wonderfully, as you would expect, and is visually appealing. The grip is a little slick, but that's my only gripe as far as form and funtion goes. But for the life of me, I don't know why this pen exists.

The only Tradio feature this pen has is the window in the cap. That design does say to me "Hey, I'm a Tradio", but if you have ever used or seen a Tradio that is where the similarities stop.

That leaves the rest of the experience in the hands of the EnerGel. And as I mentioned earlier, it is a fine EnerGel. What I didn't mention is it is an expensive EnerGel at $4.00 per unit. My favorite online-only EnerGel is the Euro Needle. It has a better barrel and a better grip and the same great writing quality for just $2.50. For a base level EnerGel experience, you can get the EnerGel X for $1.35. So, three for the price of one, plus retractability and several more ink colors to choose from.

The EnerGel Tradio is straight out of the Redundant Department of Redundancy, and an inferior product to boot. Let's see some real innovation next time Pentel.

(Interesting note: Only after I completed this review I realized I had reviewed the 0.7 mm blue ink model of this pen a year and a half ago. Fun to compare my thoughts then and now.)

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode #158 - The Topic Of Stuff

I get a lot of stuff, and my mailbox (physical, not virtual) was overflowing with stuff last week. Do I need all of this stuff? What do I do with all of this stuff? I may have a problem.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Pen Chalet: Use the code PENADDICT to save 10% on your order or click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password 'penaddict' for even more savings, as well as your 10% off.

Field Notes: Buy a year-long Colors subscription starting with the Workshop Companion, and use the code 'RELAY' and you’ll get 3 Carpenter Pencils and a 3-Pack of “Pitch Black” memo books free.

Massdrop: An online community for enthusiasts of all kinds.