The Mechanical Pencil Menagerie

I remember a few years back (from elementary school to high school), I was quite obsessed with mechanical pencils (there is something magical about the simplicity and efficiency of the clicking mechanism). It's no longer the star of my stash, thanks to my hands of salamander (pencil writing get smeared way too easily), forgetfulness (in my case, erasers disappear like hair ties and bobby pins) and the distraction by fountain pens. Anyway, I do have four of them so let's take them out for some sunbathing and blab about them for a bit! 

Pentel Graph Gear 500 Drafting Pencil 0.7mm - I found it on clearance at Target for $1.49 (down from 5) so I bought it on a whim (turns out that I actually need a pencil that very same day!)

 It has a tough metal sleep with a heavy ribbed and textured sleeve, which adds a nice bit of weight to the otherwise light pen. It's rather comfortable to hold and I think it looks quite attractive for the price. I use Pentel HB lead with it and serious have no clue what to say about the writing experience...

 Staedtler Mars Technico 2mm lead holder (regular retail at $9, I used a 50% off coupon in Michaels) - Heavier body and a more scratch-proof plastic. The 2H lead leaves a hard and faint line, which is great for drafting and pencil sketching. There is a detachable pointer at the back but it's not very user friendly as it takes several back and forth trips (the thing wouldn't sharpen unless the lead is advanced a few mm beforehand and the clicker doesn't advance the lead unless the pointer is attached to the back...)

Sakura 127 0.7mm (comes with the Pigma Sensei/Pigma Micron set) - Nothing special beside the black plastic scratches quite easily. It does get the job done and it hasn't fallen apart.

Tizo 天卓"Card-filler" pencils (1.5 Yuan in Chinese stationery store and online, which is around $0.25 US) - This flat lead-holder is specifically designed for speedy form-filling in one or two swipes. It's somewhat light weight but I have one that lasted me for years (beside the golden paint "Specifically for computerized exams" that get rubbed off over time). There are four shades available (black, blue, gray and brown) but I only saw two in that store I visited.

 The Tizo refill  is also readily available in Chinese stationery stores at 1.5 yuans for 6 leads (the same price as the pencil). The lid is not well-shut so I usually tape it over when I buy new ones.  Overall: Beside the Tizo one (which I highly recommend) , I don't have much to say about the rest...Now I just wish they come in prettier colors.

 Short writing sample of the four pencils (which already got smeared a bit when I touched the paper)

Peche - Sailor Jentle Ink Review

I think these are peach blossoms

 Sailor Jentle Ink in Peche is a powdery pink with a lilac undertone. It's reminds me more of magnolia petals than those of peach blossom though. The ink seems to have a watery consistency that's not well-flowing at all (since the slime it formed clogged my fine nibbed Pilot 78G, not sure if it's the ink or the weather here) after switching to a Lamy Safari Broad, it's still not that wet.

Even though the color is romantic and unique, it kind of shocked me how faint the color is, to a degree that it's unreadable unless you use a very wet pen　(I only use broad for drawing). You would think this would be perfect for love letters...But no, your crush will have difficulty reading it. Anyway, the ink doesn't feather and the water resistance is actually pretty good, as only 20% of the pink got washed away after a drip-and-wipe test. 

 Overall: Pretty and pretty useless (for me).

P.S. If you wonder why there is nothing peachy about the color, it's because soft pink is called momo-iro (peach color) in Japanese.

M & G Glittery Green Heart Ballpoint Pen

This review won't be all that helpful since the pen was purchased many years ago and only available in China...I just need an excuse to post up the pretty color-matching glamour shots.

A little background of the brand: M & G is a brand founded in Shanghai in 1997, the company was somehow related to the Korean brand Morning Glory (either as a subsidiary or a sister-company) but now it is just going on as its own. The brands makes stationery with cute cartoon figures (I remember there is Miffy the bunny and that blue bear I don't know the name of) and is generally quite affordable, thus popular among school kids.

The little ballpoint pen has a glittery plastic body and a chubby heart clicker. The pen is around the same weight as a Pilot G2 but it's larger in size so I feel it's a little too light for me. It doesn't have a cushioned grip but at least the ribbing makes it easier to hold. 

The pen takes a generic refill (I have a feeling that most finer ballpoint pens in China are like this) that lays down a very smooth, line that's similar to what you get with a 0.38mm gel pen (since the ink is more viscous and doesn't spread out as much). It's generally very smooth for a ball-point (not like Bic at all).

Hero 616 Fountain Pen

Is it the perfect time to review Hero 616 fountain pen (June 16th and Father's Day)?  Hero 616 is very popular among fountain pen newbies since it's known for its smooth nib (if there isn't any quality control issue...) and the ultra-low price. My cousin got it for me at a stationery store at 6RMB (1 USD) a piece and they were brought to me by my friend's mom (who traveled here to visit her).

We are all pretty familiar with the appearance, as it's a blatant copy (even down to details like the feather on the arrow clip) of Parker 51. The cigar shaped body is made of very light weight (much cheaper type,  even when it's compared to the Pilot Petit) plastic that's easily scratched.

The brand name (in Chinese) and model number is etched on the metal lid (the most substantial part of the pen), which is friction fit and doesn't contain inner sleeve (a good thing, since the more parts the more easily it comes apart). There is a rough hole on the end of barrel which would stop the pen from being an eye-dropper.

 The grip (more like the whole body) is streamlined and very comfortable to hold, despite it's light weight. There is an clear ring of ink window, which in addition to show case the crappy craftsmanship, also let kind of let you know, right before the ink runs out. So, I find it a little pointless...

The pen has an aerometric converter that's made of a smooth clear sac covered with a metal part (for you to squeeze), it holds quite a bit of ink after a full fill (be sure to squeeze it 3-4 times to minimize air bubble) and actually let you see how much ink is left, once you open up the barrel. 

The black gunk on inside is dried up Noodler's Black...

 Now comes the heart of the pen- the nib. The steel nibs on all three of my Hero 616 is stiff but writes smoothly and evenly on the paper. Smooth is probably not the right word as it gives quite a bit of tooth (and pleasant kind of nice), while at the same time, the nib is wet and lays down an intense (more so than other pens), wet and consistent line. In a way, it feels like writing with a good porous point pen like Sakura Pigma Micron pen.

The stiffness and the tooth are not bad things at all, as it gives sharp shape and form to Chinese character. The characteristic called 出锋 in Chinese (there is no English translation, as such concept doesn't exist in the alphabet). Bottom line, the nib is neither scratchy nor slippery but it's a great writer.

Hero 616 Writing Sample with Private Reserve Orange Crush - a watery ink that bleeds quite a bit on this cheap paper (so each line seems broader the unmarked nib is between a Lamy EF and Lamy Fine). Sometime I just feel like using cheaper paper as the traction makes writing easier (to me, smooth paper + smooth nib = writing on melting snow).

Lastly, something that you can't really escape with a Hero Pen: Quality Control issue. Luckily all three of my pens writes perfectly (something you should not count on if you buy it online). The only dud has a grip section that became loose (it's supposed to glued to the feed) a few days after I got it. When I twist it close completely, the nib becomes misaligned...Now we know what the nib and feed look like.

Overall: Beside the quality control issue (which is pretty big thing for me, as I have rotten luck). Hero 616 is an amazing writer (not just for the price) with an impressive nib. It's a nice little thing to toss in your bag (not entirely sure how reliable it is, ahem) that's also a joy to write with. I have no plan to ditch my other pens for a hundred of these because...A good pen is far more than just a smooth-writing nib.

Lamy Blue Ink Cartridge Review

Most fountain pen lovers should be really familiar with this ink, as it comes with every Lamy Safari/Al-Star/Vista. I never gave it much thoughts initially (mainly because my first Lamy pen had a problematic nibs that too months to break in) but after going through 3 of these, the color actually seems rather easy on the eyes. 

Lamy Blue is a medium-deep (on a broad is much more vibrant and sapphire-like) purple-blue with great flow and very little problem. No bleed through, feathering on most paper and it's rather smooth on the paper for something that flows this well. It withstand some splashes but no soak, faring a little better than J. Herbin in the water-resistance part.

With a fine nib Safari, the shading of Lamy Blue is by no mean remarkable (or noticeable) but every inks shades well with Clairefontaine. Anyway, the color is neutral (as in suitable for everyday use) with a bit of quirk and the unit price is actually pretty good (in bottle form) so I might end up buying a full bottle.

Dri Mark Mini Mini Higlighter

According the good old Google, Dri Mark is an NY-based company that also does decent-quality promotional products. A friend of mine got a bunch of these mini highlighters in her semiannual stationery haul (also known as the career expo) so she gave me two packs these. The four tiny highlighters are quite solid and they are completed with matching lid and a clip that seems a little loose (who clips a mini highlighter on his/her shirt anyway?).

Each of the markers has a conical tip that allows you to both highlight and underline and text. The cones are actually a little concaved so it requires a tad bit of a pressing to get a solid block of color. On the other hand, underlining is easy and hassle-free. The ink is a little sheerer so it wouldn't be as glaring on the page while putting on the accent.

The main selling point of these highlighters are the dry time (which they delivered but I assumed it's just because the tips are drier) but the ink smears up fountain pen inks...So, that's the end of the story.