Reviews Written by yoyochanny

  After enjoying the Nomadic..., April 23, 2013

After enjoying the Nomadic PE-09 Flap Type Pencil Case for a good long while, I decided I needed a little change in the form of this nifty book-style case.

The color is a more vivid and fiery orange than what is displayed in the picture, which I'm quite happy with. The material is of very nice quality and the sewing seems solid. The zippers are a bit more sturdy than the Nomadic Flap case as well.

The inner pen slots are not separated, allowing for more and/or thicker implements to be stored (looking at you, fountain pen users.) However this can cause sliding issues if you don't have the slots completely filled with pens. Doesn't hamper the storage ability, but it just isn't as pretty. The pen slots hold around 14-16 average-sized implements, and more can be stored in the large mesh pocket if needed.

The small mesh pockets on the opposing side of the inner flap are handy for things like block erasers, flash drives, pencil lead, etc. The large mesh pocket on the back is good for assorted doodads or tools that have can't fit elsewhere. The pockets on the outside/front are best for things like post-it note pads.

This is a great case overall, and I honestly have no complaints. This case has more organizational qualities but can't hold quite as much as some others, so take into consideration the amount of materials you need to carry before choosing this case. Highly recommended!

  A new favorite! I love..., April 23, 2013

A new favorite! I love how the Signo 207s write, but I never cared for the "nubby" grip on the standard models. The super-squishy gel grip on this pen is a pleasure to hold, though a matte finish like the alpha gel pens and pencils would have been better for repelling dust that tends to accumulate on the grip.

The body itself is just like the standard model with a few minor aesthetic tweaks. The pen is pretty well-balanced, though just slightly front-heavy because of the grip.

The tip glides well and doesn't skip, and I personally like the Signo 207 refills better than Pilot G2s in terms of ink viscosity. Signo 207 ink is quick-drying, saturated and extremely smooth. The color is slightly grey when put side-by-side with G2 ink, which has more blue tones in it. The refills are also budget-friendly which I like.

I hope they come out with some other colors for this model, because I wouldn't mind adding a few more to my collection!

  A wee bit scratchy and..., April 22, 2013

A wee bit scratchy and on the thinner side of a 0.5 mm tip. The ink is lovely and shades beautifully. The clip is handy for use on clipboards or a thick pile of paper and also includes a small hole for a loop or lanyard. The grip provides good traction but no cushion for extended writing. I'd say this one lives up to its price point - give it a try!

  A well-made and reliable..., April 1, 2013

A well-made and reliable converter that fits perfectly in many Pilot pens. The only downsides are that it is on the small side for ink capacity, and it is a bit expensive.

  I absolutely love the..., April 1, 2013

I absolutely love the look of this pen; it's tough to find a fountain pen this unique!

BODY: The orange is a bright neon like the picture, and the body is all plastic except for the rubber grip and metal clip and accent at the base of the cap. The plastic is light and is definitely on the cheaper end of the material spectrum, compared to something like the Monteverde Artista Crystal which has a very substantial-feeling plastic. There are also slight imperfections visible from manufacturing, such as seams in the plastic and some nubs from where the plastic was poured, though most are smoothed off.
The rubber grip is a very nice addition, and I like that it goes far up the pen body. The rubber material is a bit more smooth than the Lamy Nexx's grip, which has more of a tacky/grippy feeling, however the ribbed texture makes up for it.

CAP: The cap screws on and off, and clicks on securely when posted. This is a well-balanced pen when posted, and is a bit too short to use comfortably when un-posted. The clip is springy but not too stiff.

CONVERTER: I purchased the Pilot CON-50 converter with this pen, and it fits securely. I do not use cartridges so unfortunately I cannot comment on how those behave. I also fill my converters with a blunt syringe so I don't know how well it draws up ink through the feed, but the converter fits snugly so I assume the suction is more than enough.

NIB/FEED: The nib is inflexible and of an average smoothness - not buttery but not scratchy. It uses the same type of nib as the Pilot Metropolitan, though the Metros use a medium width. This is pretty close to a "true" fine, around a 0.5 mm width, whereas the medium is around a 0.7 mm. The fine nib does not show shading of inks, so I would suggest using a dark/saturated, non-shading inks. The medium nib will probably allow for more shading. The fine nib is better for smaller or more precise writing. The feed is reliable and isn't too wet or dry - just right for normal writing.

This is a great starter pen if you like the sci-fi look that it's sporting.

  Wonderful! I didn't expect..., March 31, 2013

Wonderful! I didn't expect this to be so smooth right off the bat, but I was pleasantly surprised. Immediately lays down a consistent and slightly wet line of ink (as most Lamy nibs do) and adds interesting line variation to your writing and drawing. I think I may have to get the 1.5mm after trying this one!

  These have become my..., March 31, 2013

These have become my favorite workhorse pens for classes, and the 3-color set is a very handy for corrections and general writing needs. The U.S. version is slightly cheaper, but has a printed design that I'm not fond of, so I opted for the Japanese set.

These can be twisted open for refills which makes them relatively economical, however the ink gets used up quickly due to being slightly thick. Using the 0.7mm tip also causes the ink to be used up faster, but it creates a smoother and more pleasant writing experience.

The eraser is not like a typical pencil eraser that gets used up quickly, instead it is a hard rubber that shows very little wear even after a lot of use - but it still works great!

The ink color is relatively light compared to gel pens such as the G2 or Signo, but it's still perfectly acceptable in my opinion.

I prefer the retractable style after trying the capped version for a while, since you don't cover the eraser when posting the cap. However the retractable cartridge doesn't fit quite as snug as the capped style, so there is a very slight jiggling feeling to the pen during writing, whereas the capped version is very solid-feeling.

The little plastic "wallet" that they come in isn't anything special, but it's nice for staying organized.

  Very handy little memo..., March 31, 2013

Very handy little memo pad, and the perforations are nice for saving paper and tearing off pages cleanly. Smooth paper but slightly thin. Fountain pens do not do as well as ballpoint on here because of the perforation spaces which can cause some ink to escape onto the next page. The folder pocket is handy for things like business cards or pages you've already torn off (though those must be folded to fit.) It's a great size for fitting into a handbag or small backpack compartment.

  Good, but not perfect. The..., March 4, 2013

Good, but not perfect.

The pros:
- Silky smooth nib. Hard to ask for a better feeling on the page at this price point. Much smoother than a medium Lamy nib. Runs at about a true medium in my opinion.
- Very pretty color
- Substantial plastic body, not flimsy-feeling. Has a decent amount of weight.
- Stays fairly balanced when posted
- Clear feed is a fun gimmick, allows you to see the color of your ink and whether the feed is saturated or not.
- Comfortable round grip, fingers don't slide, though it lacks a finger guard above the nib (i.e. Pilot Metropolitan grip)

The cons:
- Leaks! Agh! The converter doesn't sit completely flush in the grip section, and some ink tends to slowly leak out into the pen body and cap. It is also very finicky if the converter is twisted down too far and will leak out of the grip section just above where the feed is fit.
- Possible misprint with the body - the converter seems to sit a wee bit crooked in the pen body itself. May or may not be the cause of the leaking.
- Somewhat dry feed. Ink colors are not as vivid as they are in other pens and tend to look a little washed-out.

Despite these gripes I really like this pen, and I love the style of it. It has its ups and downs, so think carefully and study reviews. But if you like a nib that feels as smooth as silk on the page, this is worth a shot.

  A very smooth, fluid..., March 4, 2013

A very smooth, fluid ink with very little shading, leaning a bit towards purple tones. Not a highly saturated ink, and is easy to clean out of pens. This is a very pleasing blue, and the packaging is lovely.