In Tools

Glue Review: Kokuyo GLOO Tape Runner

Author Laura CameronPosted on Leave a comment
Glue Review: Kokuyo GLOO Tape Runner

This year I’ve been trying to add more ephemera to my journal. What I lack in artistic talent, I’ve been trying to make up in stickers, fabric scraps, ticket stubs and the like. One thing that I’ve noticed is that washi tape doesn’t always seem to want to stick in my notebook of choice (from Notebook Therapy).

If I go back to earlier in the year I can see that the tape is lifting up from some of the things I’ve added in, and started to bend and fold.

I suspect that the paper in the notebook has some kind of coating or treatment on it that is preventing the washi from getting a decent stick, but it’s still a problem I’ve been trying to solve.

Enter GLOO. When I was browsing on JetPens a few weeks ago I decided to give the Kokuyo GLOO Tape Runner – Medium Permanent Adhesive ($6). It comes in a small package which includes your first roll of GLOO tape and a handheld dispenser. I was also excited to see that it is refillable – adhesive refills are available for $4.50.

The dispenser is packaged in entirely Japanese packaging, but there is a nice infographic on the back that shows you how to load and unload the adhesive, and how to use the dispenser.

Basically the unit swivels open so you can run the adhesive tape along your flat surface. The gears within the unit turn the tape, dispensing adhesive in light blue lines. Then you stick and go.

I used the tape this weekend and I’m excited to see how it works with the paper. I’ve got my fingers crossed that it solves the problem!

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Fountain Pen Review

Fountain Pen Review: Rhodia ScRipt Fountain Pen

Author AnaPosted on 5 Comments
Fountain Pen Review: Rhodia ScRipt Fountain Pen

I recently found the Rhodia ScRipt Fountain Pen ($72) on JetPens. I think its been available for a bit but somehow got lost in my mental shuffle so I decided to take it for a test drive. It reminds me a lot of the looks and color as the Faber-Castell Neo I reviewed a few weeks ago so I thought it was a good time to try it. First, I don’t get the weird upper and lower case spelling of the model name. As Rhodia currently only offers one model of fountain pen, for the rest of the review, I’m just going to call it “Rhodia Fountain Pen” because I will inevitably butcher that uppercase S, lowercase c, uppercase R nonsense.

The Pen:

The Rhodia Fountain Pen is currently available in three colors of brushed aluminum: Sage, Orange and Black. I get that the Orange and Black are Rhodia’s Signature colors but I have to admit I’m surprised they chose Sage as the third color option. I’m not complaining, I love green, just that within their branding, I would have though a brushed silver or blue that matches the “ICE” line would have been more in keeping.

The nib options are only fine and medium. The barrel and cap are soft hex-shaped but the grip section is a smooth tube making it pretty comfortable to hold. The cap is friction fit-style snap cap which makes a great notetaking pen as its fast and easy to cap and uncap it as need.

The nib is custom branded with the Rhodia name and mountain logo. I can’t be for sure if its a custom brand of a JOWO nib or if they make their own. I suspect its a JOWO based on size and shape but I can’t swear to it.

The full length barrel allows for a full sized converter (INCLUDED!) or two short International cartridges can be stored in the body: one in use and a back-up. This is a style I recommend for offices where refilling from a bottle might not be a readily available option. Having a spare cartridge in the pen means you can quickly swap in a new cartridge while in a meeting or in the midst of a project without fuss or mess.

When posted, the pen is quite long.

Writing Samples:

The fine nib in the pen is probably close to a 0.5 to 0.7mm gel pen. Its a bit wider than I like for day-to-day use but solidly compares to a Lamy or other European Fine.

Compared to other pens:

I have two other pens in my collection that are comparable to the Rhodia Fountain Pen — the Caran d’Ache 849 Fountain Pen and the Faber-Castell Neo. All three are European brands, snap caps and will hold a full converter or two short international cartridges. Both the Rhodia and the Caran d’Ache feature hex-shaped barrels.

The material and colors of the Neo and Rhodia are very similar but the Rhodia pen is a bit richer color and has a slightly more polished feel where the Neo is a little more tactile on the exterior.

When comparing the posted lengths, the Rhodia and Caran d’Ache are about the same length. You can also see in the image above that the grip section lengths of the Rhodia and Caran d’Ache are similar but the Faber-Castell is a much shorter grip length. Depending on how you hold your pen, that short grip might be quite uncomfortable.

Overall, I like the look and feel of the Rhodia fountain pen. It writes smoothly, preforms well and features some of my favorite features (snap cap, international cartridge/converter AND ships with a converter). I wish they offered an EF nib but I can always try swapping the nib or taking it to a nib grinder. It is a bit more expensive than the Faber-Castell Neo ($52) but after purchasing a converter, the price difference is about $10 and the Rhodia has a longer grip section. So, if I was going to recommend one or the other, I would lean in favor of the Rhodia over the Faber-Castell. I still love the crazy neon colors of the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen (average MSRP $82-$90)but I just wish the prices hadn’t gone up so much making it the most expensive of the three.

 

In Pen Review

Pen Review: Writech Clictek Liner (Set of 9)

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments
Pen Review: Writech Clictek Liner (Set of 9)

A long time ago, Sharpie pen was available as a click pen. I freakin’ loved it. And then it disappeared. I think I hoarded the last one I had until it finally dried out.

A decade passed and then Writech, the little pen company that could, has released a new clickable felt tip style pen, the Writech Clictek Liner (9-color set, $22). The Clictek is what would happen if that legendary Sharpie retractable pen was combined with a set of Sakura Pigma Microns. Really.

So, if you’re a felt tip pen fan, stay tuned.

The Clictek Liner pen is available in 9 different tip sizes from .005mm up to 1.0 AND (yes, AND!) a brush tip! This makes the Clicktek competitve with the Sakura Pigma Microns.

Above is a picture of all the tips from left to right. I use the thinner tips most but wanted to test drive all of them. The wider tips are great for larger sizes or for filling in larger areas in sketches, doodles and art.

So let’s see how they work.

OMG, how do I make this sound like a well rounded review? I can’t. Look at this! They write just like Sakura Pigma Microns but I can click to close and switch to another size. My first love in pens was the LePen and this is so much better (okay, these are lacking the range of colors that the LePen line has but I’m willing to give Writech time to launch colors too).

But the biggest test, are these pens waterproof?

YES!!! I let the ink above dry for about a minute and then literally dumped water on to it. This is dry. No bleed, no feathering, nothing. Which makes the Clictek Liners perfect for multimedia art, combining with fountain pens, watercolor, brush markers, colored pencils and more.

If you have a favorite tip size in felt tip pens, you do not need to buy the whole set, you can cherry pick the sizes you use most for $2.45 each, including the brush tip.

The only test I was not able to do before posting this review is what is the longevity of these pens? Will they dry out faster because of the click style closing? I don’t know — yet. But I will keep using these and let you know as soon as I know.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Pencil Review

Colored Pencil Review: Pentel Mulit8 2mm Lead Holder

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Colored Pencil Review: Pentel Mulit8 2mm Lead Holder

I was tickled when my husband mentioned that I had gotten a lot of cool things to review recently. I was curious what caught his eye. When I asked, he said the Pentel Multi8 Lead Holder Set (2 mm 2026 Version, $30)! Well, I will have to keep my eye on it!

What’s the appeal? The Multi8 is a multi-pen(cil) with seven colored pencils and one graphite pencil with 2mm lead.

In the box:

While $30 seems high for a clicky mechanical pencil, the fact that the kit include replacement leads for all 8 slots and a lead sharpener. All the sudden, this feels like a much better value.

How to use:

To access each color, you just have to twist the black clip to the numbered slot. Then push the button at the top to release the pencil down the barrel. Because this is a 2mm lead holder, pushing the button will fully release the lead so I recommend holding it just a few millimeters over your desk or hand to get the right length of lead other wise the lead will just fall out. Release the button an use like a normal pencil or colored pencil. If the tip gets dull just sharpen the end with the provided sharpener.

When you want to switch the lead color, turn the pencil upside down and depress the button again and the lead will slide back into its slot. Release the button and then twist the clip again to choose a new color.

As a colored pencil, a device like this is great for travel, outdoor urban sketching and just portability.

The colors:

The set includes pretty standard colored pencil colors: Blue, Red, Violet, Pink, Yellow, Orange, and Green plus a standard graphite lead. Like most colored pencils, on smooth paper like Tomoe Rive, the colors feel a little washed out. Colored pencils perform better on paper with a little tooth.

So I tried the pencils on Col-o-ring paper and BOOM! what bright, vivid colors. All the sudden these leads are so much more fun.

So, I do recommend this set. Its a great value, travel ready and its so fun to be able to click and twist to switch colors. But I do have the caveat that more textured papers will make a huge difference. If you do decide to try these pencil leads, do yourself a favor and use more textured papers.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Zento Hype

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Link Love: Zento Hype

Awhile back I reviewed the Uni Zento pens and, while these were the less expensive Standard and Flow models, I never quite understood the enthusiasm around the Zento Signature. From the review below form Joe at Gentleman Stationer, he is not as wowed as the rest of the internet. Maybe I’ve owned too many pens to be swayed. I don’t actually like magnetic caps because inevitably they will stick or have something stuck to them that I don’t want — bobby pins, paper clips, keys, etc. I don’t find it very aesthetic. The shape to me is odd. And finally, the refill that it uses is a fairly standard size which means it can be used with a pen that I find much more visually appealing. Have you tried the Zento Signature? What’s your take?

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

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In feature

Fountain Pen Review: Kaweco DIY Glow-in-the-Dark

Author AnaPosted on 8 Comments
Fountain Pen Review: Kaweco DIY Glow-in-the-Dark

I have been collecting Kaweco Sport Fountain Pens from the early days of my fountain pen collecting days. I have way more of these tiny little plastic pens than any one human needs. I have gotten better about NOT buying every single colorway option that hits the market but sometimes I get really tempted (last year was the Limited Edition Hello Kitty edition) but this year, I fell for the DIY Glow-in-the-Dark model.

However, the only way to get a Glow-in-the-Dark Kaweco Sport you must attend one of the DIY events which are held in-store only. So… you need to live in a community that has a pen shop large enough to support an event like that or have a friend who lives in the community. Which is what happened for me. (Thanks, friend!)

Flax Pen to Paper hosted the Kaweco DIY event a couple weeks ago and my friend kindly trekked over and was able to grab two of these delightful little pens.

I keep giving props to Kaweco for continuing to experiment with materials in their signature products. The iridescent models, the translucent glitter models, and now a Glow-in-the-Dark model.

So… does it glow-in-the-dark?

Yes it does! (Apologies for the slightly blurry photo, it was a long exposure). And the next question is WHY would you need a glow-in-the-dark pen? Ever hunted in the bottom of your bag for your pen? Ta da! My number one reason for glow-in-the-dark model.

I appreciate the ability to find a pen in low light — lost in the cushions of the sofa, the bottom of my bag, on my bedside table, etc.– which is what makes the Glow-in-the-Dark Kaweco special to me.

I honestly think the Kaweco F and EF are almost exactly the same width. Have you had a similar experience?

I paired the glow-in-the-dark DIY Sport with Sailor Manyo Ayame which has a little bit of a glowy vibe with its multichromatic reddish purple-to-green which is a weird color match but I kind of like it.

From top to bottom: Mellow Blue, Sage, Glow-in-the-Dark, Frosted Lime and Iridescent Pearl.

Do I have too many Kaweco Sports in the same color scheme? Maybe. Do I still want the new Lunar colors? Yep. Thankfully, they are cheaper than my other pen weakness, Sailor Pro Gear Slims.

Do you have a pen you tend to collect because of the colors? Are you able to resist them? Which one made you buy another one?