The Well-Appointed Desk

Best Micro Gel Pen: Choosing the Right One

I took fourteen of the most popular micro tip gel pens and tried to figure out which one is the “right one” for you. Some are hybrid ink, liquid ink or other modifications but I’m not a chemist so, from a layperson’s perspective, they are all appealing to the same consumer — someone looking for an extra, smooth, dark/bright pen. Of course, your needs may vary so I am comparing different characteristics: cost, smoothness, ink darkness, water resistance, and overall look-and-feel.

The Contenders:

I purchased three core brands: Uni-Ball, Pentel and Pilot as well as a Zebra and a Morning Glory Mach 3 (recently updated to the Pro Mach). There are other micro gel pen options available but I wanted to get this posted and I could add pens endlessly and never finish this review. There is also alternate options for the same pen style (conical tip vs. needletip, capped vs. retractable, refillable/multi-pen, etc.) and I have not included all those variations. (Many of these pens are available in the Jet Pens Micro Gel Pen Sampler Set.)

Uni-Ball Signo 0.38 (UNM-155) ($2.85 each)
Uni-Ball Signo 0.38 (Needle Tip) ($3.30 each)
Uni-Ball Jetstream 0.38 ($2.85 each)
Pentel Hybrid Technica 0.4 ($2.99 each)
Pentel Energel-X 0.3 (BLN103) ($1.90 each)
Pentel Energel RTX Liquid Ink Needle Tip 0.3 ($2.80 each)
Pentel Slicci 0.25 (AKA Muji) (Box of 12 for $24.44)
Zebra Sarasa 0.3 ($1.75 each)
Morning Glory Mach III Liquid Ink 0.38 ($2.15 each as updated to Pro Mach)
Pilot Acroball 0.5 ($2.85 each)
Pilot G-2 0.38 ($1.90 each)
Pilot Juice 0.38 ($3.60 each ($1.80 each)
Pilot Juice Up 0.3 ($3.60 each)
Pilot Hi-Tec C 0.3 ($3.30 each)

Of all the pens I tested, only the five pictured above were capped models. All the rest were retractable designs. While I prefer the overall aesthetics of a capped pen, I reach for a retractable pen often because its quick and easy, especially for those daily notes taken between typing on the computer, meetings, list-making etc. where the cap-off time is minimal. When I sit down for a drawing session or a longer journal-writing project, then I’m as likely to choose a capped pen as a retractable. It’s worth factoring this into your gel pen decision.

The photo above shows the variety of tip and grip design differences. The pens I tested were about half conical tip and half needle tip. As long as the pen housing is stable (no wobbles), I prefer the needle tip over the conical but that’s just a personal preference.

Most Waterproof:

Uni-Ball Jetstream: As predicted by all, the Jetstream is pretty darn waterproof. It’s the pen favored by discerning waitstaff for just this reason. It will also stand up to mixed media journal uses.
Pilot Acroball: Despite singeing the paper trying to dry my water swatches quickly, the Acroball ink did not move. If you are writing in unpredictable situations or want to mix your gel pens with watercolor, brush pen or other wet media, the Acroball is not going to bleed or feather. Be warned not to let me cook for you, I can burn water!
Uni-Ball Signo Needle Tip: I found the Signo Needle Tip to be ever-so-slightly more water resistant than the Signo UNM-155. There is a little bit of color bleed with the application of water but it’s minimal and will probably depend on the type of paper you are using and your dry time. I probably woudn’t recommend it for mixed media art work unless its your last layer but for writing, you probably don’t need to worry about getting a little water on your work and losing it all.
(Tie) Uni-Ball Signo UNM-155 and Zebra Sarasa: The water resistance of the Signo UNM-155 and the Zebra Sarasa were comparable and only slightly less resistant than the Signo Needle Tip.

Best Looking:

If you want a good looking pen cup, these three are my top choices for aesthetics in the micro gel pen category:

Uni-Ball Signo UNM-155: The stealth black-on-black barrel, clip and grip make it streamlined and simple. The silicone grip feels nice in the hand but does attract lint and pet hair like crazy.
Pilot Juice Up 03: The Juice Up is another black-on-black with just the silver conical barrel and a clear ring at the top below the knock mechanism. The Juice also has a silicone grip section which can get lint-y but not as back as the Signo.
Muji/Pentel Slicci: I know its unfair to put this one in the list as it is not available online and I’ve been told that Muji is no longer offering this particular model. However, if you can this barrel design, it does accept the Pentel Slicci refills which it uses (as well as some others) and is clearly the winner in the aesthetics game as long as you don’t mind a capped pen. The barrel is a soft-touch material — not quite silicone rubber — that feels nice without attracting lint.

The Pilot G-2 is my least recommended aesthetically. I find the clip bulbous and juvenile looking and the clear ink window shows a weird yellow goo in the refill barrel that makes the pen look heat-damaged and sickly. Many of the other pens feature silicone grip sections which can be fairly streamlined like the Zebra Sarasa or overall bulbous like the Energel. On the subject of the Energel, despite having a large plastic grip section, it is the hardest, least squishy grip section. Sure they added grooves but to what purpose? When compared to the more streamlined capped Uni-Ball Signo Needle which has a small, slender cushion grip, the Energel grip seems relatively pointless.

Both the Zebra Sarasa Clip and Pilot Juice feature large spring-loaded clips. If you are inclined to clip your pen to your notebook, these may be stand-out winners for you.

Best for the Price:

Pentel Energel-X (BLN103)
Zebra Sarasa Clip
Pilot Juice

All three of these pens are under $2 each. The Sarasa is comparable to the Signo UNM-155 for water resistance and features a spring-loaded clip all for under $2. The Pilot Juice has the same style spring-loaded clip and a solid gel ink performance for less than $2 per pen. The Pentel Energel-X has one of the richest black ink in a micro gel. These are all great options at great prices.

My recommended choices:

Uni-Ball Signo 0.38 (needle tip or UNM-155): Whether you choose the needle tip, conical, retractable or capped versions, a Uni-Ball Signo is a must-have. It is my number 1 recommendation for micro gel pens. The ink is highly water resistant with a smooth, dark black.
Pilot Acroball 05: I confess I prefer the Acroball 05 over the Jetstream (I know — BLASPHEME!) but its ever-so-slightly smoother while maintaining the same ballpoint/hybrid quality of the Jetstream. It’s equally water proof compared to the Jetstream too (as long as you don’t scorch the paper!)
Pentel Energel 03: The Energel (X or RTX) are both super smooth with a rich, dense black. The ink is not water resistant but if you want liquid-like ink in a micro gel pen, this is your best bet.
Pilot Hi-Tec C/Pentel Slicci: These are the two original micro gel pens. While there is a little feedback when they are in use, they are still pens I reach for over and over again. The color ink versions are also appealing. They can be finicky to use sometimes, when they are working, they are beautiful.

My terrible intern:

Finally, I thought I’d share the conditions under which I have to work. Ollie, the shitty intern, continues to “oversee” work which is wholly unhelpful. Darn cute feet though.

DISCLAIMER: Some items in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review and some include affiliate links. The Well-Appointed Desk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Please see the About page for more details.

In feature

Notebook Review: Field Notes United States of Letterpress

Laura CameronOctober 23, 2020October 19, 20201 Comment

Review by Tina Koyama

Popular pocket-notebook maker Field Notes Brand got together with 10 indie letterpress shops across the country, and the result is United States of Letterpress (three 48-page notebooks for $12.95). The limited-edition run is the 48th edition in the company’s series of quarterly notebook releases.

Each of three packs includes cover designs by three letterpresses. Each shop received a different cover stock to use, and the nine pastel colors make a cheerful and uplifting palette. Since some shops produced more than one cover design, the edition features a total of 16 colorful cover designs printed in red and blue (I love how the transparent inks appear green or orange in some applications).

In addition, the flysheets describing the series and the shop that produced each cover were printed by a 10th letterpress, Skylab Letterpress of Kansas City. It’s the only letterpress shop that contributed to every single book in the 40,000-pack edition.

Yet another press preprinted Field Notes’ standard cover elements and inner pages’ graph ruling. All told, US of Letterpress must be the most logistically complex edition produced by Field Notes. It’s also one of my favorites.

With direction given only on the ink colors to use, the shops were apparently given free rein to design the covers. The result is a wide variety of timely and socially conscious messages about empathy, community, citizenship, and the art of letterpress itself.

My favorite cover was designed by Springtide Press of Tacoma, Washington, just 40 miles down I-5 from me. I bet it’s a favorite of many other Desk readers, too.

The inside back cover of each notebook, which includes the standard colophon and practical applications (most of which must be letterpress in-jokes that I don’t get), has a unique feature: Instead of the usual 5-inch ruler, there’s a typography pica ruler. This sort of charming touch is one reason I keep buying and using Field Notes.

Final Impressions

Oh, I was going to end there, but I almost forgot that this is a review, so I should say something about the paper quality, shouldn’t I? The innards are 60-pound, bright white Finch Opaque Smooth, which seems to be one of Field Notes’ regular choices. It’s ideal for pencil, ballpoint, and gel pens. Fine nib fountain pen users might get away with it also; broad nibs not so much.

Long ago, I quit whining about Field Notes papers not being friendly to fountain pens or watercolors (though I do use both on some editions containing more tolerant papers). The stationery and art supply markets offer plenty of small notebooks and sketchbooks that would accommodate those media. I use Field Notes because the 12-year-old Chicago company continues to embrace challenges such as collaborating with 10 independent letterpress shops to bring out a unique, complicated edition. Not many pocket notebook makers can say that.

Field Notes always produces a short video to promote each quarterly edition. This one is especially terrific – it’s a 12-minute mini-documentary about independent American letterpresses. (Don’t miss Ana’s name in the credits)!

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

In Pen Review

Brush Pen Review: Sailor Shikiori Brush Marker (Set of 20)

AnaOctober 21, 2020October 20, 20201 Comment

I saw this set of Sailor Shikiori Brush Marker (Set of 20) awhile ago and I finally broke down and bought a set. Brush pens are one of my weaknesses and Sailor inks are another. When you put the two together, well, it’s basically crack in pen form for me. I couldn’t resist.

Shikiori is Japanese for “seasons” or “four season” and the colors included in this set are the same colors as the colors as the inks in the Shikiori bottled inks: Irori, Sakura Mori, Yuki Akari, Kin Mokusei, Yodaki, Okuyama, Yozakura, Chu-Shu, Souten, Doyou, Yonaga, Tokiwa-Matsu, Waka-Uguisu, Rikyu-Cha, Shimayo, Fuji-Mujime, Miruai, Nioi-Sumire, Shigure, Yamadori.

It was a bit of a challenge to match the pen colors to the names listed on the back of the package since the only writing on the pen barrels, besides “Sailor Shikiori” and “Fine” and “Brush” was written in Japanese.

The dots of color on the caps, hint at the colors but do not always accurately represent the ink inside. I would recommend swatching the pens yourself and keeping scratch paper handy in case you need to verify which color is which or making labels for the pens in your own language.

The brush cap end of the pen include a small nub that acts as a roll stop for the pen. The brush cap end also posts on to the fine tip end with no issues but the fine tip cap does not seem to post very well. The raised LEGO-style stud at the end of the cap appears like it should fit into the end of the brush cap end but it feels very unstable when I tried — like wearing a floppy hat on a windy day — like any second it’s going to fly off and hit someone in the head.

The brush tip is a bullet-shaped, fiber/felt tip that’s fairly stiff but has some spring. The material of the tip will probably fray on toothier paper or under a heavier hand. Luckily, in doing additional research, I found that Pen Boutique is stocking Shikiori marker pens individually ($3.99 each). If you do find yourself using one particular color more than others and need to replace just one or two, rather than having to buy a whole new set, you can buy replacements or if you would rather just try a couple of your favorite colors, this might be a good way to try out a few.

I’ve noticed several of the Japanese pen manufacturers are using this style of fine tip on their markers these days. I’m assuming its a type of nylon tip with a translucent white housing. Even with a loupe I can’t quite tell what sort of tip it has. The fine tip end writes comparably to a Sharpie pen or LePen putting it at about a 0.4-0.5mm tip.

Looking at the colors without comparing them to their fountain pen ink brethren, the color range is more sophisticated and mature. For the same reason I tend to prefer the color range of the LePen brand, the Shikiori markers also have a more muted, subtle palette. It’s been described elsewhere as being based on nature, the seasons, etc. and I can see some of that. Some of these softer colors do not work quite as well in the fine tip pens as they are too light to write with but might work for drawings, underlining or other purposes.

Since I am so familiar with the colors of the Sailor fountain pen inks, I wanted to compare the colors with their fountain pen inks and there was only one way to do this fast and efficiently: a video. The video below shows the inks with the brush pen equivalents, in the same lighting I do all my samples, on Col-o-ring paper together for the most efficient comparisons.

While I like the physical look of the pens and they perform fine as brush and fine tip markers, comparing them to the fountain pen inks in any way diminishes them in my esteem greatly. Sailor fountain pen inks, particularly THESE colors are some of the most important ink colors in my ink collection. I’ve told the story many times but Sailor Irori is THE INK I used to find the “perfect paper” for our Col-o-ring books. If Irori did not sheen, the paper did not make it into our next test bracket. I continue to Irori as my test ink for paper-to-sheen. It is not the sheeniest ink but it does sheen and if a paper can capture the sheen of Irori than its an exceptional paper. Yamadori is one of my favorite inks and for the brush pen version to be so faded a version of the fountain pen ink… let’s just say if Sailor had released a brush pen set and named it “Seasons of Japan” and given all the inks in the pens different names or numbers I would have given these pens a much more glowing review.

So, my biggest issue comes from my historical ties to the fountain pen inks. If you have no emotional ties to the fountain pen inks, go forth and buy these slightly overpriced Japanese brush pens. Should you ever cross over into the fountain pen inks, you may have a reverse reaction and think the fountain pen inks are too saturated and dark. Imagine the irony?

Tools:

Paper: Nanami Cafe Note B6 Slim Grid
Pens: Sailor Shikiori Brush Pens (set of 20)
Swatches: Col-o-Ring Ink Testing Book ($10) & Col-o-dex Dipper Cards ($5)
Ink: Sailor Irori, Sakura Mori, Yuki Akari, Kin Mokusei, Yodaki, Okuyama, Yozakura, Chu-Shu, Souten, Doyou, Yonaga, Tokiwa-Matsu, Waka-Uguisu, Rikyu-Cha, Shimoyo, Fuji-Musume, Miruai, Nioi-Sumire, Shigure, Yamadori ($13.50 per 20ml bottle)

DISCLAIMER: The item in this review include affiliate links. The Well-Appointed Desk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: I Like Books

AnaOctober 21, 2020October 20, 20202 Comments

This weekend, Bob and I watched a film called Booksellers which is a documentary film about the antiquarian book dealers and the antiquarian book world. Amusingly, there are a lot of parallels between the book world and the pen world. So much of the book world has changed in the last 20 years as a result of the rise of the digital age and ebooks and the internet. In the same way that the stationery and pen world changed in the same 20 years or so. But the people who collect vintage pens or are excited by the history of these items are similar to the people in the book world. There are good things and bad things about the collecting culture in both worlds and the resurgence in interest in the physical object. I recommend this film for all of the lovers of tactile, analog experiences. (Available on Amazon Prime)

Pens:

Video-Review: Montblanc M (via Scrively)
Review: BlueDew flex nib fountain pen (via Parka Blogs)
Review: Sailor Cross Concord Specialty Nib Fountain Pen (via Parka Blogs)
Sailor Specialty Nib: New 2018 vs Old Pre-2016 (via Parka Blogs)
Behind the pen: Mark Braun, designer of the Otto Hutt designC (via UK fountain pens)

Ink:

Ink Institute Bannan Line (via Mountain of Ink)
Ink Institute Circular Line (via Mountain of Ink)
Sailor Manyo Sakura Ink (via Gourmet Pens)
Diamine Autumn Oak (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
De Atramentis Standard Coral Red (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)

Please support our sponsors and affiliates. They keep this blog going. Without them, we would not have products to review or a server to house our content. Your patronage of their services and products will let them know you appreciate their support of the pen community. Without them, and without you, we could not be able to continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In Tools

Pen Case Review: Sun-Star Delde Slide Pen Pouch

Laura CameronOctober 20, 2020October 20, 2020Leave a comment

Review by Laura Cameron

A few months ago I was browsing JetPens and I came across the Sun-Star Delde Slide Pen Pouches ($16.50-18.50) and decided I needed to try one.

I opted for the pouch in Happy Fleur and Mint which is listed as a limited edition. I was particularly intrigued by the sliding part of the pouch.

The pouch itself is approximately 7.5″ tall and 4.5″ wide at the widest part. The base is about 2.5″ deep. The upper part of the case (here, the floral motif) is made of PVC, and the lower part of the case and trim (tabs, zipper pull) are made of synthetic leather. Both are listed as sturdy and resistant to dirt.

Inside the case has a mint green polyester lining with a few small pockets. The larger portion of the inside is just open for storing pens, pencils, rulers, scissors and anything else you’d like to carry on the go.

The creative part of the case (for me) are the two leather tabs on either side of the case. Pull on the tabs and the entire top portion slides down, allowing the convertible pen pouch also functions as a pen stand on a desk. As you can see I’ve loaded it up with my brush pens for handlettering and my Sakura Gelly Rolls for some color.

As we’ve mostly been isolating, I haven’t taken this pouch out and about much yet, but I think it would be perfect for some urban sketching, or just keeping in my purse in case the mood strikes when I’m not at home among my tools. It’s portable, lightweight and seems easy enough to clean in case of mishaps!

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 Ask The Desk

Ask the Desk: Refills, Sharpeners & Stamp Pads

AnaOctober 16, 2020October 16, 20207 Comments

Kiran asks:

I love your blog! I had a pen that used Schneider topball 850 refills. I liked that pen but it has been damaged so I’m looking to replace it with something similar that uses the same refills.

Do you know how I would find pens that fit the Schneider topball 850? I tried googling it to no avail.

The Schneider Topball 850 is a standard Euro Rollerball refill that is about 110mm long so there is a lot of options available for pens that would accept that refill.

BigiDesign would be a good option for a pen. They make several pens that would hold the refill including the Ti Arto, Ti Pocket Pro, Ti Arto EDC, and Ti Click EDC. Monteverde Rollerball pens will usually take the standard Euro refills and most high-end rollerball pens from Montegrappa, Aurora, Visconti and Diplomat. Pelikan rollerball pens and refills are listed as being 111mm so they are really close.

Custom pen makers will design their rollerball pens to take either a standard Euro refill or the Schmidt 8126 (not what you want) 90% of the time, Kickstarter projects being the exception where there is a lot more customization for specific types of refills.

If price is an issue, I’d lean towards a Monteverde pen but the BigiDesign is the most compatible should you decide to use a different refill in the future.

Mike asks:

Looking for a ball point refill for a Montblanc Meisterstück Platinum High Detail Solitaire Doué Signum Ballpoint Pen. Originally manufactured in the 90’s. My recent refill purchase came up short, in a very literal way. Seems that I need a refill more on the order of 4.5 inches versus the 3 15/16″ current refill. Any suggestions? Beautiful pen, would love to use it. Thanks.

Mike, whenever I have a question about pen refills, I visit Refillfinder first. In your situation, I’d look in the size guide. While in your case, this did not prove helpful, it usually gleans some useful info.

After some further research, I came across this Ebay listing for a modified refill that will fit older Montblanc pens. Looking at it though, it appears to have a plastic cap added to the end of a modern Montblanc ballpoint refill.

My inclination is, rather than to pay $14 per refill ($7 for the refill and $7 for shipping), to modify an existing modern Montblanc or Monteverde for Montblanc refill by adding a plastic plug to the end of the refill. I suspect this could be done using a plastic cap that comes over the tip of a refill. In a pinch, a drinking straw might work if its sturdy enough (maybe from a child’s sippy cup?) or maybe a sleuthing trip to a local hardware store or hobby shop that specializes in model building for a small diameter dowel. This might be a little too much DIY. If so, I’d say just buy a few refills from the Ebay vendor and then see if you can pop that plastic cap off and reuse it on future refills. Happy refill hacking!

Dina asks:

I have an old Uni-ball 500 pen. I can’t find refills anywhere. Do you know if there are any compatible refills? The last I one I have is a “Uni ball refill for Uniball 500 and uniball Exceed UBr5-P or UBR 7-P.

In my hunt to find a rollerball replacement for your pen, I found a dead link for a Pentel refill that claimed to fit “Fits Pentel’s EX25 Excalibur pen, Waterman rollerball pens and any pen using Uniball Exceed (UXR-5), and Sheaffer Rollerball II refill.” That leads me to believe that your pen may take a Sheaffer Slim refill ($6.50, available in blue or black) or Waterman Rollerball ($8, also blue or black). I’m making educated guesses here and the refill might not fit but it may be worth trying.

Let me know if you try either of these and if they end up working. Good luck!

Kristin asks:

I have struggled with finding an effective way to sharpen my REALLY big pencils like the Faber Castell 9000 Jumbo, or the Koh-i-Noor Magic chunky pencils. None of the sharpeners I’ve found have an orifice big enough to accommodate this size. Do you have a suggestion about how best to sharpen them?

I ran into the same problem but Caroline at CW Pencil Enterprise had the answer for me: the Möbius & Ruppert Brass Round Double-Hole Sharpener ($8.25). It’s worked with just about every pencil I’ve thrown at it and has a sharpener for Bridge-sized pencils, large jumbo pencils, standard round and hex pencils. It has replaceable blades too. You won’t regret this purchase.

Alex poses a question, like a plant in the audience:

Do you carry any archival stamp ink pads along with your stamps? If not, which ink pads would you recommend for use when using stamps in conjunction with ink swatching?

Funny you should ask! I have been working to stock my favorite ink pads (Ranger Archival) in the shop and I’m happy to announce that some of them have arrived and are now listed in the shop. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, not all the colors and styles have arrived yet but I didn’t want to wait any longer to let everyone know.

Ranger Archival Ink pads (like stated on the proverbial tin) are archival making them acid-free, permanent and waterproof so they are perfect for using with your fountain pen inks, on envelopes and in your journals with other media. Because of their permanent nature, they can bleed through some papers so be sure to do a test either in the back of your notebook or on a scrap piece of paper before committing to a final design — just in case.

I will be stocking the “regular size” ink pads ($6) which feature a 3″x2″ raised inking area. I will also be stocking the mini sets of stamp pads ($12 per set) which offer four colors with small 1″x1.5″ raised pad surfaces. Unlike traditional stamp pads you might find at a big box office supply store, these raised surfaces allow for stamps larger than 3″x2″ to be inked on the pad by gently tapping the stamp across the pad until it is completely covered with ink.

The one color ink pad I desperately wanted to stock — BLACK! — is not in stock yet (Breaking news! I just got a shipping notification from Ranger that our black ink pads are on the way! I should have them in the shop by the end of next week), but we do have some regular-sized ink pads and some mini ink pad sets available. I had been holding off unveiling our ink pad offerings until I had the black pads in hand but you convinced to at least reveal my plans.

Ranger Archival inks also offer re-inker bottles so that pads may be reused for some time. I will be stocking black re-inking bottles but would be happy to add other colors in as demand requires.

Please let me know what colors and ink pad sizes you’d like to see stocked in the shop. And thanks, Alex, for being the question that broke the silence!

Sponsored Post: Kickstarter ēnsso Aria, Minimalist metal pen for the BIC ballpoint refill.

TECHNICAL SPECS

Best Micro Gel Pen: Choosing the Right One