[Pen/Pencil Review] Pentel Excalibur – Black and Stainless – Vintage
This week is a slightly unusual pen review. It’s more of a “vintage†review. I’m looking at two versions of the Pentel Excalibur which have been permanently. The numbers are going to be FUN. But there’s an interesting (to me) story of how these came to be.
As many of you know, Jimmy has a blog about Pentel P205s. He’s a serious collector and is seen as a bit of an expert by others who also dig that particular pencil. He now has connections in several countries who “What’s App†him all the time about stuff – especially in Brazil. Well, they have sent stuff back and forth – and in one box from Brazil, these two pieces were in it for fun.
**EDITED FOR A NOTE: Jimmy tells me these are NOT from Brazil – they were extras when Jimmy bought the Pentel Salesman Sample Case on Ebay.**
I love them. They’re beautiful. One is black lacquer with gold accents the other is brushed stainless with gold accents. The black has a rubberized grip for some ergonomic comfort. The stainless is a slim line with no seam until the ink guard. There’s some horizontal ribbing (almost like threading but not) for a grip. Both pens are about 5.25†long capped and 5.5†long posted. The caps post securely and they’re comfortable.
The ink is interesting… it’s also discontinued. It is/was a black “fine pointâ€. It was a “BFL5†which may have been a 0.5 but the refill barrel has a Ø 07 on the barrel – so not sure if that’s a 0.7mm. The thing is that these pens seem to have the original ink in them and they STILL WORK and work pretty well. The stainless feels a bit scratchy, but the ink is dark and the rollerballs are still pretty smooth with little scratching and glopping.
There were some compatibilities with other pens, but I’m not sure what the acceptable refill is now – I will check with Pentel or do some experimenting with the oodles of pens, refills, etc. that I have in my possession.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 Considering I have no idea how old these pens are or the refills in them and everything has been discontinued, it worked AMAZINGLY WELL. Mostly because they work AT ALL
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – They’re higher end gift type pen. The black has some ergonomics to the grip, but has ridges to dig in. The stainless has a smooth metal barrel with minimal ribbing. It’s smooth but hard.
3. Material – 1 They’re solid metal – and black lacquer – they’re SOLID. Heavy, refillable with good clips and accents.
4. Overall Design – 1 -They’re good, executive pens with great longevity, great function and design.
5. Price Point – 0 – Everything about them is discontinued. You can only find these on auction or reseller sites – so good luck there. They originally ran for $12 – $15 which would’ve been reasonable but pricey. The refillable quality is a wash since I have no idea what to refill them WITH
4.0 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
[Write the Story] Anonymous Gifts Start Arriving on the Doorstep
Prompt: Anonymous Gifts Start Arriving at the Doorstep
Words: teenager, camouflage, birch, harmony, rifle, screen door, wrinkle, dive, pick-up, sticker
Story
Kara nearly tripped over the box on her front step as she left for work. Fortunately, she bounced off the screen door before stumbling over the camouflage wrapped parcel. Her brow wrinkled as she scanned the street for any sign of who left the gift. There wasn’t any. Carefully, she took the box inside and added to a growing pile and snapping a photo of the shipping sticker.
“Another one?” There was something odd in Kara’s roomate’s voice. Something between worry and annoyance. “You have to figure out who’s sending this stuff You have to find out what this stuff is.”
Kara shrugged. “I don’t really care, Rosemary, feel free to rifle through it all if it harshes your harmony so much.”
Kara left Rosemary open-mouthed as she grabbed her pick-up keys and headed out to dive practice. She put the whole thing out of her mind with all focus she could muster and somewhat uncommon in a teenager. She was oblivious to everything but practice.
“OMG! Why don’t you check your phone?” Rosemary nearly screamed as Kara drove home.
“Pools and phones don’t mix.”
Kara pulled into their driveway. Rosemary bounced on the birch porch. She shoved Kara through the door. The boxes had been opened. All the pieces were elements of Japan and notes spelling out. “You’re going to the Olympics!”
Screaming ensued.
Word Count: 225
Written: 2/14/18
Note: Written while watching the Olympics
[Pen/Pencil Review] Zebra Disposable Fountain Pens – 7 Colors
Today’s pen review is one I should’ve done a long time ago. I got this set for Christmas and have been using and carrying it around since then. Today’s review is another Zebra Pen product, this is their disposable fountain pen set from their art products line. I chose the 7-color set because COLORS.
From the Zebra webpage because I apparently haven’t linked some photos with One Drive.
I’ve used other brands of disposable fountain pens before and these are definitely comparable. These are called “everyday fountain pen” and that’s true. These are no-frills plastic barrel, stainless steel nib pens. What is a bit different is that these pens have a “fine†(0.6mm) nib rather than a medium The nibs make a decently fine line that makes writing with them easy. They’re also completely sealed so leaking is less of an issue than it could be. The no frills design of the pen is still fairly well balanced and comfortable. They’re about 5.5″ long, and the cap posts fairly well for molded plastic. There is a ridge where the cap clicks into place that can dig in if you’re not careful.
These pens have liquid fountain pen ink in a color-coded plastic barrel with translucent cap and no way to find out how much ink you have left. In the truest sense of disposable, they’re not refillable. Being a liquid ink, there is drying time involved to the ink and some smearing, if you’re not careful. The colors are rich and dark – even with the lighter colors. The ink lasts a goodly while, I’ve had them since Christmas and haven’t had one dry out or run out yet. I’ve not used them EVERY DAY but I haven’t skimped either.
They run about $3 apiece if you buy them individually on Zebra’s site or about $20 for the 7-pack, but you can get them cheaper on Amazon – but only in the multi-packs. They’re available in singles, a 4-pack or the 7-color variety pack. They’re available online and I swear I saw some in an Office Depot ONCE, not sure if they’re going to be carried there widely. So they’re accessible as well as easy to write with.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It is what it is – a disposable fountain pen suitable for everyday carry. But the nib is narrow enough for every day writing, and the ink flows smoothly.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – The grip is plain with no attempts at ergonomics. There’s a ledge between nib and barrel that can dig into your finger in long-term use.
3. Material – 1 – It’s plastic and stainless steel. It’s what it proclaims to be. A disposable fountain pen.
4. Overall Design – 1 – There could be some nods to comfort, but it’s not bad for what it is.
5. Price Point – 1 – This pen is not available everywhere, right now only the one sighting in the wild and online. They’re $3 each or up to $21 for all the colors. You can find them a bit cheaper on other sites, but still okay if not immediately accessible. It is comparable to other disposable fountain pens.
I give it 4 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
[Write the Story] Fired From a Long-Term Job
Prompt: Fired From a Long-Term Job
Words: guitar, military, aversion, mouse, vertical, crumple, runaway, creation, alphabetize, tablet
Story
Patrick slid the mouse across the screen and clicked through fields, inputting numbers and codes and manipulating information. “Can I alphabetize the reports? Dude, what do they think I’ve been doing for the last five years?â€
As he hit the command to run the report, a message popped up on the tablet lying next to his keyboard. One glance at the sender, he bolted nearly vertical from his chair. They found him once more. He read the message with a slight aversion shudder.
“Yo, Pat. Where are we on the new project creation?â€
The languid voice sound more likely to be playing guitar in some seedy bar rather than running a multi-billion-dollar company with runaway profits.
“Running a report now, boss.†Patrick moved his right hand slowly unseen from behind. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? I mean it seems like we’re scamming a lot of people out of a lot of money.â€
“And?â€
“Come on, Dennis, this isn’t cool.â€
“I don’t care about cool. I care about money. If you aren’t on board…â€
Patrick made a twisting move with an “oops†and his screen went blue, then black, then beeped wildly.
“What? Did you… You are so fired!â€
“I wish I could care, this was just a job. Always just a job.â€
A puff of air, Dennis’s eyes went wide then went empty. Patrick helped Dennis crumple to the floor, stepped over him and left the building.
Word Count: 242
Written: 1/25/18
[Pen and Pencil Review] Zebra PM 701 Stainless Steel Marker
This week’s review is a variation of a previous (and a different manufacturer) post. Several years ago I posted about the Stainless Steel Sharpies. From that post:
A quick note about the Stainless Steel Sharpies – they may cost more initially than regular Sharpies, but they’re worth it. 1. They’re refillable, so you’re only investing in refills. 2. They’re a lot less likely to “wander” because they are quite noticeable. I tell stories about how many Sharpie markers I had go on tour with musicians because they were “permanently borrowed”. That doesn’t happen (yet) with the Stainless Steel ones.
This post is the brand new Zebra PM 701 Stainless Steel permanent marker…They’re porous point – but this one seems pretty durable, for what it is. The refill is one solid piece of work with a seemingly large ink reserve. The ink flows smoothly, doesn’t feather, skip, or bleed (as promised on packaging). The barrel is well constructed and balanced. The ridge where the refill meets the barrel is far enough back on grip to only be occasionally in the way or annoying. The Zebra PM 701s differ from the Sharpies in that they come in four colors – black, blue, red, and green. The color is marked at the base of the refill and a band on the barrel.
The Stainless Steel pens are NOT retractable. They have a cap and are just over 5.5″ capped. They’re about 6.5″ long with the cap posted. And here’s the thing, though the cap posts securely – I was bored and shook it to make sure, it doesn’t fly off – the cap doesn’t “lock” so it can LOOK wobbly and off center when posted. It doesn’t affect balance or feel, but it looks weird. But I LOVE the length and heft. This pen feels good in my hand. The clip is solid and metal. That won’t come off or break any time soon.
I tested the ink – it’s rich, bright, and smooth. There’s little feathering on porous paper and very little bleed through. The ink is alcohol based to dry quickly and certified non-toxic The packaging says you can leave the cap off for five (5) days without the ink drying out. Yeah, I’m not going to test that. These pens run $7.99 on the Zebra website. I haven’t found them in the wild just yet. The refills are $2.85 a 1 pack – I’m not going to risk that kind of money on a test just yet.
The Sharpies are no longer made – which makes me sad because I did like them. I hope these stick around a while. And if you have any of those refills hanging around, they don’t fit the Zebra barrel. The Zebras are a touch longer and have different threading.
Sharpie refill on top.
Zebra on bottom.
Grading:
1. How does it write? – 1 – for a porous point. It performs well. Smooth flow, lives up to promise.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – the only nod to ergonomics is the grip shape. There’s no cushion. Good diameter though. But it’s not bad though. Feels pretty good and solid in the hand.
3. Material – 1 – solid design and craftsmanship. We’ve had the first fine points for a while and the stainless has held up well to purse and bag battering without scratching or tarnish. The refills are a solid piece and don’t leak.
4. Overall Design – .5 – the ridge where the refill meets the barrel does SOMETIMES get in the way and dig into the thumb webbing.
5. Price Point – .5 – the initial outlay can be a bit pricey. The initial cost is $7.99 on the web site, and they’re not in wide release just yet. The refills tend to run about $2.85. It’s not outrageous, but something to consider.
Overall – 4 Bronze Pencils out of 5.
[Write the Story] A Mysterious Package
Prompt: A Mysterious Package
Words: theater, almond, version, triple, arrow, pathway, man, mangle, drapery, bullet
Story
“I’m not taking a bullet for you, you know that, right, man?” Sonja twirled across the theater stage.
“How about an arrow? Probably wouldn’t kill you.” Dylan lounged as bonelessly as he could across the front row. “I’m not asking for death do us, but would a little mangle be out of the question?”
Sonja padded back to center stage pulling a sweater over her head. “Come on, Dylan, let’s go home. I’m dying for a triple almond fudge ice cream bowl.”
They giggled and chattered all the way home. They followed the winding pathway to the courtyard lined with flowers and shrubs. Sonja grabbed Dylan’s arm and pulled him to a stop. “Did you order anything from Amazon?”
“No. Why?”
“Look.” Sonja pointed. A box sat against the door. On second glance it wasn’t a shipping box, more like a gift box. “Let’s see what we have.”
They took the box inside. With a nod from her, Dylan pulled the drapery closed. They gathered around the box and pulled open the lid.
“What version do you think it is?” Dylan breathed.
“Does it matter? We couldn’t afford this in any version.” She pulled the expensive set of DVDs out of the box.
“Who sent it?”
Sonja shrugged. “No idea, but tonight we feast on classic cartoons.”
“Sing-a-long?”
“Is there any other way?”
“I’ll get the wine.”
Word Count: 227
Written: 1/24/18
[Pen/Pencil Review] The Ooly Splendid Fountain Pen in Blue and Black
Sometimes I find the most random things at Half-Price Books, this past week it was the Splendid Fountain Pens by OOLY in blue and black – so I had to get them. Just for kicks. And because I was “celebrating†finishing up a thing for work. And I have an office supply…problem. I didn’t need these but I bought them anyway.
The pens are translucent plastic with barrel colors matching the ink color. There’s a slope to the pen to make it more comfortable to write with and black rubber grips. The nib is marked “F†and is stainless steel. The pen is about 5.5″ long capped and about 6″ long posted. The cap is the same translucent plastic with a molded clip that seems relatively sturdy
These come with an ink cartridge in the barrel (loose) and two refills. They’re not the short international cartridges, though, they seem more like Pilot style, which are different. But the cartridges seat securely and the ink flows well. The nib is not scratchy and the ink dries pretty quickly.
It wasn’t expensive…however… I did get them at Half-Price Books (in Hurst, TX) at the counter for $5.99 (I’m pretty sure). They’re available online through Ooly.com for $4.99 (and in some fun other colors). There are also relatively inexpensive refills for all the colors – blue, black, red, pink, purple, and green. I’m tempted to buy directly from them because they also look like they have some other fun stuff, too.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It works. The stainless steel nib seems pretty sturdy. The color is good.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – It’s a good length with decent balance. For an inexpensive plastic fountain pen, it’s surprisingly comfortable.
3. Material – 1 – They’re translucent plastic with the ability to see the ink. It’s inexpensive plastic with some nod to ergonomics.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s a beginner, no frills plastic fountain pen that so far doesn’t leak, has a good solid feel to the cartridges. The cartridges are rather proprietary.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – It’s an okay price point – but they are cheaper online at $4.99 than finding them at a Half-Price for $5.00, but they are refillable and come with more refills than a typical fountain pen.
That’s 4 of 5 bronze pencils.
[Write the Story] A Strange Proposition from a Stranger
Prompt: A Strange Proposition From a Stranger
Words: sequin, luncheon, designer, toolbox, measurement, force, dented, cellular, banish, lock
Story
“Are you going to be finished soon?†the sequin-festooned matron prodded the toolbox with her designer-shoed toe.
“I hope to be, but this broken lock is being a challenge. It would go faster if I didn’t have someone hovering and distracting me.â€
“Fine. But the luncheon begins in an hour, you must be gone well before that.†The woman sailed off in a huff.
Richard gave her a moment to leave the room before checking the time on his cellular phone. He still had time. He could still back out. Just pick up and go. But no. He had to banish the thought. He pulled the top tray from the dented toolbox with more force than was necessary. He only needed one more measurement. Then…well, he didn’t want to know what happened next.
“How’d you get yourself into this, Richard?â€
He still didn’t know the answer. He wasn’t sure how the stranger found him. But they’d met at the bar down the street from the hotel, bumped into one another. The stranger, Tom maybe, knew things, hinted things, proposed things. Now here he was “fixing†a lock that wasn’t broken before a gaggle of old, rich women had lunch.
“Well?†The matron was back.
“Finished. You’re all set now. Good luck.â€
They were probably going to need it. But he needed the money Tom promised more. The message sent. Time to go.
Word Count: 232
Written: 1/21/18
[Pen/Pencil Review] Owl Stress Ball Novelty Rerun
Yeah, I know it’s early in the year to be doing a rerun… however, the big event I do for work is at the end of the week plus other random things that have to be done have me coming back to this pen. So now you get to revisit it, too.
I hope one day Walgreens (or someone brings this back – I think I need a flock). It’s all going to be fine (yoga breathing, yoga breathing) but not until Friday afternoon about 3 pm. Until then…have fun with the rerun.
______
I love Back-to-School time. It’s one of my Most Wonderful Times of the Year. All the lovely office/school supplies ON SALE. It makes my poor heart flutter. Especially when I can hit a Walgreens or CVS or other store and find some awesome novelty pens. This year was no exception. Walgreens had these amazing Owl Stress Pens for $1.99. I had to buy one for my friend, Meredith (she loves owls) and if she gets one, I get one.
This is a novelty pen, so the expectations are not high with pens like this. This one is top heavy, obviously, there is an owl on top. The pen barrel is a bit short – the whole pen is short, it’s only 6.5†long. There’s a flare to the base of the barrel, so there’s a slight nod to ergonomics. It’s not a pen for long-term writing unless you have a small hand.
The surprising part is the smoothness of the black ballpoint ink. The conical tip is smooth. There’s very little skipping or glopping. The point is on the fine side – like a 0.7mm. Which is AWESOME. Always like when something doesn’t default to 1.0mm or larger.
The selling point is the owl though. It’s a stress “ball†of sorts. Have a co-worker, family member, or random school mate that makes you want to pop someone’s eyes out or pinch their heads like a zit? (Eww, I know, imagery!) This pen lets you DO THAT. Squeeze the owl and the eyes pop out. SO MUCH FUN! And keeps you out of HR or the principal’s office. Win/Win.
The fact you get this in a pen that actually writes decently for $1.99? PRICELESS!
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It’s works fine, solid ink flow and a decent tip. The therapeutic aspects are just a bonus.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – There’s a nod to ergonomics, but it’s short and not well-balanced
3. Material – 1 It’s a cheesy plastic novelty pen. You get what you pay for.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – The cap doesn’t post – in fact the cap is probably superfluous. It’s short, oddly balanced, but so much fun you can’t quite NOT use it. Though I’m using it for less a pen and more for the stress aspects.
5. Price Point – 1 – It’s not outrageous. It’s $1.99 on at Walgreens. For Back-to-school on a budget, it’s not necessary. For stress-relief that has a functional purpose? $2 is a good price.
4 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
[Write the Story] The Night Before Graduation
Prompt: The Night Before Graduation
Words: obscene, margarita, paradise, story, tempo, truthfully, stonewall, plain, opposite, loan
Story
Vivian’s pulse pounded in her temple in tempo with the band. She sipped at her obscenely large margarita. Probably her last, of at least these. Tomorrow she graduated and would leave this veritable paradise for good.
“What’s your story, Viv? You look like someone died! Come on! Tonight we eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we are adults!” Her friend, Taffy yanked the drink away.
Vivian let herself be pulled into the crush on the club’s dance floor. Taffy was right. She should have one last hurrah. She couldn’t stonewall the future. And truthfully? She didn’t want to. The institute had loaned her out for her post-grad research project, and she was excited to have her ideas wanted and appreciated.
“You’ve gone pensive again. Stop it!”
Vivian wished she could shut out the whirling thoughts and crazy brain weasels as easily as Taffy, but along with the excitement, she was terrified. Her job was at a science facility on the opposite side of the galaxy. She – a plain, ordinary student – selected to go off-world. To go beyond. To be not ordinary. That was terrifying. But that was also tomorrow. Tonight she was determined – or from now on – to be more like Taffy. To eat. To drink. To be merry. For tomorrow – tomorrow would be here soon enough. But there was still time to be young, silly, and still have time to save the world. After graduation.
Word Count: 237
Written: 1/15/18