[Pen/Pencil Review] The Uni Ball BLX Signo Retractable – 0.7mm Multi Pack

Wow… it’s been a while since I’ve done a UNI pen. And it might have been the Vision Elite version of these pens. And I apologize, there’s one missing from the shot, the red/black has fled the scene. I’ve used it , it exists.

I picked up the BLX collection because I thought I’d prefer the capped stick pen of the Vision Elite – and in normal writing conditions, this is true. But at the day job, it’s easier (since I write sporadically) to have retractable pens. So I picked up the Signo series of the BLX. They come in four color combos: blue/black, green/black, red/black, and purple/black. This package has the 207s – which means 0.7mm, which is fine.

The ink is what UNI is touting with this one. It’s a mix of color and black so you have dark color – which actually delivers. The ink is dark and rich, though it needs some drying time. Especially with the larger point size. I liked the color in these pens, and I need to use them more. I really, really do.

These pens run just over 5.5″ with the point retracted and at 5.75″ with the point out. The mechanism is smooth. The rubber grip is textured to keep it from slipping, and is okay unless you have sensitive fingers, then it might be a little rough. It reminds me of what’s often referred to as a “Tactical Grip”.

And yes, the photos don’t do them justice. I did these at lunch on my iPhone. Because my camera is…somewhere. I promise to be better with pictures.

Let’s see the numbers…

1. How does it work? – 0.5 – it works well. The ink dries quickly – but with the 0.7mm (larger than the Vision Elite), it takes longer to dry, especially on slick paper.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – the length is barely long enough comfortable. The pen has some ergonomics to the grip, but with the texturing you’ll either love it or hate it. But it won’t slip out of your fingers.
3. Material – 1 – It’s a plastic retractable pen. It’s all plastic. The innovation is the ink, not the barrel.
4. Overall Design – 1 It’s a decent design for a plastic retractable pen. The ink is gorgeous – even with a 0.7mm, it’s a smooth decent line (give it drying time). The mechanism works well. It does what it’s supposed to do.
5. Price Point – 0.05 – for a liquid ink pen, it’s good but a bit on the expensive side – unless you find them on sale (which I think I did). They seem to be running $9-$11 for a multi-pack which makes them over $2.50 a pop.

That’s 3.5 bronze pencils out of 5.

Tags: BLX, Liquid Gel Ink, retractable, Signo, Uni, Uni-Ball, Uniball, Vision Elite