[Pen/Pencil Review] Pentel Orenz 0.2mm Revisit
Welcome to National Pencil Day! In honor of it, I’m revisiting the Pentel Orenz that I reviewed in November 2015. Jimmy actually finally taught me how to use it like this year – because he bought me another one for Christmas and then I bought myself another one to “match” an OHTO Ray flash.
What I didn’t know about the 0.2mm Orenz mechanical pencils in 2015 is that you don’t use them like normal mechanical pencils – clicking out the lead a few times and writing to the sleeve. That’s what makes it break in a instant. I didn’t read all the diagrams carefully BACK THEN. Jimmy has learned a lot about Pentel pencils in the last few years, so he taught me.
With the 0.2mm Orenz pencils you click out the sleeve to it’s locking point and then just start writing. The sleeve retracts back into the body of the pencil. The sleeve retracts enough lead to write with but protects the super fine lead from breaking. You can MAYBE do one click past the tip the of the sleeve an and not have the lead snap, but I wouldn’t. The leads are nice and dark for the thinness. It does get a bit sharp. I have to be careful on some of my strokes or a snag the paper I’m writing on and almost poke holes in it. It’s better on thick paper and slicker, less rough paper. Less to snag on.
The barrel is a classic Pentel style. I bought the black barrel. There are rings etched in every narrowing circles along the grip leading to a concave point with stepped ridges down to the retractable shield letting the lead guide hold the lead secure, and the guide is rounded. There are two styles of grip – etched rings in the plastic or a knurled metal with the same rings – depending on the style.
For a mechanical pencil, it does feel good in the hand. It’s about 5.5″ long with a balanced feel. The silver metal clip feels secure and matches the eraser cap. The pencil feels light but solid, as I would expect from Pentel.
This is a pencil that has to be ordered from a retailer like JetPens. This is still a Japanese line and not yet widely available in the US.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 0.5 It works better than it should, but the packaging that says the mechanism PREVENTS breakage is accurate if you use the pencil correctly. I snapped the lead until I learned how to use it. Pencil has a learning curve.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – It’s a basic Pentel barrel. There’s a nod to a grip in the plastic barrel, but not much. The barrel is plastic with metal accents that feels good for what it is. The metal gripped barrel is better.
3. Material – 1 It’s strong quality plastic with solid metal clip and tip. The lead protection guide is where the innovations went into the pencil.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s solid. It’s a good design with a good mechanism – once you learn the trick. User error does not play into here.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – You have to get this online or through a retailer like JetPens. The straight plastic is running $7.00 . The metal grip ones are $15.50 (which is a bit pricy for a mechanical pencil) and it doesn’t come with extra lead – so it’s more of a specialty thing. But if you’re a connoisseur/collector it’s not that bad. But you still have to invest in lead.
4 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
[Pen/Pencil Review] The iPenStore Winter 2021 Unboxing Video
I know it’s been awhile. This came in just before or around my birthday – and then Snovid 2021 happened. Work’s been a huge drain, and yes, I am way behind. So, here we are… the Winter iPenStore.com unboxing video.
[Write the Story] The Day Two Lifelong Friends Met
Prompt: The Day Two Lifelong Friends Met
Words: plantain, greenhouse, fleet, premature, lace, possess, divine, culpable, soulmate, auspicious
Story
“Are those plantain chips?”
Evan nearly choked on her chip. She turned to see another teenager standing behind her. The girl was tall, willowy and seemed to possess a divine sense of fashion.
“Do you want some?” Eva asked. “I have plenty.”
The girl dropped down beside her and plucked a chip from the pile on Eva’s plate, her lace sleeve billowing out. “Oh my. How lovely. I do believe this is an auspicious beginning, but I don’t wish to be premature.”
“Oh no. Of course not. BTW, I’m Eva.” She tried not to sound confused.
“Right. Right. I’m Maeve.”
“You’re new, I take it?” Eva tried to keep her tone casual but guarded. The new girl, Maeve, was weird but a good weird.
“New to this place and time. Yes. In other terms, not so much. As my family says, ‘Time is fleet of foot in all directions’.”
“That seems like a cool way of looking at it.” Eva pushed her plate toward Maeve. “Take some more. I have to head to the greenhouse.”
“Ooh, can I come? Only if you won’t be found culpable.”
“Sure. More hands the better. We’re running a community garden.”
“Splendid. Let’s go, soulmate!” Maeve bounded to her feet.
“What?”
“Meant to be.”
Word Count: 209
Written: 2/1/21 and 2/6/21
Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38 Black Ink
Welcome to the “Rhonda’s getting her but kicked at work†edition of this week’s pen blog. This is one of the last of the Christmas black sampler pen sets that I haven’ reviewed before
This is a pen that came from JetPens.com. This is the UNI Signo 0.38mm stick pen in Black. I’ve reviewed the retractable pens. This is the DX, which is a stick pen.
The ink is good for so fine a point. You’re going to lose some depth/darkness in an ink tone the finer the point. But this feels thicker and darker than it should. The conical tip means it’s not as scratchy feeling than some needle points. It’s a nice rich black ink for the size of the tip.
These pens runs about 5.5″ capped and 6†with the cap posted. The cap posts securely with a solid click. The rubber grip has some dimples for extra grip and comfortable. The barrel is transparent to the rubber grip allowing you to see the ink reservoir. It’s a good work horse pen with a fine point for editing and writing.
Let’s see the numbers…
1. How does it work? – 1 – it works well. The ink dries quickly – especially being such a fine point, but it doesn’t feel that fine and has a solid width with a slightly transparent barrel.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – The length is typical for a stick pen. It seems a little stumpy because of the width of the barrel, but the grip is comfortable.
3. Material – 1 – It’s a plastic stick pen. It’s all plastic. The cap posts securely
4. Overall Design – 1 It’s a decent design for a plastic stick pen. The ink is decent and dark for a 0.38mm, it’s a smooth decent line. The mechanism works well. It does what it’s supposed to do.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – For a retractable gel pen, 
[Write the Story] A New Customer Walks into the Shop
Prompt: A New Customer Walks into the Shop
Words: boudoir, redwood, west, biography, whiten, sycophant, mandatory, commandment, perform, herbal
Story
All I needed was a restroom. Honest. I had no idea where I ended up. I saw a shop and scurried in. There everything went…sideways doesn’t’ begin to describe it.
“If you’re here for the sycophant package, it’s mandatory we whiten your teeth.†The shop clerk didn’t look up.
“Excuse me?â€
“Well, you don’t look like you’re here for the West Boudoir Commandment. You’re not the size of a redwood.†The clerk gave me a once over.
“What?†Was I having a stroke? None of this made sense. “Restroom?â€
The clerk waved down a narrow hall. I would’ve found someplace else, but I was too late for options. I scurried down the hall, trying to make sense of anything, but I was so lost.
“Where have you been?†Another voice asked form the shadows.
“What?†The bathroom was so close. “I don’t—â€
“You’re not here to perform the biography recitation?â€
“I just need the restroom.â€
The shadow laughed. “Enjoy the herbals and come see us after.â€
Now I knew I wandered into the wrong place. I ducked into the bathroom and prayed I would get out alive.
Word Count: 188
Written: 1/21/2021
[Pen/Pencil Review] Zebra Sarasa Dry RT 0.4mm Black Ink
This week’s pen review is a basic, workhorse type pen with some fun little details. It’s the Zebra Sarasa Dry Clip – in a 0.4mm point with black gel ink – because they’re good like that. This one came from the JetPens black gel pen sample pack Jimmy bought me for Christmas.
The Sarasa has a great black gel ink. This is the “Dry†ink which is Zebra’s DRYJELL ink technology. The ink is dye-based and is supposed to dry 85% faster than conventional inks and won’t smear even if you run your hand over it immediately after writing. This one comes in the 0.4mm point with a metal, cone tip. It’s refillable with the Zebra JLV-0.4 Sarasa Dry Gel Pen Refill – 0.4 mm. These are recommended by JetPens and Zebra for left handed writers.
This pen has a smoky plastic, demonstrator-type barrel with a black plastic plunger. The clip and yoke around the plunger are white with gray accents and the name of the pen. The barrel threading is on the inside, making the barrel smooth and ridgeless. The black rubber grip gives the pen extra comfort in long use.
This pen is about 5.5″ long retracted and about 5.75″ long with the tip extended. This is a typical length for a retractable pen, and it’s well balanced and has a decent diameter. This has a color-matched rubberized grip to give the pen some ergonomics as well as a “seamless” look and feel. The clip is sturdy and strong even though it’s plastic with metal mechanisms.
The clip is the other fun detail. They call it a “binder clip”. It’s a spring-loaded, hard plastic clip matching the ink color. It is break-resistant and strong. It does secure well to a wide range of materials. This pen is refillable and economical for a good quality workhorse pen.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – This is a solid, utility pen. It’s inexpensive. It comes in several colors, styles, and point sizes.
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s average length with a good diameter. It’s a good solid pen
3. Material – 1 – It’s an inexpensive utility pen. It is what it is, and it’s solid for what it is. The clip is plastic and strong.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s okay. It’s functional. It’s an average length retractable pen with some fun details.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – These things are relatively inexpensive – though have to be ordered through JetPens. They’re about $2.65 for the pen. So you can pretty much use these for the long term. There are refills available for $1.95.
4.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Pen/Pencil Review] An Encounter at Sea
Prompt: An Encounter at Sea
Words: commodore, wisteria, spoon, indictment, helix, cavalry, seal, fortnight, smidgen
Story
“Commodore Sampson, you’re going to have to answer the indictment, you know.â€
Sampson finished stirring his tea and placed the spoon deliberately on the napkin next to his cup. “Do I now? I was under the impression the events we’re talking about had the seal of national security, Ms. Grisales.â€
“I have the information, Commodore. I just need confirmation. It’s going to tribunal, so it’s all going to come out. There’s no cavalry coming this time.†Molly Grisales steepled her fingers over her nose and sat back to wait.
But Sampson was better. He sipped his tea. “What do you think you know?â€
“Operation Helix.â€
Sampson blinked. “Is that it?”
“The USS Wisteria, a smidgen over a fortnight ago was involved in an offshore encounter with an experimental weapon. Your ship limped home with a hole in the hull and ten dead sailors.â€
Sampson was silent for a second then burst out laughing. “Is that what you think happened? You have no idea. And this story will never be de-classified enough for me to tell you anything.â€
“But…â€
“You keep thinking it was an experimental weapon, but you’d never actually believe the truth.â€
Word Count: 193
Written: 1/14/21
[Pen/Pencil Review] Pilot Juice Up 0.4mm Black Ink
This Christmas Jimmy picked me up a black ink pen sampler from JetPens. Many of the pens I’ve already reviewed, but this is one that I’ve only done in a different color. It’s the Pilot Juice Up 04 retractable gel ink pen in black ink
The Pilot Juice Up collection are retractable gel ink pens. This line comes in up to 22 colors – both in individual pens and in sets. The pastels come in six color sets, the darker colors come in 10 color sets. These come in 0.38mm and 0.4mm tips – which might not seem like much but can be pretty big difference.
The Juice pens are about 5.5″ long retracted and with point extended. The barrel is black with a ink matching rubberized grip and a color matched panel at the black plunger. This one is obviously black on black, giving it a sleek and professional look. That color-coded accent lets you see if the tip is retracted without looking at the tip. There barrel is as close to seamless as a refillable pen can be. It’s relatively comfortable and a good hand feel.
The tip is a new style Pilot calls “Synergy” which they say “combines the precision of a needle point with the durability of a conical point.” There’s a gasket like seal around the stainless-steel cone and the actual tip that does hold the ink steady. The fine, needle-like point feels solid.
The ink is rich and vibrant for such a thin line with a smooth roller that doesn’t skip or scratch. I enjoy writing with this. I’ve used it for a couple of solid days at work – adding things to a paper calendar and such. It’s a solid working pen – and if you’re doing paper edits, it’s a good fine line for getting edits in between lines. The ink is a water-based pigment ink that’s supposed to be waterproof (I’d likely call it resistant since little is “proof”) and fade-resistant.
This is a good, solid workhorse pen. They are also refillable in both point sizes.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – It’s a slightly fancier than basic, retractable gel in pen in a very fine point. The mechanism is smooth and the ink is rich.
2. Look and feel – 0.5 – It’s not bad for a nearly basic retractable pen. There’s a bit of cushion but it’s more for show than actual squish. It’s an attractive look though.
3. Material – 1 It’s a decent plastic, retractable pen. It’s not expensive, but not cheap. The advancement in the synergy tip. It’s more solid than the needle tip should be.
4. Overall Design – 1 – This barrel is fine. The clip is good. The mechanism is smooth. The colors are fun and give the pens some nice accents. The tip is what’s really nice.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – These run $3.60 individually on JetPens. Just under $27 for the 10 pack and just under $17 for the 6 pack of pastels. You can only get them by ordering online. They’re not available in US stores. So that makes them a bit more difficult to come by. But they are refillable with the Pilot LP2RF from between $1.50 and $2.25.
4 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Write the Story] A New Life on a New Planet
Prompt: A New Life on a New Planet
Words: negotiation, churro, postulate, reiterate, pullover, contentment, watermelon, beech, momentary, frozen
Story
“I thought you sais there would be beaches here.†Becca pulled off her sunglasses and pouted.
“There are. All over the place.†Luke pointed across the horizon. “There. There, and there.â€
“All I see are trees.â€
Luke gave her a ‘duh’ look. “Yeah. Beech trees.â€.
“Is it always so cold here?†Becca grabbed Luke’s abandoned pullover. “I’m half frozen.â€
“You’ll get used to it. I think it’s lovely. Didn’t you read any of the material I gave you?â€
“I got the gist while you were in the negotiation.â€
“Then get more familiar. We’re here now. There’s no going back. This isn’t a momentary tripâ€
Becca looked at her feet. “I’m sorry, Luke. I know what’s at stake. But this place is so…alien.â€
“I know. I now, but Becca, it’s important we blend in. If we fail, the Postulate…â€
Becca shuddered. “Don’t reiterate. I’ll be better. We will be the picture of contentment.â€
“Come on, Becca. Let’s go explore our new home. Maybe we’ll find some hidden treasure.â€
Becca tried to snap her fingers. “That reminds me. I discovered something sinful. Come with me.â€
She pulled Luke with her into the lodge and to a kiosk “Do you have them?â€
“Your usual? How do you eat these things?†The waiter pulled out two pastries. “Watermelon churros. Enjoy.â€
“The humans have the best food.â€
Word Count: 1/7/2021
Written: 222
History Has Its Eye
Yeah, I’m a Hamilton junkie, and it’s appropriate for today.
I was going to do a pen blog. Yesterday got away from me – Day Job was massively busy. I was going to do it today. Then today happened. The events at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC were horrific to watch. It was bad enough to watch Congress object to the verified election results — brought by a senator from my State. But then to have protestors turn rioters and worse?
I can’t believe any of it happened. I can’t believe anyone thought that was the right thing to do. I can’t believe an elected official incited it to happen. There is a lot of blame to go around. That was all kind of wrong. It was sedition and insurrection. It’s taken THIS LONG. THIS LONG. To finally show some consequences to actions? There needs to be consequences.
Let me just say, I was very glad to have an appointment with my therapist today.
I will do a pen blog. Just not this week. It doesn’t seem right given the state of affairs.
But I do want to thank the people of Georgia for giving us a glimmer of hope that we can start putting a lot of this stuff back to rights.
History has its eye on this Congress and these next couple of weeks. Let’s see how things play out. We are in the Chinese proverb of “interesting times”.