The new edition of the pen and paper carnival is up at the Whatever blog, and there’s some great reading to be done.

The cool thing about the carnival is that it always leads us to brilliant new blogs we haven’t seen before. The bad thing about the carnival is that it leads us to brilliant new blogs – which we then start reading, instead of getting our work done.

This edition is no exception, with several outstanding little pieces worth spotting. Our favourites:

A video by Greasemonkeyhands showing him writing with a flexible nib Pilot Falcon. His handwriting is amazing, especially considering he’s holding a camera in the other hand.

Margana sharing a poignant bit about her journals, past and present, at Inkophile.

And Eric telling a great story about how he became the new owner of a 108-year-old Waterman fountain pen that belonged to a family member in France.

Thanks to Julie at Whatever blog for doing a great job hosting this month, and, as always, to Nifty at Notebook Stories for creating the whole thing in the first place.

We’re excited to be hosting the 11th edition of the carnival and will be looking forward to your submissions.

We’re starting a new feature here at the Tiger Pens Blog: Reviews of our favourite pen, pencil and paper-related blogs. We’ll be telling you about the ones we read to keep up on pen news and tips and hopefully will also be be bringing you interviews with some of the top pen bloggers on the web.

And what better place to start than Julie B’s blog Whatever, which is celebrating its first anniversary this week (and is also hosting the 10th Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper)?

Whatever is an eclectic mix of fountain pen reviews and arcana, informative treatises on matching the right inks and papers, compelling photos and little bits about her family life in Florida. As she describes it on her blog’s home page:

Okay, so when I signed up for this thing, they absolutely insisted that I give it a name. I threw my hands in the air and typed “whatever” and that is what it’s called.

Mostly I plan to review pens, inks and paper; talk about postcards, letter writing and journaling; and, of course, our Akitas (that’s them in the photo), but you just never know.

Like I said…”Whatever!”

Our favourite posts usually involve her “Featured Pens,” stories about her vintage fountain pen collection, explaining how she came by a particular pen and what she had to do to make it fit her particular needs. Especially interesting is that she includes a little history of the brand and model with each post.

For example, she posted a two-parter in January about the Sheaffer Statesman Snorkel, which she acquired through another pen blogger.

In the first part, we get a little history of the 50-year-old pen and a description of how the deceptively simple barrel contains a complex filling mechanism. Then, there was a detailed, point-by-point review assigning the pen a cumulative score of 9.17 and a page of Julie’s neat handwriting (she won second place in our handwriting contest a few months ago) demonstrating the pen’s performance.

She followed up in the second part by showing close-ups of the ink filling system, along with a great explanation of how it works (by way of well-known fountain pen doctor Richard Binder).

Whatever is also home to excellent ink reviews that are among some of the most comprehensive you’ll see at any pen and ink blog. Julie uses a special form to record the brand of ink being tested and type of pen used and goes on to provide details on everything from colour saturation to a water test to drying times in increments of seconds.

In addition to all the great pen, ink and paper info, the blog is sprinkled with bright bits about Julie’s other projects, such as her “Year in the Life of a Tree” photo essay and collections of postcards she finds amusing.

The only slight quibble we have with the blog is that the header seems a tad large, making you scroll down to see new blog entries or read an entry on a permalink page. But that’s just us being lazy.

Whatever is definitely recommended reading for anyone with a passion for fountain pens and inks and the notebooks in which they can be used. The blog is fun and informative and has a bit of a whimsical feel to it that somehow manages to be quite relaxing.

If you haven’t already, please stop by. We think you’ll be glad you did.

Oh, and if you need further incentive, Julie is giving away an orange Lamy Safari and a Lamy Vista to mark the blog’s anniversary, so hurry over to enter your name. The deadline is this Sunday.

Nifty’s done another great job of putting together a collection of interesting reads on pen and paper. You might remember that the whole pen carnival was Nifty’s idea, so if you get a chance, pass along your appreciation.

Our favourites from this month’s carnival were Lito’s bit about Victor Hugo’s pencil stub at Palimpsest and JoniB’s trivia on green ink from Daydreamers Welcome.

Thanks for these and all the other pen-and-paper treats.

Gel stick pens are great to have around the office because they’re inexpensive, simple and tend to write so well. Plus, they’re typically nice-looking pens. But not all sticks are created equal, and we decided to put three popular office models to the test to see which one came out on top.

You probably recognize the G1 Grip as one of Pilot’s older pens, but it’s still a hot seller in the UK, as are the Pentel Hybrid and the Uniball Signo. All three are marketed as particularly comfortable (because of their rubber grips) and are supposed to be as smooth as any gel writer. After some comparisons, this is what we found:

APPEARANCE

The Pilot G1 Gel Grip loses this category right off the start. The barrel is completely plain, with a too-small cap, and that ugly orange oil Pilot uses to top off the ink cartridge looks like used cooking grease. The perforated grip adds some style, but not nearly enough.

The Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip has the same problem as the G1 – it’s so plain, especially the grip, which boasts no frills at all. However, the crystal barrel gives it a bit of sparkle the G1 doesn’t have. And the rounded cap, while fairly ordinary, complements the understated effect with a little bold printing.

The Uniball Signo Gel Grip is the clear winner when it comes to looks. The silvery barrel is slightly flashy in a professional way. It’s offset by two tinted windows that show the ink level in the cartridge and a black ring, printed with “Uniball,” separates the barrel from the grip. The cap is clear and the sleek architecture of the clip continues the modern motif.

COMFORT

The hard rubber grips on all three pens are nothing really to speak of. There’s little give and no cushion. The perforations and horizontal ridges in the G1 grip do give it a slight advantage in holding your fingers in place as you write.

The thicker the pen, the more comfortable it’s likely to be, and, in that regard, the G1 is least comfortable, as it’s the thinnest of the three pens. As the thickest, the Uniball could have been the most comfortable, except that the pen is simply too short, leaving the cap to rub annoyingly against the base of the thumb.

The Hybrid won here because it is slightly thicker than the G1, has a pleasant round feel in the hand, and is long enough that it does not have the Uniball’s problem. The pen’s comfort, weight and balance actually make it a favourite of pen spinners.

PERFORMANCE

All three were fairly smooth writers and left good, dark vibrant lines, as you’d expect from gel pens (.07 mm for the Pilot and Uniball and .06 mm for the Pentel). The distinction in writing experience and ink appearance was a matter of degrees. However, the actual performance of the ink varied considerably more. One major surprise: All three smudged when touched within five seconds of writing on an ordinary white legal pad.

The G1 wrote fine, but felt a little scratchy in comparison to the other two. It had some minor issues with skipping, especially when first being used. Left uncapped for a couple of hours, it showed no signs of drying out and wrote immediately. Feathering and bleed-through did not seem to be an issue, but the ink still smeared slightly after 12 seconds of drying time.

The Hybrid easily felt like the smoothest writer of the group, requiring very little pressure to make the point glide over the paper. There was no feeling of scratchiness at all, even though the point was a bit smaller than the other two. No problems with skipping or blotting and wrote immediately after being left uncapped for two hours. Smearing was a major issue, though. Even at 12 seconds of drying time, the ink still smudged considerably.

The Uniball was also smooth and had a certain liquidity to its movement. The ink flow was heavier than the other two and left small blots when writing. Left uncapped, the pen still wrote immediately and without any more blotting than usual. The most interesting thing was that while the Uniball was the wettest writer, it also had the fastest drying time (as is common with Uniballs), with little to no smudging at 12 seconds. Surprisingly though, there was some smearing even up to 8-10 seconds after writing.

At first, the Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip (which seems to be the most expensive) looked like the overall winner. It was more comfortable and gave a better writing experience than the other two pens. But that ridiculous drying time just can’t be overlooked. The Hybrid doesn’t have a reputation for slow drying, so it’s possible that it was just the pen being tested. Still, in comparison, the Uniball was nearly as smooth and the ink performed better, even though it was not as comfortable to hold.

So that’s it: The Uniball Signo Gel Grip won this head-to-head competition.

Now it’s your turn to weigh in. Got an opinion on which is the better of these three gel stick pens? Speak up and be heard.

Readers, you may have noticed that we’ve been running occasional features called “Totally Random Pen Stuff” and “Conversations About Handwriting.” Today, we introduced a new one, “Inappropriate Uses of Pens.”

The purpose of these features is to bring you interesting, funny or just plain weird news about pens and handwriting. And we’d like your help. This blog is for you as much as it is for us, so please feel free to pitch in when you see something you think your fellow pen enthusiasts might want to see. All you have to do is send us a link…we’ll do the rest.

If we use something you send, you can be sure we’ll give you a shout out, and those who send in brilliant stuff the most often might just win some special items from Tiger Pens.

So, keep an eye out and don’t hesitate to pass along those pen-related nuggets.

You can send them to tony [at] tigerpens dot co dot uk.

The U.S. president signed the historic health care bill last week using a different pen for each portion of the letters in his name. The Washington Post reported that it took Obama, a left-hander, about 90 seconds to complete the signature.

And what kind of pens was President Obama using? According to the Post’s secret source, they were black Cross pens, customized with the presidential seal and the President’s signature.

The reason for all the different pens is that they are typically given away at signings to commemorate the moment for those involved in the passage of key legislation. Politico.com reported that the signature pens went to various political figures, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and that the President gave one to a Catholic nun and kept one for himself. Two others went into the National Archives.

President Obama also used a black lacquer Cross pen to sign inaugural documents when he took office last year.

The number of pens used for the health care billing signing has brought more than a few jokes. One Philadelphia newspaper blogger cracked that Jesse James, philandering husband of Sandra Bullock, had so many girlfriends, they outnumbered the President’s pens.

The signing made reporters at a television station in Minnesota, in the northern U.S., curious about the pen their governor uses to sign legislation. We had to take exception with this exchange between the reporter and a staffer from Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s office:

“When the Governor signs a bill does he use 22 pens like president Obama did?” asked WCCO reporter Jason DeRusha.

“He does not. Gov. Pawlenty uses one pen to sign a bill,” said Brian McClung, the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff.

“The Uniball Vision Micro — this is not exactly a high quality pen,” said DeRusha.

“This is not a real fancy pen, but you know what Jason, we’re all about streamlining, government efficiency, tightening your belts, so there’s really no need to go out for fancy gold pen,” said McClung.

C’mon. Just because the Vision Micro is not an expensive pen, doesn’t mean it isn’t a good one. Chances are, that Uniball probably writes nearly as well as the presidential Cross, and you don’t have to spend a day’s pay on the Uniball.

Apparently, the former U.S. president also gave away Cross pens, but actually favoured Sharpies. In fact, George W. Bush had his own sets of customized Sharpies printed with “The White House,” according to U.S. News & World Report.

“He asks for them by name,” says a Bush insider, “and if someone hands him something else, he barks, ‘Where’s the Sharpie?’”

Meanwhile, in the UK, the official pen brand of the royals seems to be Parker. The Parker Pen company was given a Royal Warrant in 1962 as the sole provider of the royal house.

The Pilot RexGrip is one of those pens that just doesn’t get a lot of mention. Probably because it’s a ballpoint and most pen enthusiast are strictly gel, liquid ink or fountain pen users. But that’s unfortunate, since the RexGrip is an extremely comfortable and surprisingly reliable little pen.

The first thing you notice when picking up the RexGrip is the way the rubber grip fits the barrel like a sheath. Where many pens (such as the Pilot Acroball) just wrap a bit of rubber around a portion of the barrel, creating an abrupt transition, this pen offers a more subtle integration so that the barrel curves outward into a natural-feeling grip. Small cut-outs in the grip provide a place to rest your fingers to keep them from slipping during use.

Pilot’s Australian website calls it a “funky fashionable design.” That might be a little much. However, the overall effect is a stylish-looking pen.

The body of the pen is all plastic, so it may seem somewhat insubstantial, especially to those who might be more accustomed to Pilot’s heavier retractables like the G2. Don’t let that fool you, though. It can take normal everyday abuse, including being dropped on cement, being clicked obsessively and being used to drum on a desk. The mechanical action of the pen is fairly tight, without a lot of excess movement that would suggest cheap construction.

So how does it write?

It’s a ballpoint, with everything that entails. The writing experience is unremarkable, and the appearance of the waterproof ink is your basic black and a little on the light side. The nice thing is that it feels a little smoother than the typical ballpoint (we’re not talking Jetstream here) and seems ready to write every time I pick up the pen, even if it’s been laying around for a while. As you can see in the writing sample, there is some minor skipping, but nothing heinous. It is available in fine and medium points.

If you’re an environmentally conscious shopper, the RexGrip may appeal to you for two reasons. One, it’s refillable (using Pilot Dr. Grip refills), and two, it’s one of Pilot’s BeGreen range of pens, meaning the barrel is made of recycled plastic. In the case of the RexGrip, the pen contains 77.7% recycled material, according to Pilot.

The bottom line is that it’s a very affordable pen – you can pick up a pack of 10 for less than £15 – and performs well for what it is. Add to that the comfortable design and the smart looks, and you’ve got a ballpoint that deserves a little more credit than it usually gets.

Now it’s your turn. Give us your thoughts on the RexGrip. Hate it? Love it? Could care less? Let us know.

This has to be one of the most unique pen designs we’ve seen in quite a while, so we wanted to share it with our readers and find out whether anyone would actually use it. In short, it’s an interchangeable ballpoint/fountain pen/mechanical pencil/digital pen with a built-in torch, music player and Bluetooth transmitter.

It’s the creation of Hungarian designer Peter Vardai. According to his website, he dreamed it up as part of a competition to design a writing instrument as a business gift. Put together, it looks like a shark poised to take a bite out of something.

The pen, which he does not give a name on his site, breaks down into seven components which can be rearranged according to the user’s preferences. In addition to the LED light and other items mentioned above, users can add pieces like a camera, a laser pointer, or a WLAN antenna.

From the site:

The pen can be charged in the pen-dock, and through that you can send data to the computer, and from the computer to the pen. The dock helps to use the camera and the microphone in the correct height. The parts of the pen are connected with small plugs together, which give the energy forward, and guarantee the connectivity and the stiffness.

He doesn’t give any information about the pen portion, such as explaining how the fountain pen would be filled. Since the various pieces aren’t that big, it must not hold much ink. We’ve sent him a note to inquire about how the pen works, and we’ll let you know if he gets back to us.

So what do you guys think? Would you use a pen like this, or is it too much in one package?

OK, here’s the thing: these aren’t the only pens you should own. They aren’t even the best pens you can own. But what they are is a set of pens that can easily and ably handle most of your daily tasks with style and without costing you a small fortune.

1. Pentel RSVP – An ordinary ballpoint might seem an odd recommendation, but not every task calls for a fine writing instrument. Sometimes you just need a solid workhorse pen that will do the job when you have to jot some quick notes or write up a rough draft of a memo. And the RSVP fine point in black ink fits that bill.

It’s extremely comfortable to use, with a thicker, rounded barrel and a little extra length to add balance (which is why they’re popular with pen spinners). Although fine points tend to feel scratchy to me, this one writes fairly smoothly, especially for a non-gel pen. The ink is a little light and has some very minor issues with skipping and clumping, but overall performs well and looks fine.

Bottom line, the RSVP is as dependable as ballpoints come and is inexpensive enough that you can keep a dozen in a drawer and won’t be afraid to loan them out.

2. Pilot VPen/Varsity – The beauty of this one is that you get the smooth flow and superior look of a fountain pen without all the fountain pen chores. The VPen (or Varsity, in the U.S.) is a disposable, so there’s nothing that needs to be filled, nothing to be cleaned. Just pop off the cap and start writing like you would with any fountain pen.

The medium stainless steel nib moves fluidly and lays down clean, vibrant lines with an even ink flow. It writes a little wet, although not nearly as much as you might expect with a fountain pen, and a little window in the barrel shows you the ink level. If the blue ink – which is supposed to be erasable – doesn’t work for you, then there’s a whole variety of colours, including black, green, pink and orange.

The barrel is probably my least favourite part of the pen, as it is a little too short and has a light, cheap feel to it. However, mine has held up well to getting tossed about on my desk and even chewed on by a cat.

Highly recommended for regular use signing letters or journaling.

3. Pilot FriXion – What are your options when you make a mistake filling out a form? Cross it out, use correction fluid, toss the whole thing and start over? Pilot’s erasable gel pen lets you simply remove it and keep right on going for neat, error-free documents.

The ink is heat-sensitive and disappears when rubbed with the friction-generating stub on the end of the pen. It works very well on most common paper, vanishing entirely with a little fast rubbing, but is more difficult to remove and sometimes leaves ghost impressions on thickly textured paper such as card stock.

As for the writing experience, it’s as smooth and comfortable as most medium point gel pens. The ink tends to be a shade or two lighter than non-erasable and, as you can see in the writing sample, blots slightly when the point first touches the paper. Other than that, it’s a fairly neat and consistent writer.

For what it’s worth, the barrel also sports one of Pilot’s more attractive designs.

While it isn’t a pen that you will use every day, it is perfect for completing order forms, writing out math problems or answering crossword puzzles. (Of course, since the ink is erasable, it should not be used for any important permanent documents.)

4. Uniball Pin Fine Line – This is the pen range for those times when you need precision, whether in your handwriting or in artistic or technical drawings.

The Pin is available in seven sizes, from 0.8 mm down to 0.05 mm, and in black, blue and red. The marker tips are extremely smooth, and the lines are strong, dark and consistent, even with the finest point. The ink is also waterproof.

The round barrels are a little larger than you might expect and are surprisingly comfortable, given the minimalist design. The cap snaps into place with a satisfying “click,” but feels a little weak when fitted on the other end for use. There are two small windows so you can see the tip size without removing the cap.

The Pin is ideal for artists and designers and, even if you don’t draw, it’s definitely a pen that communicates attention to detail.

5. Uniball Jetstream – For all-around everyday professional use, the Jetstream is an absolute favourite, and for good reason. It’s versatile, reliable and refillable, so you can use it anywhere for anything and continue using it for as long as you want.

The 1.0 mm Jetstream is hands-down one of the smoothest writing pens you’ll ever find. The tip glides across the paper so easily that it takes only the lightest grip to move it. The lines are bold and crisp, and I’ve experienced only the slightest problems with skipping, although that is an occasional complaint about the pen. The biggest downside is that on cheaper paper, the ink does take several seconds to dry, even though it’s supposed to be one of Uniball’s fastest drying pens.

Another great thing about the Jetstream is that it has a very professional appearance. There’s nothing garish or fancy about it, but it looks far from cheap. The smallish barrel is sleek, pointed at either end, and bears two small metal inlays stamped “Jetstream.” The cap fits snugly, and the whole pen feels solid. While the barrel could be a little longer, it’s reasonably comfortable to hold, probably because of the light grip required.

The other pens listed here each serve a certain purpose, but the Jetstream is the pen that will serve in any circumstance.

Now what do you think…are these the right pens, or would you recommend something else? Let us hear your best ideas for the five pens everyone should have.

Diane at the Pocket Blonde has done a great, and very thorough, job with the pen carnival this month. No matter what your passion, she’s got a link for you to read, even if you’re into 3D truck art from Germany!

Among our favourites this month:

• Julie’s review of the clean, classic Esterbrook J Double Jewel fountain pen at Whatever.
• Mark’s description of his love (and sometimes abuse) of his notebooks at Broadcasting Brain.
• A review of the kid-friendly Paper Mate Write Bros. mechanical pencils at Kid Sketchings.

Our thanks to Diane for including us in the carnival, and welcome to any new readers who arrived here via her links.