The Pilot Frixion is the undisputed king of erasable pens but now Uni-Ball has thrown down the gauntlet with its Uni-Ball Fanthom erasable gel pen. We have tested both pens in today’s battle of the pens to try and find out which is better.

Writing Performance

Both Pens write very smoothly and the Fanthom probably edges it over the Frixion. However the ink is laid down straight away with the Pilot Frixion but the Uni-Ball Fanthom took a few strokes before the ink was flowing freely. Although this is not a major issue it is slightly annoying.

Comfort

The Uni-Ball Fanthom has a slim hard plastic grip area that is quite smooth with indentions cut in to it. I found it quite slippy to hold and not particular comfortable.

Whereas the Pilot Frixion has a thicker grip area made of rubber with indentations in the rubber. The thicker rubber grip of the Frixion I personally found more comfortable and easier to write with, but I do prefer a pen with a thicker barrel.

Choice of Ink Colours

Both pens have a good range of ink colours and at the time of writing this the Pilot Frixion is available in eight different ink colours in the UK and the Uni-Ball Fanthom has a choice of six different ink colours. The ink for both pens that we tested is a little bit on the pale side but this is a characteristic of erasable pens in general.

Erasability

We carried out a couple of tests to check the erasability of both pens.

1 The first test was to write a test sentence and then erase it.

2 The second test involved writing a new sentence over the erased area.

First we tested the Uni-Ball Fanthom; the writing is erased by rubbing the pens cap over the writing. Quite a bit of energy is required to erase the writing and although it does a reasonable job you can still see a faint outline of the original sentence where some residue of the ink is left.

We then wrote over the original sentence that had been erased which again produced reasonable results. The new sentence is clear to read although you can tell that it is written over erased text.

We then tested the Pilot Frixion unlike the Fanthom the ink is erased with an eraser at the end of the pen and the results were far more impressive. All the ink was erased and you have to look really closely at the paper to see the indentations from where the original text had been written.

Once we had wrote over the erased sentence with the Pilot Frixion it was virtually impossible to tell that this had been written over erased text.

Click to View Writing Test

Verdict

An erasable pen has to be judged on performance and although the Uni-Ball Fanthom does a reasonable job at erasing the Pilot Frixion is still the superior pen and remains the king of erasable pens.

I am sure that both pens will have their supporters and we would love to hear from anybody else who has used either of these pens.

A number of the blogs to which I subscribe have often extolled the virtues of Rhodia note pads. Up until now, it was not a brand that I used but recently saw a good deal that made me venture down the Rhodia path.

As you can see below, the set comprised of 2 pencils, 2 – A5 No 16 blocks, 2 No. 08 blocks (7.4 x 21.0 cm) and 2 – No. 11 Blocks  (7.4 x 10.5 cm). All had 80gm high grade vellum graph paper. Normally, I would go for plain paper but at the price I paid, I was not complaining! As you can see they all came in Rhodia’s familiar gold trademark covers.

The 2 pencils were not graded but I suspect they would be B as they were somewhat darker than HB (No.2). Triangular in shape, they are really comfortable to hold and providing the chance to have a form grip. They wrote smoothly and using the eraser located at the end left very little debris on the paper so from my perspective the eraser was not too soft.

The quality of the paper is excellent having a good smooth face that did not show damage when the eraser was used. Using a Pilot G2 rollerball pen left a sooth line with no ‘feathering’ of the edges and there was no bleed through the page.

I then tried the new Uniball Fanthom erasable rollerball and achieved the same result. Again, there was  very little break up of the paper when using the eraser. It is quite clear that this is paper of the highest standard and writing glides over the paper leaving a very crisp presentation (perhaps better than my writing deserves!)

My final test was with a recent acquisition of a Pilot Capless fountain pen that I will talk about another time when it has had some solid use. I used some Rohrer and Klingner  Verdura ink. Now I normally take the view that green ink is for crank letter writers but have been doing some reconciliation, so it’s a good colour to use. The result was first class in my opinion. No bleed at all and the colour, already a vibrant one did not lose its depth of colour at all.

What will I use the pads for? The smallest sits nicely in my pocket for the jotting down phone numbers, email addresses etc and the long narrow versions have been ‘stolen’ by my wife for her endless lists! The A5 is being hidden in my briefcase and it is perfect for meeting notes and so on. Overall, I am really pleased with the purchase and my Rhodia library will undoubtedly expand over the coming months.

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.

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.

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.

I shall start with a confession: Until quite recently I had never used a fountain pen.

Somehow I had managed to get to the wrong side of 40 without ever having written a single letter using this particular type of pen. Contrary to popular belief, it is not compulsory to be taught how to write with a fountain pen in every school in the UK. Whether or not it should be is perhaps a subject for a different post.

So what changed after all this time to arouse my interest enough to actually think about using a fountain pen instead of one of the numerous ballpoints that filled the pen pot on my desk?

In short, a conversation with my work colleague Bob. Over a cup of coffee one day, he was telling me about his prized Montblanc pen that he uses at home. It was given to him as a leaving present from a former employer many years ago. He spoke about his Montblanc with such affection for a pen that I was taken aback, and my curiosity was aroused. After all, a pen is only a tool for writing with isn’t it?

So the die was cast. I decided that I must have one myself to try – but where do you start. With so many fountain pens to choose from and a whole new vocabulary to learn, it was a daunting task.

I thought about maybe visiting a specialist pen retailer to get some advice and try a few out. But somehow that seemed a little clinical and unadventurous. I wanted the anticipation of waiting for it to arrive in the post and the wild excitement of opening the box when it finally did to see my newest acquisition in all its glory.

After reading of a few of the excellent pen blogs, I was still no closer to making a decision. There were several that really interested me, but I wanted the first one to be special. Then Bob came to the rescue.

“You know, the first fountain pen I ever used was a Parker 51,” he said casually, while looking over my shoulder as I was reading yet another review.

He added that, although they stopped making them in the early 70’s, they are a bit of a collector’s item these days. The words had barely left his mouth, and I was already entering “Parker 51″ into eBay and filtering the fountain pen results.  There were so many to choose from but which one was it to be?

Then I saw it. The advert simply said “1957 Parker 51” and in the description it went on to say that the pen had belonged to the seller’s late father and was in the original box with its receipt. The seller was not sure if the pen worked, but it looked in good condition.

I knew then that I wanted it. This would be my first fountain pen, and I was going to have it at all costs. It was bought by its original owner nearly 10 years to the day before I was born. But, being a Yorkshire man, we are still brought up with a healthy respect for the value of money, so I waited till the last few seconds of the auction before showing my hand and bidding for it.

Success! The iconic Parker 51 was mine and arrived in the post several days later.

It was, if anything, over-packaged. It took a while to remove it all, and then there it was, perfect. Not a mark or a scratch upon it – but did it work?  I gently lifted it out of its box, and the first thing that struck me was how well-balanced it felt. Then I unscrewed the barrel and inspected the filler. It all looked to be in pristine condition. I probably should have cleaned it with some cold soapy water first (I read this afterward on the Fountain Pen Network), but filled it with some Parker blue black Quink Ink that I had purchased as soon as the eBay auction had finished.

At first, I could not write with it properly. I had the pen held at too steep an angle, and, in my haste, I was rushing to put my first words on to the page. I was beginning to get a little frustrated and wondering what all the fuss with fountain pens was about. I stopped writing, took several deep breaths and tried to relax, and then started again. I changed the angle of the pen and started to slowly write. The ink flowed smoothly onto the paper. As the pen glided across the page, it felt like the it was meant to be in my hand.

I knew then, in that instant, that things would never be the same again. A  whole new world had just opened up to me and strangely enough it made me look at the pens that I was already using in a different light. I have started to think about why I use a particular pen and what I like and don’t about the way it looks, feels and writes.

I am now hooked.  I am still obsessed with running to keep fit but I have found that I am becoming a bit of a pen junkie and need the new fix of trying something new. However, my Parker 51 is still my favourite pen and will always be special as it was my first ever fountain pen.

What was your first fountain pen? Do you still have it and use it, or was it something inflicted upon you by an overzealous English teacher at school?

I have had a variety of vintage pencils in the locker but have refrained from using any of these at the office as I do not want to lose them or they are getting a little fragile. As a result, over the past couple of years, my workplace pen has been the standard HB pencil or a disposable plastic make. About a year ago, the manager came back from New York with a fistful of Pilot H1010 ‘The Shaker’ pencils that he had picked up at a very reasonable price. Dropping one on each desk with the instruction “Use these, they are great” he walked away leaving us all a bit bemused.

This version of The Shaker has almost reached the collectible vintage tag and rightly so when one considers that it has been around for almost a quarter of a century. Unlike more modern designs where there has been a tendency to give pencils a space-age look with curves and bulges, The Shaker remains a classical looking pencil with a black barrel enhanced by two discreet yellow markings, a ring around the barrel and on the end cap that houses the eraser. It has a grooved grip machined into the barrel that does not disturb the design line as do the rubber grips of its more modern counterparts.

To advance the lead, one either simply shakes the pencil a couple of times or pushes the end to use the internal ratchet. The added advantage of shaking is that you get some pretty weird looks from people who have never come across the pencil before. The tip is also retractable providing you remember to do this after use. I always seem to forget and end up with tiny bits of 0.5mm lead in my pocket!

The clip is sturdy without being obtrusive thus maintaining the classic shape. I was asked once whether the lead would appear if you shook it upside down and the answer is no. I suppose this could be considered a downside but if so it’s the only one I could find.

For those who require a technical pencil, I would suggest they look elsewhere as The Shaker is a pencil for those of us looking for a comfortable everyday pencil that provides a smooth, consistent line.

I have to say as much as it goes against the grain, that the boss was absolutely correct and I have been using my Shaker more or less every day since although it has not made a marked difference to my career!

Julie B, who was the 2nd place winner in our handwriting contest last year, has posted a review of the prize she won, a Pilot disposable fountain pen. She also has links to instructions on how to refill the “disposable” VPen and its American version, the Pilot Varsity. Go check it out.

A familiar brand of recycled rollerballs got a little recognition last month when they were designated as the official pen of the international climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Although it wasn’t named on the COP15 website, this is how the rollberball pen was described:

The organizers recommend all delegates to use their own pens at COP15. Still, if you do not have a pen with you – you are welcome to use the official COP15 rollerball pens, produced from 89% recycled plastic from water bottles. Please re-use your rollerball pen as often as possible.

The only rollerball we know that sounds like that is the Pilot B2P, a gel ink retractable made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic used to make those water bottles that overflow landfills everywhere. B2P, of course, stands for Bottle to Pen. The pens contain 89% recycled material, according to Pilot.

(The B2P won second place in a European contest to find the best recycled product of 2009.)

Update: A Pilot rep just confirmed that the company’s Denmark branch supplied the climate change conference with 40,700 B2P’s customized with the COP15 logo.

Eco-friendliness aside, the B2P is not a bad pen to keep handy.

The barrel is a translucent blue and indented like a water bottle, making it unique-looking and quite comfortable to hold and use, although it could do with a soft rubber grip for longer writing sessions. The pen’s plunger works with a firm, clean motion, much like the G2. The clip is serviceable, but nothing special.

The pen uses G2 gel refills in .05 and .07 mm, which means the writing experience is reliably smooth. The fine point seems slightly scratchy, as fine points often can, but the medium flows just fine. Refilling is a simple matter of unscrewing the pen’s tip. I was able to switch easily between the fine point that came with the pen and the medium point that was in my G2.

Obviously, it’s not an extraordinary pen, but given that it helps make use of some of the billions of water bottles produced every year, and at the same time is a solid, attractive writer, it definitely deserved whatever exposure it got in Copenhagen.

For other takes on the pen, check out the Future; Nostalgic review of the Pilot B2P and this review at Dooyoo.