PENAGERIE

Sharpie Stainless Steel Pen - UPDATE

2012-02-02T19:41:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I wrote a full review which you can see here. One of the things I mentioned was the co-worker envy this pen inspired.

Get to work this morning and within 15 minutes one co-worker asks if she can borrow it for a second.

I get it back about an hour later and my co-worker informs me she has decided she absolutely must have one of her own.

Last time I had that happen was years ago with the Superior Yoropen.

I think Sharpie's got something special here. Go check it out for yourself.

Sharpie Stainless Steel Pen Review!

2012-02-01T21:20:00.003-05:00

I've spent the past two days testing the Sharpie Stainless Steel Pen and I'm ready to drop the verdict.

This is a dope pen. I'm definitely a fan.

The moment I walked into the office with this pen in my hand, a beam of sunlight hit the stainless steel exterior. It caught the eyes of two of my co-workers.

They immediately tried to steal it. And they wanted to know where I got it.

That is a really cool feeling. So this pen gets and A+ for style because it inspired envy in others.

Many of you have used Sharpie Pens. But for the sake of those who have never gone down that road, they're kind of weird. They're like a cross between a really thin marker and a pen. It's ink, but not gel, or ballpoint ink. So occasionally it will make that sound markers make when you're coloring in a coloring book. That sort of squeaky sound...

But that doesn't happen very often. And Sharpie pens are undeniably awesome.

The ink is water resistant, dries quickly, and I didn't manage to smear it once in the past two days. I assume it's possible, I just never achieved it. Also, the ink does not bleed through paper. So, in that way, it is nothing like a marker.

There is nothing I hate more than a black pen that doesn't produce a strong, dark line. In this department I give the Sharpie Stainless Steel a B+. It beat every piece of cheap office paper into glorious submission. Strong, dark lines. No fade.

Actually, the only time I wasn't as satisfied with the ink was when I sat down to write this review. I decided to whip out my Moleskine Folio Notepad. For whatever reason, the lines were not as bold. Possibly because my office uses really cheap paper and Moleskine is of a higher caliber. Obviously, this won't be a daily complaint.

"Somebody save meeeee........"

The only other complaint I have about this pen is evident in the picture above. Look at that awkwardness. The cap looks like it hates life. It doesn't really fit. Almost every time I got up to do something with the cap posted to the end, it would fall off and roll somewhere. Forcing me to search for it in a bit of a panic. Which made me look rather foolish. But if you've ever lost the cap to a pen, you know how much that sucks.

And frankly, I'm not sure how they could remedy this without hurting the form factor of the pen. Sleekness is a virtue. Maybe if the rubber inside the cap was a little bit thicker? If the folks at Sharpie want to pay me to brainstorm on this, I will gladly oblige.

Overall, I say, jolly good show. I enjoyed using this pen, even though the point is a little bit thicker than I usually go for. It's got that modern, industrial refrigerator look to it, that's all the rage these days. And I'm sure the ink will perform superbly on your cheap copier paper. And the pen is refillable, so you can use it forever if that's your thing. (I have commitment issues.)

All in all, I'd say it was a solid purchase at $6.99. Which is what i think I spent on it. I got it at Wal-Mart. Which is the only brick and mortar I've seen carrying it. I'm sure you could find it cheaper online. Happy Hunting.

Official Sharpie Site

Oh By the Way - New Uni-Ball steez!

2012-01-31T11:18:00.001-05:00

In my quest for the Stainless Steel Sharpie Pen, I stumbled upon this at Office Depot!

I haven't seen Uni-ball 207's in .38mm before. So you know I had to.

Thrill of the Hunt

2012-01-30T23:56:00.002-05:00

Had a rough day at work.... SO I decided to make it my mission to come home with this:

'
The Sharpie Stainless Steel Pen. I've been wanting one for a while. Can't wait to crack it open. I feel better, by the way.

Things I Love: CR-48 - The Google Laptop

2012-01-29T16:26:00.000-05:00

The Google Laptop

All. Black. Everything.

Let me preface this post by saying, I never win anything. I've never bought a lottery ticket. Went to Vegas and only played Blackjack. Conservatively.

In 2010 I bought an HP Pavilion dv7-3188cl entertainment notebook. Which I love. But that thing is a BEAST. It weighs about 8 pounds.

When I heard about the Google Chrome notebook pilot program I signed up ASAP. I never received a confirmation email or anything like that. It just showed up on my doorstep about a month later.

Actually, the first one I received didn't work properly. There was an issue with the screen. The issue being the screen didn't work at all. SO I had to send it back. And I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get a replacement. Thank God I did, because I am hooked on this thing. It's been almost exactly a year since I got my working model, and I must say, I don't know what I'd do without it.

For those of you unfamiliar with the CR-48 and the Chrome OS mission, it's all about the cloud. Constant connectivity to the internet. You're not meant to save music and docs on this thing. So it has a tiny 2 GB Solid State Drive. You log in with your Google Account. It boots up in seconds. And it has become my favorite travel companion.

Over the past year I've flown to Key West, St. Petersburg, Chicago, and Sedona. I've taken it with me everywhere. I've used it to check into my flights and pay my baggage fees. I've used it to book hotel rooms from the airport lobby. I've used it to make bank transfers right before buying things. Right now I'm using it to blog.

It weighs a little under 4 pounds (3.8) but I barely even notice. It has a 3G card built in with 100MB free each month. That's not a lot, but I never use it because pretty much everywhere I go has wireless.

Sometimes I get a call/text from work after hours, asking me to email someone, or file something, or whatever. I can walk to my car, grab my CR-48, do some work, and voila, crisis averted. Back to the beer.

And thanks to Chrome Sync, whatever changes I make on my CR-48, automatically sync with my HP when I get home and open my Chrome Browser.

I use it to watch Hulu. I use it to live-tweet Presidential debates and awards shows. I use it to look up recipes in the kitchen. I use it to look up stuff online while I'm watching TV. I use it to fill out expense reports.

For something that didn't cost me a dime, the CR-48 is priceless.

The system does start to lag under heavy usage (like 8 chrome tabs open at once). And late at night, I would kill for a back-lit keyboard. The track-pad takes some getting used to, since it doubles as the mouse button.

But I love the rubberized, matte-black exterior and the small footprint. And the price. And I haven't had a single problem with it in the past year. It has become the ultimate office supply for me.

Specs

These are a few of my favorite things!

2012-01-26T19:46:00.001-05:00

LEGO x Moleskine Notebooks

Available March 1, 2012

Thanks HypeBeast for the heads up!

You can view these upcoming products from Moleskine

and sign up for notification when they drop...

HERE

World's are colliding!

The Passion is Real. And I'm not alone.

2012-01-25T19:07:00.001-05:00

The cool kids over on one of my favorite fashion and design blogs, Selectism, have a post on fine point Japanese Pens. Here's a snippet:

A Study of .35mm - .5mm Japanese Pens

"We love reviewing the small things, including pens and pencils. Like most things utilitarian, not all operate or function in the same manner. Pens, for instance vary in line width, ink flow, and overall feel. On a chance encounter we were introduced to Tara Jepson, a lover of the Japanese pens who kindly offered to review a whole slew of Japanese pens we received from Jetpens.com.

Here is Tara’s take on what makes a great pen as well as her favorites from the bunch."

Ultimately she decides the Pilot Hi-Tec-C and the Pentel Slicci are her favorites. She doesn't say what sizes she is working with, so I'm assuming she got the Hi-Tec-C and Slicci in their .4mm sizes.

The cool thing about these is that you can also get them in 0.3 and 0.25mm sizes. Naturally, I own both of these pens (as well as all the other ones shown in her pics). I ordered the Slicci with an 0.25 mm tip from JetPens. I stumbled upon the Hi-Tec-C in Office Depot, so I had to accept the 0.4 mm. But it was a nice surprise to see a brick and mortar carrying a fine tip pen. I do most of my pen shopping online because I have to. Hopefully I can take a trip to Japan one day and come back with a suitcase full of new hotness...

Music Break!

2012-01-25T03:03:00.001-05:00

I love Sleigh Bells!

Get More: Sleigh Bells, Comeback Kid, Music, More Music Videos

Daily Arsenal - Tuesday

2012-01-24T20:06:00.003-05:00

Here's a list of today's supplies, all courtesy of www.Jetpens.com, my go-to site for the goods:

1. Uni-Ball Signo DX .28

Stainless Steel Tip - Tungsten Carbide Ball

2. Kokuyo Campus A5 Notebook

MIO Paper - so nice, you almost feel bad for writing on it..

3. Lihit Lab Teffa Bag in Bag - A5 size

Had this for months... just found another pocket.

I really LOVE Uni-Ball Signo gel ink. Smooth and waterproof.

The Kokuyo Campus A5 was my first purchase from this notebook maker, but it won't be my last. And it fits perfectly inside the Lihit Lab Bag.

The Lihit Lab Bag was an impulse buy a few months ago. Loved it so much I later purchased two of their other products, the Teffa Bag in Bag A4 size and the Teffa 2 Way Carrying Bag. All in black, of course.

I should buy Jetpens stock! They are the best supplier of Japanese office products I've found so far. And they're wholly responsible for today's arsenal.

Questions? Comments? Hit me up.

I'd like to file a complaint...

2012-01-23T21:54:00.001-05:00

THIS

IS THE PILOT G-2 LIMITED

with the

Charcoal Metallic Barrel

I purchased this pen about a year ago. I also have it in Champagne. These pens come standard with an 0.7mm ink refill. But like I've said before, I can't get down like that. So I always pimp it out with the 0.38 mm Ultra Fine refills.

In the pen/office supply community, we call the pens, notepads, etc, that we're carrying that day our "Daily Arsenal." Well I put my modified Pilot G-2 in my daily arsenal, and the sucker died. So this isn't a review. This is a complaint. I WRITE A LOT for work. Numbers, addresses, percentages, messages, etc. And when my fancy pen sputters and dies in front of a client mid-dictation, it's hella embarrassing.

As much as I love this pen... this isn't the first time this has happened. So I'm putting it on probation. If I want unreliability, I'll call up one of my ex-girlfriends.

"You broke my heart, Fredo."

MUSIC BREAK!

2012-01-23T20:47:00.002-05:00

Recently discovered this.

SBTRKT feat Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon - Wildfire

You're Welcome.

Late Night Thought

2012-01-23T01:58:00.001-05:00

Currently watching Fleet Foxes and Joanna Newsom on Austin City Limits. I'll sleep when there's no good music left on.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

You can watch the whole broadcast below.

Watch Fleet Foxes / Joanna Newsom on PBS. See more from Austin City Limits.

If you've never heard of either... *sigh*

Sidenote - I HATE THIS

2012-01-22T18:44:00.000-05:00

I HATE THIS PENCIL

If you ever went to school, chances are you have come across the PAPER MATE SHARPWRITER Mechanical Pencil.

This is not a review, this is a SCREED.

This twisty piece of plastic mechanical pencil hell makes me hate life.

With the crappy eraser/stopper which conceals the cheap corkscrew/winged lead advancement assembly.

GARBAGE.

If I see someone using this, I can't take them seriously.

I will NEVER review this.

No disrespect if it's like your favorite. Or whatever.

-JJ

Lamy Show You How It's Done (Part 2)

2012-01-22T16:37:00.003-05:00

LAMY PICO

Reading over my post on the Lamy Pico Ballpoint pen from yesterday, it occurred me that it wasn't really a review. It was more of a declaration that this little ballpoint is awesome!

SO... here's is my review:

First. This pen looks amazing. Over the course of this blog, you will find I am partial to black pens because I think they're more professional looking. UNLESS, they're stainless steel or some other material I don't know about yet.

This was all the money I had left after buying this pen.

Second. This pen is small. Above is a picture of the Pico next to a U.S. dime. I love small pens, because I always like to have a pen in my pocket.

In the picture above, you can see the deconstructed Lamy Pico. I don't recommend doing this. The way the pen is constructed, when you depress the "plunger" on the end, the pen extends. So it's spring loaded. And if you unscrew the front, the parts may fly. My friends at Jetpens have a video demonstration.

Courtesy of Jetpens

I ordered my Lamy Pico from Jetpens in January of 2009. After 3 years, I must say it is still one of my favorite pens. Lamy makes a quality product. And there is something so satisfying about opening up this pen right before you sign your bar tab. I've had LOTS of people ask me about this pen.

What I don't like: This pen comes standard with an 0.7 mm ballpoint cartridge. I absolutely can not deal with anything bigger than 0.5 mm. I have small handwriting that is barely legible already. So I purchased an 0.5 mm refill at the exact same time I purchased the pen.

The pen, if purchased from Jetpens, is $35.00. I have found them for around $40.00, or more, on other sites. But with my $3.75 fine point refill, I'm already there. Thank God for Jetpens' free shipping.

One problem for me is, although I love this pen something serious; I am constantly losing it. I have no idea where it is right now. Your Mileage May Vary.

Also, the pen is 3.75 inches (~ 9.5 cm) closed, and 5 inches (~ 12.5 cm) when open. I doubt one could comfortably write a novel with it. I've never tried to commit to it for a whole day. Maybe I'll try once I find it and let you know how that goes.

Sidenote: Lamy has some of the best ballpoint ink in the game. Smooth, No skipping, dark. Delightful.

If you have any questions for me, hit the comments.

-JJ

Music Break

2012-01-22T12:49:00.001-05:00

I don't know how most people spend their Sundays... but I try to do as little as possible. That being said, lately I have become obsessed with the song "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye. So I thought I'd share.

Enjoy.

"Told myself that you were right for me

But felt so lonely in your company..."

A Confession... not the Usher kind.

2012-01-22T02:03:00.001-05:00

I started this blog back in 2009 because I was becoming increasingly obsessed with pens and paper and journals and all manner of office tools.

I had no idea what I was getting into. But I enjoyed it. And for a time, I was doing something that was making me relatively happy. But it also made me feel like I never had enough time or money to keep up my pen addiction.

Long story short. I had to take a break. Life placed itself firmly in the way. Since 2009, I've had my heart broken, been through two or three relationships, lost some friends, moved to a new city, gained some friends. Worked a couple jobs. Bought lots of pens and paper. And I also lived a lot of life.

So I've decided to make this blog a little more expansive. Hopefully I can appeal to pen enthusiasts, while maintaining my own sanity through "blog-tharsis." Because not only do I enjoy writing instruments, I actually enjoy writing.

If it doesn't work... maybe I'll take another 3 year break.

Lamy Show You How It's Done

2012-01-21T23:46:00.000-05:00

Meet the Lamy Pico

It's socially unacceptable to go around saying "I'm better than you." But every time I politely decline to use a waitress's pen, or bypass the germ infested public pen chained to the bank teller's counter, and pull this out of my pocket, it gets my point across quite nicely.

Drool Worthy

2009-04-24T13:35:00.003-04:00

Meet the Zebra Telescopic....

I stumbled upon this pen about a month ago while checking out the Slimmy Front Pocket Wallet and decided I was going to make it mine, all mine.

I looked in several of my usual hunting grounds with no luck.

Yesterday while I was driving home from the coast, I stopped at a random gas station to find an audio cable for my iPhone. Wouldn't ya know, I found one of these.

I already switched out the 1.0mm ballpoint tip for a 0.4mm refill I had lying around. Because that's how I roll.

Review coming soon...

Have Pen, Will Travel...

2009-04-20T13:48:00.013-04:00

Recently Penagerie took a little trip to Sin City to do some debauchery-related research for the "book" I tell everyone I'm writing when I'm studying the seedier side of life.

I'm a big fan of travel, and I'm a big fan of pens. Whenever I travel, I take a few pens with me. Mainly so I can pretend I'm taking notes. For my "book"...

So check out the pens I took with me on my trip to Vegas. I'll be reviewing all of these in the very near future.

Pilot Birdy Switch Multi: Pen + O.5mm Pencil
Ordered from www.jetpens.com

Zebra Mini T3 Ballpoint Pen
Ordered from www.jetpens.com
Uni-Ball 207 Signo Micro 0.5mm - I take one of these everywhere I go.
Got these at Walgreens.

I also took a test drive of my Levenger Slim Wallet Writer which arrived the day before I left. I took this instead of a regular wallet, rolled out with only my driver's license & bank card. I am exceptionally pleased with this guy's performance. I'll be reviewing it very soon as well. So many toys, so little time!
Slim Wallet Writer - Saddle
www.levenger.com

Because That's How I Roll.

Fin.

Drool Worthy

2009-04-14T14:26:00.005-04:00

What you're looking at is the Scroll Pen, by Jac Zagoory. It's a very boring name for what I think is a very interesting product. Jac Zagoory is an artist. He designs "Office Art." And I must say I agree. The pen features TWO FEET of refillable paper. It's such a clever idea, I'm surprised I haven't come across anything similar to it.

Price: $35.00
The pen is available in Silver, Sun Yellow, Black, and Burgundy from Jac Zagoory Designs. http://www.jzpen.com/

It is nearly impossible to not think "Zac Jagoory" instead of Jac Zagoory. Sea shells by the sea shore.

Fin.

What's Mine Is Yoro's

2009-04-13T01:01:00.000-04:00

Meet the Yoropen.

Of all the pens we have here at Penagerie, this is one of the most unique. When I look at it, I can't help but think of Daniel-san, practicing his crane kicks on the beach during the training montage from The Karate Kid. Don't you judge me.

There are 3 levels of Yoropen, Standard ($3.00), Superior ($12.00), and Executive ($55.00 - $65.00). The Executive is made of satin aluminum and is more ballin'.

You're about to experience the Superior Yoropen...

One of the greatest things about this pen is the way it looks. The black plastic with the shiny metallic accents makes the pen look much more expensive than it actually is. The first day I took this pen to the office, one of my coworkers was instantly enamored with it. She actually went and ordered some immediately. She came back bragging about how she found them for a cheaper price. She actually ordered a Standard Yoropen. The Standard Yoropen LOOKS cheap, in my opinion. I still use my Yoro. I never saw hers again after the first few days. So who's Superior now?!

I bet you didn't realize just how much effort you were putting into writing stuff down. Writing strain is not something I spend a lot of time worrying about. However, when I started using this pen, I did notice writing was easier. It's hard to explain. It's kind of like the difference between using a sidewalk and a moving sidewalk.

And this is why the pen was invented. It's designed to combat tension, poor posture, and poor visibility. It's also geared to help children and lefties. I honestly think, if I'd been given this pen when I started learning to write, my form would be much better.
Things I like about the Yoropen:

I definitely like the look and feel of the Yoropen. The cushion around the barrel is one of the best I've ever felt. It's soft yet firm and supportive. The cushion is moldable, which is how the pen accommodates lefties. It takes some getting used to, which is why the package has instructions on how to mold it.

I also REALLY like the width of the tip. It writes like an 0.5mm, although I can't find an official measurement. I'm a huge fan of fine tips because I write small.
Things I don't like:

Once in a while, the ink feathers a bit. It doesn't happen very often, and it is tolerable for the most part, but I hate those spiderwebby ink strings so much... (In all fairness, it didn't happen the entire time I was preparing this review.)

Also, in the pictures below, you'll notice the odd shape of the refills. My Yoro came with an extra refill, but I don't anticipate being able to go to a store and buy a refill once it is gone. You may not care, but for me it's a convenience issue. Furthermore, the Standard is not refillable, and the Executive uses a different refill than the Superior. W.T.F.

What I absolutely HATE about the Yoropen is the cap. The cap fits onto the back of the pen when in use, but it's awkward and gets in the way. It falls off, and it's generally a nuisance because the clip pokes your hand. I never put it up there. I've wasted a lot of time trying to find the missing cap because of this.
Overall, I think this pen is gorgeous and functional. The angling of the tip makes it easier to see where and what you're writing. This is major for me, because I hate straying outside the lines of my paper. I use this pen when I'm taking notes on small surfaces, such as index cards or Moleskine journals. Whenever I use this pen, it makes the people around me wonder why they pay so little attention to the pens they use. I usually inform them it's because I'm better than they are.

Manufacturer: Yoropen
Model: Superior
Price: $12.00

I ordered mine from the Barnes and Noble website.

Enjoy the pics.

Fin.

PEN-arazzi!

2009-04-10T13:25:00.003-04:00

Look who we spotted hittin' the bar scene last night!

Manufacturer: Lamy
Model: Pico Pocket Extendable Ballpoint

This little guy is great for signing those bar tabs AND taking ladies numbers... He's a bit of a rogue.

Shhh! Looks like somebody's got a hangover....

When Mr. Pico recovers, we're gonna get him into the studio for a review. Keep an eye out for that.

Want to see YOUR lovely hand & pen featured on "PEN-arazzi?"

Email photos to: Jarvis_J@penagerie.com

Cellphone photos encouraged! Please include Manufacturer (ex. Zebra) and Model (ex. F-301)

All photos chosen for the site will be done so anonymously, unless you express otherwise.

Fin.

Pen-Arazzi!!!

2009-04-08T21:23:00.008-04:00

SPOTTED!!!!

Manufacturer: Uni-Ball
Model: Signo Gel RT Rollerball Pen - 0.7mm

Courtesy of a lovely young lady from Spartanburg, SC.

Want to see YOUR lovely hand & pen featured on "Pen-arazzi?"

Email photos to: jarvis_j@penagerie.comCellphone photos encouraged!

Please include Maker (ex. Zebra) and Model (ex. F-301)

All photos posted to the site will be done so anonymously. It's all about the pens, you narcissist.

Fin.

Is that a pen in your pocket.....

2009-04-08T13:30:00.006-04:00

Or did the Russians send you.

Let me start by saying, Penagerie does not condone violence. That being said, I strongly believe in giving the people what they want. A good buddy felt a little let-down by one of our previous posts, and THIS AGGRESSION WILL NOT STAND.

What if you wanted to kill someone, in the dark, and then draw a picture of a raised middle finger to tape to their forehead?

Well, you sicko.... you're in luck.

Courtesy of J&L Self Defense Products, this, my wild and crazy friends, is a Pen, Knife, and LED light.

This little wonder sports a 2 inch serrated blade, and is 5.5 inches long. It also makes julienne fries.

They'll never see you coming.

Unless you turn on the LED.

It's kind of scary this only cost $4.95

Go Check It Out (Here)

Be Good to Yourselves.... And Each Other....

Fin.

Pen-arazzi!

2009-04-08T12:02:00.015-04:00

SPOTTED!

Crikey! It's a Lamy Noto in its natural habitat!
Absolutely stunning.

Manufacturer: Lamy (wiki)
Designer: Naoto Fukasawa

Want to see YOUR lovely hand & pen featured on "Pen-arazzi?"
Email photos to: jarvis_j@penagerie.com

Cellphone photos encouraged! Please include Maker (ex. Zebra) and Model (ex. F-301)

All photos posted to the site will be done so anonymously. It's all about the pens, you narcissist.

Fin.