Posts filed under Kuretake

Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot Double-Sided Marker Review

The Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot is the marker I didn’t know I needed.

A few months ago, Kuretake reached out to me to see if I wanted to test out their Ink-Café Ink Mixing Kit, and of course my answer was YES! I had a blast mixing inks on Twitch, ending up with some very on-brand colors to use in markers and brush pens. I need to test them in fountain pens next.

Unbeknownst to me, Kuretake would add a few extra items to my swag bag, including these Color Dot markers. I’m a fan of Kuretake products already, and I thought “Oh cool, some markers to play with. Wait, they do what?”

The Color Dot series isn’t simply a set of double-sided markers with one side featuring a broad tip, and the opposite side a fine tip. Yes, it is that, but the broad tip is round and squishy, allowing for pressure sensitive line variation ranging from 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm line widths.

Also, the squishy round tip makes perfect circles when using the pen like a stamp. This is what I am here for.

While not marketed as a highlighter, these markers are a perfect compliment to any type of journal or planner. Headers, highlights, checkboxes, underlines - all in cool colors - make these markers fun, and functional. That’s my favorite category of stationery.

I have a # and —> habit in my planner that is tough to break. Main topics start with a #, with sub-topics leading with an —>. It’s a functional way of writing for how I process things. If I wanted to add color to my page (I always want to add color, I rarely do,) I could swap those marks with various dot widths. The dots could be used for task lists as well, with a colorful dot marked through with a pen or pencil when completed. I just need to be willing to use multiple pens when I’m focusing on writing. It’s a process.

Box instructions are something I rarely discuss, but Kuretake went out of their way to include all kinds of details on the packaging, and on the pens themselves. There are visuals for pressing the tip on the page to show the range of dot sizes, a caution not to press too hard or the ink might bleed through the page, and even a “Keep Horizontal” note on the pen barrel so you don’t have to question how to store them when not in use. There is even a QR code to scan for additional tips and techniques for the Clean Color Dot series of markers.

Yes, its a lot of information, and yes, the barrels are loaded with text as well, but at least the details are pertinent and proper.

If there was any hammer to drop, it would be the price. $3.45 individually, or as low as $2.05 when bought in sets (This 6-color set is easily the best deal.) That’s expensive on a single pen basis, but fine for a single pen test. If you like them, individually would not be the way to go, unless you wanted to add in some of the Metallic options.

Overall, I’m impressed. I would have never bought these myself, but Kuretake’s sneak attack got me good! I love the dot variability they offer, plus the great marker colors. Consider me Clean Color Dot convert.

(Kuretake provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Kuretake, Marker, Pen Reviews.

Kuretake Zig Cocoiro Extra Fine Letter Pen Review

What happens when you take a pen I already love - like the Kokuyo Cocoiro - and add in patterned barrels? Well, when those patterns are as fun as these cats, hedgehogs, polar bears, and flamingos, I buy them.

If you aren’t familiar with the Cocoiro model, it is a neat little product. The refills are essentially self-contained units that snap into the barrel sleeve of the pen. This gives you a ton of customization options, not just in looks, but with colors and even types of tips.

This model comes with the black extra fine brush, but you can swap it out for 12 different colors, a longer brush tip, or even an 0.3 mm rollerball, which I reviewed previously.

For writing, the extra fine brush tip size is the way to go. For a comparison, I liken it to the Zebra Disposable Super Fine, which is my favorite. It can handle the pace of writing without taking too much out of the tip. Brush pens are always a race against tip destruction, and this one has held up well so far.

When I laid eyes on the Cocoiro years ago I couldn’t figure out what was going on with this barrel design. In fact, I thought it was ugly. But getting it in hand and seeing how the refill snapped in and out of place I finally got it. The one strange thing about the refill isn’t the design, but rather, the glitter in the plastic body of it. These aren’t glitter inks, but the refill would make you think otherwise.

Speaking of ink, it is not waterproof. I know many artists need that for their work, and this one is not an option if that is a requirement. Also, I find the ink a little dry and light on occasion. Comparing it again to the Zebra Disposable, the black is not as rich in color.

As much as I love the Cocoiro, I cannot give it a no-brainer recommendation because of the price. You can buy the basic body for $2 and add a refill for $2.50, making for a $4.50 base brush pen. The pattern models (I bought Polar Bear and Hedgehog!) run $6 for a body/refill combo. I don’t think that is too much for a fun pen, but I do think it is too much for a workhorse brush pen. At that point, I’m paying the $2.50-$3.00 for Zebra or Tombow disposable brush pens.

I like to have fun with my stationery, and these Cocoiro pens definitely deliver that. They are a pen that make me smile, and I like to keep them around the desk for quick notes with the added flair of a brush tip. For more than that, you may want to look elsewhere.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Kuretake, Cocolro, Brush Pen, Pen Reviews.

Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

I can't draw or do lettering very well, so brush pens always confound me a bit. I love the feel of the way they write, but I can't wield them the way that artists do, and I certainly don't get the beautiful results. I still reach for them, though. I'm usually writing just for myself, so neatness isn't critical.

The very fine points on these Kuretake Fudegokochi brush pens give me the fun feeling of writing with a brush pen while still allowing me to write legibly. Well, as much as I ever do, anyway. The line varies from .4mm to 1.8mm, and the firm felt tip springs back so that the very fine line is maintained even as the brush breaks in.

The pens are very well made. The body is lightweight plastic. The caps and end caps are the color of the pen ink, the body is in a parchment color with a matte finish, minimal branding in Japanese text, and the grip section is clear, so the ink can be seen moving through the feed. The clip is metal, very sturdy and springy. The cap snaps securely and posts deeply. The grip is not tapered at all, but the cylinder is a good diameter and the pen is light enough that a fancy grip isn't needed.

The ink colors in these blue-black and brown samples are lovely. They're earthy and neutral, but rich in pigment. They do feel a bit dry on the page, but there doesn't appear to be any ink starvation. It may just be the texture of the tip. The ink dries quickly and doesn't smear. I did not see any feathering on Rhodia paper, and there was no bleed-through, even when I pressed the tip to its maximum flex. It is important to note, though, that this ink is not waterproof. So, while it is great for line drawings, it should not be colored over with paint or marker (unless you want smearing and colors to run, which does look cool, if that's what you're going for).

The pens are not refillable, and are a bit pricey at $4.25 a pop. The six-color pack at $20 isn't a bad deal, though, and is something I'd definitely go for if I used brush pens with any regularity (or if I used them with even a small measure of talent). Of all the brush pens I've used just for funsies, these are some of the nicest.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!