Staedtler Pigment Liner 0.3 mm Review

If you listen to The Pen Addict Podcast you will hear me constantly referring to the Sakura Pigma Micron that I like to write with. I have always been a fan of this style of art/drawing pen and when the opportunity comes to try out one I haven’t used before like the Staedtler Pigment Liner I jump at the chance.

Why do I like this style of pen so much? Not many pens can provide as clean and sharp of a line as drawing pens do. My writing style is one that works well in conjunction with these pens. That is an important thing to note: Not every pen is going to fit your style of writing. The challenge is finding the one that works best for you.

Comparing the Staedtler Pigment Liner to the Sakura Pigma Micron, they are very similar in many aspects. The barrel size, weight, and feel are very close, and the inks are both dark and have the same archival properties. I do think the tip of the Staedtler is slightly softer feeling than the Sakura, so that is something to keep in mind if you have a heavy hand.

Overall, it is another great option if you like art/drawing pens. Most of the brands in this realm are very similar so try a few out to see which suits you the best.

Milan P1 Touch Ballpoint and Guerrero Notebook Review

I am very lucky to have made some great friends over the years here at The Pen Addict. This review includes products from two of my favorite world-travelers: Carmen sent me the blue Milan P1 Touch she picked up while in Spain last year, and Hen from Rad and Hungry sent me the black Milan P1 plus a Guerrero Notebook from the STMT X Spain Kit, the final kit from last year’s world tour. Hooray for Spain!

The Milan ballpoints are very nice to write with. The barrel is coated in a very thin rubber which provides a good gripping surface and the entire pen feels solidly constructed. I thought I was going to prefer writing with the blue ink more than the black, but the opposite was actually the case.

Both inks are smooth, but when compared to each other the blue comes out looking very streaky. The black is one of the darker ballpoint inks I have used, almost making me think it is a hybrid ink like the Pentel Vicuna. It is that dark.

The Guerrero Notebook is a nice paperback that looks ideal for schoolwork. Do any of you remember the blue books from school that you had to take your essay exams in? They are a lot like that. The paper is nice and smooth and is set up well for note taking or writing practice.

I don’t travel to Spain very often (ok, never) but these pens and notebooks would be worth picking up if I did. You should give them a try if you ever have the opportunity. Milan does have a small presence in the US so some of you might be able to find their products locally.

Uni-ball Woodnote 0.38 mm Blue Review

Brian did a great job in his review of the orange Uni-ball Woodnote and I wanted to add in my thoughts using the blue ink model as an example. This is one pen with a very wide range of pros and cons.

I thought this was a fantastic looking pen when I first saw it arrive at JetPens. The natural wooden body is striking against the bright colored plastic and it uses the Uni-ball Style Fit refills so you know it writes very well.

The pen barrel is very light though, and is narrow in diameter. I was actually surprised at how small it was when I got it. It is along the lines of the Pentel Slicci diameter-wise and even lighter. It would make for a good portable pen if you are willing to let the barrel get dinged up and add some character.

One issue I have with the Woodnote is where the wood barrel meets the plastic tip. As you might imagine, where the hex of the barrel meets the round tip section there are some rough edges. Of course, that is exactly where I grip the pen and it doesn’t feel great. If you grip the pen higher than me you should be in good shape.

If Ikea designed a pen I think it would look a lot like the Woodnote.