Posts filed under Sun-Star

Sun-Star Metacil Pocket Pencil 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. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available for pre-order!)

There are a number of reasons why pencils haven't made their way into my daily use. One, the leads are always breaking. Two, they always seem dull or like they need to be sharpened. Three, they get used up so quickly and need to be replaced often. I still enjoy them, but I don't rely on them. I was intrigued by this Sun-Star Metacil Pocket Pencil because it seemed to solve all three of my pencil woes. And it mostly does, though it comes with a few of its own.

This unique pencil has an aluminum body faceted like a traditional pencil. It is very light and feels great in the hand. Best of all, it isn't consumed as the pencil is used. This model is the short, pocket-sized version, which is the perfect length for a purse or pants pocket. It comes with a leather tip protector to keep it from marking the inside of your pocket.

The reason the pencil body isn't consumed is because this pencil never needs to be sharpened. Instead of a wood and graphite tip, the tip of this pencil is made from a blend of graphite and metal. While it does wear down slowly after much use (the package promises 16 kilometers of writing), the tip itself can be replaced with a new one.

The writing experience is where this pencil falters a bit. One of the highlights of pencil use is the texture of writing with the lead and the way its softness shades, getting darker with pressure. This pencil doesn't do that. While the friction of writing isn't unpleasant, it doesn't feel pencil-like. And the writing is much fainter than most pencils. It's comparable to the hardest, faintest pencil leads I've used--ones that aren't usually used for writing, but for shading in sketching. The lines are readable, so this still works great as an in-a-pinch/just-in-case writing tool, but I wouldn't want to write pages and pages with it. At that rate, it's going to take me a long time to wear down that 16km tip.

The lead can be erased like pencil lead, though the pencil doesn't come with an eraser--another fact that moves it more solidly into the quick-jot tool category, rather than something I want to spend time writing with.

If I stop holding this wee pencil to the same expectations I'd have of a standard pencil and just think of it as its own thing, I can appreciate it more. It definitely has handy potential. I think it would be great for camping or travel, or for craft purposes, like marking wood cuts. I even think it could be perfect for some sketching. And it still does solve my issues with pencils, so it earns a spot on my desk, for sure. I just won't be writing whole books with it.

If you're as curious about this small wonder as I was, you can get one at JetPens for $10.25, and after 16km of writing, you can replace the tip for around $4.05. I do think it's worth the cost. And if you don't mind the faint lines, it might be the perfect thing for you.

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

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Posted on July 4, 2024 by Sarah Read and filed under Sun-Star, Pencil Reviews.

Sun-Star Delde Smand Pen Case 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

If you watch the Pen Addict Twitch stream, you've likely seen people shouting SMAND! at random intervals. The clever Sun-Star Delde Stand Pen Case has quickly become a fan favorite--almost an obsession. Can a pen case be a cult classic? Looking at it, I could not figure out why everyone was obsessed with it, so Brad sent me one to try. And it's fine. I mean, it's a good case, and a good design, but my favorite thing about it is the name. Smand!

It's made out of polyester canvas with a smooth lining. It has a plastic double-zip zipper, a unique wedge shape, and a magnetic front flap with a rubberized interior that folds down to act as a device stand. The dimensions of the stand and case are based around common smartphone sizes, with the implication being that your smartphone is now one of your school supplies. And that's certainly true, these days. The case was designed by middle and high schoolers, and their digital-analog hybrid life is definitely reflected in it. So it's not entirely surprising if it doesn't quite meet the needs of my ancient mummy self.

What I like about it: Great colors available. I like the structured construction that helps protect the contents. The stand feature works well for devices as long as the case is filled and weighted down (otherwise it tips). The wedge shape fits nicely in bags. I like the name SMAND.

What I don't care for: It doesn't hold very much--just a handful of pens, and even less if you also put a phone in there. If your phone also has a case on it, then maybe only very few pens. It's a bit tippy as a stand unless you keep the case part full. If they had made it just a few millimeters taller, it could fit some scissors or a pocket notebook, but as it is, it's too small.

Brad has cleverly been using his as a pen rest, as the rubberized stand platform is perfect for preventing pens from rolling away on the desk. I think that's a great way to use this case, and I would definitely do that if I didn't have small children and cats who would be too tempted by such treasures left out in the open. Since I have a middle-schooler, and we have just acquired his school supplies, I did a test run to see if this case would work for his needs, and it did not fit even a third of what he's expected to carry with him in his backpack. So I do think it makes a better desk stand than a transport case. It's called a Smand, after all, and not a Smace.

I think this would be a great tool for artists who need to prop up a reference picture, or knitters who want to keep their digital pattern visible and their notions handy. My Smand is likely destined for my knitting bag, and it won't be the only pen case in there. At $17 on JetPens, it's a great deal on a decent case. And decent as it is, I still don't get why everyone is so shouty about it (except that it's just fun to say....SMAND!).

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

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Posted on August 12, 2021 by Sarah Read and filed under Sun-Star, Pen Case, SMAND.

Sun-Star Delde Slide Pen Pouch Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Sun-Star Delde is a stylish pen case that also serves as a pen cup on your desk or table. It's not the first time we've seen this design, but the Delde does have a unique aesthetic with plenty of color options that make it a fantastic contender for carrying your writing instruments and stationery supplies.

The Delde Slide Pen pouch is really a sturdy pen cup with a sleeve that can slide up and zip off to form a nice pouch. The lower half of the case is a dense foam covered in nylon material, which makes it sturdy and protective. When sitting on a flat surface, the cup is capable of holding a dozen or so pens and pencils with no issue. When on the move, the thick foam material acts as a premium protector.

When it's time to go, the thinner nylon and corduroy material slides up and zips closed to secure all your stationery belongings. This part is much thinner and not as protective as the base, but it still does a great job. Whatever you lose in terms of protection is more than made up by the convenience of the case turning into a pen cup when you unzip it. The zipper on top of the case is a light weight zipper, but it has a smooth action and never hangs. Depending on the color you pick, there may be a fake leather pull, some matching ribbon, or some other pull mechanism that matches the overall aesthetic of the pouch.

Speaking of colors and aesthetics, there are so many options with this case. According to JetPens, there are 26 to choose from. Even though the colors vary, they all function the same. The colorway featured in this review is the Camel and Khaki with a dark green interior fabric. It's a great color, but there are so many other tempting color combos available.

Aside from the main feature of this pouch (the ability to slide down the top half and use the pouch as a standing pen cup), there are a couple more notable perks. The sleeve portion of the case (the top half) has a pair of pull tabs on both sides of the case to make it easier to pull the top half down to transform the case into a cup. Surprisingly, the bottom half is sturdy enough that pulling down on these tabs is all the effort required to convert the case. I thought for sure it would crumple and require some reshaping, but it works beautifully.

The inside of the case also has a couple of pockets sewn in to the lining. There are two pen/pencil size pockets and one larger pocket which would hold a small sharpener, a lead case, cartridges, erasers, etc. quite easily, albeit just one of these items would fit at a time.

After using the Delde Slide Pen Pouch for a while, I'm really impressed by how effortlessly it functions. I thought for sure that it would be somewhat fussy in practice, but I'm happy to be proven wrong. It holds a good amount of stuff, makes it easy to grab things while you're at the desk, and it's easy to zip up for transport in two quick motions. Depending on what color you go with, you'll spend between $15 and $18 for this case, which is a great value. Chances are, you know immediately if this is something that you could use. Lucky for you, this case fits those use cases perfectly. The only difficult choice is deciding on what color you want.

(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!