Sunderland Machine Works MK1 Now Available (Sponsor)

Kickstarter machined pens come and go, but none has seen more use from me over the past few years than the Sunderland MK1.

While it looks simple on the outside, Brad Sunderland packed several unique features in the MK1. First of all, there are no visible threads on the pen barrel. This is accomplished by hiding the cap threading beneath the grip section. It’s so well integrated you wouldn’t know it was there if I didn’t tell you.

Secondly, this is a metal pen that posts, and posts well. This is accomplished by a slight taper in the rear of the barrel combined with a polymer liner inside the cap to prevent metal on metal scratching. The liner also allows the cap to stay firmly in place when writing.

Finally, the clip is machined from a block of stainless steel, not stamped like you will find on other pens. This greatly increases the clip strength while retaining its flexibility and functionality.

The Sunderland MK1 fits all Pilot G2 compatible refills, plus Montblanc’s screw-in refills for their rollerball and fineliner. And did you notice the new barrel colors now available? Red, Blue, Grey, and Orange have all been added to the mix, and they look fantastic.

The MK1 is now available at Sunderland Machine Works and is absolutely worth checking out. My thanks to Sunderland Machine Works for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

Zebra Sarasa Grand Gel Ink Pen Review

I’m a big fan of stationery companies adding upgraded barrel options for their main line products. Pilot does it for the G2 and Hi-Tec-C, Uni-ball does it for the Signo 207 and Jetstream, and Zebra now does it for their ever popular Sarasa Push Clip lineup.

The Zebra Sarasa Clip Grand succeeds where many of the products I mentioned above fail. It is a good product, where outside of the Hi-Tec-C Cavalier, the other upgraded barrel options are mediocre at best.

Zebra kept the functionality, style, and feel intact with the Grand barrel. It is made from brass and maintains a not too heavy, not too light feel. I was concerned at first that the grip section might be too slick - it is lacquered just like the rest of the barrel - but I had no slipping problems with dry or slightly sweaty fingers. They latched on well.

I was impressed with how solid and quiet the knock felt. It gives a sturdy click when engaged, and it never rattled regardless of what position it was in. The clip mechanics are essentially the same, with a curved metal attachment on the Grand that either sticks out further than on the Push Clip, or at least appears that way. The functionality is exactly the same, and may work even better on the newer pen.

People love the Sarasa Push Clip because of how well the refill performs, and of course you get that same excellence with the Grand since it uses the same refill. And that is the point of this pen anyway. Use any of your favorite Push Clip refills in the upgraded barrel of the Grand.

If I had to do it over again, I would choose the Black barrel over the Pink. The color is more of a light metallic red instead of any type of pink that pops. There are Navy and Gold options to choose from as well.

The Zebra Sarasa Grand is $16.50 at JetPens, which make it a no-brainer to recommend to Sarasa Clip fans. You are buying a lot of refills anyway, so you may as well give them a nice home.

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

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The Moo Hardcover Notebook: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

I’ll be honest. For journaling, I’m a die-hard Nanami Seven Seas Tomoe River Paper Journal fan. I usually buy two or three at a time because I haven’t found a journal I like better, and they’re almost always out of stock.

That said, there are a couple of notebooks that definitely tempt me: one is the Baron Fig Confidant. The other is a new kid on the block: the Moo Hardcover Notebook.

I was sent a review copy of the Moo Notebook, and all I can say is, “Wow!” The notebook comes in terrific packaging—exactly what you would expect from Moo (makers of incredibly classy business cards). There’s an outer box that says, “Open. Write Now.”

The inside contents are tucked in rice paper with the statement, “Almost too nice to use. (Almost).” I love Moo’s sense of humor.

Next is the notebook itself which comes in a slip cover, so when you’re finished with it, you can store it.

Underneath is a foam insert with a mint green pencil engraved with “Go forth and write.” They really want me to write! Thanks, Moo!

When you pull the notebook out, the first thing you’ll notice is how delicious it feels in the hands. It is a dark gray, felted hardcover, and your hands simply glide over it.

Perhaps the most unique thing about the Moo Notebook is its open binding. Although some might think this makes the notebook look unfinished, I love being able to see the Swiss-sewn binding. I’m fascinated with book-binding, and seeing how the notebook is put together tickles the book-nerd in me.

Plus, the binding is practical because it allows the pages to lie flat no matter where you are in the book.

The first page is thick cardstock that provides a smooth writing surface for the left-hand pages. The notebook has 160 lined pages of white, non-glare Swedish Munken Kristall paper (100gsm). The paper will not yellow as it ages. The lines are a light gray color and are 6mm apart. At the bottom outer corner of each page is a circle where you can write page numbers or use for checkmarks or make smiley faces.

In the middle of the book are 16 pages of G. F. Smith’s Colorplan Park Green paper (135gsm). This paper feels more like cardstock or index card paper than regular paper. It’s thicker, unlined, and has some texture. These pages are for doodling or sketching.

Additional features include a pocket you can stick to the inside cover for business cards and there’s a dark gray book ribbon.

I tested the paper with several different fountain pens. There was absolutely no bleedthrough, even with the thickest, wettest nibs, though there’s a bit of show through.

I also did some ink swabs thinking that surely such wet, thick swipes would cause bleedthrough. Nope. The paper handled the swabs easily.

Writing in this notebook is a joy. The paper is fantastic, the lay-flat binding works as advertised, and the hard cover means your work will last. I’m very impressed with this notebook. It’s incredibly well made—so nice, in fact, that you do almost feel like it’s too good to use. Almost.

My only criticisms are that I wish the unlined paper in the middle was white or off-white instead of green. I realize that the green pages stand out and make for a nice color scheme, but white would be more versatile (for watercolors, for example). I also wish some (or all) of the pages were perforated so that you could remove them easily.

The Moo Hardcover Notebook is 5.12" x 8.15”. It costs $19.99 at Moo, but as of January 16 they are out of stock (they expect to have more soon). At present, the only paper choice you have is lined, but discussion on the Moo website indicates that they’re open to producing it in other formats including grid, dot-grid, and plain paper.

If you want a comparable hard-cover notebook that is slightly smaller, the Baron Fig Confidant is $18.00. It’s 5.4" X 7.7" with 192 pages for $18.00. The Baron Fig also has lay-flat binding, excellent paper, and comes in lined, dot-grid, and plain styles. Plus, it has 12 perforated pages at the back.

Although I don’t think I’m ready to abandon my Seven Seas Writer as my journal quite yet, I may use my Moo Notebook to keep track of my inks. The crisp white pages and sturdy paper make it perfect for swabs and pen testing.

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

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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, which I am very grateful for.

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