BALLPOINT PEN REVIEW: Poppin

I was at Staples a few weeks ago and picked up several items from a brand I'd never seen - Poppin. Last week, I reviewed the Poppin Gel Pens. Before that, I had a closer look at the Cahier Notebook.  I didn't enjoy either those items.

And, here's a surprise . . . I'm not wild about these ballpoint pens from Poppin either.

The pens are a dozen to a pack, the ink is black, the tips are medium (1 mm).  The barrel is solid purple and other than that, the style is exactly the same as the gel pens.  That is to say that the pens have that terrible "step down" grip that isn't very comfortable for any sort of longer time spent writing.

Flow is good and there's no terrible squeaking sound like with the gel pens. Surprisingly, the ballpoint practically skates across the page, providing no sense of feedback or friction. A bit odd for a ballpoint - and some people may enjoy that feeling - I did not.

I ended up putting the pen I used back in the package and gave them to a friend who loves purple.

So...that's three failed items in the Poppin line for me. I'll say again what a shame it is - the items are so pretty. If only they were also functional.

PEN REVIEW: The Christian Dior Twins

Christian Dior Ballpoint Pens

I've been organizing my pen desk and came across these two. The Christian Dior twins, as I like to call them.  (These pics are from my iPhone - not the best quality.)

I've had these forever. I think they came from one of my very first pen shows in San Francisco. I remember showing them off to friends after the show.  Someone asked me if they were very expensive. "No, just $40 or so."  I may as well have said $4,000.  Oopsie.

I've done a little research and I'm not finding these styles anywhere.  Curious.

They write great. You're going to have to take my word for because I have no scans to show you. I just wanted you to see how pretty. Especially the red one - love that pattern, yes?

I believe they are enamel over some sort of metal. They have a great feel in the hand. Average length, but super-slim. I used them as my "purse pens" for quite awhile and they show very few signs of use.

That's it for today. Just a quick look at a couple of fun pens.

There are some fountain pen collectors who would never ever ever consider using a ballpoint. I have a bunch - some I love, some not so much.  I do think ballpoints have their practical applications and they are certainly no mess, no fuss.

What about you?  Love? Hate? Or are you like me - depends?

PEN REVIEW: Parker Jotter

Wordless Wednesday is Back . . . 

Parker Jotters make me happy.  Word(less).

PEN REVIEW: Bic Multipens

Way back when, I wanted one of these Bic multipens oh-so-bad. Maybe even more than I wanted the holiday "book" of Lifesavers candy! They were definitely a "luxury" item and only a few kids (and some teachers!) had them.

Now, they are quite readily available - and even in four fancy fashion colors.

Made in France! Who knew!

So. Many years later, I have to say - I'll stick with fountain pens!

PEN REVIEW: Diplomat Ballpoint

A quickie review of the Diplomat Excellence A Guilloch Rhomb Ballpoint Pen.

Visually, it's quite appealing. Matte black finish with gleaming chrome accents. (Can you make out my reflection in the chrome?)

Isn't that inlaid grid (how'd they do that?) incredible? So unique.

I love the lines this pen creates. 

It's the combination of masculinity (the hardness of the metal barrel, the solid lines, dark color) and femininity (the rounded clip, the softness of the logo) that sold me on this pen.

Twist Mechanism

I bought this last year at the SF Pen Show. It's hard to believe it's been almost a year!

I have no idea what I paid for this pen. It's a ballpoint, so I'm guessing I wasn't keen on spending too much for it, but I see that it's listed all over the place for around $200 and that seems like a lot, doesn't it?

When I got this pen out of its box to take photos, Jeff (the kind, patient, loving man of my dreams - hi, Jeff!) asked, "Hey, isn't that the pen you gave me?"

Yeah. Right. Me. Give away a pen. Ridiculous! (Actually, I think he might be right - at the time, he was not at all into fountain pens and I wanted him to have something from the show - mostly to assuage my guilt for spending so much!)

This year, Jeff suggested we take cash to the show. "You know, so we don't overspend." I looked at him like he had three heads and he didn't say another word.

Pretty, Pretty

So. The Diplomat Excellence A Guilloch Rhomb Ballpoint Pen (what a mouthful!) is a beauty. But. It's not without flaws. It feels heavy and poorly balanced in my girly hand. It is also hard and cold - the whole thing is metal - and my hand feels fatigued after writing a bit.

And this: even though everything is well-seated in the pen, it makes a bit of a click-click noise when I'm writing. It's almost as if the refill is tapping around inside the pen - inside the $200 pen. Unacceptable.

Ballpoints. Love 'em or hate 'em?