Paperhaters Need Not Apply: The Papermate Inkjoy Gel

Papermate's had it rough the past couple of decades. Among stationery enthusiasts and office supply aficionados, it's seen rival Bic achieve near mythic status while Papermate's offerings mostly remained the stuff of the bargain shelf. While the classic Flair felt-tip pens and the Write Bros. stick ballpoints have their fans, it wasn't until the release of the Inkjoy gel pen a couple of years ago that Papermate started to work its way back into the conversation. 

View fullsize

Unfortunately the .5mm "fine" tip inkjoy comes in fewer colors than the .7mm version. (Not all available colors are pictured here.)

The Inkjoy's claimed selling points are bright colors and quick dry time. Both deliver, for the most part. These gel pens are among the most vibrant I've used, and you can purchase multi-packs with over a dozen different colors. Since I primarily use my gel pens on cheaper, more absorbent copy paper at work, dry time has never been a big issue for me, but I can verify that the Inkjoy dries quickly, within seconds. I've not found it "instantaneous," as some marketing seems to claim, but it's very good.

View fullsize

The pink, purple, and green Inkjoy gel pens really pop. 

The gel Inkjoy is available in two tip sizes: .7mm and .5mm. The .5mm works just fine, but I'd love to see Papermate introduce a .38mm version. They recently introduced the Flair felt tip pen in an "ultra fine" tip size, so I'm hopeful. 

View fullsize

I'd prefer a metal clip. The plastic clip reminds me of those disposable Bic mechanical pencils that I used to use in school where it was a given that the clip would break off within a week. 

To me, the most surprising aspects of this pen were the comfort and generally strong build quality. The knock has some nice action to it, extending and retracting with a firm click, and the soft barrel is extremely comfortable. Though I've not really put this theory to the test, it seems like the inkjoy should be more durable than some of the clear plastic gel pens that seem to crack/break long before you actually finish the refill.  The plastic clip, however, is a bit of a disappointment. 

View fullsize

The Inkjoy has good length and is nicely balanced. It's a comfortable pen to use for longer writing/notetaking sessions, and there's a lot of grip area. 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The inkjoy represents another good gel pen option, especially if you like colors other than black, blue, and red. Papermate pens are widely stocked in office supply stores, big box stores, grocery stores, drug stores, you name it. I almost always purchase mass-market gel pens like these via Amazon. The .5mm "fine" tip pens come in an 8-pack, while you can get a 13-pack of the .7mm "medium" tip pens.

Note: Papermate also sells a ballpoint version of the Inkjoy. It's a completely different pen that has not garnered great reviews, but I recently went ahead and bought a pack "for science," so stay tuned. If you're out shopping the local office supply store looking for the gel version, be aware! 

Also, check out this cool timeline over on the Papermate website, showing some of their flagship product lines dating back to the 1940s. I'd forgotten that many of these pens and pencils even existed! 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Pen Review: Conklin Duragraph

I've previously only reviewed one Conklin pen - the Mark Twain Crescent Filler - and came away from that review impressed with both the looks and the build quality. While I felt that the sale pricing on that pen was reasonable, especially given the unique design, I wasn't sure that the feature set on the pen (steel nib, so-so trim) justified the standard MSRP of $175. I did enjoy Conklin's steel stub nib option, however, and spent some time looking for that same writing experience in a less pricey package. 

Honestly, I probably could have gone without this engraved cap finial on the Duragraph, especially since the pen already has "Conklin" engraved on the cap band. But at the $50 price point, you can't always expect absolute elegance.  

I found it, and, more, in the Duragraph. Out of all the modern Conklin designs, the Duragraph is my favorite. Like the Crescent Filler, it features vintage-inspired style (think 1920's "flat-tops" from Parker and Sheaffer), some unique acrylics that you don't typically see on a pen priced this low, and a good nib. The filling system is cartridge/converter, which isn't really a surprise given the pen's $50 price point. 

View fullsize

The stainless steel stub nib on the Duragraph is the same nib that was on the Crescent Filler that I tested. It writes well, with no significant skips or hard starts. Like many lower-cost steel stubs, this one doesn't have much tipping material, so some might find it a bit crisp or sharp. The nib writes wet enough that I can still describe it as a smooth writer, it's just that this pen won't be considered a gusher like some gold stubs. That's perfectly fine for me, since this is a nib that I can normally use at work on cheaper paper, especially if I choose the right ink.  

View fullsize

This nib provides good line variation. Without much tipping material, the nib will give you a very narrow cross-stroke. 

The Duragraph is a moderately sized pen, and I can easily use it unposted. The hourglass-shaped acrylic section provides a comfortable grip. While the pen does technically post, this makes the pen comically long, like a nightstick. Maybe if you have huge hands this would work, but not for me. 

View fullsize

Yes. 

View fullsize

Ummm, No. 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

If you like the vintage-inspired designs, Conklin should be a brand on your radar in the $40-75 price bracket. Conklin still has a bit of a bad rap in some circles of the pen community, due to the fact that the quality was "spotty" at best when the brand was first relaunched several years ago. It's now owned and distributed by Yafa, and I understand that respected Italian pen company Stipula manufactures the pens for Conklin, or at least many of the components. The quality and consistency are both much better today.  

A close-up shot of the "Cracked Ice" acrylic, which is gorgeous. The Duragraph comes in at least six other variations, including Amber, Forest Green, Ice Blue, Orange Nights (which appears "inspired" by the Delta Dolcevita, R.I.P.), Purple Nights, and an apparently unnamed red and black model. 

While the Conklin Duragraph is widely available from most major pen retailers, I purchased this one from our sponsor Pen Chalet, which currently has the Duragraph available for $52 (and sub-$50 with a coupon code). In my opinion, this represents very good value. As I observed with the Crescent Filler, if you're a fan of vintage pen design, but don't want to mess with expensive restoration and/or the finicky nature of vintage filling systems, modern Conklins represent a good compromise without significant financial investment.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review from Pen Chalet with my own funds. I did receive a discount on the purchase. This post contains affiliate links. 

Pen Review: Lamy Aion

Lamy's recently released "Aion" fountain pen is the first pen I've reviewed in a long time that I consider a major disappointment for me. Not because it's necessarily a "bad pen" - it's more that it doesn't live up to the premium price tag and the extreme amount of hype surrounding it. 

Let's start with the hype. When Lamy first announced this pen and the initial pictures hit the pen blogs, people disliked the design and were very skeptical that this large, chunky metal pen could (1) be light enough to comfortably use as the sort of daily workhorse for which Lamy is known; and (2) be competitive at the $90 price point. Once the pen arrived in stores, however, some changed their tune. The Aion has received glowing reviews, and I read that someone referred to this pen as a "Lamy 2000 killer." My reaction: "Are you kidding me?" 

Three Lamy Pens (from left): the Aion, the Lamy 2000, and the Studio.  Links are to prior reviews I did of the other two pens. 

The Aion's design, in my opinion, falls more in the "big and clumsy" bucket alongside the Lamy Dialog 3. Unlike the Dialog 3, however, the Aion isn't heavy. It's more that the pen is just unwieldy, posted or unposted. If it were just a hair shorter and a touch slimmer, it might be perfect, but I can't get this pen to feel comfortable in my hand.

View fullsize

View fullsize

On a pen, size and weight are purely matters of personal preference. People also have their own design preferences. The major annoyance I have with this pen, however, relates to build quality: the cap spins freely and rattles when the pen is closed. To me, this is a design flaw that makes the Aion feel like a much cheaper, lower-quality pen. The Studio shows that Lamy knows how to make a metal pen with tight tolerances, where the cap snaps closed securely, so I'm not quite sure what's going on here. But I do know that if I'm going to be asked to pay $70-plus for a pen, any sort of rattling or loose fit is unacceptable, especially coming from an established company like Lamy with a long history in manufacturing that presumably knows how to do it right. Three different Aions that I've handled have had the cap-rattle issue. If this is a design choice by Lamy, I consider it a bad one that prevents me from enjoying the Aion as a premium pen.  

View fullsize

Note the rounded look on the Aion's stainless steel nib, which many have compared to the nibs on Montblanc's "M" series and "Starwalker" pens.

I agree that the slightly tweaked stainless steel nib looks great and writes well. The clip on the Aion also looks very nice (strange upside-down typography notwithstanding). Overall, however, the fit and finish on this pen are underwhelming, and leaves me with the impression that Lamy went looking for a pen that would be extremely inexpensive to manufacture, but could be sold as an intentionally "minimalist" product at a premium price. I'm all for clean lines, form-follows-function, Bauhaus-style design, but the whole package on the Aion is lackluster.  

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Lamy set the MSRP on the Aion at $90. Most retailers have it listed at $71, which is the same as the same as the steel-nibbed Studio. In my opinion, the Lamy Studio is a much better pen - it's not even a close call. The Studio is better balanced for comfort, the fit and finish are higher-quality, and you have the option to upgrade to a gold nib. The Aion does sport a matte grip section, which some may prefer over the Studio's polished chrome. 

View fullsize

To summarize: I'm not a huge fan of the Aion, but its brutally minimal aesthetic appeals to a lot of people out there. Personally, I think the pen looks unfinished and doesn't feel as high quality as other Lamy pens, especially at this price point. The nib on the Aion, however, is an excellent writer, so there shouldn't be any concerns that you won't get a functioning pen out of the purchase. If you like the Aion, it's widely available from Lamy retailers, including our sponsor Pen Chalet, priced at $71 (and less with applicable discount codes). 

Further Reading

Other people have a different opinion on the Aion, and I acknowledge that I'm being a bit contrarian here. To read some other takes, check out this review over at the Pen Addict, Ed's thoughts at EdJelley.com, and Pete's review over at PeteDenison.net. 

Disclaimer: I received this pen from Pen Chalet free of charge for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.  

Initial Impressions: Wing Sung 618 and Wing Sung 698 Piston Fillers

If you’ve been following the links in my Deals and Drops posts over the past few months, you might suspect that I've been dabbling in the world of ultra low-cost Chinese pens. You notice I don’t use the word “cheap”, because I don’t necessarily agree with all that term implies, namely low quality. Indeed, the first two pens that I’ve tried recently - two piston filling demonstrators from Wing Sung - are a far cry from the fragile, basically disposable pens that I became familiar with from my early days in this hobby.

Previous Experience

My prior experience with inexpensive Chinese pens was primarily with Jinhao, and as we all know I’m not the biggest fan. I’ve owned some Jinhao pens that were serviceable writers; however, at the same time, I’ve received Jinhao pens with severe flaws in the finish, and the Monteverde Monza / Jinhao 992 has barrel-cracking issues in addition to quality control problems with the nibs. I did purchase a Kaigelu Duofold clone from now-defunct isellpens.com that was an ok writer, but the pen was also extremely heavy due to the brass barrel. Based on my experience so far, the Wing Sung pens are a cut above their competitors: they are relatively well-built, functional pens that I can actually see myself using, provided they hold up over the long term. 

Design and Build

For my initial foray back into the Chinese pen market, I opted to try two Wing Sung demonstrators, the Wing Sung 618 and the Wing Sung 698. Both of these pens are attractive. Wing Sung did a good job of polishing the acrylic for this price point, and the clips feel secure. It remains to be seen how the pens will hold up over the long term (i.e., more than a month), but when you’re operating at this price point durability is one of those things you may have to sacrifice (or just assume that it’s reflected in the lower price).  

View fullsize

I like that the Wing Sung pens (on the right) sport the clean lines and modern aesthetics of the TWSBI 580 and TWSBI Eco (two pens on the left), but in a slimmer, more streamlined package.

The 618 posts quite well; the 698 doesn't post at all.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

The 618 is approximately the same size and shape as the vintage Parker 51, though the addition of the piston filler, threaded cap, and chrome cap band do change the look of the pen by modernizing it quite a bit. I would compare the 698 to a slimmer mash-up of the TWSBI 580 and the TWSBI Eco. I could use both Wing Sung pens very comfortably, though I wish the 698 posted.

View fullsize

While both pens have "Wing Sung" engraved on the barrel, for some reason the 698 has "Lucky" written on the clip. 

A note on design. Chinese pen companies have been known for their “liberal” approach to intellectual property rights. With the possible exception of the “Arrow Clip” (which I believe is the subject of an ongoing dispute between Parker and Hero, Wing Sung's affiliated company, dating back to the 1940s), these two pens feature more original design elements than I’m accustomed to seeing, placing 618 pens more into the “homage” or “fantasy pen” category. The 698, to my knowledge, is distinct enough from anything else on the market to stand on its own.

Filling System and Writing Experience

This is where these pens almost lost me. While Wing Sung markets these pens as “piston fillers,” the filling system is a touch janky, for lack of a better term. This filling system is more accurately described, in my opinion, as a hybrid syringe filler / piston filler, since in order to get a “full fill” - and a full fill on these pens holds a lot of ink - you need to hold the blind cap steady and pull the piston out a bit as you turn, or else the blind cap will screw down and stop the piston before the pen is full of ink. It takes a few tries to master, and is tricky enough that I wouldn’t recommend this as a first fountain pen, despite the low price.

UPDATE: Based on reader recommendations, I tried again with the piston on these pens. As it turns out, Wing Sung uses a "locking piston" system, where in order to engage the piston you have to first pull out on the blind cap, after which the pen works like any regular piston filler, with no "syringe" action. Once you fill the pen, you push down on the blind cap to lock it back in place. It's slightly more complex than a typical piston filler, but it does work fairly well. I still wouldn't recommend this pen for beginners, since the instructions from Wing Sung don't offer clear instructions on how to fill the pen (unless you read Chinese). Also, the locking blind cap is held in place by small plastic "teeth," and I'm interested in seeing how those hold up over time. 

View fullsize

I love vintage-style hooded sections, and other than the Aurora DuoCart and the Lamy 2000, not many pen companies use them today. 

At the end of the day, it took me two or three attempts to get a full fill, and wow, these pens hold a lot of ink. I’ve been writing with the 618 almost non-stop for the past couple of weeks, and it’s still ¼ full. If I’m only refilling these pens once or twice a month, I can live with the temperamental piston.

View fullsize

View fullsize

The nibs are unremarkable, and I’d characterize both as “Western fine”. The nib on my 618 is fairly toothy, and I’ll probably take some micromesh to it to smooth it out. The nib on the 698 writes extremely well unmodified, and looks and feels similar to the nib on a Pilot Kakuno.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Right now, I’m categorizing this article as my “initial impressions” as opposed to a full review, because I still have some durability concerns about how long these pens will last and I want to revisit them at some point in the future. Given the low price point, I expect that some users will experience cracking in the acrylic, and that others will have problems with the “pistons,” but that’s to be expected with less expensive pens. Even TWSBI took a while to get the QC right at a much higher price point.

That said, my initial impressions are favorable. I’ve enjoyed using these unique pens, both of which have decent nibs that wrote immediately out of the box without any adjustment, which unfortunately is more than you can say for many pens that cost 2-3 times as much. Again, I would not recommend these as anyone’s first piston filling fountain pen - stick with the TWSBI Eco - but if you’re looking to vary your collection with some inexpensive transparent demonstrators, give these a try.  

I purchased these pens from Amazon, where prices will vary. (See a link here for the 618 and a link here for the 698.) Though there are other ways to source these pens, I prefer to rely on Amazon when I can because (1) Prime shipping is generally faster, and (2) I like Amazon’s buyer protection services. The 698 is only available as a clear demonstrator, with chrome or gold plated trim, but the 618 comes in a wide range of colors, and I have a transparent dark blue with silver trim version on its way to me, via the slow boat, apparently. Look for more pics and an updated opinion in the future! 

Disclaimer: I purchased these pens with my own money, for my own use. This post does contain affiliate links.

Pen Review: The Wancher Dream Pen in Dark Blue Urushi

The big news of the past week (at least in the pen community) has been the wild success of Wancher's “Dream Pen,” a Kickstarter project that launched last Thursday. Wancher is a Japanese pen company that has been around for some time, but the Dream Pen is their first high-profile product release. So far, the Kickstarter has been successful by any measure, raising more than $215,000 from 550+ backers in less than a week, with 29 days still to go.

The prototype Dream Pen sent to me is a dark blue urushi. It's a gorgeous color. 

The goal of the Dream Pen is to make the Japanese urushi and maki-e artistry available “without the luxury markups.” In other words, Wancher is taking aim at a lower-cost market segment disregarded by the likes of Platinum and Nakaya, whose urushi pens start around $700 and move very quickly into the thousands for the more intricate and complex designs. While the Dream Pen is certainly not inexpensive, Wancher’s pricing ($350 Kickstarter / $450 retail) is more in line with what you would pay for a custom Edison or Newton pen with similar specs.

View fullsize

Since this was a relatively expensive loaner prototype, I was careful in terms of how hard I used this pen and where I took it, but I did have the opportunity to "test drive" the Dream Pen. So far, I’m impressed. I found the pen extremely comfortable, lightweight and well-balanced, though like almost all urushi pens it can only be used unposted.  

View fullsize

Broad JoWo 18kt nib 

The nib on this particular prototype is one of the better JoWo nibs I’ve used, and I suspect that it’s due to the ebonite feed. Nibs fitted to ebonite feeds tend to be wet writers, so while I loved this broad nib, I’ll likely opt for a fine or medium nib on my final Kickstarter reward.

View fullsize

The Dream Pen features an ebonite feed, which are increasingly uncommon on modern pens. 

So should you back the Wancher Dream Pen? It’s a lot of money, so here are the pros and cons, from my perspective:

Pros:

• The price point, especially at the Kickstarter price. Well-executed urushi pens with gold nibs and ebonite fees can easily run $700-plus, so if you’ve been considering a similar pen from Platinum or Nakaya, the Wancher should be on your radar.
• The Dream Pen features a JoWo nib and non-proprietary cartridge/converter compatibility. I’ve seen some comments to the effect that a JoWo nib is a drawback, in that it’s “boring” and there isn’t any detailing like on Nakaya's gorgeous nibs. Fair enough. But the drawback to Nakaya nibs is (1) the price, and (2) that you're locked into the proprietary Platinum converter, which I don’t necessarily like, and the proprietary Platinum cartridges.
• The construction and the build on the Dream Pen are high-quality. The spring-loaded cap was a surprise, and creates a very secure closure. I could not locate a single flaw in the Urushi finish. The pen feels great in the hand and is very well-balanced.

Cons:

• Price. Regardless of how this pen compares to other urushi offerings, $350-450 is a LOT of money to spend on a pen - especially a Kickstarter project where you won't have the reward in your hands until late summer, early fall (assuming no delays in production). 
• Non-lacquered threads. In an effort to keep costs down - which is completely understandable - the Dream pen features non-lacquered ebonite threads. I personally like the contrast, but some may think that they make the pen look unfinished.
• JoWo nib. See above. Some people don’t like how they look or write, but as I've said before, it's unrealistic to expect smaller companies to offer a house-made nib and still keep pricing reasonable.
• As of now, the Dream Pen does not give you the option of adding a clip, and, like most urushi pens, the Dream Pen does not post. 

I ended up deciding to back this pen, and I really hope that there is a yellow urushi option at some point. I’ve been going back and forth on a Nakaya Portable Writer in Nanohana-Iro (yellow) for the past couple years, but I’ve had trouble justifying the $700+ price tag for the pen that I want. I owned a standard black Portable Writer a few years ago, and while I enjoyed the pen, I ended up selling it mainly because it hadn’t spoken to me in the way it would have needed to in order to justify keeping that much money invested. I’m more comfortable with the Dream Pen as a price/value proposition.

View fullsize

The size of the dream pen is roughly equivalent to a Montblanc 146, though slightly fatter and longer. Both pens shown here in a Wancher leather two-pen case. 

The fact that this project, to date, has raised over $200,000 in less than a week leaves me somewhat speechless. It definitely speaks to the number and market power of pen enthusiasts around the world, because prior to this, I would have thought “Japanese urushi fountain pens” to be the definition of a hyper-niche market. Wancher has struck a chord, and hopefully this project turns into a massive success and serves as the debut of an exciting new player in the international fountain pen market.

Disclaimer: Wancher loaned me this pen free of charge for review purposes, to be returned upon completion of the review. The pen case pictured in this review was provided free of charge, for review purposes.