Pen Review: Kikkerland Retro Pens as a Bic Clic Replacement

Last year I declared the Bic Cristal “(Arguably) the Greatest Pen Ever Made.” Clickbait? Maybe, but I also didn’t get much disagreement. The Cristal has been around forever, beloved by everyone from students to accountants to artists. This past year, the Cristal refill even spawned its own Kickstarter project - a machined aluminum barrel called the “Baux Pen”. (It’s awesome, by the way, and any Bic devotee should consider picking up a couple once they hit the open market.)

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No I didn't get shortchanged. These Kikkerland “Retro” pens are sold in packs of five, but one of the pens is living in my travel backpack.

But while millions of Bic Cristals are still produced every year, is it really the most beloved and/or iconic Bic pen? That’s questionable, considering how much people love the Bic Clic, the retractable ballpoint pen that you’ll recognize instantly if the name itself doesn’t ring a bell. The Bic Clic was the original quick-deployment pen used by reporters, doctors, attorneys, clerks, cops - well, you get the point, pretty much anyone who needed a reliable pen that was easy to use “in the field.” Bic ballpoint refills pretty much last forever, and you’ll run across boxes of vintage promotional Clic pens at yard sales and flea markets, many of which still have working refills 20 years later.

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Look familiar? It’s a slightly nicer version of the pressed metal Bic Clic clip and nock. The Kikkerland version has a brushed texture.

To the dismay of many, Bic no longer makes the classic “Clic” pen for the regular market. If you want the classic, vintage-style retractable Bic pen (and have it actually be branded “Bic”), you’ll apparently need to spring for a large volume order of customized pens, or purchase someone else’s private-labeled version, like the ubiquitous Field Notes click pens or, as pictured here, the generic Kikkerland version.

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Another shot of the clips and a close-up of a couple retro colors

Personally, I like the 1960s-esque retro styling of the Kikkerland pens. It looks as though they’ve tried to make an “upgraded” version of the BiC Clic, with a more finished clip, and nock mechanism that feels solid. There’s no rattling and the pen extends and retracts with a solid “thunk” and an audible - pretty loud, actually - click. Students and fellow office monkeys will be glad to know that they can annoy the heck out of someone with this pen in a boring class or meeting. In terms of the refill, the Kikkerland version appears identical to the Bic refill in one of my Field Notes pens.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

I like these pens (and Bic Clics in general). The Kikkerland pens are slightly pricey for what they are (a disposable ballpoint click pen) but the price wasn’t particularly egregious and the nostalgia factor sold me. No regrets here for this Bic fan.

I’ve stopped trying to predict where I’ll see Kikkerland stationery products “in the wild.” I occasionally run across them in bookstores, which is where I picked up this pack of Retro Pens. If these interest you, Amazon is probably the easiest way to grab a 5-pack and they currently qualify for Prime shipping. Kikkerland also sells metallic versions. Other old-school retractable ballpoints include the Bic-Clic branded Field Notes Pen I mentioned above, and the “government-issue” Skilcraft ballpoints that everyone seems to love but that I’ve never used. I really should do another guide/list sometime!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Pen Review: Pokka Pen / Rite-in-the-Rain All-Weather Pen

If you recall the story behind the original Pokka Pen, Terry developed the concept because he was tired of losing his expensive Fisher Space Pens, and wanted something relatively replaceable that offered a similar writing experience. While the original Pokka Pen was, and remains, a high-quality, cost-effective replacement, it lacked certain features that made the pressurized Fisher cartridge so great - namely exceptional waterproofing and the ability to write upside down. Enter the “All-Weather” Pokka Pen a couple years later.

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This Pokka All-Weather Terry sent me for review came equipped with the new clip, available for purchase separately and shown here on a “Blaze Orange” All-Weather Pokka Pen.

Designed in partnership with both Fisher and Rite-in-the-Rain, the two leading companies in the “all-weather” EDC writing space, the All-Weather Pokka Pen features a pressurized Fisher cartridge and the “Rite-in-the-Rain” logo emblazoned on the side. Otherwise, the All-Weather Pokka Pen is identical to the standard Pokka, which isn’t a negative in my book because the original Pokka Pen has a nearly perfect design and build for a product in its intended niche.

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The pen works as expected. One pleasant surprise was a very fine tip size on the cartridge - finer than either the standard Pokka Pen or the Fisher Space Pen. For someone who writes relatively small, I always enjoy discovering new options for fine-tip ballpoint pens, and this one has been a steady companion in the car and in my coat pocket.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

I actually ended up preferring the All-Weather Pokka Pen to the standard Pokka (and even the standard Fisher Space Pen) due to the finer tip size and the slightly drier ink. Pokka and Fisher nailed the cartridge, which is a joy to write with and works flawlessly.

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Rite-in-the-Rain, or in the sun! The Pokka All-Weather in Blaze Orange compared against my Fisher Space Pen Brass Bullet.

The only thing that gives me some pause is the current price point and lack of refill availability. A standard Pokka Pen costs roughly $2-3 per unit, depending on how many of them you purchase, with refills available if you don’t want to just recycle the pen body after it runs dry. The All-Weather pens currently costs just under $13 for a two-pack, which makes sense given the relatively expensive pressurized cartridge, but no refills are currently available. Rather than lay out $13 for two disposable pens, some people may choose to go ahead and purchase a Fisher Space Pen that they can refill if they aren’t scared to lose it. (Note: Regular Pokka refills weren’t available when the product first launched, and pressurized refills may be introduced at a later date.)

You can purchase the All-Weather Pokka Pen directly from the Pokka website, along with the standard Pokka Pens in all of their great patters and colors, and using the coupon code “GENTSTA” you can get 10% off your purchase. Pokka Pens make great stocking stuffers, btw, and my family has enjoyed receiving them for the past couple of years! For that reason I’ve included them in the past couple of TGS Holiday Gift Guides.

Disclaimer: Pokka Pens sent me the samples featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes.

Pen Review: Sailor Pro Gear Sapporo Mini

Sailor discontinued the "pocket” version of its popular Pro Gear fountain pen, the Sapporo Mini, a few years ago, prompting a run on retailers’ remaining stock and, from what I recall, somewhat of a frenzy at a recent Atlanta Pen Show when a former Sailor distributor showed up with a handful of pens she was looking to unload. What many people don’t realize, however, is that Sailor continues to make these pens for the Japanese market, including for Nagasawa department store’s private label, “PenStyle." Fans of Sailor will know that Nagasawa has a close relationship with the pen company, and that Sailor private labels dozens of “Kobe Inks” for the store in addition to special edition pens.

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The Nagasawa cap finial (left) compared against the standard Sailor design (right). Note that the yellow used in the Sapporo Mini is a deeper, mustard yellow, which I prefer to the brighter yellow acrylic used on the Pro Gear Color.

The differences between a standard Sailor Sapporo Mini and the Pen Style version are mostly cosmetic. The cap band is engraved “PenStyle Memo,” and instead of the Sailor anchor logo, the finial features a plain yellow dot bordered in black. While the nib is stamped “Sailor” at the bottom, leaving no doubt who made it, the primary artwork is an engraved dragon with “Kobe” and “1882” inscribed over it - a reference to the founding date of Nagasawa, from what I understand.

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A different style of nib engraving, but you still know it’s a 14k Sailor nib, meaning that it’s stiff as a nail but quite smooth.

You all know that I love the standard Pro Gear, and if you’re also a fan of that pen, or a fan of the Pro Gear Slim, you’ll appreciate the Sapporo Mini as a true “pocket carry” iteration of those pens. Capped, the Sapporo Mini is tiny, fitting almost entirely inside my closed hand. Unposted, the pen feels very small and too short to be usable by almost anyone - it’s meant to be posted. The short barrel has threads at the back, allowing you to post securely, and this pen extends to almost the same length as a standard Pro Gear Slim. While it’s definitely on the smaller side, I can use it comfortably for longish periods of time.

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Once this pen is posted and fully extended, it’s actually not that small (shown here compared against a standard Pro Gear).

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Note that the Sapporo Mini is cartridge-only, as the barrel is too short to accept a converter. (Sailor apparently made a “mini converter” for this pen years ago, but discontinued it.) Typically, the lack of a converter option wouldn’t bother me much, since I have a bunch of cartridges lying around at any given time, but Sailor cartridges are proprietary so this ended up being a bit of a pain. I chose to stock up on cartridges of Sailor’s pigmented inks. I’m partial to the Souboku Blue-Black, but the Kiwa-Guro Nano-Black is also excellent.

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Sailor’s pigmented “nano” blue-black, Souboku, has a great color that’s fairly unique. It’s water-resistant and dries quickly.

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The Sailor Nano-ink cartridges have an extra little touch that I find kind of charming.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I purchased my Sapporo Mini in yellow because, well, I have a thing for yellow pens and if yellow is an option, I’m probably going with that. The pen also comes available in red or black, with a choice of extra fine, fine, and fine-medium nibs. If you’re in the States, you can order through eBay Seller Cool Japan, where you can pick one of these up for a bit less than the price of a standard Pro Gear Slim. Cool Japan also carries a range of other Sailor/Nagasawa collaborations and other special editions, including Pro Gear Slims in custom colors like Tarumi Apricot, the Sailor 1911 Standard Clear Demonstrator with black-plated trim (referred to as the “Proske”), and the “Tequila Sunrise” Pro Gear from Sailor’s “Cocktail” series.

I keep this pen in my collection for two reasons. First, it’s a unique iteration of one of my favorite pens, the Sailor Pro Gear, and I suspect it eventually will have some value as a collectible because I don’t see Sailor/Nagasawa making this pen forever. Second, I only have one Sailor “Fine-Medium” nib in my collection, and I love this line width.

One final thought on “pocketability” - I don’t use this pen as a true “pocket pen” because it’s plastic and far from indestructible. That said, I do enjoy having a more portable version of the Pro Gear that’s very light in the shirt or jacket pocket, especially when I travel. While this isn’t a pen I ink up all the time, it’s also not one I can see myself parting with anytime soon.

Further Reading

If you like the look of the Sapporo Mini, check out my other reviews of the full-size Sailor Pro Gear fountain pens. I’ve previously reviewed the “Imperial Black” version, the Pro Gear Sky limited edition, and the “Soleil” version of the piston-filling Pro Gear Realo, which was another limited edition collaboration between Sailor and Japanese retailer Bungubox. While I’ve scaled back my collection in recent years, the Pro Gear remains one of my favorite fountain pen designs of all time.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pens featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. This post contains affiliate links.

Pencil Review: Dry Highlighters and Double-Ended Editing Pencils

It’s been a looong time since I’ve posted any pencil-related content around here, but pencils are something I certainly love and use a lot, as do many of my readers, so I need to make more of an effort to diversify. First up is a short piece on a category of pencils that plays a key part in my workflow: highlighting pencils, also sometimes referred to as “dryliners.” Why, you might ask? First of all, I find that they last longer than traditional ink-guzzling liquid highlighters, they don’t dry out, and I would think they’re also a more eco-conscious choice because you’re not stuffing landfills with discarded plastic bodies. Second depending on how you sharpen these pencils, you can adjust the tip size to make it narrower or broader, per your preference. The downside, of course, is lighter pigment than in traditional liquid ink, and some might find sharpening inconvenient because the core is soft, like a colored pencil. If you want to keep a point or a narrow tip, you’ll have to sharpen a lot.

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The Caran d’Ache Graphicolor Highlighter/HB Combo, which combines a highlighter/dryliner pencil with a standard HB graphite half, to make notes while you highlight without switching writing implements. It’s great for when you’re reading!

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“The Editor” by CW Pencil Enterprise and Caran d’Ache, as well as the more economical Milan highlighter/HB graphite combo.

Similarly, so-called double-ended editing pencils combine two different colors of graphite, traditionally blue and red. CW Pencil Enterprise, however, recently released their latest collaboration with Caran d’Ache, “The Editor,” which is a double-ended pencil featuring red and HB graphite - a more convenient combination. I haven’t quite figured out a use case for this pencil yet. I mostly prefer to edit in ink as opposed to red pencil, but Caran d’Ache’s red pigment is excellent and very visible.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Unfortunately, those of us who are into quirky stationery items like these know that the only place to get them are via highly specialized shops. CW Pencils carries the Caran d’Ache Graphicolor HB/Highlighter combo, the Milan graphite/highlighter combo, and of course, “The Editor”. Of these three, the Milan is the one that’s most likely to make its way into my daily rotation. At $1 each, it’s a more economical choice for a workhorse than the Caran d’Ache pencils, which run a pricey $3 per pencil. I do like the editor though, and I’ll likely keep them tucked into books I’m reading for annotations. That way they’ll last longer!

Another option for highlighter pencils are Faber-Castell Textliners, which can be extremely difficult to source in the States, so I stock up on them whenever I place an order to UK retailer Cult Pens, which sells them by the box in all available colors. These also aren't double-ended pencils - they’re quite long, triangular jumbo grip highlighters that last a while, which defrays the cost a bit.

Disclaimer: I purchased the products featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use.

Italian Leather Notebook Covers from The British Belt Company

More excellent leather goods to show and tell! A couple months ago, The British Belt Company reached out and requested that I review one of their leather notebook covers. Not having purchased from this company before, and always looking for new manufacturers and retailers entering the stationery space, I of course agreed.

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I opted for the pebbled burgundy leather option. At least nine different color options are available.

Immediately upon handing this notebook cover, I knew that it would be a hit. The cover is made from thick, full grain leather, with nicely finished edges and a suede interior. It feels great in the hand, and smells even better. (Yes, I smell all my leather.) The British Belt Company was kind enough to emboss my initials in the lower right-hand corner of the cover, which I always do if I have the option.

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This notebook did ship with a lined, A5 refill, but it’s not the most fountain-pen friendly paper and devoted fountain pen users will probably want to swap in something else. A Seven Seas Writer from Nanami Paper fits perfectly, and I suspect that another A5 notebook like the Taroko Design Enigma or the Hobonichi Techo Cousin would also work.

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My A5 Nanami Seven Seas Writer snug in its new home.

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A comparison shot of three leather notebook covers that find their way into my daily rotation: The British Belt Company A5 (bottom), a custom One Star Leather Baron Fig Confidant Cover (middle), and the Gfeller English Kip leather cover for my Nanami Paper Cafe Note B6 (top).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Based on what I’ve seen so far, The British Belt Company makes high quality leather goods, and I can add this notebook cover to my list of recommendations, alongside One Star Leather and other quality makers. You can purchase this product, along with a wide range of leather belts, bags, and other accessories, directly from The British Belt Company via their website or via their Etsy shop (which has slightly lower prices). The Italian Leather Notebook Cover, plus refill, is currently priced between $80-90, which is about standard for a leather notebook cover of this size and quality. I’ve also decided to include this product in the TGS 2018 Holiday Gift Guide. Be sure to check it out, especially since many of the retailers featured in the guide will be running Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales in the coming days!

Disclaimer: The British Belt Company sent me the notebook cover featured in this review at no charge, for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.