SuperEggplant

My brother got back from Japan a couple weeks ago, and he brought me a bunch of pens! Now, I did send him off with a rather detailed list of pens, but I supplied him with the list because I thought it would make things easier for him. It didn’t, but that’s another story.
Ahh, the mechanical pencil. Not only is the Uni Kuru Toga a lovely and stylish pencil, but it is also rather high tech in its functionality. You know how the tip of a pencil gets worn down to a slant as you write? Well, the Kuru Toga spins the lead around so you always have a sharp point! No slants here! I got the .3mm (gotta love the super fine point) and the .5mm.
Here we have the Preppy Sign Pen and some fabric markers that came with a very snazzy template. The Pretty Sign Pen is pretty awesome. It comes with an ink cartridge like you’d find in a fountain pen. It is super smooth, and I find myself using it more frequently than a Sharpie.
And here we have some normal-colored pens. Now, I am generally VERY fond of Uni products, but I have to say these Power Tank ballpoint pens are not my favorites. I feel like my hand really has to work to get a nice line. It’s not like the super smooth Uni Jetstream Sport (swoon), which basically just writes on its own. That’s how smooth it is! I know the Uni-ball Signo 207 is popular with a lot of folks, but I think I got a bum unit, because this one has big ink boogers on the tip.
Here’s another ballpoint pen, the Zebra nuSpiral. I had to try this one because it’s just so cool looking. I was hesitant because it sports the gel grip, which usually freaks me out. I don’t know what it is about the gel grip, but it’s just weird, not quite squishy yet not quite hard. It feels odd against my fingers, and if I think about it too much I get kind of shaky and a bit nauseous, so let’s move on. The pen is actually quite nice. The ink flows smoothly, but I would prefer a darker ink. That’s the really great thing about the Uni Jetstream Sport–the ink is dark, and you’d swear it was a gel ink pen.
One of the pens I asked for was an Itoya, which apparently is not readily available. My brother managed to find this Itoya ballpoint pen, which is quite cool. It’s a nice weight, too, and mini sized when folded up. Just pull it open, and voila, a full-size pen!
And finally, the pen my brother refers to as the “clown” pen. Isn’t it gorgeous? It is a multi-pen that has two ballpoint colors (black and red) plus a mechanical pencil! It’s part of the Uni Jetstream series (it’s the Uni Jetstream F*series). The main issue I have with this pen is that the barrel is a tad on the large side to accommodate the pencil and the two pen colors, and it feels too big for my hand. I can’t get a really comfortable grip on it. But, it is really cute and otherwise practical (3 in 1!), so I will of course use it.
Thanks to my lunatic brother for all these awesome pens! And lest you feel left out, just remember that you can find most of these writing implements at the one-and-only JetPens.

I know it’s kind of a disease right now, this obsession with Japanese pens. I can’t really explain it. Today my mother and brother left for Japan*, and I gave my brother a rather detailed list of the pens and pencils I want him to bring back (all I requested are writing implements and the earl grey tea lip balm).
But anyway, my love affair with JetPens continues. Not only do I belong to their flickr group, but now I also am a member of their Facebook group. As a result, I have had the opportunity to participate in a couple of their promotions, which means, score! Free pens! Most recently I received two of the Uni-Ball Signo DX pens, one in 0.38mm in sky blue and one in 0.28mm in mandarin orange. The Uni-Ball Signo pen is a definite fan favorite. The PenAddict ranks these in his top five! They’re gel ink pens and have a nice, strong, fine point. The ink flows smoothly and without hesitation. I think I’d like a deeper color saturation, but this might be due to the colors I have. I asked my brother to pick up a couple in “normal” colors so I can test out my theory.
Some compare the Uni-Ball Signo DX to the Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens, but I think they are completely different animals. Here, I’ll prove it. Check out the following photo:
On top is the Pilot, and the Uni-Ball Signo is below. See how different the points are? I like both, really, but I REALLY love the Pilot. I find the uber skinny tip and the ink flow to be superb, and the colors are nice and deep. You know, these pens are also similar to the Pentel Slicci. I’m not sure which I prefer between the Pentel and the Uni-Ball. The Uni-Ball is definitely more comfortable in my hand, since it has a rubberized grip (the Pentel sports a ridged plastic grip). Guess you’ll just have to order your own to see which you like better!
I have to say, too, that if you have any love for Hello Kitty, you definitely need to go to JetPens, because right now they have the Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens in a limited edition Hello Kitty series. I would not kid you about something like this.
*Since my webmaster is in Japan for two weeks, and my server lives in his basement, if there are any power surges or glitches, my blog may die and be dead until November 6 or so. Be warned. You can find me on flickr or, if we get the magic puff daddy scarflet going, on ravelry (I am supereggplant, goo goo ga joob).