Posts filed under Ballpoint

Parker Jotter London Architecture Red Chrome Edition Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Parker Jotter is an iconic classic that is both easily recognizable and unassuming. If you've never owned one, then you've probably seen one out in the wild. They're available all over the place, from our favorite retailers to big-box local stores. But, just like every popular pen out there, special editions are a fairly common occurrence. The latest special edition to cross my desk is the Parker Jotter London Architecture Red Chrome edition.

Even though this is a special edition, you immediately know that it's a Jotter. The red upper body has a great candy apple sheen , and the grip section has an ornate argyle pattern that gives the body a nice texture and visual interest. Apart from the color and unique texture, the pen is a standard Jotter. The clip is the usual Parker arrow design, and the only branding is found on the clip assembly around the body.

One of the things I associate instantly with the Parker Jotter is the unique "ker-thunk" that the click mechanism produces. When you want the room to know that you're using a pen, this is the one to get their attention. One of the other things I associate with the Parker Jotter is the character Boris Grishenko from GoldenEye and his amazing pen twirling skills. I'm pretty sure that's a Parker Jotter used in the scene, but I can't be sure since Boris is just so good at pen acrobatics.

Once you get down to the writing portion of this pen, you're greeted with the understated (yet reliable) Parker Quinkflow refill in blue. I always have mixed feelings about the Parker Jotter refills, mostly due to the fact that they can be a bit finicky when first starting to use them. After the ink starts flowing, though, they usually perform great. They're not on the same level as a Schmidt EasyFlow 9000, but they're pretty darn close. For a refill that the manufacturer makes and includes with the pen, it's a great choice. Of course, since this is a Jotter, you have many, many refill choices if the Quinkflow refill isn't for you.

Overall, the Parker Jotter London Architecture Red Chrome edition is a great addition to the Parker lineup. It's not terribly expensive, and, at $25, it's only a few bucks more than a standard Jotter. If this catches your eye, pick one up before they're gone.

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

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Posted on June 20, 2018 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Parker, Jotter, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Modernizing the Esterbrook FJ Ballpoint

If you have been following me for any length of time, you will have heard me discuss the cigar box pen storage I use on my desk. They are made by a friend of mine named John, better known online as Bamapen.

John is a tinkerer at heart, and a lover of pens of all types. These two things came into play with the latest toy he sent me: A 3-D printed adapter to allow D1 refills to be used in the Esterbrook FJ ballpoint pen.

It took me a while to get to this review (sorry John!) and I’m sorry I waited so long because this is a fun pen to use, and a part of what makes this hobby of ours so great. There was a time not so long ago where pens like this Esterbrook with proprietary refills were a lost cause. With the advancements and accessibility of 3-D printing technology over the past several years, enterprising writers can get their old favorite pens up and writing again.

John did just that by designing an adapter based on the original Esterbrook refill, and making it compatible with a common refill from the modern market - in this case the D1 sized refill. The D1 is commonly used in mini pens and multi pens due to its short, skinny format. It has become popular enough that many top manufacturers, such as Uni-ball, have added them to their product lineup using their best ink formulations, like the Jetstream.

I’m using a black 0.7 mm Jetstream refill with the Esterbrook adapter in this FJ pen, and it works like a champ. The fit is perfect, almost as if it is the original setup. That’s kind of the point, right? The original pen, with a modern writing experience.

Using Shapeways, or other 3-D printing services, has become a great way for us to get old pens back in action, or make changes to modern pens - like adding clips - to better fit our respective styles. The growth and popularity of services like these can only benefit us all.

Maybe I need to 3-D print one of my old favorite pens, The Pilot Explorer, and get it back into the market.

My thanks to John for entrusting me with his creation. I may just need to buy this one off of him.

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Posted on May 28, 2018 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Esterbrook, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Cross TrackR Ballpoint Review

There is no sense in burying the lede with this one: The Cross TrackR Ballpoint exceeded my expectations. Not only is it a better writing pen than I expected, the technology involved actually works.

The idea behind this pen is straightforward: It’s a nice pen that you can’t lose. Cross is the first writing brand to add TrackR technology to the pen itself, allowing the pen to be tracked if you leave it behind or are separated from it.

Like with any analog/digital crossover product, I was skeptical. This is simpler technology than handwriting conversion products like the Moleskine Smart Writing Set, but any time new technology is added to classic writing tools, the odds of usefulness decrease greatly. Not with the Cross TrackR.

*Top to bottom: Cross TrackR, Studio Neat Mark One, Retro 51 The System*

The first thing I was concerned about was the pen itself. It’s large - a requirement to fit the batteries and TrackR components - but quite usable. The metal barrel is lighter than anticipated, and is well balanced even with the additional hardware in the upper section of the pen.

When I took apart the pen I was surprised that the refill was only D1 sized. That’s about as small as refills go, but it makes sense for this pen because the area for the refill is limited to the lower half of the pen. The included Cross medium black ballpoint refill is nice, and D1 sizing gives you other refill options, but I do think a pen this size would be better served with a larger capacity refill. It just may not be technically possible.

Connecting the TrackR technology does require you download an app to your iOS or Android phone. Setup is as simple as pairing a new Bluetooth device, and once connected, you can adjust the alerting settings as needed. In my tests, once I walked approximately 25 feet away from the pen it began to alert me. “Hey, don’t leave me behind!” The pen plays an audible ring until you pick it up and press the TrackR button, letting the app know it is now in hand.

If there is any concern that your pen will be going off all the time in your house or office, fear not. The TrackR app has a section for Wi-Fi Safe Zones, which once added, keep the alerts off when connected to approved networks.

If you are thinking about purchasing this pen for yourself or as a gift, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. One, the price. At $95 it isn’t cheap, but with the built in technology and overall quality of the pen, I think it is fair. The accompanying app is free to download and use. Two, it’s fidgety. There are batteries to keep up with (a backup set is provided), a low-capacity refill (extras are also provided), and an app to set up. That’s way more than your normal pick it up and go pen.

That said, the Cross TrackR is a nice pen. It is a quality writing instrument - which has to be first on the list of requirements - and has the added benefit of TrackR technology for those who enjoy that aspect. All in all, I’m impressed, and I’m glad I have this pen in my arsenal.

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

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