Delfonics Legend Hexagonal Twist Ballpoint Review

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

It's been quite a while since I'm thrown a pocket ballpoint pen into the rotation, and the Delfonics Lengend Hexagonal twist ballpoint pen was just what I needed to change up the pace a bit.

At a mere 3.9 inches, it's easy to pocket or stow away in a bag or sleeve. It also features a smooth twist mechanism for extending/retracting the refill tip, but the small size doesn't really impact usability. It's certainly not a pen I'd take with me to write a midterm essay in class, but it's great for quick notes and signing receipts. At under 4 inches, it's right on the edge of tolerable for my hands. I don't think I have large or small hands — somewhere in between. I don't like writing with the Kaweco Sport uncapped, but this Delfonics pen is more comfortable for my writing style. That being said, it's awesome to have a Kaweco Sport with an option to extend the overall length with the cap. But, the Delfonics is just one piece and there's no cap to lose.

The exterior of the pen reminds me of a really short Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint pen. The hexagonal shape is iconic for the Caran d'Ache, and I think the Delfonics walks the line in terms of copy vs. hat tip with their design. It's obvious that the nose section is a different piece, which is a major deviation from the 849, so that's good. Other than the body shape, that's really where the comparisons end for the Delfonics Legend.

There's a small pocket clip on the pen that reminds me of the shape that Fisher includes on their Bullet Space Pen. It's a strong clip and works well, but the placement really bothers me. It doesn't get in the way when I'm writing — it's just the aesthetic. It's positioned in the middle of the pen, and that just really bothers me. I understand how it needs to be this way to allow the twist mechanism to work properly, but that doesn't help me like it any better. I'm considered removing it several times, but I'm worried that I'll scratch the exterior of the pen.

Speaking of the exterior, it's a fantastic color of unique material that is both hard and soft at the same time. It has a fairly soft touch, but it's certainly completely solid. I'm assuming it's some kind of adhesive covering over a metal body, and I really like how it feels and the color of the blue they chose. Unfortunately, it appears to chip and scratch incredibly easy. I haven't abused this pen by any means — it's only been in my pocket by itself or in a bag pocket by itself. I'm not sure how the chips happen, but I can assure you it wasn't due to any kind of accident, drop, or scratch from my own use. This doesn't bode well for how the finish will hold up over time with more strenuous use.

Moving on to the innards of this pen, the tiny refill is a mixed bag. It always starts a bit rough and takes a few lines to "wake up," but it's really smooth and dark once it's writing properly. For a ballpoint, this slow start isn't alarming at all, but just something to note if you plan on grabbing this pen to jot down quick notes. It requires a few scratches to get the ink flowing. I really like the line that this refill makes. It's a bold 0.8mm black ink with crisp edges and great flow. The refill can definitely be replaced, but that comes with its own caveat. I haven't been able to find this refill for sale online. I've found a couple of retailers that have a product page, but the product isn't in stock. The refill looks like a standard Parker refill that's been cut really short. At just 2.3 inches or 6 cm, it's definitely unique. I checked all of the refill guides and the product catalogs for a few major refill manufacturers, but didn't have any luck finding it. That being said, I'm not sure this pen has much to offer outside of the life of the included refill.

At $10, the Delfonics Legend Hexagonal Twist pen is certainly affordable at first glance, but the unavailability of the refill does make me pause and consider different pens that have more refill options. The Fisher Space Pen has many, many options to consider, but the Fisher refill is anything but smooth and bold. The Lamy Pico is just a tad larger, but the initial purchase of the pen and the small refills are pricey compared to this one. It's tough — the ink formula in this refill is great, and it would be an easy pen to recommend if the refill were readily available.

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

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Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Pen 0.38 mm Review

Micro tip pens (sub-0.5mm) are my favorite category of pens. Yes, ahead of fountain pens, and other most-used products like fineliners and mechanical pencils. So when I saw these 0.38 mm Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoints pop up on JetPens, I ordered a few right away.

Now, within the micro tip category, gel ink pens are my favorite (Uni-ball Signo DX 0.38 mm take a bow.) After that come ballpoints, then way down the line are the few rollerball options on the market. Gel pens have dominated this market for ages, but ballpoints have made headway, led by the Uni-ball Jetstream. The 0.7 mm Jetstream has long been my go to for standard writing, and they have created some exceptional tiny-writers in pens like the Jetstream Edge.

Where Uni leads, others will follow, and Tombow put an excellent option on the market with the Graph Lite. It comes in 0.5 mm and 0.38 mm tip sizes, and in black, blue, and red ballpoint ink colors. There are various barrel color options featuring solid metallic colors, or the traditional Tombow tri-color blue/white/black flag stripes.

I went for the traditional, as the Mono logo is one of my favorites in all of the stationery world, and, as the title states, grabbed the 0.38 mm tip size.

One quick note on ballpoint tip sizes as compared to gel: An 0.38 mm ballpoint tip writes finer than an 0.38 mm gel tip. The general assumption you can make across the board is that ballpoint pens will write one tip size finer than their gel ink counterparts. An 0.7 mm ballpoint writes like an 0.5 mm gel. An 0.5 mm ballpoint writes like an 0.38 mm gel. And so on down the line. Make sure you are buying a size that is good for you because these are some of the finest writing pens on the market.

The Tombow Mono Graph Lite handles that fineness with ease. The lines are sharp, solid, clean, and shockingly smooth. Smooth is relative at this tip size, but I’m not sure I could expect anything better. Blue is far and away my favorite ballpoint ink color, and I think it is the standout of this group. Black is a close second, and red brings up the rear, but not far behind the other two. Red would make for an excellent margin pen, for example.

I’m a big fan of the grip Tombow uses for this pen. It’s like a knurled rubber, which makes for excellent grippiness. That’s appreciated when this pen is designed for fine lines or detailed drawing. It’s also very light, comfortable in the hand, and has a solid knock and clip.

At $3.00 each (either tip size, any barrel color,) that’s right in line with the going rate for a pen like this. I would happily pay that for a handful of the Tombow Mono Graph Lite pens, because really, who buys just one?

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

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Uni Limex Ballpoint Pen Review, feat. R.E.M.’s “Sitting Still”

The Uni Boxy 100 is a pen I’ve long admired. It is a classic office supply pen, most likely found on desks and in cabinets across Japan for the last 40 years.

And it’s great. I’d say it is right where it belongs - in the office - but that would be underselling it. Is it the Uni-ball Jetstream? No. Is it better than 9 out of 10 ballpoint pens I’ve used, and worth residing on my desk? Absolutely.

If you are still interested after reading those few words above, then you may find the Uni Limex to be a fun pen to add to your arsenal.

What is Limex? A nearly inexhaustible raw material, often used as a paper or plastic replacement. Now, my stance on stone paper is well known, but this is a different rock altogether. And I dig it.

There is no difference in the Limex barrel shape, design, or functionality over the Boxy, but there is a slight weight difference - 7 grams for the original, 9 grams for the Limex. Still, it is a rather lightweight pen, making it good for nearly any use.

The color of the barrel is great, too, taking on the off-white appearance of its namesake material. I keep inspecting the barrel to see if I see any small, darker bits in the material, and there are none. It’s very clean.

Like the Boxy, the Limex ships with an 0.7 mm standard black ballpoint refill, and I enjoy using it. The lines are clean and sharp, and while there is some slight scratchiness from time to time, it’s remarkably smooth for an 0.7 mm that feels like an 0.5 mm.

As much as I enjoy this pen, there is a kicker. One of the most popular kickers of all, in fact: Price! It’s $3.50, versus the $1.75 of the Boxy. In my original Boxy review, I thought the price was high, and that was from the perspective of buying them as an office pen by the dozen. So of course I think the price is high for the Limex, but it’s different in my mind. This is a singular pen purchase. It’s unique, it’s cool, it has a story, and I’m not trying to stock the entire office with it.

In short, it’s fun. And that’s what I enjoy most about stationery.

If you have some spare time after this short review, fire up your music player of choice and give “Sitting Still” by R.E.M. a listen. I got on an old school R.E.M. kick last week, with the album Murmur in heavy rotation. Days later, and countless internet searches later, “Sitting Still” is still stuck in my head.

Why? It is literal nonsense, while being an absolute banger.

I wanted to use the lyrics for the written part of this review, and if you know anything about this song, then you know that is asking the impossible. That’s what makes it so great. Enjoy!

(I purchased this pen at regular price from Yoseka Stationery)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!