Staedtler Pigment Liner 0.1 mm Review

I mentioned in my recent Top 5 pens update that I am going through of a bit of standard pen renaissance. Gel ink pens are in heavy use, and drawing pens, lead by the Staedtler Pigment Liner 0.1 mm, are seeing a ton of action as well.

Over two years ago I reviewed the 0.3 mm Staedtler Pigment Liner and for some reason it didn't stick with me. I think I was in a "Sakura or bust!" phase for quite some time, and that led to me dismissing other pens without a second look. I kept seeing the Staedtler pop up in other places though (Matt Gemmell's review for one) and felt like I needed to give it another look.

I went with the 0.1 mm tip size this time around and it feels right. More right than before. Why that is is hard to answer. For one, it is nice to hold. Drawing pens aren't necessarily known for having great barrels, but the Staedtler improves one area where the Sakura Pigma Micron gets points taken away: The grip section on the Pigment Liner has a much less severe drop off than the Micron. I dealt with it in the Micron because I liked the performance of the pen, but once I got the Staedtler back in my hand I realized how much better it felt to write with.

When the .01 mm tip hits the page it feels sturdy and sharp, which is key for this type of pen. The edge of the lines on drawing pens have to be clean for me, and the Pigment Liner delivers in that area. The ink is archival, and Staedtler also claims the cap can be left off the pen for 18 hours without drying out the tip. I will not be testing that claim out.

So how do you differentiate between two pens like the Staedtler Pigment Liner and Sakura Pigma Micron that are so similar across the board? I don't think you need to. They are both excellent pens that fill many needs for many people. Sure, there are tiny nits to pick between the two - like the grip section - but they are so similar just grab one and go. Right now, I am grabbing the Staedtler more often.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Staedtler Pigment Liner 0.3 mm Review

If you listen to The Pen Addict Podcast you will hear me constantly referring to the Sakura Pigma Micron that I like to write with. I have always been a fan of this style of art/drawing pen and when the opportunity comes to try out one I haven’t used before like the Staedtler Pigment Liner I jump at the chance.

Why do I like this style of pen so much? Not many pens can provide as clean and sharp of a line as drawing pens do. My writing style is one that works well in conjunction with these pens. That is an important thing to note: Not every pen is going to fit your style of writing. The challenge is finding the one that works best for you.

Comparing the Staedtler Pigment Liner to the Sakura Pigma Micron, they are very similar in many aspects. The barrel size, weight, and feel are very close, and the inks are both dark and have the same archival properties. I do think the tip of the Staedtler is slightly softer feeling than the Sakura, so that is something to keep in mind if you have a heavy hand.

Overall, it is another great option if you like art/drawing pens. Most of the brands in this realm are very similar so try a few out to see which suits you the best.

Staedtler Triplus Fineliner 0.3 mm Review

The Staedtler Triplus Fineliner is one of those pens that seems like it has been around forever. It gets a lot of love from artists, students, and just about anyone who uses drawing or art pens. I finally picked up my first one last month to see what all the fuss is about.

I really branched out on my color choice here. Not black, not blue, but gray! I know, I know - there are 30 colors to choose from, but I panicked and went the safe route. Maybe next time I will go with Light Orange or Bordeaux Red.

In using the Triplus Fineliner as my main writing pen for a couple of days I found it did a decent job. The color was sharp, the lines were clean, and it was an all-around good writer. Comparing it to the Sakura Pigma Micron or Uni Pin, the tip on the Fineliner is softer, giving it a slight brush pen feel. It’s clearly not a brush pen, but there is a difference between this pen and some of its counterparts.

While the softer tip will keep me from using it as an every day pen, there is another feature of the Triplus Fineliner that is impressive. Staedtler touts this pen as Dry Safe, meaning you can leave this pen uncapped for days and pick it right back up and start writing. This is normally a huge no-no for drawing pens and I wouldn’t believe it unless I saw it. Well, I saw it, and it worked as advertised. Take a look at the bottom of the written review and you will see my 0-hour, 24-hour, and 72-hour uncapped samples. Three days later and the Triplus Fineliner wrote like I uncapped it for the first time.

Overall, this is a great pen, especially for the price. Do understand though that there is a difference in tip firmness compared to other drawing pens. For me and my writing style it is not a great fit, but for many of you it will be right up your alley.