This one caught me off guard, but it really shouldn’t have. I have known for ages that the Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.38mm refills fit in the 207 barrels. In fact, one of my favorite setups is the Signo 207 Premier barrel with the lavender black 0.38mm RT refill. So I was happy to see these show up at JetPens a few weeks ago.
My only real question about the pen was if this was just an RT refill plugged into the 207 barrel, but it isn’t. The 207 is widely known for having “Super Ink” technology which prevents check washing, and these new 0.38mm pens fall right in line.
If you have ever used an RT 0.38mm pen then you know exactly how the 207 version will write. Crisp, clean and dark gel ink lines, and pretty smooth all things considered. It isn’t as smooth as the Signo DX 0.38, but few pens in this category are.
If you have ever wanted the Uni-Ball 207 in something smaller than 0.5mm, now is your chance. Some of the colors are already sold out, but should be restocked soon.
The list of Uni-Ball Signo DX colors that I have reviewed is loooong, but until Carmen grabbed the Bordeaux Black for me on a recent NYC trip, I had never used this one. I don't have a good answer as to why it has taken me this long to try it, other than the fact I don't use a lot of reds on a daily basis.
The entire Signo DX line is top quality, and I have yet to have one disappoint me for any reason. If this is your first foray into micro tip pens, you might find the 0.28mm and 0.38mm a little scratchy for your tastes, but give the 0.5mm a chance. I promise you won't be disappointed.
"Naomi" by Neutral Milk Hotel
I was first introduced to Neutral Milk Hotel by my sister and brother-in-law when they were in school in Athens, GA in the early to mid-90's. They were a mind blowing band then, and their music still resonates with me to this day. My sweet little niece is even named after this song.
Their second, and last, album In The Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998) continually pops up on all kinds of Top Album lists, but one of my favorite recordings is elusive lead singer Jeff Mangum's Live at Jittery Joe's (2001) release. It is a set of Neutral Milk Hotel songs performed acoustically by Mangum in a small little coffee shop, and is brilliant. The video quality isn't so hot, but Mangum's voice really shines.
Ever wanted a pen that could write in conditions that would ruin other pens and ruin you, too? Ever wanted to write in a hard vacuum, or below freezing? Ever wanted to write underwater or upside down? Well, a certain company invented a certain type of ink back for the original space program that is a pretty big seller and is designed to withstand the harsh conditions in space...but you might have noticed that the pen prices are pretty steep. What's a pen maniac to do?
Uni (Mitsubishi) has the answer in the Power Tank Smart Series. Although this pen has been around for awhile and has undergone several design revisions in the past 7 or 8 years, the newest version has the best styling I've seen in the series. This pen, made from just a little bit of steel, and a whole lot of plastic, has a much lower cost so you don't feel bad about any abuse it might suffer. How does it perform? Let's find out!
First of all, you'll notice the sharp and very classy appearance. Uni's designers really went all out on this and made the barrel a heavy plastic with the refill port in the rear. The spring inside is industrial size and the click is really precise and loud. Good deal! The refill itself is clear and has a steel collar and pressurized insides. The super thick outside shell contains gas inside that presses on the inner refill and keeps the thixotropic ink (solid ink until shear force turns it to liquid) flowing at a constant rate. You'll love this ink because it is fairly smooth and VERY constant in line width (about 0.4mm) and doesn't blob or skip. It's not as smooth as a Jetstream or Surari, but it feels much smoother than a regular ballpoint. It's not dye ink, so the color isn't as dark, but it's still a good looking ink. Dry time is average and there is no bleed through.
I've put Power Tank pens through torture tests (freezing/heating/etc.) and it's written without fail every time. The pressure will also keep the ink flowing right up until the pen is empty. This is MUCH better than the competitor, whose ink basically blobs more than it writes.
Overall, this pen is designed to work in harsh conditions and take whatever abuse you can dish out. I'd definitely recommend this as a daily carry pen because it basically won't leak, won't disappoint and won't ever stop writing. A DEFINITE recommend!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Come join The Pen Addict on IRC: #penaddict on irc.freenode.net
