Myke and I welcomed Dan Bishop from Karas Kustoms to the show this week to discuss the recent LA Pen Show. This marked both Dan and Karas Kustoms first pen show adventure, so we broke it all down from both an attendee and vendor point of view.
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
Harry's: An exceptional shave at a fraction of the price. Use code PENADDICT for $5 off your first purchase.
Markers make my handwriting look awesome. Maybe it's the larger, faster arm movements that are required to keep pace with a wide tipped, fast flowing pen, or maybe it's as simple as the design of the tip itself. Either way, pens like the Uni Pi:s and Zebra Mackee are fun to have around for when you need them.
When you actually need markers like this is the key. These aren't every day writers like the Sakura Pigma Micron. They are task specific, meaning you should know how you will be using these pens before getting started. Both the Uni Pi:s and Zebra Mackee are made to write on many surfaces, such as paper, fabric, glass, metal and more. The oil-based ink allows for this, and makes them water resistant as well.
What sets these two pens apart? Not much to be perfectly honest. They are very similar in design - so much so that I have to find the brand logo on the barrel to determine which one I am using. Each is double-sided, both with fine and extra-fine tips, with the tips on the Zebra being slightly firmer and finer. I doubt I could tell the difference in a blind test though.
The Zebra does have the lone differentiator in the pens with refillable ink cartridges. For a pen like this that is a big deal because you will burn through markers if you use them heavily. The cartridges are a long cylinder with wide openings on each end for good ink flow.
And the ink flow is huge, as you would expect with this type of pen. Any use of these pens on normal paper will result in bleed and feathering. Writing with them is fun, but they are most suited for heavy duty materials like posterboard, fabric, and plastic.
For $2 a pop, the Uni Pi:s and Zebra Mackee both come in a rainbow of colors and will make your inner artist squee with delight. Check them out the next time you have a project that calls for some color.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
When I first ran across Josh Ginter at his site The Newsprint, I knew he had “it”. There is no true definition of “it” other than you know it when you see it. His combination of style and content is not to be missed. My thanks to Josh for answering Three Questions.
1. What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?
While I often hunker down in the evenings and dedicate time to snapping photos and creating prose, by day I crunch numbers at the accounting office. Despite the drive to digital in accountancy, I can’t help but adore traditional analog tools at the office. I write my daily plan of attack in my new 2015 planner every morning and I’m often on the prowl for new pens to show off to my colleagues. I’ve also found that I retain information far better when I take the time to write things into a notebook instead of quickly typing in a text editor. Lastly, my daily journaling habit has its cornerstone in trusty Field Notes memo books. Be it thoughts or quick arithmetic when chatting with a client, Field Notes are my go-to tool. It’s a rare day that I don’t have a Field Notes jammed into a Stuff Sheath in my back pocket or in my messenger bag.
2. What are your favorite products you are currently using?
I’m a total sucker for a new pen or notebook, so you’ll constantly find me saying I have a new favourite. However, there’s no better memo book for me than a trusty Field Notes. My all-time favourite edition is Drink Local and I’m currently in the middle of the Pale Lager/Pilsner book. I carry around my field notes in a DDC Stuff Sheath or a Hellbrand Leatherworks Field Notes cover. I find I lose too many nicer pens when I carry them on the go, so I’ve slowly settled on the Uni-ball Signo Micro 207 gel ink pen for general note taking.
Most recently, however, I’ve fallen for the Hobonichi Techo. Everyone raves about this planner, and for good reason. Tomoe River paper’s ability to absorb heavy fountain pen ink, all the while remaining thinner than any other paper I’ve tried, absolutely defies logic. This Hobonichi Planner is the coolest notebook I own, bar none.
3. What post are you the most proud of on your blog?
This is a seriously difficult question to answer. Sometimes your most popular posts are your least favourite work, while your best work is the least enjoyed across the web.
After pondering this question for a few days, I think I’ve settled on the Hobonichi Techo review as the single post I am most proud of. The post has the best product photos I’ve ever shot and I’m genuinely in love with the product itself. This review sets the bar for me personally and I strive to achieve that same photographic look with every review I create. Surpassing that review will be difficult for me, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
