Review: Pentel Sliccies 0.4mm- Multi Pen

(1 Barrel+3 Ink Refills= 1 Really Neat Pen Called a Sliccies)

Pen: Pentel Sliccies
Tip : 0.4 mm
Color: Purple, Baby Pink, Milk Blue (Barrel is Orange)
Purchased At: JStationery.com
Approx Price: $3.50 per barrel, $1.80 per ink cartridge/refill
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Review:
For starters, I figured I would mention that a "Sliccies" is not the same as a "Slicci". In fact, Sliccies are a multi-pen variation of the Pentel Slicci, which is a truly wonderful thing.
It is really no secret that I love my Slicci pens. Sure, there are a few things I would change such as adding a rubberized grip or a cap that snaps on securely when posted, but all in all my 0.3mm and 0.4mm Slicci pens are among my favorite gel needle tip pens.
The Sliccies pen I have for review holds three separate ink refills that are purchased separately along with the barrel. This allows you to change, swap, and customize your pen as you see fit.
The multi-pen setup is easy to use. First, you unscrewed the top and bottom portions of the barrel, you then snap each refill into its respective slot (it will make an audible click when fitted properly), lastly you screw the barrel back together and you are ready to go.
The Barrel is thicker than a standard Slicci which makes writing with it a little more comfy. I have a feeling that many of you who like Slicci pens but find them too thin and uncomfortable to write with will be pleased with this. You can toggle through and select the colors by pressing a clear button toward the top/clip of pen. There are also viewing windows which allow you to view the color that corresponds with each button (see pictures below for detailed views). I am not usually a big fan of multi-pens but I am really enjoying this one. I also like the fact that I don't have to deal with a cap, since the regular Slicci caps do not stay in place very well when posted on the end of the pen.
The Sliccies is a very smooth writer! Mine is a 0.4mm but you can also choose 0.3mm refills, depending on your preference. The cartridge/refill ink is very rich in color and does not dispoint. I performed a water test with the Sliccies and they did feather and bleed through the page a good deal as did the Hi-Tec C.
The Sliccies is a bit smoother than a Hi-Tec C and about the same as a standard Slicci of the same mm size. The Sliccies, Like it's Pentel counterpart the Slicci, does not have the wobbly give when you write like a Hi-Tec C does. The tips appear to be a tad smaller than a regular Slicci but the line put down looks to be the same and just as sturdy.
I really like fact that the Sliccies design is so similar to the Slicci pens I love. Even though a rubberized grip would be great, it is neat to see the body, clip, and ribbed grip design of a Slicci Incorporated into an equally great multi-pen.

Pros:
Look and design, 3-pens in one, smooth, color choices, customizable
Cons:
Not archival, feathers and shows through with water
Advice:
Pick up a barrel and a few refills that you like and create your own signature Sliccies! If you are a Slicci Fan you will probably love these. If you have never tried a Slicci or you find the standard Slicci to be too thin, try these. They may just be what you have been waiting for.

A Special thanks to JStationery.com for sending me a Sliccies to review!

(See Below for Pictures and Writing Sample)(Above: Sliccies Body and Refills)


(Above: Interior view of Sliccies Barrel)

(Above: Close Up of Color Selection Button and Color Viewing Window)

(Above: Top: Sliccies Middle: Slicci Bottom: Hi-Tec C)

(Above: Slicci 0.3mm Turqouise Blue, Sliccies 0.4mm multi, Slicci 0.4mm Rose Pink)

(Above: Prior to Water Test)

(Above: After Water Test)


(After Water Test: Bleed Through On The Back Of Page)

Review: Uni-ball Fusion 0.6mm- Purple

Pen: Uni-ball Fusion
Tip : 0.6 mm
Color: Purple
Purchased At: Office Depot
Approx Price: $4-5 for 2 (depends on the store)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review:
I love the color of this pen! It is listed as Purple on the package, but it doesn't seem to have the same reddish tint to it that a lot of my other pens in the same color family have. When I first looked at them on the Uni-ball site I thought that the ink would look washed out mainly because the darkest color is grey and not black (click here for color chart). To my delight, the ink didn't come out looking washed out at all. The ink on paper is a very lovely violet color. I looked for the pack of 4 so I could try out the grey and pink, but I was only able to find the 2 pack which, in my eyes, was still very exciting!
I really love the design and look of the pen from the cap to the floral design on the barrel (perfect for Spring). That said, I don't think you will ever see my Husband toting one of these around. So if you aren't really into floral motifs, you may want to hold off on ordering an entire case until you get a good look at them. I can see these beautifully paired with an antiqued white shabby or cottage chic desk.
The Fusion is a pretty smooth operator. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it is as smooth as a Vision Elite but it still offers up a very nice write. After writing, I noticed that there was a little bleed through on to the back of the paper (see picture below). The pen fared very very well when I drenched the paper in water, so if you journal this one may be something you want to try out. Even though the ink held fast, it did become a little more visible on the back of the paper after the water test so you may only want to write on one side of the paper in your journal, or use a heavier grade of paper ( which most journals already have).
The Fusion features a clever little system that allows the ink to flow from clear to color as you write. This is a really neat feature if you are into that sort of thing (which I am, as you may have concluded). You can easily see the ink supply, which is slightly milky in color like absinthe after the louche. Since the ink is in the barrel itself, it is not something you can purchase a refill for. The ink supply seems substantially smaller and seems to dissipate faster than my Uni-ball Vision Elite and Signo Pens but I highly doubt it will keep me from searching out the elusive pink and grey Fusions. There are no rubberized grips of any sort on this model. The cap does "snap" into place when put on the pen but does not "snap" on when posted. Even though the cap doesn't snap into place when posted it still stays on quite well. All of this makes for a very well rounded pen that is a delight to use.

Note: Don't Like Flowers? Not to fret! I searched online and found a few places that carry Fusions sans floral motif. You can view those here. I am not sure if they still make both versions or if these are left over, still neat none the less.

Pros:
Lovely look and feel, nice ink color, smooth, novel clear to color ink system, passed water test
Cons:
Small ink supply, not refillable, a little bleed through, floral motif may not be for everyone
Advice:
I really think these would make a nice addition to any pen collection. They are just plain fun to write with and look very "pretty" too.

(See Below for Pictures and Writing Sample)

(Above: Uni-ball Fusion and Uni-ball Vision Elite)

(Above: Writing Sample Before Water Test)

(Above: Writing Sample After Water Test)

(Above: Bleed Through Before Water Test)

(Above: Bleed Through After Water Test)

Chumbers and Friend!


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Review: Uni-ball Signo 207 0.7mm Black

Pen/s: Uni-ball 207
Tip : 0.7 mm
Color Ink: Black
Purchased At: Pink Ribbon (Office Depot) Black Model (Given by Weber Shandwick Worldwide for Uni-ball)
Approx Price: $3.99 for a pack of 2 (this will differ depending on store)
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (That's right a perfect score!)

Review:
You have probably seen a few reviews for the Uni-ball 207 from some great pen and office supply bloggers in the last few weeks. I was also given a few Uni-ball 207s to review by Lauren from Weber Shandwick Worldwide for Uni-ball...and test for a review I did.
I have been using the 207 for several weeks to really get a feel for it. Not only has it made it's way into my daily rotation, the 207 has become my go-to pen for most of my work-related tasks.
That said, let's get down to brass tacks. The body and design of the pen is great, it is retractable and has a clip which means I don't have to keep up with a cap and I can clip it to myself while at work or around the house. I am also quite fond of the rubberized grip on the pen, which helps me both hold the pen correctly and keeps it from slipping as I write.
The black ink is rich and flows smoothly, what more could a person want? Uni-ball has also upped the ante and equipped the 207 with Uni Super Ink which prevents against criminal check washing and other document alteration, and is a major perk. You can read more about Uni Super Ink by clicking here.
After trying the black body models I was sent to review. I was so impressed that I ran out to Office Depot to pick up a pack of the Pink Ribbon Edition 207s that I saw online. Not only do these pens write beautifully they also protect against identity theft, look great, AND support a great cause! To read more about the Uni-ball Pink Ribbon 207 pens and how purchasing them benefits City of Hope for breast cancer research, treatment and education click here.
So you might be wondering "What no cutesy kawaii stationery? What the heck is going on?" Well I do love kawaii stationery as I'm sure you can all tell by now, but since I use these everyday in the office I really wanted to spotlight them in their native habitat (for me), no matter how utilitarian it may appear :P. (I work at the Ministry of Newspeak j/k)
I did perform a water test by dropping some water on the paper and dabbing it with a paper towel, you can see the results in the pictures below. I chose to compare the 207 with the Sakura Gelly Roll PQ which has tested so well in previous water tests. The 207 feathered a bit but they both held fast, which is very impressive.

Pros:
Writes smooth, rich black ink, retractable with clip, rubberized grip, Uni Super Ink, price
Cons:
Cuts out every now and then, but its not very often and mostly has to do with the paper not the pen itself
Advice:
Next time you need a few pens get some of these, they are definitely worth it. I really want to get the assorted color set :)

(See Below for Pictures and Writing Sample)


(Above: Before Water Test)

(Above: After Water Test)

A Special thanks to Uni-ball and Lauren at Weber Shandwick Worldwide for setting me up with some 207s to review.

Review: Q-lia Crystal Cube 0.38mm- Blue and Green

Pen/s: Q-lia Crystal Cube
Tip : 0.38 mm
Color: Green and Blue
Purchased At: Moshi Moshi (Houston, TX)
Approx Price: $1.00 each
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review:
I love kawaii notepads and stationery so while I was on my trip in Houston I stopped in at Moshi Moshi to pick up a few items. I was very excited to find two Crystal Cube pens among the many other pens and pencils at the shop. One of the first things that stood out about these pens were the crystal-like jewels adorning the top of the caps. I also noticed that the barrels were square and that one had a cupcake on the sticker towards the bottom of the pen, and boy do I love cupcakes!
I'm not sure if these pens are supposed to be scented or not but if so I cant really smell them. The only reason I even mention it is because the sticker on the blue one has a cupcake on it and the green one has what looks like a lime or other green fruit. The label is in Korean, which I cant read, so I'm not really sure. If you can read Korean and would like to help me out, just email me from my profile and I will add some detailed pictures of the sticker labels on the pens.
I really like the overall look and feel of the pen. The pen is not too light and the cap "snaps" into place when put on the pen and when posted on the end which is always a plus in my book. In my opinion, the square barrel is not as comfortable as a round one. However, there are many people who really like square barrel pens so comfort would be up to the individual to determine.
The ink is very colorful and rich. I have to say that I am really impressed. I wish I had more colors to compare with my Slicci pens but from what I can see Crystal Cubes are right up there with the best of them. (Them being my Sliccis, Signos, and Gelly Rolls.)
These pens are also very smooth, I would say they are smoother than my 0.3 and 0.4 Slicci's. So they definitely rank high on the smoothness scale. They write pretty true to most 0.38mm pens with no feathering. I did perform a water test by dropping some water on the paper and dabbing it with a paper towel, you can see the results in the pictures below. If they didn't smear with the water test I probably would have given them 5 out of 5 stars.

Pros:
Fine tip, very smooth, great overall look and design, richness of ink colors, price
Cons:
Fades with water
Advice:
If you come across these give them a try, they are great pens that are a welcome addition to my collection. They look great, write well and don't seem to cut out, they will most likely become part of my daily rotation.

(See Below for Pictures and Writing Sample)

(Above: Comparison of Several Pens Before Water Test)

(Above: Comparison of Pens After Water Test, that Gelly Roll PQ really is a trooper!)

(Tip Comparison: Slicci 0.3, Crystal Cube 0.38, Slicci 0.4)

(Please Note: The paper in the photo above is a light green color. Please see water test pics for a more accurate depiction of the ink color. Also, The messed up "e" in really is due to user error not the pen.)

I just thought I would post a quick note letting everyone know that I am out of town right now. So... while I may seem quiet, I am, in fact gleefully visiting family and office supply stores here in Houston and just to prove it I snapped a few pictures with my phone as I picked out a few new pens to add to my collection :).

Check Out March Giveaway Madness!

at www.penaddict.com for your chance to win all sorts of pen related prizes.