I tend to tinker in the garage when I have a chance. Although, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get out there to create things! This past week I was able to work on a little woodworking project making some minimalist-ish pen cubes from walnut.
There is always something satisfying when you create/make something for yourself or for others.
Below is a slide show of the process; enjoy!
The first post on the blog for the AG7 was sort of a test run with the new site, but I feel that the pen deserves a more in-depth pictorial review. So, this is a repost, but with more visual enjoyment!
There is a small reflection of me in the clip; very shiny!
The history behind the AG7 was part of the appeal that drew me to wanting one, but Fisher makes a great product. These were, and are, the pens that are taken into space and to the moon due to the pressurized cartridge system. This allows you to write upside down or in zero gravity (although I've never needed it for either of these scenarios...)
AG7, Left - Bullet Pen, Right
These babies usually run $50 retail, but I was able to pick one up for a steal on eBay for $28 with free shipping...no brainer! They are made of solid brass and are finished in a shiny, mirror-like chrome. The break in the barrel seems to have a million threads when you are unscrewing it, but I guess it is less likely to come apart in space flight this way?... (joke)
If you've never written with a Fisher cartridge, the ink is smooth and not overly globby for a ball point. The most fun with this pen has to be the "dual-action" knock mechanism. To extend the tip you push the knock at the end and to retract, push the small side button which pops it back. This motion is actually quite fun, but I'll warn you, could become annoying to co-workers or innocent bystanders. It isn't really a quiet click.
The pen has is somewhat slender, but even with larger hands as I have it doesn't feel uncomfortable in the least. I enjoy the grip section where there are rings milled into the pen which adds a nice design element to it.
Upon visiting Scottsdale Pen, I noticed tucked back in the display what appeared to be a rOtring 600 Ballpoint pen in the Lava finish. Although used, I was instantly intrigued as it looked to be in tip-top shape…
There is something about the rOtring brand that is just captivating. The design and build quality kind of draws you in. Even Jay at the pen shop said that from his observations the rOtring brand has almost a “cult following”; I’m drinking the Kool-Aid!
It wasn’t until I reviewed the price tag that my jaw literally dropped; in a good way. I’ve looked online at the rOtring 600s before in the Lava finish, but since they are a discontinued product they tend to fetch between $150 to $300 for them. Personally, this seems crazy in my mind. When I saw the price tag said $30 (yes, $30) I knew that it was going home with me.
I swapped out the old rOtring refill with a Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 in blue (great refill) which meshed the great build of the pen with a now better writing experience.
Old rOtrings have a solid weight that is well balanced. This is only my second rOtring so I'm not an "expert" on these old pens, but I'm impressed for sure.
The Lava finish is pretty cool and very different than anything I've used on a pen before. To be somewhat honest, I wonder why they decided on this finish in the first place? Trying to imagine the design meeting where they said, "we should make it look like lava"...
With the hexagonal, angular barrel, the matte finish adds some awesome texture visually to the pen. Overall, a beautiful and interesting pen that I'm happy to have stumbled upon.