Ensso Pen Uno Review

Kickstarter seems to be hopping with pen projects these days! The folks over at Ensso currently have a return campaign for their Pen Uno, now with an optional pencil insert. They were kind enough to send me a sample to review, so special thanks to them.

The Pen Uno is touted as one of the most minimal writing instruments designed and, I can't really argue with that. Short of a stick of graphite, there aren't a lot of pens that come to mind that are more minimal than this.

Machined from aluminum, the overall shape of the Pen Uno is sort of a thin "stick" that eventually becomes a bigger "stick" that acts as the mechanism to expose the tip as well as the grip section. It looks pretty cool actually and definitely catches your attention with how sleek it is.

This particular sample is in the "space gray" color variation (Apple colors seem to be a thing right now...) and the finish is really well executed. The finish is uniform and outside of a few places near the edges where things got a little "chunky" (under a macro lens), I haven't noticed any imperfections or issues. Over time, I'd be curious as to how well the pen will hold up to use.

This pen is really light and really, really skinny. The grip section "stick" is about 3/8" in diameter, so is pretty comfortable, but the main barrel piece is extremely thin. That being said, it isn't much of a bother while writing due to it simply resting in your hand.

Regarding holding up to "heavy" use, I'm not super certain this is what it is designed for. While it certainly could be portable via a bag, pen pouch, or pencil case, it is not very easy to transport by other means. This is NOT a pocket pen and one I would see as more of something you'd use at a desk or drafting table.

The barrel is designed around the Hi-Tec C Coleto refill, Pilot's retractable multi-pen variation of the popular Hi-Tec C refill. The ēnsso crew was kind enough to send me a big pack of various refill sizes and colors, but the 0.4mm in blue seems to be my sweet spot.

Admittedly, the Hi-Tec C refill is not a huge favorite of mine due to being finicky. Slow starts, dryness... Amongst a lot of pen people this seems to be a common sentiment, but there are the die-hard Hi-Tec C fans out there that completely love them. If you're in that group, this pen may definitely be for you!

Although, when the Hi-Tec C is working perfectly, it is pretty awesome on smoother paper like Rhodia.

What makes this pen unique is how you retract the tip. Rather than a click mechanism of some sort, the refill stays fixed and stationary in the barrel while the user twists the threaded grip section until the barrel moves its way up and the tip is exposed. Pretty neat! On average, I find it takes around 10 "twists" to get the grip section securely tightened down and the tip exposed.

The refill is secured in place via a long set screw that is removed from the end of the barrel. It is also machined from aluminum and has a matching color scheme to the barrel. One thing I felt with the pen was that it might seem a little on the lengthy side. Even with my bigger hands there is about 2" of thin "stick" overhang into the fleshy part of my hand. More than enough to shave a little bit off which could have possibly put it into a more "pocketable" position.

Although I didn't receive the pencil mod portion of the pen for review, I'm thinking that the added length has something to do with this. The set screw is pretty long (about 2") which seemed strange to me, but thinking more about it I bet this is it. At first I was thinking, "why did they make this pen so long?!"

Overall I think the Pen Uno is pretty slick and is sure to turn the heads of anyone around when you decide to take it out to use. There is this "what is that?" type of reaction when you see it (I know I had that experience). The campaign runs until August 10th and if this pen catches your eye it may be worth taking a look!

One thing that might be cool is to do the pen out of a heavier material like brass...

Thanks again to Ensso for sending the sample to check out.  

SQ1 EDC Pen by RNG Products - Kickstarter

I love small business. I love the passion, ingenuity, screw-ups, and downright scrappiness that comes with taking your idea and then pushing it out into the world. From the outside, it seems like an easy task, but for the person doing the making/creating it often means huge sacrifices of time, energy, money, stress... 

Sometimes the small business is super calculated, has investors, a "business plan" and all of that and sometimes it is just a guy (or gal) with a full time job working nights and weekends out of their home shop inside their garage, closet, or spare bedroom that wants to make something awesome and share it. I can relate to this for sure.

Currently on Kickstarter is a pen called the SQ1 by a gentleman named Ryan, the owner of RNG Products LLC, who was kind enough to send me a sample for review.

The SQ1 is a machined aluminum barreled pen that is slim, pocketable, and houses the trusty Fisher Space Pen refill. I'm just gonna go out and say it that I think there will never (ever) be enough machined pens on the market that house the Fisher refill.

Ever.

It is probably the most versatile refill in existence and I love the idea of options to house it in various shapes and forms. Keep 'em coming!

I'd consider the SQ1 to be more of what I call a "stick" pen, meaning it has no taper or contours. This would seem pretty high on the "boring" side, but some of my favorite pens are this way like the LAMY cp1 and unic designed by Gerd A. Müller.

The pen is pretty small in size coming in between 4.5" and 5" and is about the same diameter as your average pencil. Slim, pocketable, not bulky, and fits nicely in your hand while writing.

The SQ1 is made up of 6 major components: the barrel, cap, tip, end cap, set screw, and refill.

The barrel is made from aluminum and comes in a variety of color schemes and the caps and end caps are made from either brass or copper. Personally, I'd kind of like to see an option where the components all match if possible which would require doing all aluminum or all copper/brass versions.

I requested the black anodized barrel with the copper "shipwrecked" cap and end cap. I must say, the "shipwrecked" finish is pretty fantastic. Ryan nailed it as it seriously looks like something salvaged from the bottom of the sea. I'm not certain, but it appears that he has sealed the finish somehow which is a plus. I'd hate to buy this special, oxidized version simply to have it wear off after the first few uses.

The cap is designed to post on the end of the pen, which it does, but I was having a bit of trouble with the threading. It will catch for the first 1 to 2 rotations, but then gets a bit stuck. Not certain if this is an issue with the finish on the barrel being slightly thicker, or whether there is an issue with the thread compatibility in general. Or, maybe some of the sealer on the cap got into the threads (don't think this is it). Also, catching the cap on the tip threading occasionally took a few tries to get right.

Either way, I know this is something that Ryan can work out in final production, but wanted to call it out.

As mentioned, there is a set screw that is deep within the pen barrel holding the refill snugly in place. I can absolutely see why this is necessary because simply shortening the pen wouldn't have worked out due to being too short. While the set screw adds the need for a specific allen wrench to swap the refill, I like it better than a spacer which is loose and could be lost.

Overall the pen is comfortable to use and highly functional.

That being said, there are things I like about it and others not so much. More of aesthetic things I think.

Understandably, the cap of the pen needs to hang over the barrel making it possible to post it, but this does create a bit of a "magic wand" kind of look. This isn't necessarily bad, but doesn't really make a "sleek" look. 

Another design area that seems a bit out of place is the dimpling used for the grip section. They are executed perfectly and look really great! Although, with all of the lines and straight edges and sharp chamfers, round design elements seem to contrast the very linear feel. As an alternative, concentric rings across the whole barrel or even knurling may have fit a bit more? Not trying to be overly nitpicky, honest....   

I do enjoy the interesting lines in the cap and end cap quite a bit.

The only real feedback I can give would be to try and work out the potential issues with the threading, but other than that I think Ryan has come up with a solid EDC pocket pen. And, the pledges start at only $25, so totally reasonable to pick up one to carry with you. If interested in backing the project, head over to the Kickstart campaign to check it out.

Thanks again to Ryan from RNG Products for sending the sample!