LP-5 Compact Pen by Vision Metal Design - Kickstarter

One thing I really enjoy is a solid pocket pen. I love how compact they are, portable, and the fact that they go from a small pen to a "normal" size pen when in use is fun to see from a design standpoint.

On Instagram about a month or so ago I stumbled across a maker I'd not yet heard of before called Vision Metal Design, but when I first saw the pen he was planning to release on Kickstarter I was pretty enthusiastic about its launch.

Vision Metal Design is run by a long time machinist, Robert Shirley, out of Ohio. He has been making and selling a popular extendable X-Acto knife holder for awhile now, but decided to venture into the world of pens. What he came up with he called the LP-5.

At a glance, the LP-5 may look like your ordinary pocket pen size, but in reality it is much, much smaller. Even shorter than the Kaweco Liliput which is saying something...

I knew this was a project I was most certainly going to back (in titanium), but Robert and I also discussed reviewing the LP-5 on the blog to give a closer look at them (and some opinions). Many thanks to him for sending me a few of the sample prototypes to check out and share.

One thing I like about the LP-5's aesthetic is that it has some texture and character, but not overly done. It has sort of a machined part appeal, but we're not going for all-out tacti-cool like some we've seen.

Initially, the LP-5 was slated to be designed for only the Lamy M22 ballpoint refill, most notably found in the Lamy Pico, but after some additional feedback and designing, Robert also created an alternate version which takes the D1 style which greatly expands the options available to go into the pen, but without sacrificing the ultra compact size he's shooting for.

To remove the refill, the conical tip of the pen unscrews which allows it to be exchanged. The M22 fits snugly into the pen barrel, while the D1 is at this point suspended in the pen and held in place with a spacer. Robert mentioned that these will be a metal part in the final versions, but for prototyping a Delrin material is used.

It really is impressive just how small this pen is.

Below is a shot I sent to a friend of the LP-5 alongside some of my other pocket pen favorites, and the others dwarf it in comparison.

While the LP-5 may take cues from "pocket pens" in general, I feel that it has a really unique take on it, and is quite innovative which is sometimes a rare thing to see.

Closed, the pens come in at under 2.75" (roughly 7cm), and then extend to nearly 5", a comfortable writing length.

The grip section of the pen has two sets of threading: one set nearest the tip to secure the pen when closing, and the second set just over a design "bump" in the pen (with decorative lines to match the overall aesthetic) to allow the cap to post and extend the length of the pen.

For added grip, the section is also machined with grooves to make it easier to hang onto.

Like any pen with exposed threads like this, there is always a risk of dropping it on a hard surface which could mash or mar them and make the parts no longer connectable.

The pens come in four different material options: brass, copper, titanium, and aluminum. And, for the Kickstarter campaign these are incredibly reasonable in price starting at $35.

I was able to take a closer look at the brass, copper, and titanium versions and they all have their own appeal. Generally, I opt for aluminum, titanium, or stainless steel pens as I like the color (and then also avoid the brass and copper "smell" that comes with age out of preference), but the brass and copper versions feel great in the hand, and for being so small, only weigh a bit over an ounce.

I must admit, I really, really like this pen and wish Robert the best as his campaign is wrapping up. Definitely check out his campaign and back if you love pocket pens (and always looking to add more). I'd love for this pen to succeed as I feel it is a solid addition to the EDC market.

Thanks again Robert!

 

The Clip Pen by Schon DSGN - Kickstarter

This is a pen I've reviewed in various forms over the years here on The Clicky Post, yet I don't seem to get tired of using or talking about it....

The pen I'm referring to is a ultra-pocketable EDC pen, originally called "The Pen Project" and was launched by engineer and designer, Ian Schon, nearly five years ago on Kickstarter. The first versions were made of aluminum, but slowly over the years Ian expanded his lineup to include materials like brass, bronze, titanium, and even some fancy zirconium models.

Small in size and an easy pen to slip into your pocket, but for some people there was a catch: no pocket clip.

Over the years Ian toyed with the idea of an aftermarket "bolt-on" type clip to fit existing pens, but ultimately the best solution was to machine new pens entirely and offer a new clipped version.

After a good wait (and I say that in the kindest way possible), Ian is back on Kickstarter to launch his new clip-able pen! He was kind enough to send me one of the early samples to check out and to share my thoughts on.

I will state plainly that I really, really love this design, clip or no clip, and so I knew going in that I'd more be checking for usability, whether it changes how I use the pen, etc.

Ian sent me a raw aluminum version of the pen, but the Kickstarter campaign will also allow for a black anodized or polished stainless steel option (no titanium...yet). All included, the pen weighs in around 1.2 oz which is a good heft for a pen this small.

All of Ian's pocket pens come fitted with the Fisher Space Pen refill which is a very versatile and reliable ballpoint, but won't be a writing experience that will be turning heads. The refill is designed for utility in extreme conditions, so it does sacrifice in dark lines. My favorite of the Fisher refills is the blue in a fine tip.

The refills are secured in the barrel through a gold set screw which can now conveniently be unscrewed with the end of the clip.

I haven't picked one up from him as of yet, but Ian also produced a D1 refill adaptor to replace the Fisher. This would allow for refills like the Uni-ball Jetstream, Hi Tec C, Zebra gel... the list goes on, but if you love a particular type of refills one of those may be a sound investment.

Now to the clip...

The clip is extremely sturdy made out of thick bent steel and is fastened to the cap with two domed star bit screws which gives them a low profile. Ian let me know that the final finish on the clips will be different and a bit more refined, but outside of some slightly sharp edges (which a few rounds in a tumbler could polish away) I don't have any complaints. 

From a usability standpoint, it felt very natural fastening the clip to a jeans pocket rather than dropping it down with the rest of the contents. Again, the sharp edges were the only uncomfortable part as my wrist or hand would brush against it when grabbing keys or my phone, but I imagine this will be sorted in final production.

The clip in no way imposes on the writing experience due to the way the pen is designed. Closed the pen is right around 4", but with the cap posted to extend to full writing length it makes the pen closer to 6" (5 7/8" actually).

Five years in the making, I feel the new clip version of Ian's pen is still a winner and a great addition to an EDC. If this is a pen that interests you or you already have one of his others and need (yes, need) a new clip version, go check out his Kickstarter campaign. The pen I reviewed he is offering for $45+ shipping during the campaign.

Thanks again to Schon DSGN for sending the pen for review!  

 

Kaweco Special Ballpoint Pen - New Shiny Brass

The Kaweco Special series is not new, but has always been on more of the "stealthy" side. Although, Kaweco has over the last few years been branching out and offering more variation in their lineup which is a really good thing.

A newer variation on the octagonally faceted Special series is the offering of an all brass finish which gives the lineup a bit of a facelift. When I first saw these I knew I needed to check them out and Kaweco was kind enough to send me a couple to review. 

The first pen in the new brass series I wanted to focus on was the retractable ballpoint, but I will have a review of a fountain pen version soon too.

The standard Special ballpoint is a somewhat lengthy pen coming in just shy of 6" in (about 5 and 7/8") and comes in close to 1.5 oz. I wouldn't consider this to be overly hefty for a pen this size, but it has some weight to it.

What stands out most with this pen is just how shiny it is. The main barrel is buffed and polished to a near mirror finish which is also a stark contrast to the matte black versions of the same pen. A pen like this definitely draws attention and has some "bling" factor.

With a mirror finish, it is prone to fingerprints, and with a softer material like brass it will scratch/ding over time (which may be half the fun, right?).

For some reason when I see this pen it seems to give off a sort of "70's" vibe, but not sure why.

A pen like this is generally completely outside my style zone, but I actually really, really like the way it looks. It is flashy as all get out, but looks fantastic. 

The pen is clipless by design, but Kaweco does make an aftermarket slide on clip if you absolutely need one.

Now, even though the pen is "all brass", the main barrel is a slightly different alloy/finish than the tip and knock sections. These two pieces are obviously machined brass parts while the barrel is done via extrusion which provides a different feel (and even slight color).

After some pretty considerable use, the barrel seems to be holding up to tarnishing quite well (like, almost non-existent tarnishing), but the machined parts are developing a patina. I have no idea how this works the way it does, but it is interesting. Over time though, the tip and nock could go to more of a brown, tarnished color, which might create more of a two-tone effect (which may not be the intended outcome).

Side note, from a materials standpoint I happened to remember tucked back somewhere in my brain that Kaweco also released a glossy silver aluminum version of their Special pencil (which was reviewed a few years back on The Pencil Case blog), but this seems to be a thing of the past now.

The Special ballpoint comes fitted with Kaweco's Sol refill which is a Parker style, so there are options to swap things around if you have one you prefer. It is a good ballpoint refill and about what you expect from a "good ballpoint". 

While writing the tip seems to have some wiggle/rattle, but not terrible in my opinion. If you are hyper sensitive to this, it may be something that is bothersome.

There are a few retailers that carry these now (primarily outside of the US), but they run just over $60 US which I feel is a pretty good deal. Appelboom out of the Netherlands carries them for around this price and you can use the promo code FRIEND for 10% off as well.

Special (see what I did there?...) thanks to Kaweco for sending this one my way to check out!