Final Round of The System Tornado Rollerball - (and Pencil!)

This past week the second round of The System pens were shipped out and are hitting mailboxes around the world as we speak! Thanks again for the amazing support for the design and I'm so humbled by the kind words and feedback.

If you've received yours I'd love to see it in use on Twitter or Instagram, so please tag @clickypost so I can take a look! 

I will be placing an order (a smaller one) for a FINAL round of The System this coming week that is set to arrive in August, so if you missed out on the first two rounds make sure to join the list if you want to be informed when they're available for purchase.

And...Small Batch of The System Pencil!

I'm really excited about this! I've had quite a few people request a pencil version of The System be made to complete a set, so I'll be doing a one time order of them to arrive when the final round comes!

Pilot Vanishing Point Decimo - Retractable Fountain Pen Review

When I think of "innovative" and unique pen designs, one that always comes to mind is the Pilot Vanishing Point. What makes it so interesting is the fact that it is a truly retractable fountain pen. While there are a few others on the market nowadays, the Vanishing Point was the first to really pioneer this technology which is approaching 50 years ago or more (which is crazy).

I've reviewed a couple of Vanishing Points here on the blog, the "standard" version as well as the fancier (and more expensive) Fermo, but the specimen today is a model called the Decimo. I've been meaning to take a look at the Decimo for years, and I finally got my hands on one since the folks at Pen Chalet were kind enough to send one over for me to check out. Special thanks to them!

At a glance, one might not be able to distinguish the Decimo from that standard Vanishing Point; same overall shape, same knock mechanism, same clip placement, same sort of "aquatic" look (maybe that is just me), same placement of the trim rings... you get the idea.

The difference though is in it's overall size and "girth" as the Decimo is meant to be a slightly thinner model for a somewhat more compact and less bulky writing experience. But, in overall length the two models are pretty much identical.

For me personally the standard Vanishing Point isn't overly large as my hands are pretty big, but for someone with smaller hands and fingers I could see it being enormous. The Decimo fills that need pretty well I think as it does feel smaller.

All that being said, the difference in my opinion isn't THAT big. To me it would be like saying a 20 oz soda is too large, but an 18 oz is better. But, I think it is all based on perspective and how it fits in your hand so for many people it would be a vast improvement.

If you are somewhat new to Vanishing Point pens, how they work is by pressing and clicking the knock mechanism as you would on a retractable ballpoint or gel type pen, which extends the extremely small nib through a perfectly shaped opening at the tip. Internally, there are springs and levers that open a small trap door that allows the nib to come out unharmed. It seriously is just so cool!

I mentioned that the nib is tiny... on a normal fountain pen the nib would look completely ridiculous, but due to the fact that it has a sort of "hooded" effect being encased in the pen's barrel it doesn't look too odd. 

One benefit of having the nib so small is the overall cost savings it employs. The Vanishing Point models come standard with a 18k gold nib and, for their price point, is a pretty good value I think. Pilot and Platinum are two brands that seem to make getting a good quality pen with a gold nib affordable. 

The nib itself really is more of a "nib unit" since it comes complete with the appropriate metal housing built in that allows the pen's inner workings to function. This is a bit different than most pens where the nib and feed are more of an independent feature that aren't quite so integral to the mechanics of the barrel.

The Decimo, standard Vanishing Point, and Fermo all take the same nib units, so they are interchangeable if you have varying nib sizes amongst these pens.

For this model I opted for a medium nib which is a really good size for me personally. It gives a generous line, but isn't too wide and is comparable to a European fine nib size you'd get on something like a Lamy or Pelikan. In my experience the Vanishing Point nibs have some give (not "flex" per se), which makes for somewhat softer writing. But, with the nib being so small you shouldn't overdo it with pressure. 

Included with the pen is the newer CON-40 converter as well as a Pilot/Namiki blue cartridge (with included chrome cap). Rather than inking from a bottle this time I opted to just pop in the cartridge as I enjoy the Pilot blue ink.

One common complaint by some people about the Vanishing Point pens is the clip. Since the pen is retractable that means there is no cap to remove which puts the clip smack dab in the middle of the grip section. For me this is not an issue due to how I hold pens; the clip actually nestles nicely between my thumb and index finger and doesn't impede my comfort. If someone has more of a "unique" grip, it could be a problem.

The only real downside I see to the Decimo is the lack of color options. From time to time Pilot releases varying editions of their models, but the Decimo's current lineup only provides about a half a dozen colors and all with a rhodium trim. Compare this to the standard Vanishing Point which has probably 20+ variations (at least) with a mix of rhodium, black, or gold trims. I'm partial to the matte black standard version and wish there were more options to choose from.

I went with probably the most boring combo of all (I'm boring I guess) with the gloss black and rhodium, but it fits my style and I like it.

Even with the color limitations I think the Decimo is a great option if someone wants the convenience and "cool" factor of the Vanishing Point, but would fare better with a slimmer model. And, the retail price is $10 cheaper... bonus.

Special thanks again to Pen Chalet for sending it for review! 

Baron Fig Squire - Mysterium Edition

Baron Fig seems to be on a pretty strong rollout schedule recently as they've been pushing out new pen products at a fast pace!

I recently reviewed their new, heavier, stainless steel version of the Squire (which I really enjoyed), but since then they've released two others: the Squire Click and the limited edition Mysterium Squire (which I'll be taking a look at today).

That is a pretty aggressive release calendar which might be tough for people to keep up with!

Baron Fig was kind enough to send me one of their newest limited editions, Mysterium, so special thanks to them for providing it.

Mysterium pays homage to what lies beyond our world; are we alone? To expound upon this, Baron Fig paired up with Harry Marks to write a short story which can be read at their site...  

As I've reviewed several of Baron Fig's Squire pens now, I'm noticing a couple of things: they don't change the design of the pens too much with the editions (color and "logo" only usually), but they are storytellers and tend to do things that they can try to create an atmosphere around. 

With Mysterium they took their aluminum version of the Squire and coated it in a bright orange anodize which is sure to stand out in a sea of dull pens. Their emblem/logo with this edition is a geometric pattern that coincides with their story mentioned above.

It is a sharp looking pen that doesn't disappoint in the aesthetics department.

As I've mentioned in previous reviews I really enjoy the teardrop shape of the Squire. It is easy to hold, the weight is shifted down which is nice for writing, and the size makes it one of the more comfortable pens I've used. It takes the Schmidt P8126 rollerball which is one of today's most popular liquid ink refills for machined/metal pens.

From a fit and finish standpoint I've noticed a few "imperfections" that weren't as apparent in previous models. Nothing too major, but on the knock I noticed hairline, vertical scratches perfectly spaced at three points (think triangle) that are no doubt created as the machine is gripping the parts during manufacturing. In editions that have a dark coating these are likely more invisible, but the orange seems to bring them out. 

Pretty much ALL metal pens have small machining marks with varying levels of noticeability, so I don't call that out to pick on Baron Fig, but was something I noticed that could bother some folks. For most people? Probably wouldn't even pay attention to it.

I really, really like this edition, but the more I think of it one thing I'd like to see from Baron Fig is a little more when it comes to the special editions. I really appreciate the creative storytelling ambiance they try to pair with their pens, but adjusting outside colors only is bound to go a bit stale over time, particularly with a high release frequency. 

One that really knocked our socks off recently was the Lock and Key edition since it was made from brass, a first dabble into new materials. I don't expect them to go nuts and use new materials every time, but potentially working with varying textures or laser engraved patterns over more of the pen's surface could help I think. 

Regardless of the above, I think Baron Fig is working hard to try and put out new, fresh colors and editions to appeal to different groups which I can appreciate. Anyone that loves the look of this pen won't be disappointed.

These limited runs seem to go pretty quick so if the orange is calling to you might be a good idea to snag one. Special thanks again to Baron Fig for sending Mysterium to check out!

Special Coupon: If you were looking into getting something from Baron Fig, you can save $10 off with a coupon from my referral link. This isn't a sponsorship link, but can help me to purchase more goods for review or to be given away from the folks at Baron Fig.