Pilot Frixion

*****I AM HAVING TROUBLE INSERTING PICTURES SO WILL POST WITHOUT PICTURES FOR NOW****

Today I will be looking at the Frixion line from Pilot (for those of you who do not know this is Pilot's erasable line)! Pilot is one of my favorite companies and I think this line is a success! I currently own The
Pilot FriXion Ball US Erasable Gel Ink Pen in black and blue and the Pilot FriXion Colors Erasable Marker - Black. I actually bought the marker completely on accident trying to get a black pen (silly me!).

I'm sure many of you have terrible memories of erasable pens (erasermate) and so may be scared to try Frixion, but their is no need for worry.

The pens write better then any of the other erasable pens, and erase with ease as well. These pens will not write as well as a conventional gel ink pen, but it can be a good trade off. Aesthetically speaking these pens are terrible, but pilot has the same pen in many designs and I am looking in getting a metal version. Also the pens are rather fat and I think the two of them take up the space of three average pens. Overall I would not get these pens for any purpose other than erasing. If you need to erase pen then this is the way to go.

The marker is great. It writes just as well as any other marker I have seen. Good tip size, nice flow, and easy to erase. The one major problem I have with this marker is the ink is grey rather then black. This might not seem like a huge problem, but I like dark inks. I can only use this marker after considering it as a grey marker. Aesthetics on the marker are much improved and it looks pretty nice. Overall great marker in every way. Grey is a problem, but it comes in many colors and I am sure the others are nicer.

How do you like the Pilot Frixion line? Do you have any memories of erasable pens? Leave your comments and opinions on this post!

Grammar

Hey guys! I just wanted to tell you all that I am going to be posting more often. I am going to have less grammar friendly posts going forward (sorry to all the grammar police!), but I think it will let me post more often! Grammar is not my strong suit so be ready.

Thanks and if anyone has a big problem with it just leave a comment on this post and I will try to address it.

New Jetpens order!!!!

I just got a new shipment from Jetpens, and I am very excited got some great products to review! look forward to some great new reviews coming up!

4 Awesome new pens!

Nib View, so great!

Great Ink container, you will see later!

ink refills

The Pencut Mini Pen-Style Scissors from Raymay

Today I am going to review what is probably the most interesting pair of scissors I have found. These scissors are made to look like a pen, but when you take off the cap, it is actually a pair of scissors. You can purchase these scissors for $8.25 at Jetpens.

With cap on

Cap removed

 They are very simple to use and very appealing

Design

The scissors come in five colors and are very attractive to look at. Raymay has manage to conceal the handles of the scissors and still make it easy to use. The cap fits on to the front nicely, but will not post. Posting is not necessary anyway as it would restrict you from using the scissors.

Ease of Use

These scissors are very simple to use. All you have to do is take off the cap, slide down the two white pieces, and use them normally. Also, these scissors can be switched between left and right hand use. They is very simple and if you purchase them, they will come with instructions.

Right hand 

Left hand

 Durability

These scissors are overall very sturdy and I have not had any troubles. However when you are switching between left and right hand use the thin plastic part is pulled out a little and seems delicate, though I have not had problems and it has not broken.

Pros

-Both left and right hand

-Good size

-Looks like pen and is very attractive

-Simple to use

Cons

-Flimsy plastic part when switching left and right hand

Overall I would not use these scissors for heavy use, but are a nice addition to a pencil case for having scissors on hand.

Thanks for reading! Comment with your opinions and questions.

The V5 Hi-Tecpoint from Pilot

Today we are going to look at the Pilot V5 Hi-Tecpoint. I bought this pen while in Kuwait, so I do not know too much about the availability in America. Cultpens has the pen if you are fine with paying for shipping from the UK. Jetpens does not sell the version I am reviewing, but the one in the link is very similar, as well as refillable. This pen is very old, released in about 1983, but still insanely popular. If you are considering a liquid ink pen, the V5 is the way to go. Also refill hack at the bottom of the review just follow the link.

Design

The pen's design is overall very simple, but also has some nice features.

My Pilot V5 Hi-Tecpoints.

The pen has a plastic body, but does not feel weak in your hand. The pen also has a very simple metal clip on it, and gets the job done. The pens measure a little above 13.5 cm capped and are 15 cm posted. The diameter of the pen barrel is almost one cm.

The pen has a visible ink supply which I find very helpful as I do not have to remove the barrel.

Visible ink supply

Ink

The ink flows very nicely, and can be seen from the ink window. The pen comes in seven different colors: black, blue, green, red, light blue, purple, or pink ink. I currently only own the first four colors, but am looking to add a light blue, as well as maybe a purple. The ink also dries very quickly, so lefties do not have to worry about smudging their papers.

What the colors look like.

"Hi-Tecpoint"


This pen is called a 0.5, but I would say with use it seems like a 0.3 (perhaps a 0.4).

If you are looking for an actual 0.5 than you can buy the V7. The V7 is the same pen just a little thicker nib. Also available at Cultpens.

Pen tips

Green alone

This pen is just slightly scratchy when used on normal paper, but on my Rhodia pad it flies. Anytime you have a pen with a needle-point like this you have to worry about the sturdiness. I found the pen quite strong and took my writing very well. However I lent the black pen to a friend and the point quickly bent for her. I was able to fix the pen with force the other way, and some help from my pliers. The pen writes fine now, but for writers that tend to use a lot of force, be wary!

Pros

1. Nice simple design
2. Good amount of ink choices
3. Very precise
4. Visible ink supply
5. Good ink flow

Cons (surprised I have any)

1. Hard to refill
2. Nib is not very sturdy
3. Slightly scratchy on printer paper

GREAT HACK

This pen is not meant to be refillable (unless of course if you get the version mentioned before from jetpens). I have found a way to hack this pen though. All you have to do is follow the steps on Parka Blogs.

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked my review. Comment with your opinions on this pen. If you tried the hack, tell me how it worked for you.



******UPDATE*******
I just bought this pen in the refillable version I mentioned in the post, and it works great!

The Teffa Pen Case from Lihit Lab

Let me start off with saying this is an extraordinary pen case. I purchased this case in orange from Jet Pens (www.jetpens.com) for $14.00, but the price has been raised to $17.50 because of the high demand. The case is still worth the money though, and if you are looking are for a new case you should definitely consider it.

Pros

1. Good organization help
2. Lots of storage
3. Good price
4. Good quality

Cons

1. A bit bulky
2. No handle for carrying

I have managed to fit fifteen pens, one pocket writing pad from Rhodia, pencil lead, a matchbox with staples, an eraser, a six inch ruler, and a mini pair of scissors. The three smaller mesh pockets are also the perfect size to fit a flash drive. I will be reviewing most of these later so stay tuned!

My current pens in the case.

My other supplies.

This case is bulky, but has a huge amount of storage. This case is "built for organization", and lives up to it. If you have trouble organizing it even comes with a guide on how to put your supplies in. The inside is brown regardless of the color you buy. The color choices available include: brown, orange,  black, and yellow green.

It is of excellent quality and will stand up to rough treatment very well.

I would definitely recommend this case, especially if you do not want to waste time looking for a pen or anything when you need it.

Welcome to The Desk Assessment!

This is my first post of course, as well as my first blog. I am, like many others, addicted to stationery. I have read many other blogs devoted to this topic, and have decided to start my own. I will try to post often and give reviews of any cool office supplies I find. This blog will mostly be filled with my reviews on pens that are in an affordable range for most people. I know there are many blogs like this, but I will try to give lots of details and review things in a more affordable price range. And anyways, you can never have enough reviews! I encourage you all to comment and give me your opinions. Thank you visiting my blog, and I hope you like my reviews!