Casual Sunday - July 3, 2016

It's Sunday, which means it's time to pour a cup of coffee, snuggle up next to the pooch, and catch up on current events.

Pen Reviews:

• Lamy Pico Laser Orange Pocket Ballpoint Pen Review — The Pen Addict - Almost picked one of these up in the airport last week. I'm definitely regretting my decision not to.
• Pen Review: Tactile Turn Gist — The Gentleman Stationer - One of my favorite reviewers takes a look at a great EDC Kickstarter pen. Find my review of the Gist here.
• Quillidyllic: THE BLANC ET NOIR on the ROUGE ET NOIR - Like the Hemingway, the Rouge et Noir is delightfully orange and significantly out of my price range. Why must all of the best orange pens be so expensive?

Other Interesting Finds:

• Unordered Thoughts on Life at 35 — Shawn Blanc - I've followed Shawn for years, and his posts only become more thoughtful with time.
• Choosing Pens for the Daily Carry — The Gentleman Stationer
• Zen and the Art of Fountain Pen Maintenance — The Pen Addict - If you don't own a bulb syringe, you should.
• Scription: Scription Chronodex Weekly Planner Jul-Dec 2016 Released - I used the Chronodex planner for a few months, and it's fantastic!

Thanks for checking out this week's issue of Casual Sunday. Check back in on Tuesday morning for a brand new blog post or follow A Better Desk on Twitter or via RSS feed so that you don't have to. Thanks for your support!

Tactile Turn Gist Fountain Pen Review

Kickstarter can be a scary place. In a world full of Scribble Pens and fancy coolers, it's hard to want to plop down $100 or more for a product that may never be. That's why I waited nearly three weeks before backing the Tactile Turn Gist fountain pen. Fast forward more than six months, and I'm happily handwriting this article with one of the best pens in my arsenal, wondering why I had ever given it a second guess.

The pull-sleeve packing for the Gist is pretty slick.

The Tactile Turn Gist is a rugged fountain pen that holds its own against other $100 pens on the market. It's the first foray into fountain pens for Tactile Turn owner Will Hodges, and it's an impressive entry into the market. While its looks are professional enough to carry into a business meeting, its sturdy design makes it an excellent contender for an everyday carry pen.

The Gist comes in hundreds if not thousands of configurations. I chose the makrolon polycarbonate body with copper grip and finial and paired it with a titanium Bock nib. I should note that I'm just covering the Gist in this review and will go into more detail on the titanium nib next week. Makrolon is the same material that's used for the barrel of the Lamy 2000. It's lightweight but durable and will last for decades. The Gist's entire body is ridged, so that it's incredible easy to grip and manipulate in hand. The ridges give the pen a soft matte finish, which is nearly impossible to capture in a photograph. The pen does develop a sheen after significant use, but it doesn't get nearly as shiny as the Lamy 2000.

The copper finial on the Gist provides a teaser of what's under the hood. As the copper develops a patina over time, the finial begins to look like an old penny, a look that's enhanced by the Tactile Turn logo. The finial is machined with the rest of the polycarbonate cap, which results in a flawlessly smooth transition between copper and polycarbonate. The finial holds the clip in place, which sits in a notched slot in the polycarbonate. While the clip is incredibly sturdy, it is easily my least favorite part about the pen. Its look simply doesn't match the rest of the pen design. Fortunately, Kickstarter backers had the option to order a pen without a clip, so hopefully Tactile Turn has extended the same option to new customers.

The Tactile Turn Gist uses Acme threads to securely cap the pen. These threads are much larger than traditional cap threads and provide a secure seal, while requiring minimal twisting to uncap, less than three full turns to be exact. Perhaps there's a reason why more fountain pens don't use this type of threading, but these threads offer a dramatically better uncapping experience than threads on any of my other pens. Uncapping the pen reveals the beautiful copper grip, which is also ridged to prevent slippage. I can't overstate just how much I prefer the ridged grip to traditional smooth grips. The ridges allow for comfort during long writing sessions and prevent slippage caused by sweaty hands. The pen also posts, although it's plenty long enough to use unposted, which I prefer. The copper does leave a faint smell of pennies on my hands. At first, I avoided choosing copper for this very reason, but the smell is so faint that it's hardly noticeable, unless you jam your fingers up your nose, which I certainly don't recommend. The copper grip develops a patina over time, just like the finial.

The Gist includes a converter, which compares to a traditional international converter but is somewhat shorter. Simply unscrew the bottom section of the barrel to access the converter. The barrel, nib, and grip are all threaded, to ensure that the pen fits tightly together and does creak or wobble. Converter capacity is adequate for steel nibs, but I burn through converter fills with the titanium nib. The flex in the nib causes it to use much more ink than the tough-as-nails steel nib. Those who are accustomed to using piston fillers may certainly miss the added capacity.

Here's a closeup of the Acme cap threads and the pen's ridged surface.

As an everyday carry pen, the Tactile Turn Gist fountain pen is sturdy, grippy, and delivers on everything that it promises. This is the pen that I would take onto the machine shop floor, if I had a machine shop that is. There's something special about the copper and the way that it shows its age. It reminds me of all of the writing, scribbling, and sketching that I've done with it. Unlike traditional steel or titanium, the copper holds the history of its owner. Sure, it's easily possible to return the copper to its original glory, but perfection isn't why people purchase copper pens. The Tactile Turn Gist is a testament to Will Hodge's manufacturing prowess. It's not just an excellent Kickstarter fountain pen, it's an excellent fountain pen period.

Don't Wait

I've had a hard time wanting to write about pens lately. Despite all of the new cool stuff that's floating around my messenger bag, I just can't bring myself to do it. I promise that I'll return to posting about the latest and greatest in the pen world, cool notebooks, and pen cases, but not today. Today I want to talk about us. Not just us as members of the pen community, but us as human beings, as brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and lovers.

I met my partner nearly two years ago. I used to hate the term "partner." It felt like a term that people used to be politically correct or safe. This was all before I knew what it meant to truly have a partner. It took 26 years to build up the courage to pursue someone of the same gender, but it got to the point where I could no longer continue to push the painful sense of settling back into the pit of my stomach. Just like with many of you, our relationship began online. From the first day that we started talking, I knew that I had to meet him. And so I did. It was such an awesome first date that I came out to my parents the very next day. I would say that it was one of the hardest things that I've ever had to do, but that would be a lie. It was a telephone call. It took a little while, but eventually my parents came to terms and accepted it, because they've always accepted me. It's never something that I've ever had to question about them. There were no laws threatening me with severe punishment or death. I didn't have to deal with religious bigotry that some in many countries, even the U.S., have to contend with. I work for an organization that is on the cutting edge of acceptance. My parents still supported me. I had it easy, yet it took me nearly three decades to take the step.

I underestimated what coming out actually meant. I assumed that it meant telling your parents, friends, and maybe a few coworkers and calling it a day. It's actually a set of choices that must be made everyday. It's how you respond when someone asks if you're married or have a girlfriend. It's whether or not you choose to hold your partner's hand in public, or even dare to walk too closely next to him. It's telling your neighbor that you're not actually brothers, even though that's how he continues to refer to you. It may even be as stupid as choosing to watch The Devil Wears Prada, while traveling alone on a plane as a 28 year old man, even though someone else might be able to see the screen. These are daily choices, and I have to admit that I've been pretty terrible at making the right ones.

I could feel my face flush when starting this post. As a naturally anxious person, even the thought of doing something that makes me stick out makes me cringe. It becomes incredibly easy to lie through omission or inaction. There's a fantastic video about the consequences of sneaking, of not being truly ourselves and hiding from those who might be critical or disapproving. I can't help but relate to the main character. Sneaking once or twice may not be such a big deal, but choosing to act in an attempt to solely please others is toxic to the psyche. More importantly, it's unfair. It's unfair to loved ones, but it's also unfair to ourselves. Instead of taking risks or being truly ourselves, we hide, we play it safe, and we lose more and more of what actually makes us worth knowing. I say "we" because I know that I'm not the only one, and it isn't just about sexuality. It happens in almost all walks of life, across gender, races, religions, and even nerdy hobbies.

And the worst part is that there are people out there who will ridicule, judge, or even kill you, for almost anything that makes your somewhat different than the norm. People even deal with harassment in the pen community. Trolls shout the loudest, so it's easy to think that they represent the majority. They don't. It's easy to let them shout you down into a place of deep despair. These people aren't worth your time. Find comfort in those who love you, but don't strive for the approval of those who will only love a certain version of you. And don't wait. Don't wait to pursue what you love or whom you love, and don't wait to be unapologetically yourself.

Times of great tragedy remind us of the incredible power of human compassion. More importantly, they remind us that, despite the trolls of the world, we are constantly surrounded by allies who are willing to step up in times of need. I have to remind myself of this at times, that these allies are always there. Sometimes it can be hard to do, especially at times when the world seems so ugly.

Nock Co. Sinclair Pen Case Review

School supply shopping was always my favorite part of returning to classes. I loved exploring the endless aisles of brightly lit pens, pencils and notebooks. Backpack purchasing decisions were made solely on the number of pen sleeves and pockets that the bag had. While picking pens and pencils was part of the fun, meticulously organizing them in a new backpack provided the real payoff.

Fast forward ten years, and I'm clawing for a cheap pharmaceutical-company Bic at the bottom of my bag, amidst a sea of coins, keys, and paperclips. In my college years, no pen lasted more than a month, which was fine, considering that most were free company swag. I'm happy to say that I'm now a reformed pen abuser, mostly because the quality of my writing tools has increased exponentially. There's no way that I'm throwing a fountain pen, like a Lamy 2000, into a bag full of keys.

Japan introduced me to the concept of a pen case. Sure, I had a plastic box for my pens in elementary school, but this pen-obsessed culture took cases to a new level. There were simple pen cases, which resembled an elementary school recorder case, and fancy leather pen wraps. The simple cases are nice enough, but I'm not a fan of pens rubbing together. The fancier leather wraps made it too difficult to remove a pen quickly, and I wasn't prepared to drop $100 on a pen case. I needed something that was affordable, easy to access, and durable. The Nock Co. Sinclair was the answer to my payers.

The Sinclair is a $35 nylon pen case that holds three pens and a pocket (Field Notes size) notebook. It zips from the top, so it's easy to quickly retrieve a pen and notebook. The case's zipper is very sturdy and has held up well with time, and its high quality stitching hasn't frayed a bit, even after months of use. The nylon case material is even coated with water repellent, to keep even the fanciest of pens safe and dry.

The pen slots are wider than a typical slot in a backpack or messenger bag, so most pens should fit with ease, as long as they aren't much longer than a typical pen. I keep a Nock Co. DotDash Pocket Notebook in the notebook slot, but there's also plenty of room for a stack of index cards as well (I use Nock Co. DotDash 3 x 5 Note Cards).

The Nock Co. Sinclair comes in several color variations. I chose the Mandarin/Blue Jay combo, since it was the only color in stock at the time, but I would love to own a version of this case in the Steel/Mango fabric combo, which doesn't currently exist.

The Sinclair is a fantastic case for the price, and I'm very happy to have it as my first pen case. It fits easily into an existing messenger bag or backpack, and provides extra protection while maintaining ease of access. The case's durable nylon and notebook slot also makes it feasable to carry the case by itself, loose in a purse, or even in a cargo pocket, for those EDC types. This case is a must buy.

Fisher Bullet Space Pen Review

It was an ordinary Sunday in the summer of 1969. Americans went about their day as usual, starting with church, followed by barbecues, and afternoon baseball. Despite its average beginning, July 20, 1969 would mark one of man's greatest triumphs, thanks to three men in a metal tube hundreds of thousands of miles away. Families sat in front of glowing black-and-white boxes, as man set foot on the moon for the first time. As Neil Armstrong took one giant leap for man kind, humanity was reminded that its potential was limitless, and for just a moment, anything was possible. For just one night, Americans dreamt of exploring the cosmos instead of buying a new car.

The Fisher Space Pen was adopted by NASA in the mid 1960's and accompanied the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission that brought America to the moon. Writing with a Space Pen feels a bit like writing with a piece of history. Granted, designs and materials have changed, but the spirit of the original pen is still there. This spirit isn't bound by the limits of the imagination, but rather lives in the world of "what if." Space Pens remind their users to try a little harder, go a little farther, and shoot for the stars.

The Fisher Bullet Space Pen comes in a clear plastic display case, nested carefully in foam that's shaped to look like a moon rock. The pen looks as if its an artifact in a museum, and the careful detail in the pen's packaging foreshadows the pen's stellar performance. The Bullet Space Pen is shockingly small, in a way that intimidates someone, like me, who has large man hands. The pen has a nice weight and feel, due to its aluminum body and matte finish. I purchased the black matte version of the Bullet Pen, but there are several materials and finishes available. The matte finish provides substantial grip, making it easy to manipulate the pen in hand and reducing hand fatigue during intensive writing sessions. The pen is simply one of the best looking pens that I own, which is shocking considering that it's standard price falls below $20.

My Instagram feed is littered with images of everyday carry (EDC) load outs, but I hardly consider myself a rugged mountaineer in need of a pen that writes underwater. That said, the Fisher Bullet Space Pen is an EDC enthusiast's dream. The pen writes upside down, underwater, through almost any slimy substance that you can throw at it, and even in space. The pen's writing durability is due to a special pressurized cartridge and ink formulation. The pen ball is made from a super-hard tungsten carbide and is precision fit to the ink chamber, to prevent seepage as well as the clicking sound that cheaper ballpoint pens make. The cartridge is also designed to work in a wide range of temperatures, even those at which humans could not survive. In short, this pen will work in almost any situation imaginable and could even be used to make a journal entry while you're boiling alive.

Although the pen is tiny enough to slip into a pocket comfortably when capped, it is long enough to rest comfortably in the webbing between my thumb and index finger when posted. The pen posts with a friction fit, although the cap wobbles just a bit. It's possible to crank the cap down onto the end of the pen, but the wobble isn't noticeable enough to warrant damaging the pen barrel. The o-ring at the base of the pen's grip ensures that the pen seals when capped, protecting the tip of the pen from air or other nasty contaminants.

It's important to note that I use fountain pens almost exclusively and have never reviewed a rollerball pen on A Better Desk. I've been looking for a solid traveling pen that I can take on an airplane without having to worry about leakage or complicated storage solutions. It takes some work to move from a fountain pen back to a rollerball pen, so give yourself time to adjust before setting out on whatever journey lays ahead of you. Fountain pens work better when the nib is at a sharp angle to the paper, while rollerball pens work best when held as vertically to paper as possible. The rollerball tip feels much bigger and less precise than a typical fine-nibbed pen and requires additional pressure.

I've grown to love the Fisher Bullet Space Pen, after a few days of practice and regular use. The pen writes very smoothly and without the stickiness of a standard cheap ballpoint pen. The pen leaves a deep black line on the page, without having to excerpt so much pressure that writing becomes uncomfortable. Fisher claims that their Space Pen cartridges last longer than standard cartridges, due to their pressurized ink chambers, but I haven't had the pen long enough to verify.

The Fisher Bullet Space Pen can be purchased with an optional clip, although it does break the streamlined shape of the pen. Most reviews mention that the clip is unstable and doesn't secure firmly to the body, but I've found the opposite to be true. My clip holds so tightly to the pen body that I initially had a hard time removing it.

Fountain pens remain my favorite type of pen for now; however, I plan to carry the Fisher Bullet Space Pen whenever the situation calls for a versatile alternative to my beloved fountain pens. The Space Pen performs so well that it doesn't feel like a compromise, and its unique history makes it a reminder than anything is possible every time I pick it up.