Pilot FriXion (0.5 point. Red ink)
The parade of JetPens.com pens continues today. Previously I reviewed the Pilot Acroball and the Uni Power Tank. This pen, also donated to the #PensPlease campaign by JetPens.com, is a red-ink Pilot FriXion.
This particular model has a 0.5 tip and comes with a cap (not retractable). It is what I would call a "skinny pen" but Pilot has equipped it with a thin, rubbery grip that stays out of the way but greatly enhances the comfort of writing with this pen.
For a pen of this size I think Pilot pretty much nailed the grip. It is unobtrusive (you might not even notice it in the picture below if you didn't know what you're looking for) but when you hold the pen it is unmistakable. You are not going to lose your grip on this pen.
For a pen of this size I think Pilot pretty much nailed the grip. It is unobtrusive (you might not even notice it in the picture below if you didn't know what you're looking for) but when you hold the pen it is unmistakable. You are not going to lose your grip on this pen.
This pen is called the FriXion because you can erase your writing. Instead of old "erasable" pens that left eraser crumbs like a pencil eraser, this pen does not.
You're still going to instinctively sweep the area to brush away crumbs (or at least I did), but there aren't any crumbs to sweep. The ink is "thermosensitive" and the friction created by rubbing that white tip against it takes care of the ink.
This function gives the pen a variety of uses and sets it apart from other pens I own. If you work with fabric, you can mark on the fabric with this pen and the ink will disappear when you iron it. If you grade papers you can erase a mark when your student protests and you give her credit after all. If you often goof when writing checks, you can erase and start over instead of voiding it (see "mandatory warning" below).
Mandatory warning: That last use was not meant to be taken seriously. Pilot explicitly warns users not to use the FriXion for financial matters. If you can "erase" it with the rubber tip, crooks can find ways to erase it too. Do NOT write checks with the FriXion pen; I am not responsible for any harm that results if you do.
You're still going to instinctively sweep the area to brush away crumbs (or at least I did), but there aren't any crumbs to sweep. The ink is "thermosensitive" and the friction created by rubbing that white tip against it takes care of the ink.
This function gives the pen a variety of uses and sets it apart from other pens I own. If you work with fabric, you can mark on the fabric with this pen and the ink will disappear when you iron it. If you grade papers you can erase a mark when your student protests and you give her credit after all. If you often goof when writing checks, you can erase and start over instead of voiding it (see "mandatory warning" below).
Mandatory warning: That last use was not meant to be taken seriously. Pilot explicitly warns users not to use the FriXion for financial matters. If you can "erase" it with the rubber tip, crooks can find ways to erase it too. Do NOT write checks with the FriXion pen; I am not responsible for any harm that results if you do.
Because this particular model has a cap you will either have to write without the cap "posted" on the pen or be prepared to remove it from the post each time you need to "erase." This is a minor inconvenience, but one that becomes obvious if you like to write with the cap on the post. (Pilot does have retractable versions of the FriXion if you do not want a cap)
On one occasion as I went to "erase" I briefly forgot about how the cap blocks the eraser. While adjusting to remove the cap I actually stabbed myself with the tip! This is unlikely to happen to you, but be aware that the red smudge on your finger after such an incident might just be blood instead of ink.
Sometimes great things have occupational hazards.
All the unconventional uses made possible by the pen's "eraser" are what makes this pen exciting. I am especially interested in using the FriXion pens for underlining and making notes in my Bible.
Bible pages can sometimes be delicate, so I needed to test the pen in my own Bible before I proposed that other readers consider doing the same. As you'll see from these photos, the markings were removed effectively and the page was not torn. I promise these pictures are in the right chronological order.
On one occasion as I went to "erase" I briefly forgot about how the cap blocks the eraser. While adjusting to remove the cap I actually stabbed myself with the tip! This is unlikely to happen to you, but be aware that the red smudge on your finger after such an incident might just be blood instead of ink.
Sometimes great things have occupational hazards.
All the unconventional uses made possible by the pen's "eraser" are what makes this pen exciting. I am especially interested in using the FriXion pens for underlining and making notes in my Bible.
Bible pages can sometimes be delicate, so I needed to test the pen in my own Bible before I proposed that other readers consider doing the same. As you'll see from these photos, the markings were removed effectively and the page was not torn. I promise these pictures are in the right chronological order.
If I run my thumb over the area that was "erased" the area feels bumpy: as if that part of your page is now written in Braille. I do not know if the bumps would go away in time.
While you might not want to do a LOT of erasing in your Bible, I still think these pens (they come in different colors) could be a very useful study tool.
While you might not want to do a LOT of erasing in your Bible, I still think these pens (they come in different colors) could be a very useful study tool.
If you visit JetPens.com and search for "Pilot FriXion." you'll be greeted by a tantalizing variety of colors and tip sizes. If you don't care for pencils, a pen like this might remove them almost completely from your life.