"Quid Pro Quo Clarice" … Sorry Dr. Lecter, Wrong Pen
Written: Jul 02 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Looks incredible, inexpensive, refillable, matching mechanical pencil.
Cons: Not sold as a set, most stores won't carry them.
The Bottom Line: If you have five or six bucks to blow, the Clarius from Pentel makes for a nice investment.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Pentel Clarius Retractable Ball Pen Green Barrel ... |
Being a huge fan of the film "Silence of The Lambs", I get a lot of puns thrown my way at the shop. When anyone orders fried chicken, someone inevitably reenacts the scene from "Cable Guy" where Jim Carrey put the chicken skin on his face. Yeah, the guys are that weird but I do love them. One 'joke' that really caught me off guard was the Pentel Clarius. I showed up at work and there was a small gift bag on my desk. That usually means one of two things; someone royally screwed up and was trying to suck up to smooth things over or someone took the company credit card and went to the office supply store. The Clarius [both pen and pencil] were a double header. Someone screwed up at the office supply store with the credit card and figured the Clarius set would sooth the savage beast.
Pentel Clarius Retractable Ball Pen Green Barrel Black Ink Medium
The absolute first thing you need to know about this pen is that it isn't "green", that is like calling Yoplait "yogurt" and not having the dairy guy smack you or at the very least trip you as you walk down the refrigerated section. This is emerald .. not green. If you are going to look for the Clarius you won't find a green one so remember that. Ehat's the next thing you need to know about this pen? It has a smooth feel to it; both in the hand and on the paper. The thick rubber comfort grip makes writing for long periods of time a complete breeze. While no point size is mentioned on the package, it is a 1mm tip so this isn't a fine or thin line pen. Simply put, if you like your pens to write with a thick like, the Clarius is sure to deliver. This is a retractable pen so there are no caps to worry about; it doesn't make a lot of noise when you are clicking it either. Nothing grates me more than people that site there incessantly clicking their pen when they are on the phone or they are nervous. If you have one of "those" people in your office, do yourself a favor and get them one of these.
This is a ball point pen, not a gel pen. When I went online to look for a current price for this [since this was given to me as a gift] I saw a few sites listing this as a gel pen and that is completely untrue. Pentel does make a Clarius Gel Pen but that is a completely different product that performs in a completely different manner. This is an important tidbit of information to know if you are going to be ordering items online; the Clarius [BK601] and Clarius Gel [K601] are two different products.
How smooth does this write? So smooth that it makes Barry White seem abrasive. No matter what type of paper I write on, the ink flow is perfect from start to finish. That says a lot considering that this is a roller ball pen and they are notorious for skipping on textured paper. The ink is dark and rich, not the least bit washed out or muted. I hate pens that say they have black in and then you get them and start writing with them only to see that it's more of a charcoal than a true black color. Refills for this can be purchased for a few dollars so if the barrel is still in good shape, buying the refills will save you a good bit of money in the long run.
This is a well made pen that is solid, none of that crappy ultra cheap plastic that breaks or cracks when you drop it or step on it. The barrel design is sweet too; the swirl pattern on it gives it a nice expensive look but doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to purchase. As with all Pentel products, this comes with a guarantee that you will be satisfied or they will replace it or refund your purchase price. Chances are if you try this out at a store or receive one as a gift it will be at the top of your list of 'pens to use' when you are taking notes or writing letters. The rubber grip are is generous and allows even the most tight gripped of writers the ability to effortlessly pen their missives without hand cramps.
If the emerald color isn’t to your liking, fear not, this also comes in onyx, sapphire and ruby. If you like the Clarius pen then you might want to check out the mechanical pencil too; they come in matching colors so if you are someone that has to color coordinate, you aren't out of luck. The down side is that Pentel doesn't offer the matching pen and pencil colors in a set. The set would make for a great gift for someone without breaking the bank. They are both listed as selling in the six t eight dollar price range so if they came as a set, you might end up spending fifteen dollars for something that looks great, will get used and can be refilled.
The Bottom Line
So far I have nothing but great things to say about this pen and the way that it writes. Since I didn't have to pay for it, that made it an even sweeter deal. Well, when I stop and think about it, I guess I am going to end up paying for it since the person that bought it used the company credit card. Oh well, I guess it's the thought that counts right? If you have a pen lover in your midst and want to get them a roller ball that writes smoothly, has dark ink and can be refilled then the Clarius is the way to go. Sure, it does cost more than other roller ball pens but once you pick it up and feel how comfortably it writes, the price will instantly be justified.
As always, thanks for the visit…
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2007 Freak369
Other Pentel pen reviews
Pentel R.S.V.P. Ballpoint
Pentel EnerGel Liquid Gel Roller
Pentel Hybrid Gold Gel Ink Pen
Pentel Lancelot Roller Ball Pen
Pentel Hybrid DX Metallic Silver Gel Ink Pen
Please note: the image for this pen is incorrect. The image is of the onyx Clarius, not the emerald.
Recommended:
Yes
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