Getting to Know Hobonichi: Pens

This is the third and last post of a small series where I’ve been sharing my thoughts on Hobonichi and its Tomoe River paper. You can read the first post (on rubber stamping in Hobonichi) here, and the second post (on washi tapes) here.

I’m on my second Hobonichi Techo, which means I’ve been writing on its Tomoe River paper for quite some time now. It doesn’t mean I’ve been writing in my Hobonichi daily; there are days, even weeks, where the pages are blank. But I think I spent enough time with it so far to be able to finally talk about some of the pens I’ve tried, and highlight what worked and what didn’t work for me.

Note: In this post I use “TR” as an abbreviation for Hobonichi’s Tomoe River paper.

Testing various gel pens in the back pages of Hobonichi. This wasn't a scientific comparison by any means. It's simply to show what could happen if you don't wait for the inks to dry.

Gel Pens

One of the first things I learned from using TR paper is that I have to be very patient. Let the ink dry completely. Even when you think you’ve given it enough time to dry, it’s safer not to touch it. Because a little swipe with a fingertip (worse yet, a moist fingertip) can smudge the ink. Obviously, this depends on the ink formula, but surely I can put some of the blame on the TR paper’s characteristics. I mean, it’s so thin, yet the ink doesn’t bleed through! Where does the ink go if it’s not absorbed by the paper? Oh, it’s on the surface, taking forever to dry.

I’m sure seasoned Hobonichi users are saying “well, duh” by now, and it’s not like I haven’t heard that TR paper requires extra drying time. But some things are better learned through experience, I guess. I knew not to expect much from fountain pen inks, as most of them are dye-based and not waterproof. But I was disappointed to find that gel pens, too, require extra time and can be more sensitive to moisture, even the ones that never have these problems on regular paper. Some gel pens are better or worse than others. The Pentel Hybrid Technica, for example, smudges even after letting it dry for a long time. Thankfully, my favorite gel pen of all time, Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle-Point in 0.35 mm, is one of the better ones.

Another thing I learned is that I don’t enjoy the feel of gel pen tips when writing in my Hobonichi. I generally use finer tips (0.35–0.4mm), and these feel too pointy on the delicate TR paper. I tried using the plastic Hobonichi pencil board to add stiffness, but it made the writing surface feel too slick. This was really unfortunate for me, as gel pens are my primary choice in pens, and I really wanted to use them with Hobonichi. This is why, for awhile, I was unsure I would continue using Hobonichi in the new year.
 

Drawing Pens

But I didn’t give up! I experimented with drawing pens next, like the ever-popular Sakura Microns, Staedtler Pigment Liners, Pilot Drawing Pen, Uni Pin, etc. Since many of these are waterproof, I had no problems with them on TR. Once dried, I experienced no smudging. And along the way, I discovered a wonderful pen called Rotring Tikky Graphic Drawing Pen. I loved the feel of its tip on TR, its wet ink, and the dark red-brown barrel. I really enjoyed using it in Hobonichi… until the tip lost its crispness and became too wide for my taste. That seems to be the general problem I have with all the graphic liners I’ve ever tried (that, and also they’re uncomfortable to hold). So my search for a better Hobonichi pen continued...

Oh, one happy discovery I made is that Pilot Futayaku Double-Sided Brush Pen in black/gray ink is fantastic on the TR paper. The ink still requires a lot of caution and patience, but it doesn’t bleed through. Once it’s dried, it stays put. I especially like the gray tip; since the ink isn’t absorbed right away, you can push it around on the paper for a nice watercolor effect.

I’m still using drawing pens with Hobonichi; I just limit them to drawing, not writing. I make line drawings with a graphic liner (like Shaun the Sheep above!) and once they’re dry, I often shade them with the Pilot Futayaku gray ink.
 

Fountain Pens

I’ve heard plenty of people raving about how wonderful fountain pens are on Tomoe River paper, so that’s what I tried next for writing, despite knowing they’re not waterproof and that I’d have to be extra patient. I’m glad I didn’t give up because FPs are what I mainly use these days with Hobonichi. At first, I wasn’t exactly sure how to use my Hobonichi, but now that I’ve found a great fountain pen+nib+ink combo that works well on the TR paper, I’m journaling a lot more regularly.

My favorites are the Pilot Kakuno (F nib) with J. Herbin Cacao du Brésil ink. I’m not an FP expert, so I can’t say this is the best combo ever, but out of all the pens and inks I already own, it suits my needs the best. I really enjoy how the TR paper feels at the tip of my nib (without the pencil board), and I find Cacao du Brésil to be more resistant to smudging than other inks I have at home (e.g. Sailor Jentle Miruai).  These properties alone could have convinced me to not give up on Hobonichi, but I absolutely love the color, too! It’s a warm gray with a hint of purple.

Since my handwriting is small, I normally prefer Japanese EF nibs (especially on a small grid like in the Hobonichi) but the EF I tried (from Pilot Penmanship) felt too scratchy. To balance out the wider F nib, the soft gray color of Cacao du Brésil keeps my pages from looking too dark or contrast-y. I’m tempted to try more gray inks but the small bottle I got looks like it’ll last me a long time. Good, because I want to feel “settled in” with my Hobonichi already!

So yeah! Thanks for reading this far! Hobonichi has been a great excuse for me to experiment with different pens and finally see for myself how TR performs. It’s tested my patience at times but I had fun most of the time and I learned a lot. I’m still enjoying it and I’m sure I’ll discover new favorite fountain pen inks as I go.

What are some of your favorites pens to use with Hobonichi?

Related Links

• Hobonichi Techo at Amazon.com
• A Practice: My Hobonichi Techo | From the Pen Cup: I find Mary’s “three good things” per day idea inspiring, as is Ian’s Journaling with Purpose | Pens! Paper! Pencils!
• What I Use: Hobonichi Techo Journal | Fountain Pen Quest: take good note of Ray’s blotting paper idea!
• Hobonichi Planner Review at The Pen Addict by Susan M. Pigott
• Hobonichi Techo - The Newsprint
• How I use my Hobonichi Techo — fourfiftytwo
• 10 months in with the Hobonichi Techo - final thoughts — The Finer Point
• Gourmet Pens: Review: 2015 Hobonichi A6 Planner @TheJournalShop

PS: Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, which means, if you follow these links and make a purchase, I'll earn a tiny commission. Every little bit will help support the hosting of this site, and I’d very much appreciate it if you decide to follow these links.

Gel Pens Round-up

Updated July 2017 with new links. Some of these pens have unfortunately been discontinued.

Updated November 2017 with Amazon affiliate links at the bottom of the post.

What’s a stationery blog without pens?

Here are some of the black gel pens I’ve discovered over the years and my thoughts on them. I’ve never done an in-depth review on any specific pens before, and I don’t claim this to be one. This is just a way to organize my thoughts on my gel pen journey so far.

Let’s start with the negatives. Gel pens I will probably not buy again.

Thumbs down.

1. Pilot Hi-Tec-C (0.25 to 0.4): Man, I really don’t remember what pens I used before Hi-Tec-Cs. That was a long time ago. I thought they were great at first, and it took me awhile to realize they’re not for me and that there are other options out there. As soon as I found Zebra Sarasa (see #6), I never looked back. I just find it uncomfortable in my hand, especially, the grip area, and the ink flow frustrated me often, especially at the start of writing. I will never choose Hi-Tec-Cs for my daily writing but I do look out for any special colors they release, like the Yawaragi colors, just for the fun of it. Side note: I tested a Hi-Tec-C Maica in brown recently and was pleasantly surprised. Okay, never say never.

2. Muji Hexagonal Polycarbonate Gel Ink Pen (0.38): It writes well but it's nothing too special. I got it because of its hexagonal body. Feels kinda cheap.

3. Muji Polycarbonate Gel Ink Pen in round body (0.38): Similar to the hexagonal one, nothing special. Maybe I just don’t like how the polycarbonate looks and feels. Meh. Edit (July 2017): this pen has apparently been discontinued.

4. Muji Gel Ink Pen in round body, refillable with cap (0.38): I thought this was great when I tested it at the store but when I actually used it for an extended period of time, I realized it’s not for me. The top tip of this pen is a small plastic part that seals the refill in, and it becomes unscrewed over time, if you post the cap. Annoying! Otherwise, I’d prefer this over the two previous Muji pens.

5. Uni-ball Uni Style Fit: M and I actually discovered this pen while on a trip to Tokyo! It looks great and writes well but over time, we realized it’s too slim. And, naturally, the ink reservoir is tiny. I think Style Fit is how we found Jetpens because we were looking for refills for it. Ha! Anyway, we’ve moved on. I’ve tried the multi-pen body with different types of refills too but I wasn’t blown away. I like that they release special designs in collaboration with other brands though, like with Majolica Majorca. I have tons of those. Oops.

Now, onto the positives. If I reached for a pen in my pen cup and grabbed any of the aforementioned pens, I’d put it right back and look for any of the pens below. Struggle’s real.

Thumbs up! (Tray is from Muji, if you must know)

6. Zebra Sarasa Clip (0.3 and 0.4): As mentioned before, this is the pen that replaced Hi-Tec-Cs in my life. Cheaper, better grip, better ink flow. I’ve gone through countless numbers of refills for these, for both work and personal use.

7. Uni-ball Signo RT UM-138 (0.38): This sort of replaced the Zebra Sarasa for me, except my local stationery stores never seem to restock them (this was before I shopped for pens online). Retractable, sturdy grip, great ink flow. I think the Signo fits my hand slightly better than Sarasa.

8. Muji Gel Ink Pen in colored hexagonal body (0.3 and 0.4): What a handsome pen. I love its design. And it’s smart. There’s a slim window at the bottom as an indicator of the ink level. The whole body is grippy and it’s hexagonal! I think I have a thing for hexagons. This was in heavy rotation until I discovered Pentel EnerGel Euro (see #10). Edit (July 2017): this pen is now available only in 0.25mm.

9. Uni-ball Signo RT1 UMN-155 (0.38): A recent discovery. I tried it because it looks like a fancier version of the other Signo RT. It certainly looks great and writes smoothly. Might be a tad too thick for my hand, and my fingers tend to slip down over time but I still really like it.

10. Pentel EnerGel Euro (0.35): My current #1 gel pen. This writes like buttah and feels SOLID. I truly love how it writes. It’s almost like a holy grail pen for me. Except, it lacks in the looks department. Why on Earth is it BLUE?? WHY?!? *sobs uncontrollably* It really would be my holy grail gel pen if it had a black body without those stupid slits on the cap and were refillable. Maybe it’s so solid because it’s not refillable? Still, I would flip some serious tables if this pen ever got discontinued.

Pentel EnerGel Euro 0.35mm

Gel ink pens are what I use probably 80% of the time. They’re all I use on my Field Notes. I do own and use other types of pens but they’re more purpose-specific. And I’m a big fan of black ink! This was all about black gel pens because colored pens probably deserve a separate post. Occasionally, I seek dark, non-black colors, like muted brown or gray but never blue black. Nothing personally against the color blue, I just don't prefer it for my own writing. Hence, my lament on the unfortunate color of Pentel EnerGel Euro’s body.

Hm, I’m sure I left out some pens here and there but I’m also sure this won't be the last time I write about gel pens. As I was searching for links to add, I found even more pens I’d like to try. So much to keep up with! :) What are your current favorite black gel pens?

Links

These may not be the best deals, but in case you prefer to shop at Amazon, here are some product links related to this post. These are affiliate links, which means, if you follow these links and make a purchase, I'll earn a tiny commission. Every little bit will help support the hosting of this site, and I’d very much appreciate it.

• Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle-Point Gel Pen 0.35 mm in Black
• Muji Gel Ink Pen (round body with cap) 0.38mm in Black
• Muji Gel Ink Pen (round body with cap) 0.5 mm in Black
• Muji Gel Ink Pen (retractable with hexagonal body) 0.38 mm in Black
• Muji Gel Ink Pen (colored, hexagonal body with cap) 0.25 mm in Black
• Uni-ball Signo RT 0.38 mm in Black
• Uni-ball Signo RT1 UMN-155 0.38 mm in Black
• Uni-ball Signo RT1 UMN-155 0.38 mm in Black (set of 5)
• Uni StyleFit Gel Ballpoint Pen 0.38 mm (16-color set)
• Uni StyleFit Gel Ballpoint Pen 0.5 mm (16-color set)
• Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.4 mm in Black (10-pack)
• Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.5 mm in Black (5-pack)
• Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.4 mm in Black
• Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.28 mm in Black (6-pack)