In the last month or so, I really fell in love with the Artisan Zen rollerball kit from CSUSA. Only trouble is, it's rather expensive, particularly in the platings I like.
It's a bit odd, but I have two desks at my job. I work as a data engineer and analyst, supporting primarily the field operations side of the company where I'm employed. I have a desk up with the data team on the 2nd floor. A year or so ago, the leadership of the field operations department asked if I could have a second desk down embedded in their team, so I can split my time and be a little easier for them to access when they have data-related things they'd like to consult on.
I keep a notebook at each desk, and frequently use it to sketch out ideas, write down my daily to-do list, take notes in meetings, etc. Yes, I'm a luddite, but something about writing things down with pen and paper seems to really grease the wheels in my brain and help me solve complex modeling problems more effectively than trying to do the same thing on my laptop.
So... two desks, two notebooks, and a frequent need for 2 or more colors of ink... sounds like a perfect excuse to make a good number of custom pens for myself!
At each desk I had a Zen with a blue 5888 refill. I wanted a smaller pen with a black refill to match. Unfortunately I don't like the Zen Jr. kit at all. It's awkward to hold and write with. Too skinny to grip on the section. Section is too long to just grip the barrel instead (which is how I hold the full size Zen).
I went looking for an alternative. Stumbled on the PSI Rollester, which has the advantage of being pretty affordable as rollerballs go, and its simple/understated design matches the aesthetic of the Zen really well. So many rollerball kits are gigantic, gaudy monstrosities. They have their place, but I like the sleek, no-nonsense look of these two kits for an everyday use pen in a business setting. Am I overthinking it? Of course I am.
In any case, I ordered the 4-pack from PSI that comes with one kit from each plating option. I turned my first one last night. I used segments of the same diamondcast "tea tree" blank I used as an accent material on my Zen for this desk, and the rest of the blank is carob wood. Ultimately I'm not crazy about the carob wood. It's fine, but it doesn't excite me. Still, the pen came out looking quite nice.
A quick bit of 3D modeling, and I was able to print a simple 2-pen stand for each of my desks, which holds and displays the pens at slightly different heights.
So far I have a very positive first impression of the Rollester. I was nervous - a lot of the reviews and threads online about the kit spoke of alignment problems with the plastic insert, which make the lid sit cocked on the pen, or fail to post. I don't know if I've just been lucky so far (n=1 and all that), or if PSI has done some work to correct these issues. I did not have to assemble the plastic insert at all. It was already inside the cap of the pen when it arrived in the bag. Mine seems to click onto both sides of the barrel (closed/posted) just fine. It's straight. No complaints.
As a writer I'm a big fan. I tend to prefer thicker pens since I have large hands. But this one is a comfortable diameter that feels good even though it looks a little thin. It was clearly designed around the idea of just gripping the barrel. There's not really a section, just a nib/cone. It's very comfortable to write with.
I'll turn the others in the coming weeks (still need at least one more for my other desk... thinking acacia and bloodwood maybe). Maybe my opinion will change if the other kits have inconsistent quality, or the cap issues surface. I also wonder how long the snap on cap mechanism can last, since it seems to be a friction thing, and the plastic will have to wear out sooner or later. But for a sub-$10 kit, I'm impressed so far.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
It's a bit odd, but I have two desks at my job. I work as a data engineer and analyst, supporting primarily the field operations side of the company where I'm employed. I have a desk up with the data team on the 2nd floor. A year or so ago, the leadership of the field operations department asked if I could have a second desk down embedded in their team, so I can split my time and be a little easier for them to access when they have data-related things they'd like to consult on.
I keep a notebook at each desk, and frequently use it to sketch out ideas, write down my daily to-do list, take notes in meetings, etc. Yes, I'm a luddite, but something about writing things down with pen and paper seems to really grease the wheels in my brain and help me solve complex modeling problems more effectively than trying to do the same thing on my laptop.
So... two desks, two notebooks, and a frequent need for 2 or more colors of ink... sounds like a perfect excuse to make a good number of custom pens for myself!
At each desk I had a Zen with a blue 5888 refill. I wanted a smaller pen with a black refill to match. Unfortunately I don't like the Zen Jr. kit at all. It's awkward to hold and write with. Too skinny to grip on the section. Section is too long to just grip the barrel instead (which is how I hold the full size Zen).
I went looking for an alternative. Stumbled on the PSI Rollester, which has the advantage of being pretty affordable as rollerballs go, and its simple/understated design matches the aesthetic of the Zen really well. So many rollerball kits are gigantic, gaudy monstrosities. They have their place, but I like the sleek, no-nonsense look of these two kits for an everyday use pen in a business setting. Am I overthinking it? Of course I am.
In any case, I ordered the 4-pack from PSI that comes with one kit from each plating option. I turned my first one last night. I used segments of the same diamondcast "tea tree" blank I used as an accent material on my Zen for this desk, and the rest of the blank is carob wood. Ultimately I'm not crazy about the carob wood. It's fine, but it doesn't excite me. Still, the pen came out looking quite nice.
A quick bit of 3D modeling, and I was able to print a simple 2-pen stand for each of my desks, which holds and displays the pens at slightly different heights.
So far I have a very positive first impression of the Rollester. I was nervous - a lot of the reviews and threads online about the kit spoke of alignment problems with the plastic insert, which make the lid sit cocked on the pen, or fail to post. I don't know if I've just been lucky so far (n=1 and all that), or if PSI has done some work to correct these issues. I did not have to assemble the plastic insert at all. It was already inside the cap of the pen when it arrived in the bag. Mine seems to click onto both sides of the barrel (closed/posted) just fine. It's straight. No complaints.
As a writer I'm a big fan. I tend to prefer thicker pens since I have large hands. But this one is a comfortable diameter that feels good even though it looks a little thin. It was clearly designed around the idea of just gripping the barrel. There's not really a section, just a nib/cone. It's very comfortable to write with.
I'll turn the others in the coming weeks (still need at least one more for my other desk... thinking acacia and bloodwood maybe). Maybe my opinion will change if the other kits have inconsistent quality, or the cap issues surface. I also wonder how long the snap on cap mechanism can last, since it seems to be a friction thing, and the plastic will have to wear out sooner or later. But for a sub-$10 kit, I'm impressed so far.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
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