Tag Archives: Kickstarter

Penxo 2mm Lead Holder–Long Term Review

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Note: According to feedback on Kickstarter, many Penxo backers have not received their products after more than a year . This may explain why the Penxo staff have not responded to my question about availability. Despite this, I’ve decided to review them as they are available used. I would, however, refrain from making any pre-orders.

I didn’t really have plan for using the Penxo 2mm Lead Holders when I backed the Kickstarter. Now, over a year later, I still don’t have a plan for using them.

The Penxo is an awesome design (it won a 2015 Reddot Award for design) and that’s part of what convinced me to back the Kickstarter. They hold 2mm lead sticks in an aluminum body that is 5.38 inches (136.6 mm) long but weighs less than an ounce. I like that you can see how much lead is left and quickly swap the lead your using for a new version or different color.

The lead is extended by pressing on the body inside the groove and letting the lead drop to the writing surface. The lead is returned by pressing on the body and then pressing the Penxo down. This technique looks really cool, however, it takes some practice and failure to do it well probably drove many users away. Lately I’ve found that I do it automatically, I’m even learning to do it without having to reposition the holder much, but there was some frustration and swearing involved early on.

(Note: I do not blame the designers for this, only my own lack of coordination.)

A pair of Penxos in Galactic Gold and Stealth Grey.

A pair of Penxos in Galactic Gold and Stealth Grey.

I chose Galactic Gold and Stealth Grey for no particular reason, but think they look great in person. The  anodizing has held up well, at least on the gold, which has been beaten around in a pen cup. The grey has spent a lot of time in pen cases not being used.

Details of my Penxo Lead Holders.

Details of my Penxo Lead Holders. There are no scratches after a year.

The Penxos shipped with an eraser and a crap lead pointer that I quickly replaced with a better version.

The main issue I have with the Penxo is that I have no real use for it. It has a great design and is fun to play with, and I do try to use one of mine at least once a week, but it doesn’t seem like something I’d use if I were a professional artist or architect.

Even leaving it around as a gateway drug for others to play with hasn’t worked out that well as the technique involved in extending and retracting the lead requires some practice. People try it, but the lead doesn’t extend and they have to pass it back to me.

I hope the company manages to meet all its orders and gets back in business. Maybe, by then, I’ll have figured out a use for mine.

 

Addicts of a Feather Enable Together

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I spent the day getting bad news from my supervisor and then almost forgave him when I discovered he was both a pen addict and a Kickstarter addict.

It happened at the end of a meeting when my supervisor was scribbling notes with an unusual stylus ballpoint pen combo. It had a strange shape and I think was a digital pen from Anoto. Unfortunately, as soon as I expressed an interest in it, his pen addict paranoia took over and he spirited it away to a safe place so I never got a good look at it.

This brief glimpse, however, led to a discussion of various Kickstarter products he’d supported, and this led to a game of “you show me what you wasted money on I’ll show you mine”. I currently everyday carry five things I got via Kickstarter. This includes pen cases from Nock Co. and my new wallet.

I then tried to introduce him to Massdrop (registration required to look around) because he probably still has some money roaming around in his wallet that needs to be spent.

All this got me thinking about the ways we pen addicts spread our addiction. For example, my loaner pens are now a Tactile Turn Mover and a Tactile Turn Shaker. When I lent the Mover to a colleague a few days ago, he liked it so much he suddenly asked to see “my coolest pen” and I let him try my TWSBI 580 and my Karas Kustoms INK fountain pen. (The latter came from a Kickstarter campaign).

He didn’t seem as interested in those but he definitely liked the others.

This seems to be the most common way to spread the addiction: share the wealth, so to speak. I find that once people try the Tactile Turn pens, especially if they have the chance to use them extensively, and the see the different in quality between them and a basic ballpoint, they are suddenly interested in spending the money it takes to get the higher quality pens. Suddenly the expensive pens don’t seem that expensive. (For the record, My TT Mover came from Massdrop and I won the all titanium TT Shaker in a raffle.)

Then, once the addiction begins to take hold, they begin to think about fountain pens. Once that takes happens, I have a few names I’ll pass on to my friend.

 

 

 

 

The Kickstarter’s Dilemma

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Any careful consideration of the topic will convince you that Kickstarter is a very dangerous place to visit, especially if you own a credit card.

And it’s not the only place that’s dangerous.

Part of the danger stems from an odd idea I got a couple years ago that an interesting way to tithe, especially as I am dubious of churches as institutions (long story), would be to contribute a small percentage of my income to supporting small manufacturers, especially those just starting out. I also had a preference for manufacturers in the USA, although that was a guideline not a rule. I started with knife makers (in the USA and New Zealand) and, thanks to the enablers at the Pen Addict podcast, slowly moved into pens and other things being sold on Kickstarter.

This has been a mixed blessing. Thus far I’ve backed eight projects and had little or no problem with four of them. My first project was a batch of pen cases from Nock Co (owned by Brad Dowdy of the Pen Addict) and although there was some delay caused by the company’s ambition (hint: too many ideas, too many colors, not enough time, no sewing machine), I got the pen cases with no problem and now carry two regularly. I also passed a couple to the girls and use a couple more as storage for pen parts. Granted, there are a couple unused cases I stare at and think “what ever will I do with you” and they whisper back buy more pens and I whisper back “okay”. (No, really, the pen cases whisper to me. I think.)

I also had no problem with Eighty Pages, Karas Kustoms or the Decadent Minimalist One wallet.

Two projects, however, have proceeded slowly. One at least keeps backers updated; the other doesn’t seem to understand why the backers are upset that deadlines keep being missed. Two haven’t yet had a chance to disappoint.

I’ve declined to back more projects than I’ve supported, including pens from Tactile Turn, although I then ended up winning one in a contest. I can’t explain my criteria. Some things don’t interest me enough to bother and somethings don’t ship to Japan. Somethings are absurdly priced.

I’m also always aware that I’m walking a thin line between “tithing” and “just buying stuff”.

Then there’s Massdrop. That’s another danger zone. (Although it has some nice stuff.)