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  • Bolt-action Pen Review: The Right Choice Painting Company

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    redshift

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    As mentioned in my survey of bolt-action pens, I decided to buy The Right Choice Painting Company’s bolt-action pen. Just as I was finishing that post, the pen arrived. Here’s my review!

    Models

    Specifically, I bought model 20 – "Titanium stone wash, groove grip, zircuti bolt handle, G2 refill, SS clip." Here’s what those qualifiers mean.

    • Titanium: There are also copper and brass models.
    • Stone wash: The pen body is tumbled around with stones to give it a (consistent) worn-in look, rather than being shiny. It’s the only option for finish on the bare titanium parts. If you get a Timascus (Damascus-style) tip, or a Timascus or zircuti bolt handle, I assume those parts are not stonewashed since you wouldn’t want to dull the fancy finish.
    • Groove grip: This is the only option; it means the rings near the tip that help you hold the pen.
    • Zircuti bolt handle: Plain titanium is the default, matching the pen body. Zircuti gives a patterned appearance; Timascus gives a patterned and colored appearance.
    • G2 refill: This is the size of the pen, and G2 is the longest, meant for Euro-style (e.g. Pilot G2) refills. The "Schmidt" size is for the slightly smaller Parker-sized refills, and "Mini" is for Pilot’s proprietary G2 Mini refills.
    • SS clip: The clip is stainless steel rather than titanium. Timascus clips and black cerakote-coated clips are also available.

    Materials and finish

    The stonewashed titanium finish is quite nice; I think it looks better than my poor photography can show. In their pictures, it looks almost gold, but it’s a normal silver color. The stainless steel clip matches it perfectly. I was considering other pens with black coatings, but this looks very professional and I’m confident it won’t easily show damage.

    The barrel is perfectly smooth, the tip rounds off nicely, and overall, I can’t see any defects. It’s certainly well-made. You can just barely see the line that separates the body from the tip (just above the ringed grip). Inside, you can see the threads and O-ring.

    The grip is a bunch of tightly packed rings cut around the circumference. This leads to a "zip" feel when your skin rubs against it, which I don’t care for. It does provide a good grip, though. You don’t feel it when you’re handling the pen body, because it doesn’t extend too far up, and you don’t feel it when you’re actually writing, because it’s held still – just when adjusting your grip.

    In future iterations, I hope they can offer different styles of grip. I’d love deeper grooves, spaced further apart.

    At the top of the pen is the slot for the bolt. There are no burrs, it’s not uncomfortable, but if you slide your thumb across it laterally, it catches your skin. In future iterations, I think it could use a bit of a chamfer or rounding so it’s totally smooth. This is the area you’ll be fidgeting with most, after the grip, so it deserves special attention.

    The slot has about 1mm of extra space side-to-side. Unfortunately, this means that the bolt handle jiggles around and makes noise if the pen is even slightly shaken. In future iterations, it’d be nice to have the slot width closer to the diameter of the bolt handle so this noise is lessened.

    Bolt action

    The reason we’re here! It’s very satisfying. The spring isn’t too loose or too tight, assuming you haven’t modified the length of your pen refill to the point of ruin. It won’t activate accidentally, and it doesn’t require too much effort to activate – just a pleasant motion.

    I can’t detect any grittiness in the movement. Some reviews of other pens called that out, and said they needed cleaning and lubrication before use, but I didn’t need to do that. I just feel the texture of metal on metal, and the tension of the spring.

    I like the appearance of the bolt handle. I chose the zircuti variant, and it’s not colored like some Damascus-like alloys; it looks more like a large-scale fingerprint or zebra stripes. It adds some visual distinction. I think their Timascus bolt is more blue.

    The bolt moves the right way for right-handed people! As I mentioned in my survey post, most have an "L" shape movement that requires your thumb to move back toward your palm, the direction in which you probably have less flexibility. This is "J" shaped, as I think it should be, and it feels good. Releasing the bolt only requires a straight lateral movement, so dexterity in that direction isn’t as important.

    I was curious whether the bolt would press against my leg when clipped into a pants pocket, or press against my chest when clipped into a shirt pocket. Nope! It sits at about a 15-20 degree angle when retracted, and apparently that’s enough; I couldn’t feel it when sitting or moving around.

    Clip

    It’s a simple, sturdy clip made of stainless steel, perhaps slightly wider than average. As mentioned above, its appearance matches the titanium pen body perfectly.

    They also offer a black cerakote clip. I emailed them at the same time as my order and asked about it, since I couldn’t add it through the site. Unfortunately, I never heard back, but looking back on it, I think I’m just as happy with the steel. The bolt handle is distinction enough.

    The clip is fairly stiff. There’s a gap of about 0.5mm between the pen body and clip at rest, and I can only open it to about 2-2.5mm without straining. It clips easily onto pants and shirt pockets and feels safe there.

    If you want to clip the pen to a notebook, and the notebook’s cover is thin, the 0.5mm gap might not be enough to secure the pen. My Stalogy 365 notebook has a fairly thin cover – just some vinyl attached to one thicker sheet of paper – and the pen does slip off. I just clip in a few sheets of paper, too.

    In future iterations, it might be nice if the clip had no gap at rest and was slightly more flexible to compensate.

    Note: the pen came with instructions for removing or tightening the clip, which requires a 7/32 hex wrench. You have to remove the bolt assembly first, which it doesn’t explain how to do. I’m not sure why the clip would need tightening, as mine seems solid; I hope it doesn’t loosen over time.

    Sound

    The sound is different than a standard retractable "clicker" pen because it’s asymmetric. Activating the bolt is rather quiet – quieter than a clicker pen. Your thumb is controlling the entire movement.

    Releasing the bolt is different, because the spring is pushing the metal bolt handle up against the pen body, and because there’s an air cushion above the bolt that’s pressed upward in the cavity. I quite like the "puff" sound of the retraction, but it is louder than a clicker pen.

    I sat playing with the pen for a while after receiving it, and the noise bothered my wife, but she’s sensitive to sharp noises like cracking knuckles, too. I don’t think it would be inappropriate to use in an office, but you shouldn’t sit and click it, just like you shouldn’t with any other retractable pen. (If you want to be quiet, you can hold your thumb on the bolt handle while retracting it.)

    Weight and balance

    I was looking for something heavier than a standard plastic retractable pen, but nothing that would weigh down my hand. I think this came out perfect. It weighs 24g, compared to 13g for an EnerGel RT, so not quite double. It just slightly presses down onto the paper for you, but doesn’t require any effort to hold upright. I think titanium was the right answer here. This won’t be true for everyone – my wife thought it was a bit too heavy.

    The balance isn’t perfect; it’s slightly top-heavy. I don’t think it affects writing, because the weight is just resting against your hand. It does make it harder to twirl in your hand, though.

    In future iterations, I would suggest they slightly narrow the clip, because it seems a bit wider than necessary, and removing some steel at the top could even out the balance. Or it could be made of titanium to reduce weight at the top.

    Pen refills and writing

    I wound up choosing this pen because of the price and because multiple reviewers said it fit my favorite Pentel EnerGel refills without trimming. Turns out… it doesn’t. I don’t know if they had a different refill or my pen was machined differently. With an EnerGel refill inside, you can’t press the bolt down far enough to lock it in place. I had a sad.

    I found an easy way to trim refills, though. I had previously used scissors and hated the process. The right answer is wire strippers. I have some Klein 11057 for electronics work, and they made it trivial to cut through my EnerGel refill because the slots for different gauges of wire hold the refill in place while you squeeze through. You can also use a craft knife, but it’d be trickier.

    Wire strippers.

    Just trim about 1mm off the top and an EnerGel fits perfectly. There’s no wiggle when writing; it’s quite nice.

    Unfortunately, when the tip is retracted, the refill does jiggle around inside the pen cavity a bit. [Update: I realized this is actually the bolt handle jiggling in the slot; see above.]

    The pen does fit a Pilot Precise V5 rollerball refill with no trimming. There might be a very slight tip wiggle, it’s so faint it’s hard to tell, honestly. It’s not bothersome to me, and I’m sensitive to pen wiggles.

    Value

    This pen is often on a "super sale" for $35. I find that quite impressive for a titanium pen with this level of quality. There are a number of finish and material options, and copper and brass options as well. If you like standard-sized G2/Parker refills, or you’re sure your preferred refill fits, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

    I’ll admit I’m jealous of the adjustability of the BIGiDESIGN (Home, Amazon) but I wasn’t ready to spend $60 more for it. (If they want to send me one, though…)

  • A Survey of Bolt-Action Pens

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    redshift

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    Intro

    This post will introduce you to the world of machined bolt-action pens, first explaining why I care about them, then describing my desires and biases, and finally giving overviews of a heck of a lot of pens.

    If you like, you can skip to the pens.

    Background

    For a long time, I’ve had an interest in pens as tools. I suppose the interest started when picking pens at back-to-school time, and I found Uni-ball pens, which were noticeably better to write with. (You can’t use fruit-scented stacking-point pencils for everything in school…)

    Uni-ball really nailed the rollerball. They had consistent quality and smooth writing. I used these pens a lot over the years, starting with the classics like the Micro and the Vision, later the Vision Elite extra bold 1.0mm, and then for over 15 years, the UM-151 gel, which is still a great choice.

    I currently prefer the Pentel EnerGel after trying a lot of pens and finding it to be the smoothest writing and most consistent; I don’t want to scribble to start ink flowing. I find it more consistent than a Pilot G2, and slightly smoother than the Uni UM-151. It comes in plenty of colors and is very affordable.

    Honorable mentions include the Pilot Precise V5, which feels like a slightly smoother Uni-ball Vision, and the Zebra Sarasa Dry for lefties.

    To the side is an image of some of the pens I’ve tried – generally, the best of the bunch, with the rest donated or tossed.

    One other pen was particularly special to me, and relevant to the rest of this post. In high school, I saved up for a rOtring for taking notes, and I loved it. I think it was a rOtring 600 ballpoint, but I no longer have it, and I can’t remember exactly. It felt like someone really cared when making it, which made it stand out from disposable plastic pens. I have a hard time resisting well-made (but obtainable) versions of daily-use items.

    A lineup of 24 pens.

    Why bolt-action

    Fountain pens are tempting because of their potential for a pleasant and soft writing experience, but there are too many downsides for me. I don’t want ink on anything but paper, I want to carry the pen easily without worry, I want to write with the pen at any rotation, I want to fidget with it… and, honestly, I don’t want the temptations of endless ink and nib choices.

    I prefer retractable to capped pens because they’re easier to use quickly, and you can fiddle with the clicker, at least if no one else is nearby to hear it. Bolt-action pens seem to have even better fidgeting potential than retractables because the required movement is slightly more complex, but it can still be completed almost instantly.

    Bolt-action mechanism on a pen

    But there’s another reason…

    Machining

    (Disclaimer: not an expert.)

    Lately I’ve become interested in machining, thanks to YouTube algorithms. I’ve long been interested in electronics repair, which led to electronics repair videos, and then to the general repair videos that seem so popular on YouTube right now. (If you want to check it out, I currently subscribe to Forgotten Shine Restoration, LADB Restoration, Lost & Restored, my mechanics and my mechanics insights, Odd Tinkering, Old Things Never Die, Rescue & Restore, and Stuff Made Here.) Different video creators have different repair setups, and some have full machine shops where they can create replacement parts with a lathe or mill.

    One channel in particular that I’ve enjoyed is Inheritance Machining. The creator, Brandon, inherited his grandfather’s machine shop and is documenting the process of restoring it and using it for cool projects. I’ve enjoyed his videos more than others because he gets into the details of the tools and process without leaving behind the total newbies like me who don’t have experience with the tools and terminology. I recommend checking it out if you have any interest in tools or precision processes in general. (I actually discovered his videos before seeing that he has one where he makes a bolt-action pen.)

    Then the interests came together. The bolt mechanisms in bolt-action pens are amenable to machining, and the rest of a pen is as well – the cylinders of a barrel, tip, and cap are all perfect for a lathe. If you’re adding the complication of a bolt, it’s going to cost a lot more than a Bic, so why not nicely machine the whole thing? (There are bolt-action pens with wooden barrels, like Elder Pens and Carolina Turning, but they’re not for me.) Many machinists have dabbled in creating pens, and there are communities around them where makers are fairly involved. The bigger names are stocked at JetPens with various metals and mechanisms.

    The EDC (every-day carry) community loves machined goods for their durability, so of course this goes beyond pens. For example, I have a machined safety razor that’s very nice to use. (gasp it’s been over 17 years since that post…) It’s quite a rabbit hole.

    Materials

    (Again: not an expert, and there are many ways to judge materials.)

    The most commonly used metals for machined pens are titanium, stainless steel, brass, and copper.

    Titanium is usually the most expensive, but it’s strong and durable in all the ways that count for products like this, and it’s relatively lightweight. Stainless steel is cheaper, and also strong, but weighs almost twice as much as titanium. Brass and copper are easier to machine, and so may be cheaper, but they’re not quite as strong or scratch-resistant. Brass and copper are good if you want the pen to develop an "antique" patina over time.

    Special mentions: a few are made of aluminum but I’d only recommend it if you need the cheapest and lightest pen. A few are made of zirconium, which usually cost $250 or more; it’s similar to titanium in the relevant properties, but heavier – nearly as heavy as stainless steel.

    Any of these metals can be stonewashed, brushed, or polished for different appearances, and steel and titanium pens are often available with coatings that can change appearance and improve durability. PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coatings can improve wear and corrosion resistance, and can be colored or transparent. DLC (Diamond-like Carbon… you wouldn’t download a coating) coatings are a particular type of PVD coating that greatly improve wear resistance, and (I believe) are always dark grey or black. A final option with a few makers is cerakote, a coating made of a ceramic compound, which is also great for wear and corrosion resistance, and comes in a number of colors.

    Finally, for a premium, some makers offer Damascus steel, or other laminated alloys that look like Damascus, like zircuti and Timascus. This is just cosmetic, but if you like the appearance, it can be a great personalization.

    With colored coatings and Damascus-like materials, often just a subset of a pen’s parts will be changed, like the clip or bolt, for contrast. And to keep the cost down – full Damascus pens can be well over $500!

    Personally, I focused on titanium, because I want a pen that’s heavier than the typical plastic body but not so heavy that it tires out my hand. I don’t care for the look of aged brass or copper for this type of tool. I tend to prefer black pens, so a DLC coating would be great, but brushed or stonewashed finishes are great, too.

    Desires, Biases, and Limitations

    I want to write more (this isn’t just an obsession with tools…) so my research focused on products that will fit my favorite refills, will be fun and comfortable for me to use, and will look nice. Obviously, that’s all subjective. There are definitely paths I stopped researching because I knew they wouldn’t meet my needs. For example, the wood-barreled pen I mentioned earlier, and overly gimmicky or tactical pens – I don’t care for their look, and don’t want or need their specific benefits.

    I also won’t go over every variant available, limited editions, or one-off creations, nor will I necessarily mention all material options or sizes. Some pens come in different sizes for the major types of refills – common sizes are "large" for euro-style refills, like the Pilot G2, "medium" for Parker-style refills, like the Uni Jetstream, and "small" for D1 refills, common for wallet-size pens. Not all refills fit exactly into one of those categories, so you have to be careful – either the maker should confirm your favorite will fit, or reviews should confirm it.

    For example, my favorite EnerGel refill is about the same as a G2, but slightly longer and slimmer, so it might need trimming and might rattle at the tip in some pens. You can trim down some long refills to fit shorter pens, or add shims for short refills to fit longer pens, and sometimes you can wrap tape around slim refills to fit wider openings… if you want to deal with all that. One pen that’s particularly impressive in this area is the BIGiDESIGN, which seamlessly adjusts to fit medium and large refills – no wiggle.

    Finally, keep in mind that these makers add new pen models and variants all the time. Seriously, you can expect a new one from someone every week or two. If you want something like these, but can’t find it, just wait a bit – or ask them!

    Handedness

    I’m right-handed. The bolts on most pens are to the right of the clip. If you’re left-handed, that might mean your thumb rubs on the clip when you activate the bolt. Some makers offer left-handed versions, with the bolt on the left side of the clip. Some (like BIGiDESIGN) even offer clips you can move to the opposite side with only a screwdriver. (That seems smart to me, because they design it once, and only have to manufacture one model.)

    Another minor factor that relates to your handedness is the direction of bolt activation. Assume you have a pen with the bolt to the right of the clip. Some bolts you push down and left to activate, a "J" shape.

    Some you push down and right, an "L" shape.

    Bolt-action mechanism on a pen

    If you’re right-handed, you probably have more mobility moving your thumb to the left than the right when in that position. Activating a bolt requires more movement than deactivating (retracting) it, so you want the direction of activation to be easiest – a "J" shape. And yet it seems that most bolt-action pens, including the most popular, do the reverse – an "L" shape. (Reverse all these directions if you’re left-handed.) I have to assume there’s a reason for this convention, but I don’t know it!

    Links

    I’ll try to give links directly to the pen makers, and separately to the pens on Amazon (if available) which will be affiliate links.

    The Pens

    Here are overviews of most of the pens I found, subject to the limitations above. They’re not reviews – I don’t own these pens, I just did a bunch of research and wanted to share my impressions.

    They’re ordered by price. When there are multiple models, I chose the price of a prominent model, or one that particularly appealed to me.

    My top five are in the next section, and at the end there’s a summary table with all the pens.

    • Smootherpro ($16 – Amazon) – This seems like a good option if you’re not sure you’d like this type of pen and don’t want to invest much – it’s the cheapest by a fair margin. The body has a swirling pattern that should provide some grip. They have a lot of other models, most of which are… kitschy? but this one looks almost normal and fits "Pentel" size refills, meaning EnerGel. Reviews seem to indicate that the can feel a bit gritty and the spring is too tight, but some modification could help. It’s one of a very few made from aluminum, which means it’s lighter and weaker than the other options. Scanning reviews of their other models makes me believe the quality is not consistent.
    • KeySmart Tactiv ($57 – Home, Amazon) – The pictures and reviews make me believe this isn’t very well machined. An Amazon reviewer included pictures of the modifications they needed to make to smooth out the bolt action, namely cutting a chamfer into the edges of the slot. They claim it’s made of six different metals or alloys; why? That said, I love that the bolt handle is the pen clip – it seems like a convenience and a bonus to fidgetability to have just one part, with nothing else in the way, if it moved smoothly. (Spoiler: a pen in the top five does this better.) I believe it only (natively) takes Fisher Space Pen or Rite-in-the-Rain refills, which I’d only recommend if you have to ‘rite in the rain.
    • Refyne EP1 / EP1L ($59 – Home, Amazon) – This one seems like a good value, and has a good reputation. I like that the bolt is in a right-handed orientation, and the slot is shaped like a checkmark, so you can move your thumb in one direction, rather than needing a curving motion. The checkmark shape seems to be growing in popularity, and I understand why. There are two models, the EP1, which is Parker-sized, and the EP1L, which is Pilot G2, and doesn’t take EnerGel without trimming, so it’s not ideal for me. My other concern is the clip, which seems awfully wide to me, and seems to be a complaint of some reviewers – it’s removable, but the top cap holding it place is barely threaded, so it can pop off.
    • Karas Bolt V2 ($70 – Home) – This one’s been around a while, but for me it’s a nonstarter because the bolt isn’t the actuating mechanism. You press a top clicker like any retractable pen, just with a slight twisting motion – the bolt is basically there for decoration. I’ve watched people try to activate it and have the clicker just go straight back up. It looks like it used to be available in titanium, but now is mainly aluminum, with $20 brass upgrade, or $40 copper; I don’t love the look of any of them, to be honest. There’s also no apparent grip on the body. I feel like this one has been surpassed.
    • Ridge ($70 – Home, Amazon) – Reviews are generally positive, but people had concerns about build quality. Some had the color of their pen fade within a month. It has several strikes against it, for me: There’s a titanium model, but I find its "burnt rainbow" coloring quite unattractive. The rest are aluminum, gold (yuck), or carbon fiber, which aren’t interesting to me. It only takes Parker-style refills. I think the branding they put on the side is huge and obnoxious. It looks like the grip, bolt, and clip are nice, so I hope they try again.
    • Bastion ($71 – Home, Amazon) – This is a weird one. First, the bolt is on the wrong side unless you’re selling it as left-handed, which they’re not. Reviewers complain about their thumb sliding on the clip. Second, they want you to buy their refills. They’re approximately Parker size, but only approximately, and not all Parker-size refills fit. That feels scammy to me, like cheap razors and expensive blades, but with an expensive razor, too. I’m not looking for Parker-size refills, in any case.
    • Honeybadger Arsenal V3 ($75 – Home) – This is tempting because it’s so customizable. You pick the body metal, body finish, bolt metal, bolt handle metal, bolt handle shape, grip pattern, and whether you want a clip. Wow! I like the wave grip, which I haven’t seen elsewhere. I turned away from this because the V3 titanium isn’t quite available yet, and I wasn’t sure whether an EnerGel refill would need modifications.
    • Tactile Turn ($99 – Home) – This is another classic with a good reputation. It looks simple and well-made, and there are three sizes depending on the type of refill you want, but an EnerGel refill requires trimming. Their name, "Tactile Turn", gives a hint as to their unique feature – a tactile grip that’s been machined into the surface. It’s consistent across the whole body, and small enough that you can’t see it in a small picture or from a distance. Many like it, but for me, this is a disqualifier. I hate the "zip" feeling of surfaces with tiny ridges running across my skin, so I just wouldn’t be comfortable using it or fidgeting with it. That’s just me, though; by all measures, this is a nice pen. I do wish the Damascus bolt came with it, though, instead of being an extra $20.
    • Fellhoelter TiBolt ($150 – Home) – These have a reputation of having great build quality, and they do look sturdy. The standard model has nice grip rings, but I kind of like the dot pattern ($210) that I used for the image here. I moved away from this because of the price, because I don’t like the branding on the pen, and because there’s so little information about the differences between the many models he’s sold on his site. If you want special engraving on a beast of a pen, consider this one.
    • BilletSpin CamPen ($150 – Home) – This is a cool design, and some would argue it’s not a bolt-action pen. Instead of a bolt handle that you move vertically that directly translates to moving the pen refill downward, this has a handle that you move horizontally that rotates a cam that moves the refill downward. From videos, it seems satisfying to play with. However, the cam can’t cause the same amount of motion as a bolt, so with some refills, the refill might not extend as far as you’d like out of the tip. That would bug me because I don’t want to have to write too vertically. That said, there are left-handed models, and models without grip rings; they all take Parker-sized refills. You can buy their $40 adapter for G2 refills, and perhaps fit an EnerGel refill with some trimming. There was a Reddit-specific model built for EnerGel refills, but it cost $215, and I personally dislike the design. (The creator is active on Reddit, taking feedback!)
    • Brad Gruss ($200 – Home) – These seem to be made well, but I’ve been checking his shop for a few weeks and haven’t seen any available. He seems active on Reddit, so it’s possible that his priority is custom orders. The pens he’s sold recently are short and chunky, meant for easy pocket carry, and they take the shorter Parker refills. The bodies have milled-flat faces that should make it easy to grip. Reviews seem good, if you want something custom and have the budget.
    • Modern Fuel ($200 – Home) – If you don’t want a clip or a grip, this pen is beautiful, and looks like it could be one of the best machined. It’s perfectly smooth down the barrel – just the bolt. There’s a clicker at the top, like a retractable pen, though I doubt you could use it to extend the pen tip without twisting it awkwardly. It does look nice, though. And their Poseidon special edition, though $300, is the best-looking pen of this whole roundup. Finally, it’s adjustable to different (non-mini) refill sizes, from Space Pen up to G2. Sadly, I can’t justify the price, and I need a clip and a good grip. Check it out if you don’t, and you want to splurge.

    Top Five (for me)

    Here are the best of the best, for me.

    5. Ti2 BoltLiner ($89 – Home) This pen has a good reputation, and it comes in three lengths for different refill types. I particularly like the grip section – it’s a bit of a crazy design, but it’s in just the right place, surely provides traction, and the rest of the pen is sleek in contrast. I decided against it because the diameter is only 9.5mm, which is pretty slim. My standard EnerGel RT is 11mm, and ideally I’d like something a little thicker than that.

    4. Smooth Precision V2.2 / TiScribe ($120 – Home) – This used to be known as the Urban Survival Gear TiScribe, and was quite popular by that name. They said they rebranded because of a bad reputation, even if the pen was popular, which threw me for a bit of a loop during research. I love that the clip is the bolt, and reviews say it’s very pleasant to use. It has Euro-style and Parker size options, and a professional style. The grip rings look pretty shallow, so I’m not sure how it would hold. This was tempting, but it’s more expensive than the competition (and another $110 for a Damascus-style clip!) and requires trimming EnerGel refills.

    3. V-Bolt ($97 – Home) – What a gorgeous pen. This is the best-looking non-limited-edition, in my eyes. I love what they did with the shaped grooves on the body, and the Damascus clip and bolt are striking (for an extra $70… sigh). The body is slightly slim for my tastes, at 10.9mm, and it only takes Parker-style refills, so not my favorites. There’s a bigger problem, though: they do "drop" style availability, where you have to sign up for their list, wait for messaging, and then rush to their site at the exact right moment and hope to have the privilege of giving them money. I find it insulting, and I think this is a solved problem anyway – make a waiting list, ship in order.

    2. BIGiDESIGN ($100 – Home, Amazon) – This was at the top of my list for most of my research period. Its major benefit is adjustability, which they’ve accomplished in ways no other maker has. First, the grip section of the body is actually a separate piece, so it can slide up and down the main body when you twist to adjust it. (There are two O-rings inside to keep it in place.) This means the length of the cavity inside can change, so it can fit a lot of different lengths of refills. They’ve tested with over 120 refills! This type of adjustment is like the Modern Fuel, but with a simpler mechanism. The impressive addition, though, is an automatically adjusting collet (collar/sleeve) at the tip of the pen that holds the tip of the refill in place. No wiggle! No other pen I’ve seen has this. Furthermore, you can change whether the clip is on the left or right side of the bolt with a simple screw, making this suitable for left-handed writers as well.

    I also like that the grip section is a little bigger, for comfort, without the whole pen having to be bigger and heavier. And it comes with a free titanium Damascus bolt if you want a little flair. My only hesitation was the price; I think it’s a fair price for that level of engineering, but it was still hard for me to justify personally. As you may be able to tell, though, I love testing different refills, so if I ever want another bolt-action pen, this could be it.

    1. The Right Choice Painting Company ($35 – Home) – This seems like the best bang for the buck. $35 for titanium? Only the clip is stainless steel. You can add $5 for a black cerakote clip, though they were out of stock when I ordered. Reviews made me believe the build quality is very good, in line with $100 pens. It even holds an EnerGel refill without trimming. I think I initially discounted them because of the company name, and later discounted them because of their website, but I came to believe they’re just underrated, and I ordered one!

    Update: It does not, in fact, fit EnerGel without trimming. See my full review!

    Summary

    I don’t think it’s terribly useful to rank or rate every pen because the qualifications are so subjective, so as above, these are sorted by price. I’ll include notes and stars (★) in appropriate columns to represent pens that do something particularly well.

    "Adjustability" means how well it adapts to different refills – either a single pen taking many sizes, or the maker selling multiple sizes. A name of "BAP" means it’s just called a bolt-action pen without a specific model name or number.

    Maker Name Price Adjustability Notes Link
    Smootherpro PTC050 $16 Home Amazon
    The Right Choice Painting Company BAP $35 Two sizes Home
    KeySmart Tactiv $57 Clip is bolt Home, Amazon
    Refyne EP1, EP1L $59 Two sizes Home, Amazon
    Ridge BAP $70 Home, Amazon
    Karas Bolt V2 $70 Two sizes "Fake" bolt Home
    Bastion BAP $71 Left-handed Home, Amazon
    Honeybadger Arsenal V3 $75 Home
    Ti2 Design BoltLiner $89 Three sizes Home
    Suprlativ V-Bolt $97 Home
    Tactile Turn BAP $99 Three sizes Home
    BIGiDESIGN BAP $100 ★★★ Home, Amazon
    Smooth Precision Pens V2.2 $120 Two sizes Clip is bolt Home
    Fellhoelter TiBolt $150 Home
    BilletSpin CamPen $150 $40 G2 adapter Cam, not bolt Home
    Brad Gruss Designs BAP $200 Custom only? Home
    Modern Fuel BAP $200 ★ No clip Home

  • Trackball Reviews and Ergonomics

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    I’m a programmer and a gamer, so I spend most of my day using a keyboard and mouse.  I haven’t had serious issues with repetitive strain injury, but my hands and forearms do get tired and uncomfortable after a long day on the computer or a number of days without a break.  I’ve tried a lot of things to head off the risk.

    computer_workstation_variables
    “Computer Workstation Variables” by Berkeley Lab

    First and easiest was switching to an ergonomic keyboard.  Some people are afraid of split keyboard layouts, but you get used to it very quickly and it allows your arms to remain at your sides where they belong.  You could start out with a cheap Microsoft Natural 4000, which also allows for negative tilt – you don’t want your wrists bent upward.

    The next step to keyboard bliss is ditching the staggered layout, which requires you to twist your wrists at unnatural and asymmetric angles.  Good options here include the Truly Ergonomic Keyboard or an ErgoDox, either in kit form or prebuilt.  (Try the kit – I had a blast soldering it together.)  One great benefit of the ErgoDox over the TEK is that you can “tent” the keyboard, meaning to raise the center so that your wrists don’t have to twist to lie unnaturally flat.

    If you use a laptop keyboard consistently, you’re at greater risk of RSI because you’re contorting your wrist in multiple dimensions whenever you type.  I recommend hooking up a keyboard, even for travel – you can get 40% or 60% keyboards or a compact split keyboard to take with you.  And, if possible, don’t actually use your laptop on your lap where you’ll have to look down at a sharp angle for long periods.

    Ok.  Mice!

    Mice have a lot of problems.  One is that you generally either have to squeeze the mouse or move your whole arm to move the pointer, depending on your grip.  Another is that you have to torque your wrist over to lay your hand flat on top of the mouse.  Ergonomic mice tend to be right-handed only, and “solve” the problem by having the left side of the mouse be taller so that your hand can lie on it at a bit of an angle.

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    Evoluent VerticalMouse 4, also available for lefties!

    The logical extension to this is the vertical mouse – a type of mouse that lets your hand sit perpendicular to the desk.  One good example of this is the Evoluent VerticalMouse 4, which I used for almost two years.  It’s much more comfortable (at first) and doesn’t take much adjustment.  The biggest adjustment for me was due to the fact that it’s taller than a regular mouse, so you have to lift your hand a bit more when switching between keyboard and mouse.  I got over that and thought I had found mousing nirvana.

    I’m still typing, so obviously it wasn’t nirvana.

    The problem, which I only found after repetitive strain over the course of a year or so – you no longer have the benefit of the desk pushing up against your finger when you click.  You have to squeeze your thumb against the mouse to keep it still when clicking.  Essentially, you’re squeezing your whole hand to click, every time.  I click a lot.  My thumb is sore.  I wasn’t expecting that.

    The VerticalMouse also started missing a significant portion of my clicks after a year or so, and this happened with two of them, so there may be quality issues in the switch.

    I decided it was time to try something different.  An underappreciated classic.  The trackball.

    Sadly, there aren’t a lot of trackballs being made these days.  I assume that’s because “gaming mice” have taken over the market and people don’t think trackballs can be used for gaming.  (Not true!)  In any case, I did a lot of research on what’s available.

    m570
    Logitech M570

    My first stop was the cheap, well-reviewed Logitech M570.  It’s got four buttons and a clickable wheel to go along with its thumb-controlled trackball.  (Many trackballs lack extra buttons or a wheel, features I don’t think I could go without.)  It’s wireless; I prefer wired, but Logitech’s solution works well and didn’t have any noticeable lag.

    I used the M570 for about a week.  It’s well made and comfortable to hold, being sculpted to fit a (small) hand.  What a bargain, too!  The trouble for me is that the thumb-controlled trackball doesn’t solve my problem from the vertical mouse – my thumb is overworked.  I found my thumb getting rather tired after a day with the M570.  Plus, thumbs aren’t as nimble as fingers, so you’re necessarily limited in how precise you can be with this style of trackball.

    I decided I wanted to try the classic finger-controlled style of trackball.  I looked into the top contenders today, models from Kensington, Logitech, Clearly Superior Technologies, and Elecom.  (Elecom doesn’t have a great English site for their trackballs, sorry.)

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    Kensington Expert

    A common recommendation is the Kensington Expert, which is now available in a wireless model as well.  (It used to come in a “pro” model with extra buttons at the top; sadly, that’s discontinued.)

    I didn’t buy this one, but I have played with it briefly and read a lot of reviews.  You get a lot more precision with its large, finger-controlled trackball, and the buttons are still easy to reach.  There’s a ring around the ball that you turn to scroll.  Overall, I think it’s a good choice if you like the layout of its four buttons.  (I’ll get back to the layout in a minute, since it’s the same for the Slimblade.)

    One downside is the construction of the scroll ring, which grates a bit as it spins; they would do well to make it spin more smoothly.  Another issue is the positive tilt, which forces you to bend your wrist upward; they do include a wrist rest, but it seems like you could avoid the problem altogether by making the surface level.  Enter the Slimblade…

    slimblade
    Kensington Slimblade

    The Kensington Slimblade is similar to the Expert, but looks a bit classier, and trades the scroll ring for the ability to twist the ball to scroll.  It’s also got a level base, which I consider a nice plus – you can choose a wrist rest if you want one, but it’s less likely to be required.

    I bought the Slimblade and used it for a couple days.  The construction is pretty good, and it’s comfortable to hold.  It’s got the same basic button layout as the Expert, but the buttons are part of the single piece of plastic that makes up the body; the practical effect is that it takes very little effort to push the buttons near the ball and progressively more effort to push them away from the ball.  I don’t like this, because it means you either need to use your pointer finger to push the primary button on the left, near the ball, or you use your thumb to press further away from the ball and have to push pretty hard.  This gets tiring quickly.

    I had a couple mechanical issues with the Slimblade.  One is that twisting the ball made an annoying grating sound, plus a generated clicking sound.  Another is that the top right button felt different than the others; you could feel two clicks before it activated.  These are common complaints for the product.

    My main complaint with the Kensingtons, however, is their button layout.  I don’t want to stress my thumb, but the button placement almost demands it.  You can’t comfortably press the bottom left button with your index finger unless you twist your hand, so you’re limited in terms of hand placement and button configuration.  Hence my final two options…

    elecom
    Elecom M-DT2URBK

    The Elecom M-DT2URBK looks a lot more like a standard mouse, but has a finger trackball where the primary buttons would be.  The primary button and wheel are moved to the thumb, off on the left, along with back/forward buttons.  There’s a slim button to the right of the ball for right clicking, and a few programmable buttons on the left.

    I haven’t tried the Elecom in person, but I really like the design, and it’s unique in the field today.  You’re not giving up any useful controls.  (It’s reminiscent of the beloved, discontinued Microsoft Trackball Explorer, which can now sell for over $600.)  Even though the primary button is under your thumb, and I’m wary of tiring out my thumb, it’s activated by a squeeze rather than a lateral downward push.  If I had to pick one, I’d pick the squeeze, since that’s a more natural movement.

    Still, in the end, I was turned off by all the controls on the thumb.  Worse, though, is the size of the trackball – it’s the same as the M570, a smaller ball meant for the thumb.  You’re intended to use it with just your index finger, with your middle finger on the right button and your ring and pinky fingers in the grooves on the side.  I wasn’t willing to trade a tired thumb for a tired index finger, while getting less precision than a typical finger trackball.

    Ok, the grand reveal… my new trackball!

    cst2545-5w

    The Clearly Superior Technologies CST2545-5W.  It’s a beast, made to last, with replaceable parts.  It feels solid on the desk.  It uses steel rollers, rather than the tiny jewels in the Kensington trackballs, and rolling the trackball around feels smoother to me.  I love the precision of rolling around the large, smooth trackball.  It’s just fun, and I was quickly able to tell it was more comfortable.

    In terms of configuration, it’s trivial – no drivers needed.  I set the DPI to medium (just hold the right mouse button and press the left to switch) and added some acceleration on the cursor, and I can hit a single pixel or glide across the screen, all without lifting my hand.

    I like the button layout.  The left and right buttons are long – they span the full height of the trackball and then some.  This means you can press them with your index finger at the top, or your thumb at the bottom, and they’re pretty easy to push in either spot.  Having that flexibility reduces the chance of stressing out any one muscle.  The middle button is above the wheel, easy to find with a little bump.

    The scroll wheel sits above the middle button.  It’s very smooth and feels nice to operate.  It doesn’t spin freely, but doesn’t resist either.  It may be a little hard to reach if you have small hands, but mine are average and I’ve found a comfortable spot where I can move the trackball or operate the wheel without moving my hand.

    ripster-cst-switches
    Ripster’s lego switch mod

    The “5W” in “CST2545-5W” indicates that this model supports 5 buttons.  See those two jacks on the back?  You can plug in extra buttons and place them wherever you like.  You can buy them if you want, but they’re also trivial to make; I’m building my own out of Lego and keyboard switches with inspiration from this guide by ripster.

    (Ripster is also a prominent figure in /r/trackballs and /r/mechanicalkeyboards, two great sources of information.  He’s posted a number of other guides to modifying the CST, since it’s well designed for modding and repair.)

    One downside to the CST, similar to the Kensington Expert, is the angle of the base.  It encourages upward tilt of the wrists.  I’d prefer the whole body be shorter, but I use a wrist rest for comfort anyway and it raises up my hand enough to avoid the issue.

    There are a number of available models; one without a wheel, one with switch jacks that replace the primary buttons instead of complementing them (the SAW model), one without switch jacks, and a couple with glowing trackballs.

    I hope this helps.  Even if you’re not interested in a trackball, please consider the strain you’re putting on your hands if you use a computer all day.  Make sure to take breaks, and stretch regularly.

    One easy stretch you can do is to spread all of your fingers apart, like you were showing someone the number 5.  Hold them there for a few seconds, and gradually use your hand muscles to spread your fingers further so you feel a slight tension.  I feel my skin stretch a bit when I do this.  Afterward, I can feel the tendons relax a bit.  I think it counteracts my tendency to curl my fingers onto the keyboard all day long.

    Don’t use your other hand or anything else to force your fingers to stretch, or you could hurt yourself.  It should feel natural.  If anything hurts even remotely, stop.  I’m not a doctor, I’m just saying what helps me.  Take care of yourself.

  • New Server redux

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    In an effort to simplify, I’ve moved the site yet again, this time to the much simpler hosted version of WordPress run by Automattic. I had been maintaining the site on a Linode for years (sorry I never posted about that) and they’re great, but I need more time to focus. So far, WordPress.com has had good performance and stability (and support!) but let me know if you see any issues.

    What do you think of the theme? I like simple themes meant for reading. I miss my homemade theme a bit, but this seemed like it had the same mojo.

    I don’t want to promise I’ll start posting again, because I know how many bloggers do that after big breaks, but it’s certainly easier now.

  • Exciting and unexciting

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    Things that have excited me lately:

    • WakeMate – $50 and you might sleep better. It tracks your sleep patterns and wakes you between REM periods. It seems most useful for heavy sleepers, like me. My wife sleeps very lightly and wakes up often. I don’t think she’d need additional jarring.
    • Samsung’s Galaxy S phones – good Android phones on every carrier… including AT&T. This may be the first real competitor to the iPhone for those locked into AT&T. The only downside is that AT&T doesn’t let you sideload applications, i.e. install them manually.
    • Floppy drives with legs.

    Things not exciting me:

    • eBook readers – they’re just not there yet. The Kindle (or DX) and Nook are getting there, but they’re just not what I want. I read technical books, so I need a large screen. I don’t care about color, and I don’t want a touchscreen because it lowers the clarity of the screen. I don’t particularly care about the 3G access – I can download books at home, and I’d rather use my phone for mobile internet access. I want simple, cheap, clear, and free.
    • Loss of freedom – particularly with regard to the internet. AT&T has already switched to limited data plans, Verizon probably will soon, and broadband providers have been considering the switch for a while. It makes me sick that this is possible when internet access should be a human right. I know for a fact that capacity far exceeds demand at some of these companies, so it’s dishonest.
    • 3D – ugh. Movies and TV are equally bad ideas. Give me back my Virtual Boy.

  • Clash of the Titans 3D

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    Clash of the Titans really doesn’t deserve the bad reviews it’s getting. If you like mythology at all, you’ll probably like it. They did take a few liberties with the story, but all movies do. The 3D effects were understated and didn’t detract from the movie like so many are claiming. Overall, good effort, and didn’t disappoint me as a fan of Greek mythology.

  • Linux Wake On Keyboard

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    Quick tip – Not all Linux-based operating systems wake from suspend mode when you use your keyboard. To enable that feature, do this:

    echo USB0 > /proc/acpi/wakeup

    You can add that line to /etc/rc.d/rc.local (on Fedora, similar elsewhere) to make sure the setting is enabled on startup.

  • Intel 4965 wireless, Linux, and Afterburners

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    Important note if you have Intel 4965 wireless (the card used in the Dell XPS m1330, for example) – the Linux drivers for this card do not work well with “Afterburner” mode in Linksys routers. I assume it’s the same for “Super-G” and modes from other brands. Turn off that feature and you may save yourself hours of trouble.

  • How To Fix a Fedora Bug, Plus Free Mini-Review

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    In the spirit of my previous Exherbo review and guide to fixing an Ubuntu crash, let’s do the same for Fedora!

    I was growing a bit tired of the development lag in Crunchbang Linux and needed a new distribution. I want a well-built system that doesn’t take too much administration so I can focus on other things. (As you may know, I have a tendency to set up and administer machines for fun, forgetting to do any “real” work on top of it.)

    Fedora sounded good. All free software with fairly frequent updates. RPM hell is avoided with Yum. I particularly appreciate the use of the free Nouveau driver for my Nvidia card, and Kernel Mode Setting for a smoother start and fewer hassles.

    When it works, Fedora is slick. They’re a bit ahead of Ubuntu in terms of features, with default SELinux, KMS, and better video drivers. Another thing I appreciate is that one of Fedora’s goals is to stay close to upstream. They don’t want to apply 10 patches to every package, preferring to send patches upstream and get down to zero distribution-specific patches if possible.

    It’s quick to boot, particularly with KMS. The battery life is about 10-15% longer than with Crunchbang, even with more daemons running.

    (more…)

  • Tim Pope matching donations

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    Tim Pope is generously matching donations between now and Christmas on any of his Github projects. All money goes to Vim’s charity, ICCF Holland, that helps children in Uganda. Thanks Tim!