REVIEW: TACTILE TURN PENCIL

You may recall - I think it was back in december last year - that I warned you to expect a bunch of Tactile Turn product reviews. And for once I actually kept my word! Eight months and three TT product reviews later (the Gist, Mover and Bolt Action Pen), there's only one product we haven't discussed yet: the Tactile Turn Pencil. Big thanks to Will for sending one my way for review!

Mechanical pencils seem to be the last resort of many a respected pen maker. Same goes for Tactile Turn, where Will staved off on the idea of a pencil until just a year ago. Perhaps it reflects what lives within the pen community, as most everyday carry needs are usually filled in with balpoint pens, rollerballs or even fountain pens. Often leaving mechanical pencils overlooked (Even though in my mind they are actually versatile and reliable tools for on the go, right?). Frankly, for someone with a blog that starts with "pencil" I don't quite spend enough time on them either. So let's bring some change to that...

The TT Pencil and Mover (now called Click Pen)  side by side.

The design of the Pencil is completely in line with most other Tactile Turn products: a balanced combination of fairly minimal but rugged industrial design and refined details. The 'tactile' machined surface finish and bent steel clip -the two main design characteristics that set Tactile Turn products apart- are of course both present here as well. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I like the uniformity across the entire Tactile Turn product catalog. Over the years they really found their own unique identity which makes all their products easily recogniseable.

The brand logo and production year are neatly engraved on the underside of the clip. Very low-key!

L to R: TT Mover (a.k.a. Click Pen), Glider (Old model, now replaced by the BAP), Pencil

The overall shape of the Pencil is also shared with most other Tactile Turn pens, although it seems like each one has a different front section shape - giving each pen a slightly distinct appearance. The difference is very subtle though. Can you see it too or am I just imagining this?

Designwise, the only thing that slightly irks me is the break between the barrel and top finial. Because of the way Tactile Turn pens are made, the front section and barrel always match up perfectly because the spiral texture is machined after these two parts are assembled. The finial however, is machined separately so there's always a noticeable break when it's joined to the barrel. I wish Will could figure out a way to make it integrate as seamlessly as the other parts just to create a unibody appearance... but maybe that's just me being picky? 

L to R: Karas Retrakt, Tactile Turn Gist (old version), TT Mover (a.k.a Click pen), TT Pencil, TT Glider, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Pencil comes in one size and appears a bit shorter than the other Tactile Turn pens. But with the non-retractable lead sleeve and eraser sticking out it still comes in at a decent and full-sized 14 cm (5.5"). All TT pens have the exact same, comfortable diameter (11 mm/ 0.43"). The titanium version weighs in at a comfortable 37 grams. I find titanium pens usually balance quite nicely, and it's a super strong material for EDC. At the relatively low upcharge Will asks for his Titanium creations, I can't think of a good reason not to go for this version. Except if you prefer a very light or very heavy pencil, in which case the aluminium, stainless steel, brass and copper versions respectively may be more up your alley. The TT Pencil is very comfortable in the hand. The diameter is perfect and the machined texture provides a pleasant grip without being offensive to the touch.

The Tactile Turn Pencil isn't without its' quirks though. In my opinion the bolt action mechanism -while certainly unique- is perhaps not the most practical for a mechanical pencil. The bolt that protrudes from the barrel is small, and the way the mechanism is set up requires a rather firm push to engage the lead. It's not as smooth and supple to operate as on the bolt action pen, which you can fidget with for hours on end.

My second irk has to do with the internal mechanism. Will designed the Pencil around Schmidt's DSM pencil mechanism. It's a decent part on itself, but I kind of miss having a retractable lead sleeve. In an ideal world, I hope they can come up with a custom machined mechanism (I'm sure they can, although it'll probably cost an arm and a leg!) that has a retractable lead sleeve. And while we're at it, a slightly smoother click action to make the bolt action mechanism easier to operate.

That's just me being picky though. The DSM mechanism is really not a bad choice for an off-the-shelf mechanism. It's solid, mostly made out of metal parts, and it screws into the front section so it doesn't rattle. It comes loaded with surprisingly decent leads that are smooth, leave a dark line and are quite smear-free. In case the mechanism fails or you want to swap it out for a different lead size, TT sells replacement units for just 6$. Even the eraser on top is quite decent, although it does create a lot of dust when you erase something.

What I like most about the TT Pencil is that it's shaped and sized more like a regular pen. A lot of mechanical pencils are meant for drafting or sketching and usually have a more slender design. From a usability perspective, I find this design considerably more comfortable for long writing sessions. 

In the recent years I've sort of drifted away from mechanical pencils. But a pencil as good as this certainly reminds me how much fun it can be to write, sketch and doodle! The Tactile Turn pencil does a lot of things right. It's a sleek-looking piece with a durable construction, making it an excellent option as an EDC tool. The Tactile Turn Pencil starts at 69$ for the aluminium version and goes up to 99$ for Titanium, with brass, copper and steel somewhere in between. I think that's a fair price for the quality you get, and it's in line with all other Tactile Turn products. 

NOTE: This product was provided by Tactile Turn, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: TACTILE TURN GIST 2.0 FOUNTAIN PEN

Deadlines here, deadlines there... Sorry for the radio silence but it's been a little crazy the past few weeks, hence the lack of new reviews. Anyway, things are getting somewhat back to normal finally, so I it's about high time for another review, right?

I think it's no secret that I've become a fan of Tactile Turn products. FAST. It all started when I bought a titanium Gist fountain pen second hand from Mike at The Clicky Post. I had never been absolutely on board with the concept of the original Gist. It was designed to be a semi-pocket sized pen that needs to be posted to reach its full potential and I usually prefer full-sized pens. But the price was right, so I caved. As my prejudice often turns out wrong, the Gist managed to impress me, and I got a taste for more. 

Not much later, Will at Tactile Turn delivered with the new and improved Gist 2.0. It's the same but different. The Gist grew up, and is no longer the pocket-ish pen that it used to be - much to my liking of course. I immediately ordered a couple (because ordering just one pen is for sane people), and Will graciously sent the other finishes along for me to check out - Thanks Will!

Original version below, Gist 2.0 above

Designwise, all they did was quite literally stretch out the cap and barrel a bit. The overall shape and style is still the same quite Lamy 2000-esque, tapered flattop. In fact, put this (especially the black delrin version) next to a lamy 2000, and the resemblance is certainly there (there are of course worse pens to draw inspiration from, IMHO). The design is simple but not quite as minimal as metal pens can sometimes be (like my benchmarks, the Ensso Piuma and Namisu Nova). The Gist's design is accentuated by the unusual cap-to-barrel ratio. The cap is rather long, which gives the pen a balanced appearance.

Where the original came in a wide selection of material and combinations, version 2.0 has a less extensive selection to choose from, supposedly to keep production more straightforward. Materials like stainless steel, damascus and various mix-and-match combinations where dropped, but you still get a choice between white, black/white and black delrin, brass, copper and titanium. 

The original Gist certainly had some kinks that I'm glad to say were -quite literally- smoothed out in version 2. Most noticeable is Tactile Turn's trademark knurled finish. The original had a very deeply ridged texture which feels kind of strange and extremely 'toothy' in the hand. Version 2.0 incorporates the same fine spiral texture as all other current TT products, which feels less sharp yet still offers plenty of grip. Another element that you'll probably recognize from other Tactile Turn products is the sturdy stainless steel clip, which is available in both tumbled steel and black coated finish for the Gist.

My biggest gripe with the original Gist are the threads. They are very sharply cut, which especially on the edge of the cap made it to a point where you can actually cut yourself on them. The threads were also quite tricky to align, where they would often catch when you don't align the cap just right. Version two has this figured out; not only is the edge of the cap now nicely flat and no longer sharp, the threads itself are cut differently so that they don't catch nearly as often. The last difference I could tell is purely an aesthetic one, where they added more pronounced chamfered edges to the cap and barrel finial.

All in all, the Gist 2.0 just looks more finished and  thought through. And with these small quirks out of the picture, it's a more pleasant pen to use as well.

There still one issue that I could find though, and that's the inner cap. TT decided to add a small plastic ring inside the cap to aid with posting the cap (so you don't damage the finish on the metal pens), but it sometimes snags on the nib when you cap and uncap the pen. This seems to be a tolerance issue caused by some Bock nibs having slightly wider shoulders than others, making them snag on the inner cap. In any case, Will let me know that he updated the inner caps to deal with this variation, so it should no longer be an issue. 

L to R: Namisu Nova, Ensso Piuma, Tactile Turn Mover, Tactile Turn Gist and Gist 2.0, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

As I said, the Gist grew a bit compared to its predecessor, and is now a comfortable 13.7 cm long (5.4") when capped, and 12.5 cm (4.9") uncapped. It's still not an overly large pen, but I'd now consider it more of a normal sized pen. I can easily get away with using it unposted (even though you could post if you want), where I find the original Gist just a tad short for that. In terms of weight there's something for everyone: the delrin comes in just shy of 20 g, the titanium version is a substantial 45 g, and copper and brass are downright heavy at around 80 g each.

Despite being a metal pen (well, unless you choose the delrin finish of course!), it scores high in the comfort department. The section is long, has a gentle taper and provides plenty of grip through the machined texture. The block threads sit almost completely flush in between the section and barrel. They are ever so slightly sharp to the touch, but never felt too intrusive in my grip.

The nibs are standard Bock issue, which is absolutely fine by me. I know there has been more than one occasion where Bock has missed the ball with quality control. Nevertheless, I still generally like them better than JoWo nibs, which I think has at least something to do with the slight springy character they offer (and the option for titanium nibs if you want something closer to semi-flex). For what it's worth, all four nibs I received worked perfectly fine out of the box. I was especially impressed by the 1.1 untipped stub, which I have had little experience with until now. It's a nicely rounded stub and comes very smooth out of the box, with a pleasantly wet ink flow. 

I do find that Bock nibs generally benefit from a wet ink, even though they usually provide a decent flow as-is. For example, I regularly pair them up with a KWZ ink, which provides a very heavy and smooth flow. Worth noting is that the Gist 2.0 now accepts full-sized converters which can hold a bit more ink. Admittedly, the difference in ink capacity isn't huge, but every improvement is welcome I'd say.

If you're not keen on fountain pens, TT now also offers the Gist as a capped rollerball pen, built around the same Pilot G2 refill that they use in all their pens. You can also buy the rollerball grip section separately for anywhere between 15$ and 35$ (depending on the material), so you can swap between writing styles. 

The Tactile Turn Gist 2.0 hits a lot of sweet spots for me, and from my experience it's a huge step forward from the original version. I think Will and his team generally do an excellent job on the design of their products, striking a good balance between minimal and industrial looks with a very tangible character -this pen is no different in that regard. Besides design, the Gist feels solidly built and comes in plenty of material options to choose from. Especially for people that don't like metal pens, the delrin versions are a very welcome option. 

The price point on these is a bit higher compared to the rest of Tactile Turn's products. Delrin versions start at 99$, brass and copper come in at 119$ and 139$ respectively, and the titanium version goes for 219$. For the most part, those prices are still very competitive with similar products from other brands out there. Only the titanium version seems a bit on the expensive side compared to the rest. Especially because TT usually offers their other titanium products for a relatively low price, I don't quite see how the titanium Gist in particular demands such a high premium.

NOTE: This product was provided in part by Tactile Turn, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: TACTILE TURN MOVER PEN

Late last year, one of my greatest 'discoveries' of 2018 were the products from USA-based Tactile Turn. Having been around for a number of years, Tactile Turn is not a new player to the market, but I somehow held off on their products until recently. As soon as I got my hands on one of their Gist fountain pens, I knew I'd also have to try their other products! Recently, I reviewed one that quickly became a personal favorite: the Glider (review HERE), and today we're taking a look at one of Will's earlier creations: the Tactile Turn Mover pen!

The Kickstarter for the Mover (and accompanying, slightly smaller version: the Shaker) dropped way back in 2014, and business really took off for Tactile Turn from there, turning Will's one-man endeavour into a serious machining company with strong roots in the EDC pen and gear community. 

The Mover is a fairly quintessential EDC pen in terms of design. All of Tactile Turn's products share a very similar design language, but this one actually used to be a little different from the rest before Will decided to 'unify' his design language/aesthetic across the board in all his products. The Mover and Shaker were 'revamped' back in 2017 with a new solid titanium, made-in-house knock mechanism and an updated finish where the 'tactile' spiral-grooved texture now runs along the entire length of the pen.

The Mover/Shaker has a noticeably simpler and more minimal aesthetic compared to the Glider/Slider and mechanical pencil. This has a lot to do with the simple, no-frills knock mechanism at the back (instead of the more intricate bolt action mechanism on the mechanical pencil and Glider/Slider). It's a very straight cylindrical design, with a strongly tapered nose cone. The industrial-looking stainless steel clip is another constant across all Tactile Turn products, and is very stiff but functional. 

Talking about the mechanism: Tactile Turn machines their own in house, and uses titanium instead of the usual brass Schmidt knock mechanisms that apparently tend to break after extended use. I personally haven't had any issues with the Schmidt mechanisms, but it's nice to know that TT went the extra mile anyway to ensure the pens' longevity. The knock is a bit less smooth because of the titanium-on-titanium friction, but it functions as good - if not better- as the Schmidt, and it looks nicer while at it. 

The Mover/Shaker doesn't draw much attention in terms of design. It's a pen you might easily overlook, although that's not necessarily a bad thing for an EDC pen. It's the little things that make this pen excellent: such as the custom knock mechanism, but also not in the least the trademark textured tactile finish and sturdy stainless steel clip that are consistent across all Tactile Turn products. Machining is precise and clean, with high tolerances. The almost invisible break between barrel and section is a testimony to the quality, which makes the entire pen feel like a unibody design.

L to R: Karas Pen Co. Retrakt, TT Gist, TT Mover, TT pencil, TT Glider, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

I was sent the titanium version to check out, as this is Will's personal favorite... and I can't blame him! Titanium usually lends itself perfectly for making pens: It's lightweight, durable and looks good too. In this case, the Mover only weighs 34 grams, only half the weight of the copper Glider I looked at earlier, yet still substantial enough to feel solid in the hand. The Mover is a sizeable pen at 14cm (5.5"), while its smaller brother (the Shaker) is about half an inch shorter. It's a fairly average 11mm in diameter (0.43"). The all-titanium construction is balanced in the hand, and the texture adds a fair bit of grip. About that texture: the machining seems to feel a bit 'sharper' and grippier on this titanium pen than it is on the copper Glider, but not in an uncomfortable way. 

As with the Glider and Slider, the only difference between the Mover and Shaker - apart from their size, of course - is the refill they are built around. The Mover comes loaded with a fine (0.38mm) Pilot G2 refill in black, while the Shaker takes Parker-style refills and comes loaded with a Schmidt Easyflow 9000 (as far as ballpoints go, an excellent refill). I like that Tactile Turn chooses the narrower 0.38mm refill instead of the more standard 0.5mm. It lays down a crisp, fine line and has somewhat less tendency to smear.

The Mover is - especially from a design point of view - a simple EDC pen. But at the same time the devil is in the details, and Tactile Turn gets a lot of those details very right. Made from solid titanium, it's sturdy, balanced and good-looking. The upgraded knock mechanism adds to the durability, and Tactile Turns' trademark tactile finish makes this one of VERY few metal pens that actually provides a solid grip. Even though the cusdtom titanium mechanism adds to the cost, TT still manages to keep pricing relatively low compared to comparable competition. An aluminium Mover or Shaker will set you back 69$, whereas an all-titanium version like this one comes in at 99$. 

This product was provided by Tactile Turn, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: TACTILE TURN GLIDER BOLT-ACTION PEN

In my fascination for metal pens I've already come across a bunch of interesting brands, and have tried some truly excellent products in the process. Suprisingly, there was one brand that has always been on my radar, yet for some reason it took me until now to finally check them out: Tactile Turn!

A couple months ago, I bought a titanium Tactile Turn Gist fountain pen from Mike Dudek (of The Clicky Post and Dudek Modern Goods fame!). Shortly after, by coincidence, I got in touch with both Will (owner of Tactile Turn) and Sascha (who owns German-based online store 'Writing Turning Flipping', one of few EU-based retailers that stocks Tactile Turn!). Suffice to say you'll encounter quite a few Tactile Turn products here on the blog in the next few months!

I thought I'd start by taking a look at the Glider -sent to me by Writing Turning Flipping-, which has consistently been part of my daily carry in the past couple months. The Glider is something new for me, as I had never used a bolt-action pen (which are quite popular in the EDC community). As the cherry on top, Sascha sent it over in one of my favorite metals: copper!

The Glider in beteen the Mover and mechanical pencil, notice the subtle difference in shape of the Glider.

The Glider is one of two bolt-action pens Tactile Turn makes: the Glider and Slider. The Glider is about 0.5" longer and therefore takes another refill, but otherwise they are identical in design. The Glider is a large but sleek and streamlined pen. It strikes a good balance between minimal and industrial design. The barrel tapers gently into the nose cone at the front and at the rear end of the pen is a rounded finial where you'd usually find a knock mechanism.

But this is of course a bolt-action pen, and the mechanism can be found on the right next to the clip. It's a nicely rounded semi-circle shape with a small stainless steel bolt that doesn't protrude too far out from the barrel so it doesn't really sit in the way.

The mechanism takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of the 'swooping' motion (in lack of a better explanation) it almost becomes second nature. It's also EXTREMELY addictive to fiddle with. Seriously, once I pick it up, I have a hard time putting it back down. That said, it's not necessarily the most practical mechanism to quickly deploy and jot something down, but it sure does look cool. If I had to really nitpick on this pen, I would've liked to bolt to travel a mm or two further down so that the tip of the refill extends just a hair further. Of course that's easy to fix, I just taped a small piece of plastic to the back to give it that little extra length.

Basically all Tactile Turn pens share two specific design elements: the machined ridged texture across the entire surface of the pen, and the sturdy folded stainless steel clip. While this type of clip is something you can see on a lot of EDC-minded pens, it's attached internally instead of bolted to the outside of the barrel. The 'tactile' surface finish -what's in a name!- gives the pen a unique satin matte appearance from afar, and also provides excellent grip in the hand.

As I said, I chose the copper finish, which is hefty and creates a wonderful patina with use. If you're not a fan of copper, Tactile Turn provides plenty other metal options to choose from (aluminium, brass, titanium, stainless steel, damascus steel or even zirconium!), each with their own unique character and feel.

L to R: Karas Pen Co Retrakt, Tactile Turn Gist 1.0, Tactile Turn  Mover, Tactile Turn pencil, Tactile Turn Glider, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Glider is a large pen, measuring in at 14.2cm (5.6"), and with a comfortable 11mm (0.43") diameter across the entire body of the pen. In this copper finish, it's a hefty 65g. For comparison, the aluminium is only 26g, and the titanium comes in at 36g, so that's quite a big difference in weight (there are a few other metal options to choose from, which have slightly different weights). Even though this copper version is heavy, it's very nicely balanced and I rarely had issues with fatigue. The combination of the surface texture, good size and nice heft makes this a very comfortable pen. I've used it for long writing sessions without any issues.

One thing that stands out in all Tactile turn products, is that they are made with an excellent eye for detail. The design is considerate and machining is impeccable. Fit and finish is so good on these pens, that you'll have to look very closely to spot the seam where the two halves of the barrel meet. The knurled texture is consistent across the entire pen, and apart from providing grip it also helps to hide small scuffs and scratches from use.

The Pilot G2 gel ink refill? An excellent choice in my book. It has actually surpassed the Schmidt P8126 rollerball refill in my personal rating. Both are fantastic refills, but because the G2 uses gel-based ink, it's less prone to bleeding and feathering on crappy paper. The Tactile Turn pens come stock with a black 0.38mm G2 refill, which lays down a crisp and fine line. On top of that, the G2 refill is available in a ton of colors, and it's a common size that is shared by a bunch of other refills (Tactile Turn provides a list of compatible refills HERE)

The Glider is an allround excellent pen with an impeccable level of detail in the machining. There's really just one caveat: the mechanism on this pen is so addicting to play with... it may drive people around you crazy!

Making it even easier to recommend is the price. The Tactile Turn Glider is competitively priced when compared to direct competitors like the Karas Pen Co. Bolt. Prices obviously vary depending on the metal you choose: the aluminium version starts at 60$ (65€), this copper version is 70$ (75€) and the titanium Glider comes in at 80$ (85€). The more exotic finishes, like DLC-coated titanium, damascus steel and zirconium, obviously command a rather hefty premium.

This product was sent to me by Writing Turning Flipping so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.