Uni Pin 0.38mm Fineliner Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Fineliners have been a staple in my stationery inventory ever since I stumbled across the Staedtler Triplus line when I was in college and hanging out with cool art majors. It didn't take long to discover that there were many better alternatives to the Staedtler staple, which led to lots of buying sprees and experimenting with different brands and sizes.

After realizing how quickly the tips degrade when using these pens for regular writing, I stopped spending as much time with them. But, they're still a solid pen that I love using from time to time when the urge hits. I'm not an artist, but I still get a lot of enjoyment out of fineliners.

The Uni Pin is a fineliner that I discovered through JetPen's fineliner sampler pack. I was recently reminded of the Pin in episode 609 of the Pen Addict Podcast where Brad and Myke talked about a recent bracket-style voting championship that Uni USA hosted on their Instagram account. The surprising winner over the other well-known ballpoint, gel, and rollerball pens was the Pin.

While I personally don't rank the Pin over any of my Jetstreams or Signos, it definitely made me want to take the Pin for another spin.

The Pin is a felt-tipped pen with a pigmented ink that is water-proof, acid free, and fade-resistant. In terms of archival quality, this is a fantastic choice. The ink is incredibly dark and consistent in color. The edges of the lines are sharp and controlled. There isn't any signs of feathering when you're writing with this pen, even on papers that tend to cause inks to bleed a bit.

One of the main reasons I personally turn to a fineliner is for the deep, saturated ink color and crisp lines. The Uni Pin fits this bill perfectly. Comparing it to the ubiquitous Staedtler Triplus, the Pin ink is so much darker, and the writing experience is much smoother. While the Pin isn't a "wet" writer by any means, it feels smooth and buttery when writing, where the Staedtler feels dry and scratchy.

Comparing the Pin to other Japanese pens in the same realm is a bit harder to do since they're all great. Probably the most popular fineliner is the Sakura Pigma Micron, and I personally find it difficult to find much of a difference between the Sakura and Uni. The main difference is price, where the Uni Pin is about 30% cheaper. When you're buying a lot of these pens in different sizes, that small price difference adds up quickly.

The 03 model of the Pin in this review is a 0.38mm tip. There are many other sizes to choose from, and the 01 (0.28mm) is another favorite of mine. Sizes range from 0.03mm up to 0.8mm. There are also other colors, though not a crazy amount. Just the basics: black, blue, red. You can also get gray and brown in some of the tip sizes as well.

If there's one thing that Uni's Instagram championship told us, it's that the Pin fans are out there in great numbers. That representation is a great reminder and testament to this humble little fineliner. This is something every pen drawer needs on hand for those precise and archival-ready tasks.

The Uni Pin fineliner is $1.75 per pen, so stock up on some different sizes and colors!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Uni Jetstream 4&1 Bamboo Multi Pen Giveaway

When I’m looking for a great multi pen, I know any Uni-ball Jetstream setup is going to get the job done. One of their latest releases, the Uni Jetstream 4&1 Bamboo Multi Pen not only gets the job done with four ballpoint refills and an 0.5 mm pencil component, but looks amazing while doing it. I have one to give away this week, so read the rules below and enter away!

Uni Jetstream 4&1 Bamboo Multi Pen Giveaway

Uni Jetstream Edge 0.38 mm Ballpoint Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Sometimes I pick a pen based on looks (I'll admit it) and "odd" is definitely a look. The Uni Jetstream Edge looks odd. But I love Uni refills and I like Mint Green, so I had to try it. And it's a decent pen, though I think there are better houses for the exceptional Jetstream refill.

The metallic sheen on this pen deceives the eye, as the body is all plastic--only the grip section (and clip) are metal. The plastic is smooth and well made, but very light, so almost the entire weight of the pen is in the grip. This is apparently to give the pen a low center of gravity, which is intended for better control. I don't know all the science of the ergonomics behind that, but the imbalance it creates is something that takes a little getting used to. The pen also tapers so that the grip is the widest point, with a snorkel-like tube to protect the super-fine refill tip.

The body has a hexagonal shape, while the grip is round with some light etching along the length. I do find the grip a bit slick. I think the etching could have gone around the grip instead of along it, for better traction.

The clip has a wave pattern to it, and it looked like it might have a hinge, but it's a friction clip. It's fairly stiff, though the lip on it makes it easy to slide onto papers.

The top of the pen has a black plastic click mechanism to deploy the tip. It's a satisfying click, and the parts are all up in the top of the pen, so there are no flying springs or loose pieces when you change refills.

And the refill is where this pen shines. Because inside this slightly alien looking pen body is one of the best refills I've ever used, the Uni Jetstream .38 ballpoint.

This is the smoothest ballpoint ink I've ever used. It has the glide of a gel ink, but it is water-resistant, fade-resistant, and forgery-resistant, so it's perfect for taking your most important notes. Despite the absolute itty bittiness of the tip, there is no scratchiness or dragging feeling to this refill at all. It looks like you're writing with a sewing needle, but it writes like hot butter. I would use this refill every day.

But, I confess, I am not reaching for this pen every day--and when I am, it's because I need the refill, not because I want to write with the pen itself. It's not a bad pen at all, it's just odd, and that imbalance throws me off a bit. Beyond that, the $15 price feels a bit high, especially when you can get a 3-color Jetstream pen for $7.

I don't mind an odd pen (to be fair, I'm odd, myself), and I'd say that if you like the look of this pen, you're bound to be very happy with it. While I prefer other Uni pen models, my critiques of this pen are all very subjective, and you may find this one to be your personal favorite.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!