The End of INK? Testing the $200 Inkless Pen!

[@MQZ17]

Pininfarina is an Italian car design company, they've designed some Ferraris and even the Cadillac Allante. So that's why it's so freaking expensive, that price is just crazy to me.

[@UnboxingTVofficial]

So you basically just pay for the brand name

[@HermanVonPetri]

It's like buying a Ferrari branded keychain. It's going to be 20x the price it's worth.

[@mixeddrinks8100]

they also designed the cool fancy Coke machine that mix in flavors. The Coke Freestyle machine, but yea a lot of people don't know the brand, it is a design house, so it is just paying for the brand.

[@entertheabyss9785]

Cadillac Allante is the best looking Cadillac there is 😍

[@jacksonbigelow4693]

When doing car design you don’t use erasers

[@sentropez1337]

FYI, beyond being "inkless", both of these are marketed as "forever pens" or "everlasting pens" (and to me, that's the interesting aspect of these) - but the $6 one isn't actually a real "forever pen"; it's just a (silver-core) pencil. From the $6 pen's Amazon description: "Working principle: the nib rubs on the paper to decompose the alloy metal molecules and leave them on the paper surface". In other words: this is a pencil. It will wear down over time, and need new nibs. (You could also tell by the fact that they sell replacement nibs for this "pen." A "forever pen" shouldn't need replacement nibs!) IMHO the only reason someone would be interested in the $200 pen is the "forever pen" aspect. (As, if not for that, if you want an "inkless pen", why not just buy a regular, cheap pencil?) The $200 pen _does_ achieve the "forever pen" claim, insofar as it chemically reacts to paper without the tip wearing away. In contrast, the $6 "forever pen" isn't actually a "forever pen" (or "everlasting pencil") as it claims to be. It's an impostor product, a GameStation 360 kind of thing. So it's somewhat of an invalid comparison to review these as two products in the same category. Also, re: erasability, think about it this way: if the markings _can_ be erased, then those markings are not caused by a chemical reaction with the paper, but rather as a deposit on top of the paper. A real "forever pen" is necessarily a non-erasable pen, because it's necessarily a pen that's doing something chemically to the paper, rather than leaving part of itself on top of the paper. (Which is also why they call it a "pen" rather than a "pencil" - pens are writing instruments that do something permanent to the paper, while pencils leave something on top of the paper that can be rubbed away.)

[@jomangeee]

you are missing the point! most people lose pens before they become dysfunctional so the idea of a forever pen is just beyond me. On second thought in college I did collect BIC pens that I used up to gauge if I was studying hard enough, I wouldn't need a forever pen for that!!

[@Flyinghook]

they also have replacement tips on their website.

[@aishahshamsul8642]

Except the $200 pen can also be erased, just harder to erase. And how does it write without "chemical reaction on paper" then?

[@BixbyConsequence]

Both products offer replacement tips as obviously they make marks by wearing some of the metal off. The "forever" part apparently just applies to the body of these pens and you could similarly apply "forever" to any pen with replaceable cartridges. I'd say that one advantage over a pencil is you should be able to go much longer without having to tend to it, but the tradeoff is the lightness of the marks, the amount of force required, and from the video the writing doesn't seem very smooth. All in all you're probably not going to want to use it very much so it may well last forever. 😉 I could see the cheap one being useful for a situation where you want to keep a writing instrument available for occasional brief use but don't want to have to worry about whether it's going to be ready and able to write when you need it. The expensive one is just silly.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

Both are stupid regardless when a pack of 10 ballpoint cost £1

[@BMitc13476]

I've used all kinds of inkless pens from the cheaper ones to the most expensive one I've tried which was about 60 with a titanium tip. They all have 1 thing in common though is that if accidentally dropped it instantly breaks the tip and renders it useless. At least with the cheaper ones you can find replacement tips so your not completely out of luck

[@kroxilpiv]

Oh wow I didn't even think of that! thank you for mentioning it.

[@MikhelBL]

Where can you find replacement tips? I didn't know it was possible to buy them and how to look for them.

[@madog1]

@Camura... thanks for the info. How long have these things been around?

[@jantschierschky3461]

Doubt it be titanium, more like aluminium, titanium is way too abrasive resistant.

[@FUGP72]

I just went to the link for both of these in the description an o both offer replacement tips.

[@larrynavarro70]

This type of tool in classical art is known as Silver point. Many renaissance artists used it including Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. The paper used had more of a grain and was prepared with a rosin to give it more tooth . As the metal marks from the tool oxidises it would get darker. As a kid I remember drawing on a painted wall with a penny . The same effect .

[@mandrews817]

I thought the same, but only the $6 seems to be a real silverpoint. Which is kind of ironic. Either way, they both seem to be very interesting as a art tools.

[@larrynavarro70]

@@mandrews817 my Father in Law made one for me about 30 years ago .He just took a metal mechanical pencil a put a silver wire in place of the lead. He also gave me some prepared paper to go along with it . The paper was bluish gray and had a fine tooth to it. If you ever looked at Leonardo Da Vinci's studies of a horse or had the opportunity to see it in person the paper he used was very similar. I have to search around in my art studio to see if I still have it!

[@TheAmazingSpaghetti]

Yes, and a fair amount of artists still do metalpoint drawings, I do as well. You can buy a whole bunch of different types of thin metal rods/wire made from silver, copper, actual lead, etc etc. And you can buy prepared paper or buy or make a solution to the coat the paper or board to create the tooth needed for the metal to rub off, and some of it will tarnish over time, which is a desired feature of using it.

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I remember scratching up sidewalks to write with rocks cause I didn't have chalk 😂

[@KevinPan-tl6vn]

​@@mandrews817 The 6$ one is just a regular pencil, chemical reactions can't be erased like any regular graphite deposits.

[@MarioRodriguez-ow9rl]

The point is the "cheap pen" is actually a pencil with a hard graphite tip. That's why it's darker, closer to a pencil and easily erased. The problem is that the graphite tip will get rounded and consumed (slowly) and you have to sharpen with sandpaper, and eventually use a new one. On the other hand, the consumption of true metallic tip is very low, because it uses slow amount of metallic oxide to write, and that´s why it's also difficult to erase (closer to a pen).

[@bernadinhotan7870]

Oh my gosh this makes so much sense!

[@bobcat2938]

Ty

[@angeltensey]

yeah, there is no magic in our world unfortunately. if something leaves markings on something else, it means that one of these "something" wears out.

[@tyrone-y7s]

you can buy 35 cheap pens or 1 expensive pen you choose

[@Freebirdcool]

@@tyrone-y7shahahahaa

[@SuperLemonAdam]

Pininfarina are a car (among other things) designer. They've designed cars for Ferrari many many times over the years. Explains the price even without justifying it! Thanks for the review, great work as always!

[@viktormuerte]

I was slightly surprised James didn't know this. I guess he's not a car geek. 😅

[@driftkid222]

As soon as I saw that name I had to scroll down to the comments and see if any car geeks came to the rescue with this valuable info.

[@MikhelBL]

I remember the cellphones with the tag "Pininfarina" (Motorola Ferrari Pininfarina), for quite some time in México it was a sign of status among narcotraffickers in central/southern México because those could only be bought and used in some mexican border cities BUT they had (well, have) enough money so as to build their private network to use those nextel cellphone/radios in the sierras.

[@howiedavis2316]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. My Alfa Romeo, back in '89, was a Pininfarina Spider. Thank you for letting me know where the name came from.

[@levithrasher7417]

They also designed the Coke Freestyle machines too! if you look hard enough, you can find the name on it

[@trogdorstrngbd]

I can only think of one serious use for an inkless "pen", which is to toss it into your car glovebox for emergencies. Pen ink can get messed up by extreme temperatures, hot or cold, and pencils are (arguably) delicate. Of course I would opt for the $6 version for this use case.

[@tomfeng5645]

A different comment said that these are pretty fragile too ("tip instantly breaks if you drop it") so, yeah, not even that...

[@Slaegar]

If you really need a writing instrument that doesn't not care about the environment a grease pencil/china marker will suit you well. That's what astronauts (and cosmonauts) used before the Fisher Space Pen.

[@trogdorstrngbd]

@@Slaegar It's been forever since I used one of those. If the tip is broken, can you just tear off the "paper" around it with your fingers to make it write again? If so, that does seem like a great option.

[@Slaegar]

@@trogdorstrngbd I'm going to guess it stays dull, but it shouldn't be too too much of a pain to hack at it with a pen knife or something and smooth it to a cone shape with a paper towel or something.

[@DigitalMoonlight]

You'd probably be better off with a vacuum filler fountain pen that can seal the ink chamber when not in use to prevent burping. Load it up with Noodler's Polar inks and it wont freeze solid and still flow well below freezing. Still cheaper than this pen and it'll write much darker.

[@urrrr]

Im surprised that you didn't criticize the $200 pen as much. $200 and can barely compare to a $6 one. Probably gonna be in the top 10 worst reviews of this year

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

the video tells all 😄

[@theBabyDead]

Because the 200$ one is an actual everlasting pen. The 6$ ones are reinforced pencils.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

@@theBabyDead Everlasting pen like everlasting gobstoppers. Maybe its a good pen to have in a future dystopia when supply chains shut down. But I think a burnt matchstick might write just as well.

[@TrggrWarning]

Bag of charcoal dinosaur eggs will give you lots to think about as you write with them for the rest of your life.

[@mutedmutiny9542]

Well something that we can’t really get from the video is how they each feel in the hand, and the entire experience of writing is subjective, so even if we don’t think the expensive pen seems like a good experience, someone else that tries it might disagree. It’s also subjective what aspects of the pen are most important to you. For some people the design, feel and balance might be more important than the pressure they need to apply.

[@jacobmckinley9708]

you can also just literally buy a piece of copper, brass, or aluminum round stock and grind one end down to your prefered nib shape. they will all deposit SOME amount of metal on the paper (the harder the metal, the lighter it will appear on paper.)

[@rubo1964]

was thinking the same

[@OwlCat-c4b]

One of the best parts of being a fountain pen (or any high-end pen) lover...would be the selection of so many beautiful inks! the shading, the way the ink absorbs into the paper, the subtle changes in appearance as it dries....I’ll be perfectly happy to stick with pens that require ink.

[@NicolasDecollibus]

I love my Lamy

[@abhigeetmk]

I think the Pininfarina one is meant for automotive or product designers, the main function is to sketch, as a product designer myself, I think those light lines would be perfect for product sketches.

[@theannihilator8800]

Too expensive bro, also tip breaks easily if dropped

[@wormhole331]

They're just alloys of different soft metals. The cheap one uses a softer alloy which is why it writes darker but the tip will deform after awhile. Reshapen it with some sand paper and it should still last a long time. Besides people usually lose pencils before they ever break or wear out. The expensive one uses a harder alloy which leaves lighter lines but will resist deforming better.

[@akedi2734]

ty for this good info, explained things rly well

[@vast9467]

Also they work better on more rough paper

[@Niraol]

the expensive one is more of a decoration for your office where you sketch a few documents a day with it

[@Corvato1000]

The $5.99 pen is not a forever pen, its end is a graphite tip, and most companies rate it as 50+ standard pencils (which they sell separately as replacements too). The $200 unit is an silver alloy pen, and the tip is supposed to work a lot longer (200+ standard pencils). The problem is there are many Amazon companies selling the cheaper one as the more expensive. The $200 model uses a silver/grey metallic tip that is rated as good as 200+ pencils, while the graphite model (the black tip) is rated for 50+ pages. Amazon has a variety of the cheap pens being sold as the more expensive style, so watch out! some even show pictures of the units with the metallic tips, even though they will arrive with the cheaper tip.

[@acidspit14]

let's see the 200 dollar one be called forever when you lose it :D

[@Dumbunny420]

So that’s literally just an overpriced pencil….wtf

[@mango-strawberry]

fr. infact these are the worst pencils I've ever seen

[@kbaker9804]

I always enjoy your reviews; your comments are often just exactly what I was thinking.

[@Freakinreviews]

Great minds think alike!

[@lkayh]

I don’t think anything will persuade me to give up my Frixion pens. They’re gel ink, so very smooth, easy writing, and they are erasable, so you get unlimited do-overs. The best ones are retractable with the eraser on the top (and it’s never going to wear down). Those forever “pens” don’t write as cleanly, I’m sure they don’t feel as smooth, and the only thing they really have over the Pilot Frixion pens is that you don’t run out of “ink” so you will contribute less plastic over time to the landfill. It’d be awesome if Pilot came up with a way to refill the gel so they’re competitive in that regard.

[@rebeccabautista]

You could purchase frixion gel pen refills. The issue most find with them is the fact the ink is temperature sensitive. If it gets too hot it "erases" itself. Yes you can pop the paper back in the freezer to get back though lighter than before, but then you also get what you "erased".

[@lkayh]

@@rebeccabautista I’ve never had a problem with that. What temp causes it to be disappearing ink?

[@rebeccabautista]

@@lkayh Just copied and pasted from a Google search. "Pilot FriXion ink operates by turning clear when exposed to increased temperature due to the friction of the eraser on the page. However, the ink can be erased through any exposure to heat, including warm water, a hot car, or even fire! Pilot FriXion pen ink turns clear at 140°F/60°C and regains its color at 40°F/4°C." I have had this experience with the hot car

[@lkayh]

Oooh, definitely have to remember NOT to use it on ballots! LOL. That could go very wrong!

[@Pancreaticdefect]

@@lkayh I work in a plastics factory and I learned about the heat erasing the hard way when I used my clipboard with all my data on it to catch some hot parts coming out of a machine. Dumped them into a tray and saw that my page was now entirely blank. I started using a pencil after that.

[@David-wo9un]

Spending $200 on a pen/pencil is true dedication to the channel; Thank you! You also taught me how to draw a boy; I never learned that trick.😁

[@HalmarkCreates]

It’s all bushiness expenses used on a business card that gets written off on taxes at the end of the year!

[@charlesmcmasters]

@@HalmarkCreates its still money spent. Its not like he is a large corporation, every dollar spent is one that doesn't go in his pocket. If he makes less than $200 on this video in ad revenue, he is isn't even breaking even.

[@stark0ss712]

@@charlesmcmasters If this video makes $0, he still gets his money back. Do you not know how business expenses on tax returns work? Seriously? How old are you?

[@gmansplit]

@@stark0ss712 What? No he doesn't. His income isn't taxed at 100%

[@DimT670]

@@stark0ss712 tax deductible goods necessary for your buisiness allow you to pay less tax ON THOSE PRODUCTS not 0 tax on those products or in general

[@VacMaster1991]

$200 for a pen. A Chromebook or cheap laptop is $200

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

Touchscreen with long battery life too.

[@VacMaster1991]

@@Starry_Night_Sky7455 Yep

[@geoffberteau2847]

Lots of high end fountain pens are worth that much

[@Beagles-Garage]

I had the same Pinifarina pen as a gift in high-school, as a car guy who enjoy painting occasionally, that one of the best gift. While the pen not very practical but I love the design and texture of it.

[@ralphwiggum3134]

An interesting use for these would be in construction. We use pencils that go dull and the lead breaks all the time. If it is durable to not get broken or dull, it would be fantastic (the $5 one, of course). They should make a flat version, like a construction pencil so it won't roll when you put it down. I would be very interested in such a product and could imagine it selling well at hardware stores.

[@EckmanJones]

As someone who uses fountain pens, I love the option of picking from a rainbow of various ink colors and styles. I use the TWSBI Vac700 and the 580 AL Emerald Green.

[@dazealex]

Whats a good fountain pen or a ball pen point upi'd recommend (like I used to have Parker ball points back in the day, still loved 'em)?

[@EckmanJones]

@@dazealex I think good starters are the LAMY Safari and the TWSBI Eco. Now the Safari can use and does include disposable ink cartridges. However you can buy converter cartridges that let you fill them with your own fountain pen ink from places like Noodlers, Irosshizuku, Diamine, etc.

[@OwlCat-c4b]

Yup, just made a similar comment myself. So many beautiful & truly unique inks.....the shading, the way it lays down...just such a visceral experience! Ill always have pen & inks on hand!

[@nozrep]

growing up, was always fascinated with the “space pens”. Pens with the ink cartridge pressurized by nitrogen. Which supposedly the astronauts used in space. And the pressurized ink lasts a lot lot lot longer and never “messes up” the pen if turned upside down with no gravity. Sharper Image sold them! But first time I am learning of inkless pens!

[@jeremyloveday9865]

Fisher Space Pen still sells them! I have a few and they're my favorite pens, but they also sell standard refills if they don't have a pen you like!

[@JohnRuckart66]

Interesting fact is yes they were designed for NASA because of their ability to write upside down on wet services etc, but in the end the astronaut went back to just a regular old pencil!

[@Skyfighter64]

@@JohnRuckart66 No, they didn't. Pencils are VERY dangerous in spacecraft. Not only do you have a LOT of sensitive electronics that graphite dust can and will short out because the lack of gravity, wood shavings are also a major hassle. Markers had similar issues to traditional pens, and grease pencils are just not clean enough or permanent enough to be practical. The company that produces the Space Pens was NOT! affiliated with NASA during development of the space pen, he did it on his own dime, and has sold the space pen to basically every manned space program in the world. Yes, even Russians use the American Space Pen, because it's cheap enough ($20), works well, and is safe around all those fancy electronics you need to keep the crew alive.

[@robbobthecorncobjriii8195]

Yeah america spent millions developing a own that could write upsidedown, underwater, in a complete vacuum, etc. The Russians just used a pencil lmfao. I'm not Pro-Russian in any way but that is a lot simpler lol

[@Thomahawk1234]

The story about the space pens vs pencils is a common misconception right? Pencils are more flammable and having (conductive) graphite particles floating around also isn't great.

[@traBylliB]

I wouldn't use either one for signing checks, documents, or other important papers.

[@umbrellacorp.]

Imagine what John Wick can do with a $200 pen. (Why call it a pen when it's a pencil tho?.)😂

[@battygirlrachel]

Could you check how smudgeable they are? Just rub your finger over it and see if it smudges. Also wonder if the tips wear down over time... could be good for detailed art

[@jeniw8586]

Yes! Lefties want to know!

[@battygirlrachel]

@@jeniw8586 good point!

[@alexisw28586]

The tip does begin to wear down in time but you can easily refine the tip using a square sandpaper

[@AmstradExin]

I would rather wanna know if it destroys the paper over time like Iron black ink did. Since it's still just oxidized metal. Except it oxidizes on the paper, so the material is more space efficient.

[@dingdingdingdiiiiing]

That would be an actual selling point for those. Pencils go a dime a dozen, a mechanical pencil is about $2, unless you really heavily use it daily, I dare you to use 10 refills in a year.

[@Splagnate]

The 200$ one may be geared more towards design sketching where the lighter lines would be a plus. Also with large designs done on very large sheets of paper which would be on the thin side a “duller” tip would be less likely to damage/rip said paper.

[@blakearius]

I can tell you as a designer that got into realistic drawing recently I can't imagine any use for this "pen." It wont be as smooth as writing pencils like the blackwing602 or tombow or the detail from artist grade sketching and charcoal pencils or the convenience/versatility of a mechanical or clutch pencil(the choice for drafting). Paper tearing is not an issue.. but harder, sharp tips can indent the paper.. all you have to do is use a softer led and a lighter touch and if the line is too dark you just blot it with a kneed-able erasor.

[@Tee-ina-Skee-Mask]

i got some of the cheap ones for my rite in the rain in my bugout bag n they work amazing with those even in the rain. great use/combo for them

[@larryn2674]

We are going to buy the $5.50 inkless pen/pencil for sure. We could not believe the difference in price. WOW Good Review James.................

[@nozrep]

inkless?!?!?! Now THAT is a new concept to me! And I am in my thirties! Fascinating. Glad to have this video randomly come up on my recommendeds.

[@igxniisan6996]

Yeah

[@atne3484]

Yeah! Some people even use silver or gold as a medium to draw

[@Sanquinity]

@@atne3484 Sooo....they're not inkless pens, they're just pencils that use a different material than graphite... It's "hoverboards" all over again. The name a flashy marketable name, but the actual product isn't even close to what the name suggests. By this naming scheme mechanical pencils, regular pencils, crayons, and chalk would also be "inkless pens". Since they don't use ink.

[@Dampfaeus]

True. Though, I just bought a reMarkable. It feels great to use, too.

[@christheroux4077]

A couple thoughts; soft backing allows the paper to conform to the shape of the pen's tip, increasing the contact surface area. That being said, with the sharper tip there may be risk of paper puncture since you have to press harder to get darker lines. I'm also curious about using these pens to write on other surfaces, and of the longevity/durability issues mentioned by other commenters. Stay Freakin' Awesome.

[@jujuu1339]

I got a couple cheap ones from China for 1 dollar. I thought I was scammed and that they were just lead. I tried drawing on my skin and unlike lead or pens, it didn't leave anything. I think it's more friction (or rather pressure) than anything.

[@AmstradExin]

@@jujuu1339 It's actually oxidization. The alloy is specifically made to be as dark as possible when oxidized. That's the reason why it doesn't wear out so quickly, because fewer amounts of the material has more access to oxygen. What works well are heavy metals like lead, iron and silver. Lighter metals like Aluminum and Titanium oxidize white / clear. Titanium white is the best white pigment we have. Iron black was cheap back in the days of writing with a bird's feather. But iron oxide is still highly acidic and destroyed ALOT of hand written material over time.

[@philipp594]

I hope the designers that work with pens all day are able to design an amazing pen. Would have been nice to see it tested in edge conditions, like waxpaper, plastic labels, in the cold or with moist paper.

[@matrexwolf]

I remember when you had ten ppl subbed its crazy to see how much you have grown really happy for you

[@sohanpereira6669]

The INK pen by Pininfarina is actually a drafting pen. Which makes sense because Pininfarina is a car design company which uses pens like these to draft concepts. On drafting paper pencils and pens smudge, hence a pen like this is used. I have used this pen and it is perfectly weighted that it will perfectly balance itself on one finger. That helps in giving straight confident strokes while drafting. There's a lot of work that's gone into it for a particular purpose and hence the price. Unfortunately, this dude completely missed the 'point'

[@HermanVonPetri]

Pininfarina is an expensive Italian automobile design company known for designing Ferraris and Alfa Romeos. That's why it's expensive, because you're paying for the branded merchandise, not the product. Like designer fashion.

[@koi.in.pond3149]

Like the $800.000 Gucci color pencil set.

[@mfhs2775]

Do you know if there is any cheaper alternative for a metal tip pencil?

[@Spyder7223]

As many people commented, about the 200 one, I guess that's why it comes with a sort of stand. It's meant to be a display piece, to show off the car brand and maybe come up with some story of how a Ferrari was dreamed up using that very pen or something.

[@rogerrabbit80]

For $200, I'd expect the thing to take dictation and correct my spelling!

[@14bqdonk]

lmao

[@LSnium]

I wouldn’t spend 200 dollars on something just to sit around, Id spend 200 on something I can use and just enjoy and go aughhhhhh this is the best 200 dollars I ever soent!

[@matthewmosier8439]

​@@rogerrabbit80 It's a lot like supercars, in a way. You can get basically identical speed and acceleration from a Chevy Corvette at one tenth the price. BUT, you can't brag as much with the Corvette

[@stephengunnell5048]

This kind of metallic core pencil has a long history. Both "pens" work by having a soft alloy that will deposit some material on the writing surface so they are not truly forever but they will likely see you out. For historical examples search for silverpoint drawing.

[@drthmik]

They harken back to the OG lead pencil but use a less toxic metal

[@tookitogo]

⁠@@drthmiklead pencils never contained lead, and the oft-repeated claim of Roman styli made of lead is unclear.

[@tookitogo]

FYI, the “ethergraf” nib used in the Pininfarina does not work by deposition. It uses friction to “oxidize” (their word) the cellulose in the paper, noting expressly that coated papers won’t work.

[@definitelynotskynet]

I have a couple cheapo infinity pencils. I like them to keep in pockets and cars for quick notes, since I don’t have to worry about inkplosions, running out of, or breaking lead. But I don’t find them to be an enjoyable writing experience and don’t use then for longer writing sessions or drawing. They require too much pressure and I get muscle fatigue.

[@azazeltheforgotten]

I'd you pay more than 5$ for one of those you are either paying for status or you are just being scammed

[@prebenkul]

So from this, it looks like the 200 dollar one is more of a pen since it doesnt really erase, making it mostly permanent while the cheaper one is a pencil since it can be erased.

[@perry92964]

that was my thought, im not sure if either can be used for certain documents

[@avfc1985]

I never knew these existed, the cheap option is a good find

[@AmstradExin]

I'm an artist and didn't know these existed.

[@perochialjoe]

Have to be careful with what you use those for. I remember the SAT said inkless pens like these wouldn't register for the machines. They could have updated in the 12 years since then but you never know.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

You're describing a potential test taking nightmare scenario 😄.

[@bcatbb2896]

@@Starry_Night_Sky7455 lol, that's hilarious if true. imagine writing the exam and finding you scored a big fat 0

[@Dan-bp8ts]

I would not use it for controlled documentation like you would find in food or pharmaceutical manufacture either.

[@DigitalMoonlight]

HB2 pencils are the standard for testing, you should use nothing else on a test or form read by a machine. Not that other stuff can't work, just that HB2 is validated to work even on old machines.

[@hristov71]

Can you send the expensive one back and get refund?

[@Natasha-A-Omega]

Loving the Mandelbrot image. Great content.... Much love, from your new sub!

[@AmandaWspoon]

I like fountain pens, 200 isn't too unreasonable for a higher end one. I love filling and cleaning them and trying new inks. I'm not a fan of these guys. They just dont write dark enough.

[@lunchb0x1986]

Yes 200 dollars for any pen is unreasonable

[@geoffberteau2847]

@lunchb0x1986 lots and lots of high end fountain pens are absolutely worth the $200+ they cost

[@nyzrh]

@@lunchb0x1986 thats like saying 40000 dollars for a watch is unresonable because my casio copy made in china tells the time fine... Without knowing anything about the watch in question except the price.

[@geoffberteau2847]

@OriginalContent most people who collect fountain pens either do calligraphy, art, or simply have passion for pens, papers, and inks and just enjoy sitting with their pens, writing, swapping inks, nibs, and experimenting.

[@b47sanders]

Back in the 50’s and 60’s my dad worked for Sheaffer Pen Co and we had all manner of lever fill and then cartridge fountain pens. I loved all the different colors of inks. Those big nib pens really went through the ink quickly.

[@vitriolveio]

You’re suppose to use sandpaper to make it a finer tip for the $200 one. It comes “dull” like that so you can choose how fine you want to make it

[@JohnLeePedimore]

The secret alloy it's made of is probably a mixture of lead and tin. It's been used to write with for centuries.

[@JRWeezy84]

Yeah but in the u.s. lead is illegal i believe so can they sell lead?

[@TheBergersven]

Yes these type of writing materials have been used for a long time. The expensive one uses tin and silver.

[@MarkLada]

@JRWizz What? I have 25lbs of lead in my barn I just bought from the store.. I'm pretty sure you own lead also and don't even know about it..

[@wormhole331]

They're just alloys of different soft metals. The cheap one uses a softer alloy which is why it writes darker but the tip will deform after awhile. Reshapen it with some sand paper and it should still last a long time. Besides people usually lose pencils before they ever break or wear out. The expensive one uses a harder alloy which leaves lighter lines but will resist deforming better.

[@FUGP72]

Come on...haven't you guys seen the Password episode of The Odd Couple!

[@Xalgucennia]

I don't know why anyone would need a "forever pen" anyway (not that this is one) I lose them before they ever run out anyway. Especially now with basically everything computerized, I doubt I'd ever need to buy another pen ever again.

[@mutedmutiny9542]

3:30 I can tell immediately just from the sound and the way he’s writing that the cheaper one is a much better experience in terms of writing. The expensive one requires so much pressure and the sound it made was quite unpleasant, where the cheaper one didn’t make much sound and produced a much better / darker stroke on the paper.

[@lonniestringfellow9854]

Curious to know if the writing lasts on the paper, like if you leave it in sunlight will it fade quickly. Also, can you write under water with them?

[@laknicks]

Sun will fade anything

[@tookitogo]

@@laknicksIncorrect. Many pigments are completely lightfast.

[@tookitogo]

The expensive one works by friction, “oxidizing” (their word) the cellulose in the paper. If that is actually just charring a thin layer of the paper, then it’ll be completely lightfast, since carbon doesn’t fade.

[@Kinkajou1015]

I'd want to see how the expensive pen looks/works after completely coloring both sides of a couple of sheets of paper, because I have my doubts about it's longevity.

[@Kinkajou1015]

@@englishatheart Thank you for your pedanticness. Much appreciated. I'll be sure to not violate any other grammar rules.

[@tamo9520]

@@Kinkajou1015 Aaaahahahaha ! Great response! I though it was such a narcissistic petty comment myself!

[@AmstradExin]

@@Kinkajou1015 I'm not an English native, but try to remember it like this: It's good = It is good, its paint wears off = his paint wears off or something like that. Also goes for your: You're = you are, Your = Yours.

[@dominic4072]

Would they work better on other sufaces like wood, plastic or a wall?

[@FlexibleToast]

I was wondering that. Might be good for construction projects.

[@bpregont]

Pininfarina designed a lot of Ferrari's. Prolly the reason for the car on the booklet. They're famous for Italian car design.

[@Nico42ke]

And probably the reason, at least partly, of the high price. You are paying for brand.

[@hiandrewfisher]

Also, they designed that newer style Coke dispenser with a touch screen and different flavor shots.

[@BrittMFH]

"Prolly"? 🙄

[@ironnoriboi]

@@BrittMFH Prolly is internet slang for probably :)

[@koi.in.pond3149]

Like the Gucci color pencils for $800.000

[@devansh2284]

Broo 6:08 is is pure nostalgia...Early 2000s... we would be scribbling it back of our notebooks and imagining our-self to be so smart lol.

[@RosssRoyce]

Try to put a thin coat of eggs white on a paper and let it dry. Normally it should make for very dark lines! And the same white egg with mixed very small quantity of very finely milled chalk powder and you will have the Renaissance Silver point préparation for darker lines.

[@toddhodgson2130]

The round edge of an aluminum paperclip writes like that too, cheaper yet.

[@Antonio59018]

Not the most expensive pen I’ve purchased lol. My current edc pen is $150, I have another about $200, I’ve owned and sold 1 other at about $200, and won a $300+ Grimsmo Saga in a $10 raffle once. I’m keen to try the pininfarina

[@dongshengdi773]

They are scams , not worth buying. these pencils Don't last forever. They only last about 10 miles of writing. They only cost $1 in China, and you can replace the metal alloy tips, Which is actually made of lead alloy

[@Antonio59018]

@@acidlab9586 yeah my current 2 pens are from Ti2Design, and Tactile Turn. I curious about these so I’ll probably try the cheaper option out if anything. Though I have a feeling I won’t enjoy them as much as my ink pens

[@zipzip8239]

lol

[@christinataylor6569]

I hold my pen that exact way, I’ve never seen anyone else do so. I’m glad I’m not the only one that does it. New meaning to pen pals 😂 you have a great evening, I watch all your videos.

[@niemehr4715]

Before reading comments I posted the following. 'You hold your pen the same way I do. I got yelled at by my teachers for not holding my pencil correctly. Thought I was the only one. lol.' Good to know there are a few people that write the "weird" way. lol.

[@confusio3851]

@@niemehr4715 Ya me too, teachers used to force me to use rubberized grip for "correct" holding. God forbid you do something differently.

[@AmstradExin]

It's actually rare to see someone holding a pen like this. I do and never understood why most people hold it like a steel chisel in an Asterix movie.

[@whoshotdk]

I hold pens/pencils like this and have also never seen anyone else do so! I got a lot of crap from teachers at school, despite the fact that I'd generally write faster, neater than most anyone else in class and could draw reasonably well too. It's ironic that its even more of a moot point now; I don't think I've "written" or drawn with anything but a keyboard and mouse for decades.

[@debbiestarman4485]

Who would want to replace a PENCIL for $200?? You can buy pencils cheap. I say send it back you were ripped off.

[@kitstun]

Me put stick in fire, me take stick, me got pen before ink

[@oo0024]

GENIUS 🤯

[@elizabethbrown1276]

So you don't feel totally ripped off by the $200 pen you could use the hole on the top of the wooden box as an incense holder. They may call it a pen instead of a pencil since it doesn't erase well. They're more gimmicky than useful in my opinion. Thanks for another great review.

[@blankblank9819]

Ha Incense holder. Exactly right🤣

[@jedimind5337]

haha

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

They have a niche use for those that are operating in conditions where pens freeze and you don't or can't be bothered with pencil sharpeners. But, in general, it's not worth it.

[@camerongray7767]

End of ink? yes. Because of inkless pens? No. Because of computers

[@unlikelyninja8345]

Just wanted to say, I'm here for this man's down to earth attitude and the feel of normalcy that seems to be disappearing by the day everywhere I go. Thank you for this.

[@dsimon33871]

Yup... As a child of the 70's as well I can relate...

[@nickviet9274]

Much of that $200 went into designing, engineering, and testing the pen. Topping it off is a fancy name from Italy

[@jeffrybassett7374]

These are really just a variation on silverpoint which has been used for centuries. DaVinci used it. And the marks it leaves will darken over time due to oxidation.

[@shelleylemmond46]

Wow! I'd definitely go for the cheaper one. As always thank you for the review 🙂.

[@SongOfStorms411]

You should return that $200 one and get your money back. What a rip off!

[@JessicaFEREM]

"inkless pen" you mean a pencil, right?

[@everreign6523]

😂

[@porvoonosho]

I haven't written anything with a pen for like 15 years, but here I am watching a review of one.

[@travis8106]

This is the kind of pen a greasy car salesman displays on his desk and has the customer sign the purchase order with. Then he calls it his "sword" I know this from experience, don't ask me why.

[@goatreviews]

That $6 one seems like incredible value. Time to pick one up! 🎉

[@brittany16950]

I lose pens every day. Definitely NOT the pen for me!

[@faiga3544]

Where did you lose them?

[@IsaacRizard]

So, it's a pencil...?

[@abubakr_gulomov]

3:44 Hahaha! I got your signature!!!..............

[@sethv5273]

$200 inkless pen I could get like 1000 ink pens for that much so I’ll stick to my normal ones

[@SweetTooth8989]

Crazy, i prefer the writing of the cheap one by far. I think if the expensive one had a finer/sharper point, it would write better.

[@animula6908]

If they made a forever fountain pen, I’d be on it in a heartbeat. ❤

[@jigglyanderson6105]

I think the benefit of the $200 one is it is doing a different thing to the paper, and it's indelible-;potentially more-so than indelible inks-;which is a solid advantage to folks who have enough money and pen use to justify a $200 pen. Though as someone who uses a pen constantly for non-signature things I'd just go nuts on like a 6 pack of the $5.50 ones.

[@TheAilmam]

Man, it was years since i watched your video. Your channel really improved with better camera

[@tastemakerguidie]

didn't have that follicle length those years so it was innovative [if] you should doo a doodle stock

[@rebornvirgin]

this keeps making me laugh about how passive aggressive he is about the 200 dollar pen 😂😂 love this

[@datboibubble4529]

As someone who’s huge into the stationary collecting hobby, I feel a pencil that lasts “forever” isn’t that intriguing or sought after. The best part of the hobby is tinkering with them, customizing and using different pens/pencils for different purposes. And if you buy one just to have a handy pencil that you don’t have to worry about sharpening or replacing the lead, one drop that breaks the tip and it’s rendered useless. I would only buy one of these for the novelty aspect of it.

[@jesseray180]

NASA spent over a million dollars developing a pen that could write in zero gravity. When Russia faced the same issue, they used a pencil.

[@StriverOseven-fx8pl]

No one actually thinks this is true...do they? Everyone uses pens in space. Everyone. Only idiots would use (or think anyone could use) pencils in space. The graphite could damage basically every system on the ship/shuttle.

[@TheMrOhTwo]

And then came back with lungs full of pencil lead

[@jineteporcinor.k.3050]

Video actually starts at 3:00

[@FerRod2113]

Pinifarina has designed some of the most iconic cars. From Ferrari, Maserati, to some GM cars. He’s definitely a legendary name in the automotive industry

[@samuelnovitzky9390]

I mean pininfarina is making car designs and that pen os basically an HB pencil. HB pencils are mainly used for light sketches and they need to be lighter color in order to see better what you’re drawing afterwards. So that’s why the pininfarina pen is so light colored compared to the other one.

[@JustKanji]

200$ for a pen doesn't make sense to me even if it was perfect, unless it was made out of gold or something. It's about the price of a decent tablet (I know, it's not exactly the same, but still) The 6$ one looks pretty nice~

[@perry92964]

if you have money to burn why not get a 200 dollar pen? why buy a rolex watch when a timex is so much cheaper?

[@FlexibleToast]

@@perry92964 because the Rolex really isn't a watch, it's an accessory and status symbol that happens to keep track of time. This pen doesn't have any status attached to it.

[@Martin_Edmondson]

If you use a pen every day then $200 to make your life easier is well worth paying (not saying that this pen is worth it though.) Carpenters have a nice hammer, designers have nice pencils, chefs have high quality knives etc. But if all you do is occasionally take notes, or write a shopping list then yeah, probably not going to make a lot of sense. High quality tools can last for decades, often make more sense than buying cheap. In 5 years a Timex is usually landfill, whereas you can give a Rolex to your grandkids.

[@FlexibleToast]

@@Martin_Edmondson that only makes sense of it was a nice pen and other nice pens weren't already significantly cheaper. $200 for a pen is beyond just being nice, that's a status symbol. A similar analogy would be something like a chef knife. You can get a working one for ~$20, or you can get a nice one for around $70, or you could really show your status off by buying a $20,000 Kramer.

[@Martin_Edmondson]

@@FlexibleToast Oh of course, I don't think this pen is worth it, but some $200 pens are certainly worth it (to some people.) If it is a tool of your trade, then yeah.. definitely worth buying high quality. It won't make sense for most people though. $200 is the price of a nice meal these days..

[@iiddontknoww]

Big Ink wont like this

[@namehandle198]

It's called pencil...

[@burkales]

Metal pencil

[@realsushrey]

You can sense the derision, sarcasm and disappointment in his voice each time he says "expensive pen" in the video.

[@breezecopyinc]

This is exactly the type of topic I would watch at midnight while procrastinating

[@pms4906]

Technically you wouldn't want a pen to erase.

[@wallgolfing]

Jesus Christ is Lord, King and our Savior!

[@Joel-qb6ly]

Amen brotha !

[@ertwro]

This video just showed how awesome the $200 pen. While you most likely wouldn’t need it unless you are an immortal, the reality is that pen will love you long time, softly but long.

[@lsr2937]

How is this not straight up a metal point writing device? Silverpoint is a classic art medium used by Leonardo di Venci. Silverpoint won’t work on cartridge paper without some sort of preparation. I have an aluminum and tin stick I bought in Italy and also writes on any paper without a surface preparation.

[@m.hreels9822]

I laughed so hard when I saw your first write with it!😂✍🏻🖊️ that is not a pen! That is practically a pencil! Lmao 🤣 this is like a classic example that more expensive doesn’t always mean better!

[@eyecandyfactory]

Great review! Also, not sure if anyone ever mentioned this to you but you could pass off as the wizard Gale of Waterdeep (sans hair) in Baldur's Gate 3.

[@hujnbg]

Hi Freakin' Reviews, Great review. Could you tell me where you got that Fractal picture behind you in this video?

[@stevemartin4249]

Forget the pens. I'm more impressed with that framed mandelbrot. Upvoted and followed for the art!

[@DavidSigbi]

The person that will steal it off your desk wont even recognize its value

[@MJGorecki]

I have a set of inkless pens. They work great as long as I remember to rotate them to keep them sharp, otherwise I use a emery board.