The Bolen

Craftsmanship

solid

The right pen for someone is very subjective. I'll list the items that I prefer in a pen. Heft. I don't like a ballpoint pen that is too lightweight or too heavy. This pen hits a great balance for me. Use. I often need to grab a pen from my pocket, open it, use it, and replace it one-handed. Done. Refills. My preference is for the Parker G2 refill. If you have used a Parker ballpoint pen, you know this refill. Grip. By far, this pen has the grip I have sought for years. I've had a couple of pens in this spot over the years. THIS PEN NAILS IT! From when I pick up this pen until I set it down, it does not move in my fingers. NOT ONE MILLIMETER. That is amazing. Size. In fountain pens, I prefer a larger girth; think MB-149. But in ballpoints, I prefer something the size of a #2 pencil. The Bolen hits that size perfectly. The Bolen (to be honest, the Bolen is my choice from among all the James Brand ballpoints) just knocked out of the top spot a $175 machined titanium pen. I will carry both (the loser fits my Rickshaw 3-sleeve case better because it is taller), but I much prefer the Bolen and reach for the Bolen at my desk. However, the Bolen wins with the 2-sleeve case. It just depends on what I'm walking out of the house with that day as to which pen walks with me. For most of my needs, the 2-sleeve case is the choice, and the expensive pen stays home.

Action has a crisp and smooth, it does feel nice in the hand. But besides that the pocket clip has a huge gap between it and the pen. There were 3 different locations that were badly scuffed from careless manufacturing and the electric moss paint at the top was blotchy and poorly applied. Not acceptable at this price point.