Lamy Logo Tri-Color Pen

The Lamy Logo Tri - Color Pen is one of those Multi pens that is somewhat of a cult pen for me.  When I first saw it about seven years ago, what struck me was its simple clean design, and how Lamy incorporated the mechanism for changing ink colors within the pocket clip housing.  It operates smoothly and seamlessly.  The only thing I would have done differently is to close the opening behind the clip that exposes the inner pen workings.  This personal quip aside, the high quality matte black plastic/metal barrel engages the desired ink color when facing you and pressed down in place.

Performance
Employing Lamy M 21 refills, the Logo Tri - Color has a smooth flow, when pen meets paper it produces a medium pen stroke which is good for writing narratives such as this.  For writing in more finer detail, I would prefer a fine tip.  When using the red tip, I found no difference in ink flow, but I was pleased with the striking difference the color makes on paper.  The red ink color seemed to place a certain emphasis on the written word.  Expression for emotional content!  Comparably, the blue also allowed for a shift in emotional attitude when trying to convey a certain feeling on paper.  While black tended to neutralize the written content.  The grip toward the pen bottom was slight but efficient. 

For a Multi pen, I find the slim build an attractive change from the more chunkier, thicker Multi pens I have in my collection.  Fast forward seven years later, this pen still gets used on a regular basis by me.  It should be mentioned, the Tri-Color Logo multi pen is part of a larger Logo family that includes a matte silver Tri-Color, single ball point,  and a fountain pen. 

The overall feel of using the Lamy Logo Tri-Color pen is very much like using paint brushes on canvas in terms of the writing experience and feel. A cult pen?  Maybe.  A finely designed and constructed writing implement?  Without a doubt.

Lamy Pickup

When my wife was studying for her Masters degree, I noticed that she frequently used two implements apart from her computer; ink pen and highlighter.  She seemed to have either one while searching for the other, or vice versa.  In her searching, she would ultimately come and ask me for a highlighter or a pen. 
So when I went online looking for a solution to her continuing problem, of course I looked to my favorite pen maker, Lamy, for assistance.  Enter the Lamy Pickup, a stainless steel multi pen with both solutions to my wife's dilemna.  Not only did the pen have a highlighter and a pen, but it had the "cool" factor that I have come to love about Lamy products. 

What "cool" factor you ask?  Let's start with the obvious.   Centered on the barrel is a green and black bullseye which when pressed, releases on the pen top, a yellow highlighter.  Intriguing?  Yes, and cool!
The Lamy M 51 highlighter reveals itself and once the job is done, pushes back down into the pen barrel with a snap to secure itself there.

Done yet, no!  The act of engaging the pen is accomplished by turning the rubber grip to the left.  However, once this motion starts, the chamber below the grip appears to move up and reveals the writing pen tip.  And when turned in the opposite direction, the pen tip literally disappears inside the barrel chamber.  To make this magic happen, Lamy has employed the M 22 pen refill which is small in stature, but compensates by being much wider than the average pen refill. 

Well when my wife received this incredible multi pen, it became her writing implement of choice and continues to be today.  Lamy has made a followup to the Pickup, but I have not had the pleasure of using that one yet.  Lamy has once again knocked it out the park with the amazing Pickup.  Way to go Lamy!

Classic Wagner Swiss Army Pen

Being an affecianado of pens that have multiple functions, it was only natural that I acquire a classic Swiss Army Pen, made by Wagner of Switzerland.  Wagner, since the mid 1950's, has manufactured precision, high quality instruments and tools, and the Classic Swiss Army Pen is no exception.
When I first sighted the Classic Swiss Army Pen, I was given a choice between the red, blue or black upper body.  My utilitarian self chose the black one.  Now don't get me wrong, they all are works of art. 
The craftsmanship is of a very high standard.  And my eye was fixated on the one with the ebony upper half.

As I held the pen, I was struck by its substantial weight and size.  It is 14.5 cm which is the average length for a pen, but it is rather broad from top to bottom.  The lower half is constructed from surgical stainless steel and other metal alloys which make it water resistant, even to salt water.
Inside the stainless steel casing is a Fisher Space Pen pressurized refill which is highly impressive.  This allows the user to write in virtually any position, including underwater.  A simple twist engages the pen, and in the other direction disengages it. 

The upper body is where Wagner employs victorinox tools plus.  One side houses a small folding knife / letter opener and a screwdriver / nail file.  The other side houses a pair of scissors.  The Swiss cross logo in the middle activates a red map light when pressed.  The light is powered by a CR 1025 / 3v battery that can be removed.  Turn the pen over and you'll find a removable recessed stainless steel clip.  This clip would probably peak the interest of would be Macguyvers, as it appears to have multiple potentialities. 

I cannot over emphasize the quality and craftsmanship used in creating this multi pen.  It has the appeal and feel of a surgical instrument when held, and writes as smoothly as any high end pen could. 
It retails for $50.00 on Wagner of Switzerland's site, but can be found cheaper on other sites. 
Thw Classic Wagner Swiss Army Pen, truly a gem of a multi pen to own.

Pilot TJM3 Multi Pen

When looking for a writing instrument, it's important to find that which has proper form and function for the task at hand.  Multi Pens come in a wide array of both.  When I first saw the Pilot TJM3, "The Just Meet 3," I said: "now there's a pen I could wrap my fingers around.  I was immediately drawn to its beautiful real wood barrel, which feels substantial in your hands. Available in both Light and dark colored wood, I opted to purchase the light maple colored pen.  The smooth feel of the wood makes for a very comfortable writing experience. 

The TJM3 incorporates at its top end, the same familiar plunger mechanism employed in the Pilot Pentopia 2 + 1 which I find efficient enough when  changing writing tips.  The TJM3 houses a fine tip black pen, a 0.5 lead holder, and a red stylus tip, which can be switched out for another pen refill if so desired.  However, it is not designed for tablet use. 

The plunger is constructed from a silver colored plastic and is attached to a rather broad pocket clip that appears to be well made and not prone to easy fractures.  The wooden barrel is constructed into two parts with a silver real metal ring separating the two halves.  The bottom tip is made of the same silver colored plastic as the top and screws off to reveal the three refills inside. 

The one thing I find missing, is an eraser under the rounded top of the TJM3 unlike the Pilot Pentopia 2 + 1.
However, at $12.99 from Styluscentral.com, Pilot was able to create an instrument of both beauty and function at a reasonable cost. 

This pen goes with me to work daily as of late, and does a great job of filling out forms and initialing small boxes secondary to its fine tip ability.  I highly recommend the Pilot TJM3 multi pen.