[Pen/Pencil Review] Pilot Birdy Switch Pen/Pencil Combo
Today’s blog is a new thing for me. The phrase, “Good things come in small packages” definitely applies to this mini pen and pencil combo from Pilot. This is the Pilot Birdy Switch Pen and Pencil combo. This is a super thin, mini that you almost need to see to believe.
This combo pen is double-ended. The black ballpoint end fits into the metal barrel – and is refillable. The refill is tiny but has to be in order to accommodate the .05mm leads for the pencil end. The ball point is a 0.7mm (I was wrong in the writing sample), but feels finer. The cap fits both the pen end and the pencil end to protect your hand when switching. The pen end also serves as the clicker for the lead. The compact size does not leave room for an eraser, though.
This pen/pencil combo is only 4.7″ long and about 5.5mm in diameter. That’s a delicate pen, but the metal body makes it feel solid. This combo has a long, open metal clip that holds the pen firmly, but it’s the one thing that gets in the way. There’s no way to avoid the clip in the grip, but for a small pen for a tablet or notebook it’s an amazing piece of pen/pencil engineering.
The Pilot Acroball is a standard retractable ball point – for comparison
It’s a mid-range price point. JetPens sells this combo for $8.25 – but the pen refills are less than $2 which makes it an inexpensive long-term investment pen and pencil that doesn’t take up any space at all.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – This is a solid mechanical pencil and ball point pen combo instrument. The ink is dark. The pencil is solid. The lines are good.
2. Look and feel – 0.5 – The pen is hot – it’s metal and solid for a delicate instrument. There is no eraser and only one cap for one end, make sure you have it on the pen end.
3. Material – 1 – It’s metal. It’s solid. The pen reservoir is small but easily refillable. The pencil is well-made.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s a beautiful and solid pen and pencil combo. Even without an eraser. But the long clip can’t be avoided – so there’s some discomfort even with the narrow barrel.
5. Price Point – 1 – This combo piece runs $8.25 from JetPens. It’s not a bad price for a good double-ended pen and pencil. Being refillable makes it a long-term investment and even more economical. It’s a good thing.
4.0 out of 5 bronze pencils.
