Kikki-K Midja Premium Rollerball Pen

Last Updated on Wednesday, 07 April 2010 19:58 Written by Atticus Saturday, 20 March 2010 00:00

The events leading up to this pen purchase could be of interest to you so I will tell you of them before I get to the review.  Forgive me if this pen review descends into a meandering rant but, lets face it, there is a story behind every pen.  In this case there are two.  Allow me ...

My sister bought me a hard drive dock for Christmas.  I know, I know.  Why wasn't she buying me stationery?  Anyway, she experienced the ill fortune of choosing an online retailer that was selling stock it actually didn't have.  A couple of months, several irate emails and one belated refund later she repurchased the aforementioned hard drive dock from a ... more reputable retailer.  To tide me over while the elusive hardware was in transit she treated me to a voucher to Kikki-K.  Kikki-K is a stationery story at my local shopping mega centre.  I had never actually been to Kikki-K, and to tell you the truth didn't know it existed, until she gave me the voucher.

So, off I toddled and found Kikki-K.  I have to tell you it isn't my sort of store.  Bright and unbearably 'chic' the store screams fashionista for the budget conscious.  The store was divided by colour theme, Smiggle style, with pretty little displays hiding the fact that there really wasn't much stock on the shelves.  I wasn't going to let my apparent lack of style or taste hold me back though, I had money burning a hole in my pocket.  Thanks Sis.

Of course I checked out the pencil cases first.  And was disappointed.  Nothing appropriate was on offer for the male stationery connoisseur unless you like flowers and gaudy pastels.  Mechanical pencils were available in equally hideous colours although there were some cheap looking, clear plastic Lamy pencils on display.  I hadn't realised Lamy made an ugly pencil, until now.  I was becoming despondent.

Thankfully though right next to a display of cheap ball point pens, in colours only Ugly Betty could love, was a glass cabinet with some rollerballs locked away inside.  Maybe I could cash the voucher after all.  Well I could and I did.  I selected a blue metal rollerball branded with the Kikki-K name.  The shop assistant took the pen out of the display cabinet along with what looked like, and was, a shoddy black cardboard display case.  That's right.  I got the display pen.  No brand new stock for me.  It appears my earlier suspicions about stock shortage were on the money.

So now that you have the background stories I have to tell you that it ain't all bad.  There is a silver lining to this story and it isn't just that I was able to cash in my voucher.  The pen I purchased is actually pretty good.

The sculptured end of the Midji Rollerball Pen.

As you can see the the pen is metal and while it looks like anodised aluminum it actually feels heavier than that.  This pen may actually be steel.  The solid construction not only provides a feeling of heft that I like but also connotations of quality.  I feel like this pen was worth every cent I didn't spend on it.  Thanks again Sis.

The shape of the pen looks and feels ergonomic and sits very comfortably in the hand.  However if you don't like heavy pens this isn't the writing utensil for you.

Dismantled the pen comprises of five pieces easily put back together.  The only plastic is in the refillable ink canister.  I really think this pen could last a lifetime.  I wonder whether the colour coating is easily scratched but I am not game to test its durability.  If it isn't scratch resistant this would be a glaring weakness in what is a remarkably solid and yet attractive pen.

The features of this pen as stated on the Kikki-K website are as follows;

All of this list is true except for the the last part about the card box.  Stylish it is not and it really did detract from the purchase.  If you are going to spend 40 AUD on a pen you want an enclosed case to be provided.

The lid to the pen features an elegant branded clip that is screwed into the top of the lid.  You can see the screw if you peer inside.  The lid itself snaps deliciously over the nib and onto the main barrel.  I chose the word delicious deliberately because the action really is sumptuous and provides real visceral pleasure.  You stationery aficionados know exactly what I am talking about, don't you?

The elegant clip on the Midji lid.

The internals of this pen is where I fall down in terms of knowledge and experience.  I really don't know what I am on about in this aspect of pens.  So if you do read this and feel like educating a stationery brother feel free to leave a comment. The ink cartridge is of the Schmidt brand and under neath this title is written 'safety ceramic roller'.  It is a non-dry-refill, made in Germany.  Also on this cartridge are three Fs, the number 888 and the number 904.  What this all means is beyond me.  Once again I welcome your feedback :)  If you are interested in a writing sample let me know and I will put up a picture of my often illegible handwriting.

The Midja dismantled.

Overall I am pretty impressed with this pen and I am glad I purchased it.  If I buy anything else from Kikki-K though it will be via the internet.  The bright lights and garish colours of their store are still giving me the yips.  Kikki-K is probably more suited to younger women, not middle aged men.

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