Pentel Sign pen (S520) Review

As I prepared to review the Pentel Sign pen images of something designed with the intention of writing signatures came to mind but it came as no surprise to find that Pentel say its perfect for drawing, writing & doodling too.

Pentel S520 C

The first felt marker is said to have been created in the 1940’s. The first felt tipped pen however was apparently introduced in the swinging 60’s, a time defined by some historians as a decade with the most significant changes. When you consider men on the moon, the construction of the Berlin wall & on a lighter note the Beatles, this seems like a fair assessment.  Being around for over four decades, if nothing else the Pentel Sign pen could win an award for longevity.

This fibre tipped or felt pen was allegedly 8 long years in the making, the acrylic barrel & cap reflects the colour of the water based ink. The tip is broad, encased in a metal section that meets the plastic barrel, it looks durable & I imagine would be as suited to colouring as it would for signing autographs.

The barrel is a fraction shorter than some of the other fibre tipped pens I’ve used & the logo is embossed in the centre, although its very difficult read. With a cap that snaps as it covers the sturdy tip I was confident that it would perform when it made the next appearance, unlike some of the felts that found their way into pencil cases of the past, drying up from one day to the next.

With the continual increase in momentum of the recycling movement, the fact that the Pentel Sign of today is made from 80% recycled material is a bonus, we can only guess if its creator Yukio Horie gave this much thought. Although it isn’t anything new, the first paper mill was established as far back as 1690 & even earlier nomads & ancient greeks clearly had to face challenges of how to dispose of their rubbish.

Whilst it seems that people do use these pens for general writing, I still can’t imagine picking up a felt or fibre tip for anything other than marking, colouring or the odd doodle.

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Peter Warrior: Pen & Pencil Expert

With nearly a decade of experience in the pen industry, I successfully ran an online pen business for 9 years. My deep-rooted passion for pens and pencils led me to become a part-time blogger, where I've dedicated myself to sharing the wealth of knowledge I've amassed over the years. I'm a firm believer in the power of the written word, as echoed by Malcolm Forbes: "Putting pen to paper lights more fire than matches ever will." My expertise is not just rooted in business, but in the genuine appreciation and understanding of the art of writing instruments.

1 thought on “Pentel Sign pen (S520) Review”

  1. Just on sheer longevity of this pen, I really hope the tradition of writing will carry on!
    Thank you for an interesting morning read.

    Reply

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