FYI, beyond being "inkless", both of these are marketed as "forever pens" or "everlasting pens" (and to me, that's the interesting aspect of these) - but the $6 one isn't actually a real "forever pen"; it's just a (silver-core) pencil. From the $6 pen's Amazon description: "Working principle: the nib rubs on the paper to decompose the alloy metal molecules and leave them on the paper surface". In other words: this is a pencil. It will wear down over time, and need new nibs. (You could also tell by the fact that they sell replacement nibs for this "pen." A "forever pen" shouldn't need replacement nibs!) IMHO the only reason someone would be interested in the $200 pen is the "forever pen" aspect. (As, if not for that, if you want an "inkless pen", why not just buy a regular, cheap pencil?) The $200 pen _does_ achieve the "forever pen" claim, insofar as it chemically reacts to paper without the tip wearing away. In contrast, the $6 "forever pen" isn't actually a "forever pen" (or "everlasting pencil") as it claims to be. It's an impostor product, a GameStation 360 kind of thing. So it's somewhat of an invalid comparison to review these as two products in the same category. Also, re: erasability, think about it this way: if the markings _can_ be erased, then those markings are not caused by a chemical reaction with the paper, but rather as a deposit on top of the paper. A real "forever pen" is necessarily a non-erasable pen, because it's necessarily a pen that's doing something chemically to the paper, rather than leaving part of itself on top of the paper. (Which is also why they call it a "pen" rather than a "pencil" - pens are writing instruments that do something permanent to the paper, while pencils leave something on top of the paper that can be rubbed away.)

Pininfarina is an Italian car design company, they've designed some Ferraris and even the Cadillac Allante. So that's why it's so freaking expensive, that price is just crazy to me.

This type of tool in classical art is known as Silver point. Many renaissance artists used it including Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. The paper used had more of a grain and was prepared with a rosin to give it more tooth . As the metal marks from the tool oxidises it would get darker. As a kid I remember drawing on a painted wall with a penny . The same effect .

The point is the "cheap pen" is actually a pencil with a hard graphite tip. That's why it's darker, closer to a pencil and easily erased. The problem is that the graphite tip will get rounded and consumed (slowly) and you have to sharpen with sandpaper, and eventually use a new one. On the other hand, the consumption of true metallic tip is very low, because it uses slow amount of metallic oxide to write, and that´s why it's also difficult to erase (closer to a pen).

I've used all kinds of inkless pens from the cheaper ones to the most expensive one I've tried which was about 60 with a titanium tip. They all have 1 thing in common though is that if accidentally dropped it instantly breaks the tip and renders it useless. At least with the cheaper ones you can find replacement tips so your not completely out of luck

Pininfarina are a car (among other things) designer. They've designed cars for Ferrari many many times over the years. Explains the price even without justifying it! Thanks for the review, great work as always!

I hope the designers that work with pens all day are able to design an amazing pen. Would have been nice to see it tested in edge conditions, like waxpaper, plastic labels, in the cold or with moist paper.

Spending $200 on a pen/pencil is true dedication to the channel; Thank you! You also taught me how to draw a boy; I never learned that trick.😁

I can only think of one serious use for an inkless "pen", which is to toss it into your car glovebox for emergencies. Pen ink can get messed up by extreme temperatures, hot or cold, and pencils are (arguably) delicate. Of course I would opt for the $6 version for this use case.

I always enjoy your reviews; your comments are often just exactly what I was thinking.

I had the same Pinifarina pen as a gift in high-school, as a car guy who enjoy painting occasionally, that one of the best gift. While the pen not very practical but I love the design and texture of it.

The $5.99 pen is not a forever pen, its end is a graphite tip, and most companies rate it as 50+ standard pencils (which they sell separately as replacements too). The $200 unit is an silver alloy pen, and the tip is supposed to work a lot longer (200+ standard pencils). The problem is there are many Amazon companies selling the cheaper one as the more expensive. The $200 model uses a silver/grey metallic tip that is rated as good as 200+ pencils, while the graphite model (the black tip) is rated for 50+ pages. Amazon has a variety of the cheap pens being sold as the more expensive style, so watch out! some even show pictures of the units with the metallic tips, even though they will arrive with the cheaper tip.

One of the best parts of being a fountain pen (or any high-end pen) lover...would be the selection of so many beautiful inks! the shading, the way the ink absorbs into the paper, the subtle changes in appearance as it dries....I’ll be perfectly happy to stick with pens that require ink.

An interesting use for these would be in construction. We use pencils that go dull and the lead breaks all the time. If it is durable to not get broken or dull, it would be fantastic (the $5 one, of course). They should make a flat version, like a construction pencil so it won't roll when you put it down. I would be very interested in such a product and could imagine it selling well at hardware stores.

inkless?!?!?! Now THAT is a new concept to me! And I am in my thirties! Fascinating. Glad to have this video randomly come up on my recommendeds.

Im surprised that you didn't criticize the $200 pen as much. $200 and can barely compare to a $6 one. Probably gonna be in the top 10 worst reviews of this year

So that’s literally just an overpriced pencil….wtf

"inkless pen" you mean a pencil, right?

growing up, was always fascinated with the “space pens”. Pens with the ink cartridge pressurized by nitrogen. Which supposedly the astronauts used in space. And the pressurized ink lasts a lot lot lot longer and never “messes up” the pen if turned upside down with no gravity. Sharper Image sold them! But first time I am learning of inkless pens!

I think the Pininfarina one is meant for automotive or product designers, the main function is to sketch, as a product designer myself, I think those light lines would be perfect for product sketches.

I remember when you had ten ppl subbed its crazy to see how much you have grown really happy for you

This kind of metallic core pencil has a long history. Both "pens" work by having a soft alloy that will deposit some material on the writing surface so they are not truly forever but they will likely see you out. For historical examples search for silverpoint drawing.

As someone who uses fountain pens, I love the option of picking from a rainbow of various ink colors and styles. I use the TWSBI Vac700 and the 580 AL Emerald Green.

$200 for a pen. A Chromebook or cheap laptop is $200

Pininfarina designed a lot of Ferrari's. Prolly the reason for the car on the booklet. They're famous for Italian car design.

this keeps making me laugh about how passive aggressive he is about the 200 dollar pen 😂😂 love this

i got some of the cheap ones for my rite in the rain in my bugout bag n they work amazing with those even in the rain. great use/combo for them

This is exactly the type of topic I would watch at midnight while procrastinating

They're just alloys of different soft metals. The cheap one uses a softer alloy which is why it writes darker but the tip will deform after awhile. Reshapen it with some sand paper and it should still last a long time. Besides people usually lose pencils before they ever break or wear out. The expensive one uses a harder alloy which leaves lighter lines but will resist deforming better.

I don’t think anything will persuade me to give up my Frixion pens. They’re gel ink, so very smooth, easy writing, and they are erasable, so you get unlimited do-overs. The best ones are retractable with the eraser on the top (and it’s never going to wear down). Those forever “pens” don’t write as cleanly, I’m sure they don’t feel as smooth, and the only thing they really have over the Pilot Frixion pens is that you don’t run out of “ink” so you will contribute less plastic over time to the landfill. It’d be awesome if Pilot came up with a way to refill the gel so they’re competitive in that regard.

This is the first time I’ve seen or heard of ink-less pencils. They look so cool.

Waaaait a second! I see what you did! Almost all of your 2022 review vids end with --:22 seconds, a lot of 22:22's (2021 --:21 etc), and this year it's --:23 seconds 😂 well done 👌

I wouldn't use either one for signing checks, documents, or other important papers.

End of ink? yes. Because of inkless pens? No. Because of computers

I'm a product Designer and I'm thinking the Pininfarina pen (btw. Can't believe you didn't Google the name before reviewing their pen 🙈) is probably designed to be used for design sketching where you often start out real thin. I believe I would rather use a pen like that in the early design phase of making a sketch. Then I would switch to either darker pencils (or a similar version which doesn't smudge - called verithin), ballpoint pen or most likely first Markers and then give more contrast and add details to the sketch with either ballpoint pen or Verithin. Should be more thought put into it than just making such a "bad" pen. But who knows, maybe they just screwed up with this one..

Loving the Mandelbrot image. Great content.... Much love, from your new sub!

Pininfarina is an expensive Italian automobile design company known for designing Ferraris and Alfa Romeos. That's why it's expensive, because you're paying for the branded merchandise, not the product. Like designer fashion.

I never knew these existed, the cheap option is a good find

Broo 6:08 is is pure nostalgia...Early 2000s... we would be scribbling it back of our notebooks and imagining our-self to be so smart lol.

I love how enthusiastic he is ab these pens lmao

I assume the main selling point is that they (or at least the $200 one) last "forever". Obviously you don't operate a longtime pen testing lab but did you notice any change on the tip after using it for a while? Another thing i was wondering is if the technology of the expensive pen just works on paper which could prevent accidental marks on stuff (e.g. the wooden pen holder).

Wow! I'd definitely go for the cheaper one. As always thank you for the review 🙂.

If they made a forever fountain pen, I’d be on it in a heartbeat. ❤

Wasn't aware about inkless pencil. Thanks for the share man and obviously take care of yourself.

As many people commented, about the 200 one, I guess that's why it comes with a sort of stand. It's meant to be a display piece, to show off the car brand and maybe come up with some story of how a Ferrari was dreamed up using that very pen or something.

The 200$ one may be geared more towards design sketching where the lighter lines would be a plus. Also with large designs done on very large sheets of paper which would be on the thin side a “duller” tip would be less likely to damage/rip said paper.

“That’s a Jay Leno chin, right there” 😂😂😂😂

I haven't written anything with a pen for like 15 years, but here I am watching a review of one.

So from this, it looks like the 200 dollar one is more of a pen since it doesnt really erase, making it mostly permanent while the cheaper one is a pencil since it can be erased.

I hold my pen that exact way, I’ve never seen anyone else do so. I’m glad I’m not the only one that does it. New meaning to pen pals 😂 you have a great evening, I watch all your videos.

Love your Mandel brought poster in the back

I laughed so hard when I saw your first write with it!😂✍🏻🖊️ that is not a pen! That is practically a pencil! Lmao 🤣 this is like a classic example that more expensive doesn’t always mean better!

A couple thoughts; soft backing allows the paper to conform to the shape of the pen's tip, increasing the contact surface area. That being said, with the sharper tip there may be risk of paper puncture since you have to press harder to get darker lines. I'm also curious about using these pens to write on other surfaces, and of the longevity/durability issues mentioned by other commenters. Stay Freakin' Awesome.

You’re suppose to use sandpaper to make it a finer tip for the $200 one. It comes “dull” like that so you can choose how fine you want to make it

Much of that $200 went into designing, engineering, and testing the pen. Topping it off is a fancy name from Italy

Hi Freakin' Reviews, Great review. Could you tell me where you got that Fractal picture behind you in this video?

This is why I love your channel, I knew you’d review this eventually! Thank you for using different kinds of paper too! I expected a richer writing experience from the Pininfarina

The round edge of an aluminum paperclip writes like that too, cheaper yet.

Can you send the expensive one back and get refund?

Man, it was years since i watched your video. Your channel really improved with better camera

Could you check how smudgeable they are? Just rub your finger over it and see if it smudges. Also wonder if the tips wear down over time... could be good for detailed art

The secret alloy it's made of is probably a mixture of lead and tin. It's been used to write with for centuries.

"I guess a concept car" Every Car Guy is pulling their hair here :D

I have a set of inkless pens. They work great as long as I remember to rotate them to keep them sharp, otherwise I use a emery board.

I lose pens every day. Definitely NOT the pen for me!

Just wanted to say, I'm here for this man's down to earth attitude and the feel of normalcy that seems to be disappearing by the day everywhere I go. Thank you for this.

The cheap one you got seems really good for one of these metal pens . Ive tried a bunch and they are always so light as to be borderline useless

Excellent review!

Would they work better on other sufaces like wood, plastic or a wall?

I like fountain pens, 200 isn't too unreasonable for a higher end one. I love filling and cleaning them and trying new inks. I'm not a fan of these guys. They just dont write dark enough.

Anyone got any idea of what is on the poster on the background of the first shot? It looks very familiar but can’t put my finger on it.

I'd you pay more than 5$ for one of those you are either paying for status or you are just being scammed

Curious to know if the writing lasts on the paper, like if you leave it in sunlight will it fade quickly. Also, can you write under water with them?

I think there is some confusion here. Something like the ForeverPen writes with oxidation and therefore can last a really really long time compared to a normal pen. These cheap ones and all the cheap ones I've tried on Amazon just have a tip that mixes graphite (like a normal pencil) with a small amount of something else and call it an alloy. Since it is graphite it will write more like a normal pencil but the tips will wear down way faster. The expensive one was only so much so because of the car designer name. You can get other napkin forever pens for around $45. The problem with the napkin pens is the tip is a bit fragile if you drop it and is known to break.

You can sense the derision, sarcasm and disappointment in his voice each time he says "expensive pen" in the video.

The way you hold pencils is how I was taught was the right way

So, it's a pencil...?

I'm curious how they would work after being frozen. I typically leave a pen in my car. Minnesota winters and summers are both brutal, which always ruins the pen in the glove box. Would have been a very interesting and practical test.

LoL “that’s a Jay Leno chin right there”

So cool, as an amateur car designer I would love one for sketching

You should return that $200 one and get your money back. What a rip off!

Have to be careful with what you use those for. I remember the SAT said inkless pens like these wouldn't register for the machines. They could have updated in the 12 years since then but you never know.

Can you give the link where I can buy? There are lot in amazon but it looks like pencil rather than pen.

A few months ago I won an eternal pencil (Inkless Pen) and its tip looks like the cheaper one's tip. I haven't used it much yet, but a decade ago I made something similar from the positive electrode of an alkaline battery, it feels the same and looks the same, so probably they're using the same material. So the one which I made from an electrode that can last for a year or so and then it becomes blunt, so it doesn't last forever, but at least it's very cheap. However that $200 pencil's tip looks completely different, maybe that really can last for a lot of times.

I'd want to see how the expensive pen looks/works after completely coloring both sides of a couple of sheets of paper, because I have my doubts about it's longevity.

That $6 one seems like incredible value. Time to pick one up! 🎉

Ahhhh yes boy to head, somehow it made it's way to middle of nowhere Alaska in the early 2000s! What a throwback

the took the "SELL ME THIS PEN" to a whole new level from wolf of wall st. 😮😮😮😮

Not the most expensive pen I’ve purchased lol. My current edc pen is $150, I have another about $200, I’ve owned and sold 1 other at about $200, and won a $300+ Grimsmo Saga in a $10 raffle once. I’m keen to try the pininfarina

So you don't feel totally ripped off by the $200 pen you could use the hole on the top of the wooden box as an incense holder. They may call it a pen instead of a pencil since it doesn't erase well. They're more gimmicky than useful in my opinion. Thanks for another great review.

It even feels better watching you use the "cheaper" one

you can also just literally buy a piece of copper, brass, or aluminum round stock and grind one end down to your prefered nib shape. they will all deposit SOME amount of metal on the paper (the harder the metal, the lighter it will appear on paper.)

The reason I use pens is because they come out dark, in multiple colours, AND they don't erase or get smudged by having stuff slide around it. Pretty useless for me all around unfortunately.

I think the benefit of the $200 one is it is doing a different thing to the paper, and it's indelible-;potentially more-so than indelible inks-;which is a solid advantage to folks who have enough money and pen use to justify a $200 pen. Though as someone who uses a pen constantly for non-signature things I'd just go nuts on like a 6 pack of the $5.50 ones.

A pen never lasts me long enough to run out😂

This is the stuff that I watch at 3AM.

Crazy, i prefer the writing of the cheap one by far. I think if the expensive one had a finer/sharper point, it would write better.

Yacht owners pen 😅

These are really just a variation on silverpoint which has been used for centuries. DaVinci used it. And the marks it leaves will darken over time due to oxidation.

Wow I've never heard of inkless pens. Cool video 👍