Pilot Parallel pens pre-order

I recently found about these pens online. They are calligraphic pens which have a different nib design
allowing ink to flow even from the edges. I bought a couple to try out. They do allow for good line variation. The consistancy of the flow depends on the type of ink and paper you use. It's not as smooth as a lamy (it skips sometimes) but if you like loose messy variable lines this could be good for you. It seems to work well with a continuous line drawing style or a very scratchy style. I do prefer a calligraphy dip nib pen for the quality of the line, but for traveling purposes this would work well in its place. The good thing is that you can re-fill it with any kind of ink without any cartridge. And because of the design, it is easy to clean and not likely to ever get permanantly clogged (if you use the wrong ink) Also, the nib is metal so it won't wear out like a calligraphy marker.

Some reviews online:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/borrominibear/6282986554/
http://26symbols.com/2009/pilot-parallel-pen-review/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w57jB6TNvIs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carmelscribe/sets/72157622082982460/
http://janefarr.blogspot.com/2009/08/pilot-parallel-pens.html

They are a pretty old invention actually. They were sold at the stores in Singapore in 2001 but because they did not sell well as calligraphy pens, they stopped bringing them in. One can only guess the reasons. Maybe if they had marketed them as drawing pens, they would have sold better. You can order them from Amazon, Ebay or Jetpens but you have to pay for shipping. I called Pilot Singapore and they have some leftover stock for the 1.5mm and 3.8mm pens (about 8 left). So we can get it from them directly.

Zhu Hong will be swinging by their office to get the pens. If any of you would like to buy them through him, please pre-order (with your telephone number) in the comment section. He will bring them at the next month end sketchwalk. They will be $10 for each pen.

ADDITIONAL REVIEW:
I've tried different ways of drawing with this pen. It seems that the most perfect way to use this pen is to align the nib more or less in the same direction as the line you are drawing. (when doing thin strokes or hatching). That way, the flow is always consistant. And produces excellent cut lines. So with this technique, you can do drawings with a more angular feel. The best ink I've tried for this pen so far is pelikan or calligraphy ink.