SKILCRAFT B3 Aviator Multi-function Pen Black/Red Ink, Medium Point with Pencil (7520-01-564-9906)

I recently bought the SKILCRAFT B3 Aviator Multi-function Pen, and I’m really happy with it. It’s lightweight, comfortable to hold, and has a sleek all-black design that looks professional without being flashy. The black ink writes smoothly (no skips or smudges!), the red ink works well for highlighting or notes, and the mechanical pencil is a nice bonus—it’s reliable and doesn’t feel like an afterthought, which is rare for multi-pens. What really stood out to me, though, is the story behind this pen. It’s made in the USA by SKILCRAFT, a company that’s part of the AbilityOne Program, which creates jobs for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. Knowing that this pen was crafted with such care and purpose makes using it even more meaningful. If you’re looking for a practical, well-made multi-pen that also supports a great cause, this one’s worth every penny. It’s become my go-to for work, and I’d definitely buy it again.

This pen has 3 writing functions in a slim and efficient spacing. The inserts are half length, but can be changed out for different color ink and mechanical pencil options. The case is also metallic so works with some touch screens (including my phone). The workmanship is high quality and durable. Due to the half length refills, the ink runs out faster than a normal pen. The mechanical pencil option holds several leads. This is the one and only writing instrument I carry and I have used it (and it's predecessor) for over 15 years, ever since I discovered it. It is professional enough for a boardroom, durable enough for the shop, and efficient enough to please an engineer.

When I first got one of these as a gift, I was worried it might be of low quality. I was pleasantly surprised! The sturdy metal frame gives the writing utensil a nice heft, and it feels elegant and of good quality. I like its thinness: slightly larger than a typical wooden pencil. The turning mechanism sometimes fails in these sorts of devices, but this one is sturdy and has lasted me quite a while! I suspect the pen cartridges aren’t anything special, and a lot of the lead in the pencil was broken when I got it, but ultimately this was a very nice gift and I ended up buying another one to give to someone else!

great pen and design. Would recommend!

Great gift

I'll review this pen in comparison to the Sharbo X LT3, which is a suburb pen as well. Build quality: Suberb metallic feel, yet light enough to be writing for long periods of time. It has a matt texture compared to the Sharbo X, which is great if you have slippery fingers. There is a satisfying snap when you switch between different colours and pencils as well, which was absent on the Sharbo X (that one is more quiet but still has firm transitions) The pen clip was of good quality as well, and slides into my pocket smoothly without forcing it in or being too loose. Replacing inks: For the B3, it has a unique way or replacing inks, in which you would have to PULL the pen apart instead of unscrewing the bottom half, which the Sharbo X employs. I much prefer unscrewing to replace as I'm not sure if the sliding mechanism would loose the pen after prolonged use or multiple replacements. Ink quality: While the B3 accepts standard D1 refills, and the ones that came with it were pleasant to write with, I noticed that ink does not come out for the first few strokes EVERY TIME I took it out of my flight suit pocket, which meant that I had to scribble on a scrap paper before the ink started flowing. On the other hand the Sharbo inks had ink flowing whenever I needed them. A small plus was that the pen came with an additional black and red refill each. Overall, the inks were a major minus, but the pen itself is well built and I don't see a problem replacing it with better quality refills from other brands once the stock inks run out.

Excelente producto!

Perfect for aircraft maintenance