Description
Modal Production Release
The long wait is over, our latest pen is here. The Modal is our latest everyday carry, retractable pen that features several new design and functionality elements. This pen has been the most requested design in the history of our company. From the day our Bolt Kickstarter launched, we were asked if we would ever add a traditional side-actuated bolt-style pen. Our response was always, “Only if we can find a reason to make one in our style because the market is saturated with that type of pen.” It’s been over ten years since the Bolt was released, and we finally found our reasons. Initially, we wanted to create a pen that was roughly the length of the EDK but accepted the Pilot G2 or other 110mm refills. A five-inch length pen is about the shortest pen that is comfortable to the average pen user. Our second reason was that most bolt-style pens on the market use a side button that sticks out pretty far from the body of the pen. The button is uncomfortable and often gets caught on clothing or jabs into your hip if you’re pocket-carrying the pen. Also, for some reason, most of the current bolt-style pens feature a backward J-slot, requiring the user’s thumb to move in a weird motion bringing the button down and back towards the heel of the palm. We designed a button that is oval shaped, with a slightly convex face that is raised just enough off of the body of the pen to be functional but doesn’t interfere with clothing and won’t jab you in the hip. Our J-slot is more of a modified checkmark, and requires the user to simply push their thumb down in a swift motion before the action “catches”. The button is easily retracted with a swift upward motion of the thumb, but the catch on the slot is positive enough that the refill won’t retract during use. Finally, we developed a deep pocket carry clip somewhat resembling the INK clip but fastens via an internal thread that isn’t visible. The internal slider mechanism is machined from Delrin which provides a perfect, smooth action.
The production release of the Modal features a variety of “bright dip” Type II anodized aluminum colors with silver anodized clips and buttons and black Delrin sliders; along with one of our most popular raw finishes, tumbled aluminum which features tumbled aluminum bodies, clips, and buttons with black Delrin sliders. Premium production Modal pens are available in C360 brass. The brass Modal features matching brass clip and button with white Delrin slider; the brass has been sanded and polished to show off the luster of the material. The body, clip, slider, and button are designed and manufactured in our facility in Mesa, Arizona. With our new updated Parker adapter, you can now select either the Pilot G2 or Parker style refills with this pen. The Parker adapter is a machined Delrin adapter with a recess to capture the rear “fins” of the refill while the opposite end of the adapter is captured in the internal Delrin slider. This provides stability and eliminates lateral refill movement.
Specifications
Length – 130.17mm / 5.125″
Body Width – 11.11 mm / 0.437”
Width w/Clip – 14.73mm / 0.577″
Weight (Aluminum) – 24.0g / 0.84 oz
Limited Availability
“Many G codes and M codes cause the machine to change from one mode to another, and the mode stays active until some other command changes it implicitly or explicitly. Such commands are called “modal”.” – Dynomotion.com
The Modal is made from 6061-T aluminum and C360 brass on our CNC lathes and Swiss machining centers, in Mesa, Arizona. Pilot refills are manufactured in Japan. Schmidt refills are manufactured in Germany.
