Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen vs Sailor Ink Pen Kobo Brush Review: The UK's Best Brush & Dual-Tip Pens 2026
Jun 30, 2026
Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen vs Sailor Ink Pen Kobo Brush Review: The UK's Best Brush & Dual-Tip Pens 2026
Brush-tip pens have transformed the way UK artists, calligraphers, and journallers approach creative writing and illustration. By combining the expressive qualities of a traditional brush with the convenience of a pen, they make brush lettering, illustration, and decorative writing accessible to everyone. In this review, we compare two outstanding brush-tip pens: the Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen, a beloved Japanese brush pen with a uniquely flexible felt tip, and the Sailor Ink Pen Kobo Brush and Fine Dual-Tip Marker, a premium dual-tip marker from one of Japan's most prestigious pen brands. Both are available from TTPEN UK.
Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen — The Brush Pen That Feels Like a Real Brush
The Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen Felt Pen Like Brush Stroke 2 Pack is one of the most popular brush pens in the world, and for good reason. At £8.00 for a 2-pack, it offers a uniquely flexible felt tip that responds to pressure like a real brush, producing variable line widths that are essential for expressive brush lettering and illustration.
The Fude Touch Tip
“Fude” is the Japanese word for brush, and the Fude Touch’s tip is designed to mimic the behaviour of a traditional Japanese calligraphy brush. The tip is made from a flexible felt material that bends and flexes under pressure, producing a thin line with light pressure and a broad stroke with heavy pressure. This pressure sensitivity is the defining quality of a brush pen, and the Fude Touch delivers it with exceptional consistency and control.
The tip is more durable than a traditional brush — it maintains its shape and flexibility through extended use without fraying or losing its responsiveness. This makes the Fude Touch a reliable tool for regular use, unlike traditional brushes that require careful maintenance and replacement.
Ink Quality and Colour
The Fude Touch uses Pentel’s water-based dye ink, which produces a smooth, consistent line with good colour saturation. The ink is quick-drying on most papers, reducing smearing, and it is available in a range of colours. The 2-pack format typically provides two complementary colours, making it ideal for colour-coded journalling and creative writing.
The ink is water-soluble, which means it can be blended with water for watercolour-like effects — a technique popular among journallers and mixed-media artists. This blendability adds an extra dimension of creative possibility to the Fude Touch.
Who Is the Pentel Fude Touch For?
The Fude Touch is for beginners and experienced brush lettering artists alike. Its flexible felt tip is more forgiving than a traditional brush, making it an excellent introduction to brush lettering, while its consistent performance and range of colours make it a reliable tool for experienced artists. At £8.00 for two, it’s also exceptional value.
Price: £8.00 (2-pack) — Buy the Pentel Fude Touch at TTPEN UK
Sailor Ink Pen Kobo — Premium Dual-Tip Brush Markers from Japan’s Finest Pen Brand
The Sailor Ink Pen Kobo Brush and Fine Dual-Tip Marker 3 Color Set brings Sailor’s legendary ink quality to the brush marker format. At £17.00 for a 3-colour set, it offers a premium dual-tip marker with a brush tip at one end and a fine tip at the other, in three carefully selected colours that work beautifully together for calligraphy, illustration, and journalling.
Sailor’s Ink Heritage
Sailor is one of Japan’s most prestigious pen and ink manufacturers, with over a century of experience producing inks of exceptional quality. The Kobo markers use Sailor’s water-based dye ink, which is renowned for its vibrant colour, smooth flow, and excellent performance on a wide range of papers. The ink quality in the Kobo markers is noticeably superior to many competing brush markers — the colours are richer, the flow is more consistent, and the overall writing experience is more refined.
The Dual-Tip System
The Kobo’s dual-tip system provides two writing modes in a single pen. The brush tip delivers expressive, pressure-sensitive strokes ideal for calligraphy, brush lettering, and illustration. The fine tip provides a consistent, precise line for outlines, details, and any work that requires a controlled mark. Having both tips in a single pen makes the Kobo exceptionally versatile — you can switch between brush and fine tip without changing pens, maintaining your creative flow.
The 3-Colour Set
The 3-colour set provides a curated selection of colours that complement each other beautifully. Sailor’s colour selection reflects their expertise in ink formulation — the colours are sophisticated, nuanced, and designed to work well together in layered and blended compositions. For journallers and calligraphers who want a premium, coordinated colour palette, the Kobo 3-colour set is an excellent choice.
Who Is the Sailor Kobo For?
The Sailor Kobo is for artists and calligraphers who want premium ink quality and dual-tip versatility in a beautifully designed marker. It’s also an excellent gift for anyone who appreciates Japanese stationery and wants to experience Sailor’s legendary ink quality in a brush marker format.
Price: £17.00 (3-colour set) — Buy the Sailor Ink Pen Kobo at TTPEN UK
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Pentel Fude Touch (2-pack) | Sailor Ink Pen Kobo (3-colour) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8.00 | £17.00 |
| Tip Type | Single flexible felt brush tip | Dual: brush + fine tip |
| Ink Brand | Pentel water-based dye | Sailor premium water-based dye |
| Colours Included | 2 | 3 |
| Best For | Beginners, everyday brush lettering | Premium calligraphy, gifting, dual-tip versatility |
Which Brush Pen Is Right for You?
The Pentel Fude Touch and Sailor Ink Pen Kobo both deliver excellent brush-tip writing experiences, but at different price points and with different strengths. The Pentel Fude Touch is the choice for those who want an accessible, reliable brush pen for everyday use — its flexible felt tip and affordable price make it the ideal starting point for brush lettering.
The Sailor Ink Pen Kobo is the choice for those who want premium ink quality and dual-tip versatility — its Sailor ink heritage and brush-plus-fine dual tip make it the more sophisticated and versatile tool for serious calligraphers and artists.
Both are available from TTPEN UK with fast UK delivery. Visit www.ttpen.co.uk to browse our full range of brush pens, calligraphy markers, and Japanese art supplies.
Final Verdict
The Pentel Fude Touch and Sailor Ink Pen Kobo are two of the finest brush-tip pens available in the UK market. The Fude Touch wins on accessibility and value; the Sailor Kobo wins on ink quality and dual-tip versatility. Both earn our highest recommendation for UK calligraphers, artists, and journallers. Visit TTPEN UK today.
