The Journal That Taught Me the Hard Way
If you've ever tried to make a journal from scratch, you know that feeling when you mess up a page and there's no undo button. I learned that lesson in 2022 when I spent $45 on materials for a handmade journal, used a cheap ballpoint pen, and ended up with smudges, cross-outs, and a final product that looked like a middle school homework assignment. That's when I started comparing tools — and specifically, Pilot pens vs. Pilot Frixion erasable pens.
People assume that any pen works for journaling because it's just writing. What they don't see is how the ink behaves on different paper, how erasing affects the page, and how much time you waste redoing pages. So here's my comparison: I'm putting my go-to Pilot pen (the G2) against the Pilot Frixion (with its erasable ink) in three dimensions — writing experience, correction ease, and long-term durability. Plus I'll show you how I use an Omni Calculator for layout math and a breeding calculator from Palworld to track my game notes without ruining the aesthetic.
Comparison Framework: What We're Comparing & Why
I'm comparing two Pilot pen families that serve the same purpose — writing in journals — but handle mistakes very differently. The regular Pilot G2 (or Juice, V5) is a classic gel pen with permanent ink. The Pilot Frixion line uses thermosensitive ink that disappears when you rub it with the built-in eraser.
Why compare them? Because if you're making a journal — especially one you want to keep for years — the choice between erasable and permanent is huge. I've made both choices and paid for my mistakes. Let's look at three key dimensions.
Dimension 1: Writing Feel & Consistency
G2 (Regular): The G2 writes smooth, dark, and consistent from the first stroke. I've used them for years and they rarely skip. The downside? If you make a typo, you're stuck with whiteout or scratching it out — both look terrible in a journal.
Frixion: Honestly, the Frixion feels a tiny bit lighter and the ink isn't as deep black as the G2. It's still good — I'd call it a solid B+ vs. the G2's A. But here's the trade-off: you can erase mistakes instantly with the friction eraser on the cap. For journaling, that's a game changer. Personally, I think the slight loss in ink richness is worth it if you're someone who makes frequent corrections.
Note: I'm not 100% sure, but from my experience, the Frixion ink is okay for most paper types except glossy or coated stock. On regular 80gsm notebook paper, it works fine.
Dimension 2: Erasing & Corrections
G2: No erasing possible. You can use correction tape, but it leaves a raised layer that's obvious. I once tried to write over a mistake with a G2 — just made it worse. That cost me $28 worth of paper when I had to reprint layout pages.
Frixion: The eraser on the Frixion pen works by heat — the ink turns transparent at about 140°F (60°C). Rub a few times and the ink disappears. BUT — here's the catch that most people don't know: if you leave your journal in a hot car or near a radiator, the ink can vanish permanently. I learned this when I left my journal on the dashboard in July. Total loss of three pages. So if you're planning to keep your journal for years, the Frixion might not be ideal for long-term archival.
Per FTC guidelines (ftc.gov), claims like "erasable" must be accurate — and the Frixion ink can reappear if exposed to cold temperatures below 14°F (-10°C). That's an important caveat if you store your journal in an unheated space.
Dimension 3: Cost & Value
This is where the comparison gets interesting.
G2: A 3-pack costs about $6-8. That's $2-3 per pen. They last a long time for journaling.
Frixion: The Frixion pens are more expensive — a 3-pack runs $10-14, about $4-5 per pen. And refills cost about $3-4 each. The eraser modules wear out after maybe 200-300 erasures. If you make a lot of mistakes, you'll need new pens sooner.
Here's my honest take: if you're a beginner making your first journal, the extra cost of Frixion is probably worth it because you'll make mistakes. After you get better, you might switch to permanent pens for the final version. I went back and forth for months — the binary struggle between "I want clean pages" and "I don't want to pay more for ink." Ultimately, I chose Frixion for my rough drafts and G2 for my final journal pages.
Now, About the Omni Calculator and Palworld Breeding Calculator
You might be wondering why I'm mentioning calculators in a journal-making article. Here's the deal: when I'm designing a journal layout, I use an Omni Calculator to figure out margins, page count, and binding templates. It's a free online tool that lets you plug in dimensions and get exact measurements. Saved me from a $45 mistake when I ordered paper that was 0.5 inches too small.
And the breeding calculator Palworld? I actually keep a separate journal for tracking my Palworld gameplay — which Pals I've bred, their stats, and the combinations I've tried. The breeding calculator helps me predict offspring traits, and I use my Pilot Frixion pen to write notes in that journal because I constantly update and correct my data. The erasable ink is perfect for that.
How to Make a Journal: My Step-by-Step (With Tool Recommendations)
- Choose your paper size. Use an Omni Calculator to determine margins and signature sizes. I messed this up once — used standard letter paper thinking it would fit a 6x9 cover. It didn't. $18 wasted on paper.
- Bind your pages. Saddle stitch or Coptic stitch. I recommend Coptic for lay-flat journals.
- Write your content. Start with a Pilot Frixion for drafts. When you're satisfied, trace over with a G2 for permanence. That way, if your journal gets hot, the Frixion ink disappears but the G2 remains.
- Add extras. Use the breeding calculator Palworld spreadsheets to plan your game content pages.
Final Recommendation: When to Use Which
Take it from someone who's ruined $200+ worth of journals with bad pen choices:
- Choose Pilot Frixion if: You're a beginner, you make frequent corrections, your journal won't be exposed to extreme heat or cold, and you want a clean look while drafting.
- Choose Pilot G2 (or other permanent Pilot pen) if: You want archival quality, you're experienced with little correction, or you're making a final gift journal that needs to last.
In my opinion, both have their place. I now keep three pens in my journaling kit: a Frixion for editing, a G2 .7mm for final text, and a Frixion highlighter for marking. That's what works for me — your mileage may vary.
One last thing: If you're using an Omni Calculator for layout, double-check your units. I once set inches to centimeters and ordered paper that was 40% bigger than needed. That's a $22 mistake I'll never repeat.