Your Rollerballs And Ballpoints

[tomkeb]

I don't own any expensive ballpoint, because I consider it my go-to pen which can get lost anytime, which I lend to people when they don't have anything to write with. My favourite in this field is Pilot Acroball, especially for its rich line, perfect grip and overall design.

 

 

I sometimes carry a steel Jotter with me, but nothing can beat the Acroball hybrid-ink refill for me.

[sirach]

I do have a thing for Fisher Space Pens. A bullet style one is almost always in a pants pocket, even if it usually gets bypassed these days for the fountain pens in the shirt pocket. Fisher refills in my Jotters. Even a Fisher Q4 multi-pen, which takes up to three D1 ballpoint refills (one slot originally had a useless stylus in it, which I replaced with a third color) and a .7 mm mechanical pencil.

 

I agree. I have better luck with Fisher than any other ballpoint refill. I tried to keep one of their bullet pens, but I kept losing it in the car, I think my wife keeps it in her purse. I have one of their AG-7 pens (the model NASA sent up on the Apollo missions) I also fitted a Parker Jotter "Flighter" with their refill. If I had to choose (and couldn't use a fountain pen) I really would rather use a rollerball. I got a MontBlanc 163 included with the purchase of a 149 a couple years back, and have really enjoyed it... otherwise I am a big fan of the Retro 51 RBs.

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PlUO4n89Bd4/UdcIIG4v17I/AAAAAAAAB78/U_ZeKWiQWAs/s640/IMG_0278.JPG

Retro 51, Retro 51, MB 163, Parker Jotter "Flighter", Fisher AG-7

[Moshe ben David]

I have all of my FP's set up in cases as sets with either a BP or RB AND a pencil. When I can get them, coordinated sets; some in cases where each instrument is different -- but I choose them so that the assembled 'kit' looks good together.

 

I do use Retro 51's and many Parker BP; also a Pelikan BP. All of these can use the Parker 'Jotter' form factor BP refill -- but I prefer the gel ink refill in this size; essentially a retractable RB!

[Tom Aquinas]

I have one rollerball in a jade green lacque Parker 75. I have ballpens which match most fountain pens, and several matching pencils. Pencils are more use to me than the "support" pens especially in drafting. I find roller ball refills uneconomical and scarcely last a fortnight when I used it it to sus out whether they could supplement my fountain pen as a primary pen. I prefer fps.

 

Ball pens are essential in my job because that is what I offer clients to sign documentation.

[Gloucesterman]

Because my preference in RB & BP runs strongly toward the fine and extra fine point, there are very limited options for me.

 

For a ball point I have one really good one a S.T. DuPont Orpheo which I purchased as a discontinued model with an additional discount. From my perspective, it is a far better pen that the MB164, which I consider unimpressive as a writing pen. Also, IMHO, if someone really knows pens, the DuPont offers a more subtle "this is a quality writing instrument" allure than the "hey, look at the white star on this piece of 'precious resin' pen". Again, this is just my opinion. I also have several older Parker Jotters with fine refills.

 

As for roller ball pens, I am really conflicted. Because I often purchase my FPs for their looks as well as the way they write and their quality, I wish there were true fine and extra fine refills available for RBs. Having a range of colors might compensate somewhat with fine pointed RB, but not enough with a regular .7 RB point.

 

So, instead of a high quality RB, I have some Pilot gel (five colors) with a .4 point and an eight color pack of uni-ball Signo (UM-151) with a .28mm point. I did buy a Monteverde Ink ball with their "fine" point" but find that it still tends more toward a medium than a really fine point. It's nice to have the range of colors either converter or refilled cartridges, but the "more toward" medium point is off putting.

 

FWIW, my preference in FP is EF and F with an enjoyment of italic, cursive italic and definitely flex from a vintage Waterman 32 (thank you Susan Wirth) to a burgundy Namiki Falcon (okay, so it's "soft -fine") and some Noodlers, Creaper, Konrad and Ahab. I have seven 78Gs with only one medium and the others fine (really extra-fine) and broad (really cursive italic. BTW, I also swap out the nibs from the 78G into other Pilot pens (the Metropolitan) for convenience.

[inky]

I just received a Monteverde ink ball point. Love it so far. Love that I now have another opportunity to use all my favorite inks instead of boring blue and black. Of course, I will still have to be careful when loaning it to someone as I am with my Mont Blanc; but still better than loaning a FP.

[Merrib]

Retro 51 pens fit the bill for me. No cap to worry about loosing.

[Runnin_Ute]

My all time favorite BP was a Parker 45 Flighter. Unfortunately, I no longer have it. Lost it. But in general I am a Parket BP fan. I do have a Cross that is stamped with a company name I won in a drawing once. Not bad, but for some reason have always liked the way a Parker BP writes better than a Cross. (generally speaking)

 

I have a Waterman Hemisphere RB that didn't get much use until I put a Pilot G2 refill in it. Waterman refills, I could never get to work properly. I replaced the P45 with I believe it is a Latitude if I remember correctly. I have one or two Parker MP's as well (.5 mm sized)

[jxenos]

When I'm not using a fountain pen I like everything from a Uniball Vision fine point in blue to a Montblanc Starwalker BP in rubber and metal. I also love the Cross Century Classics with the old ribbed grip and a broad black refill. Bottom line is that I like pens, cheap and expensive, fountain or otherwise, and even some mechanical pencils.

 

I'm still trying to find a nice high-end rollerball for when a fountain pen isn't practical. I want to like my Lamy Studio rollerball, but the refills run out too fast, and I can't figure out how to fit an alternate brand into the pen.

 

A very crude, but very effective way I have got MB refills into my Lamy rollerballs is either a small spring, or a small piece of paper to fill the gap between the top of the barrell and the cartridge. Works a treat.