"clickable" Ballpoint Pens

[Lyndon]

Hello The Fountain Pen Network Community: I have a rather "low brow" question: I want a "clickable" ballpoint pen for a Pocket Note Pad I'm going to have Custom made. I want the "best" "Clickable" Ballpoint pen available. Does anyone have recommendations for my requirements besides Cross "Click" collection, Sheaffer Sentinel Signature collection or Parker IM collection? Thank you!

[The Blue Knight]

I've heared cross makes the finest ball point's avaliable so a cross one maybe good idea. I don't like the I.M. ballpoint as it is quite fat (perhaps too fat for a note pad) and ugly.

 

My recomendations would for one on a budget would be a Jotter Ball point as it is a classic which is rather affordable.

 

If you really want an attractive ball point and you are prepared to pay a lot you could go for a Parker Sonnet ball point really nice design.

[kaissa]

First find the refill than the pen is the general consensus around here. Parker compatibles (also known as G2 which is not related to Pilot G2) will give you the most choices in color, viscosivity (oil based, gel based or liquid), writing length (600 to 8.000 meters) and operation temperatures (Space). Another refill type that is almost universal is the D1 refills found in multipens and small size pens. D1s also have several choices but not as varied as the G2s. Cross, Sheaffer, Montblanc and Lamy (who has great small pens) are some of the companies where you are stuck with their refills or Monteverde refills ( an unsatisfied customer here) for them.

 

So I would first find a G2 refill if I were to have a regular sized pen. If looking for a smaller pen than a pen that takes D1 refills.

 

Good luck,

[Florida Blue]

I think a stainless steel Parker Jotter would make a great choice.

 

I have a few, both modern and vintage, and they have always served me well.

[UK Mike]

Following on from Florida Blue's suggestion - if you can find a Parker "International Flighter", it is a slimmer version of the Parker Jotter, this is one of the best clicker ballpoints ever made. I used to disrupt a lot of business meetings with mine and the mechanism seems to last forever. 20+ years and still clicking. Refills are available from many manufacturers, including Fisher SpacePen, even gel ink versions if you must (though I have had little success with gel or liquid ink refills).

 

Cross have twist mechanisms, but Lamy have some good clickers.

[Lyander0012]

+1 to the Parker Flighter! I haven't been using mine for over 20 years, exactly (heck, I'm 20 XD), but I had one for a few years in highschool that I got from my grandfather. It always wrote reliably, and the refills were readily available. Not to mention, there's the fact that there's a pretty wide variety of refills are available for it, if the standard ones aren't to your liking.

 

Hmm... I miss that pen. I want whoever stole it to experience 13 years of misery (partially kidding) >

 

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin

[soapytwist]

I've always loved the smoothness of Caran d'Ache Goliath ballpoint refills (much nicer than Parker or Cross refills IMHO); they have the added bonus that you can use them in expensive high-end pens, more reasonably priced Ecridor pens, and also the very simple and inexpensive 849 metal-cased pens. The current range is here:

 

http://www.carandache.ch/en/139-ballpoint-pen

[Stephen2020]

Paper Mate Capri mk III, came out in th 50s, look beautiful and they take currently made refills (Lubriglide).

[pokermon]

When I carry a BP or RB in the rare case instead of a FP I like my Parker Jotter. I had a friend ask me about pens since he was looking for something a little nicer than your average ink stick. Tried to convince him to get a FP, but he was very hesitant, so I pointed him towards the parker Jotter, and he loves it. Get it in the brushed stainless steel version and it is a reliable/light weight pen. The Jotter has been around for so long and will take many refills. Many refill manufacturers make refills for the jotter, or have an adapter to fit the Jotter.

[Moshe ben David]

I've always loved the smoothness of Caran d'Ache Goliath ballpoint refills (much nicer than Parker or Cross refills IMHO); they have the added bonus that you can use them in expensive high-end pens, more reasonably priced Ecridor pens, and also the very simple and inexpensive 849 metal-cased pens. The current range is here:

 

http://www.carandache.ch/en/139-ballpoint-pen

 

+1 on this. Not only is the refill inherently smooth as a writer, but the 'click' action of the pen is very smooth. Also, depending on your secretary, these pens are somewhat small in size and hence comfortable to the hand especially for smaller hands. Although I've a couple and I wear large size gloves and I still like them!

 

Fahrney's carries a broad range of colors/finishes of the 849 pens: http://www.fahrneyspens.com/

Prices are very good. I've bought several from them, for myself and my wife.

[chairmaker]

Ballograf, Epoca model. They are a little hard to find, but you will not be disappointed.

[MBFan]

I bought a jotter today, as a throw about pen; I find it quite small, but attractive enough. I just saw this though, it's a TWSBI ballpoint, and if it's anything like their FPs, then I'm getting one!

 

http://www.twsbi.com/product.php?id_product=41

Edited January 7, 2014 by MBFan

[Paul Raposo]

What about a Parker Classic in sterling silver? Slender pen, the silver cross-hatch pattern is pretty, and takes all new Parker refills, including the gel refill and the Quink Flow refills:

 

http://paulspenscanada.blogspot.ca/2012/10/parker-classic-sterling-silver-ballpoint.html

[ebearius]

Even though you specified a clickable ballpoint, I would go with the Lamy Swift rollerball. Nice "feel appeal".

[Vendome]

A Parker Jotter, or their older (discontinued) models of 15, 25, 45, or Classic.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Vendome

[Centopar]

The only ballpoint I ever use is a Cross - the refills write very smoothly, and the weight of the pen is nice. I only use it where a fountain pen really, really isn't an option: i.e. very seldom.

[Parker51]

Go vintage, and get a Sterling Parker 75.

[pajaro]

The Pelikan K200 or K400 use Parker type refills, they click, and they are a bit fancier than Jotters. The Pelikan version of the refill is nice, and I use the broad Pelikan refills in my blue marbled K200 and green stripe K400. Nice pens and maybe a bit larger diameter than a Jotter.

[85AKbN]

This piqued my interest, with it's ability to take Pilot G2 refills:

 

The Bolt- Pilot G2

 

http://karaskustoms.com/pens/the-bolt-357.html

[tomgartin]

I just bought a Caran d'Ache ballpoint. The "Goliath" refill is supposed to be pretty good, but I've heard that a Parker-style "G-2" (not to be confused with the Pilot G2) refill can be cut to fit, which opens a wide variety of alternatives.

My favorite thing about the click on the Caran d'Ache is how quiet the mechanism is. Perfect for settings when you want to be discreet.