Noodler's Rollberball

[holgalee]

For those of you who are using this pen, who has it been for you so far? I just got mine yesterday and inked it in the evening.

 

Some quick comments: the pen is smaller than I expected. Those with bigger hands than me--and I have very small hands--will most likely need to post the cap. The section appears to be made of ebonite, which is great because I hate rubber grips. The top silver "nooder's ink" label looks to be a sticker as it is a little raised around the edges. The tip is very fine for a refillable rollerball, which is great because the rest that I've seen just write way too broad. Using average quality printing paper, it produces lines of about 0.5mm with the ink I'm using (Pelikan turquoise). The piston is a little stiff and can probably do with a bit of silicon grease if I can figure a way to work it in. Overall, it looks like a cheerful and sweet little pen.

 

Now my million dollar question is: does the pen feel or sound a little gritty at the tip when writing? I think it does for the Pelikan turquoise. I'm not that surprised because I used to own the Herbin Stylo-roller and it felt even more gritty. I've always suspected Pelikan turquoise as being slightly funky because there's always a huge amount of "crystals" on the bottle threads. I'm thinking of changing to Herbin or maybe even--my pen & ink geekiness is starting to show--straining the ink!

[Truppi327]

I really love my Creaper Rollerball (I think my avatar hints at that)!

 

I post it all the time because of my larger hands.

 

I think that grittiness or squeak as I have read about may be a result of a drier ink? IIRC most of the reports of the nib squeaking slightly or being a touch rough were using a Pelikan or other brand of ink that tends to be a little drier. I'm using Bulletproof Black which flows wet in my experience and I have no grit, squeak, or stutter with my rollerball. It silently glides across the page - "The Grim Creaper, Catfish of Death"... :roflmho:

Edited November 29, 2010 by Truppi327

[xuan87]

I'm using a pretty smooth flowing ink in mine (Pelikan Edelstein Oynx) and it's really smooth for me, no hint of the grittiness that you mentioned. Changing to a wetter ink might solve your problem.

[Dark Side]

I think the tip noise or grittiness also has to do with the angle at which you hold the pen. Mine comes and goes with the position of my hand, if I hold it more upright the sound is more produced and at a lower angle it's much smoother.

 

I really like mine but depending on the ink it doesn't always keep up with my fast writing so I doubt I'll ever use it to take notes in class though I would like to. I may have to grab a bottle of Noodler's black if I ever want to use it for note taking, even though I'm not particularly fond of black ink.

[The Classicist]

I've really been enjoying writing with this pen. Over the course of the past week, I can't say that I'm astonished by the quality, but maybe I'm too rough with it, because I carry it from class to class and I either end up with inky hands, or drips on the paper while I'm writing. Both the rollerball and the fountain "creaper" actually... they drip from the blind feed (I think that's what it's called). I'm using Noodler's inks, which I know can be a bit wet, but maybe there is a break-in period or at least an explanation from someone out there for the near-constant leaking?

[Dark Side]

I've really been enjoying writing with this pen. Over the course of the past week, I can't say that I'm astonished by the quality, but maybe I'm too rough with it, because I carry it from class to class and I either end up with inky hands, or drips on the paper while I'm writing. Both the rollerball and the fountain "creaper" actually... they drip from the blind feed (I think that's what it's called). I'm using Noodler's inks, which I know can be a bit wet, but maybe there is a break-in period or at least an explanation from someone out there for the near-constant leaking?

 

I haven't had the issue myself, but I read somewhere that as you use ink you should keep advancing the piston (pushing the air out) because the warmth from your hand will expand the air and cause it to force fluid out through the feed. I don't have particularly warm hands, especially in the winter, so I haven't experienced this problem yet.

[brumxi]

I've had the creaper for a week now. I love the idea behind the design and the presentation in white cardboard box and cheapo manual (which indeed states that one should advance the piston so that the reservoir is never less than half empty).

 

After a week, my love has faded, however.

 

The first day, I lent it out to my son of 8, to do his homework with. Even though he is always curious and interested in new things writing, he handed it back within 2 minutes, stating that it made "funny noises". My pen does make a gritty noise - which diminishes with a lower writing angle - but never disappears. I filled the pen with Waterman Blue-Black, which is rather 'wet' ink, but this did not have a significant change.

 

Also, the pen has flooded/leaked on several occasions. Sometimes when writing, it starts to flood. But also when in my briefcase, it expelled quite a lot of ink into the cap for no apparent reason (no significant temperature variations). In all circumstances, I kept the reservoir 90%+ full of ink.

 

The grittiness spoils the writing experience and the leaking/flooding issue ensures I cannot use it as a backup writer. I am glad it only cost me 14 USD to find this out.

[Tricia]

I'm liking mine. I inked it up with Noodler's La Couleur Royale. It is a small pen and I'm most comfortable writing with it posted.

 

The pen tip does squeak sometimes when I write, but my other fountainpen-ink rollerballs do, too (a Monteverde, a couple of Pelikans, an old Levenger, and a converted (to ED) Kaweco). They all tend to write better on lesser-quality (maybe it's just less smooth-) paper, meaning I tend to not use them on Clairefontaine but on Moleskine paper they're great.

 

All except the Pelikans that I have came with extra tips (or have them available), so expect them to wear down over time.

 

Lots of fun to write with, though, especially with all the fantastic variety of fountain pen inks out there!

 

 

Edited to mess with the spelling of LCR.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Tricia

[Senate1123]

while i love the idea of using fountain pen ink on a rollerball, my creaper squeaks way way too much. it's really annoying. i have it inked up with some noodler's justice black, some singapore exclusive i think.

 

i'll try another ink but i'm kind of disappointed. i've had other rollerballs exhibit some "grittiness" or what i'd call feedback, but this is like a squeaky hinge! i can't believe i'm the ONLY one with this... :blink: i guess maybe i'll ink up my other one and see.

[jimhughes]

I'm on week #6 with the Creaper and Noodlers BSB. I figured , if I stain the pen I'm not out a lot of dough. At certain angles I do get a bit of squeak, but not enough to spoil my experience. I have had 2 events of ink regurgitation, out the intake orifice.

Both times involved me sitting or working inside in a moderately warm environment, with the pen in my pocket and a jacket on. I took the pen out to use it and then notoiced ink on my fingers. I think body heat had a big effect, cause, on the burping. In spite of my attacking the ink in the cap immediatedly with soap and water, it resulted in a mild aesthetic stain. On another post on FPN it was mentioned that one needs to advance the piston as one uses ink, so only a minimal air bubble is present. This will prevent the ink burps. I have, so far, failed to do this, hence my second event. I find in my normal 45 degree pen to paper stance, nib squeek is minimal and ink flow is smooth. Overall, I've had both a Monteverde Mega Ball and a Kaweco RB pen. I was not as pleased with either as I am with the Creaper. Like Goldilocks said, this is just write. YMMV, Jim

 

I've bought replacement tips from gouletpens, also available from Todd at isellpens. for when the nib goes south. They're about 50C each.

Edited December 16, 2010 by jimhughes

[GOB Bluth]

I have found mine to be very dry and inconsistent when using BSB in it for a week. The roller ball just came out of the tip, so I've sent a dollar bill in the mail to Noodlers and will see how long it takes them to send me four replacement roller tips.

 

Hopefully it was a dud tip.

[fwyun]

Mine writes pretty well. Squeaks quite a bit.

[rockydoggy]

The ball came out of the tip of my pen as well--and this after only a few weeks of light use. I've put in an order for some spare tips. I sure hope those last longer than the first one did . . . .

[holgalee]

I tried WFB and got the same gritty result. Is this common for all refillable rollerballs and what is the cause?

[katzenrolli]

I tried WFB and got the same gritty result. Is this common for all refillable rollerballs and what is the cause?

Well I don't know about refillable rollerballs but I have a cartridge-based MontBlanc Meisterstück rollerball and I think it's horrible. First of all it was gritty as commented upon, so they replaced the cartridge. So then it was no longer gritty but smooth and characterless. At which point I realised that rollerballs are just not for me.

[atypical]

I tried WFB and got the same gritty result. Is this common for all refillable rollerballs and what is the cause?

I bought two "Online" refillable rollerballs a few weeks ago.

Both are squeaky and gritty. It's as if someone substituted the sphere in the tip with a cube.

 

I might try a few more inks but will probably leave them exposed on my desk for those who tend to "borrow" my pens.

[Surnia]

Brought it to work with me at Costco, worked flawlessly on thermal paper and regular paper with Noodler's #41. No squeak, and smooth operation. Had it "nib" up and had no issues.... Second day I decided to have it horizontal in the pen/phone case, and within an hour, it leaked some ink from the feed area. No harm done, I brought it along to do that anyway, a stress test to see how much it could handle before leaking. Unfortunately, with the ease of which it CAN leak, I'm withholding recommendations to my non-FP friends from using it, as its far too prone to leaking as compared to a standard ballpoint or rollerball.

 

Aside from that it shall be my work pen, along with a chinese FP. I just hope it can handle the pressure for using it on carbon copies...