Complete Newbie

[aalmcc4]

I'm a newbie when it comes to pens, so please bear with me. I've only lurked here a few days and have gained some knowledge to the point where I feel I'm able to ask a reasonable question.

 

I am thinking about getting a quality roller ball pen. How do the Visconti Rembrandt and the Parker Sonnet compare in quality? Where are they manufactured? Are there others that you might recommend over those two in the same price range?

 

Thank you all.

Edited May 21, 2012 by aalmcc4

[VillersCotterets]

 

You won't see a lot of discussions about roller ball or point ball pens here because they are very boring when it comes to the writing experience.

 

I don't know what type of refills Visconti's use, but for Parker's it doesn't really matter if you buy a 8$ roller ball pen or a 8000 $ roller ball pen. They are basically refill holders. They write only as good as the Parker refills are, and those don't change in quality. I you wanted you could only buy a 5$ refill and write with it directly. And, there are only two colours available : black and blue.

 

http://shop.wfsleath.co.uk/ekmps/shops/wfsleath/images/parker-rollerball-refill.jpg

 

If you want to enjoy the full experience of writing with ink, buy yourself a good fountain pen instead. 1500 inks to chose from, about 50 pens makers, each making at least 5 or 6 models, each declined in about 10 variants, many nibs to chose from, etc.

 

Writing with a ball point is like taking the bus.

Writing with a roller ball is like taking a taxi.

Writing with a fountain is like riding in a Maybach or a Masseratti.

Edited May 21, 2012 by VillersCotterets

[airborne18th]

I'm a newbie when it comes to pens, so please bear with me. I've only lurked here a few days and have gained some knowledge to the point where I feel I'm able to ask a reasonable question.

 

I am thinking about getting a quality roller ball pen. How do the Visconti Rembrandt and the Parker Sonnet compare in quality? Where are they manufactured? Are there others that you might recommend over those two in the same price range?

 

Thank you all.

 

I agree with the other response. Rollerballs are all about the refills. And my pen of choice in that arena are the Retro 51's..

 

I have the visconti rembrandt fountain pen, and they are made in italy. Overall I am not impressed with it. though visconti has a large number of fans.. I am the odd one who does not like them.

 

Though visconti's have rich colors.

 

You should try a fountain pen.. any Lamy is a great starter and they are smooth without hurting you in the wallet.. ( best pen for the money ). they will get you hooked on fountain pens.

[NorCal Einstein]

Over the years I've been through practically every rollerball available sold in office supply stores, and even some purchased online that were "higher" end. In the end, they all ended up skipping me on, some were never smooth, and it was just a pain.

 

I just made the switch to fountain pens last week and my cheap fountain pens blow away any of the rollerballs I've used, including the MontBlanc M and F rollerball. My cheap $24 dollar Kaweco Sport fine nib lays down a more solid and muchhhh smoother line than any rollerball I have. For under $30 after replacing the included ink cartridge with either another brand or do a eye dropper conversion, I was floored with how good a sub 30 pen could write. It didn't look flashy, but it wrote beautifully and it was the one that got me turned into fountain pens, up to 8 in under 2 weeks. The Kaweco Sport might not be for everyone though just because of its' size since it's a very short pen, even when capped. If you can get past the desire for a rollerball I strongly suggest you give fountain pens a look as they can be very affordable (and range to very wild). There should be many threads about good starter pens, but I have to say I'm very impressed with the cheap Lamy Safari with a fine nib which is my preference. I think they are around $25 and are more of a fullsize pen that is perfect for every day work. It's not the flashy MontBlanc by any means, but if you write to get the task done, Lamy pens are good contenders. My Lamy Safari puts down a nice and solid line of ink which never skips (can't say that about 95 percent of my rollerballs) and is buttery smooth, just glides across paper.

 

I have made it a point to switch all my pens in the office and the majority of my pens at home to fountain pens. Now that I know what they are about, I just think they are simply amazing. It's a little more maintenance than other types of pens, but I love getting involved with my toys, especially tweaking them to my liking. I've wasted a lot of money over the years searching for the "perfect" rollerball only to be let down. Eventually all my rollerballs start skipping across the page, and it always happens to be at a crucial moment. Fountain pens generally don't have that issue. I almost was crazy enough to buy a Parker pen and swap out the cartridge with a different brand and that would have ran me about $100 which I knew would eventually fail on me. Now I know there are many many sub $100 fountain pens that are proven to be solid workhorse pens. One of the best things that's happened to me this year is being turned on to fountain pens and I hope you consider giving it a shot. It's not too expensive to get your foot in the door.

[Olliwerder]

I agree with the previous posts. If you want a rollerball, you should consider which chassis/ body suits you, the refills are similar in most brands, and there really isn't that much which sets any one of them apart. I'd personally take a look at the "Eco roller" version of the Rembrandt, as it takes international cartridges and a converter, allowing you to use fountain pen ink, which I find superior to rollerball refills, and makes for a better transition to fountain pens. Also consider a fountain pen, a rollerball really doesn't match up to the experience.

 

-Olli

Edited May 21, 2012 by Olliwerder

[crazystan]

Welcome to the pen world!

 

In terms of what's been said above, I mostly concur. If you really want a roller ball, your best bet is to purchase a 4.5oz bottle of Noodler's fountain pen ink. These come with a Platinum Preppy fountain pen, which are convertible to a roller ball. Better yet, the roller ball is included. For the ink and the pen, you'll be set back, depending on which ink you go with, somewhere around $25, leaving you with some change left over to pick up an entry level workhorse like a Lamy Safari (under $30), or heck, maybe even a TWSBI 540 ($50). Granted, this is placing function over fashion (particularly with the Visconti), but it's a much less expensive way to get it done.

 

 

edit: Not affiliated with any of these places, but here's a few good places to start looking: isellpens.com and gouletpens.com. Both Todd at isellpens and Brian and Rachel Goulet are stand-up folks who will take great care of you. Their sites probably have the best selection of gear for beginners as well, though, there are plenty of other great folks out there too!

Edited May 21, 2012 by crazystan

[Chi Town]

I own a Visconti Eco Roller Ball and can say that I use this pen every day! When I can't use any of my 200 + fountain pens, this is my pen that I carry in my pocket. I can use any ink color that I use in my fountain pen as I use a converter in it. It's a beautiful pen as it is the Ivory version. And it lays down a nice wet line. It is however a pricey unit @ 145.00

[playpen]

A hearty welcome to the complete newbie. I am not a newbie but the other day I chose a gorgeous rollerball for a very dear person who has just graduated from law school and will need a good pen to not only use to study but impress on interviews, etc. I had the entire pen world from which to choose a gift and I went with the Omas rollerball. It is a gorgeous little pen, celluloid, in black and it filled the bill to perfection. This person may, in the future, become a full fledged fountain pen user but for now, why bother her with the mess and fuss of ink?

 

She loved the pen and I am sure it will get LOTS of use. These pens also come with their own little cases so that's a plus and they are as smooth as silk which is what she is going to really appreciate.

 

Rollerballs rock as far as I'm concerned and I've already bought a few to add to my fountain pen collection. They look great sitting next to my maki-e pens!

[aalmcc4]

Thank you all for such informed and helpful responses. I thought about going with a rollerball because of it's intended purpose. I'm an attorny and write quite a lot in court and depositions. This writing is fast, and never for "public display" or a finished product. I write notes fast when questioning witnesses or marking up other documents with notes in the margins. I write on junk quality, lined "legal pads" and copy paper.

 

It was my impression that a rollerball would be better for this kind of writing. But....please correct me if I'm wrong. Are fountain pens used by any of you for such writing?

 

However, with all of your responses I am definitely getting some sort of fountain pen either way!

 

Maybe starting with a Lamy AL-Star or Safari? Is this basically the same pen except the material of the "barrel" is different? (Excuse my "newbieness" if I'm not using the correct terminology).

 

Maybe my handwriting will improve!! (It really can do nothing but improve)

 

I'm pretty excited about this pen stuff. I don't even have a good one yet and can see myself building a collection. (That's a character weakness of mine. I like to collect things and appreciate quality)

 

Thanks all.

Edited May 22, 2012 by aalmcc4

[VillersCotterets]

I use fountain pens 99% of the time.

 

Fountain pens don't have to be "flashy" or ostentatious. Most people won't even notice you write with one, especially one with a hooded nib or a vanishing point. Frankly, most people simply don't care or are reassured to see an attorney use a quality writing instrument. And, yes, you can absolutely write fast, even faster than most ballpoint pens.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvFMZxGYQRI

[tonybelding]

I have mixed feelings about this subject.... Premium gel-ink rollerballs write very well, better than some of us would like to admit, and if I couldn't have a fountain pen that would be my second choice. The refill is what matters -- Pilot G2 refills are available everywhere and are quite good. Zebra JF refills are harder to find but (in my opinion) even nicer than the G2. Both of these will fit most -- but not all -- of the international standard rollerball pens. The dimensions are just slightly different, and in some pens they will hang up.

 

Rollerball refills don't usually have a long write-out, and keeping a supply of the correct refills can be a bit of a hassle -- and expensive over time, if you write a lot. If you write on a lot of pressure forms (i.e. carbonless transfer), or if you need to write on slick surfaces, then gel pens are probably the way to go. Otherwise I'd suggest giving fountain pens a try.

 

I believe Bexley make rollerball counterparts of some of their fountain pens, so that's something you might look at. Bexley pens are made in the USA, and I'm a big fan of them.

[crazystan]

I believe Bexley make rollerball counterparts of some of their fountain pens, so that's something you might look at. Bexley pens are made in the USA, and I'm a big fan of them.

 

Bexley does make roller ball components. Edison pens also offer a roller ball option for their pens.

 

As for writing with a fountain pen, like VillersCotterets, I use one at least 99% of the time. 90% of that time is me taking notes (I'm a grad student), either in lectures, at conferences, from readings or other source material, in meetings, etc... It's usually pretty quick writing that will be seen by no one but me. It's more about the feel of the pen than anything else.

 

Tonybelding said it right, there are great gel rollerballs, that fit the bill. For me though, it's the feel of writing with a fountain pen, the ability to have a couple of pens inked up for different purposes, like marking up my writing or grading (and be able to move beyond blue, black, and red). You could always dip your toes in with a fairly inexpensive FP, and if you don't like it, sell it in the FPN classifieds.

 

I would concur with VillersCotterets that the Pilot VP would probably be a good choice (though not the least expensive) first pen.

[majorworks]

Thank you all for such informed and helpful responses. I thought about going with a rollerball because of it's intended purpose. I'm an attorny and write quite a lot in court and depositions. This writing is fast, and never for "public display" or a finished product. I write notes fast when questioning witnesses or marking up other documents with notes in the margins. I write on junk quality, lined "legal pads" and copy paper.

 

It was my impression that a rollerball would be better for this kind of writing. But....please correct me if I'm wrong. Are fountain pens used by any of you for such writing?

 

However, with all of your responses I am definitely getting some sort of fountain pen either way!

 

Maybe starting with a Lamy AL-Star or Safari? Is this basically the same pen except the material of the "barrel" is different? (Excuse my "newbieness" if I'm not using the correct terminology).

 

Maybe my handwriting will improve!! (It really can do nothing but improve)

 

I'm pretty excited about this pen stuff. I don't even have a good one yet and can see myself building a collection. (That's a character weakness of mine. I like to collect things and appreciate quality)

 

Thanks all.

 

Welcome to FPN! A Lamy Safari or Al-Star is a great gateway drug to the world of fountain pens. They are essentially the same; the former is plastic while the latter is aluminum. Nibs and ink storage/delivery are identical. Some people don't like the triangular sections (the area of the pen you'd hold while writing) so that's one factor you might consider. Both pens will perform well. Good luck getting started!

[paulturtle92]

Ditto to what everyone above says. If you're after the writing experience, a MB rollerball refill will fit into a Pilot G2 after some trimmings. They write pretty well too! However, instead of buying a MB refill just to use a Pilot doesn't make sense, as the G2s are excellent in their own category.

 

Get a fountain pen! (requisite post) :roflmho:

And,

[coleam]

The only downside I can see to using a fountain pen for your particular writing needs is that you use lower quality paper. With some inks, this can lead to feathering and/or bleeding, neither of which is an issue with a gel roller. Of course, some inks work better on low quality paper than others - if you'd like to try out fountain pens, head over to the ink subforums to get an idea of which inks to try out. A good starting point would be Noodler's Black, but there are others.

 

And I can recall at least one lawyer posting on these forums (he's commented on the usefulness of the Pilot Vanishing Point when confronted with a preachy judge).

[airborne18th]

The only downside I can see to using a fountain pen for your particular writing needs is that you use lower quality paper. With some inks, this can lead to feathering and/or bleeding, neither of which is an issue with a gel roller. Of course, some inks work better on low quality paper than others - if you'd like to try out fountain pens, head over to the ink subforums to get an idea of which inks to try out. A good starting point would be Noodler's Black, but there are others.

 

And I can recall at least one lawyer posting on these forums (he's commented on the usefulness of the Pilot Vanishing Point when confronted with a preachy judge).

 

Great point. The real issue is selecting the correct ink which would have to be a quick dry. For writing on everyday paper I use Lamy studio EF nib and PR quick dry.. works great.

 

You really have the same issue with any of the fine point marker like a micron or the pilot's...

 

I now use fountain pen's for all of my writing.. Ink is really how you overcome any of the paper issues.

[tonybelding]

The real issue is selecting the correct ink which would have to be a quick dry.

 

For crummy paper Noodler's Black is king, but it's not particularly fast drying. I've found that Private Reserve Invincible Black is a good compromise that dries fast but doesn't bleed through most halfway-reasonable paper.

[Ad_Astra]

Noodler's Bernanke Black/Blue are supposed to dry incredibly quickly, but I'm not sure about feathering and bleedthrough on horrible quality paper.

[NKessler]

Ive got to chime in and recommend the LAMY Safari or Vista. They're the same pen, but the Vista is a demonstrator (completely clear). They both write very well, have very average dimensions, and are comfortable to write with for long periods of time. If you purchase a LAMY converter with the pen you'll be able to use any type of ink you want to. That will let you figure out what your personal preferences are and will ultimately lead to a great writing experience and some fun in the courtroom!

[crazystan]

As far as quick drying inks go, no question -Diamine Sapphire Blue. I have used this ink on a range of papers, and not once have I had a feathering, bleed-through, or smudging issue. The dry time is insanely quick, in the 2-3, maybe four seconds at the outset range, even on Rhodia. And it's a good, solid blue.