Which 0.5Mm Pen Is Better? Uniball Signo Vs. Pilot G2 Vs. Zebra Sarasa?

[Blue_Moon]

Pilot G2 Always. I don't like the grip on the Uniball.

 

Someone inferred that Pilot stopped making navy G2s. I just checked the staples and Amazon web sites. They're still available. More info please.

[Conan the Grammarian]

Someone inferred that Pilot stopped making navy G2s. I just checked the staples and Amazon web sites. They're still available. More info please.

 

I couldn't find them in any of the stores and assumed that like some of the other darker varieties, they were no longer made. Why I didn't check online, I don't know.

 

After your post, I checked both Amazon and Jet Pens. Both have them. I'm going to order a box.

 

They're a good pen when you can't carry a fountain pens - the [very] dark blue ink behaves so much better than the black ink. If only they made them in a smaller size.

 

Thanks.

[TSherbs]

The G2 0.5 does not lay down enough ink for me to give the thin line enough pop for me (and I have to press too hard)

 

The other two I don't know

[85AKbN]

What is with that weird orange tint at the end of the barrel? It looks like the pen is rusting or something. ^^;; )

 

I know exactly what you mean. Rust colored. It's like the ink end stop keeping the ink / gel fresh in the tube - about a 3/4" stop between the air and black ink / gel. FWIW, I just got a box of 12 0.7mm black G2s using officedepot's free shipping offer a couple of days ago and in every one them, the stop is white. Not clear, milky in appearance.

[requiescat]

I want to try a Signo now.

 

I used G2s for years before switching to fountain pens because at the end of the day I am unfussy and will write with what's available, and as it so happened, my husband's workplace pretty much bought nothing but G2s and he would occasionally bring one home and "forget" it and I would pounce on it. As far as a free-to-me pen went it was hard to resist, even though the ones I used would occasionally blob.

[Arts11]

I've only used the Signo like once or twice, and in those admittedly very few times, I didn't like it. It might've just been that pen in particular, but it skipped a lot and I had a couple false starts with it. The G2's have been good to me in general though. The 0.5 seems to be my sweet spot in terms of overall consistency from pen to pen. The 0.7 I actually find to be tempermental, and mine have skipped a lot. The 0.38 are also good, but I've seen a little more variation in consistency with them. Some have written extremely smoothly from the get go, but I've also had 1 or 2 pens that just kept skipping to the point where I just moved on to a new pen half way through.

 

A real smooth-writing pen I've loved are the Pentel EnerGel pens. Lays down a wet, smooth line, even the 0.38 ones I favor. I would use them more if they came in a clickable body, but I've only ever seen them with caps though.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Arts11

[TSherbs]

I also carry and use a clickable gel pen every day, and I prefer the medium 0.7 width. I have typically used the G2 and have liked it fine: reliable and functional, and I like the thick ribber grip (I have big hands). I also use the Sarassa cuz it comes in navy (awesome color), but I have to order it online (Jetpens, free shipping >$25). I need to try the Signo--I have never held one.

 

I agree with the others here who think that the G2 0.5 and esp the 0.3 does not lay down enough ink. One has to push it too hard.

[AnnieB123]

As you get smaller, the Signo series shines more and more, and the G2 gets less and less desirable. The Sarasas are generally a middle ground, and compare well (some prefer them, but not me). I use Signo DXs in the 0.38 and 0.28 sizes and prefer them to the Sarasas, but I've had a few pens that flowed too freely and a few that ran dry prematurely. It's generally not wise to make blanket statements about brands or models without having tried many samples of each.

 

I love and use the Uniball Signo 0.38 every day in the lab (we have multicopy forms to fill out). The sarasas especially at smaller sizes (0.28) are in my experience extremely scratchy and dry out very quickly. I love that the signos come in so many nice colours (I buy multiples of green black, burgundy black, lavender black, lime green, blue black, black etc. Use them every day).

 

I don't like that the average gel pen lasts me 1-2 days of note taking/lab use. I also get more hand fatigue with rollerball/gel pens than with fountain pens.

 

Fountain pens = first love

Uniball Signo = great to use when I can't use FPs

[OcalaFlGuy]

On my latest pass through Breaking Bad, I saw Mike Ehrmantraut using a Black G2.

 

 

Mike would NEVER use a crappy piece of kit.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl