I really like the Uni-Ball Jetstream .7mm...

[asmith]

The Uni-Ball Jetstream .7mm is the best pen that I have ever used. Thanks to this forum, however, I have to believe that there's something better out there.

 

For those who have used the Jetstream (smooth, quick drying, precise (no excess flow like many rollers)), what sort of pen would you recommend to me? I need it for fast-paced notetaking in class. The Lamy Swift was nice but seemed to be merely on par with the Jetstream, and the Safari and Pilot VP seemed to have too much friction to write at the pace I need to write.

 

 

-asmith

[I am not a number]

Let's just say that I have tried the Jetstream and agree wholeheartedly that it is the best of the non-fountain pen writers that I have ever used. I keep a box of them in my office as a gateway for colleagues to see that pens can be great to write with rather than just tools; when they get hooked on the one that I give them they tend to look and see what I am using and so the cycle begins...

 

You will have noticed that with the Jetstream the experience is marked improvement over other variants of the ball and viscous ink dispensers. I put that down to the ink, and would suggest that you try out the Safari and VP with other inks. I picked up a demo VP in a stationers in Bath a couple of weeks ago and was astonished at how smoothly it wrote, I had to attribute it to the fact that it had been "broken in" (a function of it being a demo) and the fact that they were using a better ink than the homebrew that I concoct.

 

Have a good trial with as many pen/ink/paper combinations as you can and I am certain that you will find something that you like.

 

And welcome by the way!

[Jimmy James]

uni-ball rollers have always been my favorite rollers. I find it suspicious that the Parker roller refills are such (Potty Mouth) when the same company now also owns uni-ball.

Edited January 25, 2009 by Jimmy James

[Heirphoto]

While I loved my narrow Uni-Ball pens and feel they are the best out there the wide 1.0mm Jetstream simply did not write as well as say a Pilot G2. Some brands seem to do better in different widths.

 

 

Tony

[asmith]

...

 

Have a good trial with as many pen/ink/paper combinations as you can and I am certain that you will find something that you like.

 

...

 

 

I would love to do just that. Unfortunately, it seems that "The Chicago Pen Show" is the only event that takes place near me, and that's just once a year. But regardless, thanks for your encouragement! I'll keep exploring.

[Greenpiece]

I like the Jetstream very much as well. The two best premium rollerballs I've used are the Lamy Safari, and even better, the new Pelikan bold size rollerball. I also have a Waterman rollerball that's almost as good as the Lamy. But the new bold Pelikan is the best I've tried of any rollerball. And I've tried a lot.

 

Another great disposable pen that isn't quite a rollerball but writes really well is the Paper-Mate Liquid Expresso. It's almost like a thin sharpie but smoother.

[jonro]

I found a .7 mm Pilot EnerGel in a parking lot (and picked it up because it's a pen). I was genuinely surprised by how smoothly this pen writes. It's still a slender, disposable (but stylish) pen, but it lays down a smooth dark line.

[J0rdan]

Up until recently (that is, until I got into fountain pens) the Jetstream was my favorite ballpoint, I still keep it around as a backup fail-proof pen.

 

My Safari has been giving me trouble lately but it's an ink issue, not a pen issue. When it's working I prefer it to the Jetstream, it's equally smooth but has far more tactility.

Edited January 25, 2009 by J0rdan

[holgalee]

Hi and welcome to FPN! I like the Jetstream too, but only in black. The blue ink is too dark and blobs too much.

 

As for FP recommendation, I suggest the Pilot Prera M nib, which writes like a western fine. I have the F nib version and its very smooth, smoother than my Lamy Safari. The nib is a little drier than most other nibs which I have, so the ink dries much faster. You can use either the proprietary Pilot cartridge or get a CON-20 or CON-50 converter. If I can have just one FP, it would be the Pilot Prera (based on what I've used so far at least!).

[Juan in Andalucia]

Hi and welcome to FPN! I like the Jetstream too, but only in black. The blue ink is too dark and blobs too much.

 

As for FP recommendation, I suggest the Pilot Prera M nib, which writes like a western fine. I have the F nib version and its very smooth, smoother than my Lamy Safari. The nib is a little drier than most other nibs which I have, so the ink dries much faster. You can use either the proprietary Pilot cartridge or get a CON-20 or CON-50 converter. If I can have just one FP, it would be the Pilot Prera (based on what I've used so far at least!).

IN like the uniball 1.0, and hoy can use the refil in other pens like the pilot g-23. You may have to remove the little plastic cap at the bottom.

Juan

[Garageboy]

JetStream in blue is a favorite. Doesn't smear. I do like wet lines, though (sharpie pens...)

[Yanroy]

When I first got my Pilot VP, the nib actually squeaked as it went across the paper. It was smooth, but not as smooth as I had come to expect from my Pelikan (another brand I highly recommend). After having broken it in for a few weeks, my VP is the smoothest pen I own. I absolutely love it, and never leave home without it. I almost always use Noodlers bulletproof inks, currently Black. It's an M nib. Also, my Pilot Knight is impressively smooth, especially considering how cheap the pen is and the fact the nib is steel... that's shaping up to be my favorite cheap pen, better even than the Heros I have of about the same cost. You could get one of those for trying out without being out much money.