Good rollerball pens available?
December 26, 2014 9:40 AM Subscribe
What good rollerball pens are out there that produce a good line and are NOT the now-sucky Pilot Precise V7? See extended explanation for more on what I'm looking for in a pen and why the Precise V7 now sucks.
For as long as I can remember my #1 pen has been the Pilot Precise V7 Fine, a rollerball that had a consistent smooth and nicely-flowing line, not too much ink or too little. I say "had" because a few years ago the quality of this pen suddenly went downhill. A typical Precise V7 does still give the aforementioned smooth and nicely-flowing line, but only about 75% of the time. The remaining 25% of the time the flow gets messed up, resulting in a line that is scratchy and light. The pen fluctuates between these two states constantly, which is maddening. And this is not simply because I bought a bad batch of pens: this has happened with multiple packages of the pens that I bought from various places, including several that Pilot sent me directly after I complained to them about the declining quality of their product. This problem also happens in a variety of climatic conditions (that is, it's not due to the wrong temperature or humidity or whatever).
In short, the ideal rollerball would be just as good as the Precise V7 used to be and have a line of the same medium thickness (something like 0.3mm... not too thin), and at about the same price point - i.e., fairly inexpensive.
For as long as I can remember my #1 pen has been the Pilot Precise V7 Fine, a rollerball that had a consistent smooth and nicely-flowing line, not too much ink or too little. I say "had" because a few years ago the quality of this pen suddenly went downhill. A typical Precise V7 does still give the aforementioned smooth and nicely-flowing line, but only about 75% of the time. The remaining 25% of the time the flow gets messed up, resulting in a line that is scratchy and light. The pen fluctuates between these two states constantly, which is maddening. And this is not simply because I bought a bad batch of pens: this has happened with multiple packages of the pens that I bought from various places, including several that Pilot sent me directly after I complained to them about the declining quality of their product. This problem also happens in a variety of climatic conditions (that is, it's not due to the wrong temperature or humidity or whatever).
In short, the ideal rollerball would be just as good as the Precise V7 used to be and have a line of the same medium thickness (something like 0.3mm... not too thin), and at about the same price point - i.e., fairly inexpensive.
Fisher Spacepen.
posted by oceanjesse at 10:01 AM on December 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by oceanjesse at 10:01 AM on December 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
As much as I love my Fisher Bullet Pen for its form factor and craftsmanship and ability to write in vacuum, it's not as smooth as a good rollerball. I like the Pilot G-2. You can get them in 0.38mm.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:13 AM on December 26, 2014
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:13 AM on December 26, 2014
Our admin turned me on to Staples OptiFlow pens. The "fine" point is 0.5 mm, and does not seem too thin to me (I don't like it too thin either). The Uni-ball Vision Elite pens are pretty nice as well. The one I have is 0.5 mm as well I think.
posted by gudrun at 10:32 AM on December 26, 2014
posted by gudrun at 10:32 AM on December 26, 2014
Response by poster: I probably underestimated the line thickness when I said 0.3mm. 0.5mm is probably right. Thanks for the advice so far.
posted by Mechitar at 10:36 AM on December 26, 2014
posted by Mechitar at 10:36 AM on December 26, 2014
I've had good luck with the Uniball Jetstream pens, although the smallest I've seen is .7mm.
posted by mikurski at 10:39 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by mikurski at 10:39 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Seconding uniball jetstream. I found this feature on the wirecutter really helpful, and have been very satisfied with my switch from the pilot precise - for similar reasons, as well as getting tired of the nibs bending so easily. I can only find the clicky version, which I don't personally like, in my local stores, but have picked up the stick version on amazon.
posted by novelgazer at 10:43 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by novelgazer at 10:43 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just for reference, the V7s are 0.7mm. That's what the 7 means - the V5s are 0.5mm and called "extra fine".
posted by brainmouse at 10:49 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by brainmouse at 10:49 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Another vote for Uniball Jetstream 0.7
posted by Gyan at 10:55 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Gyan at 10:55 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm fond of Pentel's Energel pens. I use the 0.5mm. (As a person of left-handed writing, I find them particularly nice for not smearing ink.)
posted by solitary dancer at 11:04 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by solitary dancer at 11:04 AM on December 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Jetstream is highly reliable and I have a set of them in each of my bags, including laptop. A recent contender is the Energel by Pentel that goes the full range of sizes as the Jetstream. If you prefer a needlepoint that has that rollerball glide then the Energel is a contender. I lurv pens.
posted by jadepearl at 11:08 AM on December 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by jadepearl at 11:08 AM on December 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
Another vote for Uniball Jetstream. It really is the best pen in the world.
posted by dawkins_7 at 11:09 AM on December 26, 2014
posted by dawkins_7 at 11:09 AM on December 26, 2014
Uni-ball Vision, Fine. Also comes in Micro, .5mm.
Although I just had the dreaded post-airplane ink-leak with one.
Apparently the Vision Elite is "airplane safe."
posted by xaryts at 11:11 AM on December 26, 2014
Although I just had the dreaded post-airplane ink-leak with one.
Apparently the Vision Elite is "airplane safe."
posted by xaryts at 11:11 AM on December 26, 2014
Another Uniball Jetstream fan here. :)
Ditto.
Especially for those of a sinister disposition (left handed)
posted by Kerasia at 12:01 PM on December 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
Ditto.
Especially for those of a sinister disposition (left handed)
posted by Kerasia at 12:01 PM on December 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
The JetStreams are a lot narrower than their nominal .7/1 mm would have you believe. For some reason, the .7 ones aren't available everywhere - they're murder to get in Canada.
posted by scruss at 12:28 PM on December 26, 2014
posted by scruss at 12:28 PM on December 26, 2014
I'm using a JetStream now, .5. It's smooth enough but I'm looking for the .38 tip.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:32 PM on December 26, 2014
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:32 PM on December 26, 2014
Seconding the Fisher Spacepen, easy to carry in a pocket and amazes those who watch me produce a nice pen so fast.
posted by nickggully at 4:00 PM on December 26, 2014
posted by nickggully at 4:00 PM on December 26, 2014
Someone turned me on to the Zebra Sarasa several years back, and it's been my favorite ever since. It writes smoothly, the ink handles a good range of papers, and it's available in a number of sizes and colors. The downside is finding places that stock the finer sizes. I get mine from a Japanese Stationary store.
posted by dws at 4:33 PM on December 26, 2014
posted by dws at 4:33 PM on December 26, 2014
A Signo RT cleans up my fourth-grade handwriting pretty well. .38 mm tip, smooth and consistent. It's retractable, too. The RT1 is even finer, at .28, and still writes smoothly. Both available at Jetpens.com.
posted by bullatony at 4:37 PM on December 26, 2014
posted by bullatony at 4:37 PM on December 26, 2014
Another vote for the Uniball Jetstream- being left handed this pen is a plus- quick drying ink and it works great. I have the clicky but you can get the stick version. Go for it!
posted by Upon Further Review at 9:42 PM on December 26, 2014
posted by Upon Further Review at 9:42 PM on December 26, 2014
My experience with the Fisher space pen was that it blobbed like whoa. I hated it.
Nthing Uniball Jetstream.
posted by Lexica at 12:21 PM on December 27, 2014
Nthing Uniball Jetstream.
posted by Lexica at 12:21 PM on December 27, 2014
I like Uni-ball Signo gel pens and they come in .38mm, .5mm, and .7mm sizes. They also have a variety of uncommon colors and cost about $2 each. I like to order via Jetpens but a lot of JPN bookstores should have them in stock.
Actually most rollerball pens are fairly inexpensive unless you count buying more re-fills as most of the cost is from the pen body material than ink.
posted by chrono_rabbit at 12:25 PM on December 28, 2014
Actually most rollerball pens are fairly inexpensive unless you count buying more re-fills as most of the cost is from the pen body material than ink.
posted by chrono_rabbit at 12:25 PM on December 28, 2014
I'm a fan of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens. Smooth flow, fine line, and beautiful to draw with.
posted by culfinglin at 9:41 AM on December 29, 2014
posted by culfinglin at 9:41 AM on December 29, 2014
The Pilot G-2 can take a modified Mont Blanc refill. I haven't tried it, but the Internet says it's great.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:23 AM on December 29, 2014
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:23 AM on December 29, 2014
Response by poster: Follow-up. Several here recommended the Uniball Jetstream, so I tried it out. Guys, the Jetstream is a ballpoint. It is very good for a ballpoint, but all ballpoints are inferior to rollerballs, IMO. My search continues...
posted by Mechitar at 9:16 AM on January 26, 2015
posted by Mechitar at 9:16 AM on January 26, 2015
Well then, here is Pen Addict's List of Best Pens, including the roller ball category. I can vouch for the Vision Elite for smoothness though the ink faded in one my journals.
posted by jadepearl at 9:38 AM on January 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jadepearl at 9:38 AM on January 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by telegraph at 9:55 AM on December 26, 2014 [3 favorites]