Lamy Tipo Rollerball

Looks like it's ready for take off

Once again, thanks to JetPens for supplying this Lamy Tipo Rollerball for review. It's one of the more interesting designs I've seen, and has 'fun' written all over it. Check out OfficeSupplyGeek's review of the Tipo as well.

First, the box (couldn't get a good picture of it, so I'm borrowing one from JetPens). That has to be the coolest packaging I've ever seen, something like a trapezoid shape that flips open and reveals the pen like a single flower in a vase. Very spare and definitely amazing.
 

The pen itself has a big diameter, definitely not your slim Hi-Tec-C or Cavalier. The plastic grip and barrel are sturdy, and feel like they can take some rough handling.

The really interesting feature is the clip, which keeps the pen from accidentally staining your pocket.

There's a small hole in the side of the pen that catches the clip, so when the tip is extended the clip won't work. Of course, if you're used to just stuffing the pen in your pocket rather than clipping it, this won't work. But for the more precise pen users among us who appreciate and use their clips, this is ideal.

I like the medium rollerball cartridge that comes with this pen, but I'm sure you can swap out for a finer point. Great handfeel, four colors to choose from, and not exceptionally expensive in a refillable rollerball.

Very simple design for this pen, just a barrel, grip, and the rollerball ink cartridge. There's a spring inside the grip area that doesn't come out, something I'm always worried about losing with my other retractable pens.

The Tipo is a great addition to Lamy's pen lineup, and worth a look if you're interested in adding a new rollerball to your collection.

Stabilo Bionic Worker Roller Ball Review

I've been making some changes and needed to take a break from blogging, but I've started a new project with a lot of writing so this seems like a good time to come back and write some pen reviews.  

JetPens has been very generous in supplying me with some great items, so a big thanks to them for the next few posts.  Please do go over to their site and drool browse the incredible selection of pens, paper, and office supplie.  My favorite tab is "New Arrivals" at the top right, always a jaw-dropping experience clicking that one.

One pen I've been looking at for some time is this bright orange Stabilo Bionic Worker Roller Ball (there's a basic black model as well).  The Bionic is available with a 0.3mm and 0.5mm tips, the latter is considered a medium so that's the one I went with for my review.

The Bionic's body is covered in a soft rubber coating that feels great but isn't too squishy.  It has a great hand-feel, and keeps your fingers from gripping too hard.  There's also a small nub in the middle of the barrel that keeps the pen from rolling.  Another feature is a nickel silver tip for a smoother writing experience, and I have to say this pen really glides across the paper (Clairefontaine 90gsm was used, which I admit is a great paper to use).

I like the thick, solid clip on the cap, and the indented end of the barrel which locks the cap firmly in place when posted.  The pen measures 5.6 inches, and is 0.4 inches in diameter at its widest point.  The clear colored section near the barrel is a nice touch as well, echoed in the cap and end so you can pick out the color quickly (the above is blue ink, but you have a choice of black, red, and green as well).

 

The Bionic 0.5mm line is a bit wider than I'd normally use, but not too wide for a good writing experience. The ink flows smoothly, and overall it's a great pen if you're looking to add some color to your collection. Definitely check this one out at JetPens, or the 0.3mm if you want a thinner line. You'll like it.

Rollerball Pen by Miquelrius

One of the items in my recent Lost Crates shipment was this flowery 0.5mm rollerball pen by Miquelrius with art by Joshua Davis. The design is lovely, lots of flowers in white, orange, and blue on the barrel of the pen, while the large dark blue cap has a spacious clear plastic window to check the ink supply.



This is one of the smoothest rollerballs I've used, the ink flow is sustained so there's no skipping. You can almost feel the ink coming down the cartridge that's how much flow this has, and the deep, true blue color of the ink is different.

The only negative I can think of to this pen is that it isn't reusable. Other than that, if you happen to see one at your stationery shop give it a try.

Target Up & Up Retractable Gel Ink Pens

This pack of four rollerball pens from the Target Up & Up line of office supplies caught my eye and the price was especially attractive ($3.47), so I popped a pack in the bag for later use. Like the Pilot G-Knock and the Zebra Sarasa, these molded plastic pens have subtle curves and a large rubber grip for comfortable writing.



The Target rollerball has a 0.7mm width stainless steel tip, with a deep black ink that flows smoothly for a great line. In a comparison with the the Pilot G-Knock, there was no difference in the writing, as you can see above. The Target Up & Up is slightly longer than the G-Knock, and had slightly different design curves. But the rubber grip is the same, down to the cartouche on the side.

These Target rollerball pens do seem to be as good at the Pilot G-Knock, and at a lower price point. The only drawback is the color choices, blue or black. Would turquoise or burgundy be too much to ask? If you are browsing the supplies at Target, definitely add a pack to the carrier.

Uni-ball Jetstream Stick Rollerball

With all the back to school items piled high in stores across the country, finding a pen that would be to your liking should be pretty easy. I saw these Uni-ball Jetstream 101 stick rollerball pens at a Shop Rite and was definitely interested. I love the spare design and length of stick pens like the BIC Stic and Paper Mate ballpoint stick pens. The pen just seems to feel, and look, better in my hand. And having a Jetstream option in a rollerball featuring their proprietary Super Ink was just perfect.


I was surprised to find out that the pen is refillable, although it has one of the longest refills I've ever seen. The plastic barrell is round with a beveled end so that it fits into the cap with a very satisfying click. No lost pen caps for this Jetstream.

At 1.0mm this Jetstream 101 has a very wide tip and is great for larger writing needs. If you're a teensy Rhodia or 3M sticky you may want to get a needle point rollerball instead. Although refills can obviously be in the size of your choice, and I'm thinking a Hi-Tec-C 0.5mm would fit just fine so I'll be trying that one out soon.

What about the ink? It's smooth, and the pen absolutely glides over the paper. I think this is one of the smoothest rollerball inks around, and it doesn't smear so fast writing is fine. Unfortunately my camera didn't feel like taking a picture of my writing sample, so you'll have to take my word on this.

Price is good, $3.89 plus tax for a 3 pack so you're not breaking the bank trying out this Jetstream. And as it is refillable, you can reuse the sticks with the refill ink and width of your choice. The Jetstream 101 is a lot of pen for the money, if you see them at your local back to school sale you might want to add a pack to your check-out.

BIC Triumph 537R Rollerball Pen

The BIC Triumph 537R Rollerball is new to me, with a lot of designs to it that actually doesn't come off as gaudy or over the top: grey plastic cap with jeweled end, thick silver clip with oval indents, wide silver band, large curved clear blue plastic section on the barrel to check ink flow, and a solid silver barrel with a striped reflection at certain angles.


The 537R is a needle point, and its 05.mm tip is considered to be an extra fine (obviously some company has not checked out Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3mm tips). I would say it's more a fine tip, and I like the width in writing. The overall pen is fantastically smooth, giving the impression that letters just appear somehow on the paper.

The entire pen refill reminds me of the Tradio, it's a large cartridge and holds a lot of ink. Overall, this is a great pen for people who like needle point tips and don't mind the busy-ness of the design.

Waterman Rollerball

While visiting the parents, I wandered into my brother's office looking for something only to stop dead when I saw this on his desk--a beautiful Waterman rollerball from the early 1990s. It looks very much like one of my Waterman Laureat fountain pens, but it has a slightly slimmer silhouette. The shiny grey-black lacquer over metal, a color that reminds me of hematite, is elegant but not too snobbish.

My brother was amused when I grabbed the rollerball and started writing with it, checking out it's grip and flow. It's beautiful, but then it's been sitting in a drawer for over 15 years unused and unremembered until recently so it's in absolute mint condition and ready to go. Seeing this led me to get out some of the fountain pens I brought home and show him the vintage ones I got at the NYC Pen Show, and talking pens. I got another shock when I opened his gift to me, but that's for another post. I will only say that Richard Binder must have been pleased. I sure was.

Taccia Strata Rollerball

Adding to my collection of rollerball pens is the Taccia Strata, a new addition to the Taccia family of fine pens. I'd seen the line at Art Brown and had talked to the representative a few times, most notably at last Spring's National Stationery Show where she recognized me from the day before at Art Brown's semi-annual pen fair. When I saw her again at the Fountain Pen Hospital's pen fair a few weeks ago I stopped to say hello. Turns out she's familiar with my neighborhood, and we talked about the new Costco in Manhattan and the great hotdog-and-soda-deal the store offers. She then introduced me to Taccia's Strata line, which includes rollerballs and fountain pens.

At first I thought this was an ugly looking pen, but I didn't want to seem rude so I heard her out and gave the pen a try. And I found I liked writing with it, and was hooked. I wasn't in the mood for a fountain pen in this particular line, as it just seemed too chunky, but I definitely liked the rollerball. My favorite color was the Violet Berries (one of three looks--Niagara Falls, which is blue and cream and looks like falling water and foam, and Moss Green), so I ended up purchasing that one (and because it was a pen fair, there was a discount and I received a leather pen case that will hold at least four pens). The Ink Flow has the Taccia Strata line, while I've never ordered from this e-tailer the price is very low and the seller seems like an established company.

The Strata is made of layers of resin, which give it the unique, varying striations that can look like a waterfall or lichen or a field of berries. It's a smooth writer, and isn't as heavy as it might look. The cap has a sunburst pattern on the jewel, and the appointments are polished chrome and add a nice touch. The shape is interesting--capped it's a chunky, cigar style pen, but posted there's a nip between the end of the pen and the cap that gives it an almost hourglass shape. It's a great rollerball, a bit more than I would normally spend but really worth it.

Lamy Rollerball

There are lots of reviews of Lamy fountain pens, so I thought I'd do something different and mention the Lamy rollerball. I bought both at the recent Art Brown International Pen Shop Fair; the new purple black pens went fast, there were about 8 or 9 fountain pens when I stopped in the first day of the fair and bought my own fine point, and none on the second day when I went back for the rollerball.

This is a great pen, I'm liking it quite as much as the Tombow Object Rollerball. It's lightweight and the ink flows evenly, while the pen itself is a smooth writer. A real joy to use, although I'm so accustomed to a fountain pen that I keep thinking there is something wrong with this pen's "nib." It's a very nice, relatively inexpensive rollerball that will add some flair to meetings and to your writing.