Three workhorse ballpoints: The Gravitas Twist in Ultem; the Caran d’Ache 849 “Rollerball”, and the Caran d’Ache Infinite 888.

Ranking My Favorite Ballpoint Refills in 2022

November 12, 2022

Continuing my personal celebration of the ballpoint pen this week, I thought it might be fun to do something that I haven't done in a while: rank my favorite ballpoint refills. Despite what people may think, there’s actually quite a bit of variation between the different writing experiences available. Refills vary in terms of darkness, smoothness, and line width, though you’ll admittedly have a hard time finding the same range of bright colors as you can with gel pens. As my ballpoint usage has increased heavily in recent years, I’ve discovered some new favorite refills that I’d like to bring to the attention of ballpoint fans, especially those workhorse cartridges that don’t receive nearly the amount of attention they deserve.

Schmidt P900. At this year’s Washington D.C. Pen Show, I picked up one of the Gravitas “Twist” ballpoints in Ultem (which unfortunately does not appear to be available except in the standard clear polycarbonate finish). While most ballpoints that accept a Parker-style cartridge tend to ship with the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 (discussed further below), Ben Walsh includes the Schmidt P900F, which writes a finer, less “gloppy” line than the Easyflow. Sure, the latter is a smooth writer, but I prefer more precision. Lanier Pens on Amazon sells a four pack containing different colors in the F (.6mm) tip size, which costs just under $9. In addition to the Gravitas ballpoint, I now have these in all of my Baron Fig Squire pens.
Uniball Jetstream SXR-600. My second favorite refill, especially when I want to write small, is the Uniball Jetstream Parker-style cartridge in the .5mm tip size. (While it also comes in .38mm and .7mm sizes, the .5mm hits the sweet spot for me.) This particular refill lives in my Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball. Though an excellent writer, the downside is that the cartridge can be pricey, ranging from $5 - $ 8.50 apiece depending on where you buy them. A similar writing experience can be found in the Jetstream D1 refills, as well as the white-labeled D1 refills used in the Penco “Perfection” series of pocket ballpoint pens.
Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 “Swissglide”. For longer writing sessions, you can’t beat Caran d’Ache’s “Swissglide” refill, which is sold only in the Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 pen. True to its name, the Swissglide writes a darker, smoother line than Caran d’Ache’s signature “Goliath” cartridge, and it’s almost as long lasting. Though the refill is proprietary to this particular pen, the Infinite ballpoint costs a mere $6.25, and additional refills only $3.
Ohto Needle-Tip (Mark’style Tous les Jours and Traveler’s Brass Ballpoint). I’ve written before on how I love needle-tip ballpoint pens for working in my planners, and for making tiny marginalia and annotation when I’m reading. The Japanese Ohto refills (which I know are used in the Mark’style pens and which I suspect are used in the Traveler’s Pens) are among my favorites, behaving similarly to Jetstream ink yet offering even more precision for writing and drawing due to the needle-tip. These refills are also incredibly inexpensive and long-lasting.
Caran d’Ache “Goliath” (i.e., the proprietary Caran d’Ache 849 Refill). If you’re looking for a rock-solid ballpoint that lays down a medium wet, moderately dark line and can go for years without drying out, the Caran d’Ache “Goliath” is an excellent choice. While on the expensive side, they are durable, don’t dry out easily, and therefore tend to last for an extremely long time. Plus you get the comfortable hexagonal writing experience of the iconic Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoint.

Writing samples from all five pens listed here, including four colors of the Schmidt P900F.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Of the five refills discussed in today’s post, the “new discoveries” that I’ve enjoyed using the most are the P900F and the Swissglide. Both are inexpensive workhorses that should tempt even the most die-hard gel or rollerball fan, namely because they require much less pressure to write than your typical ballpoint.

Though maybe a touch dry for pages of longhand writing, for annotating books and taking notes on thin journal/planner paper, it’s hard to beat a needle-tip pen.

Another encouraging trend that has emerged over the past few years has been better Parker-style ballpoint options. Pens such as the Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball (which can transform into a “big 849 ballpoint”) and the Gravitas Twist both use this type of refill, as do many other kit pens and more generic ballpoints that people receive as gifts. The Schmidt P900 and Jetstream SXR-600 have not only allowed me to pull my “gift” pens - many of which have sentimental value - back into my regular rotation, but I’ve also converted many of my rollerballs because liquid ink rollerballs are among my least favorite writing options as they tend to bleed through everything.

The Schmidt Easyflow 9000 is a long-time favorite for many looking for a rollerball-like dark line, but in exchange for darkness you get smearing and a fair bit of “tip crud”.

Finally, why is the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 not on the list? Isn’t it the “best rollerball replacement option”? Not anymore, at least not to me. I personally find the Easyflow too oily, and it tends to gum up around the tip and leave streaks on the page. I consider both the P900F and the Jetstream to be superior options for pens that take Parker-style refills, but those who value “smoothness” above all else may still want to consider the Easyflow.

How about you? Is there a ballpoint refill option that I should be considering that doesn’t appear on this page? I’m interested, so leave a comment!

While this post does contain links to Amazon and other third parties, there are no paid affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported exclusively through purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Unfortunately, these Traveler’s Company ballpoints in the exclusive colors were exclusive pre-orders from the San Francisco Pen Show. If they sold well, hopefully they may be coming to the standard lineup?

My Annual Paen for the Ballpoint Pen

November 9, 2022

Now that we’re all fully saturated with fountain pen purchases and fountain pen-related content after last week’s Fountain Pen Day celebration, why don’t we talk about something a bit different? I often get asked, “If you’re not writing with a fountain pen, then what are you using?” The answer is that it’s almost always either a ballpoint pen or a pencil, with ballpoints stealing an increased role from the gel pens and rollerballs in my collection. Today I’ll discuss five reasons why I enjoy ballpoint pens, particularly for work-related writing and annotation.

Ballpoints are true “write anywhere” pens. If you need to get work done, and you don’t want to worry about the kind of paper you’re using, the ballpoint gives you the most versatility. For many, office copy paper is tissue-thin (like mine), and sometimes you’ll want to annotate something like a shiny-sheet magazine article or professional journal. Ballpoint is pretty much your only option.
Ballpoint ink dries quickly and offers permanence. Taking a lot of notes on documents where you need to flip through pages, and don’t want to worry about your fountain pen ink smearing? Not only does ballpoint ink dry near-instantaneously, but it’s also waterproof, which is why many in the medical and legal professions are actually required to use ballpoint pens on a daily basis in certain contexts.
Needle-tip ballpoint pens are excellent for annotation. I would say that half of the ballpoints I currently have in rotation are Japanese needle-tip ballpoints that I use to write in my Plotters (particularly the Mini-5 model), and to take notes in books that I’m reading. My number one recommendation for this category has always been the Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint and the arrival of my pen show special editions, pictured above, is actually what prompted this post. Smaller pens such as the Traveler’s ballpoint and the Penco Perfection series clip easily to a pocket notebook or paperback, allowing for portability and ease of deployment, but if you prefer something larger, consider any of the pens that use the Ohto needle-tip ballpoint refill, such as the Mark’style “Tous les Jours.”
Refills can last for years, and are relatively inexpensive. Though more expensive on a per-cartridge basis than fountain pen ink cartridges, ballpoint refills last much, much longer. (They similarly last much longer than liquid-ink rollerball refills, which I consider to be among the worst value propositions.) I currently have ballpoint pen cartridges that have been in use for years, with the “Goliath” cartridge in the workhorse Caran d’Ache 849 leading the way, and needle-tip pens using so little ink to the point that the refill in my first Traveler’s Ballpoint is still halfway full despite three years of use.
Ballpoint pens are largely distraction free. I say “largely” only because many ballpoints are click-pens, and the knock can serve as a fidget device both annoying and fascinating, but a ballpoint often allows me to focus on highly technical work or writing more than a fountain pen. Despite best intentions, it’s easy to find yourself more focused on the nib, ink, finish, etc. of a fountain pen than on the writing you’re actually doing. With a ballpoint, there just aren’t as many variables.

For all of these reasons and more, if someone asks me for a “nice pen recommendation” for a person who’s NOT already a known fountain pen user, that recommendation will almost always include one or more ballpoint options. As we enter the holiday gift season, it’s especially important to pay close attention to the needs of the person you’re buying for - while many of us love our fountain pens, they aren’t for everyone, and a nice ballpoint could be the best option for them. Stay tuned for more recommendations and discussion in the full holiday gift guide, coming later this month.

Ballpoint pens I’ve used over the past week, from left: The Caran d’Ache 849 (first two); Rotring 600 ballpoint, old Levenger edition; Studio Neat Mark One (with Schmidt Easyflow ballpoint refill); Bic Cristal; Caran d’Ache “Infinite” ballpoint, which I actually consider one of the biggest steals on the market right now; the Lamy 2000 ballpoint, and my two new Traveler’s pens.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by sales through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon program. If you’re interested in shopping for a quality ballpoint pen for yourself or a gift recipient, we’d appreciate your support!

I have a lot of evaluation and review in my near future!

Sunday Reading for November 6, 2022

November 6, 2022

Fountain Pen Day: Pens I’d Run into a Burning Building For (via A Fleeting Ripple). Last week was Fountain Pen Day, when the community gathers each year to celebrate our favorite writing instruments. I’ve enjoyed reading how everyone celebrates, this post included.
Fountain Pen Day Giveaway! (via Well-Appointed Desk). You have until Tuesday to get in on this KWZ giveaway, with two of their best-known inks.
A Pilgrimage to NYC’s Fabled Yoseka Stationery (via mnmlscholar). I’ve yet to visit Yoseka, but it’s top of my list for the next time I’m in NYC.
Flax Pen to Paper - Road Trip! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I enjoyed getting to meet the Flax team in San Francisco, and look forward to visiting their shop next time I’m in LA.
2022 Scriptus Pen and Writing Show (via Rachel’s Reflections). Scriptus is the single-day show in Toronto, which content-wise looks like an amazing show but the crowds were certainly something to behold.
Travel First Class with the Onoto Magna Greenwich (via UK Fountain Pens). Ok, so I need to pick up an Onoto for review. The GMT function probably doesn’t interest me from a pen perspective, but it’s still a creative addition.
Pocket Size Review: Benu Minima Skulls and Roses (via Penquisition). It’s been a while since a Benu has grabbed my attention, but these did immediately. I may have to pick one up.
Ink-a-Pet: Sleeping Cat and Little Penguin (via KraftyKats). Chloe reviews the Ink-A-Pet ink vial holder, which appears to be the product that every true pen and ink enthusiast never knew they needed. Plus the post has a discount code!
Cartier Pasha Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I have a custom pen that features a vintage Cartier gold nib, which I absolutely love. The nibs are indeed on the smaller side but they’re excellent writers.
Finer Things: Ferris Wheel Press Ink Collection (via A Fleeting Ripple). Ferris Wheel Press has been killing it lately with their latest ink series in some extremely interesting colors.
A Few Bloggiversary Thoughts (via Fountain Pen Blog). I always love reading blog origin stories and what drew people to this hobby.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I took a second look at the Aurora Optima fountain pen, and also looked generally at why I like this pen so much: the style. I also reviewed the Opus 88 “Minty,” a new model from Opus that’s been making the rounds, and shares the same general “streamlined flat top” profile that I enjoy so much with the Optima.

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Enter the Fountain Pen Day Giveaway and Take Advantage of the Ongoing Promotions: They End Tonight at 11:59pm CT!

The big news this week in the shop was the launch of our various Fountain Pen Day offers, plus a general discount of 10% on most items. Visit the Fountain Pen Day post for details. We also added a bunch of new products from Hightide Japan to the Curated Shop, including the “Attaché” pocket fountain pen, as well as new colors and designs of the melamine pen trays, a restock of the Sandglasses in the larger sizes, and all colors of the folding metal bookstands. Stay tuned as we gear up for the Holiday Shopping Season (which may already be underway)!

Penwell

Hightide Pens

Opus 88

Traveler's Company

Consider T.G.S. Patreon - New “Gently Used” Items in the Patreon Shop!

For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation via shop purchases, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5 (with a discounted annual option) and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. For Fountain Pen Day I added a handful of pens, as well as the last of my pocket notebook stash, to the Patreon store, which backers will want to check. (Reminder that those items which made it through Patreon become available to the general readership!) Many thanks to all of you who already decided to back via Patreon. Your support means the world to me!

Pen Review: Opus 88 Minty Fountain Pen

November 5, 2022

I’m not sure if you could call Opus 88 fountain pens a “guilty pleasure” of mine, but they’ve certainly taken on a much larger role in my personal pen rotation over the past few years. From the time I first discovered the ebonite + acrylic Koloro demonstrators, to recently when I’ve been partial to the larger Omar and Jazz pens, I’ve been enamored with the high-capacity Japanese-style eyedropper filling system, which previously was only widely available in extremely high-end urushi and maki-e pens from companies such as Danitrio. Recently, Opus 88 has been expanding their lineup to include pens with more of a focus on design, incorporating different materials and color combinations that has enhanced the brand’s appeal and turned Opus 88 into a major player in the $90-200 price segment. The pen I’m reviewing today, the Opus 88 “Minty” fountain pen, is one of those recent releases.

Design and Build

Last week I posted some photos of the Opus 88 Minty in my post revisiting the Aurora Optima, since these pens share a common design profile, which I would characterize as a “streamlined flat-top.” It’s a classic, vintage-inspired design that, at least to me, never gets old, especially when paired with materials such as the “cracked ice”-style acrylics that Opus 88 chose for this pen.

The Opus 88 Minty comes in two colors: “Light Green” and “Orange”, which despite their names I would characterize as more of a teal blue and a coral/salmon, respectively. They’re beautiful colors, especially the orange. I also like the double band of color on the finials.

As an acrylic pen, the Minty is lightweight despite its relatively large size. Surprisingly, when placed next to the clear Opus 88 Demonstrator (pictured below), the Minty is only ever-so-slightly shorter, yet due to the streamlined design it feels much more compact in the hand. It also features a longer concave grip section, with shorter, more compressed threads that don’t interfere with my grip when writing. In fact, I hardly ever feel them.

While most of the Opus 88 fountain pens that have been transparent demonstrators, the Minty has an ink window to offer visibility into your ink supply.

What is a Japanese-style eyedropper? You fill the pen with ink directly into the barrel, and operate the end cap like a piston to open/close a valve that allows ink to flow to the nib. This system prevents leaking and ink burping that sometimes plagues eyedropper pens, especially during travel.

Writing Experience

Opus 88 offers an exceptionally good writing experience across the board, and I don’t think I’ve actually had a poor experience with any of their pens (though some of their designs work better for my hand size and shape than others, from a comfort perspective). This particular model is a great workhorse, suitable for longer writing sessions, not just due to the large ink capacity but the rounded shape. The tapered barrel allows you to post the pen, and even though it’s longer, it’s so light you don’t notice the extra weight.

While some might consider the Opus 88’s stainless steel JoWo nib unremarkable, in my opinion it’s a fine selection for a pen at this price point, and as discussed below, it adds versatility to the pen that leaves it open to modification, if you so desire. JoWo nibs themselves are rock-solid writers, and if you’ve been in the pen hobby for any length of time you’ve probably started to accumulate at least a handful of different JoWo-threaded units that you can swap between pens.

Overall Versatility and a Note on Modifications

Though I don’t recommend pen modifications to anyone unless you’re willing to accept responsibility if something goes wrong, one of my favorite aspects of the “Opus 88 experience” is the versatility. Like the Opus 88 Omar and Jazz fountain pens, you can swap out the stock Opus 88 JoWo nib with any other JoWo nib unit, or one of the JoWo compatible housings from Flexible Nib Factory, which allow you to use nibs from other brands such as Platinum, Pilot, Sailor, and more. (The green Minty pictured here features a Pilot PO (”Posting”) nib that I appropriated from a stock Custom Heritage 912 purchased years ago.) Another modification I’ve played around with is removing the clip, which gives you the option of creating a more streamlined pen. Again, proceed with any modifications at your own risk, as it definitely (and justifiably) voids your pen warranty.

On my orange Minty, I left the extra-fine JoWo stainless steel nib in place. The green one I outfitted with a Pilot PO nib using a replacement nib housing purchased from Flexible Nib Factory.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Minty is a welcome addition to the Opus 88 lineup, and I hope Opus 88 does more with this shape/model going forward, perhaps in other materials and with a clipless option. I liked this particular pen so much that after Opus 88 sent me two samples for review, I inquired about adding this model to the Curated Shop, and I’m happy to have a handful of these pens available for sale. They fit the profile of exactly what I’m looking to carry going forward: well-built, versatile workhorse fountain pens that won’t break the bank.

Please note that we are continuing our Fountain Pen Day sale and promotions/giveaway through the weekend! Until tomorrow (November 6, 2022), take an additional 10% off your order using the coupon code “FOUNTAINPEN” at checkout, and receive a complimentary ink sample with all fountain pen purchases, including the purchase of any Opus 88 fountain pen.

Several new Opus 88 eyedropper fountain pens that I have in for review. Please stay tuned!

Fountain Pen Day Weekend 2022: The T.G.S. Promotions and Giveaway Featuring TWSBI and Penwell

November 3, 2022

Tomorrow is Fountain Pen Day 2022, representing the 11th anniversary of our community’s “holiday” to celebrate the writing instruments we love! To follow along with the festivities, including gatherings, promotions, and giveaways, please check out the Fountain Pen Day site for a full list of participating sponsors, as well as some exclusive FPDay-branded products being sold by select partners.

The Gentleman Stationer has been a proud supporter of Fountain Pen Day for many years, and I look forward each year to crafting my own promotions, sales, and special content. This year, we have a three-part promotion that includes freebies with any orders from the store, a discount code good on select brands from the shop through the weekend, and a huge giveaway! All promotions start today, Thursday (11/3), and run through Sunday (11/6).

T.G.S. Curated Shop Promotional Offers (i.e., Free Stuff!)

In celebration of Fountain Pen Day, the following promotional offers are now live. No coupon code is needed to take advantage of these freebies, as they will be automatically included with qualifying orders.

Fountain Pen Day Swag with All Orders. Every order placed during this promotion will receive a free piece of Fountain Pen Day Swag, whether that’s a sticker or a bookmark (or for really big orders, both!). Cary was also kind enough to throw in some Esterbrook-branded swag, so you may find that in your package as well.
T.G.S. Swag Pack with All Orders over $50. All orders in excess of $50 will also receive, in addition to the Fountain Pen Day swag, a free pack of Gentleman Stationer buttons and stickers!
All Fountain Pen Orders Ship with a Complimentary Ink Sample. Some of you have taken advantage of this promotion already, as I’ve done a “quiet preview” this week, but through Sunday all fountain pen purchases will ship with a complimentary sample of ink from Anderillium or other brands I have on hand.

Shop Discount and Clearance Pricing on Select Brands Through Sunday!

Take 10% off most brands through Sunday, using the coupon code “FOUNTAINPEN” at checkout! Note that due to agreements with brands like TWSBI and others, I cannot discount certain products beyond my advertised pricing. I’ve also placed certain items on sale throughout the shop, including some big clearance discounts on stuff that also qualifies for the 10% off coupon on top of the promotional pricing! Items you’ll want to take a look at, including the remaining stock of the now-discontinued Soumkine planners. All sale items are marked so that they should appear in the “SALE” section of each page. Remember that all domestic U.S. orders over $75 ship free, so you can really stack the discounts here!

Fountain Pen Day Weekend Giveaway with Three Great Prizes!

Last but not least, we are giving away three exceptional (hey, at least IMHO) prizes. To enter, comment on this post and let us know how you are celebrating Fountain Pen Day, or alternatively tell us about your best fountain pen-related memory! No Instagram or other social media entries for this contest, and the only way to enter and win is to comment here. Just be sure to leave an e-mail address when prompted so that I have a way to contact you if you win. After the giveaway closes on Sunday, November 6 at 11:59 pm US Central Time, I will number the comments in order received, and using a random number generator to pick three winners. This giveaway is open to everyone, but if shipping is exorbitant I may ask that you chip in on international packages. The prizes are as follows:

Limited Edition T.G.S. “Aged Red” Penwell. We recently restocked on our signature Penwell, designed in collaboration with Good Made Better, and what better way to celebrate Fountain Pen Day than to give away what I consider to be one of the best fountain pen-specific accessories on the market!
TWSBI “Glow Purple” ECO Fountain Pen. We can’t have a Fountain Pen Day Giveaway without a fountain pen! Win one of TWSBI’s latest releases, and if you don’t want to wait for the giveaway to conclude, we have additional pens in stock and available for purchase!
Soumkine “Agenda” with Mustard Cover. The Soumkine Planners are being discontinued, but I set a few of the coveted “mustard” cover planners aside for my own use and for a future giveaway! These hardcover “agendas” are undated, with fountain pen friendly paper and a flexible format.

Know that I appreciate you all and I always enjoy rewarding my loyal readers and customers every Fountain Pen Day! Please be sure to visit all of the FPDay sponsors and take advantage of their offers and special promotions, as Fountain Pen Day really kicks off the last two months of the year that are so important for small businesses.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links. Discount code promotion excludes TWSBI and Lochby.