The Jetstream Is THAT Good: Hands on with the Uni M17 Lamy Refill

It baffles me why Uni’s Jetstream Ink still hasn’t caught on as the default ballpoint pen ink outside of Japan. For those not in the know, the Uni Jetstream is the original “hybrid gel” or “low viscosity” ballpoint pen, which combines the smoothness of a gel pen with the write-anywhere capability and quick-dry features of a standard ballpoint. For me, the Jetstream has everything you would want in a refill: It writes a dark, solid line. It flows well. It dries nearly instantaneously and does not smear. Importantly, it works reliably in a range of tip sizes, from .38mm all the way up to 1.0mm. Yet we are still largely forced to import pretty much everything other than standard disposable Jetstreams click pens from Japan, despite Uni manufacturing a multitude of different refill formats that fit not just Uni pens but third-party brands.

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I have new and vintage Lamy ballpoints, and the M17 refill works well in both of them. Shown here is the Lamy Unic (“Unicorn”? - now discontinued), as well as a standard Safari.

The much-publicized, Japan-only 2025 release of the Uni Jetstream M17 ballpoint refill - designed to fit M16-compatible Lamy pens, merely reinforces the absurdity of this situation. Look, I don’t mind the standard Lamy M16 ballpoint refill. There may have been some spotty QC years ago, and the current version is quite good, but it remains a standard ballpoint writing experience that’s never going to rise above the limitations of that technology. By adding the Jetstream ink, the M17 refill improves the writing experience significantly. But as with other Jetstream formats, there’s still no indication that this refill will be consistently available to markets outside of Japan. In the Japanese market, retailers now have a Safari Ballpoint option with “Jetstream Inside”, i.e. the Jetstream refill is included with the pen. Yeah, that probably won’t happen here. But I hope I’m wrong. :)

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Many love the black Jetstream refills for their solid black line.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I won’t beat the Jetstream drum any more than I already have. I especially love the Jetstream Multi Pens - mainly because they’re the way to get colors other than black - and Uni recently released an even smoother Jetstream ink (the “Lite Touch”) that some believe outperforms the original formulation. Most of my personal pens that take Parker-style refills now use the SXR-600, and my Lamy 2000 Multi Pen (4-Color Ballpoint) has long held the SXR-200 D1 refills. I’m a bit worried about falling too hard for the M17, because I don’t know how stable the supply will be given the current trade situation, but for right now I’m going to enjoy what I have. If you’re a Lamy fan and want to up your ballpoint game, grab some of them if you have the opportunity.

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Only one part of our Jetstream selection!

Our store carries a wide variety of Jetstream pens as well as refills in as many formats as we are able to source. We still have a few Uni M17 refills in stock from the small shipment I managed to source. (Update: These are now sold out.) I'll try to find more, but timing of a resupply is uncertain at best. Stay tuned!

If you’re ever in the Nashville, Tennessee area, please stop in and see us! We’d love to welcome you in store and answer any questions you may have. The Gentleman Stationer is open this week Thursday (1-4) and Friday (1-6) and Saturday from 10-4. Our site is entirely self-supported through the shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Pen Review: Lamy Swift Retractable Rollerball

Lately I’ve surprised myself by discovering that there is a fairly deep back catalogue of pens from major brands that I’ve never tried. Take today’s pen, for example: the Lamy Swift Retractable Rollerball. I’ve only recently “rediscovered” rollerballs, as manufacturers have seemingly been tweaking their ink formulations to reduce smearing, feathering, and bleedthrough. Or maybe I’m use using more rollerball-friendly paper, but for whatever reason this category of pens has been working much better for me than in the past. In addition to the Ohto CR series, I’ve added an Imperial Blue Lamy Swift to the mix.

The spring-loaded clip on the Lamy Swift easily slips over most pockets, pen holders, and cases. It also functions as a roll-stop.

What Makes the Swift Unique? The Interaction Between the Knock and Clip

By far the coolest thing about the Lamy Swift is the fact that the clip retracts into the barrel when you depress the knock and deploy the tip for writing. Not only does this get the clip out of the way of your hand, but it prevents you from accidentally clipping the pen to your shirt pocket, pen case, or bag with the tip extended. I can’t tell you how many dress shirts I’ve personally ruined over the years with retractable liquid and gel ink pens like Sensas, Retro 51s, and even Pilot G2s.

The Matte Black Lamy Swift, shown here in “writing mode” with the knock depressed and the clip retracted.

Because the Swift is round with a matte texture, I find it comfortable to use. There is no real “grip section,” but the lower part of the barrel uses a punched-out pattern to create some additional texture. I’ve had no issues with slippage or other discomfort/inconvenience when writing.

The added texture on the aluminum barrel.

Writing Experience and the Lamy M66 Capless Refill

Lamy’s M66 capless rollerball refill - one of which is included with the Swift - is only available in a medium tip size, but it does come in black, blue, red, and green, offering a range of color options not typically found in many rollerball refills. I would rate the M66 a solid performer, and I’ve had no trouble with skipping or the refill drying out in the four months that this pen has been in rotation.

If capless rollerballs aren’t your thing, the Swift is relatively versatile in that it will fit a Pilot G2 refill or any of the other G2-like cartridges such as the Pilot Juice and the retractable version of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C. While I’ve not experimented extensively with different options, I’ve read that you can modify other cartridges (such as the Zebra Sarasa) to fit the Swift by cutting off a small bit of the plastic tubing. In other words, if a cartridge can be modified to fit a retractable Pilot G2 pen, you can probably make it fit the Swift.

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The Lamy Swift (center) compared against a Montblanc 144 Fineliner/Rollerball (top) and a Lamy Safari Ballpoint (Bottom).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

With it’s minimalist, industrial design (a Lamy hallmark) and practicality, the Swift is a sound choice for those looking for a rollerball pen to use in professional settings, as well as those looking for a nice, but not extravagant, gift for anyone who appreciates a good pen. I’ve been looking for a mid-tier retractable rollerball to fill this niche in our shop lineup, and the Swift has done nicely. Of the four standard colors, the Matte Black and Imperial Blue are my favorites, though the Graphite and Palladium options also look nice.

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You can purchase the Lamy Swift directly from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, where it’s priced at $52. It has a prime spot in our rotating Lamy display, so if you’d like to swing by and see one in person, it’s available for testing! We also have the M66 refill available in all colors.

We are 100% self-supported. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us by purchasing directly through the T.G.S. Curated Shop, or by pledging via Patreon.

Favorite Fountain Pens: Is There a Specific Color You Gravitate Towards?

People approach this hobby/passion/calling from many different angles. Some love pens because they’re collectors, and amass impressive archives of a specific brand or model that cover every variant released over decades (if not a century). Others take a purely utilitarian approach, treating their pens as tools, often settling on a single pen that meets their writing needs and never feeling the need to branch out to anything else. I take a middle approach: I definitely have my favorites that I use more than others (75% of the time, perhaps?) but I also have a bit of “collector” in me as well.

If You Make It In Yellow, I Will Probably Buy It

I collect in two ways. First, I try to have at least one example of major vintage pens in my personal collection, and sometimes more if different variations - usually colors - of a specific model interest me. For example, I currently have one Parker Vacumatic, and a handful of Parker 51s. While I might add some more Vacumatics after my prized blue one broke during a botched vintage pen repair (long story that I will tell later), I don’t feel the need to collect and example of every Parker, and the ones I do have are very much user-grade examples. To me, part of the fun of writing with a vintage pen is the idea that I can use an item in the same way that it was used by the original owner 75-100 years ago, and remark on how little has changed. The pen doesn’t need to be pristine or valuable to give you that experience. As I noted in this recent video, the Parker 45 I showed off cost me $65, even with a 14k nib!

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Some of these fall into the “almost yellow” category. From left: Nakaya Long Piccolo, Kasama Una in Ultem, Mark’s Tous Les Jours metal gel pen, Leonardo Momento Zero Maestro in Omas Burkina Celluloid, and my Conway Stewart Model 100 in Honey Noire.

Second, I tend to accumulate and, yes, “collect” pens by color. You might think from the overall visual theme of T.G.S. that most of my pens are some combination of red and black. While I do have a lot of red pens, and a deep red is one of those tones that makes me happy, so does yellow. Not necessarily a bright yellow, but anything that’s a more muted mustard, saffron, or even a yellow-green is more often than not an insta-buy. There isn’t any real strategy behind this collection. It’s not organized my model, brand, or even type of pen. It’s just something I enjoy, and these days I’ll take that because it’s exactly what I need.

That said, I do my best to avoid mindless accumulation. I currently have several binders of pens, most of which I own not because they fit into some overall “theme” but simply because the design/color/backstory makes me happy. I’ve been thinking about this issue a lot lately, as I’ve made a commitment to unload a significant number of pens (5 per month) throughout 2025. While there will be some harder choices in the year to come, right now the standard is “does this particular pen make me want to use it, and does it make me happy when I use it?” (I refuse to use the phrase “spark joy.”) Through March, I’ve sold off 15+ pens and have only added two or three. I’m actually excited to see what my collection looks like by year-end!

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Those pens I have added this year haven’t been very expensive, including the new Kaweco Sport Honey (right) and one of the remaining Kaweco Perkeo “Indian Summer” fountain pens. The mechanical pencil is the Uni Kuru Toga Alpha Gel Switch. The yellow and black version is my favorite.

SO WHAT’S next for the collection? A couple of recent additions

Do I really need another Kaweco Sport? No, but since the new “Honey” color is the exact shade of yellow that I enjoy, I added one to the collection anyway and inked it up immediately. No regrets. I also had the opportunity to re-acquire a pen that I regret selling: the Kaweco Perkeo in the yellow/green and black “Indian Summer” colorway that was so popular a few years ago. At NY Now in January, I found out that the distributor had a few remaining in stock and I managed to acquire some mediums. What do I think I’m going to pass on? The Lamy Scarlet fountain pen. While they’re great looking pens, and I’m glad to see Lamy move to more muted shades like Scarlet and Steel Black in the standard lineup, It’s not really that exact shade of red that speaks to me. I may claim one of the mechanical pencils, though, as I really love my Lamy AL-Star mechanical pencil and I don’t have a Safari version.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoyed this post, consider supporting us directly! You can always drop in to our brick-and-mortar shop. Check for open hours and details on the location here.

Thursday Drops: New Lamy Safaris, TWSBIs, Sunderlands and More!

**UPDATE: Come see us this weekend as our store is open! Hit the button on the sidebar or follow this link for location and hours!

Much of this week has been spent either shipping out orders or restocking our shelves with the new arrivals showing up every morning! This week we have Lamy AL-Star fountain pens, rollerballs, ballpoints, and mechanical pencils in two new colors, Sage Green and Autumn Pink, both of which feature black trim. We did an overview of these pens and how they fit into the overall scheme of Lamy’s 2024 special edition releases (including talking about our favorites). We also have stock of the new standard Safari release “Steel Black”!

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Yesterday we passed the halfway point of selling through our newly arrived shipment of T.G.S. x Sunderland mk1 machined pens! I love this pen - it’s one of my favorite collaborations that I’ve worked on, and it was our first - and it brings me so much joy to see it go out to so many different readers and customers around the world. Finally, we have a handful of Irish Green + Onyx TWSBI ECO fountain pens in stock and ready to ship. Happy shopping!

1. Lamy AL-Star Pens in Sage Green and Autumn Pink. Lamy released the second round of 2024 special releases, with two new shades that complement the “Fiery” and “Aquatic” AL-Star pens they released earlier in the year. As I noted in yesterday’s post, I find the Sage Green absolutely stunning and will be adding one to my own collection.

2. Lamy AL-Star Mechanical Pencils in Sage Green and Autumn Pink. One funny thing about the Fiery and Aquatic releases is that Lamy only released a .5mm mechanical pencil in the Aquatic finish.

3. Lamy Safari in New “Steel Black”. I’m not exactly sure how to describe this color, but Lamy’s new release in the standard Safari lineup is almost a black with blue/purple undertones, and distinct from the current matte (“Charcoal”) and gloss black options. We plan to start bringing standard lineup Safaris into the store, and this new one is the first to arrive! Pens and mechanical pencils are all available.

4. Sunderland Machine Works mk1 T.G.S. Exclusive Edition. I’ve almost come to think of this as our “signature pen”, with its bead-blasted matte finish, DLC clip, and dark red section. You can read more about the design of this pen and why I love it here.

5. TWSBI ECO Irish Green + Onyx Fountain Pens. TWSBI finally got around to releasing an ECO with black-plated trim! The combination of the black trim and dark green acrylic almost gives this pen a “stealth” look.

6. TWSBI Precision Ballpoint Pens. The TWSBI Precision “technical ballpoints” simply won’t stay in stock. They take Parker-style refills, including the excellent Jetstream SXR-600. Matching mechanical pencils are also available.

7. Lamy 2000 Pens. Last week we restocked on the Lamy 2000 in all of the various formats, including the fountain pen and the 4 Color Ballpoint Multi Pen that’s so popular.

8. Lamy Vista Pens. Lamy doesn’t make clear Safari demonstrators other than the Vista, but this one’s popularity has endured over the years. We have the fountain pens and the rollerballs back in stock.

9. Mnemosyne x Kleid A6 Spiral Notebooks. Two of my favorite stationery brands collaborated on this A6 Mnemosyne notebook with a green cover and Kleid’s signature 2mm grid ruling!

10. New Mnemosyne Sizes! In addition to the Mnemosyne x Kleid collaboration, we have added additional reporter-style top-bound notepads in both A7 and several B sizes.

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The new Lamy Safari "Steel Black" matte pens and pencil: It's almost got that same purple undertone as Lamy Black ink!

New Arrivals: Lamy Notebooks and Yet Another Interesting Paper Ruling!

As part of our never-ending quest to curate the most interesting paper rulings, we’ve added Lamy notebooks to the shop! Available in Hardcover, Softcover, and “Booklet” (Softcover Slim) formats, all of the Lamy A5 notebooks feature Lamy’s proprietary paper ruling, which is a combination of lines, grids, and dots. The slim booklets are perfect for notebook systems like the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter and the Lochby Field Journal, since you can carry multiple books under one cover. The 90g Italian paper is absorbent, so it dries quickly, and handles most fountain pen inks very well!

Lamy’s signature paper ruling is great for those who like both lined and grid notebooks. You can alternate between the two.

The hardcover and softcover versions are priced at $25, and the three-pack of booklets are priced at $15. In addition to Lamy paper, we’ve also recently restocked on Clairefontaine notebooks and writing pads in most of the formats that we regularly carry. Happy shopping!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Clairefontaine and Lamy products.