Refillable Rollerball and "Inkball" Pens: Do They Work?

One product category that we are seeing more and more is the refillable rollerball (sometimes referred to as the "inkball") pen. These first went mainstream several years ago with an inexpensive version released by ink maker Herbin, followed by TRAVELER'S Company releasing a version of their Brass Fountain Pen with a refillable rollerball tip. Recently, another pen garnering a lot of attention is Kakimori's "Frost" pen, which is available in both a fountain pen and rollerball format. We've had a lot of questions recently about the rollerball/inkball functionality, so I thought I'd take the opportunity and do a bit of an overview of how these work and how they perform.

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The Kakimori Frost pen ships with a twist converter, while the TRAVELER’S Company brass pen is advertised as cartridge only. However, it will take the Kaweco Mini Converter if you absolutely insist on using bottled ink.

How they work: This one's pretty easy. These refillable rollerballs all use a fountain pen-style nib unit that accepts standard international ink cartridges and Schmidt-style converters. You fill the pen as you would any standard cartridge/converter fountain pen, using fountain pen ink. (While not every manufacturer announces the maker of the rollerball nib/tip unit, Kakimori has specified that it is Schmidt, so if you see "made in Germany" you can probably assume that's who it is.)

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Predictably, early iterations of these products weren't as reliable as the versions now available. Performance has improved - particularly the consistency of the ink flow - and I've found the pens themselves easier to clean. But why would you opt for one of these "inkball" refillable rollerballs as opposed to a fountain pen? Here are a few considerations:

• Office Use. Despite their growing popularity, fountain pens continue to draw a lot of attention in the workplace. If you prefer to remain inconspicuous while still being able to write with your fountain pen ink, these pens are a good alternative.

• Permanent or Pigmented Inks. Kakimori makes an extensive line of pigment inks, which are both lightfast and water-resistant. While I've not had a bad experience using Kakimori inks in standard fountain pens, those who are concerned about cleaning and clogging might feel better using a Kakimori-branded pen or a non-fountain pen altogether. I currently have a Frost rollerball loaded with the special ink I mixed in Tokyo at the Kakimori store, and I have had no issues.

• Consistent Line Width. While fountain pens are known for line variation depending on the angle of your handwriting and the grind of the nib, ballpoints and rollerballs typically produce a single consistent line width while writing. Note that the one variable here is ink and paper. Since these "inkball" pens use fountain pen ink, the wetness of the ink and absorbency of the paper you are using can cause a wider line than the stated .5mm tip size.

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A writing sample of the .5mm rollerballs, on Rhodia Premium paper. Note the consistent line width across both brands, with two very different inks.

A Few Downside Considerations

• Cleaning and Clogging. I would be more conscientious about cleaning these rollerball tips than a standard fountain pen nib, since any sort of roller tip does have extra moving parts (the metal ball) that can get gummed up. The good news is that refillable rollerballs using the Schmidt nib unit clean identically to standard fountain pen nib units, though sometimes you have to flush them a few more times to remove stubborn clogs and residual ink. I typically take a bulb syringe and flush these pens in the same way you would flush a fountain pen. Ultrasonic cleaners can also be helpful.

• Leakage. Especially wet, free-flowing fountain pen inks may leak out the front of the nib and/or cause the pen to "blob" on the page while writing. I've only had this happen with a couple of inks, one of which was the ultra-lubricated Tom's Studio Fineliner-specific Midnight Blue ink that probably wasn't intended to be used with this pen in the first place. Most standard inks work perfectly fine.

In the event the tip does become irreparably clogged or damaged - which I personally have yet to experience in either of the models shown here - these nib units are replaceable. Both TRAVELER'S Company and Kakimori use a standard rollerball unit manufactured in Germany by Schmidt, and sell replacements to fit their respective pens. You are also not locked into one writing "mode." Note that these rollerball units are threaded identically to each brand’s fountain pen nib units, so you can use them interchangeably in your Kakimori Frost Pens and TRAVELER'S Brass Fountain Pen. (I do not believe these nib units are interchangeable between brands, since they use slightly different housings.)

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Both pens are compact, but I would only call the TRAVELER’S Brass Pen a true “pocket pen”.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I've enjoyed using the "inkball" option fairly regularly, and overall I'm pleased with how these pens perform. While I might not reach for them as my primary writing option (I still prefer the softer feel of fountain pens and refillable fineliners), those looking for a reliable second option for using their fountain pen ink should give these a try. I am consistently impressed with how clean a line this current generation of refillable rollerballs can write.

The two pens featured in this post are the Kakimori Frost and the TRAVELER'S Company Brass Ballpoint, and are priced at $54 and $75, respectively. Additional nibs can be purchase for around $16. As noted above, both pens are compatible with their brand's fountain pen nibs, so there's no need to purchase a second pen - just the nib - unless you'd like to have both inked up at once.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of both Kakimori and TRAVELER'S Company products. You can view these both in our physical Nashville Shop or our online store.

Pilot Frixion Revisited: Do I Have a Use for An Erasable Gel Pen?

Pilot’s line of erasable “Frixion” pens has expanded since its initial release in 2006, to the point where it can almost be considered a flagship product line. It hasn’t always been smooth-sailing, however. I recall trying the Frixion early on and disliking the writing experience immensely. The ink skipped and the colors looked washed out. While the erasability factor was convenient for the many different reasons discussed below, the writing experience itself left much to be desired. Fortunately, Pilot has improved the Frixion in recent years, reworking both the ink formulation and the tips of the pens themselves. I find the current version of the Frixion to be quite good, and in most cases almost as good in terms of smoothness and saturation as a standard gel pen.

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My Frixion Ball 3 Multipen is regularly used as a planner pen, shown here with my Roterfaden A5.

Why Might You Need An Erasable Pen?

Based on my own experiences as a user and conversations with customers and other community members who use Frixions, there are a handful of core use cases for erasable pens:

• Planners and Calendars. The most common benefit of the Frixion that I hear about is the ability to change dates, appointments, and tasks in a planner and/or calendar. In fact, I understand that one of the big contributors to the Hobonichi paper controversy from a couple years ago is that their “new” Tomoe River replacement paper was not extensively tested for fountain pens due to Japanese users overwhelmingly favoring the Pilot Frixion and other gel pens for use in planners.

• Math-Intensive Applications and Professions. Engineers, accountants, and students regularly come into our store inquiring about the Frixion due to the advantages of erasability when revising calculations and proofs. I use my own Frixion multi pen for a lot of my business accounting work.

• Left-handed Writers Who Have a Hard Time Using Pencils. I know many lefties who dislike pencils due to the fact that their hand tends to smear the graphite. The Frixion offers erasability without the same disadvantage.

Before you take the plunge and dive into the Frixion line, however, you should consider how these pens actually work. The Frixion ink isn’t “erased” in the traditional sense - it’s formulated to disappear/become invisible when heat is generated by rubbing the Frixion “eraser” on paper. Many people don’t realize that the ink can reappear when the paper is exposed to temperatures below freezing. For this reason, if you live in a very cold climate, have a use case where your notebooks/journals/planners are otherwise exposed to freezing temperatures, or need absolute archivability, the Frixion may not be the best choice for you.

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In addition to improving the ink formulation and writing tips, Pilot has also released Frixion highlighters, fineliners and markers. Of these additional categories, the Frixion highlighters work the best, and actually come in handy if, like me, you tend to be an over-eager annotator and highlighter who wishes they were more selective in their note taking. Frixion highlighters use the same thermal technology as the gel pens - you “erase” the highlighting with the heat-generating eraser on the end of the pen.

The Craft Design Technology Frixion Ball 3 in Dark Green, shown alongside the CDT Highlighters.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Pilot Frixion isn’t for everyone, but for those of us with a need for the convenience of erasable ink, it’s now a solid product that I use regularly on a case-specific basis. My personal favorite version of the Frixion gel pens is the Frixion Ball 3 multi pen, which we stock in the Craft Design Technology Dark Green variant. It’s design is similar to other Pilot Multi Pens like the Wood 4+1 and the Dr. Grip line. This pen comes with black, blue, and red Frixion refills in a .5mm tip size.

We also carry certain colors of the Frixion Highlighter (which I use fairly frequently), and the recently released Frixion Waai retractable pens which introduced unique colors, including some pastels. Of the Waai pens, the “Bronze” and “Cherry” inks are the ones I find the most unique, and stand alone as cool gel colors regardless of the Frixion aspect.

You can come see these and more in person at our Nashville shop (including testers)! Our showroom is open 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday.

Workhorse Pens: Pilot Custom Heritage 92 Fountain Pen

Pilot’s Custom Heritage 92 piston filler stands as both a source of joy and one of my greatest regrets. Joy because I appreciate that this excellent everyday writer continues to be accessible to the North American market, even if it doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. Regret because I didn’t snap up all three colors (orange, blue, and smoke) when they were still available many years ago. And, of course, extra regret that I sold off my transparent orange version with the fine-medium nib. Regardless, nib choices aside, earlier this year I picked up a Custom Heritage 92 demonstrator with a medium nib and realized it was long past time that this pen went into the “Workhorse Pens” review bucket.

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Pilot doesn’t have many piston fillers in its lineup. In fact, the Custom Heritage 92 may be it. Mine is shown here freshly filled with dark green ink.

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A simple cap band, with barely visible branding.

This particular Custom Heritage 92 went with me to Japan and back, so I had a lot of uninterrupted writing time with the pen. One benefit of a longer trip where you only take a few pens with you is that you get to spend more dedicated time with each one, and you quickly figure out your likes and dislikes. For the Custom Heritage 92, it’s pretty much all positives:

• Size and Balance. I find the Custom Heritage 92 similar to the Pilot Custom 74 and Lamy 2000 in terms of weight and balance - all three pens align perfectly with my own personal preferences. While the Custom Heritage 92 can be used posted or unposted, to me the pen feels best posted, and for a “Workhorse Pen” I consider posting important because I don’t want to have to keep track of the cap when I’m focused on writing or running between meetings.

• Nib. The Custom Heritage 92 features the same 14k Pilot No. 5 nib as the Custom 74 - one of my favorite nibs of all time. Pilot medium nibs in general operate as my personal default, so whenever the fine-medium (FM) or soft fine-medium (SFM) is unavailable, I’ll opt for this one. I consider this nib to be a moderately wet writer, which allows for a smooth writing experience (and the ability to showcase ink) while still performing well on decent paper.

• Filling Mechanism. It’s a shame Pilot doesn’t make more piston fillers, because this piston is exceptional. It’s not only super smooth, which makes filling and cleaning the pen pleasant and easy, but it’s also lightweight, allowing you to post the cap without making the pen back-heavy. While the ink capacity isn’t huge, it’s adequate for a pen of this size.

• Aesthetics. Pilot makes some of my favorite clear demonstrators. The Custom Heritage 92 is perfectly polished, and I struggled to find any flaw in the finish. While I tend to lean towards darker inks, and therefore don’t take as much advantage of the clarity as I should, those heavily into brightly colored or shimmer inks will love how this pen looks when it’s inked. (Yes, I’ve used shimmer inks in my Pilot pens and have found that the nibs and feed handle these inks just fine. Just be sure and clean your pens thoroughly when changing colors!)

The Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (left) compared to the Pilot Custom 74 (center) and the Pilot Custom 823 (right).

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The design of the Custom Heritage 92 does differ from the Custom 74 and other pens in the Custom series (like the Custom 823) in some ways. For example, it features a sword-style clip instead of the rounded ball-style found on the 74 and 823, plus it has flat ends.

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The Pilot Custom Heritage 92 Fountain Pen, to me, feels best in-hand when posted.

You can read further on our “Workhorse Pens” series, and the various fountain pens I have reviewed which fall into this category, but as a TLDR version I would re-emphasize that the Custom Heritage 92, the Custom 74, and the Lamy 2000 sit at the top of my own personal arsenal. All three are reliable, comfortable, and portable, with aesthetics that are interesting yet still subtle enough so that they’re inconspicuous in a work meeting. Their classic designs have remained essentially unchanged since their introduction, and while some might consider that fact boring, I prefer to put it as “getting it right the first time.”

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Three of my favorite everyday workhorses: In addition to the Custom Heritage, the Custom 74 and Lamy 2000 are fountain pens with a similar feel and balance. All three post exceptionally well.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Whether you’re looking for a crystal clear demonstrator to showcase your ink collection, a reliable workhorse for everyday writing, or both, you can’t go wrong with Pilot’s Custom Heritage 92. Personally, I wish that Pilot would do more with this model, and last year’s release of the Custom 74 as the most recent North American exclusive gives me some hope that this model will appear on the special/limited release schedule at some point. At $264 (current price as of the time of publication), it’s also currently one of the few remaining sub-$300 gold-nib fountain pens that still punches well above its price point, and I never hesitate to recommend Pilot pens to anyone looking for good value. I’ve recently written an overview of the entire Pilot “Custom” series, which walks through the sizing, nibs, and filling systems of the various models.

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You can’t have it all: I probably prefer the vintage-style Pilot clip on the Custom 74 and Custom 823.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Pilot fountain pens, including the Custom Heritage 92. We currently have this pen stocked in all nib sizes, and I usually have my personal pen inked up if you would like to try it in person or compare it to the rest of the Pilot lineup, should you come visit us in store or at a pen show.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by online purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Pen Review: Revisiting the Pilot FA Nib, This Time on the Pilot Custom 743 Verdigris Green

Back in 2017, I reviewed Pilot’s FA nib on the Custom 912 fountain pen, and while I came away from that experience impressed with the amount of flex that the nib offered, I couldn’t use it as an everyday writer. Personally, I’ve never “chased flex” in fountain pens - either vintage or modern - as I’m not a calligrapher and I don’t typically draw or otherwise practice lettering. That said, I do occasionally enjoy a soft fountain pen nib, such as when I want to journal in cursive or explore different inks. I’ve already written about how much I enjoy the soft fine-medium from this year’s Custom 74 “Lavender Fog” North American Exclusive, and I’ve also come to appreciate the FA nib on the larger Custom 743.

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Pilot Custom 743 vs. Pilot Custom 912: Not the Same Nib

But isn’t Pilot’s FA nib the same on either pen? No. When we hosted our unfortunately-weather-abbreviated store event back in January, I had the opportunity to compare the FA nibs on the Custom 912 and Custom 743 side-by-side. Those who prefer a much softer and wetter writing experience closer to a true flex nib should opt for the Custom 912, whereas those who - like me - do more standard writing should probably choose the Custom 743. The two pens have different nibs, with the Custom 743 featuring a stiffer nib that also appears on the Pilot Custom 823.

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The top writing sample (in Sailor Ink Studio 670) was done with the Pilot Custom 743 FA nib. The bottom writing sample was done with a Custom 74 Lavender Fog with a Soft Fine Medium (SFM) nib, in Tono & Lims Deep Field Laniakea.

What I Enjoy About My FA Nib and How I Use It

I chose this pen, and the FA nib in particular, for several reasons. First of all, this Pilot Custom 743 is a North American exclusive in Verdigris Green, and I wanted to be sure to get one before they are inevitably discontinued. In my mind, this special pen needed a fun nib, and after trying the Custom 743 version of the FA, I knew that I’d be able to use it regularly, even if not as an everyday writer. I’ve had this pen inked for two months, and here’s how I’ve put it to work:

• Handwriting Improvement. One of this year's goals is to practice my cursive whenever I can, and it’s much more fun to do that with a nib that has some bounce to it and offers good line variation. With just light pressure, you can vary the line width of your up- and down-strokes, though I can’t overemphasize that like the “soft” nibs on the Pilot Custom 74, the FA nib should not be overflexed. It is possible to spring these nibs and cause irreparable damage. While I’ve not done any sort of scientific measurement, I would estimate that you can safely vary the line width on this pen 2-3 nib sizes (i.e., extra-fine to medium, or fine to broad).

• Exploring Ink. The other benefit to line variation is that it can bring out the special properties in fountain pen ink, especially shading and shimmer. I’ve never focused as much on ink as I have on pens and paper, but since I receive more questions on ink these days (particularly in-store), I’ve felt the need to broaden base of knowledge on how different inks work in different pens, and with different pen and paper combinations.

• Testing Paper. Similarly, in my line of work I need to know what kind of paper holds up well to wetter nibs, and how far I can push certain papers to the point where they will start to feather or bleed. You can really test just how “fountain pen friendly” certain paper is by pairing wet inks with soft nibs, even if sometimes the point of failure is well past what most people require for everyday use.

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Chasing Nibs and Not Necessarily Pens

I remarked in last week’s post that over time, the focus of my pen use/collecting has reoriented towards nibs rather than pens. Sure, it’s fun to collect a new custom material or a favorite model in a new color, but most of my personal purchases over the past two years have been driven by whether the nib offers a unique writing experience. My current collecting “grail” is to fill out a set of all the Pilot specialty nibs over time, in unique pens if possible. Recently I’ve added the FA pictured here, and I’ve also been loving the WA (Waverly) nib as a smooth everyday writer. Just wait until you read the recap from my upcoming trip to Japan, because this collection is about to get a lot bigger. :)

Further Reading

You can read more about the Pilot Custom Series, including different nib options, in this overview of the various Pilot “Custom” models. As we’ve grown our own store, we offer many of these Pilot pens directly, including certain Custom series models, and we have a couple of the Verdigris Green Custom 743s remaining in stock as of the time of publication.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

First Impressions: Hands-on with the Uni Zento Signature!

Ok, so I finally got my hands on a Uni Zento Signature - Uni’s latest “it” gel pen that flies off shelves so fast in Japan that it hardly ever makes it’s way into the U.S. market, and when it does, it often appears at grossly inflated secondary market prices. (I’ve seen these pens priced as high as $200+, but fortunately as they become more available this degree of silliness is less common.) I’ve been trying to get my hands on a Zento Signature for about a year, and when Vanness Pens obtained a (very) small shipment for the California Pen Show in February, I managed to snag one of the black ones in the .5mm tip size. After a few weeks of use, here are my initial impressions.

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What I Like About the Uni Zento Signature

• Magnetic Cap. The Zento Signature features a magnetic cap which closes and posts securely. This feature alone makes the Signature an excellent pen for everyday carry. Standard “click” gel pens can accidentally deploy in your bag or pocket, causing a mess. You don’t have that issue with the Signature.

• Sturdy Clip. The Signature features an upgraded metal clip that’s a bit heavier duty than the wire clip on the standard and Flow pens. I haven’t had the pen long enough to know whether it will make a real long-term difference in terms of durability, but it feels secure and does lend the pen a higher-end look.

• Matte Grip. The grip section on the Zento Signature has a matte texture that reduces slippage in the hand. The metal barrel on the Zento Flow might be a touch slick for some people. If you’re writing outdoors, in a variable travel environment, or if you tend to have sweaty hands, the Signature is a good choice.

• All-Metal Construction. The Zento Signature feels durable due to the nearly all-metal construction, including interior metal threads. There’s even an o-ring to prevent leakage if a refill goes bust.

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The Zento Signature posted in-hand. The grip section is comfortable, though I find the overall shape of the pen a touch short for my hand.

The Uni Zento Flow, which is a traditional click pen format with a lower aluminum barrel.

Do I Prefer the Zento Signature Over the Zento Flow? A Few Considerations that have me leaning towards the Zento flow

• Price Point. Even at the standard pricing ($30), the Zento Signature is nearly 3x more expensive than the Zento Flow, and 10x more expensive than the standard Zento. All three pens use the same refill, so in order to justify the price difference, you need to really like the format. I would NOT suggest that anyone pay $100-200 on the secondary market for a Zento Signature under any circumstances - it was never intended to be sold at this price point and the value proposition is not there.

• Balance. I don’t consider the Zento Signature unbalanced, but for longer writing sessions the Zento Flow fits my hand better. Posted, the Signature is only slightly shorter, but the difference in weight and balance feels more pronounced. I think I prefer the more front-weighted Flow overall.

• Hype. The stationery industry goes crazy over certain products from time to time, and I’m usually able to ignore the hype but with the Zento Signature it can be impossible. This pen has drawn so much attention that I dislike using it in public and carrying it with me at shows and meetups due to the number of people constantly asking whether I’m willing to sell it. (I’m not.) In my opinion, this pen is nice but does not justify the level of social media FOMO-driven hype that it receives.

Most of the price point of the Zento Signature goes into the metal barrel. As you can see, the barrel threads are metal as opposed to plastic, which suggests that the pen will be more durable over time as one would expect for the price point. That said, both pens use the same refill, so your writing experience is nearly identical.

Further Reading on the Uni Zento Lineup

I’ve previously reviewed the standard Uni Zento and the “mid-tier” Zento Flow, which uses the same refill and features an upgraded metal barrel in five different finishes. I think the Zento refill is excellent, and consider these pens exceptionally good everyday writers for those who value a smooth writing experience. The Zento is designed to be “low friction”, and performs as advertised. At the end of the day, is the coveted Zento Signature 2-3x as good as the Flow? If you’re just looking to write with a Zento, probably not, but if you are looking for a pocket-carry EDC pen with a magnetic cap, at $30 the Zento Signature is a reasonable choice as long as you can find one at standard pricing.

We currently have a fairly large selection of Standard Zentos and Zento Flow pens in stock in our shop, including the cool “Birch” Flow that pairs a white upper barrel with etched aluminum. We recently added some .7mm options for those who prefer a wider tip size. Unfortunately, we do not have any Zento Signatures available for sale as they remain largely unavailable in the U.S. Our friends at Vanness Pens are also currently sold out. Please note that I am not interested in selling my personal pen and generally do not respond to emails and comments regarding purchases from my personal collection. Thank you for understanding!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.