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.

New Arrivals: The Caran d'Ache "Black Code" Lineup Has Expanded!

For 2025, Caran d’Ache has expanded their line of “Black Code” products to include a new “Black Code” Fixpencil and an 849 “XL Ballpoint” - a more substantial version of the classic 849 ballpoint pen with similar dimensions to the ever-popular Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball. These join the Black Code 849 Ballpoint and Black Code Mechanical Pencil in what Caran d’Ache is now referring to as the “Black Edition” collection.

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I’ve been anxiously hoping for a Black Code Fixpencil for quite some time.

The “Black Code” ballpoint has been a T.G.S. hallmark since we launched in 2020, and the entire collection features a matte black finish with a matte black clip and matching black knock. The standard Black Code Ballpoint and Black Code Mechanical Pencil have also been restocked.

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BONUS: We have a small stock of a much-anticipated Uni Jetstream refill available for purchase in the store. We’re not sure when/if we will be able to get more, but if the Jetstream M17 interests you, be sure to pick one up!

In-Person Store hours will be our standard operating hours this week! Please come by and say hello if you are in the area.

New Arrivals: Uni Jetstream Lite Touch 4+1 Pens, Plus New Tombow Mono Graph Fine Pencils!

Lots of new stuff is landing this week from Japan, including a fresh shipment of Uni Jetstream Lite Touch Multi Pens in the classic Uni 4+1 format! (Well, a slightly modified version of the classic format.) The Lite Touch version features not just the new ink formulation, but a slightly more streamlined, compact pen body which some may find to be a better fit than the original. You do, however, lose the bamboo or Karimoku wood sections on this particular pen. :) Note that we now have the Lite Touch Multi Pen refills available for purchase separately. These will also fit the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 pens.

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The metal barrel has a “softfeel” texture over the grip area, which makes the Mono Graph Fine quite comfortable to use.

We also have a new arrival from Tombow: The Tombow Mono Graph Fine, which is a new softfeel mechanical pencil that features a .5mm or .3mm lead size plus a more precise eraser. This pencil has a more professional look than the “shaker” line, though it still lands at a very reasonable price point.

Our brick and mortar store hours will be slightly different this week. I am traveling Thursday and Friday, so we will have open hours Saturday from 9am-6pm and Sunday from 1-5pm. I hope to see you this weekend!

The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3: Can Uni Improve on the Jetstream Experience?

The Jetstream Prime is the upscale version of Uni’s ubiquitous Jetstream low viscosity ballpoint pen, featuring sleeker barrels in more stylish colors. While I love pretty much everything Jetstream, I truly enjoy the Jetstream Prime lineup, and the standard Jetstream Prime Twist Ballpoint is one of my most recommended pens for those looking for a no-nonsense everyday writer to use in the professional context. Regardless of the new Lite Touch ink, the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 multi pen was inevitably going to end up in my pen case.

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I’ll talk about the pen first, then offer my thoughts on the Jetstream Lite Touch ink, which is a new ink formulation Uni introduced last year. The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 multi pen is a three-slot multi pen (no mechanical pencil option) that uses a rotational mechanism to switch ink colors. In other words, you rotate the barrel until the clip points to the color you want. As far as multi pens go, this one is far more compact and lightweight than what you usually find. Many multi pens are either oversized or on the heavier side, due to both the relative complexity of the mechanism and the weight of the additional refills, so the comfort and usability of this pen made for a pleasant surprise. The matte texture on the coated metal barrel makes the Lite Touch 3 easy to grip and minimizes slippage. The overall length is such that it sits well in my hand, and the pen fits easily into most pen loops I’ve tried. A couple weeks back I carried this one around New York City in my Lochby Field Journal Mini, and for the past few days it’s been in my Plotter A5.

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So now about the ink. Uni introduced the Jetstream “Lite Touch” as a smoother version of the Jetstream low-viscosity ballpoint, engineered for increased darkness and less resistance on the paper. In other words, if the Jetstream was originally designed as a “hybrid gel-ballpoint” pen, then the Jetstream Lite Touch takes things even further towards the “gel” end of the spectrum. The Lite Touch ink flows exceptionally well, leaves a dark line with all three colors (black, blue, and red) that shipped with the pen, and still dried almost instantly. I guess the only question I have is why introduce this particular ink as a new product, as opposed to modifying the formulation of the original Jetstream cartridge? The Jetstream Lite Touch is different for sure, but I’m not sure that it’s so different the average person would remark on it. That may change as I try different Lite Touch formats, which I currently have on order.

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Of all the colors, I found the difference most pronounced in the black ink, which was smoother and noticeably darker. The difference was less pronounced in blue, and honestly almost indistinguishable in red.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’m not sure that I like the Jetstream Lite Touch ink “better” than the standard Jetstream - I’m one of those people who actually does enjoy the tactile feel of a standard ballpoint cartridge so the additional smoothness isn’t a huge selling point for me, as I’d typically just use a gel pen. That said, if what you’re looking for is a ballpoint that writes a smooth, dark, quick-dry line and is as close to a gel pen as you can get, give this cartridge a try. Those who can’t write with heavier pressure may also find the Lite Touch to work better for them. For me personally, I will probably continue to buy either Jetstream or Jetstream Lite Touch pens based on whether I enjoy the form factor of the pen itself, since I can happily use either ink.

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Both the Jetstream 4+1 and the Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 come in muted yellow colors, which I love.

As far as the pen itself, The Jetstream Prime Lite Touch 3 is one of the better multi pens that I’ve used. The slimmer, more classic profile fits my own personal preferences, and I love the rotational mechanism. Plus it comes in yellow. If you make it in yellow, I will buy one. Now just make it in dark red too. We currently have a small number of these pens in the shop, with more on the way, as well as Lite Touch versions of the classic Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pen. These pens take the SXR-L80 refills, which are currently on order and will also be available. Each of these pens ship with three .5mm refills already installed in the pen, which should last you a while before you need extras.

Thank you for reading! The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to visit our in-person location, you can view directions and up-to-date hours here. Please note that we are experiencing inclement weather (ice and snow) on Feb. 18 and 19, so shipments may be delayed in going out by a day or so.

New Arrivals: Pilot S20 Ballpoints, Uni Jetstream Prime and Edge, and More Giftable Ballpoints

Ahead of the holidays, one of my top priorities was to restock our supply of higher-end ballpoint, rollerball, and gel pens, especially Japanese imports, but we also made room to bring in some new finds. Last week, we received our first shipment of the excellent Pilot S20 ballpoint, which uses Pilot’s hybrid “Acro-ink” and performs similarly to the Uniball Jetstream. A friend from our local pen club gifted me a S20 last year, and I couldn’t get over how comfortable this pen was to use: it sports an hourglass silhouette and soft, polished wood finish in two striated wood grains: red/black and brown/black. We also have a healthy supply of the Dr. Grip “Cocoon” refills, which is that cartridge that fits the S20.

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Other new arrivals include the Pilot Birdie/Birdie Switch: a small format writing instrument from Pilot that comes as either a mechanical pencil or “reversible multi-pen”; as well as additional stock of the Uni Jetstream Prime, the Uni Jetstream Edge, and the Zebra Sarasa Grande Vintage. All colors and tip sizes should be restocked and showing as available.

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The hourglass shape of the S20 ballpoint simply fits very well in your hand!

Store Holiday Hours and T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide

I’ve updated the shop hours for Thanksgiving week. While we will be closed Thursday, we plan to open Friday (10am-7pm); Saturday (10am-7pm), and Sunday (12-5pm) to kick off the holiday shopping season. Remember that you can always shop by appointment outside of our public hours.

Also, don’t miss our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide, which walks through stationery gift options and recommendations that include pens, pencils, paper, and other desk and reading accessories for those who appreciate analog things! If you have gift-related questions, always feel free to reach out.

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If you come see us in-store, you’ll be able to peruse our growing selection of inks, including the entire range of Teranishi Guitar Inks in over a dozen colors!