Posts filed under Ballpoint

Rotring 600 Ballpoint Pen "Madder Red" Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Rotring 600 is one of the most iconic mechanical pencil designs, and I'm sure a good number of people would recognize it even if they didn't know what it was called. It oozes great industrial design, looks like an instrument, and feels even better in the hand. Luckily, they also come in a ballpoint pen variety. But, the standard black and silver colorways had gotten a bit stale. I'm really excited that Rotring introduced some new colors for 2020, and I've really been enjoying the Madder Red ballpoint that I've been using lately.

The new red, blue, and green variety of Rotring 600 are just that — new color options. Nothing changes in terms of the design and functionality of the pens/pencils. I'm a huge fan of the colors and really pleased that Rotring decided to expand a bit into some more interesting options for their iconic pens and pencils. I'm equally pleased that they chose colors that still somehow match really well with their existing aesthetic and design language. The red and blue colors really pop, but they feel perfect alongside the red Rotring branding and famous red ring.

Rotring 600 Ballpoint Pen Madder Red Clip

If you've never had the chance to use a Rotring 600, you should take the opportunity if one shows up. They're made of brass and expertly machined. The fine knurling on the grip section and top of the body feel great in the hand and offer a superb amount of grip. The pipe design of the lead holder or ballpoint refill holder allows ample viewing room around the lead or refill so that you can see what you're writing or drawing around when making precise motions. The nock mechanism has a satisfying click feel and subtle noise. The clip is strong and sleek against the hexagonal body.

Rotring 600 Ballpoint Pen Madder Red Refill

My first Rotring was a 600 mechanical pencil. I love that pencil and enjoy using it even though I'm not an artist. It feels substantial but easy to control when writing. The extra bit of heft gives your fingers more confidence when making marks. The next Rotring I purchased was a Rapid Pro ballpoint. I also love this pen and have used it heavily for many years. It's a little longer than the 600 and features softer edges on the hexagonal body, but it's very similar in almost every other aspect. With this new 600 ballpoint, I'm not sure I'll be using the Rapid Pro very much any more. I'm currently smitten with the Pelikan Giant 337 refill, so I put that in the 600 as soon as I opened it. If there's one thing that Rotring don't do very well, it's refills. There are lots of great options for Parker-style ballpoint refills, but Rotring isn't among them. A better refill makes this pen undeniably good.

At $40, it's also a pretty good deal. It definitely looks like something that cost more than 40 bucks, and it's built to outlast most humans. They're still fairly new and difficult to find, but the more difficult part is probably deciding which color(s) to get. The possibility of mixing and matching the grip sections and bodies is just too good to pass up!

As of now, the Rotring 600 ballpoint pen and mechanical pencil come in Silver, Black, Madder Red, Iron Blue, and Camouflage Green.

(The Pen Addict purchased this pen at full retail from Yoseka Stationery.)

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Rotring 600 Ballpoint Pen Madder Red Pens

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Rotring, 600, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Pelikan 337 Giant Ballpoint Refill Review

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

I'm always on the lookout for a new Parker-style refill to try. The Parker-style refill is one of the most commonly used in ballpoint pens, and almost every pen manufacturer has their own version of this refill size. While the size is common across the board, the quality of the ink and the writing experience is anything but. For the longest time, I've regarded the Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 as my favorite Parker-style refill. In most cases, a new ballpoint pen that uses the Parker-style refill would immediately be replaced with a fresh EasyFlow to instantly improve the writing experience. Lately, I've been using the Pelikan 337 Giant refill, and I believe it's better than the Schmidt.

So, what does it take to knock the Schmidt out of first place in my book? The Schmidt is easy to find, affordable, offers a smooth writing experience, has a variety of color options (namely, blue), and is always quick to start writing even after a long shelf hiatus. The Pelikan beats the Schmidt in every area except for price, but I think it's worth it.

The Pelikan Giant refill is a standard Parker-style refill, but the ink formula is outstanding. It also comes in a wider range of colors and tip sizes (at least through JetPens) than the Schmidt. I'm currently using a Fine blue refill, and I love it. But, I also have the option of medium or broad tip sizes, and black and red ink colors. The Schmidt only comes in black or blue, and only one tip size — medium.

The ink in the Giant is somehow smoother than the Schmidt, and also lays down a more consistent line. In the world of ballpoint refills, the Schmidt does an absolutely fantastic job against the competition when it comes to ink consistency, color, and flow. The simple fact is the Giant does it all better. I like the lighter blue color better, I like the smaller tip size more, and the performance of the ink is crazy-good. It makes the Schmidt look like a Bic when compared side-by-side. And, it feels smoother when writing. I've been enamored with this refill ever since I started using it.

Performance and my own infatuation aside, this is an expensive refill. At just shy of $10, it's twice the price of the Schmidt EasyFlow refills and more than basically any other major competitor. Does this refill write twice as well as the Schmidt? I don't think so, and that will turn many people away from it. But, when you consider the improvement you can make on any pen, the price may be well within reason. Like most things, you're perspective will vary, as will the proposed value of a premium refill like this one. Bics make marks on paper, and they're also fantastic writing instruments when you can't have or afford anything else.

My assumption is that these refills are overpriced on purpose by Pelikan to align with the expectation of a premium luxury pen. From my research, any pen that Pelikan ships with this refill is in the range of hundreds of dollars. Considering that there are plenty of pens that accept the Parker-style refill and also cost less than the refill, it's a hard value proposition to swallow. Is it over-priced? Almost certainly. Will I still buy more? Oh, hell yes. For the same reason that I own pens that vary in price from the single-digit dollars to hundreds of dollars. They all offer something unique, and this refill elevates an ordinary ballpoint pen to something greater than the sum of its parts. It's a fantastic product with a special ink formula that really excels.

If you can stomach the price, I can only recommend the Pelikan 337 Giant refill as a big improvement on your favorite Parker-compatible ballpoint pen.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on July 8, 2020 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Pelikan, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Uni Jetstream Edge 0.28mm Ballpoint Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Uni Jetstream has been around long enough at this point to become a stationery staple and an all-around excellent recommendation for anyone in search of a good pen. How can you improve on something that's already so good? Well, one way to do this is by making it smaller. Another way is to provide exciting new pen bodies. In the Jetstream Edge, Uni have accomplished both of these things.

Let's look at the pen body of the new Edge first. If you've ever seen a Rotring, then this pen will likely look very familiar. It's not visually close enough to look like a blatant copy, but more of an homage to a timeless design. The drafting pencil aesthetic is definitely a good look for this pen, and you'll probably fooling into thinking it's made of metal before you pick it up. While the textured grip section is made of metal, the rest of the pen is a sleek plastic, which keeps the weight fairly low. Another added benefit of the metal grip section is that it keeps the center of gravity close to the tip of the pen, allowing you greater control when writing.

The clip is unique, with a bent metal wire that looks like a frail paper clip at first glance. In practice, this clip is incredibly strong and secure. There's nothing frail about it! The nock also produces a very pleasing feel and sound when extending and retracting the refill. The nose of the pen also borrows closely from the drafting pencil aesthetic, but also provides a good view at what you're writing since the cone tapers off dramatically from the grip. This same trick is used in the needle-tip of the refill, giving you more sight around what you're writing since the exposed part of the refill is so small. If you aren't looking carefully, you'll mistake this for a mechanical pencil when the refill is extended. They look very similar!

In the hand, this pen feels well-balanced and secure. The textured grip isn't knurled, but the grooves that reach from end to end on the grip provide a great feel and stability when writing. The overall lightness of the pen also complements the writing experience.

The real star of the show, however, is the refill that debuts alongside this pen body. This pen features a 0.28mm needle-tip refill that uses the Jetstream hybrid ink system. Uni have made a 0.38mm Jetstream refill for quite a while now, and people have been impressed by that as well.

As an aside, these ultra fine refills are probably something you already know you like. And, if you don't like them, then this one certainly won't be for you! That being said, you can swap out the refill for any size tip that works with the Jetstream multipen bodies.

While the 0.38mm refills produce an incredibly thin and crisp line, I guess someone wanted something even smaller. The 0.28mm refill produces a line that is so satisfyingly thin. It feels so precise and accurate due to the extreme crispness of the ink formula. There are no stray specks or light splotches of gray ink. These lines are crisp, and they are dark. It's incredibly satisfying.

Like most ultra-fine writing instruments, you can normally expect a somewhat scratchy writing experience since you're effectively writing with a hypodermic needle. Believe it or not, this is not the case with the Uni 0.28mm refill. It's surprisingly smooth when writing, which is a great testament to the Jetstream brand. Even at such small sizes, the ink formula is still incredibly smooth. It's an absolute joy to use.

If you're a fan of the 0.38mm, you'll love the 0.28mm. Like I mentioned before, this new SXR-203-28 refill is the same form factor as all the other Jetstream refills that work with the Jetstream multipens. This means you can easily install one of these refills in a multipen, or use a different size and color in this unique Jetstream body. At the moment, Uni only offers black, blue, and red in this size, but I'm sure they'll add more at some point if it becomes popular enough.

The Uni Jetstream Edge comes in four colors, from Black, Navy, White/Red, and Champagne/Gold. The pen is $15, which is a pretty good deal considering the excellent aesthetic and build quality of the pen, plus the inclusion of a fantastic refill. If you're at all interested in trying out one of the best 0.28mm pens I've ever used — let alone the best ballpoint pen of this size — you should definitely add this pen to your next order!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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