Posts filed under Ballpoint

Pelikan Jazz Ballpoint Pen Review

I am thoroughly enjoying the Pelikan Jazz Ballpoint pen. That shouldn’t come as a surprise given that I enjoy ballpoint pens, and Pelikan makes great products. It should be good! But, what I realized with the Jazz is not only that it’s good, but it’s good enough to make me think I’ve been missing out.

Ballpoint pens are continually underrated. Why is that? The problem with ballpoints is that we have all used terrible ones. Scratchy, skippy, dry, messy, sticky. There are some bad adjectives to describe some of these pens we have used in the past.

But modern ballpoints, using superior refill technology, are fantastic. Even great.

The Pelikan Jazz is a new pen to me, and reasonably new to Pelikan’s lineup as a whole. It has classic Pelikan design elements, like the clip, but comes in fun, modern colors like this Orange model. There is even a full pastel lineup, which is what make me take a second look at these pens to begin with.

This is a twist-to-deploy pen, but it keeps tricking me into thinking it uses a knock-type mechanism. The barrel “cap” overlaps the lower barrel, and when I see a design like that, I want to push the cap down to engage and retract the refill. It’s not a problem whatsoever, but that hasn’t stopped me from continuously trying to click it.

The twist takes about half a turn to let loose the Pelikan 337 refill. It ships with a medium (1.0 mm) blue cartridge, in the Parker-style (or international G2) shape, so you can swap it to your hearts content. But I’m not sure you would want to.

This refill is excellent. I expect 1.0 mm ballpoint refills to be smooth, and this one delivered. The lines were solid, and the color was rich. There was little tip residue to be found, although as with many good ballpoint refills, it did pop up from time to time. I never had to wipe it off.

After all of this praise, this must be an expensive pen, right? Well, compared to a Bic Stic, yes. But at $12, compared to other pens in this category, it is priced perfectly. It’s an upgrade to the basic ballpoints in your desk drawer, with enough style and quality to justify the price point.

If you couldn’t tell, I’m kind of enamored with it. I like having it around to pick up and use on a whim for just about any task. It may be worth grabbing another simply because I’m having so much fun with this one.

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

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Posted on October 18, 2021 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Pelikan, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Uni-ball Jetstream Edge 0.38 mm Ballpoint Pen Review

I’m fond of saying that there is a pen out there for everybody. I’m also fond of saying not every pen is for everybody. The Uni-ball Jetstream Edge is firmly in the latter camp.

When you hear pen fans talk about the Jetstream, they are more than likely referring to the 0.7 mm model, and sometimes the 1.0 mm. They love the rich colors and solid lines - something standard ballpoints rarely have - plus the smooth writing experience with a refill that lasts longer that most. There is a reason it is one of my most recommended pens.

But the Edge model is a different animal. And Uni-ball is treating it as such.

Uni-ball Jetstream Edge 0.38 mm Ballpoint Pen

In the past, Uni-ball has dropped into the 0.38 mm tip size with more standard barrel types, but it is a rare occurrence. I remember when I first got my hands on the 0.5 mm Jetstream (2008!) I raved about it, but even then I knew it was a pen not many people would enjoy. I still remember an email I got about that review, which told me in no uncertain terms how bad they thought this pen was.

The Standard barrel, my favorite basic Jetstream barrel, still has 0.38 mm and 0.5 mm options, but I don’t really see them leaning into those tip sizes - at least in this market. The Edge is their micro-tip refill vessel of choice, and I love it.

To me, Uni-ball is saying that 0.28 mm and 0.38 mm Jetstream refill are technical pens, and deserve a barrel design to relay as much to the consumer. That’s as much of the Edge story as the refill choice. This is my favorite pen barrel released in a long time, with its metal grip section, plastic upper barrel, unique clip design, and solid knock mechanism.

You know what other stationery products have similar design cues? Mechanical pencils, especially technical ones. And, the Edge has a similar price point to match.

This is a $15 Jetstream, not a $3 one. That places it firmly into the niche product market, and, I hope for my sake, that this technical, detailed writing niche takes it and runs with it.

The Edge launched four barrel colors with a 0.28 mm refill, then later added four more barrel colors for the 0.38 mm refill. The refill, while technically great, is the one flaw in this design, and maybe the one flaw in my theory why this pen exists in the first place.

The Uni-ball Jetstream Edge is designed around the refill they use for the Jetstream multi pen. It is thinner, and thus lower capacity than standard Jetstream refills, not to mention the Parker-style SXR-600 Jetstream refill. Single refill pens deserve a refill size commensurate with the pen, so this is a disappointment, especially in a $15 pen.

On the other hand, do we get the Edge if Uni-ball didn’t already have this refill design in-house? I’d argue yes. They already make 0.38 mm conical tip refills for the Sport series. I’m confident Uni could design a new needle tip for the 0.28 mm and 0.38 mm requirements for the Edge if they so desired, but they took the easy way out here.

I don’t guess I can blame them, because, in the end, I adore this pen. I just think it could be even better with a normal sized refill.

Will you adore this pen as much as I do? It’s unlikely. As I mentioned up top, this pen is not for everybody. Not by a long shot. It is a particular pen, with a particular job, and at a particular price point. But, if you are particular, like me, then you might find something interesting and unique in the Jetstream Edge.

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

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Posted on October 4, 2021 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Uni-Ball, Jetstream, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Lamy AL-Star Ballpoint in Turmaline Review

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

It's been quite a long time since I've used any Lamy AL-Star pens that aren't fountain pens. The Turmaline version of the ballpoint AL-Star is a refreshing take on the old classic shape and design. While it feels familiar in the hand, the writing experience is quite different due to the ballpoint refill in place of a nib. But does that mean it's not as good as the nibbed version? Absolutely not.

The Lamy AL-Star ballpoint has been around for quite a while, but I really haven't used them very often. This bright color gave me just the kick I needed to pick it up and take it for a spin. Despite it not having one of my favorite refills on board, it's surprisingly good and competes directly with the Schmidt EasyFlow line. The M61 refill looks similar to a standard Parker refill, but there are several small alterations that make it unique and proprietary to Lamy's pens. This is unfortunate because this pen is such a great extension of the AL-Star design — it deserves to be used, and I don't think it's fair for manufacturers to lock people into proprietary refills.

Still, it's nice that Lamy provide an excellent refill in this case. The ink is dark, free-flowing, and smooth. The medium point I have is a great middle-of-the-road size and works well on all sorts of paper. It's oil based, so you don't have to worry about paper being too thin or being coated with something that the ink won't stick to. It works on just about anything, which makes it a great pen to have on you. It also lasts quite a while, which is good considering the price. One refill is just under $6, and you only have the option of black or blue — and only a medium point. Monteverde sell a few other options in terms of colors and tip sizes, but they're still fairly expensive.

I've always loved the chunky click mechanism on the AL-Star and Safari ballpoints. It's such a fun design that's reminiscent of an accordion or old-fashioned button, and it's so satisfying to press. There's a great amount of resistance, and the tactile feel of the mechanism is just perfect. You definitely know when you've extended or retracted the refill because of an audible click and a tactile knock from the mechanism. It's not loud, but it has a lower tone than the typical click of a pen. I attribute this to the rubber sleeve that surrounds the entire thing, but who knows what it really is. I just know I love clicking it.

Moving around to the clip, it's the iconic Lamy clip that you find on all their AL-Star and Safari pens. It's strong, stylish, and also plays double duty by keeping the pen from rolling away on flat surfaces. The only branding on the pen is on the body opposite to the clip — the outline of the Lamy logo debossed into the pen body. It's actually easy to miss unless the light is right.

Moving down to the grip, something else you'll find on nearly every other AL-Star and Safari: the unique Lamy grip structure. The ballpoint grip is a little different since there isn't a traditional "up" orientation like fountain pen nibs. Instead of the two planes and round belly that makes up the traditional finger placement on the fountain pen version, the ballpoint version is a symmetrical design with three planes so that the grip feels the same no matter how many times you rotate the pen in your hand. It's a comfortable grip for me, and if you've ever used a Lamy AL-Star, Safari, or Vista, you already know how this grip feels in the hand and whether it works for you.

The Lamy AL-Star ballpoint pen is $24, and I think that's a great price for something so well-designed and produced. It makes a great gift and an excellent addition to your desk or carry. It's a shame that there aren't many refill options, so you'll have to settle in that area, but I think the design and materials make up for that shortcoming at this price. Plus, the Turmaline colorway is a knock-out!

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

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