Lamy Tipo Roller Ball Pen Review

I can spot a Lamy a mile away. Maybe it is because I am looking at them all the time in person or online but there is no doubting that their designs are distinctive. Many of their most popular pens are built around the Safari model, and of course there are higher end designs like the Studio and the Dialog 3 (swoon). You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a great pen though, and the Lamy Tipo is the embodiment of that.

I haven’t personally used some of the higher end Lamy models but I think they really thrive in the entry level market. Where else can you get a uniquely designed, distinctive pen with a high quality roller ball ink cartridge for about $10? The Tipo, while not perfect, pushes a lot of my buttons and I am really enjoying it.

The ink cartridge was a surprise for me. The ink doesn’t bleed near as much as I anticipated it would and is comparable to the Schmidt refill used in the Retro 51. One thing that may throw people off is how the knock is integrated into the clip. For me, I think it looks cool, works great, and acts as a safety if you like to clip the pen to your shirt pocket.

If there is any downside to the pen it is that the grip is somewhat slick. The ridges help out but I wouldn’t mind a little more tackiness in that area.

Overall, using the Tipo has been a great experience and I plan on picking up another one - most likely the orange barrel like Brian recently reviewed.

Stabilo Bionic Worker Roller Ball 0.5 mm Review

Do you have a brand of pen that you think is great looking and great feeling but there is something a little off that throws you for a loop? Stabilo is that brand for me. I keep coming back to them because they make a great looking pen but there is one thing that consistently makes me shake my head: their tip sizes are not based in reality.

I have mentioned on several occasions that tip size and line width are two separate measurements. The tip size is the physical measurement of the tip of the pen, while the line width is the width of the ink line on the page. For example, an 0.5 mm gel ink pen often leaves a line wider than 0.5 mm on the page, while an 0.5 mm ballpoint leaves a narrower line. Each brand has their own little intricacies that I have come to expect, but Stabilo blows them all out of the water.

The Stabilo Bionic Worker Roller Ball is marked on the barrel as an 0.5 mm pen. With a liquid ink pen such as this, I do expect a wider line than a comparable 0.5 mm gel ink pen, but this one is really wide. This is a line width I would expect from an 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm pen at the least. I should have been tipped off when I saw the word “Medium” on the back of the barrel. I have never seen an 0.5 mm pen marked that way.

This is a consistent experience across all Stabilo products I have tried but don’t let my rant dissuade you from what is actually a very good pen. I compare this pen to the standard Uni-ball Vision pen, and the Stabilo may be even better. If you like a wider line in your liquid ink pens then you should give this one a shot. Just don’t go in expecting fine lines.

Rotring Tikky Rollerpoint 0.5 mm Blue Review

The Rotring Tikky Rollerpoint is an amazing pen, but even amazing pens are not for everyone.

If you have ever asked me for a pen recommendation, the first response you received from me is “What will you be using the pen for?”, that is, if you haven’t laid it out for me already. It is an important question because I want to help you find the best pen for the best situation. Not all pens are created equal!

This Tikky Rollerpoint is one of the most impressive pens I have ever had the pleasure of holding. The weight and feel of the barrel are phenomenal and you can tell by holding it that a lot of thought went in to the design. The needle tip is extremely firm as well.

Where I found the pen getting off track was in the ink flow department. It flows fast and I had to pick up the writing pace to keep ahead of the ink bleeding. For me, it doesn’t fit my style of writing. The output does look impressive on the page though.

Where I see this pen fitting in is with a long form writing style. If you are a cursive note taker or journaler who knocks out several pages in one sitting I would recommend taking a look at this pen. It reminds me of the Pilot V7, which is one of the best needle tip liquid ink pens on the market. If you are more of a stop and start, detailed note taker like me, then you may want to look at a gel ink needle tip pen.

Pen choices are nearly endless. Be sure to take the time to understand the pros and cons of each pen and how it would apply to your situation. Your next favorite pen is out there somewhere.