Rollin' in it: Two of My Favorite Rollerball Refills That Aren't the Schmidt P8126/P8127

If you've been paying regular attention to this blog and my social media feeds, you might have noticed that rollerball pens have been gradually working their way into my carry. Everyone talks about the Schmidt P8126/P8127 capless rollerball refill - and that refill is indeed one of the best out there for retractable pens. But what about other options for rollerball pens with caps? I'll walk you through two of my favorite refills here. 

Montblanc Rollerball pens will accept both a traditional rollerball refill as well as a fineliner refill. I tend to switch between them and they're both good (though expensive). 

In terms of overall quality and available color options, Montblanc makes my favorite rollerball refill. I've never had one dry out prematurely, the ink flow is consistent, and they're threaded, which eliminates any "tip wiggle" when used in authentic Montblanc pens. They also come in a wide range of colors, including not only black and blue, but red, green, turquoise, brown, and purple, in addition to periodic limited edition colors.  The downside? As you might expect, price, which can run upwards of $7 per refill, depending on where you shop.  

The Montblanc Le Petit Prince Classique Rollerball, courtesy of site sponsor Appelboom. Look for a full review in the future! This has the "bold" fineliner refill inserted. I've found that Montblanc refills tend to write a finer line than other brands - note the writing sample above comparing the Montblanc "medium" tip to the Schneider Topball 850 .5mm. 

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For a more economical take, my go-to option is the Schneider Topball 850, another quality German refill that I first discovered when I purchased the Field Notes "Brands Hall" rollerball pen a couple years back. It's possible to find these in a 10-pack at around $1-2 per refill, which is exceptional value, and the best part is that the Topball 850 comes in a .5mm tip size. I currently have this refill loaded into an Aurora Optima rollerball, a Karas Kustoms Reaktor Galaxie, and even an Inventery Bolt Action Pen (though I'm not sure how long it will last, given that it's not technically a "capless" cartridge - so far, so good though). Size-wise, the Topball 850 seems to be compatible with most pens that take a Pilot G2-size refill, though note that it is NOT compatible with Montblanc pens, and I've not yet had the chance to experiment and find a less-expensive Montblanc refill option. It does appear that Monteverde makes a refill advertised as compatible with Montblanc pens, though I've not tried it so YMMV. 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Rollerball pens can serve as a much more functional writing instrument than fountain pens or even ballpoints, especially in a work environment.  The main downside is that refills can get relatively expensive, especially on pricier cartridges like Montblanc. For general writing, I use the Schneider Topball 850 (purchased from Amazon) in most of my pens, which is quite economical when purchased in packs of ten. Colors options are limited to black and blue, though. 

Montblanc rollerball refills are still among the best I've used over the years, and their "fineliner" option is exceptional. Montblanc cartridges are available from any authorized Montblanc retailer, but as I mentioned, they are quite pricey. I tend to bargain-hunt and stock up whenever I find a good deal, and Amazon is usually the easiest way to do that. As discussed above, if you can live with a "medium" tip size, Montblanc offers a selection of colors you can't find elsewhere in a rollerball. Note that Montblanc also releases rollerball versions of certain limited edition inks, such as Le Petit Prince, Lucky Orange, UNICEF Blue, and Writers' Edition inks such as Homer and Antoine de Saint-Exupery. These can be hard to find but do turn up if you look around or purchase directly from Montblanc.  

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Pen Review: What's with the Lamy LX?

Lamy caused a lot of shoulders to shrug a couple years ago when they released the Lamy "LX," which to many people looked just like a pricier Lamy AL-Star in three new color options and a new nib. And honestly, that's really what it is, though I do like both the redesigned nib and the new color schemes. 

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The Lamy LX features a redesigned black-plated steel nib. Sharp looking! 

There's not too much new here to review. The Lamy LX is very much an "upgraded" version of the AL-Star, and the functionality is the same. Let's be clear: you're paying a premium for looks, from the "iPhone-style" anodizing, to the redesigned nib, to the premium packaging. All of this boosts the price of the LX to $50+ at most retailers, compared to $38 for a standard AL-Star. Whether or not the upgrade is worth it to you depends on your own aesthetic preference, and I will say that the redesigned nib looks stellar. It also feels slightly stiffer than the standard Lamy Safari/AL-Star stainless steel nib, so if you prefer a true "nail," you might want to consider this pen. If you missed my earlier review of the Lamy AL-Star, you can check it out here. It's a great pen, but I think over time I've come to prefer the Safari since it's lighter and better balanced, IMHO. 

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The Lamy LX nib (left) compared against the AL-Star nib (right). 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Again, don't buy a Lamy LX thinking that you're going to get something other than an AL-Star, at least as far as the core writing experience is concerned. That said, I'm not sorry that I have this "ruthenium" pen in my collection - it looks great, and the nib writes smoothly with no hiccups. 

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You can purchase the Lamy LX from our sponsor Pen Chalet, which currently has them on sale at $49, before any applicable coupon codes or further discounts. The LX is available in four colors: Gold, Palladium, Rose Gold, and Ruthenium, which will match up well with whatever color iPhone you carry (assuming you're an Apple fan).

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink from Pen Chalet using affiliate credit. I was not compensated monetarily for this review, though this post does contain affiliate links.

Ink Review: Lamy Vibrant Pink Special Edition Ink

Around this time every year I review Lamy's special edition inks that they release to complement their special edition Safari and AL-Star fountain pens. If you recall, last year Lamy released their "Petrol" fountain pen ink, which ended up gaining more attention for its scarcity than the actual color. This year they have another winner with Vibrant Pink, though it seems to fall a bit outside of the typical Lamy "safety zone," as I'll discuss more below. 

Wait, Sheen AND "Glistening"? 

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What is this madness? 

Yep. In a Lamy ink. Until now, the craziest thing about Lamy ink was the bottle, with its incorporated roll of blotter paper. The inks themselves were fairly staid inks that didn't venture into outlandish colors or properties. So when I inked this one up and wrote with it, I was surprised to see a fair bit of gold (or sometimes greenish?) sheen, as well as a subtle glistening/glitter effect. 

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This photo came out better than I thought it would! You can see a lot of the sheen in the wetter areas of this swab, as well as some of the glistening effect. In normal writing both are fairly subtle. 

Some sheeny and glistening inks suffer from slow dry times and smearing, but this one not so much. I've been using this ink to mark up documents at work, and it even works fairly well on cheap paper, so in that respect Vibrant Pink is similar to your standard Lamy ink. You may get a bit of precipitation on the nib (i.e., "gunk"), which is not uncommon with sheeny inks, but it didn't affect the ink flow or writing experience in any way. 

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Comparison swabs with the other two pinks in my collection: Callifolio Andrinople (top) and Kyoto TAG Imayou-Iro (bottom). 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Lamy makes great inks, and IMHO they don't get enough attention. The limited edition Vibrant Pink is a bit of an outlier, with the gold sheen and shimmer, but I haven't had any issues in the two or three fills of this ink that I've used. Since I have so much ink right now, including several different pinks, I won't be stockpiling extra bottles, but if you're looking to add a pink to your rotation, this is a good one. 

You can purchase Lamy Vibrant Pink Special Edition Ink from our site sponsor Pen Chalet. One nice thing about Lamy Ink is the price point - you get excellent ink for $12 per bottle, and that's before any applicable coupon codes or discounts. 

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink from Pen Chalet using affiliate credit. I was not compensated monetarily for this review, though this post does contain affiliate links.   

The Best Pen for When You Only Want One Pen

Most people are not like me. Meaning, they don’t own dozens of writing instruments, whether fountain pens, ballpoints, rollerballs, or even a mechanical pencil. Yes, believe it or not, the majority of people out there - so-called “normal people” - would be perfectly happy with ONE nice writing instrument. Heck, even I’ve grown a little exhausted choosing which pen to use. I’ve spent a lot of time on the road for the day job during the first half of the year, and more often than not would find myself using the same pen for an entire day without switching things up at all, which is a rarity for me. All of this got me thinking - if I had to pick one pen, what would it be? Likewise, if I had to make a recommendation to someone who only wanted to own one nice pen, what would I tell them?

For a "one pen" setup, my key considerations would be:

• Durable Construction. Can I throw this pen in a bag or pocket without worrying that it will shatter/crack/scratch? 

• Unassuming Looks. Can I carry this pen into a business meeting without it being distracting to other people or getting a lot of "what the heck is that thing" questions? 

• Versatility. Can the pen accept a wide variety of refills to account for all sorts of different paper types and writing conditions? 

• Refill Availability. Are refills easy to get/inexpensive? 

Based on these criteria, I’ve narrowed it down to five options/recommendations.

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The Lamy 2K 4-Color Ballpoint is one of my all-time favorite writing instruments. 

Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint. If I was forced to choose one pen to use for the rest of my life, it likely would be a Lamy 2000, and probably the 4-Color Ballpoint Multipen. In fact, I would probably choose a multipen as my “one pen” over a fountain pen, if you can believe it. The Lamy 2000’s unassuming looks, durable construction, reasonable price point, and general availability makes it my top choice. It also takes universal D1 refills, which can be found basically anywhere, including most big-box office supply stores, and come in a wide range of gel, ballpoint, hybrid-ballpoint, and even highlighter variants. Check out my full review here.

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The Sailor Imperial Black Multifunction Pen, pictured here alongside the Imperial Black Fountain Pen. 

Sailor Imperial Black Multipen. My second-favorite multi pen, which I use when I want a mechanical pencil option. I don’t like the aesthetics of this pen as much as the Lamy 2000 multi pen, and it’s a bit heavier, but the pencil unit adds versatility. It also takes universal D1 refills. Check out my full review here. 

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Made from titanium from Bigidesign, the Ti Arto is a bit of an unsung hero among EDC pens. 

Ti Arto Ultimate Refill Friendly Pen. I haven’t yet published a stand-alone review of this particular pen, but if what you’re looking for is a single pen that will accept as many different refills as possible, the Ti Arto should be your choice. There’s also a “Ti Arto EDC,” which is a shorter, more compact pen that also accepts hundreds of compatible refills. I only have the full-size version, which is where my Uniball Signo DX refills live.

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The RIIND pen comes in three different finishes: aluminum, gray, and black. 

RIIND Pen. Another machined pen that accepts a wide variety of refills, though not as many as the Ti Arto. Unlike the Ti Arto, this pen is retractable and has a clip, so if you’re not looking to cap/uncap as part of your everyday carry, consider the RIIND. Both the big clip and the the “continuous cam” deployment mechanism are well made and highly functional. Check out my full review here.

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Pictured here: Baron Fig Squire in "Fig Wine" finish. 

Baron Fig Squire.  Though the Baron Fig Squire is one of my favorite pens currently on the market, it sits at number five on this list. Why? Refill versatility. The pen ships with a Schmidt P8126 rollerball refill, and while that refill is excellent, it’s not particularly versatile. Liquid Ink rollerballs tend to bleed on cheap paper. While you can swap in a Parker-style refill such as the excellent Schmidt Easyflow 9000 or a Primec gel refill, there aren't many options for those who like a super-fine point on their pen. I've previously published a comparison between the Baron Fig Squire and the also popular Retro 51 Tornado, which is another great option and earns an "honorable mention" below. If you're interested in picking up a Baron Fig Squire, you can use my referral link for a discount on your order (and it also kicks a discount my way, in the interests of full disclosure.)    

Honorable Mention

While I don’t use them as much as the pens on this list, I’d also highly recommend the Retro 51 Tornado, the Karas Kustoms EDK, and the Fisher Space Pen “Shuttle Pen” or “Astronaut” Pen. The Tornado and the EDK have the same refill options as the Squire, only with a clip and slightly different ergonomics. The refill limitations are the same. The Fisher Space Pen is much slimmer, and uses a proprietary pressurized cartridge that people either love or hate, but the pen will literally write anywhere and under all sorts of adverse conditions.

I hope you find this little resource helpful. I get a lot of questions about the best "one pen" setup, particularly where a reader is looking for a gift for someone who would appreciate a quality pen but wouldn't necessarily want to carry multiple options. Look for similar content in the future! 

Pen Review: Ensso PIUMA Minimalist Fountain Pen

Continuing a recent trend here at The Gentleman Stationer, next up for review is the Ensso PIUMA, a pen with its origins on Kickstarter but that has since transitioned to the regular market. Like the KOSMOS Ink, which I recently reviewed, you might be tempted to write off the PIUMA as just another one of many “minimalist pen” Kickstarter projects. And this is, in fact, an ultra-minimal pen. (Ensso describes it as “an investigation of liberating a fountain pen from all unnecessary components and ornaments.”) The versions Ensso sent me for review are machined aluminum cigars, with hardly any branding, no clip, and no other adornments. This pen definitely appeals to someone looking for a specific style, and if the minimal machined design tempts you, the Ensso PIUMA is an exceptionally nice writing instrument.

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The PIUMA is intended to be used unposted.  While the pen will technically post, the cap wobbles when posted and I suspect the threads on the cap will eventually scratch the barrel.

According to the Ensso website, “Piuma” is the Italian word for “feather,” and the name fits well. Both the raw aluminum and black anodized versions of the PIUMA fountain pen are exceptionally lightweight. Aluminum is a light metal to begin with, but the design and balance are such that I sometimes forgot the PIUMA was a metal pen at all. The thread sit very high up on the section, which is a good thing for a metal pen, because it leaves a lot of gripping area and sometimes metal threads can be sharp.

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Quality here is top-notch. The anodization on the black pen has no noticeable flaws, and the machining looks good as well. The cap closes seamlessly with no gap or unevenness. If I had one issue to raise, it’s that the metal threads squeak a bit when unscrewing the cap. This isn’t something unique to the PIUMA - it’s just what happens with metal-on-metal threads, but I thought I’d mention it because the sound has a “nails-on-a-chalkboard” effect for some people. Personally, it doesn’t bother me.     

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I don't know if Ensso tunes their nibs prior to shipping, but the Bock nibs on my two PIUMA pens are some of the best Bocks that I've used. The ink flow is steady with no starvation issues that you sometimes see with the standard Bock feed. 

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As I mentioned, the Ensso branding is unobtrusive. I also like the font. 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Among the various “minimalist” machined fountain pens that I’ve had the opportunity to try, the Ensso PIUMA and the recently reviewed KOSMOS ink have easily been the best. They each take a different approach to the ultra-minimal fountain pen, and both are excellent in their own right.

You can purchase the Ensso PIUMA fountain pen directly from the Ensso website. There are several different finishes and materials available, including Black Aluminum, Raw Aluminum (both of which are pictured here), Brass, Titanium, and Stonewashed Titanium. Aluminum pens start at $79, Brass at $99, and Titanium at $139. The base prices include a Bock stainless steel nib, but a titanium nib option is also available for a slight upcharge. Ensso does include a Schmidt K5 converter with each pen. 

Disclaimer: Ensso sent me the pens featured in this review free of charge.