Monte Verde Ink Ball

[PaulK]

I am certainly interested in this pen (very beautiful!); however, I'm going to hold-off to hear the final verdict after it's been used for a while. My concern is the replaceable front-end sections. From an economic standpoint, what's least expensive: traditional rollerball refill or the Monteverde unit? Other than my parker rollerballs, which **can be** the most scratchy, others I use are smooth-as-silk. That said, the use of "fountain pen ink" provides only some additional benefit.

 

Again, certainly a wonderful looking pen.

 

Paul

[Sidney]

I sent an email to Yafa/Monteverde asking them to clarify the one kilometer life of the Inkball. I will post the reply as soon as I get it.

 

I don't get Monteverde's claim to be the first fountain pen with a rollerball point and their pending patents. I haven't seen GB Borghini's nor Monteverde's patents, so there may be something technical that distinguishes the difference between the Ink-O-Sphere and the Mega Ink Ball. I'll leave that alone for now though.

 

Based on the description the Ink-O-Sphere is a rollerball that uses fountain pen ink and the Mega Ink Ball is a fountain pen with a rollerball point.

Edited April 29, 2006 by Sidney

[TMann]

First of all, let me say that I think that this is a very cool pen, and I'm definitely considering picking one of these up. (I have to write on triplicate forms at work, so FP's are not an option for me.) However, I am a bit unclear as to what the advantage of this pen is versus a conventional rollerball pen:

 

Is it just that the pen can be filled via a converter with standard fountain pen ink? Or is there something about the rollerball writing mechanism that is different from other writing systems?

 

Being able to write with my favorite FP ink, (currently Waterman Florida Blue,) is certainly an advantage. But as far as the writing experience, I guess I'm not seeing how this will be that much different than other good rollerball pens, (Waterman and Pelikan.)

 

TMann

Edited April 30, 2006 by TMann

[JRodriguez]

Hey Tytyvyllus,

From what I've read online, its sounds like each point will be trashed after 1km, which really aint all that much writing! And even if the replacement tips are only $15 for a pack of 3, that's still a lot, considering that 1km of writing is probably in the less than 15 pages range (actually, this figure is total speculation ) The pen sounds cool, and could certainly be useful in certain situations (such as TManns) but ... I'm a FP man .

[drifting]

considering that 1km of writing is probably in the less than 15 pages range (actually, this figure is total speculation  )

Hmm...

 

1km = 1,000,000mm, right?

 

My uppercase letters are roughly 5mm, lowercase roughly 3mm, so let's call the average character 7mm (does that seem fair?) once you get through all the twists and turns. In a large moleskine I average roughly 40 characters per line, 30 lines per page, giving us about 8400mm of text per page.

 

So mayhap we can guesstimate 1km = roughly 119 pages of text in my hand in a large lined 240 page moleskine.

 

A few more than 15 pages, but your point is still definitely well taken. Perhaps not so cost effective if their ad copy can be taken literally.

 

Ryan.

[Titivillus]

Hey Tytyvyllus,

From what I've read online, its sounds like each point will be trashed after 1km, which really aint all that much writing! And even if the replacement tips are only $15 for a pack of 3, that's still a lot, considering that 1km of writing is probably in the less than 15 pages range (actually, this figure is total speculation ) The pen sounds cool, and could certainly be useful in certain situations (such as TManns) but ... I'm a FP man .

I guess I'm looking at near $200 for a pen who's tips need to be replaced. I guess it is closer to a rollerball than it is to a fountain pen. Interesting concept sort of like the J Herbib and Daniel Hechter pens that I've seen for sale.

 

K

[TMann]

From a cost point of view, most rollerballs are rather expensive to write with compared to an FP that fills from an ink bottle. **A standard Parker rollerball or gell refill costs $4 and $5, respectively. A Pelikan rollerball costs $6.60. A Waterman rollerball is $5.50. I don't know how many refills it would take any of these pens to write for 4 kilometers, but I would guess that the cost would be more than the cost of the Ink Ball's replaceable tips + ink.

 

TMann

 

**Prices from Pendemonium.com

Edited April 30, 2006 by TMann

[Sidney]

Here is the reply to the email that I sent to Monteverde:

 

Hello Sidney;

 

In all of our tests, Mega starts to get a little scratchy after a time.

Depending on the different ways that people write, Each point could last up

to 3 kilometers.  For definition purposes, we say 1 kilometer.  Up to this

point (no pun) Rollerballs were associated with refills.  The mechanical

parts of a rollerball outlast the ink supply by quite a bit.  Like a

fountain pen,  however,  The Mega has an unlimited ink supply.  Rollerballs

do not last as long as Nibs. After the point section is exhausted it doesn't

fall of or explode, It just starts to write scratchy.  Replacement points

are available.  They are sold in packs of 3 for $30.00.

 

Thank you for your question.

 

With best wishes,

 

Charles Flink

Yafa Pen Company

[TMann]

Hmm. Interesting.

 

Seems like a very reasonable, honest reply. I wish that the smaller pen in black, though...

 

TMann

[JRodriguez]

Thanks Sidney. And thanks for doing the math drifting - its seems my totally speculative figure was indeed off the mark, especially if its 3km instead of 1!

[His Nibs]

Just a couple of additional facts from Monteverde....the point on the Mega is .7mm and replacement front sections/tips are available individually for $10.00 retail (it's no longer required to purchase a 3-pack).

 

I've stressed with them that it's necessary to come up with a write-out figure for the tips that isn't measured in kilometers :bonk: . I'll post that information when I receive it.

[Titivillus]

From a cost point of view, most rollerballs are rather expensive to write with compared to an FP that fills from an ink bottle. **A standard Parker rollerball or gell refill costs $4 and $5, respectively. A Pelikan rollerball costs $6.60. A Waterman rollerball is $5.50. I don't know how many refills it would take any of these pens to write for 4 kilometers, but I would guess that the cost would be more than the cost of the Ink Ball's replaceable tips + ink.

 

TMann

 

**Prices from Pendemonium.com

Yes but if you really want the feel of a RB with FP ink then get a stylo tip in vintage or one of the Visconti modern versions. These don't have to be replaced after use.

 

K

[RLTodd]

This is all very interesting as I have been using a Kaweco Ink Roller for a few months, off and on, and found it an enjoyable writing experience.

 

 

This discussion peaked my interest so I stopped by the local Office Max and purchased a YAFA ink roller (Yellow plastic barrel and brushed chrome cap). The pen is struck "Italy" and "YAFA" on the clip and sold for ten USD with seven (7) international short cartridges in various colors. From the system point it seems to function well but I have not used it enough to form an opinion on it. I am pretty sure given the price that this YAFA, like the Kaweco, is a disposable. Once the ball is gone, the pen goes to the parts box. It will be interesting to see how long they last and if the YAFA's smoothness improves to that of the Kaweco when I switch to Pelikcan or Herbin cartridges.

[BillTheEditor]

I bought a Levenger inkball pen five or six years ago, and a package of four replacement points that appear to be fine, medium, and large (two are marked "5", one is marked "12" and the other is marked "15", visually it looks like the 5s are the smallest and the 15 is the largest, but I really don't know -- there are no other markings on the points). The pen is a cartridge fill only. Levenger expressly stated that the points would wear out, and that's what the replacements were for.

 

I have no idea who made the pens for Levenger, or what the provenance of the idea may be. I do, however, know from experience that the inkball points wear out over time. I'm actually still on the original point, and it has gradually become "rougher." It now sometimes leaks a little ink around the ball, so I'm about to replace it. When I run out of points, the pen goes in the trash (Levenger no longer offers the pen, and I have no idea where to find replacements). I rotate all my pens, and write with a light touch. If all the balls last as long as the first one, the remaining four may just last longer than I will. No idea how many kilometers, miles, furlongs, or pages the current point has written. I do know I've gone through at least a couple of dozen Levenger "large" cartridges with this one point, and a lot of Notabilia and Circa pages.

 

I also own a Kaweco rollerball, modified to be an "eyedropper inkball pen" by Nathan Tardiff. It uses Noodler's American Eel ink, per Nathan's recommendation. The lubrication seems to help, and maybe it will make for a longer life for the point. The Kaweco rollerballs do not come with replacement tips, and on the other hand, they are not especially expensive. My Kaweco rollerball came from Chuck Swisher, for what it's worth -- I believe he has an exclusive on them, although I hear you can buy a Kaweco rollerball anywhere they are sold and do the modifications yourself.

 

YMMV, but my opinion is that you should enjoy the experience of writing with one of these inkball pens for howsoever long it lasts, and not worry overmuch about having a rollerball that will last as long as a fountain pen (ain't going to happen as long as rollerballs have that moving part up there on the part of the pen that is under most pressure when in use).

 

I'm not moved to buy the Monteverde. The economics are not to my liking and I have lots of really nice fountain pens (plus two inkballs and some Parker and Lamy rollerballs) in the rotation.

 

(Edited to get all the facts about the Levenger right.)

Edited May 12, 2006 by BillTheEditor

[cmeisenzahl]

Great review and thread, thanks guys!

[Sazerac]

RE: Monteverde Mega Ink Ball, Kaweco Sport eydropper, Borghini Ink-O-Sphere/Yafa cartridge rollerball.

 

Since all of these pens have been mentioned in this thread and since I own all of them, I thought I would comment on my experiences with them.

 

The Bottom Line: Where the rollerball hits the paper, they are all essentially the same. The rest (which is nothing to scoff at) is aesthetics, filling mechanics, and overall writing experience. Why do I say this? Consider this: The Kaweco Sport and the Ink-0-Sphere are both about fifteen bucks, and the Mega Ball replacement head runs about ten bucks. So despite the initial price difference, at the point of contact, you're getting about the same level of financial investment from manufacturer and purchaser. One may reasonably conclude, then, that you are getting about the same level of quality.

 

That said, I would not give up my Mega Ball, and none of the pictures do this pen justice. It is just beautiful, big, and comfortable. Plus, it is a better overall writing experience than the other two. All of which makes it worth the higher price IMHO.

 

Some particulars:

 

1. The Borghini Ink-O-Sphere is about sixteen bucks. You can get the same pen from Office Depot (with the Yafa name on the clip) for about eleven, but your color choices are limited. I ordered mine from Parkville Pen; the service was excellent. This pen is very well-designed and well manufactured. Nothing rattles on it, and it snaps closed well and posts fine. The body is plastic; the cap is brushed steel. Aesthetically, a very nice pen. What impressed me about the design is that the body has a steel band near the tail, so posting will not scar the plastic of the body. Due to the steel cap, it has good heft to it, especially when posted. It is a very well balanced pen and comfortable to write with. I would say that it is a medium-sized pen in length and girth, about the size of a Pelikan 600. It takes cartridges, and the body holds a spare cartridge, which puts a little pressure on the 'loaded' cartridge keeping it secure, but the spare does not rattle around in the body like some other pens that allow one to carry a spare. Perhaps somebody out there has figured out a converter that would work in this pen – you’d have to fill the converter before putting it in the pen, though, which is doable. In short, I just love this pen for short writing burst of less than a paragraph (anymore than that, and I'm using a fountain pen). Left uncapped, it does not dry out. It is a great, unobtrusive daily user.

 

2. I purchased my Kaweco Sport eyedropper from Swisher Pens. I believe they have the exclusive on the eyedropper version. The idea of an eyedropper pen for a rollerball is just cool. It also takes cartridges. The writing experience of this pen reminds me of the Parker rollerballs. It just feels the same. However, this pen is too light and too small for me to really love it. It would be smaller than a Pelikan 200. Furthermore, it looks like a pen for a child in school, so I avoid using it in public (not wanting to impugn my manhood!). But it is well designed and fun to write with, and, of course, it holds a ton of ink. It does not dry out, even after being uncapped for a long time. I use it for very short burst of writing and text underlining. It would be a good bang around pen for a bookbag or a pants pocket.

 

3. The Mega Ink Ball: I love this pen because I love big fat oversized pens, and because it does what it says it will do. With style. It just is a beautiful pen to look at, pleasurable to hold, and very well designed. Plus, a rollerball that draws ink from a bottle is pretty cool. Of the three, this is the most comfortable to write with not only because of the size, weight, and balance of the body but also because the rollerball tip seems to have a bit of 'cushion' to it, which I think is due to the mechanism (a rubberish gasket around the tip of the pen) that allows it to draw ink from a bottle. There is no need to post the Mega Ball because the cap is small and the pen on its own is big enough. This pen is too big to be a pocket pen, although it will impress others in a meeting or elsewhere. Mine never leaves the desk since I have yet to find an adequate carrying case. Also, the ink flows a bit better with the Mega Ball than with the others. But make no mistake, none of these pens can compare to a wet-writing fountain pen for overall comfort (IMHO). But as far as rollerballs go, it does not get much better than this. Like the others, this writes instantly after being left uncapped, even for long periods.

 

My advice for anyone who, like I was, is on the fence about whether or not to purchase the Mega Ball: Try the Borghini or the Kaweco to get a sense of what the Mega Ball is like when the point touches paper. I say this with the caveat that the Mega Ball will be a better overall writing experience – both aesthetically and functionally – than both.

 

I've included a scan of all three pens in action (plus a couple of my favorite disposable rollerballs) for point-size comparisons. I would say that they are all about a .7. I'll post a picture (in order to assess relative size) of all three later. Note: The scan is pretty washed out. The inks all look much lighter than they really are, but you get the idea of point size. (This post was edited for accuracy of the information.)

Edited July 24, 2006 by Sazerac

[meanwhile]

I've stressed with them that it's necessary to come up with a write-out figure for the tips that isn't measured in kilometers :bonk: . I'll post that information when I receive it.

I think we can do this for ourselves:

 

- A letter takes about 1 cm of ink

- A word is 5 letters

- So 1 metre of ink is 20 words, and a kilometre is 20,000 words... call this 100 pages of handwritten A4.

[Sazerac]

To finish out my mini-review of these pens, this picture shows the relative size of the pens compared to other pens you might be familiar with. (I apologize for the poor quality of the picture.)

 

From left to right: Monteverde Mega Ink Ball, Dani Trio Takumi (it’s the same size as a MB 149), Borghini Ink-O-Sphere, Pelikan M600 (from the very early 90’s, so I believe it is smaller than current production M600s), and, finally, the Kaweco Sport.

 

You can see that the Mega Ink Ball truly is Mega. But it is very comfortable to write with. Also, seeing it here, the Borghini is a bit larger than I thought.

[zorroflores]

That was a good exposure of facts in your review Sazerac, thanks for it.. and yes the Mega is really too mega...

[Gerry]

considering that 1km of writing is probably in the less than 15 pages range (actually, this figure is total speculation  )

Hmm...

 

1km = 1,000,000mm, right?

 

My uppercase letters are roughly 5mm, lowercase roughly 3mm, so let's call the average character 7mm (does that seem fair?) once you get through all the twists and turns. In a large moleskine I average roughly 40 characters per line, 30 lines per page, giving us about 8400mm of text per page.

 

So mayhap we can guesstimate 1km = roughly 119 pages of text in my hand in a large lined 240 page moleskine.

 

A few more than 15 pages, but your point is still definitely well taken. Perhaps not so cost effective if their ad copy can be taken literally.

 

Ryan.

I guess that the definition of 'writing' might even vary. Instead of trying to figure out the actual length of path travelled by the pen tip - I assumed that when someone spoke of a Km of writing, he meant 1 Km of script. So, taking similar figures to yours 30 lines per page, 6" per line I ended up with 15' per page, and approximately 218 pages per Km.

 

Since the pens might run up to three times that, one could guess 200 - 600 pages for the lifetime of the tips.

 

Not FP performance (at least not an Iridium point), but not quite disposable.

 

Note that the calculations assume a rather full page. Unusual for most people on the average.

 

Regards,

 

Gerry