Best Pen(S) Under $150? (Ballpoint/rollerball Only)

[thecrafter]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a new pen. Been using a cheap Parker Classic but I feel I may have gotten a fake, and just looking for something better.

 

It must be under $150, rollerball or ballpoint only (not interested in fountains) and must be slim like the Parker Classic or Cross Century. Oh, also must be retractable or twist, not with a cap.

 

Can you recommend some?

Edited November 7, 2011 by thecrafter

[Woody]

What makes you suspect you have a fake?

[thecrafter]

What makes you suspect you have a fake?

I wasn't suspecting until today when I decided to look up how to tell a fake Parker pen online, and came on an article that gave some tips, sadly none pertaining to my Classic, but they did mention Parker boxes/packages and said that genuine ones should have the registered trademark sign on the box. My box doesn't have that, although the manual it came with does, and the manual looks legit. Either way it doesn't really matter it cost me maybe $15-20 but I'd like something of higher quality. I'm especially disappointed with the ink. I bought a Parker gel-based ink and it's just awful.

[jjdeal]

So,this is the FOUNTAIN PEN NETWORK. Why do you think we would at all be interested in recommending a ballpoint or rollerball pen? I think you need to find another site to ask this question. We are about fountain pens (see the title of the site) and your admission that you are not interested in fountain pens tellsme you are in the WRONG place.

[nxn96]

Parker also made a pen called "Insignia" that was meant to replace the Classic as their premium (as compared to a Jotter) bp/mp line. Thin profile, twist mechanism. No longer made, but it was a nice set and you see them on eBay with a reasonable degree of regularity. I've read elsewhere that this was a common pen to fake. Don't know for sure if that's true, but as in all things, know your seller.

 

In the current Parker line, Sonnet ballpoints often come in a "thin" profile as well as the standard profile.

 

I've used both and found them to be nice pens.

 

Edit to add: Just saw your reply noting that you weren't impressed with the Parker refills. I've found the Inoxcrom refills that fit Parkers often perform better than the actual Parker refills.

 

Hope that helps.

Edited November 7, 2011 by nxn96

[Oranges and Apples]

One of these bad boys: http://www.spacepen.com/originalastronautspacepen.aspx

[Alohamora]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a new pen. Been using a cheap Parker Classic but I feel I may have gotten a fake, and just looking for something better.

 

It must be under $150, rollerball or ballpoint only (not interested in fountains) and must be slim like the Parker Classic or Cross Century. Oh, also must be retractable or twist, not with a cap.

 

Can you recommend some?

 

 

It's the refill rather than the pen that determines the writing quality. Get whatever appeals to you esthetically so long as it takes either Parker or Cross refills. If you get something Parker compatible, you'll have a wide choice of 3rd party refills that will fit.

 

Since you like slim pens, Cross would be my recommendation, just because of how Cross stands behind their products with warranty service. The nicest refill I found that fits Cross BPs is the Monteverde Softroll.

 

Still, I have to say this- If you want the best writing experience, ballpoints don't come anywhere close to what a fountain pen offers.

[PAKMAN]

Pelikan M800 blue stripe twist action ballpoint, it takes Parker style refils. (then get the M800 FP to go with it!! he he)

[PianoMan14]

So,this is the FOUNTAIN PEN NETWORK. Why do you think we would at all be interested in recommending a ballpoint or rollerball pen? I think you need to find another site to ask this question. We are about fountain pens (see the title of the site) and your admission that you are not interested in fountain pens tellsme you are in the WRONG place.

 

I don't think a reply like that is quite necessary. Many of us, including me, appreciate a good rollerball.

 

Here are my personal favorites for rollerballs (I don't think you will want a ballpoint):

 

- Zebra Sharbo X (This is a multipen, but a very nice one. There is a review on penaddict.)

- TuffWriter or Surefire ballpoints. Heavy, but indestructible.

- Any one of the Pelikan rollerballs; their refills are among the best.

- This might be a little expensive, you should email Brian to make sure, but the Edison Pen Company makes nice custom rollerballs.

 

You also might want to check out the Pilot-Namiki Vanishing Point. It is a fountain pen, but it is retractable and the F nib will write on any paper. I use mine for lab notebooks and notes.

[Oranges and Apples]

So,this is the FOUNTAIN PEN NETWORK. Why do you think we would at all be interested in recommending a ballpoint or rollerball pen? I think you need to find another site to ask this question. We are about fountain pens (see the title of the site) and your admission that you are not interested in fountain pens tellsme you are in the WRONG place.

 

I don't think a reply like that is quite necessary. Many of us, including me, appreciate a good rollerball.

 

Here are my personal favorites for rollerballs (I don't think you will want a ballpoint):

 

- Zebra Sharbo X (This is a multipen, but a very nice one. There is a review on penaddict.)

- TuffWriter or Surefire ballpoints. Heavy, but indestructible.

- Any one of the Pelikan rollerballs; their refills are among the best.

- This might be a little expensive, you should email Brian to make sure, but the Edison Pen Company makes nice custom rollerballs.

 

You also might want to check out the Pilot-Namiki Vanishing Point. It is a fountain pen, but it is retractable and the F nib will write on any paper. I use mine for lab notebooks and notes.

 

 

I think it was said with a light-heart.

 

The Pilot Vanishing Point does come in a ballpoint as well as a fountain pen and if I remember correctly, the ballpoint version of the Pilot Vanishing Point is quite slim.

[heineda]

Way below your price point but the Retro 51 retractable rollerball's are outstanding. They use a cartridge with Private Reserve ink, which means you have all of the convenience of a rollerball, but it writes like a fountain pen. I love mine!!!!

[thecrafter]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Has anyone had experience with both Cross Century and Parker Classic? Which was better?

[fast14riot]

Personally, I can't use a FP for all my writing tasks at work, so I carry a Zebra F701 modified by me. Fisher space pen refill, stainless button collar swap, customized click weight, clip and nose cone options as well. All stainless, good weight, and indestructible. Plus can be done for about $20.

 

 

-Xander

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do I smell a troll...?

[inkyleftie]

Totally agree with Alohamora. For a ballpoint or a rollerball, it's all about the quality of the refill. The pen body is just a case or 'carrier' for the refill, so you should look for something that is comfortable to hold, has a reliable mechanism where appropriate, and ideally that pleases you aesthetically! Price point isn't necessarily the best indicator either.

[lovemy51]

IMO, a $150 BP will perform the same as a .50 cents one. just get a bic stick pen.

[lovemy51]

edited cos' i realized it was of very bad taste!!!

 

thanx to those who pointed it out!!

Edited November 9, 2011 by lovemy51

[eric47]

IMO, a $150 BP will perform the same as a .50 cents one. just get a bic stick pen.

 

Yep just like a cheap Hero copy will perform the same as Parker 51 -- they often look the same, don't they?

 

Man, a little too much of the fountain pen kool-aid. Why you think the poster is trolling is beyond me. As witnessed already in this thread there are people who post on FPN that like writing instruments in general, be they fountain pens, ball points, rollers, pencils, crayons, etc.

 

Much the way not all nibs are created equally, so too with BP and RB refills. The same considerations that go into deciding a FP enter in when deciding other writing instruments, e.g the OP said no screw on cap, balance, overall weight, aesthetics, etc.

Edited November 8, 2011 by eric47

[kaissa]

In the current Parker line, Sonnet ballpoints often come in a "thin" profile as well as the standard profile.

 

+1. http://www.parkerpen.com/en/discovery/product/sonnet_slim. It cost much less than 150 USD as well.

 

As others have mentioned it is the perfect refill for you that you need to find first and then the pen. There are a lot of choices for Parker compatibles, Cross not that much. Sheaffer, Montblanc are very limited in number of varieties.

 

Regards,

[WillSW]

I would get a (what I already have!) vintage Jotter or stick with the Classic, or maybe even try a cap-actuated Parker. It's really all about the refill. For thick or thin lines I would suggest Visconti refills (except in brown), for thin lines I suggest Curtis (I am currently using a Curtis blue and it is lovely) and for thick lines Itoya or Private Reserve make good ones. Oh yeah, and Moleskine just started making pretty good Parker-style gel refills that fit the bill.

 

As others have said, there are many more good options for Parker than Cross, especially if you're looking for a gel or rollerball feel rather than the typical ballpoint.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Well perhaps they don't have a Roller ball or Ball Point Com.

 

I've not used a roller ball in 25 years...lack of parts in Germany...until just recently.

 

In that when I got back to fountain pens 3 or so years ago, I had 200 free ball points, I had no need for a roller ball.

 

OK, like cartridges, roller ball refills are very expensive. Some one who knows said, it costs $350 a year for roller ball refills.

 

Us bottle* babies, could float a battle ship with $350 worth of great inks. *Ink bottles. Lets call that 20-30 bottles of ink....three years worth maybe more.

 

Thecrafter We are a mad house with the nuts in charge.

 

Now to do some Mountain William fishing. 1/4 stick of dynamite and a net.

 

Roller balls are nice second class pens, that have a few advantages. Ball points also have a few advantages still. On the whole a ball point is like plowing the south 40 with out the mule. One needs to lift weights to use a ball point pen.

 

 

How ever fountain pens are all about having fun.

 

Writing is 1/3 nib width and flex, 1/3 paper and 1/3 inks in that order.

There are hundreds of inks.

Roller balls are ink color limited....unless you home

fill.

 

 

Roller balls, don't have width and flex fun of good nibs. So there is no real reason to get involved with paper, or shading inks.

 

Yep it's all about having fun scribbling.

Why some even learn to write real fancy like 100 or more years ago....for the sheer fun of it. :blink:

Edited November 8, 2011 by Bo Bo Olson