Posts filed under Ballograf

Ballograf Epoca Medalist Ballpoint Pen Review

As a ballpoint pen fan, I can’t help but have a healthy dose of respect for Ballograf. I hesitate to call it the official pen of Sweden, but given it’s origination there in the 1960’s, and the continued production of over 4 million pens a year in Gothenburg, I think it’s a safe bet that it is.

I’ve reviewed the Epoca P previously, which is their standard ballpoint pen offering. The Epoca Medalist, which I’m taking a look at today, keeps the same overall shape and refill, and upgrades the exterior with a chrome upper barrel, and gold trim. It also upgrades the price from $6.50 to $12.00. Is it worth it? Let’s find out.

The one thing that I know I like about the Epoca is the ballpoint refill. It ships with a Medium Blue that writes like a Fine. That is right up my alley, especially with ballpoints that get too wide sometimes. This one isn’t, and has the added bonus of being a very clean writer. I can put up with a lot of things, but messy, sticky ballpoint ink is not one of them.

One thing I don’t like its tip rattle, and the Medalist has some. It’s not constant like it was with my Epoca P, but it was there from time to time on certain rotations of the barrel in hand. A little washi tape makes it better, but no, you shouldn’t have to add it. I’ll be adding it right after this review, because I want to keep using this pen.

Why do I want to keep using it? Because it writes well, and looks cool. I do have a question about the looks though: is this really a metal barrel?

*There is a smooth spot for engraving on the barrel, but I would be hesitant to try that given the underlying plastic barrel.*

The product description on JetPens states This Epoca Medalist pen features a two-tone metal upper barrel and a colorful resin grip section,” while on the Ballograf site simply calls it a “chrome upper.” To me, this means plated, or metal in color only. Even the weight between the two pens is the same at 13 grams each. So, don’t get confused that this is an aluminum barrel, or a brass base with a chrome overlay. It’s plastic, with a metallic coating, which is completely fine in my book, if nothing else for balance purposes.

Given all of this, I’m hesitant to recommend the Medalist over the standard Epoca P at more than twice the price. I do love the art deco style of the Medalist, but the P has fun, bright colors, too, and if I were to pick one for myself, I’d go with that. For a gift, I would consider the Medalist.

Ballograf makes great pens that I enjoy using. The main challenge with them, and any other ballpoint pen, is the mere existence of the Uni-ball Jetstream. I don’t discount that, but I have fun with all types of ballpoints as long as they are good writers. And honestly, who else is offering Moose Crossing pens? Thank you, Sweden, and thank you, Ballograf.

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

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Posted on December 18, 2023 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Ballograf, Pen Reviews.

Ballograf Epoca P Ballpoint Pen Review

One of the most fun parts of being a pen addict is trying out stationery from all over the world. I’ve tried many pens from many countries, and am always on the lookout for more.

Ballograf was a name I was familiar with, but I had never tried this Swedish brand until two years ago when my friends from the country brought me one. It had a classic style that I loved, almost a throwback/retro look, and it felt great to use. They told me these pens were EVERYWHERE in Sweden, from offices, to banks, to schools, to homes. Ballograf is Swedens pen.

As it should be. The company was started there in 1945, was owned by Bic from 1959 to 2004, and returned to Swedish ownership from then onwards.

The history of the brand is on display with the Ballograf Epoca P ballpoint pen. This pen is a throwback, but in browsing through the history of the company I think it is more fair to say it has never changed. And that is ok by me.

The design and colors of the Epoca are right out of the era when it first launched and gained popularity. I chose Khaki Green to honor the heyday of 1970’s avocado green kitchenware. There are more modern colors available, like Heather Purple and Mint Green, but if I’m going throwback, I’m going all the way.

The plastic barrel of this pen is sturdy, and is comfortable to hold when writing. It looks like a simple design, but there are small elements like the octagonal upper barrel and clip detailing that set it apart from basic ballpoints.

The ballpoint ink cartridge is different too, in that the ink is rated as archival. Outside of the Uni-ball Jetstream, are there other ballpoint inks that claim this? Honestly, I’ll have to do more research on that. Mine shipped with a medium blue refill and it was finer and cleaner than I hoped it would be. So much so that I want to order the fine blue ballpoint refill to see just how perfect it could be.

As much as I like the Ballograf, it’s not all ABBA and IKEA here. This pen has a ton of tip rattle, or click-clack as I like to call it. You know that sound when the tip of the pen hits the page and you think “Who is using a typewriter in here?” The Epoca is not a quiet writer because of this. I’d be interested to try another one to see if it is consistent, or if this is manufacturing variance.

Also, I find the price to be interesting. At $6.50, it is not expensive in the grand scheme of things. Although relative to the competition, you could argue that it is. The Jetstream is half the price and is far superior. The Parker Jotter is twice as much and is practically the same. So, why do you want to own this pen?

For me, it is the statement pen for an entire country, and that is something I can get behind. I’m glad I have it, and I want another one to test out. In fact, looking through their catalog, there are several products I would jump at the chance to buy, with their chrome-barrel pens and pencils at the top of the list. Let’s do this Sweden!

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

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