Schon DSGN Anniversary Rollerball Pen Review

Q: Is there such a thing as a rollerball pen that takes fountain pen ink?

A: Yes!

Q: Is there such a thing as a good rollerball pen that takes fountain pen ink?

A: Well, …

Fountain pen ink compatible rollerball pens have been around for as long as I have been writing this blog. In general, they have been hit or miss, where “hit” means “passable on a good day.” There have been downright bad ones that I have tested, like the Kaweco Sport Roller and J. Herbin models, plus decent ones that get recommended sometimes, like the Monteverde Engage and One Touch. There has been one great one that has crossed my desk, the Pilot V5 Hi-Techpoint, but it is not easy to find, and not the style of pen many people want.

The issue with the rollerball fountain pen-in my unscientific experience-is that fountain pen ink isn’t as lubricated as other standard inks, which allows the ink to flow smoothly through the metal roller ball tip. Whenever I’ve tested these pens in the past, it has been a dry, scratchy experience. The needle-tip design of the Hi-Techpoint delivers the ink better than the rest, but that design is specific to Pilot.

Other manufacturers, such as Montegrappa, use the Schmidt Cartridge-Rollerball-System PRS tip, as do many smaller makers. That’s the tip used in the Schon DSGN Anniversary Edition, and that I’ve been testing out for months. And you know what? It’s better than expected. That’s why the two Montegrappa pens are the most recommended in this category, and why custom makers are beginning to mix this option into their lineups.

Schon DSGN sent me the full Anniversary kit (fountain, ballpoint, and rollerball fittings,) for review, but this pen is also available in a rollerball-only version. And, already owning several Schon DSGN Pocket Six fountain pens and Ballpoint pens, I wanted to give the rollerball a full go.

The rollerball tip is designed for use with international cartridges and converters, specifically short international in the case of this Schon DSGN model. I chose Graf von Faber Castell Olive Green cartridges for my first attempt, and this ink has been a perfect match.

The biggest concern of this setup is the feel of the tip as it writes on the page. I expected dry and scratchy based on previous experiences, and my expectations were unfounded. The ink flowed well, and I couldn’t feel the metal hitting the paper. The experience is, dare I say, nice. Is it on the level of the Schmidt P8127 rollerball for smoothness? No, but your ink options are essentially endless. I think that is a fair trade.

Now, have I tested this with a wide range of ink types? No. Do I expect all inks to behave as well as this one? Also no. But I don’t have that expectation with my fountain pen nibs, either. GvFC Olive Green is a standard, moderate ink, which fits this pen well.

Outside of the rollerball tip, which is ostensibly what this is a review of, the rest of the Schon DSGN Anniversary Pen represents everything I already love about Schon DSGN pens. The smaller-sized barrel is a great size, the machining tolerances are on point, and brass is a beautiful material for a pocket pen like this that is designed to show wear and tear.

The only question I have when using this pen is to post the cap, or not? It’s a tweener, meaning it’s too short unposted to write for long sessions, and too back-heavy when posted due to the added weight of the brass. For most of my writing with it, I post the cap.

Would I recommend the Schon DSGN Rollerball? Yes. For personal use, I think I would get along with the lighter weight aluminum barrel better, but there is something about the brass patina that makes me keep reaching for this one.

Now, it is time to experiment with inks!

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

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Uni-ball Vision Ultra Micro 0.38 mm Review

I’ve had these Uni-ball Vision Ultra Micro rollerball pens in hand for nearly a year now. Uni-ball was kind enough to send them to me, along with some other goods, and I was planning on reviewing them sooner. I swear!

The one thing that held me back was their actual release into stores. They hadn’t really hit the market this time last year, and looking around today, it looks like they are barely available still. Aside from Uni-ball directly, my search only turned them up from Office Depot and Walmart. Not even the Amazon behemoth lists them.

So, what gives? Welcome to the reason I launched The Pen Addict. Micro tip pens will never be the darlings that their 0.7 mm and 1.0 mm counterparts are. Fans of those types of pens have to work to find the pens that they love the most.

Luckily, we have wonderful companies like JetPens to feed our inky addictions. Just don’t expect the big box retailers to ever fully come on board. There is a reason why the G-Tec-C and Signo DX live on a single peg on the bottom shelf of the pen aisle - if at all - regardless of Pilot and Uni-ball’s best intentions. That’s what the market dictates.

With that realization out of the way, let me tell you specifically about these Vision Ultra Micro pens. They’re fantastic. And I don’t say that lightly, because the traditional 0.7 mm Uni-ball Vision is one of my least favorite pens, ever. Why? They can be an inky mess.

If you like wide, bold lines from your liquid ink pens, the standard Vision is a good option. I know friends who swear by them, and artists that use them on the regular. I don’t deal with those wide, wet lines as well as others.

The Vision Ultra Micro though? This tip size mitigates my complaints completely. These pens are fantastic. The line on the page lands somewhere around an 0.4/0.5 mm gel ink pen line, which is great for my regular writing. Artists may like the finer option as well. Could there be a slight bit of feathering or bleed on the wrong paper? Yes, but it is minimal.

Outside of the writing experience, everything else about this pen is pure Vision. Same style, barrel shape, clip, ink formulation - everything. I have no issues recommending these to anyone, but don’t get them confused with the litany of other Vision (or Eye, depending on where you live) pens. I don’t think the wider-tip sizes are a good choice, and I think the Needle model is downright bad. The Vision Elite? It is such a good pen that it doesn’t deserve to be lumped in with the rest of the Vision crew.

Just like the Vision Ultra Micro.

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

Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pen Review

As a Caran d’Ache 849 fan, I’ll admit I was concerned when I saw the first images of the new 849 Rollerball. Residing squarely on the CHONKY side of the size ledger, would this break the magic spell the traditional-sized 849 Ballpoint had on me?

Yes, but that’s a good thing.

The 849 Rollerball is not your Grandmother’s Ecridor. It is not my 849 Ballpoint, or my beloved Fixpencil. What it is is an answer to all of those who previously wished for an 849, but bigger. The Cd’A Rollerball is the pen for you.

This is a legitimately big pen. The marketing says the Rollerball is 28% bigger than the Ballpoint, and that seems about right. My unscientific measurements had the diameter of the Rollerball in the grip area (flat side to flat side) at 10.62 mm, with the Ballpoint checking in at 8.13 mm. In comparison, a standard Retro 51 is at 10 mm in the middle of the grip area, with a taper - wider and narrower - in both directions.

28% may not seem that big of a difference on paper, but in a pen build that is a huge difference. The way these two pens are designed, it looks like the Ballpoint could fit completely inside the Rollerball, like it ate it for lunch.

The question you have to answer is: Is this a bad thing? After having it in hand and using it for a few days, I have to say no. I kind of like the size of it for something different. Somehow, it works, even though I was admittedly unsure about it at first.

Caran d’Ache mitigated the size of the pen with the proper refill choice. The black 0.7 mm Parker-style rollerball refill glides across the page, leaving a smooth, dark line in its wake. I’m a believer that the wider the pen barrel, the wider the refill (or nib, for fountain pens) needs to be. By default, your fingers and grip are wider, which generally leads to wider writing motions, and less precision. The 849 Rollerball and rollerball ink refill are a good match.

It feels good to use, too. The hexagonal barrel works well for me and my traditional grip. Those with a non-standard grip may need to think about how the ridges hit their fingers and if it would be comfortable. I think that is even more of a consideration with this wider barrel compared to the smaller 849’s.

Aesthetically, it is a stunner. Yes, a pen this simple, with classic Caran d’Ache design cues, is right in my sweet spot. At launch, Cd’A went with basic barrel colors - White, Black, Red, Blue, Grey - which is their norm. Once the larger Rollerball proves itself, they will begin to mix in colors and patterns - hopefully. I have no reason to think it won’t make a mark in their product lineup.

The only kicker I find is the price. For what Caran d’Ache is, and what they bring to the table, $46 seems about right. With a huge swath of 849 ballpoints available for $20 or less, I would have love to seen this model launch in the $36-$39 range for the basic colors, then mix in more premium designs and colors around $50, but Cd’A gonna Cd’A. It is priced fairly, sitting right in the premium Retro 51 rollerball range.

Caran d’Ache makes high quality, wonderfully designed, premium stationery products. Why I expected something different this time around I have no idea, but I’m glad the 849 Rollerball hits all the right marks and is as enjoyable to look at as it is to use.

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

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