Uni-ball Signo 307 Gel Ink Pen Review

The Uni-ball Signo 307 is an interesting pen for many reasons. To most people it's just some pen they grab off the shelf at Wal-Mart (ok, that's where I bought mine too), but for someone like me, this simple pen opens up a Pandora's box of questions.

What exactly is Uni-ball trying to do with this pen? Is this a replacement to the Signo 207, which is likely their top selling gel ink pen of all time? Or is it to sit alongside the 207 on the shelf? I'd check with Uni-ball, but the 307 is not listed on the North American site (or the Japanese site for that matter), the latest Press Room document is from 2008, and both their Twitter and Facebook feeds have not been updated since December 2013. The lack of social media updates is somewhat shocking in this day and age.

So, I'm left to do my best and answer any questions I have about this pen myself.

Is this a replacement to the Signo 207? I have to say yes. The general shape, design, and features of the pen mimic the 207, and improve the pen in some areas. Where the tip cone and clip in the 207 were metal, they are plastic in the 307. I wasn't sure how this would work, but it works well. The 307 is a quieter pen when writing than the 207 and I think the full plastic build is why. There was also a visual update on the 307, with a subtle grid gradient on the barrel. Including the black tip, the entire graphics overhaul is nice.

Ink wise, it writes wonderfully. According to the packaging, the 307 is skip-free and I found that to be the case. The 207 did have issues with skipping from time to time - the blue ink primarily in my experience - and the new models have none of that. They also feature Uni-ball's Super Ink technology, which makes the ink waterproof and fraud resistant. The new refill is marked UMR-87E, while the refill in one of my older black 0.7mm 207's is marked UMR-87. At some point in the last couple of years Uni-ball did start using Super Ink in the 207 but I'm not sure when exactly, and I'm not sure if the refill designation denotes that or not. Maybe Uni-ball can clear this...oh nevermind.

I will say that the ink color is darker in the older UMR-87 refill compared to the UMR-87E refill. It's close - close enough that 99% of users wouldn't notice - but I do see a slight difference when the ink dries.

What happens next with the 307 will determine the future of this pen. Will it be available in different tip sizes such as 0.38 mm, 0.5 mm, and 1.0 mm like the 207? How about the rainbow of colors offered previously? Will the BLX line convert over to the 307 as well? I would like all of those things to happen personally. The 307 is a very good pen and an upgrade to the 207. Maybe Uni-ball will let us know one day. Or, maybe it will just show up at Wal-Mart.

Sakura Ballsign Knock Gel Ink Pen Review

When I think Sakura, I think of only one pen: The Sakura Pigma Micron. This art/drawing/sketch pen is ubiquitous, appearing in creators pen stashes all over the world. Sakura makes other pens too, like the Grosso that I was a fan of back in the day, with the Sakura Ballsign Knock Gel the most recent to land on my desk.

The Ballsign is your basic entry level micro tip gel ink pen. Simple plastic construction, lightweight, knock retractable mechanism, 0.4 mm conical tip - pretty much how you would draw it up. One addition on the Ballsign is the presence of an elastomer grip, which is essentailly a grippy overlay that works surprisingly well. I actually didn't notice it at first. I thought it was just the standard plastic barrel continued through the grip, but I realized soon my fingers weren't slipping at all and the elastomer grip was why.

When writing, the Ballsign feels a lot like its competition. The lines are solid and sharp, although oddly enough I felt the orange lines were cleaner than the blue black. The colors look spot on too, at least on the two of the 15 colors I tried out. Another interesting takeaway is that the Ballsign refills match the shape and design of the Uni-ball RT1, so it could fit in those barrels that use RT, 207, and Jetstream refills if you are so inclined.

The Ballsign is not a world beater, but it is a solid option in the world of micro gel ink pens. For me, they rank lower than the Uni-ball Signo DX, RT1, and 207, as well as the Zebra Sarasa Clip and Pilot Juice. It falls in the Pentel Slicci/Muji Gel range, which is a good spot to be. Give them a shot, especially if you want to try some of the more interesting colors like brown black, red orange, and cherry pink.

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

Top 5 Micro Tip Gel Ink Pens

I have been getting several emails a week asking for pen recommendations, so I have decided to break down some of the questions into very specific lists. This is not my personal Top 5 List, but like that list, it will be constantly changing and evolving, so I will try to update as needed.

One of the main questions I get is concerning gel ink pens and all of the micro tip options. I consider a micro tip a pen with an 0.5mm tip size or less. 0.5mm is really pushing it on the upper end, but since some manufacturers actually market that size as micro, I’ll go with the flow.

My recommendations for the Top 5 Micro Tip Gel Ink Pens are:

1. 
   

   Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38mm Black
   If you have never bought a pen under 0.7mm, much less 0.5mm or smaller, this is where you should start if you want to get into the world of micro tip pens. The Signo DX writes incredibly well, with sharp lines and a dark black ink. The barrel is the perfect combination of minimalism and durability. I never have any issues with this pen, which makes it my top reccomendation.

   
   


2. 
   

   Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.4mm Blue Black
   Many readers require that their pens be retractable, and the Sarasa Clip fits that bill as well as any. The blue black gel ink is one of the most popular around, and at just $2.00 per pen, the Sarasa Clip is a great value.

   
   


3. 
   

   Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle 0.35mm Blue
   This pen has been a real sleeper hit. Admittedly, the 0.35 needle tip lays down a line closer to some 0.5mm pens, but wow does it write well. It is a wonderfully designed pen, and the blue ink is my favorite of the bunch.

   
   


4. 
   

   Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.4mm Grip Black
   While this would rank higher on my personal list, I almost never recommend the Hi-Tec-C to first time buyers. The pens tend to be a little finicky on occasion, mainly the ink flow when starting to write. If you are willing to work past that, they are awesome to write with, and are the best sketching/drawing pen of the bunch.

   
   


5. 
   

   Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.38mm Lavender Black
   Why not have some fun? The Lavender Black is one of my favorite non-standard colors. And if the regular RT barrel isn’t for you, these refills pop right into any Uni-Ball 207 barrel, including the Premier.

   
   

Those are my recommendations for the Top 5 Micro Tip Gel Ink Pens. What are your favorites in this category? What other categories would you like me to cover next?