Rotring Tikky Rollerpoint 0.5 mm Blue Review

The Rotring Tikky Rollerpoint is an amazing pen, but even amazing pens are not for everyone.

If you have ever asked me for a pen recommendation, the first response you received from me is “What will you be using the pen for?”, that is, if you haven’t laid it out for me already. It is an important question because I want to help you find the best pen for the best situation. Not all pens are created equal!

This Tikky Rollerpoint is one of the most impressive pens I have ever had the pleasure of holding. The weight and feel of the barrel are phenomenal and you can tell by holding it that a lot of thought went in to the design. The needle tip is extremely firm as well.

Where I found the pen getting off track was in the ink flow department. It flows fast and I had to pick up the writing pace to keep ahead of the ink bleeding. For me, it doesn’t fit my style of writing. The output does look impressive on the page though.

Where I see this pen fitting in is with a long form writing style. If you are a cursive note taker or journaler who knocks out several pages in one sitting I would recommend taking a look at this pen. It reminds me of the Pilot V7, which is one of the best needle tip liquid ink pens on the market. If you are more of a stop and start, detailed note taker like me, then you may want to look at a gel ink needle tip pen.

Pen choices are nearly endless. Be sure to take the time to understand the pros and cons of each pen and how it would apply to your situation. Your next favorite pen is out there somewhere.

Retro 51 Tornado Classic Lacquers Roller Ball Pen Review

If you know me at all then you know that The Pen Addict was not created around 0.7 mm roller ball pens. It is sub 0.5 mm or bust around here, and the majority of pens I review that are 0.7 mm or wider are usually just that. Not this Retro 51 Tornado. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good.

I have known of Retro 51 pens and pencil for years, but until JetPens started carrying them I never had the opportunity to try one. Even then I was hesitant, but the classic barrel design drew me in. The Classic Lacquers Series feature a stainless steel body with a high gloss lacquer overlay. This makes all of the barrel colors in the series really pop. The knurled twist-top is the very definition of +1.

As beautiful as the barrel is, the quality of the refill is going to make or break the pen. I had zero expectations that it was going to work for me, but I am continually impressed by it. The tip is very smooth and, most importantly, the ink does not bleed like many 0.7 mm cartridges do. Is there some bleed? Sure, it is inevitable with this size tip and liquid ink. But compared to many other similar refills it is superior, at least in my non-scientific mind.

Does anyone else feel the same way about this refill and how this pen writes, or am I delusional? To me, it is better than any other similar refill I have tried. It is a telling sign that I keep my orange Retro 51 within arms reach among the jungle of 0.3 mm gel ink pens on my desk.

Parker IM Roller Ball Review

For a blog that reviews pens you would think that I would have reviewed a Parker or two over the years, but it hasn’t happened until now. The Parker IM Roller Ball is my first foray into the Parker market, and one of the first Parkers carried by JetPens.

Before I get into the review, let me tell you why it has taken me so long to try out a Parker. It is pretty simple really - there are no viable sub 0.5mm refills. If anyone has any suggestions I am all ears. This is not Parkers fault. In this category of pen, it’s not even easy to find refills under 0.7mm, although it can be done. This is what the mass market consumer wants, and by gosh, that is what they are going to get.

I’m here to change that, one micro tip at a time.

Before I go off on one of my anti-mainstream rants, let me give this pen a proper review, because I was pleasantly surprised by it. First off, the barrel is serious business. Weighing in at 1.27 oz. (a basic Pilot Hi-Tec-C is 0.37 oz. for comparison), is has a nice heft in the hand, but is not too heavy to where you will tire of writing with it. The black matte finish with chrome accents - including the famous arrow clip - are sharp looking.

The ink cartridge is an 0.7mm liquid ink cartridge. It works great if that is your preferred writing ink, but I am going to be looking at swapping it for a gel ink refill. There were no issues with this ink though. Just take a look at the writing sample above and you will see how nice it is.

If you handed me this pen blindly and asked me how much it cost based on feel and performance alone, I would have guessed $40-$50. At just $15, it feels like a steal, and might turn me into a Parker user after all.