All-Metal Rollerball?

[Zig the Pirate]

I'm looking for your opinions for a new EDC pen. It has to be all metal (steel, aluminum, doesn't matter) and under $20.
I prefer rollerballs, somewhere in the .3 to .5mm range. Clicky or cap, doesn't matter.

Does anything on the market come close? I'd be okay getting a good pen that DOESN'T write as smooth, if I know I can just drop in a .3mm Energel refill.
I'm stocked on G2 refills.

 

[Fred D]

Retro 51 is supposed to make nice rollerball pens, and I think they are in your price range depending on where you look. I've seen them for $25.

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[ylekot]

Retro 51 is supposed to make nice rollerball pens, and I think they are in your price range depending on where you look. I've seen them for $25.

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That P-51 pen is cool! The proprietary refill would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Whiterook]

You might consider the all stainless Parker Jotter with a gel refill installed.

 

[Fred D]

That P-51 pen is cool! The proprietary refill would be a deal breaker for me.

I think there is a Schmidt refill that works in this pen also, but I can't say for sure as I don't own this pen. I've also seen a YouTube video that shows how to hack the Retro refill to use fountain pen ink.

 

[Jut]

You might consider the all stainless Parker Jotter with a gel refill installed.

Exactly what I did.

 

[Zig the Pirate]

Looks like loading a metal pen with a quality refill is the way to go. I already have a Parker Jotter.

I really like the Zebra G-750, but it uses skinny refills (not a G2 style) and I have to trim down another brand's refills.

 

[Rhody]

Look at the lamy safari line.

 

[ylekot]

I think there is a Schmidt refill that works in this pen also, but I can't say for sure as I don't own this pen. I've also seen a YouTube video that shows how to hack the Retro refill to use fountain pen ink.

Too much work for a pen in my opinion, and being a lefty fountain pen ink just makes a huge smudgy mess

 

[Fred D]

Too much work for a pen in my opinion, and being a lefty fountain pen ink just makes a huge smudgy mess

I completely agree, that was my first thought when watching the video. I just wanted to show some of the options I saw available.

I'm also a lefty so I also understand that. However, I don't have any trouble with ink getting smudged with fountain pens. I just do the side and above writing, it's kind of natural for me to write that way because that's what I learned to do as a young child.

 

[ylekot]

I completely agree, that was my first thought when watching the video. I just wanted to show some of the options I saw available.

I'm also a lefty so I also understand that. However, I don't have any trouble with ink getting smudged with fountain pens. I just do the side and above writing, it's kind of natural for me to write that way because that's what I learned to do as a young child.

When I was a youngster they tried very hard to cure my left handed handicap!

 

[tankerjohn]

That P-51 pen is cool! The proprietary refill would be a deal breaker for me.

The P-51 is a cool pen! I have the fountain pen version. But I've got a bunch of rollerball Retro 51s and heartily recommend them. The refills are not proprietary; just an ordinary Schmidt 8127 refills. Yeah, they're Retro 51-branded in the pen and they sell the Retro-51 branded ones separately. But any Schmidt will fit (see what I did there?) A lot of people like the Schmidt P8126 for finer point. It will also fit Parker refills, if you prefer, including Space Pen pressurized refills with the converter thing. And there are a ton of Parker-style refills out there. Also, with a little googling, you'll find hacks to fit just about any other refill you like. In particular, the Pilot G2 refills are a popular hack.

 

[ylekot]

The P-51 is a cool pen! I have the fountain pen version. But I've got a bunch of rollerball Retro 51s and heartily recommend them. The refills are not proprietary; just an ordinary Schmidt 8127 refills. Yeah, they're Retro 51-branded in the pen and they sell the Retro-51 branded ones separately. But any Schmidt will fit (see what I did there?) A lot of people like the Schmidt P8126 for finer point. It will also fit Parker refills, if you prefer, including Space Pen pressurized refills with the converter thing. And there are a ton of Parker-style refills out there. Also, with a little googling, you'll find hacks to fit just about any other refill you like. In particular, the Pilot G2 refills are a popular hack.

View attachment 1310687

Oh great ANOTHER rabbit hole!!! LOL Thank you for the info, they are great looking pens.

 

[Fred D]

The P-51 is a cool pen! I have the fountain pen version. But I've got a bunch of rollerball Retro 51s and heartily recommend them. The refills are not proprietary; just an ordinary Schmidt 8127 refills. Yeah, they're Retro 51-branded in the pen and they sell the Retro-51 branded ones separately. But any Schmidt will fit (see what I did there?) A lot of people like the Schmidt P8126 for finer point. It will also fit Parker refills, if you prefer, including Space Pen pressurized refills with the converter thing. And there are a ton of Parker-style refills out there. Also, with a little googling, you'll find hacks to fit just about any other refill you like. In particular, the Pilot G2 refills are a popular hack.

View attachment 1310687

Excellent info. Thanks!

 

[tankerjohn]

Thanks guys! Oh yeah man, Retro's are huge rabbit hole. They do a ton of special editions. A lot of them don't appeal to me, but so many of them are GREAT! Like how could I not get that tank one?! But I really have to restrain myself. And they're very affordable too, which is dangerous in its own way. If they were $300, I'd say they were cool but no way. But when its like $50? Take my money!

 

[Whiterook]

Looks like loading a metal pen with a quality refill is the way to go. I already have a Parker Jotter.

I really like the Zebra G-750, but it uses skinny refills (not a G2 style) and I have to trim down another brand's refills.

Parker make a Gel refill for the Jotter which I like. Confusingly they call it a G2. Have you tried that one?

 

[Zig the Pirate]

Parker make a Gel refill for the Jotter which I like. Confusingly they call it a G2. Have you tried that one?

I haven't heard of that. Searching away I go...

 

[Legion]

I bought this pen off AliExpress, and it didn’t cost much over $20US. It’s solid titanium, and came with both fp and rollerball insides (Parker type refill). I’ve been using it as my edc since I got it. Great value.

 

[dojpros]

Huge fan of the pentel energel lines.

All metal can be had for 7ish shipped.

Often cheaper to buy "refills" by buying the plastic pens in bulk and "gutting" the pen.

Love them.

Makes a G2 feel grainy by comparison.

https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-EnerGel-Medium-Silver-BL407BP/dp/B0026ZPWZA/ref=sxts_rp_s4_0?cv_ct_cx=pentel+energel&dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwmeiIBhA6EiwA-uaeFZ7mvNNcUYmn4F97SK9tvSqiGAMfdZx7GawD-zTPtrT7_3Az-UjpBBoC_OcQAvD_BwE&hvadid=241949515649&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9023227&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8643548823583422275&hvtargid=kwd-488949605&hydadcr=24661_10400816&keywords=pentel+energel&pd_rd_i=B0026ZPWZA&pd_rd_r=2682e798-541d-4e2d-afa1-1d66b4cbab10&pd_rd_w=YvGgx&pd_rd_wg=Mrzpv&pf_rd_p=c6bde456-f877-4246-800f-44405f638777&pf_rd_r=8V2TEKKZ52KFKCSQ2P3Q&psc=1&qid=1629130922&sr=1-4-f0029781-b79b-4b60-9cb0-eeda4dea34d6

 

[D.Gray]

I carry a Parker Urban with the Gel ink refill. The gel ink is bulletproof

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