rollerball kit opinions

[fafow]

I have never done a rollerball kit and I have a request for one now. He liked the size of my 7mm streamline pen but I have not seen any rollerball kits that small. From what I have been able to find, I am looking at the flat top, Zen, and Euro round top kits. I am leaning towards not using the Zen kit for two reasons. One is that Lou says it is a pig. I am not one to argue with his opinions [8D], and I don’t want to make a pig pen for a customer. The other is the strength of the magnet. I don’t want to have a potential issue with it getting too close to the magnetic strip on a credit card and knocking that out. I have seen that the flat top comes in a screw on cap or a snap cap. Is there an issue of concern with the screw-on cap coming off in a pocket? Is the snap cap a real pain to adjust? Once it is adjusted, does it need to be readjusted from time to time?

Also, what name-brand rollerball refills will fit in the flat top and the Euro round top pens?

Any thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Pig is such an elegant word coming from Lou. []

I had not thought about the magnet and credit cards. This is a good point and hard to overcome if a potential customer raises the same concern. The thing that I do not like about the Zen is the harsh transition from the barrel to the nib. In my way of thinking that pen is better suited for someone who hold a pen higher up on the barrel than someone that holds more down on the nib.

The screw action on most of the Euros leaves a lot to be desired. I think there is a metral on metal issue, but it has been a while since I have done one. You might give a Sedona a try. It is a little bigger than the Euro but a light weight blank would help, especially something in a redwood burl.

My personal preference on rollerball refills are the Schmidt 5888. Talk to Lou as he sells them at a great price. Personally I love a rollerball. Then again I am scared to try a FP as I might get hooked. We have a customer constantly tells us how great his Statesman writes with one of Lou's SF nibs. In the same breath he will complain about how much better it writes than his Mont Blanc.

Mike & Linda

 

[gerryr]

Phooey! What does Lou know??[}]

The Flattop American and European rollerball kits that Berea sells, and probably PSI also, are junk, plain and simple. They have metal to metal threads and they WILL un-thread themselves in a pocket. I don't find the snap cap all that difficult to adjust and, if forced to make a Flattop American, that's what I would use, but only in rhodium. I think your best bet for slim rollerball is either the Baron or Sedona from Arizone Silhouette, just make it B2B. It isn't actually much bigger than either the Flattop or Euro and definitely a better designed kit.

Schmidt refills are definitely superior to Hauser.

 

[toolcrazy]

You might look at the flat top american rollerball, it is smaller and sleaker that some of the other models. Screw top pens comming unscrewed is always a concern. You can minimize it with a gromet.

 

[Chuck Key]

Forget all the problems associated with threads. Go with the pig! Very unique and he will have something that is not common in the pen world at this point in time.

Chuckie

 

[Texatdurango]

Forget the PIG, go with a proven popular design.

Buy yourself a few Sierra kits, toss the stock ballpoint refills aside then drop Anthony (Penworks) a PM and order some of the Schneider "Gelion 39" rollerball refills he carries and you're in business! You'll have a snazzy pen with a rollerball that puts the others to shame... including those "so-so" Schmidt refills!

 

[SuperDave]

This thread poses an interesting question; one I have been ruminating on for several days.

I want to replace all my ballpoint refills with rollerballs. Is there a concise listing or dataset that lists which ballpoint styles can be replaced with which rollerballs?

D

 

[PenWorks]

Go with the PIG, unique, different, and it is actually a nice pen. JMO I would also second George's opinion []

I would definately not do a flattop or euro screw and I am not a fan of the snappers.

Dave, when you say ball point, you need to be a little more specific, are you talking about the Parker style ballpoints?
If so, you can buy a capless roller, gel, pressurized & highlighter in a parker style. The Schmidt "SUper bowl" are the capless rollers in parker style. The only other ballpoint that comes to mind we use, is a Cross style, I have not seen a rollerball in a cross style.

 

[SuperDave]

Anthony,

Yes, my bad, I am talking about the Parker Style ballpoints. I have about 30 or so that need replacing with a good rollerball. I think there are some Cross Style liquid ink refills available but not sure.

Thanks for the info. I assume the refills you referenced are on your site... me thinks I need to pay a cyber-visit!

Anthony, are the Schneider TopBall 850's a replacement for the Hausers?

D

 

[igran7]

Dave you can use the parker gel G-7 rollerball as a replacement for all your Parker style pens. Thats what i use and they work beautifully.

 

[igran7]

Craig definately ditch the Flat Top & Euro rollerball options, they are JUNK! I would either go with the pig, or put a rollerball refill in a Sierra kit as George stated.

 

[fafow]

Has the Zen had its name officially changed to pig? [] I ended up buying the flat top snap cap kit. If I am not satisfied with that then I'll go with the pig. I know there isn't much to the design of the pig, but for some reason it is starting to grow on me. Too bad they don't make it in a ti gold.

 

[jcollazo]

Originally posted by fafow

Too bad they don't make it in a ti gold.

You might want to look at Aaron's Stretch kit. It comes in ti gold.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=32002

 

[Texatdurango]

Originally posted by fafow

Has the Zen had its name officially changed to pig?

YES, the PIG is the official IAP name for the Zen. Some still call it the Zen PIG but simply calling it the PIG will suffice! []

 

[ed4copies]

I believe "Pig" is an offensive term! Ban George.

And, I like the pen.

I now carry one, Never have carried my credit cards in my shirt pocket with my pens - so if that's an issue - color me "unaffected".

 

[jimwill48]

I don't believe the magnet on the Zen Pen can hurt a mag strip on a CC. To damage a mag strip you need a super strong magnet that is creating a rotating magnetic field. Such as the demag device at a store check out. Or so I'm told! [8D]

James

 

[SuperDave]

Originally posted by igran7

Dave you can use the parker gel G-7 rollerball as a replacement for all your Parker style pens. Thats what i use and they work beautifully.

Joe,

Do you have a source or just go to the local office supply store?

Dave

 

[sbell111]

Office depot sells them.

 

[DCBluesman]

I just received a couple of sample of Schmidt's new easyFlow 9000 liquid ink refill. It is a direct replacement for a Parker style ballpoint refill. It is a capless system, advertised as not drying out for at least a year. It has a very nice flow and dries much faster than a gel. FYI, I don't believe folks mean G7, but G2 which is the new standard for describing this size and style of refill and not the contents.

 

[ed4copies]

Lou,

It has been duly noted that you avoided the "Pig" pen issue!!

BWAcckk Bwwaackkk - he's Chicken, man!!

 

[DCBluesman]

Ed - I thought I'd make one in pink ivory - a true pig! And yes, I'm thinking of trademarking that name for that style! (At least maybe I can grab some royalties on that ugly pen.) [8D]

 

[igran7]

Oops, I stand corrected. It is the Parker Gel refill .7 Medium ink, not G7 as I stated earlier.

Dave, I sent you a PM regarding the refills.

 

[fafow]

Hey hey hey... I thought I was going to make the pen out of pink ivory. Oh well. One less pen to make. I have enough to make right now anyway.

Lou, if you can trademark that name, go for it. That would be great. It would also end up forcing us to call it something else. well, it is something else, but I don't know what else we would call it.

 

[csb333]

I have a couple of "pigs" that I like. I bought them from the supplier in Hawaii that sells the Koa. Mine are not magnet, but are threaded, and are Daycom manufactured, same as the Zen. I do not personally like magnets due to erasing credit cards, etc.- Chris

 

[bradbn4]

The stretch(Hawaii) and the zen are not quite the same pen. The bushing sizes are different - while the tube seems to be the same size.

I have both kits - and they are still on "to do" list.

Bradbn4 - having fun in colorado