Mini rollerball kit...does it exisit?

[Drb007]

My daughter has a customer who wants a mini pen, but he only likes rollerballs. I cant find a kit for this anywhere. The closest thing was the Classic Petite at PSI, but the reviews are not good. Anyone have a lead for me?

 

[carlmorrell]

I was looking at the mini roller fountain pen sold by penn state. It is a small pen, with a rollerball tip, but it takes a fountain pen cartridge.

Have not made one yet, but I have a buddy that wants a really small rollerball. He also likes fountain pens. So this is on my list of to-dos.

 

[Drb007]

Yup,
That's the one I was going to order as well, but the reviews are pretty bad, and this is going to a real pen guy, so I need to find something of quality.

 

[carlmorrell]

Dooh. I never read the review. Seems to have fitment issues. But I wonder if one bad kit or batch of kits gave it a bad rep. It's not like a lot of people reviewed it.

I have to make a PS order, so I may take the chance on one.

 

[Carl Fisher]

CSUSA Chicago series rolleball is about the smallest I've done. Not sure if that's small enough for your customers taste.

 

[turncrazy43]

If your customer is a real "pen guy" the Chicago may not be for you. It is an Apprentice kit and the quality would not be up to the standards a real pen person would look for.
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Everyday I'm vertical is a great day

 

[Dale Allen]

How about the Electra. It is about as short as you can get considering the length of the ink.

 

[Chatham PenWorks]

What about taking some full size components, and shortening the bottom tube to fit the mini refill that works in the Chicago? Depending on the components, you may have leeway to shorten the top tube as well. Hmmm. Might have to pick up a few of those refills and try that myself..

 

[Smitty37]

Don't bet the farm on that...

If your customer is a real "pen guy" the Chicago may not be for you. It is an Apprentice kit and the quality would not be up to the standards a real pen person would look for.
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Everyday I'm vertical is a great day

 

[tim self]

If he wants a small rollerball, how about this. Lau Lau Penkits — HAVANA FOUNTAIN PEN

With the rollerball nib end that uses a fountain pen refill. That way he has the best of both worlds. Just change the front section when he wants a fountain.

 

[Carl Fisher]

If your customer is a real "pen guy" the Chicago may not be for you. It is an Apprentice kit and the quality would not be up to the standards a real pen person would look for.
_________________________________________________
Everyday I'm vertical is a great day

Not to derail the thread too far, but I've found that if you pull the plastic coupling and threaded bushing from the stock black cap, you can very easily turn a full replacement cap to match the pen. No need to keep the stock black cap which as far as I'm concerned is the only negative to the kit. That and finding refills.

Another option for a true pen connoisseur would be to buy the Schmidt rollerball system for like $3 that uses FP ink cartridges, a 6.5x.5 tap if you don't already have one ($40 from various IAP vendors) and make a pen exactly the size and shape he's looking for.

 

[Mr Vic]

You can get a three inch refill here:
Standard International Rollerball Refills - Schmidt Mini Rollerball Refill

Shorten the desired kit to fit....

 

[penmaker56]

I was going to say the Schmidt mini8126 is one of the smallest roller ball refills out; they are also one of the most expensive roller ball refills, and I do not know what kit you would use or bastardize to fit it.

 

[Twissy]

I had the same request from a customer last week, and this is what I came up with.
It's a mag cap cheapo Zen copy, but length wise the tube is the same as a Zen. I replaced the tube with a Sierra tube and epoxied the parts in. I could have cut the tube down, but I've got loads of Sierra tubes.
The insert is a Monteverde mini rollerball which I got 18 of from fleabay for £10!