Good video 👍 Some additional Points: 1) With Rollers & Fountain Pens having Medium to Broader tips/nibs, you require specialised non-bleeding paper, whereas Ballpoints can write virtually on any Paper. 2) Ball Point refills are easier to get at any Stationery store. 3) With a Fountain Pen/Roller ball, if your Notebook gets wet, you may smudge & loose all your writings/notes, whereas notes taken with a Ballpoint has near-zero risks. 4) When you require signed Carbon copies at workshops/stores and require your signature to register on all the 2/3 stacked papers, only a ball point can safely handle that additional writing pressure.
I'm a fountain pen fan, but they're not right for everything. Easily the second choice (and best for overall flexibility) are the current crop of 'low viscosity' ballpoints (Such as Pilot 'center of gravity'). Extremely light and smooth touch, but with the water resistance of a ball point.
I’d have thought if you like fountain pens, you’d prefer a high friction option, like a fibre tip? A ballpoint is a surprise in itself, but a low viscosity one?! Surely that's as far removed from a fountain pen as you can get?
@@RobManser77 I am also a fountain pen writer myself and I sometimes have troubles writing with a ballpoint pen because fountain pens are just way smoother on the paper. So no, fountain pens aren't high friction writing utensils, *if* you know how to make your stroke. If you write against the tip, it is like riding your bike downhill and suddenly engaging the front wheel brake...
I was waiting for him to mention the downside of a rollerball -- that unlike a ball point, the rollerball ink remains wet and smearable for a while after you write. Even so, I prefer the smooth writing action and bold lines of a rollerball.
Thanks for the clear explanation. In the mid 1950’s I was an elementary school student. We were taught to write (Print) with a pencil; then we learned cursive penmanship (the Palmer Method) from my penmanship teacher, Mrs Kilpatrick. We first started with a dip fountain pen, and actually had an ink well built into our desks. Then we “graduated” to a ball point pen, the Vu Writer. This very inexpensive ball point pen was made of clear plastic so the ink supply could be seen, and it leaked like a sieve. It left big blotches, and I would come home from school with ink all over my hands.
Thanks my dear, and thanks for sharing your experience. I wonder why some find the explanation clear and some other find it superficial. I guess it’s expectation. 🙂
@@SamuelNaldi You can’t please all of the people all of the time. To some, a pen is an extension of their personality, and they are very particular about it. To others, it doesn’t matter. There are so few people who can even write cursive these days; our screens have made writing with a pen almost a lost art.
@@SamuelNaldi based on the title of the video i was expecting a more technical comparison of the pens. was the difference mostly ink or were their structural differences. its just one niche hitting another niche interest.
oh, how i remember those days! we started out with the fountain pens you filled from a stumpy little ink bottle. if you weren't careful you would bend the tip of the nib, and have to get another pen. then we progressed to schaeffer cartridge pens, which were the same as regular fountain pens but you loaded them with a tube of ink which would last about two pages. we never got to ballpoint pens as the nuns in our parochial school considered them a sinful abomination. never knew why.
Quick correction, the first Ballpoint pen was invented by John J. Loud in 1888, Biro just perfected the design in 1938, but plenty of people had tried to fix it before him. Additionally, all he changed was the ink used, the basic design has stayed basically the same since 1888.
That's because they work. Quite well, for most purposes. The process of turning them out by the billions with such consistency is a marvel of modern production engineering. Those little balls are extremely hard and made to extremely precise tolerances. It's my understanding that some of the budget priced fountain pens purchase those balls for the nib tip. They weld it on, slice the ink slot in it and polish it
I fell in love with Waterman ballpoint pens in the early 1990's & still love them today. I love to write letters to family members and many of us write just to practice a dying art form that we love. Now I am glad I found this channel.
Very interesting. I never knew this, I was only aware that there was difference in ink. One type always stays on its side of paper, while the other type often breaches on the other side, too visible from the other side.
This video didn't really answer the question succinctly. It sounds like a ballpoint and a rollerball are exactly the same thing, except that the former uses oil-based ink whereas the latter uses gel-based ink.
@@CraigLafferty There really is none. Except roller balls that use liquid ink should be capped to prevent them from drying out, there's no difference. It's just the ink
Whilst I prefer a fountain pen I find myself picking up my Pilot G2 gel pen more often than not and have gone so far as putting a 1mm G2 insert into my favourite roller ball pen.
I've seen Ball points in three colors, Black, blue, and Red. The red only are known as grading pens so you normally only see them at teaching supply stores or during the fall back to school season. Roller ball pens I've seen in almost every color of the rainbow, Better known as Gel pens(figured out this cause OHTO is a big Gel Pen brand in Art stores). Very good video.
One other type of Bic Ballpoint Pen is the Accountants Pen. It's just like the standard Bic Crystal except the barrel is orange, not clear, and it writes with a very thin line. I've wanted to get some but I haven't been able to find them at my local Office Supply Store.
Really interesting. I found a really nice Cross rollerball pen yesterday my son used for school as he is left handed. I got a new refill for it today. I am used to a ball point but wondered why the rollerball felt so nice to write with in my hand and on paper. I have never used a rollerball before. My wife swears by her plastic BIC. I now love my new 'found' rollerball.
I grew up with my mom using V5 and V7 pens for work, so I got used to them. When I used anything else I struggled badly, I did not understand why it was harder until I noticed the rollerball label on the V5/7 versus the Ballpoint on what was to me crappier pens. I did not know the nuances and differences in the ink, all I knew as a left handed writer was that I made more of a mess with ballpoints and my hands hurt versus rollerballs. So yea I have been using rollerballs my entire life I guess. Those are some nice looking pens there.
I DESPISE Ballpoint pens. They never function correctly when I use them, they require more effort to use, and the writing lines just don't look as nice. A $5 2-Pack of Rollerball pens BTFOs the $5 pack of 10 Bics any day.
@@Kalmaro4152 Indeed. I detest Bics above all other brands, I will get ballpoints if I got no other options, but never Bics. Pilot maybe, but then almost all stores near me carry Roller Pen Pilot or better. I got 1 "fancier" pen as a gift some time ago and it had purple ink, love it, been getting the purple refills whenever I can find them. I never knew there were so many different technologies for pens.
I use a ball point pen for regular writing, but I like to use a roller ball pen to add bolder accents. When drawing, I use a ball point for the fine lines and a roller ball for darker areas.
Personally a few years ago I found the Schneider slider rave. I have used it since. It's the smoothest I've found so far without being a rollerball. You just have to clean the tip from time to time as it collects its own ink there.
Mostly I use whatever I grab, but my favorite pen is the Pentel Slim Rolling Writer I bought years ago. Unfortunately they no longer make them nor the fine point refills; at least I can still get the MG8 medium point refills. The pen is primarily used for writing checks these days.
Departed the ballpoints more than 10 years ago for a Rottring isograph(which is a kind of rollerball in concept). A couple of years later switched again for fountain pens and glad I did. Although I can recognise that the ballpoints have their place, specially if you are in the field and it's rainy, or you want carry a tactical pen
I have been a surgeon for over 48 years, and each year I give "very nice" pens to my best referring doctor friends. Pens have been great gifts over the years. Doctor George Whitehead
My favorite pens are thick ballpoints from Faber Castell, because they have a very nice shape and allow for a very ergonomic grip, but I don't use their ballpoint refills. Instead I replace them with Schneider Viscoglide refills, as they glide over the paper as you've never seen before and they are super long lasting. The original ones from Faber Castell are already very good but the Schneider ones are the best I've used so far and they are not even expensive. Combined with the right paper, they glide better than most rollerballs do but they won't bleed through paper and they also won't smear as they dry instantly. Also they are available in blue, black, green and red, which is all the colors I ever need.
I like rollerball ink, but some Japanese pen manufacturers are now making a hybrid type of ink (oily ink that’s more fluid) for a smoother writing experience.
I use all three modes available, i.e. ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen. The proprietary Caran d’Ache Goliath refill (ballpoint) is marvellous and almost writes like a rollerball; the Montblanc LeGrand rollerball refills offer a sublime writing experience as well.
I never thought that was a question but I 'm happy to know the difference now 😅 When I was a student I preferred big bic ball as I needed to feel some resistance in writing. Now I write less and I use various pens for various use.
Big fan of rollerballs, for drawing you can get waterproof ink refills that you don't need to worry about clogging if you were to use in a fountain pen, many rollerballs can also be fitted with fibre (fineliner) tips. Also, many Japanese refills such as Pilot, Pentel or Uniball my GvFC & Montblanc pens (they are surprisingly good refills) which opens up needle point options like 0.38. As a fountain pen lover I can say, the rollerball has a lot of strengths too and give us the same bodies as the fountain pen counterpart. Thats the biggest downside to ballpoints I think (aside from needing that pressure to write), they tend to have the mechanism at the back, and it makes it very back heavy whereas I think the weight should be distributed towards the tip and the fulcrum should be just behind the grip.
The leaking of ink is an important issue, especially when wear a formal shirt and put a pen in the chest pocket. The situation is worse, if one has to run to catch up the airline/train. Body heat and the bumpy vibration usually causing the ink gel to come out from the other end and stains the shirt.
please tell me the name of the pen that writes like a fountain pen, with different line thicknesses, I see such pens from calligraphers, but I don’t know where to buy it.
i have a Caran D'ache Léman in Bleu Marin rollerbal and i love it, very comfortable to write with, I love the feel of a fountain pen for taking notes (I take a lot of notes in my job) but I also move a lot and can sometimes be messy, so the rollerball is the best of both worlds.
I would have expected one important topic to be covered: document "safe" ink. Not every Rollerball ink is safe for signing documents while all Ballpoint ink is. ->doesn't fade over time and isn't going to suffer from water or other influences. But there are Rollerball inks that are safe for document use. At least in the "cheaper" realm, i know some uni ball ones that are water and fade safe (i ahve tested in unvoluntarily), and Schneider makes Rollerballs that also have "for documents" labled on them. And a "nieche" thing that only is possible with ballpoint pens: there are ballpoint pens and refills that are gas pressured and have special ink that withstands low temperatures and wet paper. -> With those you can write "upside down", on wet paper, and in freezing tempertures when normal ballpoint and inkbased writing implements don't write anymore. I have a few of these in use constantly: usecase 1 is taking notes while the paper is against a wall or a cabinet. (unpressured pens stop writing shortly due to a lack of gravity pulling the ink down) usecase 2: having a writing implement in the car that will write even after the car was ouside in freezing temperatures.
I have journals in which I wrote with ballpoint about 25 years ago; significantly faded. The only rollerball type pen I use nowadays is the uni-ball eye you name, it uses a carbon pigment ink that won't ever fade.
One of the reasons to use a rollerball pen with document-safe ink is that it prevents check fraud. One of the scams is that someone can take a check written with standard ballpoint ink and via the use of chemicals, remove the ink from the check. The fraud comes in where they can cover the signature, wash the check with chemicals (which removes all of the ink on the check except for the signature since it was covered), remove the cover from the signature, and rewrite the check. That is why I only write checks using a rollerball pen with document-safe ink. Since the ink fuses with the paper it can't be washed away.
Fisher pressurized ink. I worked outside in all weather and conditions and report writing was an hourly thing. Technically a ball point, they do write differently than most common ball points.
The Fisher Space Pen was designed to be able to be used in space. Due to lack of gravity regular pens won't write, and pencils are not suitable because the generate graphite dust (which an harm electronics because graphite is electrically conductive).
Any thoughts/comments on the cons of each? Personally, I've found rollerballs more prone to drying out and/or running out of ink more quickly. Both also tend to use metal-tubed cartridges so you're always left guessing how much ink remains.
My work involves fast information recording. So I'm writing as quickly as possible. This is my preference, which leaves me with the least hand pain starting from top: 1- Fountain 2- Roller 3- Pencil (any type) Ballpoints are a nightmare, I never want to write with them ever again.
I really like ballpoints, I think end of the day it is a personal choice, but for me it is really hard to understand why people are so against ballpoints. I think you haven't tried a good refill in a decent pen body, it is very good combination, not comparing it to a fountain pen but overall pretty smooth and reliable,
This fascinates me because for speed, I'd go for a pencil or BP, then RB, then FP last. Try as I might FPs have always been slow and painstaking for me. I really like the idea that there are people that can take a FP and just rip through a task at speed, even if I can't do it, because they're such elegant little machines.
The only time I write with a ballpoint pen is when I'm writing on a material where water-based and gel-based inks won't stick (such as on sheets of plastic), and the ink doesn't have to be document safe (like when writing checks).
I prefer the newer roller type, they seem smoother when writing. They would also please my old prep school headmaster. Back in the fifties when biros were becoming a little more common, we were issued with dip pens and our desks had ink wells (when not sabotaged by being stuffed with blotting psper) the head would come round a class and try to pull the biro out of your hand, explaining that if you had to grip tòo tight your writing would suffer. He was a fountain pen chap and didnt like ball points, but i bet he would have appreciated rollers.
I'm a Mont blanc ballpoint user. Working as a doctor in a paper based hospital, I'm very frequently using carbon copy paper (prescription pads, medical certificates, death certificates...) all of which require firm pressure to copy between layers of paper. I know people like rollerball for the light writing pressure but I've gotten used to my heavy handed style and it's hard to change. P.s
The biggest difference that he kind of glossed over is that the rollerball inks smear badly while ball point inks dry fairly quickly. That is what pushed my back to ball point pens.
I used to prefer ballpoint for writing checks because it made the carbon copies easier to read, but I’ve had to switch to the Uniball Signo 207, a rollerball, because the ink is much harder for criminals to wash off of stolen checks. I do like how fine of a point you can get with rollerballs, especially when drawing. The tips often feel a bit scratchy, though, especially when my hands get tense. I prefer the smooth feel and drier ink of a ballpoint to the scratchiness and wet ink of rollerballs when it comes to writing. Of course, when I need to write on things other than paper, it’s felt tip permanent, all the way.
I have never wondered about the difference between a rollerball abd ball pen. Before this video, i didn't know there was a difference. Thx for the video
First things first: I am a fountain pen guy. Now, when this is out of the way, I pair my Leuchtturm 1917 bullet journals with Leuchtturm 1917 Pen Loop and Drehgriffel Nr. 1 gel pen. Each year in a new colour. Moreover I really love Lamy Swift. Quite a cool pen, and I thought about adding a Graf von Faber-Castell Intuition Platino Wood rollerball to the fountain pen. I have some ballpoints in my arsenal too for more occasional writing. Monteverde offers some nice ballpoint colours, but they are hard to get in Europe for a reasonable price. The biggest backdraw for me are the limited colour options. That's my order: Fountain Pen > Mechanical Pencil > Rollerball > Ballpen
Thanks. I thought they were just different terms for the sam thing I have noticed the differences you mentioned but thought it was just variations between brands / models
Hallo Domenico, ist eigentlich sehr ähnlich. Rollerball nennt man auch Tintenroller und das Gefühl ist ganz nach einem Gelroller. Bin nicht 100% dass es technisch und chemisch genau gleich ist. Ganz Liebe Grüsse, Samuel
I have a good collection of all 3 - BP, RB and FP (with some 20 or so MB's)... I find the ongoing challenge for RB is that it remains dependent on the quality (or lack of) of paper used... Completely agree with the "hybrid" feel and function of the RB. Cheers and blessings
Ladislao Biro lived (and nationalized) in Argentina and some people here says that the ballpoint is an "Argentinian invention" 😅. We call it "birome" because of his name, of course.
Definitely rollerball for me, I worked for 14 years doing tech support where I would note in writing a summary of every call and used a black Pilot V5, my employer ordered a box of 20 or 24 and our salesman started using one and converted to using rollerballs too.
I prefer a basic wood pencil to a pen for most of the writing I do, mostly short notes, sketches, marking on wood. Not a fan of mechanical pencils. I had no idea that there are 2 types of ball ends as discussed here. I'd like to see a drawing of the 2 types side by side. Back in my high school and college days, 50+ years ago, I used a fountain pen with the replaceable ink cartridges.
I prefer a bold point rollerball like the Pilot G2 1mm. Cheap and cheerful, in a rainbow of colors. I find they're more forgiving on imperfect surfaces than a ballpoint (avoiding the classic, "let me put a paper under this paper to write"). Plus, they have the "mini" versions which are perfect for a coat pocket or glovebox.
I mainly prefer rollerball. It doesn't take any pressure to write, but my main reason is that I need fast-drying ink, as I am left-handed and get a marked palm whenever I write with a pencil or a pen with slow-drying speed.
I like the Paper Mate pens and the Fisher Space Pens. Fisher will write below freezing and above boiling temperature and at any angle including upside down. The Fisher will write on slippery paper and even underwater.
I like using nib pens for ink art. Ball point is fine for writing, but I personally would never use it for artwork. I don't know if I've ever used a rollerball. If I had, I probably would have mistaken it for a ball point :)
I have been totally taken by PowerTank pen technology, basically the Space Pen of the 60s translated into a modern more disposable and economical form. It's claim to fame is that is a pressurized cartridge that always works, writes upsidedown and even on nonporous surfaces or underwater if the 'paper' is 'proofed. It is of Japanese design/mfr and that is virtually all I use now.
I think I prefer ballpoints but sometimes it also depends on the paper. I don't know how to describe it but with some types of paper the ink "bleeds" or smudges very easily.
I guess ball point from the descriptions given... It's grip n control n i guess dries faster the roller... Right? But i haven't tried the roller yet. I was cleaning my cupboard and got a very old Sheaffer pen... Not sure if it is ball point or roller. Surprisingly it still writes.. and it is very old .. may 30 or 40 years and it's heavy. Do these old pens have resale value.... Because i want switch to something light to hold . Please share your valuable insights. Thank you for time
From what I understand, the size of the ball affects how scratchy it will feel when you right with the pen. I've tried writing with a 0.38mm pen and found it extremely scratchy and unpleasant to write with. That's why I prefer the basic Uniball Roller with a 0.5mm tip. I also prefer a medium-tipped Bic Crystal when it comes to ballpoint pens.
Zebra has gel rollerballs that click as well... I have always been a fan of their ballpoints, but just realized they had a whole rollerball line. I know they are budget pens (if I buy an expensive pen, it will be a fountain pen), but do you have any experience with them? This video made me think maybe the gel in a rollerball requires a cap to prevent drying out. Anyway, thanks for the video.
What I dislike abouf ballpoints is the pressure they require to work, which is why I personally prefer stabilo fineliners to write, they also come in lots of colours.
I prefer the Ball Point since i write a lot but i do have some fountain pens for the classy feel. The Fountain pen is cheaper compared to rollerballs when it comes to the refills.
I preffer Ball Point pens coz according to me it makes my handwriting looks better and also I feel it much smoother then a Roller ball pen. And my main problem with the Roller ball pens is that it leaves its imprints on the back of the page. Why does this happen? And is it a very common issue?
Well…it depends. When I write for pleasure, a fountain pen. When I travel, a rollerball or gel for convenience. When I sign the back of my credit card, a ballpoint-nothing else works.
Good video 👍
Some additional Points:
1) With Rollers & Fountain Pens having Medium to Broader tips/nibs, you require specialised non-bleeding paper, whereas Ballpoints can write virtually on any Paper.
2) Ball Point refills are easier to get at any Stationery store.
3) With a Fountain Pen/Roller ball, if your Notebook gets wet, you may smudge & loose all your writings/notes, whereas notes taken with a Ballpoint has near-zero risks.
4) When you require signed Carbon copies at workshops/stores and require your signature to register on all the 2/3 stacked papers, only a ball point can safely handle that additional writing pressure.
exactly. too me, as much magic a fountain pen is...ballpoint is the way to go
Thanks for sharing your points
But ballpoints suck, and nobody should ever use them, ever. Also, you can easily get permanent ink for your rollerball or fountain pen.
Well said.
Thank you
I'm a fountain pen fan, but they're not right for everything. Easily the second choice (and best for overall flexibility) are the current crop of 'low viscosity' ballpoints (Such as Pilot 'center of gravity'). Extremely light and smooth touch, but with the water resistance of a ball point.
Thanks for sharing your opinion 🙏🏼
I’d have thought if you like fountain pens, you’d prefer a high friction option, like a fibre tip? A ballpoint is a surprise in itself, but a low viscosity one?! Surely that's as far removed from a fountain pen as you can get?
@@RobManser77
I am also a fountain pen writer myself and I sometimes have troubles writing with a ballpoint pen because fountain pens are just way smoother on the paper.
So no, fountain pens aren't high friction writing utensils, *if* you know how to make your stroke.
If you write against the tip, it is like riding your bike downhill and suddenly engaging the front wheel brake...
Fountain pen is like painting. Hardly any pressure.
For fountain pens and rollers like the Uni-Ball Vision series, a paper with heavy sizing, that will reduce bleed-through, is desired.
So the difference is just the ink? Are there structural/mechanical differences between the two?
I too expected an engineering explainer... I fear we have stumbled into a *niche* side of youtube instead lol
I was waiting for the close-up photo of the rollerball tip.
I was waiting for him to mention the downside of a rollerball -- that unlike a ball point, the rollerball ink remains wet and smearable for a while after you write. Even so, I prefer the smooth writing action and bold lines of a rollerball.
@@leehurst172 haha yes, kind of niche… yet. But that’s gonna change soon. ❤️🖋️
So they work the same?
Thanks for the clear explanation. In the mid 1950’s I was an elementary school student. We were taught to write (Print) with a pencil; then we learned cursive penmanship (the Palmer Method) from my penmanship teacher, Mrs Kilpatrick. We first started with a dip fountain pen, and actually had an ink well built into our desks. Then we “graduated” to a ball point pen, the Vu Writer. This very inexpensive ball point pen was made of clear plastic so the ink supply could be seen, and it leaked like a sieve. It left big blotches, and I would come home from school with ink all over my hands.
Thanks my dear, and thanks for sharing your experience.
I wonder why some find the explanation clear and some other find it superficial. I guess it’s expectation. 🙂
@@SamuelNaldi You can’t please all of the people all of the time. To some, a pen is an extension of their personality, and they are very particular about it. To others, it doesn’t matter. There are so few people who can even write cursive these days; our screens have made writing with a pen almost a lost art.
@@SamuelNaldi based on the title of the video i was expecting a more technical comparison of the pens. was the difference mostly ink or were their structural differences. its just one niche hitting another niche interest.
oh, how i remember those days! we started out with the fountain pens you filled from a stumpy little ink bottle. if you weren't careful you would bend the tip of the nib, and have to get another pen. then we progressed to schaeffer cartridge pens, which were the same as regular fountain pens but you loaded them with a tube of ink which would last about two pages. we never got to ballpoint pens as the nuns in our parochial school considered them a sinful abomination. never knew why.
'writing'....penmanship!
This guy talks and looks likes a classy Bond villain. Good Content!
😂😂😂
I like how that's kinda racist but also true to the checkered history of colonial England _and_ pop culture...
He does
Wait a minute, he has a sword pen, doesn't he.
😂Facts
Quick correction, the first Ballpoint pen was invented by John J. Loud in 1888, Biro just perfected the design in 1938, but plenty of people had tried to fix it before him. Additionally, all he changed was the ink used, the basic design has stayed basically the same since 1888.
Thanks for adding this 🙏🏼
More of a bic disposable type myself, where the hell am I how did I get here.
I feel too poor to be watching this video.
@@Eternal_Onion hahahha don’t hold on tight and you will adore fine crafted pens ❤️
We can work on that 😎💪🏼🖋️
Lolll
That's because they work. Quite well, for most purposes. The process of turning them out by the billions with such consistency is a marvel of modern production engineering.
Those little balls are extremely hard and made to extremely precise tolerances. It's my understanding that some of the budget priced fountain pens purchase those balls for the nib tip. They weld it on, slice the ink slot in it and polish it
I was hoping to see the difference in the tips. Thanks for some clarification though.
There is almost no difference in the tip. The methodology of work is pretty much the same. The ink itself is the biggest difference.
@@SamuelNaldi
Ah, OK.
Nice explanation. This popped up on my feed and it was well worth watching. Direct, to the point and interesting. Thanks.
Really glad to hear. Thanks for watching, i appreciate it! ❤️
I fell in love with Waterman ballpoint pens in the early 1990's & still love them today. I love to write letters to family members and many of us write just to practice a dying art form that we love. Now I am glad I found this channel.
Thank you so much. I’m so glad to hear ❤️
Very interesting. I never knew this, I was only aware that there was difference in ink.
One type always stays on its side of paper, while the other type often breaches on the other side, too visible from the other side.
🙏🏼❤️
This video didn't really answer the question succinctly. It sounds like a ballpoint and a rollerball are exactly the same thing, except that the former uses oil-based ink whereas the latter uses gel-based ink.
Well sounds like the video did a fine job, because you just described the difference.
@@firstdonuts that's just an ink difference then, is it not?
I agree. I was looking for an explanation in the physical difference in the technology.
@@CraigLafferty There really is none. Except roller balls that use liquid ink should be capped to prevent them from drying out, there's no difference. It's just the ink
That's the only difference though.
Whilst I prefer a fountain pen I find myself picking up my Pilot G2 gel pen more often than not and have gone so far as putting a 1mm G2 insert into my favourite roller ball pen.
Aye, another 1mm fan. Much improved legibility over "fine point".
Sorry. If I understand rollerball is ballpoint with different ink or there is some mechanical differences as well?
Wondering the same thing. It's why I clicked.
It’s the ink, not really the mechanics. Both need a ball to put its own type of ink on paper 🙏🏼
I've seen Ball points in three colors, Black, blue, and Red. The red only are known as grading pens so you normally only see them at teaching supply stores or during the fall back to school season. Roller ball pens I've seen in almost every color of the rainbow, Better known as Gel pens(figured out this cause OHTO is a big Gel Pen brand in Art stores). Very good video.
One other type of Bic Ballpoint Pen is the Accountants Pen. It's just like the standard Bic Crystal except the barrel is orange, not clear, and it writes with a very thin line. I've wanted to get some but I haven't been able to find them at my local Office Supply Store.
Really interesting. I found a really nice Cross rollerball pen yesterday my son used for school as he is left handed. I got a new refill for it today. I am used to a ball point but wondered why the rollerball felt so nice to write with in my hand and on paper. I have never used a rollerball before. My wife swears by her plastic BIC. I now love my new 'found' rollerball.
I grew up with my mom using V5 and V7 pens for work, so I got used to them. When I used anything else I struggled badly, I did not understand why it was harder until I noticed the rollerball label on the V5/7 versus the Ballpoint on what was to me crappier pens. I did not know the nuances and differences in the ink, all I knew as a left handed writer was that I made more of a mess with ballpoints and my hands hurt versus rollerballs. So yea I have been using rollerballs my entire life I guess. Those are some nice looking pens there.
❤️
I DESPISE Ballpoint pens. They never function correctly when I use them, they require more effort to use, and the writing lines just don't look as nice. A $5 2-Pack of Rollerball pens BTFOs the $5 pack of 10 Bics any day.
@@Kalmaro4152 Indeed. I detest Bics above all other brands, I will get ballpoints if I got no other options, but never Bics. Pilot maybe, but then almost all stores near me carry Roller Pen Pilot or better. I got 1 "fancier" pen as a gift some time ago and it had purple ink, love it, been getting the purple refills whenever I can find them. I never knew there were so many different technologies for pens.
Hello what’s the model of the first black roller pen in the video ?
Thanks you for this video !
I use a ball point pen for regular writing, but I like to use a roller ball pen to add bolder accents. When drawing, I use a ball point for the fine lines and a roller ball for darker areas.
Thanks for sharing this! 🙏🏼
Personally a few years ago I found the Schneider slider rave. I have used it since. It's the smoothest I've found so far without being a rollerball. You just have to clean the tip from time to time as it collects its own ink there.
Thanks for sharing this 🙏🏼
Mostly I use whatever I grab, but my favorite pen is the Pentel Slim Rolling Writer I bought years ago. Unfortunately they no longer make them nor the fine point refills; at least I can still get the MG8 medium point refills. The pen is primarily used for writing checks these days.
Departed the ballpoints more than 10 years ago for a Rottring isograph(which is a kind of rollerball in concept). A couple of years later switched again for fountain pens and glad I did. Although I can recognise that the ballpoints have their place, specially if you are in the field and it's rainy, or you want carry a tactical pen
I have been a surgeon for over 48 years, and each year I give "very nice" pens to my best referring doctor friends. Pens have been great gifts over the years. Doctor George Whitehead
That is amazing! Thanks for sharing
I hope you don't use this detail with your surgery. You added absolutely nothing to the thread here that we can use. Just blowing your own horn.
And they never use this pens, because its too expensive to use every day. It just sit in their desks collecting dust.
My favorite pens are thick ballpoints from Faber Castell, because they have a very nice shape and allow for a very ergonomic grip, but I don't use their ballpoint refills. Instead I replace them with Schneider Viscoglide refills, as they glide over the paper as you've never seen before and they are super long lasting. The original ones from Faber Castell are already very good but the Schneider ones are the best I've used so far and they are not even expensive. Combined with the right paper, they glide better than most rollerballs do but they won't bleed through paper and they also won't smear as they dry instantly. Also they are available in blue, black, green and red, which is all the colors I ever need.
I like rollerball ink, but some Japanese pen manufacturers are now making a hybrid type of ink (oily ink that’s more fluid) for a smoother writing experience.
I only write with crayon because I'm not allowed to have sharp objects anymore
3:17
What was the 2nd refill brand? Caran D'Ache, _____(?), Faber-Castell
i have discovered a whole new community, never knew there were pen experts, this is fascinating
I use all three modes available, i.e. ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen. The proprietary Caran d’Ache Goliath refill (ballpoint) is marvellous and almost writes like a rollerball; the Montblanc LeGrand rollerball refills offer a sublime writing experience as well.
Thanks for sharing this!
Rollerball's team ! I am a Mont Blanc user (and Fan ... Yes) ... Thank you so much for your explanations ... I learn a lot .
Really glad to hear Lise
I never used any kind of pen what have brand 10x times more expensive and not wort more. I like pens without mechanic parts just the ball.
The water based inks in roller ball pens have a ways of dissolving if water happens to get on the paper.
I always used a Parker T-Ball Jotter. In fact Nikita Krewchiev alway had a supply of Parker T-Ball Jotters brought to him in the diplomatic pouch.
I never thought that was a question but I 'm happy to know the difference now 😅
When I was a student I preferred big bic ball as I needed to feel some resistance in writing. Now I write less and I use various pens for various use.
Big fan of rollerballs, for drawing you can get waterproof ink refills that you don't need to worry about clogging if you were to use in a fountain pen, many rollerballs can also be fitted with fibre (fineliner) tips. Also, many Japanese refills such as Pilot, Pentel or Uniball my GvFC & Montblanc pens (they are surprisingly good refills) which opens up needle point options like 0.38. As a fountain pen lover I can say, the rollerball has a lot of strengths too and give us the same bodies as the fountain pen counterpart. Thats the biggest downside to ballpoints I think (aside from needing that pressure to write), they tend to have the mechanism at the back, and it makes it very back heavy whereas I think the weight should be distributed towards the tip and the fulcrum should be just behind the grip.
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The leaking of ink is an important issue, especially when wear a formal shirt and put a pen in the chest pocket. The situation is worse, if one has to run to catch up the airline/train. Body heat and the bumpy vibration usually causing the ink gel to come out from the other end and stains the shirt.
for everyday use, ballpoint. better grip/feel on the paper, can write on both sides of a page without bleeding through.
Please name the company and model of the roller pen in the still photo starting of the video
The most important difference is that the Rollerball has James Caan.
This is the comment I was looking for, and now I have to go and dig out the movie.
PS: The remake was garbage.
please tell me the name of the pen that writes like a fountain pen, with different line thicknesses, I see such pens from calligraphers, but I don’t know where to buy it.
Thanks for the rundown on ballpoint vs rollerball. I like your jacket, it's interesting.
Thanks much dear Dan. It’s a jacket of my brand Amarcord. 🙏🏼
now all i want is a rolleballpoint
😂😂😂😂😂👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
i have a Caran D'ache Léman in Bleu Marin rollerbal and i love it, very comfortable to write with, I love the feel of a fountain pen for taking notes (I take a lot of notes in my job) but I also move a lot and can sometimes be messy, so the rollerball is the best of both worlds.
Good point!
There are rare rollerballs that can use fountain pen ink. Traveler’s, Ferris Wheel and Pen BBS.
Montblanc refills are good or like a bic ?
I never knew a Roller Ball existed. TH-cam recommended your channel. Thank you for the descriptive differences.
The Schmidt Easyflow 9000 Parker style refills provide a gliding ballpoint, German made at a reasonable price point (10 for $30 USD).
Meh 😅
@@SamuelNaldiwhy Meh?
Which one do I prefer? Whichever one is available at the time
I would have expected one important topic to be covered: document "safe" ink. Not every Rollerball ink is safe for signing documents while all Ballpoint ink is. ->doesn't fade over time and isn't going to suffer from water or other influences.
But there are Rollerball inks that are safe for document use. At least in the "cheaper" realm, i know some uni ball ones that are water and fade safe (i ahve tested in unvoluntarily), and Schneider makes Rollerballs that also have "for documents" labled on them.
And a "nieche" thing that only is possible with ballpoint pens: there are ballpoint pens and refills that are gas pressured and have special ink that withstands low temperatures and wet paper. -> With those you can write "upside down", on wet paper, and in freezing tempertures when normal ballpoint and inkbased writing implements don't write anymore.
I have a few of these in use constantly: usecase 1 is taking notes while the paper is against a wall or a cabinet. (unpressured pens stop writing shortly due to a lack of gravity pulling the ink down)
usecase 2: having a writing implement in the car that will write even after the car was ouside in freezing temperatures.
I have journals in which I wrote with ballpoint about 25 years ago; significantly faded.
The only rollerball type pen I use nowadays is the uni-ball eye you name, it uses a carbon pigment ink that won't ever fade.
@@edzejandehaan9265 Yep, the uni ball eye is exactely the version i meant.
NIRFZ. very good thoughts,yes pens will fail when kept in the car and used horizontal, thank you for info😊
One of the reasons to use a rollerball pen with document-safe ink is that it prevents check fraud. One of the scams is that someone can take a check written with standard ballpoint ink and via the use of chemicals, remove the ink from the check. The fraud comes in where they can cover the signature, wash the check with chemicals (which removes all of the ink on the check except for the signature since it was covered), remove the cover from the signature, and rewrite the check. That is why I only write checks using a rollerball pen with document-safe ink. Since the ink fuses with the paper it can't be washed away.
what is the first rollerball pen you showed in the video at 2:50?
That’s a Graf von Faber-Castell Guilloche Black Edition Rollerball. Hit me up via info@styleofzug.ch if you want more info on the piece! 🙏🏼
Which ink type is easier to wash out of garments?
That is a good question and i don’t know the answer. Something tells me it’s Rollerball. But it could be bs
I like my pilot g10 gel ... As an engineer, function always preceeds form plus it's $2.50
Fisher pressurized ink. I worked outside in all weather and conditions and report writing was an hourly thing. Technically a ball point, they do write differently than most common ball points.
The Fisher Space Pen was designed to be able to be used in space. Due to lack of gravity regular pens won't write, and pencils are not suitable because the generate graphite dust (which an harm electronics because graphite is electrically conductive).
bro, can you tell me what is a better pen for mathematics than the pilot precise v7 retractable?
Please and thank you, shopping right now for pens
Any thoughts/comments on the cons of each? Personally, I've found rollerballs more prone to drying out and/or running out of ink more quickly. Both also tend to use metal-tubed cartridges so you're always left guessing how much ink remains.
ballpoint!! thanks for the explanations!
My work involves fast information recording. So I'm writing as quickly as possible. This is my preference, which leaves me with the least hand pain starting from top:
1- Fountain
2- Roller
3- Pencil (any type)
Ballpoints are a nightmare, I never want to write with them ever again.
I really like ballpoints, I think end of the day it is a personal choice, but for me it is really hard to understand why people are so against ballpoints. I think you haven't tried a good refill in a decent pen body, it is very good combination, not comparing it to a fountain pen but overall pretty smooth and reliable,
@@TheCooljatt18 exactly!
This fascinates me because for speed, I'd go for a pencil or BP, then RB, then FP last. Try as I might FPs have always been slow and painstaking for me. I really like the idea that there are people that can take a FP and just rip through a task at speed, even if I can't do it, because they're such elegant little machines.
The only time I write with a ballpoint pen is when I'm writing on a material where water-based and gel-based inks won't stick (such as on sheets of plastic), and the ink doesn't have to be document safe (like when writing checks).
I prefer the newer roller type, they seem smoother when writing. They would also please my old prep school headmaster. Back in the fifties when biros were becoming a little more common, we were issued with dip pens and our desks had ink wells (when not sabotaged by being stuffed with blotting psper) the head would come round a class and try to pull the biro out of your hand, explaining that if you had to grip tòo tight your writing would suffer. He was a fountain pen chap and didnt like ball points, but i bet he would have appreciated rollers.
I'm a Mont blanc ballpoint user. Working as a doctor in a paper based hospital, I'm very frequently using carbon copy paper (prescription pads, medical certificates, death certificates...) all of which require firm pressure to copy between layers of paper. I know people like rollerball for the light writing pressure but I've gotten used to my heavy handed style and it's hard to change.
P.s
The biggest difference that he kind of glossed over is that the rollerball inks smear badly while ball point inks dry fairly quickly. That is what pushed my back to ball point pens.
Another good point is that, if your paper gets wet, roller ball ink is more likely to bleed because of it's water/gel base.
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So is the difference in the ink and the writing experience? Are there no mechanical differences?
I have my favourite rollerball - Montegrappa Extra and wonder if there is another option for the refills other than Montegrappas own?
I used to prefer ballpoint for writing checks because it made the carbon copies easier to read, but I’ve had to switch to the Uniball Signo 207, a rollerball, because the ink is much harder for criminals to wash off of stolen checks.
I do like how fine of a point you can get with rollerballs, especially when drawing. The tips often feel a bit scratchy, though, especially when my hands get tense.
I prefer the smooth feel and drier ink of a ballpoint to the scratchiness and wet ink of rollerballs when it comes to writing.
Of course, when I need to write on things other than paper, it’s felt tip permanent, all the way.
I have never wondered about the difference between a rollerball abd ball pen. Before this video, i didn't know there was a difference. Thx for the video
My pleasure, thanks for your kind message
First things first: I am a fountain pen guy. Now, when this is out of the way, I pair my Leuchtturm 1917 bullet journals with Leuchtturm 1917 Pen Loop and Drehgriffel Nr. 1 gel pen. Each year in a new colour.
Moreover I really love Lamy Swift. Quite a cool pen, and I thought about adding a Graf von Faber-Castell Intuition Platino Wood rollerball to the fountain pen.
I have some ballpoints in my arsenal too for more occasional writing. Monteverde offers some nice ballpoint colours, but they are hard to get in Europe for a reasonable price.
The biggest backdraw for me are the limited colour options.
That's my order:
Fountain Pen > Mechanical Pencil > Rollerball > Ballpen
Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼
Do rollerball pens dry out over time, or do they last for years like the ballpoint pens?
Thanks. I thought they were just different terms for the sam thing
I have noticed the differences you mentioned but thought it was just variations between brands / models
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Vielen Dank für die gute Erklärung, was ist aber der Unterschied zwischen Rollerball und Gelroller, oder ist es das Gleiche? Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Hallo Domenico, ist eigentlich sehr ähnlich. Rollerball nennt man auch Tintenroller und das Gefühl ist ganz nach einem Gelroller. Bin nicht 100% dass es technisch und chemisch genau gleich ist. Ganz Liebe Grüsse, Samuel
Just my wife asked diff between rollar vs ball pen,and here I am,thanks for knowledge!!
Hahahha amazing! 🙏🏼
I have a good collection of all 3 - BP, RB and FP (with some 20 or so MB's)... I find the ongoing challenge for RB is that it remains dependent on the quality (or lack of) of paper used... Completely agree with the "hybrid" feel and function of the RB. Cheers and blessings
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Ladislao Biro lived (and nationalized) in Argentina and some people here says that the ballpoint is an "Argentinian invention" 😅. We call it "birome" because of his name, of course.
What pen is this one? 2:50
Definitely rollerball for me, I worked for 14 years doing tech support where I would note in writing a summary of every call and used a black Pilot V5, my employer ordered a box of 20 or 24 and our salesman started using one and converted to using rollerballs too.
So they are the same mechanism ? Right ?
I prefer a basic wood pencil to a pen for most of the writing I do, mostly short notes, sketches, marking on wood. Not a fan of mechanical pencils. I had no idea that there are 2 types of ball ends as discussed here. I'd like to see a drawing of the 2 types side by side. Back in my high school and college days, 50+ years ago, I used a fountain pen with the replaceable ink cartridges.
I prefer a bold point rollerball like the Pilot G2 1mm. Cheap and cheerful, in a rainbow of colors. I find they're more forgiving on imperfect surfaces than a ballpoint (avoiding the classic, "let me put a paper under this paper to write"). Plus, they have the "mini" versions which are perfect for a coat pocket or glovebox.
I mainly prefer rollerball. It doesn't take any pressure to write, but my main reason is that I need fast-drying ink, as I am left-handed and get a marked palm whenever I write with a pencil or a pen with slow-drying speed.
I like the Paper Mate pens and the Fisher Space Pens. Fisher will write below freezing and above boiling temperature and at any angle including upside down. The Fisher will write on slippery paper and even underwater.
Didn't montaverde have some diff colors as well as bic ???
I like using nib pens for ink art. Ball point is fine for writing, but I personally would never use it for artwork. I don't know if I've ever used a rollerball. If I had, I probably would have mistaken it for a ball point :)
I have a ballpoint Cross that has a cap-so it’s a hybrid. My EDC pen is a tiny matte black Space Pen. And only ever black ink!
I don't write with pens much anymore due to arthritis in my thumb but when I do the rollerball is easier on me.
Thanks for sharing this 🙏🏼
So it's more like ink type than tip kind.
I have been totally taken by PowerTank pen technology, basically the Space Pen of the 60s translated into a modern more disposable and economical form.
It's claim to fame is that is a pressurized cartridge that always works, writes upsidedown and even on nonporous surfaces or underwater if the 'paper' is 'proofed.
It is of Japanese design/mfr and that is virtually all I use now.
I think I prefer ballpoints but sometimes it also depends on the paper. I don't know how to describe it but with some types of paper the ink "bleeds" or smudges very easily.
I guess ball point from the descriptions given... It's grip n control n i guess dries faster the roller... Right? But i haven't tried the roller yet. I was cleaning my cupboard and got a very old Sheaffer pen... Not sure if it is ball point or roller. Surprisingly it still writes.. and it is very old .. may 30 or 40 years and it's heavy. Do these old pens have resale value.... Because i want switch to something light to hold . Please share your valuable insights. Thank you for time
Best is to check on eBay
I had to have a ball point to do one of my previous jobs. Gel doesn't write/stay on plastic.
So is the ink the only difference? No mention in the video of any difference in the ball.
From what I understand, the size of the ball affects how scratchy it will feel when you right with the pen. I've tried writing with a 0.38mm pen and found it extremely scratchy and unpleasant to write with. That's why I prefer the basic Uniball Roller with a 0.5mm tip. I also prefer a medium-tipped Bic Crystal when it comes to ballpoint pens.
I prefer the ballpoint because it is less likely to smear. The rollerball ink is ‘wetter’ and dries slower.
Thanks, that was helpful and very clear.
Zebra has gel rollerballs that click as well... I have always been a fan of their ballpoints, but just realized they had a whole rollerball line. I know they are budget pens (if I buy an expensive pen, it will be a fountain pen), but do you have any experience with them? This video made me think maybe the gel in a rollerball requires a cap to prevent drying out. Anyway, thanks for the video.
any recommendation on the most cheapest rollerball that easily available anywhere on this earth sir?
well explained video! i prefer fountain pen but roller ball or ball point pen it depned what kind of brand/housing of the pen look and feel like.✍🙏
Thank you much 🙏🏼
Where can I purchase those writing gloves?
Those are not writing gloves dear, they’re presentation gloves for the fine pens that we have at the store and get sold to our customers
What I dislike abouf ballpoints is the pressure they require to work, which is why I personally prefer stabilo fineliners to write, they also come in lots of colours.
Rollerball for sure. I write small and light. So the rollerball just works much better for me. Thanks for the great information. God bless
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I personally prefer rollerball pens. As a lefty, I appreciate the fast dry times of rollerball and gel pens.
I prefer the Ball Point since i write a lot but i do have some fountain pens for the classy feel.
The Fountain pen is cheaper compared to rollerballs when it comes to the refills.
I preffer Ball Point pens coz according to me it makes my handwriting looks better and also I feel it much smoother then a Roller ball pen. And my main problem with the Roller ball pens is that it leaves its imprints on the back of the page. Why does this happen? And is it a very common issue?
When i don't use fountain pen, I love my uniball air, i have whole drawer of them hoarded in case they would stop producing them...
Well…it depends. When I write for pleasure, a fountain pen. When I travel, a rollerball or gel for convenience. When I sign the back of my credit card, a ballpoint-nothing else works.