Fountain Pen vs Rollerball Pen vs Ballpoint Pen

For many, a pen is just a means to an end. A quick way to communicate and in today's world, a dyeing art. For others it is a ticket to the past, present and the future depending on your tense. A fine pen can offer more than a sleek design and depending on what writing mode you choose, Fountain, Rollerball or Ballpoint, it can make or break your writing experience.

Fountain Pen

The fountain pen is a nib pen. It is a writing instrument which requires little or no pressure to write with. Ideally a fountain pen should glide across the paper using the ink as a lubricant. A lot of people use fountain pen as their primary writing instrument over ballpoint pen and rollerball pen. A fountain pen uses water based ink which is filled via a piston, convertor or cartridge system. Most fountains are available in different nib widths which are made of either steel or solid gold. Aesthetics, history and heritage all play a big part in the use and collectability of the fountain pen.

Rollerball Pen

Rollerball pen use a ballpoint writing mechanism but contain a free flowing water-based liquid ink refill making it less stressful on the hand and much easier to write with. Rollerballs are designed to have the convenience of a ballpoint and the smooth writing qualities of a fountain. Rollerball pen are often chosen as a upmarket substitute for the ballpoint pen, or for fountain pen lovers as a good travelling substitute because they give a similar writing experience as the fountain without having the problem of carrying ink bottles or cartridges about.

Ballpoint Pen

The ballpoint pen is probably one of the most commonly used pens of all. It writes using an oil based ink which dries almost immediately after contact with the paper. The ink chamber relies on gravity to dispense the ink onto the ball which means that a ballpoint is not very practical for writing upside down or on surfaces with a low adherence. There are two types of ballpoint, the disposable and the refillable. Disposable ballpoints are usually made of plastic and can be very inexpensive, once the ink has been consumed you simply throw it away. Refillable ballpoint pens are generally higher in price and made of higher quality materials like silver, resin, gold and wood, hence certain companies offering a lifetime guarantee. They generally have a good selection of easily available refills in different colours and point sizes to suit the individual. Pop in to our London pen shop or visit our pen website to see the whole spectrum of pens we sell.