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Home > Help Center > Articles > What is the difference between Ballpoint, Rollerball and Fountain Pen kits.

What is the difference between Ballpoint, Rollerball and Fountain Pen kits.

Q. What is the dfference between Ballpoint, Rollerball and Fountain Pen kits?
A. Pen users usually have strong preferences in the writing characteristics (plus price) of a pen. Since you'll never know exactly what the user will prefer – its best to be familiar with all styles.

Ballpoint Pens Ballpoint twist pens have a transmissions that extend the ballpoint refill forward. These kits generally come with “Cross™ or Parker™ style” refills that have a “paste” type of ink. There’s a spring at the nib end of the refill. The Cross™ style is the least expensive refill with the least expensive mechanism, made with 7mm tubes and consequently a favorite for beginners. Users prefer Parker™ style because of a larger ink reservoir and better writing characteristics. Pens with Parker™ style refills have larger mechanisms that require tubes 8mm or larger.

Rollerball Pens use a refill that has a liquid ink reservoir. They don’t have a twist mechanism. and come with a removable cap that can be posted onto the end of the pen that keeps the airflow away from the tip that may dry out the ink. They insert into the pen cavity with a spring at the back end pressing the point through the nib. Writers prefer rollerball pens since the liquid water based ink applies more smoothly than a ballpoint. Rollerball refills are German-made, and available in multiple colors of ink. Since Rollerball kits don’t have transmission mechanisms, they are usually easier to assemble, however, they usually have threaded more elegant components (i.e. to attach and post the cap) making them more expensive.

Fountain Pens are a traditional favorite style pen that has an ink cartridge, ink pump, nib and removable cap like the Rollerball. These inks are water based. The ink refill cartridge simply presses into a pin located on the back end of the fountain pen nib. Most Fountain pen nibs are German-made with iridium tips. Fountain Pens and Rollerball pens have a similar construction and in most cases, Rollerball nibs and refills can interchange with Fountain pen nibs and ink cartridges.