Uni-ball Jetstream Ballpoint Pen - 0.5 mm - Basic Series - Black

My current go-to pen; I'm in love. I carry it with me everywhere.

PROS
- ink does not smear (so perfect, especially since I'm left-handed)
- lines are crisp
- color is rich (compared to ordinary ballpoint pens)
- tip is sharp, but not to the point of being scratchy

CONS
- If you write with it at a really low angle with the paper, the tip gets scratchy and the line a bit blotchy.
- When making initial small marks (e.g. bullet points, tiny writing), it won't work at first. Gotta try a few times, or make a large trial stroke.

Pros definitely outweigh the cons, considering the two cons are circumstantial.

My favourite pen, it writes so smooth and the lines are crisp. Absolutely recommend!

This is the best pen i have ever owned! It always runs so smoothly. The only times it isn't smooth is on cheap paper, when there's only 1-2 sheets between the pen tip and the desk, but even then the overall flow is mostly smooth as can be.

What I really love is the precision. I used this of Organic Chemistry, where on the tests we have to draw little chemical structures in small answer spaces. I was able to get everything down that I needed to only because of how thin this pen writes, and how precisely it dries on the paper. I could give it a higher recommendation! I only wish they had a compact version. Then I'd be set for good.

This isn't too bad! I find that for me the 0.7 is the best formula of smoothness and boldness. I ordered this one as a curiosity to see how the famous Jetstream series would handle itself in this tip size. I purposely tried this on CHEAP paper. No fancy journals or notebooks for me! It did fine! I found that if I wrote with less pressure than normal this one wrote almost as nicely as the 0.7 variety. Your mileage may vary, but it worked for me! I now have a smaller tipped pen I can use as needed that's nearly as smooth as the 0.7.

I always have to keep a good stock of these with me.

I write in a fairly small script and interchangeably in English and Japanese, so a reliable 0.5 mm like this is a must. I actually picked up my first one of these in Japan and when I got back to the states I couldn't find them anywhere, so I was lucky to find this site.

This pen is perfect for small pads of paper and journals. I'm usually pretty rough with these things, but they hardly ever gunk (just clean up the tip if it does), and the tips are pretty sturdy. However, you'll want to avoid using this pen on a single sheet of paper, or on a hard or rough surface because the tip will break after a while. You'll notice when it does because the writing will start to get scratchy and the flow will thin up and become streaky. Since the entire pen is plastic, those'll break after a while too, but like I said I'm pretty rough with them and on average, a pen lasts me 3-5 refills.

PROS:
High durability and long life for its price range.
0.5mm tip with reliable flow (perfect for journals, scribbles, small notes, writing in Japanese).

CONS:
If you're going to be working more with thin pieces of paper without any backing (writing on receipts etc.) keep a 0.7 or 1.0mm roller or gel handy so you don't run down the life of your pen tip.