this post was submitted on 29 Mar 2026
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+1 for Rotring (or rOtring as they stylize it). I use a Rapid Pro ballpoint for my daily use, had it for almost a decade now. Solid steel body, the knurling on the grip is nice, it's a good thickness and weight for most purposes. And it takes a number of cheaply available inserts.
Another +1 for rOtring. I've had a rotring 600 mechanical in 0.7mm for a decade. The lead guide is a bit of a weak point but honestly I dropped it dozens if not hundreds of times and was able to bend it back into alignment for a long time. By the time it quit on me there was a fraction of a millimeter of the guide sticking out. I was able to replace the barrel and it's good as new. Can't speak to the pens but their overall build quality and durability is excellent.
I have had multiple rotring 600 pens and the clicker has a very weak failpoint where if you're not super careful clicking it, the cap of the clicker is dislodged and detaches from the pen