Gel and Roller Ball Pens — 17 November 2010
A Pen for Left Handed Writers – Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold
Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold

The Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold - A Great Option for Left Handed Writers

The new Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold caught my eye the other day when I was looking around for some more new office supplies to review.  I’m a big fan of any Jetstream pen I’ve ever tried so I was pretty sure this one would be no different.  I also have had a few questions about pens for left handed writers lately and I don’t think I ever explored the fact that the Jetstream line is probably one of the best pens for left handed people to write with, you can see more regarding that later in the writing sample.

Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold Bodies Uncapped

Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold Bodies Uncapped

I found the bodies on the Jetstream 101 Bold pens to be really comfortable.  It is probably hard to tell from the photo, but the majority of the body is made up of a soft and smooth rubbery material that has a plastic strip that runs down the length of each side of the pen to indicate the color of the ink.  The rubbery material used for the bodies also has grooves that circle the bottom portion of the pen to help add some extra traction for your fingers while you write.   In addition to the sides of the pen being color coordinated to the ink, the caps are also matched to the color of the ink.  One of the things I really like about the cap is how it posts, instead of just sliding on, it snaps on when you post it so there is no doubt that it is up there until you decide to take it off.

Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold Taken Apart

Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold Taken Apart

I took a quick picture of the pen broken down just to show that there isn’t much out of the ordinary going on, although it does seem as if the thicker collar that used to always be found at the bottom of the Jetstream ink cartridges has gone away.

Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold Writing Sample

Uniball Jetstream 101 Bold Writing Sample

The writing sample above was done in my trusty Black n’ Red notebook, and the ink performed really well in there.  The special Uni Super Ink is designed to embed itself permanently in the fibers of the paper in order to reduce the risk of check washing or any sort of fraud that can be attempted by altering what you have written.  As with any Jetstream I’ve ever used, these write flawlessly with no skipping or clumping, and the flow was steady and consistent.  The most impressive thing about them though came when I tested the dry time, which is what I think makes these pens such an attractive pen for left handed writers.  If you click on the image above to see the larger version, you will see where I wrote the words “Dry Time in Seconds” and below it you just see the number one, to indicate one second.  I basically wrote that number one and rubbed my finger over it immediately to try and smudge or smear it, but the ink held its ground like a champ and smearing was impossible.

These are not just great pens for left handed writers, but also for anyone looking for a workhorse of a pen that shows superior performance while still being very affordable.  You can find the Uniball Jetstream 101 (via Amazon) in all of the usual locations.  It might even be worth picking up the the box of 12 to keep on your desk for those folks that you know who have a hard time returning borrowed pens.

© 2010 – 2011, OfficeSupplyGeek. All rights reserved.

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  • Robert M.

    Nice post. I like the JS101′s styling more than any of the other Jetstreams, with the red version in particular being one of my favorite pens aesthetically. I’ve got all 3 sizes, but while the 0.5mm doesn’t really match the larger tips in terms of smoothness, I find its line is the nicest-looking and most consistent (the larger ones skip very slightly during certain strokes and tight loops), and thus is the one I reach for most.

    If I could change anything about the JS101, it would be the length. It fits in a shirt pocket for me, but it’s just a little longer (1-2cm) than I’d prefer.

    Still, a great overall pen. I’ve heard that it’s made only for export, and isn’t a standard item in Japan. If that’s true, I wonder why that is.

  • http://diysara.wordpress.com/ Sara

    Are these available in stores yet? Not that I *need* more Jetstream pens… I just like to keep my collection fresh. ^^

  • http://www.officesupplygeek.com OfficeSupplyGeek

    @Robert M. – Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. I agree with you about the length, it did seem a little on the longer side, but I didnt really compre it to anything else. Interesting that it might only be for export, I cant think of a good reason for that, although there must be one.

    @Sara – Thanks for stopping by, always good to hear from you. OfficeMax by me has them, so I assume they probably have them in other locations.

  • aeziir

    It’s strange how much people love jetstreams. I like them a lot, but not enough to be my ultimate every day pen. These seem nice, though the style I think makes them look a little on the cheap side. I guess I’d have to feel them to know. In any case, they write well. Thanks for the review Mr.OSG.

  • http://www.officesupplygeek.com OfficeSupplyGeek

    @aeziir – Yeah, I know what you mean. Personally I wouldn’t pick a ballpoint for my everyday pen (I try to stick with my fountain pens for that) but these are such practical and great quality pens that to me it just makes sense to always have a few on hand.

    Also, I can see why you think they style might make them look cheap, however the soft rubber body and grip are actually quite nice in person in my opinion. You do hit on an interesting point because these ARE cheap, but in an inexpensive way, not in a low quality kind of way, which makes me think that Uniball was trying to target the everyday pen user who probably would never consider reading this blog…maybe it is their pen version of a gateway drug. :) I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who only ever buy the cheapest of ballpoint pens, and I feel like the difference in performance with these is very noticeable so it could convert some people who otherwise wouldnt be particular about their pens at all.