Fisher Bullet Space Pen (refill)
Fisher Bullet Space Pen (refill) Test – To go directly to the desired topic, simply click on the appropriate link:
Inhalt:
1. Facts:
| Lenght: | 3.7 in 5.07 in with attached cap |
| Girth of the grip surface: | 0.98 in |
| Weight: | 19,5 g |
| Price: | Tested Pen: $ 19.95 Space Pen Refill: $ 4.99 |
| Scope of delivery: | Pen, Box |
This pen has its own Wikipedia entry, after all it is supposed to be able to write in weightlessness in space and under water. Furthermore, the ink is said to last three times longer than with conventional refills.
2. The best ballpoint pen refill
First of all, the Fisher Space Pen refill (buy here) is the best ballpoint pen refill I have tested and used so far.
This refill is also what makes the Fisher Space Pen so special.
How does the Fisher Space Pen refill work?
The refill (Fisher AG-7 -anti gravity) is made entirely of metal, except for the ink, and can withstand temperatures from -30°F to 250°F. The refill is a gas cartridge and is under pressure. This means that a small metal cylinder presses on the ink. In normal ballpoint pen refills gravity pulls the ink downwards.
To prevent the ink from simply pushing out due to pressure, rubber-like synthetic resins are added to the ink.
This technique of the Fisher AG-7, which the inventor Paul C. Fisher claimed came to him in a dream where he received it from his father, makes it possible to write under conditions under which normal ballpoint pens fail. They promise that with the Fisher Space Pen you can write upside down and even under water. The ink also makes it possible to write on greasy or extremely smooth surfaces such as plastics, metal or glass.
Below you will find out if the Fisher Space Pen can keep these promises. Before that, I’ll also talk briefly about the Bullet Pen model. The Space Pen is available in different designs, so this test will focus mainly on the refill of the Fisher Space Pen.
3. Design and Workmanship of the Bullet Pen
The Bullet Pen is amazingly small with a length of 3.7 inch, but when the lid is put on the back, the Bullet Space Pen gets a good length of 5.07 inch in order to hold it like a normal pen. The Bullet Pen by Fisher is made of chrome-plated brass and is very well manufactured. With its weight of 19.5 g it feels comfortable and high quality in your hand. The pen has a nice shine but that also means that fingerprints are easily visible. The pen is very small and very handy with its cap on. It fits well in a trouser or shirt pocket and isn’t disturbing at all. The Fisher Bullet Space Pen is the perfect pen for your jacket.
The Bullet Space Pen does not have a clip for attaching it to a shirt pocket or the like. If you really want a clip you can buy one extra here.
The packaging of the Bullet Pen looks nice, but is not very high quality. Visually it reminds you that the pen was approved by NASA in space.
4. Handling of the Bullet Space Pen
The space ballpoint pen doesn’t have a bad feel in the hand, but nothing special either. The grip surface is equipped with grooves, which give the pen a good look and the fingers a good grip, the pen itself however is relatively thin with a diameter of 0.98 inch on the grip surface, which causes the fingers to grip quite tightly and means they are less relaxed during writing. However, this does not have a negative effect on writing notes in or signing things.
The pen is less suitable for taking notes during a lecture or for writing longer texts. If you are looking for a pen for longer writing sessions or for quick writing, click here.
5. Durability of the Bullet Space Pen
The chrome surface of the pen is quite prone to minor scratches. This is clearly seen where the cap is put on. This doesn’t make the pen unusable but expect the signs of use to be normal.
6. Writing with the Bullet Space Pen
Does the gas mine keep its promises?
Yes, it does. The pen glides smoothly over the paper. The refill writes best when you apply a little pressure, otherwise the line can be a little weak.
After six weeks of daily use, the Fisher refill did not smear or drip once. So the Fisher Space Pen is ideal for left-handed people who are looking for a pen that doesn’t smear.
After a weekend break the pen started writing again immediately. It wasn’t dried out, so you didn’t have to draw circles until the refill is ready again like you have to do with some promotional ballpoint pens. All in all the Bullet Space Pen is a reliable companion.
Does the Fisher Space Pen refill also write on smooth surfaces like glass or plastic?
Unfortunately, the refill cannot keep this promise without some limitations. It does perform better than a conventional ballpoint pen refill because it at least writes a bit on the smooth surface. The line is very thin and also not continuous, meaning you have to write over the same area several times to make clear words visible. The ink does not stick to the smooth surface and can be wiped off even after a few hours of drying.
Test: does the Fisher Space Pen refill really write over head and underwater?
Yes, the Fisher Space Pen writes even when it is damp or completely wet. For this purpose I put a piece of wood into water and wrote on it without any problems, as you can see on the picture.
A conventional brand refill also wrote reasonably well, but not as strong as the refill of the Space Pen.
Test: does the Fisher Space Pen refill also withstand the temperatures promised by the manufacturer?
According to Fisher, the pen should also write at 250°F. To test this, I put the pen in the oven at 249.8°F for 20 minutes. You can rely on the Fisher ballpoint pen even in the desert or sauna, because the pen wrote just as well despite the baking. I can’t think of a normal application where you would need a pen to withstand such high temperatures. But the pen can be left in a car in the summer without a problem.
In addition, according to Fisher, the pen should be able to withstand -30°F. So I put the pen in the freezer at -0,4°F overnight, unfortunately a lower temperature was not available to me.
As promised by Fisher, the pen can still be used after the night in the freezer, meaning the ink of the Fisher Space Pen does not freeze. If you are looking for a pen that writes even at the lowest temperatures or in the snow, you have found it with the Space Pen.
Should I ever go into space, I will of course take the Fisher Space Pen with me and report whether it really worked there…
7. Conclusion on the Fisher Bullet Space Pen (refill)
Conclusion of the Fisher Bullet Space Pen (refill) Test and Review: If you are looking for a ballpoint pen that does not smear and that works even in the most extreme conditions, you want the Fisher Space Pen. But in reality it is Fisher’s special refill that makes this possible. I can strongly recommend it, it can also be used in other ballpoint pens, e.g. the Schneider Haptify, which offers optimal pen ergonomics.
I personally like the Fisher Bullet Space Pen because it is small and handy and therefore fits perfectly in every pocket. The special refill prevents leakage. The pen itself however is less suitable for longer writing phases, simply because it is a bit too thin at the front and does not take into account the ergonomics of the fingers. As already mentioned, you should insert the refill in a more ergonomic pen for those instances.
Another point to bear in mind when buying the pen is that the chrome-plated surface will have fine but visible scratches where the cap is put on. Otherwise, the surface is not more susceptible to scratches than other chrome-plated surfaces.
The price of a little more than $ 19.95 should also be considered, as with this, one does not only pay for the material but also heavily for the brand Fisher. Those who are willing to accept this should get the Fisher Space Bullet Pen. If you don’t like the look of the pen, you can also insert the refill into another pen or buy another Space Pen. Here you can get the Fisher Space Bullet Space Pen and here the refill.