The Rotring Tikky is one of those pens that doesn’t write particularly well, but that I keep around and like to use occasionally just because I like the way it looks and feels in my hand.
At its heart, the Tikky is just an ordinary ballpoint, perhaps a little smoother than others but not remarkably so. The ink is the typical bland paste you get in ballpoints and, of course, it skips sometimes.
But, like a Kardashian, it’s what is on the outside that counts with this pen.
It just looks good, from the shape of the sleek silver clip to the variegated color scheme. The Tikky is a fun pen, with bright trims and dotted rubber grips that feel like little donut stacks. The construction is a little loose, leaving too much play in the mechanism, but is quite serviceable and presents an overall reliable package.
Simply put, the Tikky is attractive and comfortable enough that you’re willing to overlook its less than stellar performance. Especially when you consider that it will accept standard Parker refills, which perform much better than the original ballpoint.
For that reason, this one is a keeper.
Maja says
I have three Tikky pens—two ballpoints and one pencil. Actually the pencil is labelled Paper Mate but it’s a Tikky (explained by the fact that the same company that owns Paper Mate also owns Rotring, Parker, Waterman et al)