My attempt to show the twist sequence from closed (black), to mid-turn (stone) and deployed (wood).
Closer look at the Mars Head logo; when the pen is deployed, the clip is blocked by the lower half.
All 3 in closed mode, face-down.
The Staedtler 4000 Capless Roller was launched in 1996 and won the iF Design Award the same year. It’s a cool twist design with two semi-rounded halves that rotate so that the flattened sides align to allow the pen to rest on your table top.
The original refill is a plastic bodied Euro-format rollerball, designed to be used without a cap. This is similar in concept to the rollerball refill used in the rOtring Jazz from 1994. I guess this was a trend during that time…
Initially, I’d gotten a plain black version around 2018 through an auction. I loved the design but could never find the ideal MP to go with it. Instead, it found a place next to a Pelikan Twist and a rOtring Rive, both being ultra curvaceous designs.
My first surprise was finding another 4000 in 2022 in a faux stone finish. This one, I paired more easily. And then this year, I spotted another 4000, this time in faux woodgrain. I guess, knowing that it’s a facsimile of natural materials can be a minus for some but for me at least, the form makes up for everything. Looking at the trio, I honestly can’t tell they are almost 30 years old. Best of all, I can use almost any modern Japanese gel refill in the Staedtler 4000 – Pilot G2, EnerGel, Surari – the actual realization of the ‘capless roller’ concept.