--- title: "Zebra F-301: Steel Barrel, Point Sizes & Refills" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-f-301/" description: "Zebra F-301 ballpoint explained: 129 mm stainless steel barrel, 0.7, 1.0 and 1.6 mm points, the F-Refill it takes, weight, F-301 vs F-701, and where it's made." category: "Pens" type: "Ballpoint" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 12 products: - name: "Zebra F-301 Retractable Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen (0.7 / 1.0 / 1.6 mm)" brand: "Zebra" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Stainless steel barrel, metal clip, plastic grip and top section" released: "1982" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation" model: "F-301" mpn: "27112" gtin: "045888271128" url: "https://www.zebrapen.com/products/f-301-retractable-ballpoint" --- # Zebra F-301: Steel Barrel, Point Sizes & Refills > The Zebra F-301 is a refillable, retractable ballpoint with a stainless steel barrel and a black textured grip, Zebra's entry-level Steel Series pen. JetPens lists the 0.7 mm Fine at 129 mm (5.1 in) long and 11 g. Zebra sells it in 0.7, 1.0 and 1.6 mm points, all taking the Zebra F-Refill. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-f-301/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Side view of the Zebra F-301 ballpoint with the point retracted, drawn to scale at 129 mm (5.1 in) long and 8.7 mm across: stainless steel barrel, black plastic top with a steel clip and plunger, black textured grip and cone, with a close-up of the 0.7 mm F-Refill point](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/zebra-f-301-16x9.png) *The F-301 0.7 mm Fine, drawn to scale from JetPens' 129 mm length.* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/zebra-f-301-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Zebra F-301 Retractable Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen (0.7 / 1.0 / 1.6 mm) | Zebra (by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation) | Japan | Not stated | Stainless steel barrel, metal clip, plastic grip and top section | 1982 | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Zebra F-301 Retractable Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen (0.7 / 1.0 / 1.6 mm)): Not stated. Zebra doesn't state the country of origin on its US or Japanese sites, and retailer data conflicts: a distributor and an eBay seller give Indonesia for F-Refills (not the pen), one eBay listing gives United States for an F-301 2-pack, and OnTimeSupplies gives country of origin ID (Indonesia) for the 1.6 mm 2-pack 27312 while also showing a generic Made in USA badge. Check the package of the pen you buy. Source: https://www.ontimesupplies.com/zeb27312-f-301-ballpoint-pen-retractable-bold-16-mm-black-ink-stainless-steel-black-barrel-2-pack.html ## Key takeaways - JetPens lists the 0.7 mm F-301 at 12.9 cm (5.1 in) retracted, 8.7 mm across at most and 11 g with ink. - Three point sizes: 0.7 mm Fine, 1.0 mm Medium and 1.6 mm Bold. - It takes the Zebra F-Refill; the 0.7 mm black 2-pack is item 85512, the same refill as the F-701 and F-402. - Zebra Pen calls it America's No. 1 steel ballpoint pen; its US store sells it in 2- and 4-packs, such as item 27112 (2 black 0.7 mm pens). - Zebra doesn't state where the F-301 is made in our sources, and retailer listings conflict. ## What is the Zebra F-301? **The Zebra F-301 is a retractable, refillable ballpoint with a stainless steel barrel, made by the Japanese pen maker Zebra and sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation.** Zebra calls it part of its Steel 3 Series, with a steel barrel, textured grip and metal clip. Unsharpen places it as the entry-level model of the Steel Series, below the F-402 and the [Zebra F-701](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-f-701/). Zebra Pen calls it America's No. 1 steel ballpoint pen and says its shorter length works well in shirt pockets. A Dutch retailer, Japanshop.nl, says it was launched in 1982; Zebra doesn't give a launch year. Zebra's Japanese site doesn't list the F-301 in its current product catalog in our searches, so it appears to be sold mainly outside Japan, through Zebra Pen Corporation in the US; there is no Japanese list price, model code or JAN to add. ## Zebra F-301 specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Zebra Co., Ltd. (Japan); US seller Zebra Pen Corporation | | Type | Retractable, refillable ballpoint | | Point sizes | 0.7 mm Fine · 1.0 mm Medium · 1.6 mm Bold | | Length | 12.9 cm (5.1 in) retracted, per JetPens | | Diameter | 8.6 mm at the grip, 8.7 mm at most, per JetPens | | Weight | 11 g (0.39 oz) with ink, per JetPens | | Body | Stainless steel barrel; plastic top, grip and cone; metal clip | | Refill | Zebra F-Refill (0.7 mm black 2-pack: 85512) | | Model / item | F-301 · 27112 (2-pack, 0.7 mm black, UPC 045888271128) · 27312 (2-pack, 1.6 mm black) | | Made in | Not stated by Zebra; retailer listings conflict | JetPens lists the same length and weight for the blue (27120) and red 0.7 mm pens. Zebra Pen's refill page uses the Fine, Medium and Bold names above, but its F-301 store page labels the 0.7 mm pen "Medium" and the 1.6 mm "Extra Bold", so go by the millimeter size when you buy. ## Which F-301 point size should you choose? **Pick the 0.7 mm Fine for everyday writing, the 1.0 mm Medium for a darker line and the 1.6 mm Bold for signatures.** Most packs are the 0.7 mm Fine, in black, blue or red ink. The 1.6 mm Bold, sold in 2-packs such as item 27312, lays down a much heavier ballpoint line. ![To-scale drawing at 80 times of the three Zebra F-301 point sizes: 0.7 mm Fine, 1.0 mm Medium and 1.6 mm Bold, all taking the matching Zebra F-Refill](https://stationerytimes.com/images/zebra-f-301-point-sizes.svg) *The 1.6 mm Bold ball is more than twice the diameter of the 0.7 mm Fine.* ## What refill does the F-301 use? **It takes the Zebra F-Refill, the same refill as the F-402 and F-701.** In the US, the 0.7 mm black F-Refill comes in 2-packs as item 85512, and blue refills are sold the same way. For the 1.6 mm Bold, a business supplier lists a bold conical-tip F-Refill as black 2-pack 82712. Because the refill is a standard Zebra part, an F-301 can outlast many refills. That makes it a cheap way into a metal-barreled, refillable pen. ## How does the F-301 write? **It writes like a standard oil-based ballpoint: dry, quick to dry and needing some pressure.** In his 2010 review, Brad Dowdy of The Pen Addict liked the look of the steel barrel and its size but wrote that the pen "doesn't quite cut it in the performance department". He found the grip too firm and slick for a pen that needs pressure. If you want a smoother line from a similar retractable, the [uni-ball Jetstream RT](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/) and [Pilot Acroball](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-acroball/) use low-viscosity hybrid inks. ## How does the F-301 compare to the F-701? **Both take the same F-Refill; the F-701 trades the plastic grip for a knurled metal one and weighs about twice as much.** | | Zebra F-301 | [Zebra F-701](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-f-701/) | [BIC Cristal](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/bic-cristal/) | |---|---|---|---| | Body | Steel barrel, plastic grip | Steel barrel, knurled metal grip | Clear plastic, capped | | Length | 129 mm (JetPens) | 133 mm (Unsharpen) | Not compared here | | Weight | 11 g (JetPens) | 20 to 21 g | Lighter, disposable | | Refill | Zebra F-Refill | Zebra F-Refill | Not refillable | | Points | 0.7 · 1.0 · 1.6 mm | 0.7 mm | 0.8 · 1.0 mm | For more slim pens that clip into a pocket, see our [best pocket pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-pocket-pens/). If you want a metal click pen from a heritage brand, the [Parker Jotter](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/parker-jotter/) is the classic step up. ## Where is the Zebra F-301 made? **Zebra doesn't state where the F-301 is made on its US store or Japanese site, and US listings disagree.** A distributor and an eBay seller list Indonesia for Zebra F-Refills, one eBay listing gives the United States for an F-301 2-pack, and OnTimeSupplies gives country of origin ID (Indonesia) for the 1.6 mm 2-pack 27312 while also showing a generic Made in USA badge. Check the package of the pen you buy. ## How much does the Zebra F-301 cost? **It falls in our lowest band, $ (under $5 per pen), in the usual multi-packs.** A black 12-pack works out to well under $5 a pen at US retailers. ## Frequently asked questions ### What refill does the Zebra F-301 take? The Zebra F-Refill in the matching point size. The 0.7 mm black 2-pack is item 85512, and the same refill fits the F-402 and F-701; a bold F-Refill (black 2-pack 82712) suits the 1.6 mm pen. ### How long is the Zebra F-301? JetPens lists the 0.7 mm F-301 at 12.9 cm (5.1 in) long with the point retracted, 8.6 mm across at the grip and 8.7 mm at its widest. That's a slim pen, a little shorter than most office ballpoints. ### Is the Zebra F-301 all metal? No. The barrel is stainless steel and the clip is metal, but the top section, the textured grip and the cone are black plastic. For a pen with a metal grip, look at the Zebra F-701. ### What point sizes does the F-301 come in? Zebra sells it in 0.7 mm Fine, 1.0 mm Medium and 1.6 mm Bold. The 0.7 mm Fine is the one in most packs, in black, blue and red ink. ### How much does a Zebra F-301 weigh? JetPens lists 11 g (0.39 oz) for the whole pen with ink, light for a pen with a steel barrel because the grip and top are plastic. ### Where is the Zebra F-301 made? Zebra doesn't say in the sources we found, and US listings disagree, naming Indonesia for refills and the United States for some packs. Zebra itself is a Japanese company; check the package of the exact pen you buy. ### What is the difference between the Zebra F-301 and F-701? Both take the same F-Refill. The F-301 has a plastic textured grip and weighs about 11 g; the F-701 has a knurled metal grip and weighs 20 to 21 g. ## Sources - [Zebra Pen (US): F-301 Retractable Ballpoint (America's No. 1 steel ballpoint; item numbers and UPCs; read in full)](https://www.zebrapen.com/products/f-301-retractable-ballpoint) - [Zebra Pen (US): F-Refill (fits F-301, F-301A, F-301 Compact, F-402, F-701; 85512, 85412, 82712)](https://www.zebrapen.com/products/f-refill) - [商品情報｜ゼブラ株式会社 (Zebra Japan product catalog; no F-301 listed)](https://www.zebra.co.jp/pro/index.html) - [Zebra Pen: Spotlight on Zebra Steel 3 Series (F-301, point sizes, F-Refill)](https://www.zebrapen.com/blogs/blog/guide-3-series) - [JetPens: Zebra F-301 Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen, 0.7 mm, blue (12.9 cm, 8.7 mm, 11 g)](https://www.jetpens.com/Zebra-F-301-Stainless-Steel-Ballpoint-Pen-0.7-mm-Blue-Ink/pd/5861) - [JetPens: Zebra F-301 Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen, 0.7 mm, red](https://www.jetpens.com/Zebra-F-301-Stainless-Steel-Ballpoint-Pen-0.7-mm-Red-Ink/pd/33205) - [Walmart: Zebra F-301 Fine 0.7 mm](https://www.walmart.com/ip/1552587699) - [OnTimeSupplies: Zebra F-301 Bold 1.6 mm, 2-pack 27312 (country of origin ID)](https://www.ontimesupplies.com/zeb27312-f-301-ballpoint-pen-retractable-bold-16-mm-black-ink-stainless-steel-black-barrel-2-pack.html) - [OnTimeSupplies: Zebra F-Refill bold, black 2-pack 82712](https://docker1-www.ontimesupplies.com/zeb82712-f-refill-for-zebra-f-series-ballpoint-pens-bold-conical-tip-black-ink-2-pack.html) - [Japanshop.nl: Zebra F-301 ballpoint pen 0.7 mm black (launched 1982)](https://www.japanshop.nl/pens/ballpoint-pens/zebra-f-301-ballpoint-pen-0-7-mm-black) - [The Pen Addict: Review: Zebra F-301 0.7 mm Ballpoint (December 15, 2010)](https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2010/12/15/review-zebra-f-301-07mm-ballpoint.html) - [Unsharpen: Zebra F-301 Stainless Steel (Steel Series position, F-Refill)](https://unsharpen.com/pen/zebra-f-301-stainless-steel/)