Pilot FriXion Clicker: How Erasable Gel Ink Works
The Pilot FriXion Clicker is a retractable erasable gel pen. Pilot says its thermo-sensitive ink turns invisible above 60 °C (140 °F), which rubbing with the end eraser produces, and can reappear below about −10 °C (14 °F). Pilot USA sells it in Fine (0.7 mm) and Bold (1.0 mm) points and 15 ink colors.
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Product facts
- Product
- Pilot FriXion Clicker Erasable Gel Pen (0.7 mm Fine / 1.0 mm Bold)
- Brand
- Pilot
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Price range
- $under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Notes on these facts
- Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's US product page and Pilot Japan's catalog don't state the country, and the Amazon listing for item 31450 we read on October 20, 2026 gives none. An earlier version of this guide cited Japan from McKesson and OnTimeSupplies listings, but on October 20, 2026 the McKesson page required a business login and the OnTimeSupplies page was gone, so we couldn't confirm it. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Pilot says FriXion ink turns invisible above 60 °C (140 °F); erased writing starts to return below about −10 °C (14 °F) and is fully back at about −20 °C (−4 °F).
- Pilot launched the FriXion erasable pen in Europe in 2006 and in Japan in 2007; Pilot USA calls the Clicker America's first retractable erasable gel pen.
- Pilot USA lists the Clicker in Fine and Bold points and 15 ink colors; US retailers list Fine as 0.7 mm (black 12-pack item 31450) and Bold as 1.0 mm.
- US refills for the 0.7 mm pen come in 3-packs, such as 77330 black and 77331 blue, and also fit the capped FriXion Ball.
- Its Japanese counterpart, the FriXion Ball Knock 07 (LFBK-23F), is listed by Pilot Japan at 146 mm long and 11.8 g for ¥275 (about US$1.70).
What is the Pilot FriXion Clicker?
The Pilot FriXion Clicker is a retractable gel pen whose ink you can erase with the rubber tip on the end of the pen. It is the click version of Pilot’s FriXion Ball, which has a cap.
Pilot’s development story says the FriXion erasable pen launched in Europe in 2006 and in Japan the following year, 2007. Pilot USA calls the Clicker “America’s first retractable, erasable gel ink pen”; you click the tip in and out by pressing the clip down.
Pilot FriXion Clicker specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Pilot Corporation (Japan); US seller Pilot Corporation of America |
| Type | Retractable erasable gel pen (sold as a rollerball in Europe) |
| US points | Fine (0.7 mm) · Bold (1.0 mm) |
| US ink colors | 15, per Pilot USA (some, such as lime and pink, only in the Clicker) |
| Ink | Thermo-sensitive gel ink |
| Erases at | Above 60 °C (140 °F), per Pilot |
| Can reappear at | Starts below about −10 °C (14 °F); fully back at about −20 °C (−4 °F), per Pilot Japan |
| US refills (0.7 mm, 3-pack) | e.g. 77330 black · 77331 blue |
| International refills | BLS-FR7 (0.7 mm) · BLS-FR5 (0.5 mm) |
| Example US items | 31450: Fine, black, 12-pack · 11384: Bold, black, 12-pack |
| Made in | Not stated by Pilot or the US listings we could open |
Temperatures come from Pilot’s FAQ, Pilot Japan and Pilot USA; point names and colors from Pilot USA; millimeter sizes, item numbers and refills from US retailer listings. Pilot USA doesn’t publish the pen’s length or weight.
What is the FriXion Clicker called in Japan?
Pilot Japan’s clip-click FriXion pen is the FriXion Ball Knock (フリクションボールノック), sold in 0.5 and 0.7 mm. We found no Pilot statement that it is the same pen as the US Clicker, so treat these as Japanese-market figures.
| Pilot Japan catalog | FriXion Ball Knock 07 | FriXion Ball Knock 05 |
|---|---|---|
| Model (black) | LFBK-23F-B | LFBK-23EF-B |
| JAN (black) | 4902505408076 | 4902505408045 |
| Line width | 0.35 mm | 0.25 mm |
| Click | Clip-slide knock | Clip-slide knock |
| Size | 146 mm long, 11.1 mm at the widest | 146 mm long, 11.1 mm at the widest |
| Weight | 11.8 g | 11.8 g |
| Refill (3-pack) | LFBKRF30F | LFBKRF30EF |
| Suggested price | ¥275 (about US$1.70) incl. tax | ¥275 (about US$1.70) incl. tax |
How does FriXion erasable ink work?
FriXion ink turns invisible when it gets hot, and rubbing it with the eraser makes it hot. Pilot says the ink becomes invisible once it heats up to over 60 °C; the friction of the rubber tip does that on a small patch of paper.
The ink isn’t removed from the paper; it only stops showing. Pilot Japan says erased writing starts to reappear below about −10 °C (14 °F), for example in a freezer, and is fully back at about −20 °C (−4 °F).
The same ink is in Pilot’s FriXion Light erasable highlighter, our erasable pick in highlighters that don’t bleed.
What can make FriXion writing disappear by accident?
Pilot FriXion ink turns invisible above 60 °C (140 °F), so a car on a hot day or a nearby heater can erase it by accident. Pilot’s FAQ warns about notebooks and homework left near heaters, in a car on a hot day or put through repeated photocopying.
Pilot USA says erasable pens are not recommended for legal or official documents, and Pilot Japan adds certificates and addresses. Use a permanent pen such as the Pilot G2 or Pentel EnerGel for anything that has to last.
Which FriXion Clicker size should you choose?
Choose 0.7 mm Fine for most writing and 1.0 mm Bold if you want a darker line that’s easier to read.
- 0.7 mm Fine: the standard US size, with US 3-pack refills in the 77330 series (77330 black, 77331 blue).
- 1.0 mm Bold: sold in 12-packs by US school suppliers (black: supplier item 11384).
- 0.5 mm: Pilot sells a 0.5 mm FriXion refill (BLS-FR5) outside the US, a Singapore retailer lists it as fitting the Clicker, and Pilot Japan sells a 0.5 mm FriXion Ball Knock. Pilot USA lists only Fine and Bold.
For a planner or a Five Star notebook you will rewrite often, the 0.7 mm is the usual pick.
What refills does the FriXion Clicker take?
In the US, the 0.7 mm Clicker takes FriXion refills sold in 3-packs by item number.
| Color (0.7 mm) | US 3-pack |
|---|---|
| Black | 77330 |
| Blue | 77331 |
Staples lists these refills as fitting the FriXion Clicker, the capped FriXion Ball and the FriXion LX. Outside the US, the matching refill is the BLS-FR7, with a color suffix (for example BLS-FR7-PU for purple).
How does the FriXion Clicker compare to other pens?
Choose the FriXion when you’ll want to undo mistakes; choose a regular gel pen when the writing must stay.
| Pilot FriXion Clicker | Pilot G2 | Paper Mate Flair | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ink | Erasable thermo-sensitive gel | Gel | Water-based felt tip |
| Erasable | Yes (heat) | No | No |
| Retractable | Yes | Yes | No (cap) |
| US sizes | 0.7 · 1.0 mm | 0.38 · 0.5 · 0.7 · 1.0 mm | 0.4 · 0.7 · 1.2 mm |
Where is the Pilot FriXion Clicker made?
Pilot doesn’t say where the FriXion Clicker is made. Neither Pilot USA’s product page nor Pilot Japan’s catalog gives a country, and the Amazon listing for the 0.7 mm 12-pack (item 31450) we read doesn’t either.
Business-supply listings were once reported as giving Japan, but on October 20, 2026 we couldn’t open them to confirm. Check the pack if origin matters to you.
How much does the FriXion Clicker cost?
It’s in our lowest price band, $ (under $5 per pen), when bought in a 12-pack. Current US 12-packs of the 0.7 mm black Clicker fall inside that band; single pens and small packs cost more each. In Japan, Pilot’s suggested price for the FriXion Ball Knock is ¥275 (about US$1.70) a pen.
Frequently asked questions
How does a FriXion pen erase?
FriXion ink is thermo-sensitive. Rubbing the rubber tip on the end of the pen creates friction heat, and Pilot says the ink turns invisible once it goes above 60 °C (140 °F). Nothing is removed from the paper; the ink just stops showing.
Can erased FriXion writing come back?
Yes, if it gets very cold. Pilot Japan says the color starts to come back below about −10 °C (14 °F), for example in a freezer, and is fully restored at about −20 °C (−4 °F).
Why did my FriXion writing disappear by itself?
Heat. Pilot warns that leaving FriXion notes near a heater or in a car on a hot day can make the ink vanish, because the paper passes the same 60 °C threshold as erasing. Cooling may bring it back.
Should I use a FriXion pen for signatures or exams?
No. Pilot USA says erasable pens are not recommended for legal or official documents, and Pilot Japan's catalog says not to use FriXion for certificates, addresses or anything that must not disappear.
What refill does the Pilot FriXion Clicker take?
In the US, the 0.7 mm Clicker takes FriXion refills sold in 3-packs, such as 77330 (black) and 77331 (blue); Staples lists them as fitting the FriXion Ball, FriXion Clicker and FriXion LX. Internationally the 0.7 mm refill is BLS-FR7 and the 0.5 mm refill is BLS-FR5.
Is the FriXion Clicker a gel pen or a rollerball?
Both names are used for the same pen. Pilot's US packaging calls it an erasable gel pen, while Pilot's UK and European retailers sell it as an erasable rollerball.
Where is the Pilot FriXion Clicker made?
Pilot doesn't say, on its US product page or in its Japanese catalog, and the US listings we could open don't give a country. Check the pack you buy; we list it as not stated.
Sources
- パイロット ウェブカタログ「フリクションボールノック07」LFBK-23F (Pilot Japan catalog: FriXion Ball Knock 0.7 mm; size, weight, refills, price, 60 °C and −10 °C warnings)
- パイロット ウェブカタログ「フリクションボールノック05」LFBK-23EF (Pilot Japan catalog: FriXion Ball Knock 0.5 mm)
- Pilot USA (Power to the Pen): FriXion Clicker (Fine and Bold points, 15 colors, packs, 140 °F and 14 °F)
- Pilot Corporation (Japan): How FriXion ink works (color returns from about −10 °C, fully at about −20 °C)
- Pilot Pen UK: FAQ (how FriXion works; 60 °C and −10 °C)
- Pilot Pen Europe: FAQ (FriXion temperatures and heat warnings)
- Pilot Corporation: Development story (FriXion in Europe 2006, Japan 2007)
- Amazon: Pilot FriXion Clicker 0.7 mm, 12-pack, black (31450) (140 °F / 14 °F note; not for legal or official documents)
- School Specialty: Pilot FriXion Clicker Bold Point, black, 12-pack (1.0 mm, supplier item 11384)
- Staples: Pilot FriXion erasable gel ink refill, 0.7 mm black, 3-pack (77330; fits FriXion Ball, Clicker and LX)
- Staples: Pilot FriXion Ball erasable gel refill, 0.7 mm blue, 3-pack (77331)
- Blue Dog Ink: Pilot FriXion Clicker 0.7 mm black, item 31450
- Stationery World (Singapore): Pilot FriXion refill 0.5 mm BLS-FR5 (fits FriXion Clicker)
- SPK (Cyprus): Pilot FriXion Clicker 0.7 mm (refill BLS-FR7)