--- title: "uni Jetstream Edge: The 0.28 mm Oil-Based Ballpoint" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-jetstream-edge/" description: "uni Jetstream Edge explained: the 0.28 mm oil-based ballpoint, its 142 mm metal-grip body, SXR-203-28 refills, the 0.38 mm version, colors and price in Japan." category: "Pens" type: "Ballpoint" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-26 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 9 products: - name: "uni Jetstream Edge 0.28 mm ballpoint (SXN-1003-28), black body" brand: "uni-ball" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Plastic hexagonal body, metal front grip with fine grooves, wire clip (Mitsubishi Pencil)" released: "2019-12-20" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd." model: "Jetstream Edge" mpn: "SXN-1003-28" gtin: "4902778258774" url: "https://www.mpuni.co.jp/products/ballpoint_pens/jetstream/jetstream_edge/edge/sxn_1003_28.html" --- # uni Jetstream Edge: The 0.28 mm Oil-Based Ballpoint > The uni Jetstream Edge is a retractable oil-based ballpoint from Mitsubishi Pencil with a 0.28 mm ball, which the maker called the smallest of any oil-based ballpoint when it launched on December 20, 2019. It has a hexagonal body, metal grip and wire clip, takes SXR-203-28 refills, and lists at ¥1,100 (about US$7) in Japan. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-jetstream-edge/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-26 ![Black uni Jetstream Edge ballpoint drawn to scale at 142 mm, with an inset of its 0.28 mm needle point](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/uni-jetstream-edge-16x9.png) *The Jetstream Edge at JetPens' 14.2 cm, drawn at 1 mm = 5 px.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | uni Jetstream Edge 0.28 mm ballpoint (SXN-1003-28), black body | uni-ball (by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Japan | Plastic hexagonal body, metal front grip with fine grooves, wire clip (Mitsubishi Pencil) | 2019-12-20 | $$: $5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (uni Jetstream Edge 0.28 mm ballpoint (SXN-1003-28), black body): Japan. The Amazon US listing for the Jetstream Edge (B082ZXNTRL) states Country of Origin: Japan. Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese product page doesn't state the country of manufacture. Source: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082ZXNTRL ### uni Jetstream Edge 0.28 mm ballpoint (SXN-1003-28), black body colors - Body colors (10 standard, 1 special edition): Black (0.28 mm); Champagne Gold (0.28 mm); Navy (0.28 mm); White Red (0.28 mm); Red (0.28 mm); Light Blue (0.28 mm); Black Red (0.38 mm); Prussian Blue (0.38 mm); Berry Pink (0.38 mm); Mint Green (0.38 mm); Orange (special edition, 0.28 mm, limited quantity). - Ink in the box: black. - Per Mitsubishi Pencil Japan (https://www.mpuni.co.jp/products/ballpoint_pens/jetstream/jetstream_edge/edge/sxn_1003_28.html), checked 2026-10-24. Body colors as Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese Jetstream Edge page lists them (names romanized from its katakana); orange is marked limited quantity. All write in black ink. Tints were sampled from Mitsubishi Pencil's product photos; White Red and Black Red show their red accent as the second tint. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Mitsubishi Pencil launched the Jetstream Edge (SXN-1003-28) on December 20, 2019, calling its 0.28 mm ball the world's smallest for an oil-based ballpoint. - JetPens lists it at 14.2 cm (5.6 in) long, 10.8 mm at the widest and 14 g. - It lists at ¥1,100 (about US$7) including tax in Japan; the SXR-203-28 refill is ¥220 (about US$1.40). - A 0.38 mm version with a slimmer point tip followed on February 25, 2021. - It had 2,311 ratings on its Amazon US listing on October 22, 2026, and sells in our $$ band of $5 to $20. ## What is the uni Jetstream Edge? **It is Mitsubishi Pencil's ultra-fine Jetstream: a retractable oil-based ballpoint with a 0.28 mm ball.** When it launched in Japan on December 20, 2019, the maker called it the first oil-based ballpoint with a ball that small, and the smallest in the world. The name means sharp, or the limit, and [Mitsubishi Pencil](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/mitsubishi-pencil-history/), an independent Tokyo company founded in 1887, describes the pen as its attempt to push oil-based ink to the edge. It is sold under the uni brand in Japan; in the US, uni's own store listed it as the uniball JETSTREAM Edge in 0.28 and 0.38 mm on October 26, 2026, and importers such as JetPens and Amazon sellers carry it too. ## uni Jetstream Edge specs | Spec | Jetstream Edge 0.28 | |---|---| | Model | SXN-1003-28 | | Ball | 0.28 mm, black ink | | Ink | Jetstream low-viscosity oil-based ink | | Length | 14.2 cm (5.6 in) retracted (JetPens) | | Diameter | 10.8 mm max, 10.7 mm at the grip (JetPens) | | Weight | 14 g with ink (JetPens) | | Refill | SXR-203-28: black, red or blue, ¥220 (about US$1.40) | | Japanese list price | ¥1,100 (about US$7) including tax | | Launch | December 20, 2019 (Japan) | All values without a named source come from Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese product page and launch release. The black body's JAN code is 4902778258774. ## Why is a 0.28 mm oil-based ballpoint unusual? **Oil-based ink is thicker than gel or water-based ink, so very small balls are hard to make durable and smooth.** Mitsubishi Pencil says small oil-based tips tend to wear and feel hard, problems it had to solve before it could sell a 0.28 mm Jetstream. The payoff is a line that the maker says is finer than its own gel pens with the same ball size, with the Jetstream ink's quick drying and dark color. That makes it a good fit for left-handers and for paper where gel ink smears. ![Ball sizes to scale: Jetstream Edge 0.28 mm, Edge 0.38 mm, the popular 0.5 mm Jetstream and a 0.7 mm oil-based ballpoint](https://stationerytimes.com/images/uni-jetstream-edge-ball-sizes.svg) *The Edge's 0.28 mm ball beside the Jetstream sizes most people use.* ## How is the Jetstream Edge body designed? **Every part is built around fine writing: a metal front grip with fine grooves, a low center of gravity and a thin wire clip.** Mitsubishi Pencil says it moved the weight toward the tip to keep small writing stable. The hexagonal body narrows toward the rear, which the maker says shows that forward balance, and the wire clip echoes the thin line. The design won a 2020 Good Design Award, according to Mitsubishi Pencil. ## What about the Jetstream Edge 0.38? **A 0.38 mm version followed on February 25, 2021, for people who want an easier, more consistent fine line.** It uses a slim "point tip" refill, the SXR-203-38, which Mitsubishi Pencil says keeps the paper visible around the tip. It came in four new body colors: black red, Prussian blue, berry pink and mint green, at the same ¥1,100 (about US$7). JetPens notes that the 0.28 mm writes less consistently than a 0.38 mm Jetstream, so the 0.38 is the safer first buy. ## How does the Edge compare with other Jetstreams? **It is the finest and best-balanced single Jetstream, at about three times the price of a basic one.** | | Jetstream Edge | [Jetstream RT](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/) | [Jetstream Prime Twist](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-jetstream-prime-twist/) | [Jetstream 4&1](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-jetstream-4-and-1/) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Finest ball | 0.28 mm | 0.38 mm | 0.38 mm | 0.38 mm | | Mechanism | Click | Click | Twist | Multi pen with pencil | | Grip | Grooved metal | Rubber | Metal body | Rubber | | Body | Single color, black ink | Single color | Single color | Four colors and 0.5 mm pencil | Figures for the other pens come from their guides. For a fine gel line instead, compare the [Pentel Slicci](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-slicci/). ## Who should buy the Jetstream Edge? **People who write very small and want ballpoint reliability: planner users, engineers annotating drawings and left-handers.** The quick-drying ink and fine line suit dense notes on thin paper. If you press hard or write fast, start with the 0.38 mm; the 0.28 mm rewards a light hand. ## Where is the Jetstream Edge made? **In Japan, according to the Amazon US listing, which gives Japan as the country of origin.** Mitsubishi Pencil, based in Tokyo, doesn't state the country of manufacture on its product page. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Jetstream Edge a gel pen? No. It uses Jetstream low-viscosity oil-based ink, so it is a ballpoint. Mitsubishi Pencil says it draws a finer line than its own gel pens with the same ball size. ### What refill does the Jetstream Edge take? The SXR-203-28 for the 0.28 mm pen, in black, red or blue, and the SXR-203-38 for the 0.38 mm version. Mitsubishi Pencil lists both at ¥220 (about US$1.40). ### Does the Jetstream Edge fit the Jetstream Edge 3 multi pen? The Edge 3 is a separate three-color body. Check Mitsubishi Pencil's compatibility list for the SXR-203 refill before you mix bodies. ### Is the 0.28 mm Jetstream scratchy? Any 0.28 mm ball has more feedback than a 0.5 mm one. JetPens calls it the best fine-tip black ballpoint but says it is less consistent than the 0.38 mm Jetstream. ### What colors does the Jetstream Edge come in? The 0.28 mm launched in black, champagne gold, navy and white red, plus a limited orange. The 0.38 mm came in black red, Prussian blue, berry pink and mint green. ### Did the Jetstream Edge win a design award? Yes. Mitsubishi Pencil announced that the Jetstream Edge won a 2020 Good Design Award, together with the uni-ball one. ### Is the Jetstream Edge made in Japan? Yes, according to its Amazon US listing, which gives Japan as the country of origin. Mitsubishi Pencil doesn't state it on its product page. ## Sources - [uni (Mitsubishi Pencil US store): uniball JETSTREAM Edge, Ballpoint Pen (0.28 mm Black, 0.38 mm Prussian Blue; read October 26, 2026)](https://www.unibrands.co/products/jetstream-edge-ultra-fine) - [Mitsubishi Pencil (Japanese): ジェットストリーム エッジ 0.28mm SXN-1003-28 (¥1,100, JAN 4902778258774, colors, refill; read October 22, 2026)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/products/ballpoint_pens/jetstream/jetstream_edge/edge/sxn_1003_28.html) - [Mitsubishi Pencil press release (Japanese): 『JETSTREAM EDGE』 launch December 20, 2019 (world's smallest 0.28 mm oil-based ball, metal grip, design)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/company/press/20191003-36573.html) - [Mitsubishi Pencil press release (Japanese): 『JETSTREAM EDGE 0.38』 launch February 25, 2021 (point tip, colors, SXR-203-38)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/company/press/20210210-52161.html) - [Mitsubishi Pencil press release (Japanese): 『uni-ball one』『JETSTREAM EDGE』『アドバンス アップグレードモデル』2020年度グッドデザイン賞を受賞 (2020 Good Design Award)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/company/press/20201001-36638.html) - [Mitsubishi Pencil (Japanese): SXR-203-28/38 の適合商品 (refill compatibility)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/customer/sxr20328.html) - [JetPens: Uni Jetstream Edge Ballpoint Pen 0.28 mm, Black Body (14.2 cm, 14 g, 10.8 mm max)](https://www.jetpens.com/Uni-Jetstream-Edge-Ballpoint-Pen-0.28-mm-Black-Body/pd/28590) - [JetPens: The 47 Best Pens for 2026 (Jetstream Edge as the best fine-tip black ballpoint)](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-47-Best-Pens-for-2026-Gel-Ballpoint-Rollerball-and-Fountain-Pens/pt/974) - [Amazon US: Uni Jetstream EDGE 0.28mm, White Red Body (country of origin Japan; 2,311 ratings on October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082ZXNTRL)