Author Topic: My new favorite pen (Read 30869 times)

mouser · « **on:** August 07, 2005, 06:39 AM »

http://www.dealtime....oint~RD-174609763972

its just a normal everyday pen, but i love it
(comes in red,blue,black,green)

this web page i found is interesting - some longish reviews on normal everyday office supplies? cool.
(actually it seems the review is taken from epinions.com)

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** August 07, 2005, 06:48 AM »

here's the other pen i use all the time, but i'm getting sick of the ink drying up:
http://www.epinions..../content_97060687492

Sentinel · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2005, 07:09 AM »

Hey, since when was your pen "software"? As you are the moderator I'm going to let you off on this one.

I've owned a previous version of this Pilot pen and did have a slight leakage problem. Nothing that actually made it out of the pen, but with the clear design it did make it look rather messy and made me feel that the ink could break loose at any second. In fact it was the leak 'fear factor' that made me give up this particular pen - white shirt, black pen = trouble. Apart from that it was a rather nice writing implement.

Personally I'd swear by my Fisher space pen. Pros: Small and light in the pocket, writes on almost anything (whilst upside down!), looks good and has a certain street-cred factor, is available in precious metals such as silver and platinum (if you have too much money and don't mind hunting around). Cons: Small and easy to lose, no pocket clip, relatively expensive.

http://www.spacepen.com/usa/index2.htm

Actually, being a complete gadget freak, I think it would be a good idea to have a separate board to discuss/review 'physical devices' be it computer hardware or the latest high-tech aluminium toaster. At the same time, I wouldn't want to get too far away from the true ethos of this site.

P.S. The BIC pen was a novel concept (back when I was a kid at least) but was always a little large and klunky and never quite delivered.

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2005, 08:04 AM »

in fact i have had one of those red pens leak.. not cool.

i should have made clear that when i write, i write in 4 colors. so i need a 4 color solution that is easy to carry around.
the 4 color bic pen is perfect, and i don't mind the size at all. but the drying ink kills me.
i feel like i am going to lose my mind when i have to start shaking it and scratching it into a book to get the ink to flow..

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2005, 08:05 AM »

you are right, this is a bit off topic, but this section is so empty i thought i could sneak it in without anyone noticing

Sentinel · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2005, 09:08 AM »

you are right, this is a bit off topic, but this section is so empty i thought i could sneak it in without anyone noticing
-mouser (August 07, 2005, 08:05 AM)

Good point Mouser, I didn't notice at all.

4 colours? Typical programmer! Having progressed to the achitypal 'pointless manager' position I'd recommend a good black pen (the Fisher mentioned earlier) combined with some quality high-lighters instead.

They almost make my day-to-day pouring over 'dead listings' of supposidly obsolete scripts a pleasure. I keep telling myself that at least...

http://www.stabilo.com/index_fl.php

The luminator range never ceases to impress. Shame about the Flash site. $:-\$

The BIC for all its conveniences still sucks though...

rjbull · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2005, 04:38 AM »

I like Pilot G2 gel ink, Uniball "eye" micro for fine work, Uniball micro deluxe waterproof for permanence; Pilot's pencils and ballpoints based on the same basic tubing and grip as the G2; my old but excellent Papermate, with fine black refill; a cheap Zebra pencil; and Sheaffer "No Nonsense" fountain pens. Keep looking at Lamy fountain pens, too :-) Essentially, the pen/pencil that works best is the one that wants to work, so for me that means light in weight (a plus for plastic), isn't too thin to hold comfortably, gives a dense line, and preferably doesn't make a mess. For that reason, I mostly use Zebra or Pilot pencils with the softest leads I can find, usually 0.5mm B or 2B, for scribbling.

I seem to be a sucker for writing implements :-))

--
Robert Bull

Hirudin · « **Reply #7 on:** December 08, 2005, 10:55 PM »

I seem to be a sucker for writing implements :-))

Me too... weird...

There's something about a new sharpie that just exudes quality (notice my avatar).
Full size version:

I write constantly at work, it's just notes on what I've done to various computers, but it's constant.
I've been using these Staedtler "Liquid Point 7"s. I haven't tried very many pens, but for what it's worth I'm impressed with these. (I pretty much shopped pens for a good 10 minutes at Staples. I ended up buying these because they had a .3mm tip and "looked fancy." They were about $6 for 4.)

First of all, they're super black, they seem to really lay some ink down. They're not like the Bics that I used to love where the "black" comes out pretty much grey. Every now and then I'll photocopy something I've written; it's actually pretty hard to tell which is the original and which is the copy.

The ink lasts till the end. The reservoir has to be pretty much barren before the writing looks bad.

Lastly the clip is very good. I keep the pen in my shirt pocket, and remove it and replace it constantly. I know it's nerdy, but I can just slide the pen in and out of my pocket without looking. It stays put too, the marker that I keep there slides all over the place, and is pretty annoying, I'm constantly restraightening it. I also have a habbit of sticking the clip onto my finger and taking it off constantly just to hear it snap back into place, the clip doesn't bend or break or loose grip.

On a side note, I ended up washing one of these (and a black Bic sharpie knock-off) in a load of whites. When I took the cap off the Bic marker a little watered down ink came out, but when I took the cap off the pen what looked like pure ink poored out and stained the floor. I think this says something good about the cap.

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** December 08, 2005, 11:10 PM »

oh i agree with you 100% those staedtler pens are beautiful and fantastic. i have one i got from my father, a red "pigment liner" 03 that is like a piece of art.

http://www.staedtler...edtler?ActiveID=2273

rjbull · « **Reply #9 on:** December 09, 2005, 04:11 AM »

Personally I'd swear by my Fisher space pen. Pros: Small and light in the pocket, writes on almost anything (whilst upside down!), looks good and has a
http://www.spacepen.com/usa/index2.htm
-Sentinel (August 07, 2005, 07:09 AM)

I can't remember where I saw this - maybe the fisher Web site - but it is/was possible to obtain Fisher space-pen refills that fit other brands of barrel, like Papermate or Parker.

Darwin · « **Reply #10 on:** December 09, 2005, 05:10 PM »

You're correct - all the office and stationery supply stores near me (Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada) sell Fisher refills that will work in other manufacturer's pens (Shaeffer, Parker, Cross, etc.). More details available from the Fisher website http://www.spacepen.com/cdn-english/index2.htm. For what it's worth, my current favourite pen is the Fisher 2010 Millenium - guaranteed not to run out of ink during the purchaser's lifetime and gorgeous to boot: http://www.spacepen.com/cdn-english/index2.htm. *added in edit: sorry, just realised that my link takes you to the main page (and that there's nothing to be done about it... so, (for those who are interested) click on "products" -> "unique" and then "millenium pens".

Hirudin · « **Reply #11 on:** December 09, 2005, 06:53 PM »

guaranteed not to run out of ink during the purchaser's lifetime
-Darwin

WHAT?!?

Actually now I've done a little reasearch, I guess it writes a line 50 km long... LOL!

mouser · « **Reply #12 on:** December 09, 2005, 07:24 PM »

wow, that's pretty incredible.
but i lose pens constantly, so there is no way i'd ever buy such an expensive pen.
anything over $2 is pushing it for me..

Darwin · « **Reply #13 on:** December 10, 2005, 12:33 AM »

I hear you. Unfortunately, in addition to being a fool for software I am a fool for pens and watches...

johnk · « **Reply #14 on:** December 10, 2005, 04:57 AM »

All these posts about pens, and so far no one has mentioned fountain pens.....

Pride of place goes to my Pelikan 605, the best nib I've ever used and an absolute bargain at only $99. It even came with a dinky little stand. But I have a couple of lovely Filcaos as well. How many people today know the great pleasure of the ritual of filling a fountain pen; learning to treat a pen with care; cleaning it; loving it.

Madness, insanity, I know, I know....

Darwin · « **Reply #15 on:** December 10, 2005, 09:05 AM »

Yeah, I wanted to keep this *somewhat* sane so didn't mention my MontBlanc Meisterstruck 149, Sheaffer PFM I (circa 1959, in black, my current favourite), Pilot Vanishing Point, vintage Parker 51 or my numerous vintage Parkers and Sheaffers. Another sweet one is a newish Watermans with a buttery nib. I'm not sure of the model name.

Of course, John, the holy grail for me is a Pelikan. Currently I favour big pens and silver rather than gold so an M805 would probably be right for me, though I've yet to handle one and can't be sure where in the 600/800/1000 range I would fit. At the moment I have far less disposable income than I have enjoyed in the past so must hold off indulging myself. Something I haven't done, but must if I ever get around to it, is to pare down the watch and pen collections (the watch collection crushes the pen collection for sheer quantity so I should start there, but I do have a wealth of Sheaffer snorkels and touchdowns that I don't use).

I absolutely hear you about the joys of filling fountain pens and loving them. Having a good quality fountain pen in your hand and writing with it is SUCH a treat. My only complaint is that I usually have too little to write!

johnk · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2005, 11:08 AM »

I absolutely hear you about the joys of filling fountain pens and loving them. Having a good quality fountain pen in your hand and writing with it is SUCH a treat. My only complaint is that I usually have too little to write!
-Darwin (December 10, 2005, 09:05 AM)

Eh, yes. This is a fundamental problem with modern life, and the real reason why a passion for fountain pens makes no sense whatsoever. I spend my life in front of a variety of PCs. The bulk of my "writing" seems to be signing countless documents at work, or attending the odd meeting.

But even signing a document is much more fun with a fountain pen. On top of which, when someone sees you writing with a fountain pen, it always seems to start a conversation. And however nice they might be to you, it's obvious they think you might just be ever so slightly mad...

rjbull · « **Reply #17 on:** December 20, 2005, 03:49 AM »

I use fountain pens too, but I'm in the cheap-pen camp. This is partly because of cost/loss/breakage/theft, of course, but only partly. The other part; it seems to me that the pen/pencil you write best with is the one that wants to help you write, so in my case, I want a barrel that's not too thin in a pen that's light in the hand, and not cold to the touch. That rules out most quality fountain pens because they're often metal and therefore heavy. My current choice in fountain pens is the Sheaffer No-Nonsense range, which meet the above criteria and seem to have pretty good nibs. The latest bottle of their black ink isn't to my mind as good as the last one, though. Meanwhile, I keep casting sheep's eyes at Lamy pens. They look very modern, but have what look like very ergonomic barrels. I see the author Garth Nix now uses Waterman fountain pens to write his fantasy novels: http://members.ozema...arthnix/writing.html
He adds some notes on why he likes to write in longhand.

mouser · « **Reply #18 on:** April 17, 2006, 04:48 AM »

Save $200 in 2 minutes and have the worlds best writing pen
(use mont blanc refills in another pen)

http://www.instructa...0299AD7001143E7E506/

from digg.com

jgpaiva · « **Reply #19 on:** April 17, 2006, 05:27 AM »

Save $200 in 2 minutes and have the worlds best writing pen
-mouser (April 17, 2006, 04:48 AM)

AhAh.. Funny and interesting article, it looks like a good idea for those who like that kind of points.
I use a rotring freeway fountain pen and i love it. I even like it more than my father's mont blanc

Here it is:

brotherS · « **Reply #20 on:** April 17, 2006, 05:48 AM »

Save $200 in 2 minutes and have the worlds best writing pen
(use mont blanc refills in another pen)

http://www.instructa...0299AD7001143E7E506/
-mouser (April 17, 2006, 04:48 AM)

Cool!! Thanks for sharing!

I love their Step 8:

Step 8 Dial 911

[Due to the violent nature of this step, we have not included a picture] Using any sharp implement [scissors, knife, axe, etc] cut the refil to be the same length as the original ink. [please use adult supervision]

allen · « **Reply #21 on:** April 17, 2006, 06:17 AM »

I love office supply stores, though I have very little use for them in real world -- pens are my favorite. I've been using uniball vision pens since junior high -- love 'em.

My favorite pen, though I had only a relatively brief affair with it -- ending when it was stolen by my ignoramus computer teacher -- put about 80 bucks into the pen/pencil set by Rotring. That pen is heavy, double as an effective, albeit small, bludgeon.

(I had the pen/pencil versions of the first in that picture.)

jgpaiva · « **Reply #22 on:** April 17, 2006, 06:25 AM »

My favorite pen, though I had only a relatively brief affair with it -- ending when it was stolen by my ignoramus computer teacher.
-allen (April 17, 2006, 06:17 AM)

Grr... That's what I'm always afraid with my beloved pen, that i could lose it, or it could get stolen. I already lost my last one, and it made me maaad!

Hirudin · « **Reply #23 on:** April 17, 2006, 07:50 AM »

Whenever I misplace my pen all work-related activity stops. The longer it's gone, the more likely I'll never see it again.

As long as everyone's posting pictures of their pens; here's what I'm using righ' na' (except it's the Liquid Point 7)

I think more than anything it's the cap that does it for me. The clip is designed in such a way that it just slides over my shirt pocket. I don't feel like it's steadily ripping it apart.

Edvard · « **Reply #24 on:** April 17, 2006, 10:49 AM »

*gasp* Fountain Pens!!

I too am a closet fountain pen groupie. Never could afford the good ones, Shaeffer ALWAYS leaked on me so I was in for the Parker "Jotter" (which came in both fountain and ball-point models) with plastic refill tanks. They could be had (for a while) at the corner grocer for 4-6 USD. Then they just went away...
My next fave was the Pentech something-or-other. 2 bucks for cheap gray plastic with an ingenius wire pocket-clip and folded-metal nib that was a bit scratchy sometimes but used a bigger refill tank and NEVER leaked. I would immediately take it home and use an x-acto to chip the black paint off the nib because that caused problems when it loosened later on. Those went away too, after Pentech was bought out by the company that makes Disney promo junk.

Sites of fountain-pennish goodness:
Penspotters
http://www.rickconne...nspotters/about.html

The PenMuseum
http://www.penmuseum.co.uk/index.html
(hit the "Masterclass" for more info than you will ever need)

I found an entertaining history of the ballpoint pen can be found around the middle of this page:
http://www.writersbbs.com/members/pens/