As a newspaper editor, I write for a living, so I want a tool that works well for me. I have always found I am too sloppy with felt tips and ball points just don’t feel right and for some reason the quality of my handwriting varies as to what part of the page I am on with a ball point, so I use a fountain pen.
Also, I seem to be less verbose when I use a fountain pen than ball points. Don’t ask me, I don’t know why.
It is a Varsity Pilot fountain pen: The cheapest fountain pen on the market. I use black for writing and purple for editing.
Also, people tend to borrow fountains less than ball points so I seem to keep them longer.
My wife got me a quill pen for Christmas. Seriously, I enjoy writing with that too, but her cats keep attacking it now whenever I write. That plays havoc with serious writing.
I use the Bic clic-stic. I need a cheap all weather pen that can take some abuse, as my job requires me to write stuff down outside in all sorts of weather. It also needs to be retractable, since caps are easily lost. The clic-stic meets all of the above criterion, and it also happens to be the type my company uses for promotional uses. So I have an unlimited supply I can steal if necessary. In a pinch I can buy a box of ten at Staples for three bucks.
I use the Bic WideBody, because I have to write a lot at work, and my hand cramps up after a while, but less so with the WideBody. Plus we just happened to have a bunch at work that I could take. I never have a problem with people taking my pens. I have so many at work that I try to give them away, but everyone else has the same problem so I have no takers.
Except for the pens that write in blue. We would all step over our own mothers for the pens that write in blue, but usually only get pens that write in black, so we have to hide the blue-writers to prevent scavenging.
My pen fetish started in high school. I’d write notes to my friends and colored pencils, because they looked so vibrant. Then I found the spiffy gel pens, and I’ve been hooked ever since. My most recent favorite is the Liquid Expresso line, they write really good, and seem to last. When I go to work, I always make sue to do my pre-shifts and schedules in some random color. I need to find a really cheap brand of colorful pens though, cuz I’m getting tired of people stealing my expensive ones.
I find it comforting that I’m not the only one who enjoys writing with a fine writing utensil. Most of the pens I use have been mentioned but about Rotring pens. They also come out w/ artsy pens. Super fine tips. These are not pens I would recommend for every day use. The one I had wrote w/ a 0.3 mm tip (One was a Rapidograph that had replaceable tips, never got one though. Another was a Rapidoliner of similar fame). You had to write really lightly and putting above normal pressure would probably break the tip or bend it (They look like Pilot V7 tips but thinner). So there we go, Rotring makes some fine pens, just don’t use them super fine tips for normal use. The upside to them is obvious. You write in ink but its almost ridiculous how thin it is so you can fit more on a page and not have to worry about it all blurring together due to smaller handwriting.
Anything from asian stationary stores is great for me, but recently I’ve fallen in love with glittery gel pens. Yes, the ones that are hideously over priced. Gelly Roll seems to work rather well and they have lots of different types of ink. Don’t mind me I’m just slightly obsessive compulsive about these things. I have cute asian stationary too and the ink just has to go with the pictures.
It was an anniversary gift from my wife. While I would have never bought a pen this expensive, I love it. It writes more smoothly than any pen I’ve ever used, and looks beautiful to boot.
I do wish the line was a little finer, but I use it all the time anyway.
So guess what I did after I posted this morning? Give up?
I spent several hours cruising sites that sold vintage fountain pens like the Parker Duofold. A vintage one will cost one a measly $350.00 to $550.00 U.S. depending on it’s condition. The Montblanc mentioned isn’t really a pen that you would want to lend out at $125,000. What interests me is that Montblanc made a commemorative Agatha Christie Edition of a fountain pen, ballpoint, and pencil… this would be the ultimate gift for Lola, who collects Agatha Christie books and pens). It would run me at least $4000.00 to get my hands on a set but man would I earn some points.
I went to Ebay and looked at what kinds of pens were for sale there. I spent a good deal of time cruising the web this evening looking at fountain pens as well. I truly have a full blown pen fetish.
I am guessing that I am now going to have to go cruising the pawn shops, flea markets, and second hand stores for a few more (fountain) pens.
I forgot, the ink has to be black. Blue doesn’t cut it.
Originally posted by celestina
I really want to meet some of these people who’re buying those pens and just ask them what the hell they are thinking. Mont Blanc also has pens that cost anywhere from $1000-$10,000 that are made out of silver or something. Can anyone of you out there enlighten me on how spending thousands of dollars on a pen can make you write better because I just do not see it.
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They’re collector pens. People don’t write with them, they collect them either for their own pleasure or to resell later. There is an active collector pen market out there.
I have to disagree, my friend. Parker Quink Blue-Black (which is darker than normal blue) is the best ink ever. I am also in the (perhaps paranoid) practice of signing documents in a non-black color so the original can be distinguished from photocopies.
I use a black “V5 Extra Fine” pilot Precise pen in my chequebook, but my writing pen (the Waterman) has blue-black ink in it. Not so much for fraud protection; I just like blue-black ink.
I lose pens Just Like That, so unless I have money to burn I rarely get my favourite type of pen, a light blue, black, or mauve HiTecPoint. Right now I’m using a Staedtler Liquid Point.
I am the anti-pen. Countless millions (well okay, maybe tens) of them have persished by my hand. My pencil case is littered with tiny pieces of plastic as well as a few cracked and hollow cases, all the evidense that remains of the gruesome and horrific tortures I have inflicted on innocent implements of writing. Rare indeed is the pen that has survived my usage long enough to actually run out of ink.
Me too! I’ve got a red and black in my pocket right now. I like fat lines because it makes it look like I have better handwriting than I actually do by joining all the strokes by virtue of their width.
I also like that you can see how much ink is left.
I don’t have to write too much, but when I do I want a good pen that fills my requirements:
General:
Black ink
Proper diameter
I’m left handed:
Writes well being pushed rather than pulled
Ink must dry quickly so that I don’t smear
I only own one pen and it is this one, the Lamy Swift retractable rollerball. 0.3mm line is good width, flows smoothly, and has a nice heft and diameter.
The ink dries quickly and the line is good quality (though it does skip a bit if you are writing with the pen horizontal rather than vertical). The cool feater is that the pocket clip retracts when the pen is in use. This is really nice because it means I can’t clip it to my pocket unless I retract the pen, avoiding ink stains on my pockets.
$70 is a bit expensive for a pen (especially for a non-fetishist like me) but I’m really happy with this one.
Oh, by the way, pencils are demon-spawn. Never, ever, hand me a pencil if I ask for a pen. Pencils just encourage stupid mistakes. The only acceptable uses for pencil are writing in books and sticking in ceilings.
There are few things in life more annoying than having to use a cheap pen.
For work and general everyday use, I carry a Recife Depose rollerball with a medium point. A truly fabulous pen with a sort of art Deco look to it and some serious heft in a comfortable diameter.
For journal and letter writing, I use a dip pen with a medium sized Latine nib. It’s very elegant looking and tends to make my penmanship easier to read and more stylish without me having to make any additional effort. As an additional point, I use original black India ink.
I carry a couple of Uniballs in my pocket (save the pun, please) to lend out, etc. I couldn’t care less if they don’t get returned.
Anyone with a true pen jones should check out http://www.levenger.com. Lots of cool pens and associated stuff.
while i like the pilot precise V5 pens, i also love my gel pens, both metallic and milky. also i own some uniball vision fine point pens that are fun to write with.
I hope to get some fountain pens soon, the next time I am at an office supply store,
I must use those accursed papermates pens at work, and I cannot write with that POS, i cannot hold them, and it just makes my shitty handwriting that much worse!!
Isn’t there a story about a place where all the missing pens go? I’m not sure, but I seem to recall a paranoid pen story from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s been a while since I’ve read the book though, so I might be totally off.
My favorite pen belongs to a coworker who is married to a doctor. His wife gives him all sorts of wacky pens, many with long and elaborate prescription drugs brands emblazoned on it. This particular pen is a thick, metallic blue pen with a flared grip and a chrome button. On the side, in white letters, is the word “Viagra.”
