Pens/Pencils - Ones You Like

[Solitaire1]

Recently, I've been checking out pens and pencils to see if I can find something that I might like better for my everyday writing than what I've been using. I tried using a fountain pen but it turned out to not be practical for me now. I used fountain point pens in High School for a long time and enjoyed writing with them.

Currently, I've been using the following for my everyday writing and have been satisfied with each:

• Uni-Ball Roller, 0.5mm Black Ink
• Uni-Ball Vision, 0.5mm, Black Ink (despite being the same writing width, this pen has a thicker line than the Uni-Ball Roller)
• Pentel Side FX Mechanical Pencil, 0.5mm with 2B Lead

I was wondering which pens/pencils you like to use for your writing.

[OtinG]

I have an old 0.5mm mechanical pencil I use that fits my hand well. It is thicker than most ball point pens and pentels. I’m left handed, so writing with ink pens typically results in smeared ink on page and hand! My mechanical pencil has an eraser so I can easily make corrections. Mostly I use it for doing math and sketches.

[wodin]

I've carried a Montblanc Meisterstück Classique for about 30 years now. I'm currently on my second one, I lost the first one on the golf course some fifteen or so years ago. Both of them have been gifts from my wife.


I also had a matching Montblanc Meisterstück LeGrand Fountain Pen for a while, but didn't like it so I returned it.

[astrangerhere]

I use a selection of Lami fountain pens for work and Blackwing pencils for just about everything else. I have my Blackwings cut to fit my Twist Bullet Pencil for pocket carry.

[Solitaire1]

An update to my previous post:

I've returned to using the Pentel P205 0.5mm Mechanical Pencil with 2B lead. I like the longer lead sleeve, and the one thing I didn't like about it (if you remove the cap to use the eraser often not only does the cap come off but so does the erase so the lead spills out) has been dealt with by using a separate eraser.

[Ricky D'Angelo]

Originally Posted by wodin

I've carried a Montblanc Meisterstück Classique for about 30 years now. I'm currently on my second one, I lost the first one on the golf course some fifteen or so years ago. Both of them have been gifts from my wife.


I also had a matching Montblanc Meisterstück LeGrand Fountain Pen for a while, but didn't like it so I returned it.

I have a Meisterstück Gold-Coated Classique Ballpoint Pen which I call my nerd bling. But lately, I prefer using a cheaper Pentel RSVP Pen which I "customize" with paper inserts which show through the clear barrel.

[Alohamora]

I really like using Fountain pens, rather sad that everything I do is on a computer now, so little opportunity for writing with pen and ink.

[SteveEisenberg]

I've long thought that Ticonderoga #2 wooden pencils are just a little better than others.

Re pens, if you live in U.S. and want to give yourself an affordable luxury gift, you could go to www.jetpens.com and search with the term:

sampler

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Ricky D'Angelo

I have a Meisterstück Gold-Coated Classique Ballpoint Pen which I call my nerd bling. But lately, I prefer using a cheaper Pentel RSVP Pen which I "customize" with paper inserts which show through the clear barrel.

Yup, "nerd bling" is a apt name. It's amazing how many people recognize the signature white star on the end. Usually people over forty or so. It would seem that GenXers and younger are more attuned to Apple.

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by Alohamora

I really like using Fountain pens, rather sad that everything I do is on a computer now, so little opportunity for writing with pen and ink.

I know the feeling. I do far less actual writing (as in with a pen/pencil than I used to). While writing electronically is very handy, sometimes it is nice to just sit down with a pen/pencil and a pad of paper and just write. It's unfortunate that letter writing has gone to the wayside for the most part.

Originally Posted by Ricky D'Angelo

I have a Meisterstück Gold-Coated Classique Ballpoint Pen which I call my nerd bling. But lately, I prefer using a cheaper Pentel RSVP Pen which I "customize" with paper inserts which show through the clear barrel.

Originally Posted by wodin

Yup, "nerd bling" is a apt name. It's amazing how many people recognize the signature white star on the end. Usually people over forty or so. It would seem that GenXers and younger are more attuned to Apple.

I've not heard of the Meisterstück Gold-Coated Classique Ballpoint Pen although I've come across some very expensive pens via YouTube videos, like the following:

I'm more concerned with how a pen writes rather than how it looks, and any single pen that costs more than $40 is too much for me. Right now, I'm fine with disposable pens (like the Uni-Ball Vision and Uni-Ball Roller) that reasonably write well. I still use my Sheaffer fountain pens (more than a decade old) from time to time, and fortunately ink cartridges for them are still available.

When it comes to ballpoint pens, both the Bic Cristal and the Pentel R.S.V.P. are fine when I have to use a ballpoint pen (such as when I have to write on plastic sheets where writing on them with other types pens would lead to easy smearing). As I mentioned before, the one type of pen (of any type I avoid) is a retractable.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

I've not heard of the Meisterstück Gold-Coated Classique Ballpoint Pen although I've come across some very expensive pens via YouTube videos, like the following:

Meisterstück is a line of writing instruments by MontBlanc, they come in ball points, rollerballs, pencils and fountain pens, the "Gold-Coated" means that the pointy end, middle band, and clip are gold filled (18K I think). They also have platinum and other precious metals. They come in various diameters and weights, but the Classique is fairly large and heavy and are made of black resin (plastic). They start at about $250 US and go up from there into the thousands. Mine was/is the $250 variety. They are often discounted, and I've seen them for as little as $100 US.

They all have a distinctive (and trade marked) white six pointed star set in black plastic on the end opposite the point so that it shows when wearing the pen in a shirt pocket, hence the term "nerd bling" since it functions as bragging rights to those who know what it is. It used to be fairly common to see Physicians wearing them and writing prescriptions with them, but that's less common these days.

See, I've arrived; I can afford this ridiculously expensive piece of plastic that can easily be replace by a twenty nine cent Bic.

[astrangerhere]

I have always been good with the simple Lamy Safari's provided that I can get the extra fine nib. When I first bought one, they ran $20. I think they are closer to $40 now. But I have been using the same set of 3 for about 5 years. I have only had to buy fresh bottles of ink one time, and Noodler's ink is very reasonably priced for the amount that you get.

Keeping them clean and full is the only real service they need. I will, however, admit, that I could not go back to ball point or gel style pens. Fountain pens are just so much more comfortable for my arthritic hands.

[cromag]

I went to Catholic school in the late 50s and 60s, and only fountain pens were permitted. The two big brands were Sheaffer and Wearever. I still like using one, every now and then, but for my daily writing I use Sharpie fine point pens. They're comfortable, the ink flows well and it's acid-free.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by cromag

I went to Catholic school in the late 50s and 60s, and only fountain pens were permitted. The two big brands were Sheaffer and Wearever. I still like using one, every now and then, but for my daily writing I use Sharpie fine point pens. They're comfortable, the ink flows well and it's acid-free.

I used Sharpie pens for 4 or 5 years in my Moleskine book lovers journals (which I recently discovered they have stopped making). But when Moleskine redid the way they produced their paper, the Sharpie pens started showing through. I still use an oversized Cahair Moleskine for my daily bullet journal/day book, so Sharpies are no longer viable for me.

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I used Sharpie pens for 4 or 5 years in my Moleskine book lovers journals (which I recently discovered they have stopped making). But when Moleskine redid the way they produced their paper, the Sharpie pens started showing through. I still use an oversized Cahair Moleskine for my daily bullet journal/day book, so Sharpies are no longer viable for me.

I've seen Moleskine-type notebooks at Barnes & Noble. I was wondering what is special about them?