91–100 of 193 posts
The wording of this article is very strange. All references to fountain pens happen in the past tense, as if they did not exist anymore. Millions of people still use fountain pens every day. The author lives in a bubble of ballpoint users or what?
A notable side effect not mentioned is that the biro began the downfall of cursive handwriting, as described by an interesting Atlantic article: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/ballp... I still use fountain pens, although that is arguably an affectation--they were already on the way out when I was in school. Cursive reduces the number of times you lift the stylus from the paper, greatly reducin…
One side effect not discussed here: how the shift to ballpoint pens increased hand strain [0]. Writing with a fountain pen is relatively effortless - not to deny it has several other drawbacks. I imagine this is part of why, as an elementary school student in France, I was required to write with only fountain pens. [0] https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/ballp...
I can get used to any of fountain pens pretty quickly, even the worst and the cheapest ones. The advantage of growing up using hand-me downs during school, is that you learn tricks. Here is one, for the bad fountain pens, I slant it to "my angle" of writing and sand it (very gently) against either a very fine stone/rock or go a carpenter's shed and sand it against their finest sandpaper.
I have been trying to teach my daughter to write more, especially with fountain pens but she seems to not like it so much yet. She does like having few around -- perhaps seeing me line up my pens nicely on my table inspires her.
1. https://www.amazon.com/Muji-2724644690738-MUJI-Aluminum-Foun...
I recently switched to a fountain pen - way easier to write with and way less tension. Neil Gaiman suggested it and so I gave it a shot. Never going back - my handwriting is better (but I write cursive) and it is easier to write longer without strain. That said - super cool story.
I love fountain pens too, and recently tried to switch back to my classic Parker 45. Sadly, the plastic lining of the reservoir had perished, so the pen wouldn't suck ink up. I tried a replacement reservoir, but it didn't work. So I tried a different type, with a screw based impeller mechanism, and got ink all over my fingers and desk. Some of the ink went up into the reservoir, but wouldn't flow back down through th…
You can also use a syringe to clean and refill disposable cartridges from an ink bottle.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
My favorite pen is the pentel energel 0.7mm. It will write smooth dark lines just the right thicknes without blobbing or cutting out, and is the most effortless pen to write with. But yes, it does write at a higher angle than a fountain pen. I had a fountain pen years and years ago, and it was something you had to want to use. I can't help but think of it like vinyl records, straight razors and film cameras.
>> pentel energel 0.7mm. Thanks for mentioning this I am currently on the lookout for new pen to make my standard usage pen. My prime requirement is that it should be 1.0mm, or at a minimal 0.7mm, since I love the thickness. Secondary requirement is that it should be smooth. I bought Baoke gel from Amazon and while I loved it a lot, was greatly disappointed to find it was of Chinese make. Am now searching for somethi…
It's 0.3 mm though, but a rollerball so it leaves a more saturated and wider writing trail than a ballpoint pen.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
My favorite pen is the pentel energel 0.7mm. It will write smooth dark lines just the right thicknes without blobbing or cutting out, and is the most effortless pen to write with. But yes, it does write at a higher angle than a fountain pen. I had a fountain pen years and years ago, and it was something you had to want to use. I can't help but think of it like vinyl records, straight razors and film cameras.
I bought and tried hundred of different pens and Pentel Energel 0.7mm are the best. Smooth writing, bold colors, dark black. Now I buy them by pack of ten. Look no futher they are the best
A notable side effect not mentioned is that the biro began the downfall of cursive handwriting, as described by an interesting Atlantic article: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/ballp... I still use fountain pens, although that is arguably an affectation--they were already on the way out when I was in school. Cursive reduces the number of times you lift the stylus from the paper, greatly reducin…
They can probably touch type on their cell phone, just not on a full QWERTY keyboard.
In last 10 years my fav ballpoint pen is Schneider K15.[1,2]
FTR, Schneider ballpoint pens multiply times got "Red Dot Design Award" (2006, 2010, 2013, 2019)[3] ... until this year; this year Leuchtturm1917 Drehgriffel Nr.1 ballpoint pen got "Red Dot Design Award'2020".[4]
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bic_Cristal
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File%3ABallpoint-pen-parts.jpg
[2] https://www.red-dot.org/project/schneider-schreibgeraete-406...
[3] https://www.red-dot.org/project/schneider-schreibgeraete-406...
I recently switched to a fountain pen - way easier to write with and way less tension. Neil Gaiman suggested it and so I gave it a shot. Never going back - my handwriting is better (but I write cursive) and it is easier to write longer without strain. That said - super cool story.
I love fountain pens too, and recently tried to switch back to my classic Parker 45. Sadly, the plastic lining of the reservoir had perished, so the pen wouldn't suck ink up. I tried a replacement reservoir, but it didn't work. So I tried a different type, with a screw based impeller mechanism, and got ink all over my fingers and desk. Some of the ink went up into the reservoir, but wouldn't flow back down through th…
Also, as much as I'm a fan of fountain pens, they do have some downsides. The ink tends to smear/smudge easily (even quick drying ones) on normal paper, which makes them less suitable for scribbling marginalia on paperbacks. And even their extra fine nibs aren't that fine, so one can't squeeze as many words into the margins. Therefore, I use a different pen for marginalia: a Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3mm (~$3). It's a gel pen with a very very fine nib (0.3mm is finer than Western F fountain nibs). Fountain pen inks are also usually water soluble so they're less suitable for use cases that require permanence, like say signing the back of a credit card, so I find myself having to switch to a cheap ballpoint in such cases.
To me, fountain pens optimize for one experience and one experience only -- the pleasure of writing on good paper. It trades off versatility to achieve this optimization.
A notable side effect not mentioned is that the biro began the downfall of cursive handwriting, as described by an interesting Atlantic article: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/ballp... I still use fountain pens, although that is arguably an affectation--they were already on the way out when I was in school. Cursive reduces the number of times you lift the stylus from the paper, greatly reducin…
