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The cheap pen that changed writing forever

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Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#111

Post by tvb12 »

BeetleB wrote: post #83
wombatmobile wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Apart from Lamy Safari, another option is the Pilot Metropolitan. If you want smooth writing, get a Medium or larger. Pilot Medium's are the equivalent of Fine in most countries.

I have a fine Pilot Metropolitan and went looking for a Medium tip to try it out. Unfortunately, they don't sell the tips separately, but I did find a list of Pilot pens which are said to have compatible tips: Plumix, Pluminix, Prera, Penmanship, 78G, Kakuna. It looks the Plumix is $10, which seems steep for the tip, but I guess it's better than paying another $20-ish for a second Metropolitan.

On another note, I came across the Platinum Curidas pen. It's a clicky fountain pen! I'm very tempted to buy one, but I've never spent anywhere near $80 on a pen before.

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#112

Post by tvb12 »

enriquto wrote: post #16

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?

I didn't know fountain pens still existed until two years ago. I bought a Pilot Metropolitan and I've found it to be an improvement. However, I still have not seen another in the wild.

Err, "an improvement" probably needs clarifying, though. It moves across paper much more smoothly than the ball point pens I've used, and I find reloading the ink to be enjoyable (I've also gone two years without the pen disappearing into the void, something which has never happened for me when using disposable pens). It does seem like fountain pens require heavier paper than ball-points, though. Maybe it's the ink I bought, but trying to write on the standard lined paper used in schools leads to a lot of smudges and bleeding ink. Standard weight printer paper is fine, unless it was left out on a few humid days.

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#113

Post by ChuckMcM »

robocat wrote: post #101
ChuckMcM wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My go to pen for years has been the Sarasa Zebra 1.0. I liked it so much and was frustrated when office supply stores didn't carry it that I bought a carton from a distributor (288 pens!) I doubt I'll run out, but they do dry out eventually.

> they do dry out eventually Perhaps make a simple humidor? Or solvent-idor?

That is an excellent idea.

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#114

Post by petre »

kaonwarb wrote: post #2

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...

There are rollerballs with regular ink now, such as the one I have from Schneider. It does need a refill, but writing with it is efortless, just like with the fountain pen and the writing also looks good because the trail is continuous. I think they have a ceramic ball tip instead of a metal one. I absolutely love them. One can also reuse the cartridges and refill them with regular ink using a syringe if they can be bothered to do so.

https://schneiderpen.com/en_us/cartridge-rollerballs/easy-wh...

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#115

Post by ImprovedSilence »

ajarmst wrote: post #87
shinycode wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

I went through a similar process many years ago and settled on the Uniball Jetstream for biros and the Kuru Toga for mechanical pencils.

While I didn't go through a hundred pens, I too settled on the Jetstream. Although I find the pen is not the classiest designed, the writing of it is just sooooooooo nice, and I suppose ergonomic enough to make up for it's looks. Also among my test set of maybe a handful of pens, I found the ink to be the best of what I tested (least smudge, quick dry, water proof, etc)

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#116

Post by petre »

wdb wrote: post #70
kaonwarb wrote: post #2

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 prefer writing with fountain pen, you don't get that scratching feeling like you have with a ballpoint.

Do try a rollerball with ink. I also like fountain pens but this one is more convenient.

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#117

Post by godelmachine »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #80
godelmachine wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> 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…

My go to pen for years has been the Sarasa Zebra 1.0. I liked it so much and was frustrated when office supply stores didn't carry it that I bought a carton from a distributor (288 pens!) I doubt I'll run out, but they do dry out eventually.

I face the same crunch in the local market, so maybe I have to resort to the same. It would be great if the refills were in supply as well, and not just pens. I don’t see refills available for all Uni-ball pens available on Amazon.

>>simple humidor? Or solvent-idor?

Does it imply we make our own ink? Did not follow. Kindly elucidate.

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#118

Post by stewbrew »

kaonwarb wrote: post #2

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...

If that were true, nobody would use pens. I write differently with pens and everything is fine.

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#119

Post by ChuckMcM »

godelmachine wrote: post #117
ChuckMcM wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My go to pen for years has been the Sarasa Zebra 1.0. I liked it so much and was frustrated when office supply stores didn't carry it that I bought a carton from a distributor (288 pens!) I doubt I'll run out, but they do dry out eventually.

I face the same crunch in the local market, so maybe I have to resort to the same. It would be great if the refills were in supply as well, and not just pens. I don’t see refills available for all Uni-ball pens available on Amazon. >> simple humidor? Or solvent-idor? Does it imply we make our own ink? Did not follow. Kindly elucidate.

The drying out is a function of the volatiles in the ink evaporating. In the ideal case it creates a "crust" on the end of the pen nib which then seals the ink cartridge, but in practice air still gets in.

When you first open these pins they have a small ball stuck on the end of them to prevent the pen from drying out on the shelf. If you could create a case that maintained an atmosphere that prevented evaporation of the volatiles it would keep the pen from drying out.

A 'humidor' keeps cigars from drying out by using a moisture adsorber to keep humidity levels relatively constant in the box. So same principle but applied to pens.

Re: The cheap pen that changed writing forever

#120

Post by thaumasiotes »

godelmachine wrote: post #29
m463 wrote: post #26

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…

> I bought Baoke gel from Amazon and while I loved it a lot, was greatly disappointed to find it was of Chinese make.

...was the name not a giveaway? That's like complaining that Huawei devices are made in China.

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