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The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

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Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#31

Post by jasode »

ablyveiled wrote: post #7

I've tried a few fancy pens, but still prefer my Pilot G2 07s.

>Pilot G2

I like Pilot G2 pens but unfortunately, they have a limited shelf life as the gel ink inside dries out.

I just found this out recently when I went to get some more "new" Pilot pens from my supply closet and noticed every one of them was dried out. I bought them 7 years ago. Various websites and youtube hacks suggested putting the tips in boiling water for a while to try and revive them but that didn't work.

I had 3 boxes of black, blue, and red Pilot pens so I guess that's about $30 wasted.

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#32

Post by quora »

meindnoch wrote: post #23
kstrauser wrote: post #20

Fountain pens completely changed how I write. I've always gripped ballpoints like my life depended on it and gotten hand cramps from how hard I press them down. I don't want to, and can temporarily stop doing that when I consciously notice, but then I forget and go back to trying to stab the desktop through the paper. A Lamy Safari's triangular shape makes it physically hard to hold the "wrong" way. It nudges me to w…

I'd love to use fountain pens. Unfortunately, I'm left-handed.

I'm a leftie fountain pen user. It definitely can be done, but might need some adjustments to how you hold a pen / what inks you use. I've using a lamy safari with waterman ink for about 10 years with no trouble.

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#33

Post by mewse-hn »

Ahh I went down this rabbit hole recently - wanting to find what was good but also affordable from Amazon Canada.

Ended up landing on sharpie s-gel metal pen bodies (there's a blacked out variation that is appealing) with pentel energel refills.

I am really fond of the zebra G-750 (all metal gel pen, also blacked out) but I'm able to get a dozen of the above combo very, very cheap.

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#34

Post by cevn »

meindnoch wrote: post #23
kstrauser wrote: post #20

Fountain pens completely changed how I write. I've always gripped ballpoints like my life depended on it and gotten hand cramps from how hard I press them down. I don't want to, and can temporarily stop doing that when I consciously notice, but then I forget and go back to trying to stab the desktop through the paper. A Lamy Safari's triangular shape makes it physically hard to hold the "wrong" way. It nudges me to w…

I'd love to use fountain pens. Unfortunately, I'm left-handed.

I use em Left Handed. A proper notebook with fast drying pages and ink will reduce smudging but I always have some ink on my hand lol.

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#35

Post by todd8 »

Featured in this list are two of my favorite fountain pens, the Pilot Vanishing Point and the Lamy 2000. Both of these in my collection write very well and both have unique and interesting designs.

The Pilot Vanishing Point doesn't need a cap, the nib is exposed and protected in a manner akin to clicking a ball point in and out. Mine works perfectly.

The Lamy 2000 is sleek and modern looking with a sophisticated design. It looks like a fountain pen that one might see in a Star Trek movie, but this model has been around since the mid 1960's. After half a century, the design is still the favorite of my collection. It operates flawlessly.

I own the other, less expensive fountain pens mentioned as well; they would be good choices too. I started out with some of these and I still like them, but it is easy to get hooked on buying more fountain pens and fancy inks.

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#37

Post by throw0101a »

meindnoch wrote: post #23
kstrauser wrote: post #20

Fountain pens completely changed how I write. I've always gripped ballpoints like my life depended on it and gotten hand cramps from how hard I press them down. I don't want to, and can temporarily stop doing that when I consciously notice, but then I forget and go back to trying to stab the desktop through the paper. A Lamy Safari's triangular shape makes it physically hard to hold the "wrong" way. It nudges me to w…

I'd love to use fountain pens. Unfortunately, I'm left-handed.

https://www.gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog/fountain-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QemooqfJcfg

?

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#38

Post by 0x00washere »

bmarquez wrote: post #12

I can vouch for the Pentel EnerGel recommendation. As a left-handed person who tends to smudge a lot of other inks, EnerGels write smoothly without smudging. They're also cheap enough to buy a whole pack and not worry about losing them.

Agreed. These are gold for lefties. I have yet to find a better pen. It's a joy to use and the .5mm ball also makes my writing look very neat and tidy.

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#39

Post by jszymborski »

I bought the TWISBI ECO on a lark. I was hesitant because I already had the GO and the ECO was just more expensive.

Well boy-howdy is the ECO not only leagues better than the GO, but I much prefer to all my other pens.

Folks recommend the really cheap platinum preppy pens, but be warned they are super scratchy. I would go a size up from what you normally prefer wrt to nib (if you are new, try M as F and EF are extremely scratchy IMHO).

The opposite is true about the TWISBI in my experience. Go a size down. Their F nibs write quite fat.

Then again, I mostly write on cheap paper so this advice def doesn't apply to e.g. Rhodia pads.

Finally, I don't love the metropolitan. Feels great in the hand but I always find myself reaching for the smooth writing I get from my Eco.

Re: The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens

#40

Post by unmole »

cyanf wrote: post #17
ablyveiled wrote: post #7

I've tried a few fancy pens, but still prefer my Pilot G2 07s.

Have you tried the 0.7 energels? G2s used to be my favorite until I gave them a try. Very smooth.

The Energel pens are a bit too light for my liking. So, I use Energel refills in G2's body. Best of both worlds.
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