This rhymes with the obsession of programmers and bespoke mechanical keyboards.
There's a lot of overlap, too. Also with fancy headphones: https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanicalheadpens/
The Pen, Mightier (2011)
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Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#22Question for the crowd that likes handwriting: did you transition to a writing tablet?
The day I bought a Remarkable 1 instead of lugging around notebooks has been a revelation for me. Now moved on to a boox 3c (with colors!) after a few years on a remarkable 2 in between.
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#23My life would have taken a different and probably less computer-centered path if I hadn't found the act of writing physically uncomfortable. From the day I learned to write all the way through to the present, it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes for my hand to begin aching. How fascinating it would be to be one of those people who can put pen to page for hours at a time, or buzz out notes in real-time then l…
Same for me. I bought a Lamy Safari fountain pen with a triangular grip that sort of forces me to hold it the “right” way, and it was transformative. What, handwriting can be pain-free? And I don’t have to consciously remember to adjust my grip because it pushes me that way? Miracles!
More info here: https://www.themanual.com/culture/different-types-of-pencil-...
My hand wants to use the lateral tripod grip by default, leading to me gripping the pen too hard and my hand hurting. The Safari gets me to use the dynamic tripod grip which is vastly more comfortable. They’re both considered “mature” grips, but one is much better for writing lots of text in one sitting.
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#24Question for the crowd that likes handwriting: did you transition to a writing tablet? The day I bought a Remarkable 1 instead of lugging around notebooks has been a revelation for me. Now moved on to a boox 3c (with colors!) after a few years on a remarkable 2 in between.
i carry a small field notes[1] book in a slim leather sleeve that also serves as my wallet, and i tuck a pen[2] in the fold. i change out the notebook every few months when it's full.
i value how compact this is, and i value never needing to charge any batteries. i also value being able to rip out a piece of paper and hand it to someone or place it somewhere.
in the first few pages of a new notebook, i often find myself wishing i had access to the old notebook (sometimes i carry both for a period).
i would consider switching if the form factor were small enough and the battery life were long enough. i would appreciate having full access to my archive, and the ability to backup/post-process the data. i would still miss having the ability to rip out a piece of paper. i'm honestly not sure where i'd land on the final decision.
1: https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/original-kraft
2: rOtring 600 w/ fisher space refills
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#25My life would have taken a different and probably less computer-centered path if I hadn't found the act of writing physically uncomfortable. From the day I learned to write all the way through to the present, it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes for my hand to begin aching. How fascinating it would be to be one of those people who can put pen to page for hours at a time, or buzz out notes in real-time then l…
Years ago in a discussion (here, I think) on fountain pens people were complaining about their hands cramping up when writing. Someone suggested the following: Put the pen between your index and middle fingers.
The idea is that the lengths of the fingers provide passive support for the pen on both sides. By restricting the range of motion of the pen sideways, you don't have to exert as much force to control the pen to write.
I tried it and it's great --- I haven't done it any other way since.
I've learned lots of things reading HN but this might have been the best.
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#26At one point I bought a bunch of pens from jetpens because I wanted to find “the best pen” (for me at least). I bought like 10 different kinds, some of which were I think exclusive to Japanese markets, some ballpoints, some gel rollers, etc. based on what people recommended online. Ultimately I think the Uniball Signo DX in 0.5mm and the Pilot Hi-Tec C in 0.4mm were my favorites, they felt really smooth and precise, though the quality of paper matters a lot (Rhodia is really good). The Pilot G2 is still my go to because it’s easy to find in stores and not too expensive.
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#27My life would have taken a different and probably less computer-centered path if I hadn't found the act of writing physically uncomfortable. From the day I learned to write all the way through to the present, it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes for my hand to begin aching. How fascinating it would be to be one of those people who can put pen to page for hours at a time, or buzz out notes in real-time then l…
Years ago in a discussion (here, I think) on fountain pens people were complaining about their hands cramping up when writing. Someone suggested the following: Put the pen between your index and middle fingers. The idea is that the lengths of the fingers provide passive support for the pen on both sides. By restricting the range of motion of the pen sideways, you don't have to exert as much force to control the pen t…
> Put the pen between your index and middle fingers.
I'm genuinely curious, how else could you hold a pen?
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#28My life would have taken a different and probably less computer-centered path if I hadn't found the act of writing physically uncomfortable. From the day I learned to write all the way through to the present, it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes for my hand to begin aching. How fascinating it would be to be one of those people who can put pen to page for hours at a time, or buzz out notes in real-time then l…
Same for me. I bought a Lamy Safari fountain pen with a triangular grip that sort of forces me to hold it the “right” way, and it was transformative. What, handwriting can be pain-free? And I don’t have to consciously remember to adjust my grip because it pushes me that way? Miracles! More info here: https://www.themanual.com/culture/different-types-of-pencil-... My hand wants to use the lateral tripod grip by defaul…
My grip has always been the dynamic tripod. Never helped.
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Years ago in a discussion (here, I think) on fountain pens people were complaining about their hands cramping up when writing. Someone suggested the following: Put the pen between your index and middle fingers. The idea is that the lengths of the fingers provide passive support for the pen on both sides. By restricting the range of motion of the pen sideways, you don't have to exert as much force to control the pen t…
> Put the pen between your index and middle fingers. I'm genuinely curious, how else could you hold a pen?
Doing it the "standard" way (at least the way we were taught in school) the pen rests between your thumb and index finger. In both cases, you "pinch" the end of the pen with thumb, index finger, and middle finger. But holding it the standard way, the length of the pen is largely unsupported (and so support has to be provided by "pinching" harder), whereas holding the pen between the middle and index finger provides passive support. From your question, did you always hold a pen between middle and index finger?
Re: The Pen, Mightier (2011)
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Same for me. I bought a Lamy Safari fountain pen with a triangular grip that sort of forces me to hold it the “right” way, and it was transformative. What, handwriting can be pain-free? And I don’t have to consciously remember to adjust my grip because it pushes me that way? Miracles! More info here: https://www.themanual.com/culture/different-types-of-pencil-... My hand wants to use the lateral tripod grip by defaul…
My grip has always been the dynamic tripod. Never helped.
Got it. I’m glad I can choose to write short bits of text when I want to, and can use a keyboard for anything nontrivial. Handwriting is easier for me now and yet I’d vastly prefer to type.