I'm a bit of a stationary nerd, though not to the extent that some people take it. I really dislike those cheap ballpoints. Do you prefer the finer things in life, or is any piece of crap good enough for you?
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Hey, everyone, go sign up for a guest DJ spot.
Let's also, erm, finish up the 2024 showcase as well.
1/13: CarterHayes
1/14: Philosofer
1/15: Rhubarb_Runner
1/16: davidwatts
Feel free to set it up whenever.
cut me loose, DK already played my Lo Moon video a few days ago -- go give it a listen. thanks
Heard.
I don't use it super often, but writing with a fountain pen is a joy I've relatively recently discovered.
I also love a good fountain pen, but they always dry out on me (I mainly use mechanical pencils at work). I found these guys though and I love them. I bought a box and gave most of them away to spread the joy and had to get another box. Highly recommend.
I'll consider getting those, although I haven't had as much trouble with dried up pens. Plus, I like having my ink containers sitting on my desk, makes me feel olde timey.
It me! Might give those Pilots a try, thanks!
Even though you can’t get them in stores anymore, I still buy Rolling Writer Pentel Pens. Once you find something you like...
Not nearly to the fountain pen level, but when Covid first hit and there were questions about its spread, I bought a ton of branded pens for my office. Ultimately they're just retractable ballpoint pens, but I splurged a little and got some with some very nice heft and a soft grip exterior so they're more pleasant to use.
5 years later and I think I'll finally be re-ordering this year. I'm stupidly looking forward to picking out something even nicer than last time.
I will say, if you're at all fountain pen curious it is reasonably
cheap to get started.
The Boy writes his scripts longhand. He favors these
That's the good doctor's pen of choice as well. She has beautiful cursive handwriting that her students "can't" read.
I've been enamored with pens since I was a kid. I tried to get into fountain pens, but then I just hated all my paper, and, as mentioned above, they dry out from disuse. So I've been questing for the best affordable "regular" pens.
I've really liked the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller, Ultra Fine Point 0.38mm, but the last few have stopped working mid usage. Seems it's a common problem where something gets jammed and the pen becomes a carving tool with no ink to speak of. (Until you set it somewhere overnight and the jam bursts and a pool of ink forms.) Too bad, because I like them and they're cheap.
I picked a Pilot Arco 500 in Japan at one of the monster stationary stores and enjoy it. Was finally was able to find a place to buy them, but…they are a little thin on the circumference and I suspect using them for an extended period would not be comfortable for me. And they're a little more expensive than I'd like, though I suppose I could go on a hunt for affordable refills…
Maybe the Pilot G2's are cheap enough that I should just deal with the chance at breakage?
In addition to the pens I described above I stock my office with the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller, but I go with the .7mm. I love 'em. To my memory I've never had the issues you describe. I wonder if that's an issue with the finer point?
Will give those a try!
I now find myself almost never using physical writing tools anymore. Even for my in-person classes, I have students turn in everything other than exams online and grade with a stylus on an iPad.
But, on the infrequent occasions I actually write something on paper, this is the pen I use. And always in purple.
I have problems even writing a (rare) check anymore.
I have a non-clicky top version of that.
My go-to handwriting utensils are a midcentury Cross pen and mechanical pencil set that I gave my father for Christmas when I was 12 years old. The same Christmas I got my first BB gun.
I have long been a Zebra F-301 advocate, but have recently been turned on to the F-402.
It's the same cartridge, but with a grip and slightly larger barrel, and I find it much nicer to hold.
I am not a fan at all of gel pens, I find the ink smudges too much and the stroke width is too fat. I like my ink to be thinner.
Yeah, that F-301 was my favorite pen ever. It writes so much better than any other pen I have used.
I knew you were a gentleman of taste and sophistication
14,000 days ago, the Twins
Pens are for lawyers, pencils are for artists.
I embrace a wide variety of mechanical and traditional pencils. The graphgear 7.0 is my daily, in pocket (shirt front not stab myself in the leg) user. The blackwing matte is my go to og pencil. Superb in every way. Both are superior products, imho.
Hey, my lawyering is like artwork! Finger painting, but that still counts, right?
Don't you paint with blood, though??
That has never been proven beyond a reasonable doubt
I use a Tūl 0.5 mm pencil for most of my writing. I also have a 0.9 mm pencil somewhere but I don't have it handy to get the brand. I find the 0.9 mm width to be perfect when I don't need finer details as that size graphite is nearly unbreakable when writing.
I had to initial and date a lot at a previous job so I bought a box of Office Depot rollerball pens that were surprisingly good. They were very smooth for most of their life and then got a bit scratchy as an indication to replace. I still have half of the box left but they're so old the ink isn't as smooth anymore.