Pen snobbery

[BlaqueKatt]

Also, why in the world does a 12-pack of black pens cost MORE than a 12-pack of BLUE pens...? FOR THE SAME BRAND.

Blue* is used more, so it's cheaper.


*in any setting where reports are written, and *especially* in companies with ISO certification, blue is preferred(in the lab it was mandatory) simply because you can tell at a glance if you're dealing with an original document or a copy.

[Crossbow]

*in any setting where reports are written, and *especially* in companies with ISO certification, blue is preferred(in the lab it was mandatory) simply because you can tell at a glance if you're dealing with an original document or a copy.

Unfortunately, with the rise of color laser copiers, that's not always so easy anymore. I used a fountain pen when signing my deed and mortgage paperwork with a really bright blue ink. When they brought back the copy, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference without the big COPY watermark on every page. The blue was exactly the right shade...

[AccountingDrone]

for me its a Pilot G-2 0.7mm in blue and a sharpie (but not a "sharpei", i have on of those...) in my lab coat and in my pocket at all times. I usually kill em in less than a month filling out all the documentation for my work. It takes a lot to get either set away from me and in the event I lose one, I got 15 more stashed in my parts cabinet.

In black, not blue I have a brand new package of them sitting in my desk drawer right now as my current in use one is about out of ink.

I also adore Staedtler tech pens - in the old school ISO 128 standard widths. [um, .13, .18, .25, .35, .5, .7, 1.0 and 2.0 [the 1.4 got killed when the car ran over it when it got dropped in the parking lot] I also have the new ISO 4 basics [.25 white barrel, .35 yellow, .5 brown and .7 blue in both gold and silver {plastic and paper}] Sorry, I spent 7 years as a machinist. How many people do you know that have a powered drafting board

[Dreamstalker]

Most of my pens are the cheap variety (if I take one to work and it vanishes I don't care too much), but I have a couple cool ones.

Uni Power Tank 0.7mm extra-fine point. I have to get these from J-List as I have yet to see them in the states.
Ceramic Kyocera pen--smoothest pen I've ever owned. It doesn't go out much after someone tried to walk off with it when I was at a meeting.
Fisher telescoping space pen

A friend gave me a few sales cases of S.T. DuPont rollerballs to clean up and try to sell; there's a 'broken' one (plastic collar between the body and cap is chipped so the cap doesn't sit flush) that is the mate to an S.T. DuPont fountain pen mom has and she's hoping she can adopt the rollerball one if it's cost-effective to get it fixed.

[Chromatix]

I keep a Parker ball-point jammed into a phone case which hangs off my belt. The other main occupant of said phone case is my camera. The casing has got rather scratched over time, but it's reliable, and I can easily find refills for it on the rare occasions that it runs out.

And it really is *rare* for it to run out. Somehow I don't do much longhand writing at all. I type nearly everything.

[EricKei]

On blue -- also, there is a specific shade of blue known as "non-photo blue" will not reproduce properly (or, in some cases, at all) on a photocopier -- this shade is commonly used on the filler paper used in schools. Also comes in handy for art that will be scanned into a computer later, as you can draw black lines or fill in colors on top of them, and any stray blue marks that have not been covered up simply will not show up on the scanned version -- common in comics of all types. Not sure if they make pens this color.

[sms001]

'nother thumbs up for Uniball here, in my case, the Onyx Micro Fine (maybe a .35?) Roller Ball, Black. I have two fountain pens at home for personal letters (black and green) but they don't leave the house.

[Dentarthurdent]

Yep. Hate ballpoints. Hate blue pens to the point I gathered up all the ones at work and had a coworker throw them out so I could claim it was his fault they were missing.

Really prefer an Onyx pen but haven't seen one for sale since the last time I was in Canada, which was approximately 2003. Usually buy myself middle-of-the-road rollerball pens. As a left-hander I'm a huge notebook snob. I will only buy top-bound notebooks. Don't think I've bought an ordinary notebook since about 2006.

[Crossbow]

How many people do you know that have a powered drafting board

Wow, I haven't used one of those since my college days. Pretty cool!

My drafting desk was a gift from my wife. She found a solid oak, 1930's drafting desk, probably 4'x6' or so, that her office wanted to get rid of. Funny, it's now my art desk...

[AdamAnt316]

I've long had a thing for heavy-duty writing instruments ever since I used my first Parker rollerball pen. Since then, I've owned several Jotters, as well as numerous Cross pens and other fancy writing instruments (particularly those with rollerball or felt tips), most of which I've found at yard sales and flea markets. I do enjoy using some of the lighter pens with alternate tip systems (like the aforementioned Pilot G2 or the lovely LePen), but if I have the opportunity to write with something having a bit of heft to it, I jump at the chance.

I recently read about a study where one group of people were given clipboards weighing 5oz, and another group were given clipboards weighing 10oz; the group who had heavier clipboards took their work more seriously. It stands to reason that this would translate to writing implements, as well as other things like kitchen utensils and hand tools. Indeed, I think it even extends to electronic gear, as I definitely have a thing for heavy test equipment (like this AVOmeter 8, which weighs in at a good 4lbs) and radios (I own several, like the EAC R-390A/URR and National NC-183D, which weigh at or over 75lbs). Something about those big tuning knobs and complicated dial mechanisms make me feel like a WWII codebreaker when I'm trying to tune in shortwave radio stations.
-Adam

[AnqeiicDemise]

I'd rather use fountain pens myself but I don't like the ones I keep finding at the local place and I can't afford fancier ones. So, for now, I stick to whatever pen I happen to like in terms of flow, color and saturation.

Right now, I have three in use and they all have very special uses for my Grimmoire. (that's Book of Shadows for you non pagan folk. I just hate that term).

But really, that's all I ever use pens for. I mostly type... and its something that's starting to get increasingly difficult.

[AccountingDrone]

There is nothing quite as satisfying as an excellent pen and some seriously thick deepest black india ink, and some hard core hefty luxurious paper.

[Stormraven]

I'm sure I'm going to offend the pen gods, but while I love fountain pens, I've found that keeping them writing - and cleaning the nibs - is enough of a pain that I seriously considered going back to ball points or gels, neither of which I like for long hand writing.

Then I found Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pens.

I like the ink, and the smoothness of the writing, and I never have to clean a nib again.

[AnqeiicDemise]

There is nothing quite as satisfying as an excellent pen and some seriously thick deepest black india ink, and some hard core hefty luxurious paper.

Ooooo... excuse me, I need me a bib here.

[bunrotha]

I'm sure I'm going to offend the pen gods, but while I love fountain pens, I've found that keeping them writing - and cleaning the nibs - is enough of a pain that I seriously considered going back to ball points or gels, neither of which I like for long hand writing.

My current workplace has the "Attaboy/Attagirl" pen reward for those who do very well indeed. Said reward is a Mont Blanc pen. I was an exceptionally good boy, and got a Boheme retractable fountain pen

Since my job involves very little writing and mostly typing, plus I was scared to lose my new shiny thing, I saved it for signing stuff like contracts. Eventually it dried up, clogged, and no amount of running under tap, shaking or anything else would convince it to work.

This is how I found out that you have to take such pens to be serviced.

Serviced.

Like a car.

At a pen shop (hello, mall 40 miles away) which posts off the pen and then charges me for the privilege.


It writes really well, though, even though I am left-handed, which upsets a lot of nibs. I still use my trusty Staedtler triplus ballpoints for notes, as I am still scared of losing the posh pen.