I wasn't sure where to post this….but I have a watch that I'm happy with for the next 5-10 years, and now I feel like I need a pen. Any suggestions on the best pen you've ever owned? It doesn't have to be too fancy, just something writes really well and looks reasonably at home in front of my moleskin notebooks.
Best Pen You've Ever Owned
Lcomoprode on 04/06/2020 - 19:33
Comments
Let's construct a word starting with PEN
It's more fun if you try to construct a sentence :
My pen is…
…. isn't huge but does the job.
@piece: My pen is like a hummer : it may look fun to drive but it's hard to find somewhere to park it.
caught in a sharpener.
a people pleaser ?
@Hangryuman: My pen is a pp.
As a sidenote, there is some evidence that the length of your erm pp is correlated to the length of your fingers.. There is also a weak link to how much of a risk-taker you are.
Does it write upside down?
Yep!
At any angle and underwater.
Yes! Just like a pencil!
@[Deactivated]: Can't sign legal documents with a pencil (I personally much prefer writing with a pencil though)
You know the Russians just used a pencil for this… :)
(note: so did NASA until a private company completely independently produced a pen that operated under zero g and sold them retail for $2.95 a pop)
Absolutely. Because of the way the lid also acts as a pen extension, (I did say pen), means it is small and easy to carry without it drawing on the inside of your bag. I have the rainbow titanium one, it looks really good as well.
small and easy to carry
I got one of these for my 21st or something…lost it soon after. Devastated.
You know that briefcase you also got on your 21st? There's two loops in that for pens/pencils.
I keep mine in that.@Speckled Jim: I was carrying it in my pocket for when I would collect numerous phone numbers of the girls I planned to pick up on night time outings…🙄…which was extremely unlikely in hindsight (given I was too chicken shit to approach in the first place), so I lost it for nothing. 🤦♂️
@John Kimble: My man has a little drawstring bag that has his keys and pen. It stops the things poking holes in his pockets. Also less likely for them to fall out. I did lose the one I received as a present when I resigned from one job. It was engraved with “free at last”; it liberated itself.
The ink is under pressure, and very one I've ever owned failed eventually because of that. If you drop them or are just unlucky the ball stops holding the ink back properly and you end up with a giant glob of ink on the pen.
We have never had an issue.
You're probably not a spaz like me and dropping things all the time.
I've had one for almost ten years now and I've never had that happen.
I just though that was a joke from that Seinfeld episode
Parker Sonnet
Fountain, rollerball or ballpoint (my fingers typed ballpint for some reason…must be Friday happy hour coming on)
A Pen's purpose is for comfort and legibility… ie Practicality comes before aesthetics, status, and gimmicks.
For that reason, it's quite overrated to get a fancy pen. As much as I hate to admit it, disposable is the way to go. It's just way too practical and convenient to get a good and reliable pen. Don't fall for the hype.
Cheaper than Officeworks?
Agree. I have a few nice pens, but my Parker Sonnet (ballpoint) was my first and it's still my favourite.
It's hard to go past Parkers for good value if you want to step up from disposables.
a cheap 0.5mm tip ballpoint pen
Bic yellow finepoint black - tried everything else and nothing feels better
Mine is just like 8 cents for a pen as I got 3 boxes with 50 pens each (3 colours) from overseas. So now I have a lifetime supply of pens.
That's my pen of choice except I like blue.
Fisher Space Pen
(I feel old). lolI hadn't actually seen that before….pretty sweet. Novelty value is high, but does it write ok?
Oh, totally.
There were being flogged via Popular Mechanics to anyone that aspired to write while piloting a Space Shuttle.
Haha….niche/aspirational marketing at it's finest. Thanks, it really is a talking point, I'm thinking about getting one.
@comoprode: have a look at www.petersofkensington.com.au, they usually have good sales on these pens. Well worth the $$$
I have had a couple of these over the years. Work paid for them as part of my work required me to write in ink on things that were generally wet. Never failed, often stolen….
They also make ‘tactical’ versions that look pretty cool. Worth considering if you want a good reliable pen that can also serve your preppier needs…..
I'm a fan of Uni Jetstream
It's a smooth ballpoint that almost feels like gel.
You can walk into officeworks and get a regular one under $5, or a nicer one for $25. Clicky or with a lid, multipen or single, whatever you like. I'm sure there are even nicer ones around if that's important to you.But they all write the same, and they all write well.
Far out…where've these been all my life. Looking at that review site you sent was almost akin to buying a new car. There's even a Sport model. What model do you have in the garage if you don't mind me asking (don't worry The Jones's aren't looking)…
I have a few Standard and Sport models. They are exactly the same, I think I got them all at 100yen stores in Japan.
Annoyingly, those stores only stock black and red, never blue. And I find it hard to justify the extra 50yen at other stores. That makes it a whole $2!
I use Uni Jetstream too, they're the smoothest pens which maintains precision IMO. However, their ink drys out really quickly. 6/10 of them drys out before finishing the whole cartridge. I'm refering to the 0.7mm models. Nevertheless, I keep buying them…
6/10 of them drys out before finishing the whole cartridge. I'm refering to the 0.7mm models. Nevertheless, I keep buying them…
Figures. I bought one on work money … And currently WFH so not like I can log onto the company account and order more …
I bought uni jetstream 0.38 while i was travelling in Japan, it was so amazing!! I wish we have 0.38 version in Aus
Jetstream is my favourite ball pen since high school and I have been using them for like 15+ years now?
Uniball eye isn't bad either, and are often available in corporate stationery cupboards :)
as a student I do lots of writing. Uniball eye (UB 157) are my favorite so far. A light, easy to grip gel pen that requires barely any pressure to write. They do about 20 full pages of writing- I buy them off eBay at a bulk price of about $2 each. Much better than OW at $3.75.
Yeah before I did everything electronically the Eye was my fav pen too.
You missed the Jetstream's best features. Jetstream's write easily on almost anything, like glossy plastic, and dries fast so it is very unlikely to smear.
Yes! I've got the $40 version with a metal barrel, likely have gone through 5+ inks in the few years I've owned it. Looks great in meetings
I agree! I love the jetsreams and they are way better than gel or rollerballs. So easy to write with and dry real quick. Officeworks have those ones you can select the ink colours and the pen barrel.
Jetstream alpha gel and premier gave nicer grip too.
Any self respecting person would not be seen with anything less than a Meisterstück
Hit me with your Meisterstück
Which one ? 146 or 149. Its "precious resin" aka plastic
Googled it. $1000 minimum buy-in. Closed tab. Came back to Ozbargain.
Bookmark it for when you win the lottery though.
Those free hotel pens does the job for me. Still going thru my intercontinental batch.
As someone mentioned earlier. Uni Jetstreams are very nice and reliable. Pilot G2 and Pilot Coleto are also solid picks.
+1 for the pilot G2. I prefer the 0.38, it feels nice and looks like people wouldn't pinch it. Take that as a plus or minus.
Pilot g2 are fine out of the box but one drop on the floor and it's dead. Think it has something with how it's weighted and balanced - often falls on the tip
My favourite is the Acro 1000 I bought in Japan a few years ago. It gets used most days and just writes really well.
Wow, I just watched a Youtube video about this pen and it's pretty class-ay. Thanks.
i love acro 1000 too! also bought it in japan for 1000 yen, very happy
just something writes really well and looks reasonably at home in front of my moleskin notebooks.
Ah yes, the shelves of moleskines
I knew it would get a rise sooner or later. I do use Microsoft Excel sometimes too. It's ok I guess….
Any idea when the Pen Pineapple Apple Pen OSX11.23 is coming out. I hear it charges from a wireless power station?
I don't know why I started to dance as soon as I open the tab ._.
Rotring 600. German engineering at its finest
^ this
they've reissued them
which means I can leave my originals at home and not have to worry about them
- the new ballpoint even has the knurling
I recently started using the Uniball Signo RT1 0.5mm and have become a big fan
I have both a pen and pencil. Pencil is a Uni Shalaku S Mechanical Pencil, pen is a Parker 51 fountain pen
Best "grail" pen: Visconti Brunelleschi LE Fountain Pen
Best "everyday pen: TWSBI Diamond 580 Fountain Pen
People still write things nowadays?
I work in an office and have barely used a pen in the last few years.I can barely read my own writing these days due to lack of practice (not that it was any good in the first place). Similarly my signature is rarely consistent.
Oh yeh! I tried a coupe of times to take notes during a meeting and realised afterwards that I couldn't read my own scribbles!
Fountain pen - Lamy 2000, Parker sonnet or waterman hemisphere
Rollerball - Lamy tipo, Lamy 2000 Or waterman hemisphere
Ballpoint - Parker jotter or spacepenWhat, no Waterman Hemisphere for the ballpoint? :P
I have the Parker sonnet or waterman hemisphere, both are keepers.
Do you usually have small or large writings?
if small writing, pick something thinner like 0.38mm or 0.5mm and if large writing then i'd recommend 0.5mm or aboveMont Blanc pens. I have the Meisterstuck Rollerball and had it for the last 15 years or so.
Same! Amazing pen.
Agree with the Fisher space pen (or one of their other models). They do write nicely. My other pick is the simple Pilot G2, preferably in the 1mm nib which I don't think is sold here. Mostly however I use whatever is free as pens are too commonly lost and "borrowed".
I'm another Uni Jetstream 101 fan and my personal favourite is the 0.7 black. I guard them religiously and even my kids know not to touch mum's favourite pen lol
As a Jetstream loving parent, I only get jetstream alpha gel pens for the kids too. Visible difference in writing speed too for hsc students.
What watch?
Just a run-of-the-mill non-stainless steel Parker Jotter. Feels nice in the hand, smooth writing, and no problems about cold pens.
people on here use to rave on about the Xiao mi pen… this thread just reminded me that i want to try it
I've tried two of them and they were both terrible. I wonder if I got fakes.
PENcil