What's your daily driver? (Pen or Pencil)

Lately I've been doing most of my time sheets with a Jinhao 599. I also carry a Parker Vector for doing invoices (It'll write through two part carbonless), and I'm trying to find a 'wet' enough ink for a Pilot Petite1 - currently using Camlin ink in the Pilot and Vector, and Mont Blanc black ink in the Jinhao.

So, for those of you who do a lot of writing or notes, what do you carry around? No bias here. If you use a pink sparkly gel pen from the dollar store - that works.

BW

 

If it helps, there are a couple of fast drying fountain pen inks for lefties. I don't know about jotter refills. I think most of the ones I've run across are slow drying standard oil based ink. I have a Jotter in one of my desk pen cans.

 

Today it is one of my Danitrios.

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I am pretty much in the whatever is laying around the office camp. I got into fountain pens for awhile, but I found them impractical, messy, and labor intensive.

 

Interesting. I don't find them labor intensive or that messy unless I'm playing with mixing ink. (impractical is a personal thing). I wonder why they were for you. I won't push them.

So you don't have a preferred writing device at all? Not even a brand?

 

Sonnet forever



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Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.

 

I'd like one, but I can't justify it until I sell some off

 

I bought this in 2001 or so, I believe, and I have used it almost daily ever since. So it has not been expensive for me at all.

It would have even been cheaper if it had cured my desire for more pens

--
Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.

 

I believe they didn't work well for me mostly due to my profession(tractor trailer driver). I suppose Bic is pretty reliable as far as a brand. I must admit, the Fisher Space Pen was a great workhorse.

 

I could see that. There are a few fountain pens that would work better in that situation, but if it bounces onto the floor and around the cab a lot, that would get messy. I'd probably end up using a pencil if I didn't keep the pen in my pocket (I spend a lot of time driving as well)

 

Same pencil I use for sketching when loaded with soft lead.

 

The Pilot Metropolitan seemed to hold up the best when using cartridges, but I think the temperature extremes and the bouncing made it difficult along with the 'bleeding' on the invoices and log books. I should have read your original post more carefully, as I definitely interjected my bias while you clearly did not. For my lack of attention to detail, I apologize.

 

Papermate Flair tip. I can see it, better than other tips.

 

No apology is necessary - I wasn't offended at all. Why is as fun as why not. Sometimes more.

Yes - I use a Parker Vector on my invoice books (two part carbonless). It doesn't bleed, but it's been described as 'writing with a nail'. They still make them, thirty years on, but only in India. (cost about $10-12 shipped) Not suggesting you get one, because you obviously have what you need for your kind of work. One of mine had the cap break. Dagnabit, I only used it for twenty years!

@MR41 - felt tip? You're the second person I've met that uses those as a daily driver.

 

I have such horrible handwriting I'm much better off typing. Great looking goods.

 

I usually use roller ball pens of various types for daily use. But ever since junior high, I like to have fountain pens around. I have a bunch of Jinhao 599 fountain pens, which I won at a very good price a while back on Ebay, and they are smooth writers. My favorite for many years has been a Parker Vector of various types. My current one has a matte black finish loaded with black ink using an ink converter.

 

https://www.jetpens.com/blog/pens-writing-supplies-for-the-left-handed/pt/891

There's a bunch of information there, including pens and inks for left handers.

If you use a bottle of ink, then the messy part is when you're cleaning, or when you're loading. I just refill a cartridge, most of the time (magnum cartridges are great). I use a syringe from an inkjet refill kit, pull in ink, and squirt it into the cartridge. Excess goes back in the bottle, and I clean out the syringe with water. Usually not messy at all. put the cartridge back in.

If you put the whole pen in the ink, and use a converter or pump to fill it, it can be messy when you go to wipe it back off again.

If you use straight cartridges, the only point it can be messy is if it gets jostled a lot,and you end up with some ink by the nib, on the finger grip (the 'section'. )

There's lots more information on www.fountainpennetwork.com, but frankly, unless you're REALLY into it, you can be pretty overwhelmed. Just like here or 'the other forum'.

 

I use whatever is handy. Years ago I had a Wateman Expert II fountain pen that I really liked. I may purchase another one seeing as how I do like to have a nice writing instrument.

 

Quink Royal Blue is good for lefties. The same basically for other low saturation, fast drying, inks as well. Waterman inks generally are also good, as are vintage Sheaffer'S Skrip inks.

--
Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.

 

Quink isn't really Quink anymore. Camlin is close to the original Quink. (India made)

@Preacher - Waterman still makes the Expert, at least in rollerball. You could also look at some of the larger Jinhao pens, they run in the 'big and heavy' line, and they're much cheaper to try out. (under $12).