this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2025
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Asklemmy

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm no pen enthusiast, but I used to really enjoy Zebra. Build quality was good for the price point, and they were super smooth to write with. Unfortunately the quality went downhill maybe 5 or so years ago and they haven't been great in my opinion ever since. They still feel fine physically, but the ink will stop dispensing randomly while writing. Got sick of it and switched to Pilot. Been using Pilot Precise V5 0.5mm and find them great. The ink runs a little wet though, so the only downside is that if you rub your palm across the page too soon after writing it'll smear a bit.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Does Pilot have any twisting pen options?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

If you're looking for a satisfying twisting pen, the Faber Castell hexo ballpoint has been my favorite for a while now.

It uses a parker style refill, so I swapped it out for a Schmidt easy flow 9000 πŸ˜™πŸ‘Œ

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Bank teller w/half a dog tag chain.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

I literally go to the bank to write my novel. The tellers are starting to suspect why I'm a depositing a single penny every ten minutes

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

I’ve used all kinds. My favorite is still the cheap Pilot G2. Writes effortlessly and has a great click to it.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

OP asking the real questions! Also just ducking glad to see something not news or politics related. My gosh it's overwhelming today.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Rotring. German company. Outstanding heft and quality. I like the 800, but if you prefer a click actuation to a twist, go for the 600.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Clickers are why my pants and pockets have ink all in them. Twist for life.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

G2s are nice for pena. We also have some of the Sharpie ones.

I really like the Papermate felt tip marker pens.

Zebra F701 is also nice.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I’m a big fan of the Tactile Turn machined pens. They are made in titanium, copper, and bronze, and they have microgrooves for grip. They make bolt and click pens in standard and slim width. They take either Pilot G2 refills, Parker-style refills, or (in the case of the mini) Pilot G2 mini refills.

http://www.tactileturn.com/

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Pens for $100. Reminds me of the Mitch Hedberg joke. "I bought an expensive pen because I was tired of not caring when I lost it."

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

When I pay $100 for a pen, I don’t lose it!

Seriously, I’ve never lost one in the years that I’ve carried them. And the writing experience is drastically different than writing with a cheap plastic one.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

Parker, specifically the Jotter. I still have and use a stainless steel one that I bought in 1999 because I kept losing pens, and I thought that if I spent a little more on one I might take better care of it. It's my favorite by far.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Papermate inkjoy. The other nurses keep trying to steal my last one that I stole from my last workplace just before it started going downhill and stopped buying the nice pens. It was about 6-8 months before they swapped all our managers and supervisors with ones that were literally physically violent. Now that I think about it the pens have actually been a pretty good thermometer of all my past workplaces. If you go to a hospital and all the nurses have the same decently nice pens, that means their employer is probably taking decent care of them (at least as far as healthcare execs go) and well kept nurses are better at taking care of patients.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Uni jetstream edge .28 mm. Uses an oil-based ink that doesn’t smear if it gets wet. Feels good in the hand too.

Also, the rOtring ballpoint pens.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Kaweco sports, LAmy, rotring, and pilot vanishing point, opus 88, and one from montblanc but that wasn't a fountain pen.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I slept on the kaweco sport, but when I finally got one, it quickly became my everyday. I got a transparent body and fill the body directly with ink like an oil tanker ready to defile the ocean within my pocket, then lube the threads with petroleum jelly. Not a single leak.

Iconic style, affordable, ink lasts forever, one of the most reliable, smoothest gold bibs came with it, and it's comfortable to write with. I love that pen and wish I had as many chances to use it these days as I did in the past. Unfortunately, my writing at work is almost entirely digital now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I have a bright orange with carbon fibre trim kaweco sport. The opus88 I have is demonstrator so transparent, so I wanted something different. And maybe because it was the last one at the pen show.... Lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I've seen those orange ones, but was never much of a fan. The demonstrators are beautiful though. There's nothing quite like seeing a beautiful ink sloshing around inside.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

And that is why I love my opus 88... Hehe.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Picked up a Rotring for my wife a while back and she constantly gets compliments on it. Really nice weight and feel to it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Zebra F-301

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

TWSBI has been good, in my experience, for fountain pens. But I haven't tried many different brands, just a handful.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I have a Plaisir Platinum fountain pen that's awesome. It was pretty cheap as far as fountain pens go but it writes really nicely and has a good solid feel to it.

For day-to-day disposable pens I like the Zebra Sarasa ones, or the Pilot P500 for drawing. I bought a big box of the P500s to keep in reserve in case they ever stop making them lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Don't have an actual favorite. Just using bics forever due to convenience

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

The ability to use home-made inks, guache, and stick-inks makes Ackerman very special. Particularly since I get to use my favorite Brause Bandzug nibs. And of course there's the fact that they're a small specialty company helps make them "favorite".

If you're asking who makes my favorite pens for every day carry or low-maintenance with standard fountain pen inks, definitely Lamy. They will still stand out a bit in a business setting in a way that might be a bit uncomfortable for some, but not in the brute utilitarian way Ackerman's do. I love broad nibs, and frankenpens just aren't reliable enough for me at work.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Zebra F-402 - I write really small and their fine tips flow great but don't run. Plus they're cheap enough that I don't care when my wife or kids steal them out of my desk.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Parker, usually. But Pilot is also good. Depends if I want a nice pen or a cheap pen. Kawecos are really nice, but I don’t currently own one.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Zebra Sarasa. Bought one on a whim at a 711 in Tokyo a long time ago, kept coming back.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Those Zebras that are, like, 1/8 of the volume of what the median pen in this thread is gonna be. I'm not here to pinch hoses 5x their cartridge diameter, half of their length hanging out for nothing, I'm just trying to write. Any non-zero thickness works for that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

i use Mitsubishi roller balls, real nice and inky, great colours. I'm a lefty so can't really use fountain types.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

I bought myself this beauty a year ago, metal body and refillable

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Bic 4 colour ftw! πŸ‡ΈπŸ‡Έ

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

I like the Muji aluminum fountain pen.

https://unsharpen.com/pen/muji-aluminum-body-fountain-pen/

Cheap enough that if it breaks or you lose it or some such, you won't be that upset, but writes wonderfully. It is nice to have a pen where you can choose your own ink, and it will accept either refillable cartridges or pre-filled cartridges.

The way the cap posts on the back of the pen is pretty unique as well.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

TUL pens. Super durable as I click my pens from anxiety and I havent had one break on me. Write very smoothly too

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

I'm surprised more people haven't said TUL!! they are, and have been, my daily for 6+ years. Got all sorts of colors too!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Not the pen I was thinking of

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