On a lifelong search for the best writing utensils

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The discussion centers around finding the best writing instruments, particularly for studying math and physics. Participants share their preferences for various pens and pencils, highlighting the Pilot G2, Uni-ball Vision, and Zebra pens as favorites for their smooth writing and reliability. Fountain pens are also mentioned, with some users appreciating their customizable ink options, while others express concerns about the practicality of changing inks frequently. Mechanical pencils, particularly from Pentel and Zebra, are praised for their design and performance. The conversation also touches on the importance of paper quality, with recommendations for heavily calendered paper to enhance the writing experience, especially with fine-tipped pens like Rapidographs. Users express a shared passion for quality writing tools, indicating that the right pen or pencil can significantly impact their note-taking and problem-solving efficiency.
  • #31
turbo-1 said:
Congrats on the nice pens. They are a personal favorite. Do you have a neighborhood art/stationary store? If so, they may have paper samples out for you to try before buying. The smaller-diameter nibs will benefit from some heavily calendered paper (paper that has been smoothed by running it through a stack of heavy polished rolls). Lots of art papers are intentionally coarsely-finished in order to provide some "bite" to graphite, pastels, paints, etc. They don't work so well with fine-tipped pens like Rapidographs.

Aha. I have tried a few kinds of smooth paper. I bought some Strathmore Bristol Smooth, but the ink always seems to smear when I write on it. Do you know of a specific kind that I might be able to order? I went to a couple of art stores, and nobody had heard of calendered paper.
Thanks!
 
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  • #32
AlexChandler said:
Aha. I have tried a few kinds of smooth paper. I bought some Strathmore Bristol Smooth, but the ink always seems to smear when I write on it. Do you know of a specific kind that I might be able to order? I went to a couple of art stores, and nobody had heard of calendered paper.
Thanks!
Most paper is calendered, but that's part of the production process, and only the quality-control people and buyers would know about the degree to which the paper was calendered to achieve the desired smoothness. Salespeople in stationary stores would only know it some paper was smoother or coarser than other types. You might try asking for drafting paper and see what they come up with.
 

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