What writing instruments do you use?

[berkeman]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but the Pilot EasyTouch retractable ballpoint pens have a nice feel to them. I have a medium point blue at my desk at the moment -- not sure if they make them in fine point too:

http://www.staples.com/Pilot-EasyTouch-Retractable-Ballpoint-Pen-Medium-Point-Black-Dozen/product_474357?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-Shopping-_-Office_Supplies%3EPens-_-474357-32220&cid=CSE:GoogleBase:Office_Supplies:Pens:474357:32220

.

 

[turbo]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but the Pilot EasyTouch retractable ballpoint pens have a nice feel to them. I have a medium point blue at my desk at the moment -- not sure if they make them in fine point too:

http://www.staples.com/Pilot-EasyTouch-Retractable-Ballpoint-Pen-Medium-Point-Black-Dozen/product_474357?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-Shopping-_-Office_Supplies%3EPens-_-474357-32220&cid=CSE:GoogleBase:Office_Supplies:Pens:474357:32220

.

Those are the Pilots that I use. The clips are weak, and break when you try to put them in a fleece or flannel shirt pocket, but they write pretty well for a cheap pen.

 

[Redbelly98]

For math, I always use a mechanical pencil with 0.5mm lead, HB or 2B. On an engineer's computation pad.

Me too - MonAmi D153 mechanical pencil and HB 0.5 mm. I've had it so long that the print has worn off.

I don't get how anyone can use 0.5 mm pencils. Even the 0.7's break too easily for me, so I use 0.9 mm diameter. I like the Pentel Quicker-Clicker, and I add one of these erasers to it:

Great for carpentry work too, by the way. Consistent line width, and they don't need resharpening like standard carpenter's pencils frequently do.

 

[Astronuc]

I like sharp crisp lines, as opposed to thick lines. I don't allow much graphite to protrude from the metal tip.

For erasers, I prefer the Pink Pearl - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXLO8I/?tag=pfamazon01-20. I can easily wear these down.

Most of my work requires that I use pen, and now most of my work is down on computer with various applications or codes, including CAD.

 

[Redsummers]

Personally, I have been using fountain pens since 4th Grade (9 years old?), and for the last 2 years I am using a Mont Blanc (Chopin Edition) as old as myself –19 years old–. Don't get me wrong, I did not spend 300 euros for a writing instrument, my mother gave it to me since she has never used it before (and it was a gift she received). And I must say that I use it a lot, daily, and so far I have never had any problem. (And I would assume that if I had to bring it to a Mont Blanc store, they could fix it for 20 euros or less... and spending this every 5 years is not that bad.)
But apart from that, I really enjoy the simple act of writing with a fountain pen. If I had another utensil such as a Bic pen (in America I think you have those papermate pens similarly) I would find it hard to concentrate in lectures.
As for others not-so-expensive fountain pens: a Cross, Parker, or even a good inoxcrom would do it. Make sure to check which kind of inks does the fountain pen uses, since there are fountain pens that can only be used with certain cartridges –like Cross– that are really expensive in contrast to the conventional ones. In any case... it is sometimes better to just use a filler converter despite the brand.

About your second question, yes, that's what I use for mathematics (even when trying to solve problems in scratch papers). And if I were to do a mistake in a sheet that I had to handle, I would just use a stypen to erase it (I don't know the name of this brand in North America).

I hope that helps. If you wonder anything else about fountain pens, don't hesitate to ask.

P.S: Btw, if you are left handed, have you ever tried to use a fountain pen before?

 

[lisab]

I like sharp crisp lines, as opposed to thick lines. I don't allow much graphite to protrude from the metal tip.

For erasers, I prefer the Pink Pearl - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXLO8I/?tag=pfamazon01-20. I can easily wear these down.

Most of my work requires that I use pen, and now most of my work is down on computer with various applications or codes, including CAD.

Ditto. And yes it means I have to click-click frequently. You might think that would be annoying, but in fact it disrupts my thinking about the same as blinking disrupts my sight...I don't even notice it, once I'm deep into a problem.

 

[mugaliens]

When I'm writing math, I use a #5 mechanical pencil on green engineering paper. :) Otherwise, I use a laptop.

 

[Andy Resnick]

I used a 0.3mm mechanical pencil for a long time, but now I write my lecture notes using a 6x0 Rapidograph. The pencil fades over time.

To be sure, I have to write my notes with an ultrasonic cleaner humming in the background, but I love my pen.

 

[nucleargirl]

Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens are my best! doesn't smudge, super fine, and miraculously makes my handwriting nicer looking! and Pilot supergrip F, also good!

 

[Pythagorean]

I use those cheap pens that I steal from my bank. And Latex. Erasing is a waste of time.

 

[Pythagorean]

Dave: As a lefty, I fill from left to right still and just extovert and angle to avoid the spirals

 

[G037H3]

I use my finger and an inkwell filled with the blood of my enemies. :D

 

[bvishal]

Is it the age for Multi-color pens ?

Hi Members,

I am part of a group of management students from University Of Southern California ( USC) who are studying the technology feasibility of introducing a new technology in making efficient multi-color writing instruments.
We are conducting this short 2 min survey as a part of this feasibility study and would greatly appreciate if you could spare a few minutes of your busy schedule in answering this survey. Support from pen lovers like yourself will help us evaluate whether investments in such technology is going to be of any use to the pen or the writing instruments market.
http://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_77iB4CThsEX6zpG"

We would love to share the results of this survey with the group, so if interested please leave your email address as reply to this post.

Also if someone is interested in knowing further about technology innovation or study then please feel free to reach me at bvishal@usc.edu

Thank you for your time

 

[Ben Niehoff]

I don't get how anyone can use 0.5 mm pencils. Even the 0.7's break too easily for me, so I use 0.9 mm diameter.

Same here. When I write in pencil, I use a Pentel Twist-Erase 0.9. I use the edge of the lead and I can still get fairly fine lines. I also like the ability to make thick lines; it makes it easier to read my handwriting when the line thickness varies depending on the direction and pressure of the stroke. I also have a Pentel Twist-Erase 0.5, but I tend to favor the 0.9.

When I write in pen, I use those G2 pens someone else posted a picture of.

However, the vast majority of my writing happens on my convertible tablet PC, using a Wacom pen with felt nib for better traction.

 

[hypatia]

I'm still in love with my Cross pen. It has served me well for over 25 years.

 

[turbo]

I used a 0.3mm mechanical pencil for a long time, but now I write my lecture notes using a 6x0 Rapidograph. The pencil fades over time.

To be sure, I have to write my notes with an ultrasonic cleaner humming in the background, but I love my pen.

I love Rapidographs, and despite the cleaning issues, they were generally my pens of choice. Consistent line density and width made some scribbled notes much more legible that other instruments might have allowed.

 

[Proton Soup]

i like gel pens, red and black ink.

i like 0.5mm mech pencils.

i like colored pencils, especially a carmine red col-erase. sanford and prismacolor are good. the prismacolor verithins write like a regular pencil, but some of their more expensive softer-leaded varieties make good highlighters. buy a decent electric pencil sharpener so that you don't break leads sharpening them.

for erasing, a nice soft vinyl eraser is best all-round. pentel clic-eraser is good. pink pearls and such are kind of a last resort when you absolutely must risk removing the top layer of fibers from the paper. back in the "old days", you had electric erasers for manual drafting. those were great. they even had some ink erasers with solvent in them iirc. if you do tons of erasing, it's the thing to have, along with one of those eraser shields.

 

[Moonbear]

I prefer the Papermate Sharpwriter Mechanical Pencil, myself (0.7 lead)...

I also like the Blue G-2 Fine Point Pen (whenever I have to use pen)...

[URL]http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/b0/d/AAAACwV_mfgAAAAAALDVYw.jpg?v=1266426523000[/URL]Just a note: I find that the RED INK PILOT G-2 PENS aren't consistently functional, for some reasons (they get clogged easily). When they're good, they're great; but when they suck, they suck real bad, and make you want to stab the manufacturer. It's a hit or miss with the reds.

I use G2s too, but I'm right-handed, so don't know about smudging. I've noticed that issue with the red pens too, but thought it was that my students get their exam papers all greasy (they're lab practical exams and the papers never come back clean). I figured that was clogging up my pens. Good to know it's a problem with the pens.

The same ink goes into their nicer refillable pens too (the DrGrip pens), and I really like using those. Nice cushioned grip and some good weight to the pen along with that G2 ink I love. I have some with fine ink and some with medium ink...depends on my mood which I like better.

For pencils, I've actually been perfectly happy with the cheapest mechanical pencils money can buy (the ones you buy in a pack of 6 or 10 from the dollar store...lol).

At work, I used to just use whatever free pens the drug reps left around on tables in the halls by the clinical offices, but our university decided it's a conflict of interest for physicians to get gifts, no matter how small, from drug reps. Now I struggle to find pens. I got an email last week asking for suggestions on how to cut costs to keep the university budget down, and I was tempted to suggest they reverse the policy that prevents us from getting our office supplies from the drug reps.

 

[rhody]

Wow,

I never realized PFer's had such specific preferences for their writing instruments.

That gives me hope for a post I am planning on cursive writing might actually become something worthwhile:

For all who have contributed to this thread so far with the exception of: Moonbear: lol

I'm still using the hammer and chisel i bought 50 years ago.

Do any of you folks regularly use cursive, print, or a mixture of both writing styles, or none at all, just banging away at the keyboard on your computer ?

Second, if you use cursive, how much time on average do you use it per day/week, etc...

I know mugaliens has said in another thread that he regularly writes at least three hours a day.

Rhody...

 

[Proton Soup]

i use a mixture of handwriting styles, both cursive and print, both traditional and oddish font. taking notes, i might use cursive. or writing a note to someone. writing down a part number is likely to be in print. sometimes i might write a "t" that looks more like a tau, or a lowercase "a" that looks like the one in this font. i hear kids today might not be learning cursive, but we were doing it in 3rd grade.

 

[lisab]

I write pen-or-pencil-to-paper very little, normally. Less than an hour a day. But I do occasionally take physics classes for fun, and then I'll write quite a lot. But it's mostly physics calculations, which I never use cursive for (is that even possible?).

When I do write, it's often a mix of cursive and print. When I write in cursive, the letters are hard to make out. They look like a drunk sounds - slurred.

 

[rhody]

Thanks Proton_Soup, Lisa,

Except for Mugaliens, there does not appear to be many folks who use cursive any more.
I found this sample of calligraphy online.
I wish I could write half as good as that.
Maybe if I practice for six months it may be possible.
Sad, but the only time you see that type of writing is for wedding notices, cards for birthdays, etc... these days.

Rhody...

 

[Redbelly98]

Do any of you folks regularly use cursive, print, or a mixture of both writing styles, or none at all, just banging away at the keyboard on your computer ?

I mostly use print when writing by hand. I use cursive for my signature, and also for writing "sin", "cos", and "tan". I avoid writing "sec", "csc", and "cot", preferring instead to write "1/sin", etc.

 

[Moonbear]

(Psst...it wasn't me who was using a hammer and chisel bought 50 years ago...I'm not that old yet; mine was bought more recently. That was someone else's post.)

When I'm writing things that need to stay organized and legible for a long time, I print. When I'm just jotting quick notes, I have a strange mixture of print and cursive that would be illegible to anyone but me.

I do a lot of typing, but do a lot of handwriting when organizing thoughts. I seem to have an easier time handwriting my initial drafts, scribbling in added notes and revisions, and then doing more editing as I type them up. I also tend to write on a whiteboard to organize major ideas.

I have impeccable teacher-writing when I write on a chalkboard. That's an entirely different art than writing on paper to keep from squeaking the chalk (there are no upstrokes in my chalkboard writing). I only teach in one lecture hall that still has a chalkboard, though, and don't use it much anymore. They took my chalkboard away in the one room I teach in, and now I have whiteboards and gorgeous HD TV monitors (amazing for doing lab demos).

 

[turbo]

I write in a mix of cursive and printing - whatever works at the time. I don't think about it - it just happens.

 

[rhody]

(Psst...it wasn't me who was using a hammer and chisel bought 50 years ago...I'm not that old yet; mine was bought more recently. That was someone else's post.)

Moonbear,

My apologies, Wolram, you are so... busted.

So, now that that little screw-up is behind us, errr... hemm... I think it will be an interesting exercise if I explored a bit of calligraphy. I will let you know how it works out in a month or two. By then I should (time and opportunity permitting) have an idea if I am making progress or not. As I am well aware of now, not much will happen unless I commit three or four hours per week to practice, we all know by now from the Brain Plasticity thread, that this is the effort required to see real results. So we will just have to wait and see.

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Good luck, Rhody. My cousin's wife is a killer at calligraphy. When she sends out birthday cards, Christmas cards, etc, people keep them. They are that pretty. She could be jotting a shopping list vertically on a pad on the refrigerator door and THAT would be pretty, too.

 

[rhody]

Good luck, Rhody. My cousin's wife is a killer at calligraphy. When she sends out birthday cards, Christmas cards, etc, people keep them. They are that pretty. She could be jotting a shopping list vertically on a pad on the refrigerator door and THAT would be pretty, too.

Turbo,

If you don't mind my asking, how long has she been doing it, and in your opinion, does she get better and better as time goes on ?

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Turbo,

If you don't mind my asking, how long has she been doing it, and in your opinion, does she get better and better as time goes on ?

Rhody...

She has been doing it for ~30 years. I don't know if she gets better and better, but it's always nice. Party invitations, greeting cards, notes... all good.

 

[Evo]

Let's see what do I have here? A Bic Magic grip 0.7mm. Basically any fine tipped mechanical pencil.