I am in camp Uni-ball Signo 0.5mm. Its ink doesn't smudge or "cut out" intermittently with left-hand writing, both of which I experience with ballpoint and other gel pens.
The "Pentel Kerry" is an excellent mechanical pencil. Anyone who wants good ol' erasable lead probably should go for the Pentel Kerry.
Its not a "Pen", but Jetpens does sell it and did recommend it.
The one downside is that Pentel's mechanical-pencil erasers are tiny. They are good quality rubber though and work well, but their small size wears out incredibly quickly.
I always favored the Twist-Erase III for exactly that reason. Not what anyone would call elegant, but extremely serviceable, and elegance seems more fitting a concern for pens in any case.
Ah, the big eraser looks like just the thing for me. And you can get them with 0.9 mm lead. I'm such a clumsy writer, and have pretty much given up on pens. We're not required to use them for lab notebooks any more.
If you want to improve your hand, I've found fountain pens good for that - the way they work makes it easier to write well than poorly. A Pilot Metropolitan is inexpensive, handsome, pleasant to use, and steel-nibbed to hold up to inexperienced use; as a starter pen it's unmatched, and might be worth a try if you're not quite ready to give up on pens altogether.
The Kuro Toga is hard to beat. On the Advance, the lead rotation makes it effectively a lead size smaller and the sliding sleeve prevents lead breakage.
A year or so back I bought just a bunch of decently recommeded pens to try them out. I ended up with my favorite being the Pilot Hi-tec-c Maica 0.4. It's cheap enough, they last, it writes real nice and dries quick enough for me.
I really don't get why using fineliners [0] for writing is so unpopular outside of a few European countries. You get consistent line thickness. You don't need to push the tip into the paper, just letting it hover on top. There is barely any friction/resistance. The ink won't escape if you stop the pen for a second... I switched to using them over a decade ago, and using any regular pen now feels like stone age tech.
In France we call the fountain pen Stylo Plume. Which literally stands for Feather Pen. And the part from which the ink flow is called the plume (feather).
In this context, “plume” would probably be translated to “quill” rather than “feather” (or “nib”, for the metal bit that touches the paper). It’s ambiguous in French, because if is the same word for the bird thing and the writing instrument.
Don't the nubs on those wear down or the pens dry out? Those Staedtler ones may be better quality, but I recall using fineliner-type pens occasionally when I was a kid, and didn't really like them.
> You get consistent line thickness.
Isn't that also true of various kinds of rollerball pens/gel pens?
> You don't need to push the tip into the paper, just letting it hover on top. There is barely any friction/resistance.
I've had those Staedtler 'pigment liner' pens that are in the parent comment's link, deeply disappointing. They dried out very quickly, and I do really try to take care of my pens.
My go-to fine-liners, as someone who sketches/inks, are the Sakura Pigma Micron pens. They used to be much harder to find but nowadays I see them all over, in most art supply shops, they're pretty popular.
Plus they're pigment based, so the ink is durable and long lasting. I actually have a few for some that I'd like to last a long time. However, I'm not a huge fan of how they fell. It's like writing with a marker.
I understand gel ink pens are pigment based too, but archival stability doesn't seem to be as much of a selling point for them, so I don't know if they're as suitable/stable. I tend to use them for day to day stuff.
I draw, and my main complaint about Sakura micron: the lids get loose. If I'm buying disposables, I like to buy Shinhan Touch Liners. I'm going to guess that the pigment liners cap wasn't as tight as some of the other brands. I've had the Staedtler in the parent comment, but I wasn't as disappointed, probably because I figured they were used up.
I recently got some technical pens - basically refillable fineliners - by Staedtler, actually - and am enjoying those though.
I recently switched to a Micron pen for my diary (i.e. bullet journal) after years of using a pencil (favorites include the Musgrave Tennessee Red and the Blackwing 602). I like the extra precision they afford, but I did need to get used to the drying time.
They are widely available at most office supply stores, too, in the drafting/drawing aisle.
I don't like how fineliners flow (or rather, how they don't). If I'm using ink instead of graphite for writing, I'm doing it because I want to write quickly and fluidly.
I used to work as an architect, and these are the most common pens people used for sketching on trace paper. Nice and cheap, I love that they sell them by the box.
I really like these exact pens as a lefty who holds the pen a little oddly. They write best straight vertical, and that happens to be how I hold the pen. It just feels so right, and it makes my handwriting look great, which it normally doesn't.
I think it’s purely a cultural thing. In France, the fountain pen is the norm at school (probably because most inks are erasable, and maybe it changed, after all, I’m getting old).
A lot of fineliners have bad ergonomy. I also don't like that they feel cheap and disposable. I ocassionally use Marvy fineliners for writing, and the friction of the head sime low enough with 0.5mm+ nibs, and they seem to last quite long, but the above drawbacks still apply.
I draw with fineliners, but I don't enjoy writing with them. I honestly didn't realize that folks regularly wrote with fineliners as I've only seen them with art supplies - which would explain why they aren't common writing tools. Most folks aren't seeing them with the stationary at their store.
If you like fineliners, I suggest refillables. I recently recieved these as a gift and have enjoyed them. [1]
I use fineliners too, Satedler and Stabilo are my favorites. The only “drawback” if when someone borrows them and pushes hard to the paper with them, destroying the tip :’(
You have to write very gently, else the tip gets damage and you need a new one.
Most people use ballpoint pen for writing, cause you can misuse them however you like and they won't break. They are also cheap, so you don't mind loosing them. Plus, they roll faster with less friction.
I saw this post and came to ask for left-handers' recommendations. I'm glad this article actually has a section for it! Certain pens perform very poorly for me, like the ink stoping and starting.
Pens are the only left-handed designed product I've ever found I really needed. Aside from scissors or computer mice maybe, but I grew up using my right hand for those activities.
I'm a lefty, and I've tried an awful lot of pens. I agree with the Energel recommendation (and primarily use Energel refills) but I'd put Zebra Sarasa gel pens alongside them.
There are other good options out there in terms of quick-drying ink, but Energel and Sarasa work especially well for me because I'm an under-writer, keeping my hand fully below the line, which lowers the angle at which the pen meets the page. Many pens don't tolerate the low angle.
used to be a pilot g-2 user but switched to zebra sarasa about a decade ago. so much better (no smearing). cobalt blue is my fave, though i have all the colors. i’ve tried energel but wasn’t as enthused by it.
My go-to has been the Pilot Precise for many years.
Something about the stick rollerball means that whatever weird angle I attack the page, it writes. Ink dries instantly as well, difficult to smear it even on the cheapest paper.
As a leftie and a fountain pen user, I think the choice (matching) of paper is often overlooked. Earlier I was after “the right pen” and now I know which pens will work well on which kinds of paper.
Sadly, it means that Rhodia premium paper is off limits for me except of EF nibs and dry inks.
Uni tank ballpoints, on the other hand, pair with any kind of paper and even write upside down.
Hello left handed friend! I don't have anything useful to add, only wanted to share my experience being left handed. I use a right handed mouse with my left hand, which makes me hold it quite strangely and the buttons are still for right handed, so I use them backwards.
I'm primarily left handed, but "switch hit" for a lot of things, including mice. I've never had any problem with the position of the buttons in either hand, though when using a mouse with my left hand my hand posture is at about a 45 degree angle to the mouse so that my index finger is still resting on the left button. I then rotate my hand to move my index finger onto the right button when I want to use it. When I'm using the mouse as intended in the right hand, I use two fingers. I find either approach works fine for me.
The only thing I've consciously forced myself to learn to use right handed are firearms. Left handed firearms are hard to find, and using right-handed ones with your left hand creates a lot of hardships.
Just because it's not on the left-hander list (but is elsewhere in TFA), my daughter is a leftie and likes the sarasa dry, so that might be one to try as well.
Try a fast dry ink like the Noodler's Polar blue ink, you'll need a good paper and maybe a F nib as it has a tendancy to bleed through the paper as it's a really fast dry ink, but it won't smear.
My daughter is left hand and has no problem writing with it with the occasional bleed with a M nib. It's like magic.
Have a look at a Yoropen. I've been using the executive zII for years now and the executive pencil is my everyday 'beater'. In fact I like the pencil so much I've got two.
The old pens are hard to find refills for nowadays. But the newer pens have refills all over ebay.
Personally I find the Uni-Ball Vision Elite overrated, and favour the simpler and more understated Uni-Ball Eye over it. They're also better to chew on.
Have been using uni-ball eye for over 10y. As a left handed, this is the best pen I have ever used. Many other pens "scratch" on the paper or result in inconsistent line thicknesses.
Writing with this is a pleasure. Also dries quickly enough on normal paper.
Yup, they're great. At work they've become almost legendary. Usually one can only find bic pens and the like, but occasionally these make their way to a cupboard somewhere and once word gets out it is immediately raided. I even bought green (colour not found in the office) ones once with my own money just to be able to swagger off with. Very well spent money indeed.
Airplane cabin safety can mean a lot if you travel that way. I also find the broader Vision Elite 0.8mm doesn't collect ink around the rollerball, as the Vision/Eye 0.7mm does.
Nothing wrong with the classic Vision/Eye pen. Or Pilot's V5 or V7, for that matter.
The thing I miss about university is that the bookstore had an excellent selection of pens that you could try in the store. But as I type that, I realize that I'm a scant few miles from a university.
As klyrs mentioned, university bookstores typically have a section for writing implements where one can try out pens. Additionally, every decent art supply store I've been in has had a section for pens with paper to try them out on. Art stores don't usually carry cheaper mass market office pens, but I do see some of the Staedtler, Pentel, and other pens recommended. I've even found pens I like that Jet Pens doesn't carry.
I used to use the G2 and I liked it, but I think the Uni-ball Signo DX (the UM-151 the article endorses) is a better pen in the same vein. It’s smoother and doesn’t skip, and I can still get a fine, dark line that makes my handwriting legible. (I like 0.38mm tips in both pens, personally.)
There is, we just out here getting work done. Keep trying new pens and come back to old faithful (G2 0.7mm) every time. Writes well, spins well, cheap by the box. A real pen for the working man.
I don't write a lot with pen these days but when I do, I always reach out to Pilot Juice up 04 [0]. It's incredibly smooth at 0.4mm. Can't recommend it enough for daily writing.
If you lose pens a lot like me, I just buy the 10 or 20 packs of Pilot G3 gel pens from Costco and roll through them. If I'm down to 3 spares or so, next trip I purchase another pack.
They cost a fraction of what they cost in retail stores.
I tried that but paradoxically found that it worked better when I did the opposite: just get one gel pen and always know where it is like my keys, cell-phone, wallet, etc. These days it's more common for me to replace a pen because it's run out of ink than because I've lost it.
Even pre-pandemic I'd always carry it with me for signing receipts and the like. (Since I found using a public pen by a register kind of squicky.) I learned quickly that a pen with a cap was a must for my daily carry; retractables are just too easy to accidentally engage in my pocket.
I do this as well. My current pen sits next to notebook, Leatherman, wallet, and keys on dresser. But stuff falls out of pockets (I have to spelunk through buildings alot in job), or I leave it on some desk, etc.
FWIW, my current pack of pens has lasted me well over 8 months now.
I like the Jetstreams, but had a few black refills that I had acquired over a few years in 0.5 and 0.7 prematurely stop flowing. The black cartridges in the newest Jetstream pens I've purchased have been fine. Not sure if they had a few bad batches that took a while to clear out of the market, but it was disappointing.
Jetpens is truly a treasure of a website. I've gotten interested in plotter art in the last year and there's a whole lot to learn about how pens work and perform. Jetpens is the essential source for a lot of that information. Some good articles they've written:
Yeah I stumbled upon them years ago just looking to get a nice drafting pencil. Then I got sucked into all sorts of pens, watercolors, and wooden pencils. Maybe I’ll try out some fancy paper next (I’ll take recommendations), but I never figured I could get so nerded out in writing utensils… their marketing is on point…. It’s the write ups like this that do it.
At first I thought it was just a typo, but there indeed something called "Plotter Art" (not to be confused with "Blotter Art", which I just confused it for).
Look at #plottertwitter on Twitter for inspiration.
The AxiDraw V3 is a good small plotter for experimentation. It will support any pen with a vaguely normal shape. The biggest limitation of most plotters is they don't control pen pressure; it's fine for normal pens but won't work with a calligraphy pen that gives variable width strokes.
A bit off topic but, I handwrite so little that after more than a sentence and a half my hand starts hurting and I have to take a break. Is that something that can be improved by one of these pens? I've only ever used the cheapest ones I can find.
You're likely pressing too hard. Look for pens that don't require force to dispense ink, such as a fineliner. Crummy ballpoint pens would be what you want to avoid if this indeed is the cause.
If you find that your hand hurts even when writing with a pencil, maybe you're gripping it too tight.
Anecdotally, I did go through a a few months of not writing anything by hand, and it did feel weird when I wrote again. Using a regular HB pencil for a while helped.
What @mellow said plus you (a) may need a bit of practice and (b) get a pen with a better grip.
I usually write 2-3 A5 pages a day, so writing 5+ would make my hand a bit stiff. If you write less than a page a day, you may want to take it easy at the beginning. For example, try a 5 minute journaling practice.
Grip is very important (saying as a leftie who uses fountain pens). You may want to look at a pen like Lamy Safari that has a grip that forces you to hold the pen correctly. Don’t use thin pens like Parker Jotter unless you have really petite hands.
As @mellow suggested, using a pen that flows well is necessary but not sufficient to ease the pressure on the page. If you are a heavy writer, it will take some effort to break the habit.
Others have mentioned you are probably pushing too hard. My 2 suggestions as someone with the same problem:
1. Before getting a new pen, you need to train yourself to write lighter. I would suggest practicing with a 0.5mm mechanical pencil; the lead will break if you push hard. When I first did this, I broke the lead at least once per sentence.
2. Try a few gel and/or rollerball pens. They tend to lay down ink with less pressure than ballpoints. Fountain pens do so as well, but tend to be more expensive and require more maintenance. I bought maybe a dozen different recommended rollerball and gel pens that were under $5 each, tried them out myself and then loaned them all to friends. We each liked different ones the best but liked all of them better than a cheap ballpoint.
They remind me of my school years, I had a bunch of them over the years, and they are great little pens.
I wonder if I would find them too narrow these days. I usually write with a cross Century II, and have a Century I as well, which I do find a little narrow.
I was looking if anyone will mention Parker Vector here. I've been writing with these daily since forever. I've tried some much (much) more expensive fountain pens and none came close to the comfort of writing with the Vector. Might be just me being so used to it at this point though.
"Never leaks" is maybe pushing a bit in my experience. I certainly had these leak ink sometimes. I also think that the design could be nicer. Many other pens are more comfortable to hold. The nib however is just perfect.
Schneider One Business [0] is one of the best rollerballs I've ever used. It has a saturated blue color. It has low friction with enough tactile feedback and a nice grip. I wish it had more consistency between units. I had lemons, ink of which doesn't flow well or flow too much resulting in thicker lines.
I love the Pilot vanishing point fountain pen that has been my daily driver for the last three years. It writes beautifully and is 'clickable' like most ball point pens. I don't have to worry about buying refills and seems like the ink pot will last me a decade.
They seem to really like the Uni-Ball pens, which I've used a lot and are OK, but I've switched very happily to the Inc R2 Rollerball [1]. Really dark and even line, very light pressure, and low friction. Just a very comfortable pen, cheap enough to have around the house by the dozen but feels like a high-quality pen.
Surprising to see that this article has snubbed Chinese FP manufacturers. I own over 20 FPs and some of my favorites are ones made by Jinhao and WingSung. One might even say that the WingSung 300x [1] is better made than the pens that it is a copy of, i.e., TWSBI's Eco and Diamond. The Eco's body is made out of cheap plastic that decomposes when it comes to contact with many household chemicals (e.g., isopropyl alcohol). The Diamond's body is ostensibly better made, but IMHO it's still not worth the price. In comparison, I've used a <$5 WingSung 300x for over 3 years now and it's one of the best pens I've used hands down.
Chinese manufacturers have a great value but the output quality is not 100% reliable. Couple it with difficult returns on Aliexpress and you get the picture. I watch FP vlogs and saw people get 5 Jinhaos and only 3 would have a nib with aligned tines. Sure, getting 3 good pens for the cost of 5 Jinhaos is still a steal but if you order one and get one of the remaining two. Well, it’s a perfect opportunity to learn how to do nibwork :)
The super cheap Chinese pens like Jinhaos have large variations from one pen to the other, but if you go for pricier brands like PenBBS[0] you'll get good quality.
I have several Jinhao and WingSung pens. Although, they invariably fail, however, they are generally good when you find a working one. There is no comparison with TWSBI Eco/T or Diamond range, at least not when it comes to the nibs and/or the choice available i.e. F/M/B/Stub/1.1, notwithstanding the ability to work with different kinds of ink and the amount a reservoir can hold. Also, they work nicely with most good quality paper e.g. Rhodia (Clairefontaine), Tomoe River et al. I have also tried the TWSBI 'clone' Lanbitou, which can only be found in F nib -- it was scratchy af and as cheap as it was, it was a waste. I have been thinking of getting some Jowo nibs to try out in one of the failed Jinhao pens, to see how they behave.
> Surprising to see that this article has snubbed Chinese FP manufacturers.
Two likely reasons:
1. They don't sell them at Jetpens.
2 (more likely): A lot of Chinese designs are copies of fairly expensive pens. Those manufacturers have asked online retailers[1] not to promote them. Although I doubt the Chinese manufacturers are breaking any laws (patents, etc), it's seen by many as poor class to mass copy and sell cheap. A lot of these online retailers rely on the goodwill of the more expensive brands, so they accommodate them.
As an example, compare the Lamy Safari with the Jinhao 599 or the Wingsung 6359 or the Hero 359:
Exactly. Moonman T5 is a bomb, highly recommended. Many other manufacturers are also very good. Ignore people trying to convince you a pen should cost $400.
Used to be a fountain pen fan and have used WinSung about 35 years ago and have very pleasant memories of the writing coming out of it. Wasn't cheap by Indian standard but the other pens mentioned here were unavailable to masses back then.
Some, like all of the <$20 Jinhaos, I simply hate. I've never laid hands on one that I'd even consider "usable".
Others have some models that are excellent and some that aren't. Some of the Chinese Parker 51 clones are not only very good, I'd actually consider them both more practical and more true to the original than the very expensive modern Parker 51 re-issues.
Oh - and Chinese "brands" aren't the same thing as "companies". "Shanghai Green Stationery Co., Ltd" makes some amazingly great pens around $20-50 that are in all respects better than >$100 European pens. They're usually sold under the "Wing Sung" brand.
They make the Wing Sung 698, which in my opinion is one of the best "budget" fountain pens out there. They're not super fancy, but but they feel substantial and hold up very well to carrying in a backpack (or even a pocket). I've torture tested some of mine in the past by leaving it inked for over a year, and not only did it survive - it wrote instantly without issue when I used it again.
On the other hand, the Wing Sung 659 is pretty much just a sub-standard clone of the Pilot 78g. Their cheap Parker 45 and 51 clones are just bad, and feel like the stamped sheet metal and weak plastic they're made of.
my current go-to pen is the Zebra G-402 [0] because I like the durability and heft of a stainless steel pen. they're $3.50 a pop if you buy them in bulk on Amazon [1].
but, the real "where has this been all my life?" game-changer for me was finding that Zebra also makes permanent markers that are stainless steel and refillable [2, 3]. I can never go back to regular Sharpies.
Have you tried the new G-450 or G-750? Both are 0.7mm gel, rather than ballpoints.
The G-750 has a metal knurled grip, like the 701s. But for what it's worth, I find myself preferring the lesser weight of the G-450. Its harder plastic grip doesn't pick up lint or melt like the older G-series pens.
This same site has recommendations on pencils. If you're looking for mechanical pencils I'm a huge fan of the Uni Kuru Toga Roulette, which came in second [1]. I like it because it rotates the lead as you write. Some people find the little bit of squish it has off-putting but I can't use other pencils without snapping the lead constantly.
-Mitsubishi Hi-Unis in H/2H are wonderful for writing in my experience; lead is almost unbreakable, holds its point for a long time, very smooth to write with even for lefties like me.
I am a fan of the Musgrave Tennessee Reds. Dark graphic that doesn't require a lot of pressure, and a fine looking pencil. Be warned, however: Musgrave hexagonal pencils have a very crisp shape, and some people find them uncomfortable. The Musgrave 600 News is a unique pencil (and has a round barrel) that lays down a heavy, dark line.
I picked up a box of Blackwing 602s a few months ago (thanks to a gift card). They are more comfortable in the hand than the Musgraves, but I prefer the graphite in the Tennessee Reds. I may try one of the darker/softer Blackwing models in the future.
I don't particularly enjoy handwriting, but have learned to enjoy it somewhat more through
Caran D'ache, I was gifted a Ecridor Chevron and it's really a fantastic pen to use (+they look cool). This guy does a good review of an EDC Caran D'ache https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvXpqaX1ul8
Having a "best pens" article and not mentioning the Caran d'Ache 849 either Fountain or the famous ballpoint pen somehow invalidates the article for me.
For technical staff in the field as well as in the office, a Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint can be used for years and years, as refill tubes are available for decades.
That was about Japan’s Paper Culture but was very well written and liked.
Regarding JetPens, they’re great at mixing valuable information with a superb product line and customer service - very rare in 2022. It’s I used to like going to brick and mortar shops in the first place. I find it’s becoming less and less common to find a salesperson that knows anything about the products they’re selling (outside of niche shops). Which means although I do try to use local shops where possible, to support them, inevitably I end up doing my own research and shopping online/elsewhere.
253 comments
[ 4.1 ms ] story [ 259 ms ] threadSince I started making my own pens I have a lot more respect for what’s involved.
If this was my personal choice it would probably consist of Nakaya and Yard-O-Led models.
I can’t really offer any supporting evidence except that both brands look like works of art to me.
Its not a "Pen", but Jetpens does sell it and did recommend it.
The one downside is that Pentel's mechanical-pencil erasers are tiny. They are good quality rubber though and work well, but their small size wears out incredibly quickly.
[0] https://www.staedtler.com/intl/en/products/products-for-colo...
a) on very smooth paper, it will smear. Needs time to dry
b) on rougher paper, I found it to "spread out" like a small inkblot. As if the paper "sucks" the ink in a bit.
Perfectly fine for regular paper
> You get consistent line thickness.
Isn't that also true of various kinds of rollerball pens/gel pens?
> You don't need to push the tip into the paper, just letting it hover on top. There is barely any friction/resistance.
That seems like it'd feel unnatural.
My go-to fine-liners, as someone who sketches/inks, are the Sakura Pigma Micron pens. They used to be much harder to find but nowadays I see them all over, in most art supply shops, they're pretty popular.
Plus they're pigment based, so the ink is durable and long lasting. I actually have a few for some that I'd like to last a long time. However, I'm not a huge fan of how they fell. It's like writing with a marker.
I understand gel ink pens are pigment based too, but archival stability doesn't seem to be as much of a selling point for them, so I don't know if they're as suitable/stable. I tend to use them for day to day stuff.
I recently got some technical pens - basically refillable fineliners - by Staedtler, actually - and am enjoying those though.
They are widely available at most office supply stores, too, in the drafting/drawing aisle.
They replaced all my other favorite pens, my handwriting looks good, so little effort, it's a miracle
Muji sells cheap 0.5 and 0.7mm gel pens with a really satisfying click mechanism. Good enough for me.
If you like fineliners, I suggest refillables. I recently recieved these as a gift and have enjoyed them. [1]
[1] https://www.cultpens.com/i/q/SD03714/staedtler-mars-matic-te...
Most people use ballpoint pen for writing, cause you can misuse them however you like and they won't break. They are also cheap, so you don't mind loosing them. Plus, they roll faster with less friction.
Pens are the only left-handed designed product I've ever found I really needed. Aside from scissors or computer mice maybe, but I grew up using my right hand for those activities.
There are other good options out there in terms of quick-drying ink, but Energel and Sarasa work especially well for me because I'm an under-writer, keeping my hand fully below the line, which lowers the angle at which the pen meets the page. Many pens don't tolerate the low angle.
Something about the stick rollerball means that whatever weird angle I attack the page, it writes. Ink dries instantly as well, difficult to smear it even on the cheapest paper.
Sadly, it means that Rhodia premium paper is off limits for me except of EF nibs and dry inks.
Uni tank ballpoints, on the other hand, pair with any kind of paper and even write upside down.
The only thing I've consciously forced myself to learn to use right handed are firearms. Left handed firearms are hard to find, and using right-handed ones with your left hand creates a lot of hardships.
Yes that's what I do too!
https://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/09/lamy-oblique-and-left-ha...
My daughter is left hand and has no problem writing with it with the occasional bleed with a M nib. It's like magic.
The old pens are hard to find refills for nowadays. But the newer pens have refills all over ebay.
Writing with this is a pleasure. Also dries quickly enough on normal paper.
Nothing wrong with the classic Vision/Eye pen. Or Pilot's V5 or V7, for that matter.
[0]: https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Juice-Up-Gel-Pen-0.4-mm-Black/...
They cost a fraction of what they cost in retail stores.
Even pre-pandemic I'd always carry it with me for signing receipts and the like. (Since I found using a public pen by a register kind of squicky.) I learned quickly that a pen with a cap was a must for my daily carry; retractables are just too easy to accidentally engage in my pocket.
FWIW, my current pack of pens has lasted me well over 8 months now.
https://www.jetpens.com/blog/Types-of-Pens-How-to-Pick-a-Pen...
https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Technical-Drawing-Pens...
At first I thought it was just a typo, but there indeed something called "Plotter Art" (not to be confused with "Blotter Art", which I just confused it for).
I have been eyeing plotters for a very long time, but have yet to dive in.
A lot of uncertainty around what plotter might work for me, and what pens it would support, etc.
The AxiDraw V3 is a good small plotter for experimentation. It will support any pen with a vaguely normal shape. The biggest limitation of most plotters is they don't control pen pressure; it's fine for normal pens but won't work with a calligraphy pen that gives variable width strokes.
I wonder if some way to add weight along the the pen arm is possible to adjust pressure exists.
If you find that your hand hurts even when writing with a pencil, maybe you're gripping it too tight.
Anecdotally, I did go through a a few months of not writing anything by hand, and it did feel weird when I wrote again. Using a regular HB pencil for a while helped.
I usually write 2-3 A5 pages a day, so writing 5+ would make my hand a bit stiff. If you write less than a page a day, you may want to take it easy at the beginning. For example, try a 5 minute journaling practice.
Grip is very important (saying as a leftie who uses fountain pens). You may want to look at a pen like Lamy Safari that has a grip that forces you to hold the pen correctly. Don’t use thin pens like Parker Jotter unless you have really petite hands.
As @mellow suggested, using a pen that flows well is necessary but not sufficient to ease the pressure on the page. If you are a heavy writer, it will take some effort to break the habit.
1. Before getting a new pen, you need to train yourself to write lighter. I would suggest practicing with a 0.5mm mechanical pencil; the lead will break if you push hard. When I first did this, I broke the lead at least once per sentence.
2. Try a few gel and/or rollerball pens. They tend to lay down ink with less pressure than ballpoints. Fountain pens do so as well, but tend to be more expensive and require more maintenance. I bought maybe a dozen different recommended rollerball and gel pens that were under $5 each, tried them out myself and then loaned them all to friends. We each liked different ones the best but liked all of them better than a cheap ballpoint.
as others have said, holding the pen in the correct way, with the correct pressure should help
larger pens/ pencils seemed to help
Writes beautifully, never leaks, choice of ink colour, simple and pleasing design. And dirt cheap. Absolute icon of 20th century design.
I wonder if I would find them too narrow these days. I usually write with a cross Century II, and have a Century I as well, which I do find a little narrow.
"Never leaks" is maybe pushing a bit in my experience. I certainly had these leak ink sometimes. I also think that the design could be nicer. Many other pens are more comfortable to hold. The nib however is just perfect.
[0] https://schneiderpen.com/en_us/rollerballs/one-business-blue...
https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Vanishing-Point-Fountain-Pens/...
[1] https://www.amazon.com/ROLLERBALL-Comfort-Flowing-Writing-Pr...
[1]: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=wingsung+piston
[0] https://www.etsy.com/shop/PENBBSOfficialStore?ref=simple-sho...
From reading pen forums, most people buy Jinhaos for their aesthetics but replace the nibs with third party ones.
Two likely reasons:
1. They don't sell them at Jetpens.
2 (more likely): A lot of Chinese designs are copies of fairly expensive pens. Those manufacturers have asked online retailers[1] not to promote them. Although I doubt the Chinese manufacturers are breaking any laws (patents, etc), it's seen by many as poor class to mass copy and sell cheap. A lot of these online retailers rely on the goodwill of the more expensive brands, so they accommodate them.
As an example, compare the Lamy Safari with the Jinhao 599 or the Wingsung 6359 or the Hero 359:
https://www.amazon.com/Lamy-Safari-Fountain-Pen-Charcoal/dp/...
https://www.amazon.com/Jinhao-Fountain-Diversity-Transparent...
https://www.amazon.com/FidgetGear-Coffee-Metal-Fountain-0-38...
https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-design-fountain-purple-co...
[1] I know they did with Goulet Pens.
Some, like all of the <$20 Jinhaos, I simply hate. I've never laid hands on one that I'd even consider "usable".
Others have some models that are excellent and some that aren't. Some of the Chinese Parker 51 clones are not only very good, I'd actually consider them both more practical and more true to the original than the very expensive modern Parker 51 re-issues.
Oh - and Chinese "brands" aren't the same thing as "companies". "Shanghai Green Stationery Co., Ltd" makes some amazingly great pens around $20-50 that are in all respects better than >$100 European pens. They're usually sold under the "Wing Sung" brand.
They make the Wing Sung 698, which in my opinion is one of the best "budget" fountain pens out there. They're not super fancy, but but they feel substantial and hold up very well to carrying in a backpack (or even a pocket). I've torture tested some of mine in the past by leaving it inked for over a year, and not only did it survive - it wrote instantly without issue when I used it again.
On the other hand, the Wing Sung 659 is pretty much just a sub-standard clone of the Pilot 78g. Their cheap Parker 45 and 51 clones are just bad, and feel like the stamped sheet metal and weak plastic they're made of.
but, the real "where has this been all my life?" game-changer for me was finding that Zebra also makes permanent markers that are stainless steel and refillable [2, 3]. I can never go back to regular Sharpies.
0: https://www.zebrapen.com/product/g-402-retractable-gel/
1: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B0771YTM9C/
2: https://www.zebrapen.com/product/pm-701-permanent-marker/
3: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B079NR6HFJ/
The G-750 has a metal knurled grip, like the 701s. But for what it's worth, I find myself preferring the lesser weight of the G-450. Its harder plastic grip doesn't pick up lint or melt like the older G-series pens.
1: https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Mechanical-Pencils/pt/...
I picked up a box of Blackwing 602s a few months ago (thanks to a gift card). They are more comfortable in the hand than the Musgraves, but I prefer the graphite in the Tennessee Reds. I may try one of the darker/softer Blackwing models in the future.
As for review sites, I've really found the Polar Pencil Pusher to be helpful (https://polarpencilpusher.home.blog/).
My grandfather has a couple that lasted over 30 years.
For technical staff in the field as well as in the office, a Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint can be used for years and years, as refill tubes are available for decades.
Japan's Paper Culture (156 comments)
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29709551
Regarding JetPens, they’re great at mixing valuable information with a superb product line and customer service - very rare in 2022. It’s I used to like going to brick and mortar shops in the first place. I find it’s becoming less and less common to find a salesperson that knows anything about the products they’re selling (outside of niche shops). Which means although I do try to use local shops where possible, to support them, inevitably I end up doing my own research and shopping online/elsewhere.