Question about nice pens

[davidpdx]

I have sort of a weird question. I want a nice pen for a combination birthday/graduating present that has my name and title engraved on it. When I was looking through the pens I realized there are three different types: fountain pens, ball point pens, and roller ball pens. The pen would be mostly for use on special occasions like signing things. I've never had a fountain pent in my life, and I'm not sure about roller ball pens.

If anyone has any thoughts on it just throw them out.

Thanks.......

[pinboy3niner]

1. You deserve a birthday Bic!

Cheap pens are very good these days. Roller balls are very smooth and you'll probably love them.

My dad worked for the guy who is credited for introducing the ball point pen to America. He wasn't actually the the first, but he produced them on a mass scale. His family still runs a printing machine business, the one for which my dad was a plant foreman. His boss's name was Millton Reynolds, and searching that yields the pen story.

If you want a fancy pen, all you have to do is google...

Happy Birthday to you!

[davidpdx]

2. I hear you on cheap pens

Especially if you lose them it's like there's nothing to cry over. I just want one special pen engraved with my name. Today I finished my doctoral dissertation after 55 1/2 months of hell and can put the abbreviation "Dr." in front of my name. It's more of something I would keep close to me instead of using on a day to day basis, for that I'll use the cheap ones.

[pinboy3niner]

3. Congratulations again...Doctor!

For quality pens the brand I hear most about is Cross.

You might also consider business cards beating your title.

Long ago, when I graduated Army OCS, someone gifted me a small silver tray, engraved with my name and rank, to place by the door to receive business cards. Badly tarnished now, it sits packed away somewhere...

[Chan790]

4. I know some about pens.

Fountain pens tend to be problematic if they're being used infrequently, especially if you're not investing in good ink (which can be as much of an investment as the pen itself) instead using the ink supplied by the manufacturer (cheaper, but functional) ...the ink starts to dry and get gummy, they can be messy or write/flow unevenly...I love mine but I make a point to use it weekly, even if just to scribble to keep everything in working order. Even then, the cost of being left-handed and using a fountain pen is that I have a blue smudge on the side of my hand for the rest of the day. I understand the appeal, the nostalgia and how they feel "classy" (it's the same with vintage typewriters (which I also love))...but they're also messy and were replaced by more user-friendly technology.

Of the other two, I am preferable to roller-ball over ball-point. I like the lower-friction feel. That's just me...some people prefer the sharper line of the ball point.

If you go to an art-supply store, they often have testers you can try of different high-end pen types so you can feel/see the difference in outputs between different styles of pens and pen-tips. (extra-fine, fine, medium, heavy and different shapes such as / (often used for calligraphy to produce-variable-weight lines. (See image below))) You can probably even get cheap, disposable roller-ball and fountain for about $5-10 each so that you can try both for a few weeks before making a decision on which you prefer for your big purchase.

[davidpdx]

5. Thanks for that

I'm definitely not going with a fountain pen as I wouldn't use it often enough. Does the ball point have any problem with getting gummy if you don't use it for long periods of time?

There is an Office Depot near my apartment and I might go in and see if they'd let me hold it and scribble a bit to get a feel for the pen. That sounds like the best way of deciding. Then once I find the one I like I'll order it online.

[blogslut]

6. I would get a ballpoint or roller ball pen.

When you go Internet shopping for pens you'll discover this whole world of pen/paper fetishists and shops that sell scads of sexy, sexy pens. You'll also find many reviews that will give you an overall idea of user's favorite dream pens and that will help you determine which pen makers offer superior products. That way, you'll have a better idea of what pen you want. It ain't all Cross and Scheaffer.

Here's a fun place to start: http://www.jetpens.com

[davidpdx]

7. pen/paper fetishists?

Wow, that's a new one on me. Thanks!

[blogslut]

8. haha

Well, maybe "fetishist" is too strong a word. Just the same, I know I get rather excited when I visit stationary stores and a beautiful pen does have an effect on me. I picked up some sweet little steel-cased Zebra ballpoints that make me very happy when I use them.

[pipi_k]

10. Tell me about it...

I can't walk down the stationery aisle of any store without being overwhelmed with the possibilities

Pens of all shapes and sizes and colors!

I have a little copper pot on my kitchen counter filled with pens. Ball points, gel points, Sharpies, etc.

All kinds of colors.

My favorite pens are a set of Papermate InkJoy. Two shades of blue...purple...black...pink...red...orange...green

And then there's the black licorice scented pen my granddaughter gave me.

[blogslut]

11. I'm on an onionskin paper kick

Used to be I could nab onionskin/airmail pads at the freaking grocery store but now, the only place I can find that paper is online. I just love it, the bumpy texture, the translucence, the weight.

Sigh.

[csziggy]

13. I'd offer to send you the box of onionskin paper I have

But it was probably purchased over 50 years ago by my father. There is a slim possibility that it was purchased even longer ago by my grandmother who passed away in 1969 or my grandfather who died in 1957 but there is no way to tell! My family never throws anything away and good paper, even if yellowed and curled at the edges, is kept. We have notes made on stationary for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad where my great great grandfather worked - and the notes were made well after he had died!

[blogslut]

16. You can sell that on Etsy or Ebay

Seriously. There's people who collect old paper, especially if it comes in the original wrapping or box. People even collect carbon paper.

[csziggy]

17. Really? I wish I had known that before my sister cleaned out my parents' old house!

She threw away a lot of stuff left from when my Dad was still working as an engineer and doing his own mapping and drafting. I know there was a lot of old, old carbon paper - when I was still in high school, I'd get my school supplies out of Dad's office supplies, including the carbon paper and ink for our pens. He and Mom bought antique (back THEN they were antique!) typewriters for us kids to use to type our school papers. He had a fancy one with special engineering and math characters that he used.

But most of that stuff had sat in the old house for over 35 years after Mom & Dad moved out so it was nasty. My poor sister had to go through everything to make sure nothing valuable was tossed so asking her to keep anything dubious was pushing her limits.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

9. I'm a utilitarian

These Cross items fill all my needs and the ink lasts forever:
http://www.staples.com/Cross-Tech3-Retractable-Ballpoint-Pen-Pencil-Stylus-Black-Red-0-5mm-Fine-Point-Each/product_956291

I like having the pencil available and having both black and red ink in one case cuts clutter.

If your tastes (and wallet) lean towards the deeper end of ego stroking:
http://www.montblanc.com/en-us/collection/writing-instruments.html

[Enrique]

12. what's a pen?

is that like Adobe Reader?

[antiquie]

14. *pen*

[Trillo]

15. The best pen I ever got was sent to me by a business.

It was all metal, including metal threads, and appears to be mostly brass. I've looked at big box office stores for an equivalent, equivalent in a quality sense, and could not find one at any price.

I still have it, use it everyday, replace the cartridge as needed, and sometimes worry about losing track of it.

[olddots]

18. get a quill and India Ink

For those special signing chores .