I have used a standard Lamy fountain pen for 11 years in school, and later several higher-end products (ball pens and fountain pens). But a few years ago I discovered that I really like writing with the Bic Cristal [0]. It's reliable and writing feels very smooth (even better than with some Lamy products I own). I also like that it has exactly the same shape as a classic pencil. Of course it is also very relaxing to know I can get a pack of 50 for 14 EUR. You can gnaw away on it, roll over it accidentally with you chair, lose it, break it in half - doesn't matter, because you can easily afford to have 20 of these on your desk at any time.
I feel the same way but with cheaper Japanese ball pens, my favorite being. I do have to disagree that a Bic Cristal feels "smooth" though. I think it doesn't glide as well as your average Japanese offerings although it does dry exceptionally well.
Personally I'm partial to the Zebra Sarasa Clip [0].
As far as I have experimented, nothing can replace a good fountain pen for me. Being able to use one for decades and use a bottle of ink for 4-5 years is also a great plus for sustainability in my book.
If I can't use a fountain pen, I fallback to a Uniball Elite or Uniball Signo 0.7/0.38.
On the ballpoint department, you can't get my CdA 149 from my dead, cold hands.
If you really want to use a smooth Bic, try Cristal Soft. If you want something flies, try Uniball JetStream.
I bought my daughter a set of multi-colour Bic Cristal pens and, aside from a weird plug that had to be removed from each tip (intentional? dried-up ink from the manufacturing process?) the textural quality of the ink is wonderful. I don't know what it is or how it's different from normal Bics but they are a pure joy to write with.
So I bought myself a set and now write in pink at work... .
Yes, the "plugs" on top of every tip of pens are very much intentional.
They are found on every new ball pens and refills in India. I don't know the exact purpose of their existence, but I guess it has to do with leakage of ink.
I never thought I would see this question here! I now write with FPs exclusively, but removing those beads from newly bought pens were special experience to us as little kids! We fondly associated them with the joy of new pens. We used to call them "pearls".
The Bic Cristal is my all-time favourite pen, to the point where I don’t really understand why other pens exist. I was recently thinking of getting a Mont Blanc for fancy business writing (contract signing), but went with the Cristal. Not kidding.
You mean a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen? Because I wouldn't use fountain pens with their water-based inks for signing contracts (even inks that claim to be waterproof).
Water based inks come in tons of flavors. You can have washables (most of your royal blues), "permanents" (most blue blacks and special formulations) which leave a faint mark you can't remove (GvFC inks sans Royal Blue, Pelikan 4001 Blue Black, etc.), pigments which cling to your paper like their life depend on it or you can go full send and get "cellulose reactive" inks which will not leave your paper unless you destruct the said paper.
Many "permanent" inks on permanent rollerballs and gels (e.g. Uni SuperInk) is also water based, yet they don't and won't leave your paper, because they're made of UV resistant pigments.
Right, or you can use an oil based ink with a good ball point pen and not have to worry about where to find "cellulose reactive" inks and how they will interact with your fountain pen.
Noodler's inks are dime a gallon, esp. in the US, and they're guaranteed to be pH neutral in most used colors (bottles state if they pH neutral), so they don't damage any pen, modern and vintage.
Interesting, I never had this problem with a Cristal. With cheap marketing pens, sure, after some use, they leak and smear, and some of them seem to have only small amounts of ink in them.
I also realized I like smooth ball points, used to use the finer Pilot gelpoints in school. The Caran D'ache ballpoint is quite nice for a more luxury product
Yes, like the GP says, it's a luxury pen. They didn't buy it for purely utilitarian reasons. They might like that it has an all-metal construction or that it weighs 88g. They might prefer the ink formulation used for the cartridges. They might like how the pen works in their preferred notebook. For many people, tactility (and other sensations too) is just as, if not, more important than, utility.
I've had quite a few nice pens over the years. For me, Lamy Safari with its triangular grip is peak ergonomics, and its price-per-usability is fantastic. I tend to have a claw-like grip, and the Safari forces me to hold it in a way that my hand doesn't cramp after 3 minutes. It's great. I love it.
But for quick jotting, like making shopping lists or bullet journal notetaking, I'm on board with this list's top ballpoint pick, the Uni Jetstream. If all ballpoints were this smooth and pleasant to use, I never would've bothered investigating fountain pens. I think they're fantastic, supremely reasonably priced, and rugged enough to lose in the bottom of a bag without leaking all over stuff.
I love my Safaris, but when I need to jot something down, I reach for the Jetstream.
I'm also a big fan of the Jestreams, in particular the "Uni Jetstream Standard Ballpoint Pen - 0.5 mm". 5-6 years ago on a similar thread here or elsewhere, found a pointer to them and got a few, and I really like the precise line it makes, so I can do (what one of my coworkers called) "microwriting" between other lines of text. I use them mostly for note taking and bullet journaling. I've since gotten a few of the dozen packs, they are reasonably priced.
I wish I had a better solution for todo lists though. For a couple years I used a book and pen for managing my todo list, but always felt like an automated solution would just be better. I tried a Kindle Scribe and used that for around a year. It was a good "basic" writing experience, but really brought very little over just pen and paper (except that I never had to struggle with keeping the pages laying flat). I decided to try an Onyx Boox Note 3 as a "better Scribe", but shortly after that I abandoned the todo list entirely. Tried taskninja, but never stuck there either.
Not really. I have a Travelers Notebook with their own lined paper. I got that for the goofiest of reasons: so I could feel like Indiana Jones when I was taking notes for my Diablo game. I’ve started using it for bullet journaling as an experiment.
The stock nib is also excellent when inverted (writing with the pen rolled over so that the “top” of the nib is now the side touching the paper). This is extremely useful when annotating diagrams, for example, as the writing is hyper fine.
I wanted to love TWSBI but our honeymoon period ended when nearly all of my barrels developed hairline fractures.
I've had a few TWSBIs over the last 5 years or so and I love them. Haven't had any hairline fractures yet - any idea what may have caused them? Am curious now
Three Vac Minis purchased between 2022 and 2024 and all three have developed longitudinal micro fractures on the threading between the grip and the body, and the threading around the pump-cap and the body-end. On two of them this eventually led to an ink leak.
The pens travel with me during ~3h of weekly bicycle commuting between my home and my work, store in a pen case in my backpack. They’re not being babied, but I’m hardly kicking them down a mountain either.
My Vac700R, ECO, and Diamond580 are all doing fine but they definitely are deskbound and haven’t seen nearly as much much field use.
I love Safaris too, but unfortunately I handwrite very seldom and the Safaris tend to dry out quite quickly in my experience. I've got the Kaweco Sport, which sends to last much longer, probably because of its tight screw-top seal.
I've definitely gravitated to the bold gel pens for most purposes. Some inks actually even work as better replacements in some more expensive pens although I rarely bother.
Should have category for more innovative pen, what's new in the writing technology last yer? Their videos on overengineered Japanese stationary are great.
I always enjoy reading this list yearly, and the research that goes into it. As someone who prefers thicker gel pens I used the Uniball Signo 207 as I could easily find these locally as well. Then after reading their recommendations I switched to the Zebra Sarasa Dry because I always smear my writing.
Through Jetpens I’ve also discovered my favorite mechanical pencil, the Uni Kuru Toga.
I have recently discovered the Kuru Toga pencil and it's rapidly becoming my favorite pencil too! Sometimes the lead is a bit shorter than I'd like -- I may check out the Kuru Toga Dive which allows you to customize the default lead length.
Just want to say, I've had incredible customer service experiences from Jetpens. If high end stationary is important to you, I highly recommend this store.
Seconded. I was extremely impressed when in response to one of my emailed questions, they directly contacted a manufacturer to ask about the acid content of a particular paper. But that’s not all! They then updated the specs on their listing to include the info I’d asked about on their site. It’s so refreshing to frequent a business that’s so serious about their work!
I've embraced the Pulaman over the past year. It's grungy when used on rougher paper, and wet enough to bleed through lighter weights, but the lines are full of character. It's a fountain pen with a marker tip - it fills in a certain complementary thing that Pilot nibs don't have.
I have also become a champion for Bic Gelocity, because they figured out a quick-dry gel formula that has similar viscosity and reliability to their classic ballpoints. Viscous ink keeps my writing legible, and the gel needs less pressure, so it's a great EDC writer.
Some of my bigger explorations have been with graphite - I have both new mechanicals, cheap stuff, lead holders, and vintage pencils. There is a lot of reason to go mechanical for reliability, but cheap mechanicals like the Bic pencil are unreliable - it's worth it to go for a Pentel. Similar story with lead holders - I have some from Daiso that do the job but aren't as tight as brand names. The nice thing about wood is that it handles well - the weight is lighter than metal, and it stays balanced as you wear it down. As well, for drawing, being able to cut the point you want makes a difference. There are woodless pencils which are quite a bit heavier and more brittle if dropped, but they are nice to work with to get something similar to a long point sharpen without having to get out a razor and whittle it by hand.
+1 for Pentel Pulaman. They have a weird hybrid nib that's somewhere between a felt tip and a technical pen, and you can vary the line thickness a lot. The nib flattens a bit with age, so you end up with an almost brush-like feel.
Lamy Safari friends, I bought one, and it went unused for years because it was no fun to write with. The nib was scratchy, not feedback, scratchy, and no small tweak ever made it smooth. I was on the verge of buying a sheet of micro-mesh to fix it when I came to my senses, what the hell was I doing, like trying to fix a smokey candlewick for light. I thought to myself, it can't all be like this, and bought a TWSBI Eco. This was going to be my last fountain pen if it didn't work out. And, dear readers, it is amazing! It writes like butter, words cannot describe, I whip it out every chance I get to write with it.
(The Lamy does OK with a very wet ink and cheap printer paper. I use it to doodle, so all is not lost.)
Pens are all well and good, but what are people's favorite notebooks? I've found that the paper is perhaps just as important as the pen in a satisfactory writing experience.
I've used Leuchtturm1917 notebooks (1) as my journals for several years and recommend them; the paper is smooth and good for writing and drawing. My local art store carries them, which is a plus - I love buying local.
I've settled on the B5 10"x7" size (2) with blank pages. I love that it has two ribbons for keeping my place, and a handy pocket (I keep stamps and stickers in mine). The hardcover versions are sturdy, which is perfect because my notebook goes everywhere with me.
At first I used the ruled and or dotted versions, but now prefer blank pages for drawing.
I've had couple of those popular ones, but settled (for at least couple of months now) on Kukuyo Campus A5 binder and Tomoe River Loose leaf sheets. I had to punch holes with a Carl 20 hole puncher but the combination is great. It gives you the way to sort your papers (eg remove temp ones) with the arguably best paper for fountain inks.
I've been programming some CAD algorithms during the last two months and found myself buying cheap pens for a cheap plotter (a Silhouette machine), to make geometric diagrams. Can't say that the process is more efficient than a color printer[^1], but it is way cheaper than those damn color toners and the profit-maximizing ways the printer accounts for its consumption. And the pen strokes on paper look cool, and one can chose different pens to draw different layers in the diagrams.
[^1]: Though, in truth, the plotter is extremely reliable and fast. Inkjet printers on the other hand have a lengthy warmup and drivers are finicky to the point one imagines they constantly are on the lookout for new ways to botch a job.
So I've been using the EnerGel 0.7 or 0.5 mm pens. I generally like them, but it bleeds a bit more than I'd like. Is there a pen with a similar feel and precision, but with ink that dries a bit faster?
Wow! What fun reading this niche interest. The Pilot FriXion sounds fun, for spycraft, or to recreate the Acme disappearing reappearing ink from who framed Roger rabbit.
"If you accidentally make your writing disappear, you may be able to get it to reappear by placing the paper in a freezer that reaches below 14°F (-10°C)."
I prefer to write with a pencil almost all the time, but my absolute favourite pens are bog standard Bic Cristal (the ones with the rubber grip are even better but not sure you can get them any more). The reason is that I have never in my life picked one up that didn't start writing instantly, no matter how old or battered it is.
Ballpoint pens are ergonomically really bad if you write a lot. The reason many people still use fountain pen is that you just move pen on the paper, no pressure needed. New gel pens get you 90% of that with ease to use almost equal to a ballpoint, their takes longer to dry is the only real drawback.
There are quick drying gel pens. I have some Zebra Sansa Dry’s that are pretty much impossible to smudge.
I have some fountain pens just because I like overly complicating simple things. One good paper, they are awesome. Unfortunately, I’m mostly writing ephemeral notes on lower quality paper so a ball point (or pencil) makes a lot more sense.
The time to dry factor is why I purposely seek out the 0.38 pilot g2. I’m not sure how anyone can stand the default 0.7. It just gets all over your hand and smears the pages.
I found that to be paper specific. Those cheapo hotel free stationary, yeah its stratch city. But even sightly nicer copy paper is a marked improvement and lacks that.
Like you - I predominantly use pencil. The mechanical "pencil" I always keep on me is actually an Ohto MF-20K3B multi pen - it means I can have a nice black pen as well as a good mechanical pencil.
Yes! I have tried the G2, Pilot Precise V5, Uni-ball Jetstream, Lamy Safari, Pilot Hi-Tec-C, Fisher Space Pen and others over the years and the Vision Elite is by far my favorite!
Funny! A lengthy review of writing implements, and comments about them, without a single mention of mechanical (clutch) pencils. Like the Pentel P205 (0.5mm leads), and various other sizes of pencil and leads available. Vary the lead diameter and hardness to suit the use. Personally I use 0.5mm, 2B almost always.
For technical work, where it's nice to be able to erase mistakes, they're perfect. For daily personal note taking, the erasability is fairly irrelevant.
Now mechanical pencils are so cheap you're best to buy dozen packs (because although they last forever you will lose them now and then), and the leads can be bought cheap in very large quantities via Aliexpress and such. Don't buy leads in the tiny. expensive packs from local stationers.
Been using the bullet journal method for two years and journaling on paper for over thirty years, and I must say that nothing comes close to fountain pens for handwriting. But for bullet journals (drawing tables, lines, calendars) gel pens are an excellent choice.
I really like fountain pens and would love a Lamy Safari, Parker 51, Pilot 74, or any of the other pens that have caught my interest over the years. Like many people with similar interests, though, I know they'd just collect dust.
I did buy a few Uni Kuro Toga pencils a few years ago (the cheaper models). They're neat. And they collect dust.
If nothing else, I enjoy reading articles like this. It may be a world I'll continue to peer into from the outside, but it looks like an enjoyable one.
Thanks for the recommendation! I do have a decent fountain pen already (enthusiasts tell me the nib is actually atrocious, but I—in my ignorance—like it). My lamentations are mostly about not being able to justify buying another pen :)
Since my favorite type of pen, which are very short pens that fit everywhere and don't take much space isn't in the list, my recommendations go for Penco Drafting Pen and the Penco Bullet Pen. Penco.jp is also a pretty cool website. I have no affiliation with the brand other than really liking these two pens. I must have about 12 bullet pens in different pockets of jackets and pants so I'm never without a pen.
My writing utensil of choice (I don't write a lot by hand) for the last decade was a whatever-its-called 0.5mm gel pen from Muji. Picked one up in my first visit to a Muji store in HK in 2012 and have since grabbed a couple more when I could.
Doesn't have to be expensive, I think it was below 2 bucks.
I use the BIC 4-Color retractable ball pens for the last 40 years when I have an option. There have been some variations in color ink, grippy hold, ball size, and even replacing an ink with pencil lead.
It is thick so easier to hold for me, has the multiple colors which I use in underlining and just writing, inexpensive compared to four different color pens, it just works, and just as portable as any other pen.
I'm not a fan of the uni Jetstream pens. Yes, they do a great job of transferring ink to a page, but they do it a bit too well. Personally, I need a bit more resistance between pen and page. Otherwise, my already terrible handwriting just looks even worse because I end up writing faster. Sometimes, friction is good.
The Uni-ball Signo UM-151 (0.38mm) is my go-to, but lately I've also been warming to the Pentel Hybrid Technica (0.4mm). Compared to the Uni-Ball, it's slightly less consistent, but I prefer the color, it being among the blackest blacks I've seen in any gel pen.
I dislike dealing with caps and enjoy a finer, wetter line. Pilot Precise V5 RT has been my go-to for a while, but I'm a pen hoarder and will try anything.
I see a lot of love for the Bic Cristal, Personally, I love the Muji Gel Ink 0.38, I'm an infrequent writer, so take it with a huge grain of salt, but I find it a really pleasant pen, and cheap enough that I can have them wherever I need them.
I like the Jetstream, but for some reason they dry out or the ball seems to get clogged (with skin oils or paper fibers, maybe?) after some time using them.
Do the rankings ever change much year over year? For instance, with intro fountain pens, it will always be things like the platinum preppy, pilot metro, kaweco sport.
I don't think Jetpens makes any pens themselves, although they are a retailer and sell all of these pens so it's definitely advertising. However, Jetpens in generally reputable and their recommendations are generally good. HN typically likes posts about tools, so it's not too surprising a good tool recommendation post is popular here
For left handed writing switching to the uni-ball jetstream (RT SXN-210 or Sport SXN-150S) was a noticeable improvement for me. I do not know how they compare to the ones recommended for left-handed writers on the site.
Mostly because of smearing and the direction of writing: left-hand writers "push" the pen more, while right-hand writers are "pulling" the pen more (not totally and not 100%)
In left to right languages lefties are draging their hand across what they just wrote and so need something that dries fast or it smudges. I suppose right handed hebrew writers would have the same issue (are their other bidirectional languages? )
I had written a ton using Muji Gel rollers which are a neat compromise of not being to expensive and good to write with.
In the recent months I went back to writing with a mechanical pen as I found one that fixed the issue of having to rotate the pen to keep the same stroke width (Kuru Toga Uni).
I have used a standard Lamy fountain pen for 11 years in school, and later several higher-end products (ball pens and fountain pens). But a few years ago I discovered that I really like writing with the Bic Cristal [0]. It's reliable and writing feels very smooth (even better than with some Lamy products I own). I also like that it has exactly the same shape as a classic pencil. Of course it is also very relaxing to know I can get a pack of 50 for 14 EUR. You can gnaw away on it, roll over it accidentally with you chair, lose it, break it in half - doesn't matter, because you can easily afford to have 20 of these on your desk at any time.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bic_Cristal
I feel the same way but with cheaper Japanese ball pens, my favorite being. I do have to disagree that a Bic Cristal feels "smooth" though. I think it doesn't glide as well as your average Japanese offerings although it does dry exceptionally well.
Personally I'm partial to the Zebra Sarasa Clip [0].
[0] https://www.zebrapen.com/pages/discover-sarasa-clip
As far as I have experimented, nothing can replace a good fountain pen for me. Being able to use one for decades and use a bottle of ink for 4-5 years is also a great plus for sustainability in my book.
If I can't use a fountain pen, I fallback to a Uniball Elite or Uniball Signo 0.7/0.38.
On the ballpoint department, you can't get my CdA 149 from my dead, cold hands.
If you really want to use a smooth Bic, try Cristal Soft. If you want something flies, try Uniball JetStream.
> I feel the same way but with cheaper Japanese ball pens, my favorite being.
Torture for a pen enthusiast! Your favorite being what? Is it the Sarasa Clip you mention later?
I bought my daughter a set of multi-colour Bic Cristal pens and, aside from a weird plug that had to be removed from each tip (intentional? dried-up ink from the manufacturing process?) the textural quality of the ink is wonderful. I don't know what it is or how it's different from normal Bics but they are a pure joy to write with.
So I bought myself a set and now write in pink at work... .
Yes, the "plugs" on top of every tip of pens are very much intentional.
They are found on every new ball pens and refills in India. I don't know the exact purpose of their existence, but I guess it has to do with leakage of ink.
I never thought I would see this question here! I now write with FPs exclusively, but removing those beads from newly bought pens were special experience to us as little kids! We fondly associated them with the joy of new pens. We used to call them "pearls".
I had to look up the name, and then realized (ha!) it's the pen I grew up on, across two countries.
My body is probably full of microplastics from chewing away at them.
The Bic Cristal is my all-time favourite pen, to the point where I don’t really understand why other pens exist. I was recently thinking of getting a Mont Blanc for fancy business writing (contract signing), but went with the Cristal. Not kidding.
The one flaw: no upside-down writing.
Other pens exist since the Pilot G2 0.38 had to :)
You mean a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen? Because I wouldn't use fountain pens with their water-based inks for signing contracts (even inks that claim to be waterproof).
Water based inks come in tons of flavors. You can have washables (most of your royal blues), "permanents" (most blue blacks and special formulations) which leave a faint mark you can't remove (GvFC inks sans Royal Blue, Pelikan 4001 Blue Black, etc.), pigments which cling to your paper like their life depend on it or you can go full send and get "cellulose reactive" inks which will not leave your paper unless you destruct the said paper.
Many "permanent" inks on permanent rollerballs and gels (e.g. Uni SuperInk) is also water based, yet they don't and won't leave your paper, because they're made of UV resistant pigments.
Right, or you can use an oil based ink with a good ball point pen and not have to worry about where to find "cellulose reactive" inks and how they will interact with your fountain pen.
Noodler's inks are dime a gallon, esp. in the US, and they're guaranteed to be pH neutral in most used colors (bottles state if they pH neutral), so they don't damage any pen, modern and vintage.
They're specifically designed to be that.
Bulletproof Noodler's inks are as follows: https://noodlersink.com/product-tag/bullet-proof/
They even have 16 Oz. bottles if you want "buy one, leave for grandchildren" amount of ink in one go.
If you want a more mainstream archival ink, go GvFC, Pelikan 4001 Blue Black (not available in US), MB midnight blue or Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite.
Noodler's archival inks would be fine for that purpose. Bulletproof Black reacts with the cellulose in the paper so it will not wash out.
I was curious so I tested it myself: https://honeypot.net/categories/ink/
Noodler’s Baystate Blue is at least as waterproof as the paper it’s on.
Archival is not just about being waterproof, that's the problem.
I was going to go fountain, yes. Excellent “tip”, thanks!
They seem prone to leaking. Like they develop some kind of siphon or capillary flow of the ink out the open end of the ink tube.
You aren’t buying them from Amazon, are you? I’ve never had a genuine Bic do that, but I’ve had some cheapo bootlegs leak.
No this goes back decades. Ever since I can remember.
Interesting, I never had this problem with a Cristal. With cheap marketing pens, sure, after some use, they leak and smear, and some of them seem to have only small amounts of ink in them.
How can you tell it isn't actually a Bic?
I also realized I like smooth ball points, used to use the finer Pilot gelpoints in school. The Caran D'ache ballpoint is quite nice for a more luxury product
https://www.carandache.com/us/en/ballpoint-pen-ballpoint-pen...
40 for a pen seems excessive for a regular budget even if 40 is not a lot of money anymore
Yes, like the GP says, it's a luxury pen. They didn't buy it for purely utilitarian reasons. They might like that it has an all-metal construction or that it weighs 88g. They might prefer the ink formulation used for the cartridges. They might like how the pen works in their preferred notebook. For many people, tactility (and other sensations too) is just as, if not, more important than, utility.
Only if this pen were a daily driver and not just kept in a case because, well, it’s expensive and we collect stuff..
Its a totally usable pen everyday if you want. I don't think most people spending $40 on a pen put it in a display case, its not a $4000 pen.
I've had quite a few nice pens over the years. For me, Lamy Safari with its triangular grip is peak ergonomics, and its price-per-usability is fantastic. I tend to have a claw-like grip, and the Safari forces me to hold it in a way that my hand doesn't cramp after 3 minutes. It's great. I love it.
But for quick jotting, like making shopping lists or bullet journal notetaking, I'm on board with this list's top ballpoint pick, the Uni Jetstream. If all ballpoints were this smooth and pleasant to use, I never would've bothered investigating fountain pens. I think they're fantastic, supremely reasonably priced, and rugged enough to lose in the bottom of a bag without leaking all over stuff.
I love my Safaris, but when I need to jot something down, I reach for the Jetstream.
I'm also a big fan of the Jestreams, in particular the "Uni Jetstream Standard Ballpoint Pen - 0.5 mm". 5-6 years ago on a similar thread here or elsewhere, found a pointer to them and got a few, and I really like the precise line it makes, so I can do (what one of my coworkers called) "microwriting" between other lines of text. I use them mostly for note taking and bullet journaling. I've since gotten a few of the dozen packs, they are reasonably priced.
I wish I had a better solution for todo lists though. For a couple years I used a book and pen for managing my todo list, but always felt like an automated solution would just be better. I tried a Kindle Scribe and used that for around a year. It was a good "basic" writing experience, but really brought very little over just pen and paper (except that I never had to struggle with keeping the pages laying flat). I decided to try an Onyx Boox Note 3 as a "better Scribe", but shortly after that I abandoned the todo list entirely. Tried taskninja, but never stuck there either.
Any pro tips?
Not really. I have a Travelers Notebook with their own lined paper. I got that for the goofiest of reasons: so I could feel like Indiana Jones when I was taking notes for my Diablo game. I’ve started using it for bullet journaling as an experiment.
> I got that for the goofiest of reasons: so I could feel like Indiana Jones when I was taking notes for my Diablo game.
Nah, that's the coolest of reasons \m/
The stock nib is also excellent when inverted (writing with the pen rolled over so that the “top” of the nib is now the side touching the paper). This is extremely useful when annotating diagrams, for example, as the writing is hyper fine.
I wanted to love TWSBI but our honeymoon period ended when nearly all of my barrels developed hairline fractures.
I've had a few TWSBIs over the last 5 years or so and I love them. Haven't had any hairline fractures yet - any idea what may have caused them? Am curious now
Three Vac Minis purchased between 2022 and 2024 and all three have developed longitudinal micro fractures on the threading between the grip and the body, and the threading around the pump-cap and the body-end. On two of them this eventually led to an ink leak.
The pens travel with me during ~3h of weekly bicycle commuting between my home and my work, store in a pen case in my backpack. They’re not being babied, but I’m hardly kicking them down a mountain either.
My Vac700R, ECO, and Diamond580 are all doing fine but they definitely are deskbound and haven’t seen nearly as much much field use.
That's amazing and it never occurred to me to try it!
I've had good luck with TWSBI. They're so pretty! I haven't used them too heavily or outside of a desktop environment though.
I love Safaris too, but unfortunately I handwrite very seldom and the Safaris tend to dry out quite quickly in my experience. I've got the Kaweco Sport, which sends to last much longer, probably because of its tight screw-top seal.
Oh, very nice. I tended to use the Safari enough to use it before it dried. Having the option to not to is nice.
Every time this website gets posted I order like $30 worth of office supplies. Dunno why but it’s so tempting.
$30 is like five pens on that site, and that's if you get cheap ones. I don't even use pens often, and I still buy them from there.
Largely the same choices, pens, photos, text from the 2024 copy of this: (168 points, 154 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38867708
https://web.archive.org/web/20240104200853/https://www.jetpe...
I've definitely gravitated to the bold gel pens for most purposes. Some inks actually even work as better replacements in some more expensive pens although I rarely bother.
Should have category for more innovative pen, what's new in the writing technology last yer? Their videos on overengineered Japanese stationary are great.
Try a Parker Jotter with one of these refills:
- https://www.jetpens.com/Schmidt-EasyFlow-9000-Hybrid-Ballpoi...
- https://schneiderpen.com/en_us/ballpoint-pen-refills/slider-...
- https://www.jetpens.com/OHTO-Flash-Dry-Gel-Pen-Refill-Black/...
I always enjoy reading this list yearly, and the research that goes into it. As someone who prefers thicker gel pens I used the Uniball Signo 207 as I could easily find these locally as well. Then after reading their recommendations I switched to the Zebra Sarasa Dry because I always smear my writing.
Through Jetpens I’ve also discovered my favorite mechanical pencil, the Uni Kuru Toga.
I have recently discovered the Kuru Toga pencil and it's rapidly becoming my favorite pencil too! Sometimes the lead is a bit shorter than I'd like -- I may check out the Kuru Toga Dive which allows you to customize the default lead length.
Just want to say, I've had incredible customer service experiences from Jetpens. If high end stationary is important to you, I highly recommend this store.
Seconded. I was extremely impressed when in response to one of my emailed questions, they directly contacted a manufacturer to ask about the acid content of a particular paper. But that’s not all! They then updated the specs on their listing to include the info I’d asked about on their site. It’s so refreshing to frequent a business that’s so serious about their work!
I've embraced the Pulaman over the past year. It's grungy when used on rougher paper, and wet enough to bleed through lighter weights, but the lines are full of character. It's a fountain pen with a marker tip - it fills in a certain complementary thing that Pilot nibs don't have.
I have also become a champion for Bic Gelocity, because they figured out a quick-dry gel formula that has similar viscosity and reliability to their classic ballpoints. Viscous ink keeps my writing legible, and the gel needs less pressure, so it's a great EDC writer.
Some of my bigger explorations have been with graphite - I have both new mechanicals, cheap stuff, lead holders, and vintage pencils. There is a lot of reason to go mechanical for reliability, but cheap mechanicals like the Bic pencil are unreliable - it's worth it to go for a Pentel. Similar story with lead holders - I have some from Daiso that do the job but aren't as tight as brand names. The nice thing about wood is that it handles well - the weight is lighter than metal, and it stays balanced as you wear it down. As well, for drawing, being able to cut the point you want makes a difference. There are woodless pencils which are quite a bit heavier and more brittle if dropped, but they are nice to work with to get something similar to a long point sharpen without having to get out a razor and whittle it by hand.
+1 for Pentel Pulaman. They have a weird hybrid nib that's somewhere between a felt tip and a technical pen, and you can vary the line thickness a lot. The nib flattens a bit with age, so you end up with an almost brush-like feel.
Lamy Safari friends, I bought one, and it went unused for years because it was no fun to write with. The nib was scratchy, not feedback, scratchy, and no small tweak ever made it smooth. I was on the verge of buying a sheet of micro-mesh to fix it when I came to my senses, what the hell was I doing, like trying to fix a smokey candlewick for light. I thought to myself, it can't all be like this, and bought a TWSBI Eco. This was going to be my last fountain pen if it didn't work out. And, dear readers, it is amazing! It writes like butter, words cannot describe, I whip it out every chance I get to write with it.
(The Lamy does OK with a very wet ink and cheap printer paper. I use it to doodle, so all is not lost.)
Pens are all well and good, but what are people's favorite notebooks? I've found that the paper is perhaps just as important as the pen in a satisfactory writing experience.
I've used Leuchtturm1917 notebooks (1) as my journals for several years and recommend them; the paper is smooth and good for writing and drawing. My local art store carries them, which is a plus - I love buying local.
I've settled on the B5 10"x7" size (2) with blank pages. I love that it has two ribbons for keeping my place, and a handy pocket (I keep stamps and stickers in mine). The hardcover versions are sturdy, which is perfect because my notebook goes everywhere with me.
At first I used the ruled and or dotted versions, but now prefer blank pages for drawing.
1: https://www.jetpens.com/Leuchtturm1917/bd/254
2: https://www.jetpens.com/Leuchtturm1917-Hardcover-Notebook-Co...
I've had couple of those popular ones, but settled (for at least couple of months now) on Kukuyo Campus A5 binder and Tomoe River Loose leaf sheets. I had to punch holes with a Carl 20 hole puncher but the combination is great. It gives you the way to sort your papers (eg remove temp ones) with the arguably best paper for fountain inks.
Rhodia pads all the way
Their Webnotebooks are choice.
I've been programming some CAD algorithms during the last two months and found myself buying cheap pens for a cheap plotter (a Silhouette machine), to make geometric diagrams. Can't say that the process is more efficient than a color printer[^1], but it is way cheaper than those damn color toners and the profit-maximizing ways the printer accounts for its consumption. And the pen strokes on paper look cool, and one can chose different pens to draw different layers in the diagrams.
[^1]: Though, in truth, the plotter is extremely reliable and fast. Inkjet printers on the other hand have a lengthy warmup and drivers are finicky to the point one imagines they constantly are on the lookout for new ways to botch a job.
So I've been using the EnerGel 0.7 or 0.5 mm pens. I generally like them, but it bleeds a bit more than I'd like. Is there a pen with a similar feel and precision, but with ink that dries a bit faster?
I really like tactile turn pens.
My current favorites are the switch[1] and the slim side click[2] with a Schmidt EasyFlow 9000, and a Pilot G2 refill, respectively.
[1]: https://tactileturn.com/products/switch
[2]: https://tactileturn.com/products/slim-side-click-pen
I still like the uni-ball power tank. It's a $2 disposable pressurized pen.
It looks to have less metal than a pressurized refill so it seems possibly even more sustainable than a refillable.
It solves the problem of all your pens being dry when you suddenly need one after a few weeks of not using them.
And they have a nice rubber grip, and you can see the remaining ink.
Fountain pens are nice for extended writing, but for a modern 90% paperless lifestyle, it's hard to imagine something better than the power tank.
Wow! What fun reading this niche interest. The Pilot FriXion sounds fun, for spycraft, or to recreate the Acme disappearing reappearing ink from who framed Roger rabbit.
"If you accidentally make your writing disappear, you may be able to get it to reappear by placing the paper in a freezer that reaches below 14°F (-10°C)."
I prefer to write with a pencil almost all the time, but my absolute favourite pens are bog standard Bic Cristal (the ones with the rubber grip are even better but not sure you can get them any more). The reason is that I have never in my life picked one up that didn't start writing instantly, no matter how old or battered it is.
That's only thing you need if you write rarely.
Ballpoint pens are ergonomically really bad if you write a lot. The reason many people still use fountain pen is that you just move pen on the paper, no pressure needed. New gel pens get you 90% of that with ease to use almost equal to a ballpoint, their takes longer to dry is the only real drawback.
There are quick drying gel pens. I have some Zebra Sansa Dry’s that are pretty much impossible to smudge.
I have some fountain pens just because I like overly complicating simple things. One good paper, they are awesome. Unfortunately, I’m mostly writing ephemeral notes on lower quality paper so a ball point (or pencil) makes a lot more sense.
The time to dry factor is why I purposely seek out the 0.38 pilot g2. I’m not sure how anyone can stand the default 0.7. It just gets all over your hand and smears the pages.
I hate how “scratchy” anything smaller than the 0.7 feels. Not sure how else to describe it
I found that to be paper specific. Those cheapo hotel free stationary, yeah its stratch city. But even sightly nicer copy paper is a marked improvement and lacks that.
Like you - I predominantly use pencil. The mechanical "pencil" I always keep on me is actually an Ohto MF-20K3B multi pen - it means I can have a nice black pen as well as a good mechanical pencil.
Glad to see the Uni-ball Vision Elite back on jetpens best list. Nice tactile feel, while still being smooth.
Yes! I have tried the G2, Pilot Precise V5, Uni-ball Jetstream, Lamy Safari, Pilot Hi-Tec-C, Fisher Space Pen and others over the years and the Vision Elite is by far my favorite!
Funny! A lengthy review of writing implements, and comments about them, without a single mention of mechanical (clutch) pencils. Like the Pentel P205 (0.5mm leads), and various other sizes of pencil and leads available. Vary the lead diameter and hardness to suit the use. Personally I use 0.5mm, 2B almost always. For technical work, where it's nice to be able to erase mistakes, they're perfect. For daily personal note taking, the erasability is fairly irrelevant.
Now mechanical pencils are so cheap you're best to buy dozen packs (because although they last forever you will lose them now and then), and the leads can be bought cheap in very large quantities via Aliexpress and such. Don't buy leads in the tiny. expensive packs from local stationers.
They haven't published one for this year yet but they do a separate article for pencils.
From last year: https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-27-Best-Pencils-for-2024-Wo...
Been using the bullet journal method for two years and journaling on paper for over thirty years, and I must say that nothing comes close to fountain pens for handwriting. But for bullet journals (drawing tables, lines, calendars) gel pens are an excellent choice.
Make sure you uninstall Honey first so they don't steal this guys referral codes.
I have one each of the three "best" beginner fountain pens and, among them, I found the Platinum Preppy to be the easiest and smoothest to write with.
I really like fountain pens and would love a Lamy Safari, Parker 51, Pilot 74, or any of the other pens that have caught my interest over the years. Like many people with similar interests, though, I know they'd just collect dust.
I did buy a few Uni Kuro Toga pencils a few years ago (the cheaper models). They're neat. And they collect dust.
If nothing else, I enjoy reading articles like this. It may be a world I'll continue to peer into from the outside, but it looks like an enjoyable one.
I adore my Parker Vectors. Design classics and dirt cheap. I lose them more than I break them, but that's OK because I always have several.
I'd love a nice 51 but I'd probably drop it. The Vector writes very nicely at a fraction of the price, and it's not too showy to whip out in public.
Thanks for the recommendation! I do have a decent fountain pen already (enthusiasts tell me the nib is actually atrocious, but I—in my ignorance—like it). My lamentations are mostly about not being able to justify buying another pen :)
Since my favorite type of pen, which are very short pens that fit everywhere and don't take much space isn't in the list, my recommendations go for Penco Drafting Pen and the Penco Bullet Pen. Penco.jp is also a pretty cool website. I have no affiliation with the brand other than really liking these two pens. I must have about 12 bullet pens in different pockets of jackets and pants so I'm never without a pen.
My writing utensil of choice (I don't write a lot by hand) for the last decade was a whatever-its-called 0.5mm gel pen from Muji. Picked one up in my first visit to a Muji store in HK in 2012 and have since grabbed a couple more when I could.
Doesn't have to be expensive, I think it was below 2 bucks.
I use the BIC 4-Color retractable ball pens for the last 40 years when I have an option. There have been some variations in color ink, grippy hold, ball size, and even replacing an ink with pencil lead.
It is thick so easier to hold for me, has the multiple colors which I use in underlining and just writing, inexpensive compared to four different color pens, it just works, and just as portable as any other pen.
Sad to see them ignore Stilform, which are really well built and with genetic latch. https://stilform.com/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABRx75Fc4ynfn...
I'm not a fan of the uni Jetstream pens. Yes, they do a great job of transferring ink to a page, but they do it a bit too well. Personally, I need a bit more resistance between pen and page. Otherwise, my already terrible handwriting just looks even worse because I end up writing faster. Sometimes, friction is good.
I want some friction too so it’s good there’s option for everybody
The Uni-ball Signo UM-151 (0.38mm) is my go-to, but lately I've also been warming to the Pentel Hybrid Technica (0.4mm). Compared to the Uni-Ball, it's slightly less consistent, but I prefer the color, it being among the blackest blacks I've seen in any gel pen.
I dislike dealing with caps and enjoy a finer, wetter line. Pilot Precise V5 RT has been my go-to for a while, but I'm a pen hoarder and will try anything.
My favourite is the Pelikan M200, which is not even listed here. Most classical and functional design.
I still have Signo UM-151s purchased from Jetpens, working, almost 10 years later. If you've never tried a gel pen, I would recommend it.
I see a lot of love for the Bic Cristal, Personally, I love the Muji Gel Ink 0.38, I'm an infrequent writer, so take it with a huge grain of salt, but I find it a really pleasant pen, and cheap enough that I can have them wherever I need them.
I like the Jetstream, but for some reason they dry out or the ball seems to get clogged (with skin oils or paper fibers, maybe?) after some time using them.
Do the rankings ever change much year over year? For instance, with intro fountain pens, it will always be things like the platinum preppy, pilot metro, kaweco sport.
How does a generic "best pens" listicle which recommends the company's own pen make it near the top of HN without manipulation ?
I don't think Jetpens makes any pens themselves, although they are a retailer and sell all of these pens so it's definitely advertising. However, Jetpens in generally reputable and their recommendations are generally good. HN typically likes posts about tools, so it's not too surprising a good tool recommendation post is popular here
The name of the Mitsubishi Uni-ball Jetstream is just a coincidence.
JetPens does a great job in teaching you about different pens, and recommending them too.
They’re the real deal. Their social media and YouTube people should get raises haha. I have learned a lot from their videos.
This is a straight advertisement, it's bizarre that no one seems to know or care.
I’m a big fan of the Sharpie S Gel in 0.7mm
I miss pen island.
For left handed writing switching to the uni-ball jetstream (RT SXN-210 or Sport SXN-150S) was a noticeable improvement for me. I do not know how they compare to the ones recommended for left-handed writers on the site.
why would pens perform different for right vs left? they're asymmetrical
Mostly because of smearing and the direction of writing: left-hand writers "push" the pen more, while right-hand writers are "pulling" the pen more (not totally and not 100%)
In left to right languages lefties are draging their hand across what they just wrote and so need something that dries fast or it smudges. I suppose right handed hebrew writers would have the same issue (are their other bidirectional languages? )
Arabic, Persian.
The whole language is against you. Writing with your left means you can smear everything unless you do some odd maneuvering with your wrist.
I had written a ton using Muji Gel rollers which are a neat compromise of not being to expensive and good to write with.
In the recent months I went back to writing with a mechanical pen as I found one that fixed the issue of having to rotate the pen to keep the same stroke width (Kuru Toga Uni).