I'm too penurious to be able to afford a pen.
Retro 51 pens
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Pilot Birdy. Not a fan of normal sized pens as EDC. Although I also have a Zebra F701.
Paper Mate Inkjoy Gel - Turquoise
Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Marker - Turquoise
I keep a Pokka in my bag as a compact last-resort pen, but “carry” whatever clickies the bank’s giving out.
Replaced my broken Zebra F-301 with a F-402. Really pleased with it, nicest Zebra I’ve had, much more refined than the all steel cult classic F-701.
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Came here to post F-701 
Haven’t carried a fountain pen in 40 years. Don’t EDC a pen currently but considering changing that. Probably will be my Fisher Space Pen. Have a recent one and one that was my grandfathers in the 1970s. Any pen that still writes fine after a half century qualifies for EDC in my book! (Don’t actually carry the antique but the modern one does not appear to have lost any quality.) Like the fact that it always works regardless of temp, moisture, position. Much nicer than a fountain pen. Granted the fountain pen can make nicer appearing script. However, I can barely write any more after so many years at the keyboard so I am just happy if anything I write is legible.
I love fountain pens.
The problem with them is now days you often have a forms that require pressure from the pen tip to make the duplicate on the second copy.
No can do with a fountain pen.
I have a Montblanc clone ballpoint that I put a fisher refill that I carried for years. Still have it. Take it when I think I need something nicer than a throw away.
Also, I actually write so infrequently that a fountain pen might sit in my pocket for a week(s?) unused.
So it’s whatever disposable pen I have at the moment is what I carry.
I have a cigar box full of pens collected across the years. From the schoolboy Shaffer on the bottom to Montblanc at the top.
I find vintage pens often write more smoothly than new ones.
I really like pens with a flexible tip that can be used to create a letter type that mimics the character style of old.
Light pressure = thin line. Heavy pressure = thick line.
I also like italic nibs. Easier to control but require holding the pen at an unnatural angle (for me) to get a nice letter style.
Most name brand pens have inflexible nibs and can’t do this. Some of the Japanese pens can to a greater or lessor degree.
The Noodler’s brand specializes in this type of tip. The tips are interchangeable (and cheap) and are meant to be modified to your likes. The pens are inexpensive too.
And if you think flashlight collecting is a deep rabbit hole - Ain’t nutt’en compared to fountain pens…
All the Best,
Jeff
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My preference is a combo pkg.
1) Staedtler Maximum 1.6mm tip
2) Pilot HI-tecpoint V5 0.7 mm tip
3) Papermate Inkjoy 0.7 mm tip
4) Parker 0.8 mm tip
Grab a 402 and try it. They’re not expensive and nice to write with. The 701 feels cumbersome by comparison.
Pilot Vanishing Point fountain pen. Smoothness of a fountain pen, and clicks to retract.
Do you ever end up with a pocket full of ink?
I started the thread… may as well post my EDC’s
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I’ve never had that happen. The pen does clip with the nib pointing up; I suppose that helps.
I have been carrying this one for a few years now The move pen
:THUMBS-UP: Lamy Safari
So yesterday I did order a Safari with an fine nib. I will be looking for a good general purpose blue and black inks for refilling. They will have to we strongly water resistant. I have always picked up Shaffer cartridges, but have never been overly happy with the ink. It tends to feather under the slightest bit to much pressure. I may try the Lamy inks and I have a couple of others I may try as well.
My daughter has about 6 good condition dip pens she was given from the teens and 20’s, old school pens. She would also like to try them out, but I think I will need a real India ink for them, since the particulate content and viscosity is different.
I am not going to make replacing a 50 year old favorite a rabbit hole, but if the Lamy is as good as reviews state… I could see several in my future at the price with different colors of ink.
One question I do have… are the AL any heavier than the plastics? I always carried a brass body drafting mechanical pencil, German made, and loved the weight and I would like to find a heftier pen in brass, bronze or copper that still maintains a thin body. I really do not like the fat fountain pens, do not hold well for me.
Forgot to mention… my other old favorite is an old Parker bladder fill. Another thin, comfortable pen.
I have the plastic Safari and it is very light but writes well. I also have the Lamy in aluminum, but it’s a rollerball; the body is almost identical. The heft is slightly more, but if you’re used to brass pens, I would say the difference is negligible. I’ve carried brass and stainless steel pens and can understand the attraction of the heft.
The Pilot Vanish Point I have actually has more heft than the Lamy aluminum and feels thinner (didn’t do a side by side yet).
RichH and bassoverflow
already posted Zebras
which is our choice, too.