I’m guessing those recommending Parkers haven’t written with inks developed in the last decade or two. It’s just an ordinary ball point which needs pressure to work, line changes with angle, and sometimes skips. Even the mediocre G2 is better.
The standard ball point cartridge kinda sucks IMO, but there are other refill options including gels that supposedly aren’t half bad.
I used to like those, but got tired of one too many leaking.
Those are a popular choice at work. They don't have the smoothest or finest writing, but they feel good in the hand and they don't look as cheap as they are, and maybe that's why clients always seem to take one when they leave.
I'm still working through boxes and boxes of this pen I bought over a decade ago, and will probably still be using them until I die unless they dry out or get lost. I don't know why I bought so many!
I'm anal about my pens. I'm also OCD about going back over my writing where the ink didn't come out or was too light. The Pilot G2 was the first pen I ever used that helped me stop the childish behavior of tracing over my writing. I absolutely love them! Depending on what I'm doing I prefer either the .7 (most used) or the .5. The 1.0 is way to thick for me.
Now when it comes to red-lining things during review at work I prefer the Pilot V7.
-Garry
I love pens and I have quite a collection. Cheap ones as well as some better ones.
I´ve bought the famous Uniball Signo and the Pilot G2. I think both suck. They feel cheap and the ink dries very slowly (no matter what kind of paper I use them on).
The Schneider slide - viscoglide writes quite good and I like the feel of the Lamy Safari ballpen. But I have not found THE perfect cheapo pen yet.
I love the Jetstream as well, smooth as silk.
Meanwhile, my EDC pen (as a student) is the Pilot Frixion erasable pen.
Quite expensive at $5 compared to other ones and doesn’t last as long through.
I have been using a Fisher Bullet Pen with a cut down Zebra JK refills for a while, works for me. The original pressurized refills last much longer than the JK ones, but the feed is awful and they are expensive to replace.
I also carry a rolled gold yard-o-led mechanical pencil, lovely things to own and cheap enough second hand.
Another vote for the Uni Jetstream at .7, supposedly the ink is not washable so it’s great for writing checks. Dries instantly, no smear. Really like mine.
Go on, plenty to look at. I could spend hours not buying anything too expensive on the Cult Pens site.
I like the zebra f-301 pens. At right around a dollar a piece they are cheap enough to not worry about them being stolen or lost or broken. I absolutely hate pens like the g2 that everyone else seems to like since it never works right on rite in the rain pads that I use almost daily, and I prefer a finer line, but you may like them. The zebra is probably too fine and “scratchy” for you.
This is true. For most resilient gel ink Zebra makes an emulsion-based one: http://www.zebrapen.com/products/emulsion. Pretty good pens otherwise, too.
I was at the UPS Store a while back and bought a Pilot B2P (Bottle 2 Pen) G2 ink pen. Supposedly made from recycled water bottles.
I like the G2 ink. It writes consistently well and drys fast IMHO. Only problem I have found is if I draw a line, some of the gel builds up in a glob around the ball and I have to wipe it off.
Otherwise I like the way the gel ink flows better then regular ink, but I have yet to find the perfect pen.
Yikes, you guys are real pen connoisseurs, so I’m a little nervous to name my fave: the Zebra f-301 Compact (key word: compact). Folds small, writes nicely imho.
http://www.amazon.com/Zebra-Compact-Ballpoint-Pen-27412/dp/B0055EB35W/
People are so crazy about their pens
This thread reminded me to get some of the new BLX Jetsteams with subtle “business-appropriate” shades. Very hard to find color infusions like this outside of custom fountain pen mixes.
If anyone is willing to spend a bit more, the best solution overall is the Uni Fit Style Meister 3. It’s a slim 10mm metal body for 3 of their Fit refills which come in all colors/thickness Signo Gel or Jetstream Ball or even mechanical pencil. ~$25 total, much less than prestige brand but functionally superior.
Plain and simple, available anywhere:
+1
when i find another cheap pen, i look something that can fit parker ballpoint fine refill…
The simple BIC stick pen, mentioned by several posters here were probably the most popular pen in the world. They worked great too. Does anybody remember the adds where they would shoot them through objects and they would still write? Back then, the entire head of the pen was made out of solid brass. Then they went cheap…………
I use the Pilot “Better” pen, fine point. They are made in Japan and they are very good, Now they are also being made in the U.S.A.
zebra 301 gets my vote…although i don’t write that much i keep several pens with purple ink in them…it is easier for me to see with my eye problems…