Your favorite writing implement?

[Mr Skeptic]

Just wondering, what are people's favorite writing implements? Do you prefer pen or pencil, or perhaps prefer to type? Certainly some are better than others, do you have a preference for one type or or even a particular model? I do quite a bit of both writing on paper and typing, and so I'm wondering if I could get a better implement. For some reason when I go to Walmart I'm always drawn to the lane with all the pens and pencils -- despite the fact that for the most part I hate shopping.

 

My favorites:

I like 0.5 mm mechanical pencils, and especially the ones that are largely metal. The two models I liked best were the Zebra M-301 and the Papermate G-Force. The G-force has a retractable tip, which is nice since the .5 mm leads can be so sharp, and a rubber grip, and I like it's clip better, but the rubber grip has partially worn away in about a year. For some reason I rather would like my mechanical pencils to be indestructible.

 

Pens I hardly ever use. I make a lot of mistakes and like my mechanical pencils. Pretty much any pen is fine with me because I'd only ever use it if there's something I need to use a pen for.

 

Keyboards... I remember using one of the old Model M keyboards in my Dad's office a long time ago. I like keyboards that are like that. The "ergonomic" keyboards are obnoxious. On the other hand, I also remember seeing an Apple keyboard with USB slots in the keyboard itself. Not only is this convenient, but I got a USB mouse and its tail doesn't reach my computer very well. And extra function keys are nice, so I adjust the volume easily or have a lot of empty keys to assign to macros. And some keyboards have glowing keys, which is nice for midnight gaming (since it is dark and my hands are off the home row), but that isn't a particularly important attribute. Does anyone know a keyboard that is like a combination of all of this? That would be my dream keyboard, and I need to get myself a new keyboard soon anyways.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I have a Pentel Click 0.7mm mechanical pencil that I've managed to keep for the past year and a half that serves me well.

 

As for pens, I actually have three fountain pens at the moment, although only two are properly functional. (I managed to damage one by dropping it nib-down on the hard floor in high school.) I found one in my classroom last semester and nobody claimed it. These two are the working ones:

 

http://www.pensandleather.com/images/products/detail/LamyALStar029.jpg

 

Fountain pens are incredibly nice to write with and if you've used a Bic all your life, you're missing out.

 

As for keyboards, I don't think you can argue with Das Keyboard:

 

http://www.daskeyboard.com/model-s-professional/

 

Mechanical key switches like the Model M, USB hub, and a model with no keycap labels to scare your friends with. No extra function keys or anything, but it's awesome anyway.

[Ringer]

Uni ball Vision Rollerball, fine point, .7mm is a god among pens. At least it's my favorite.

 

I've never had a lot of experience writing in pencil, I like the feel of writing in pen more, so I couldn't really say I have a preference on those.

[A Tripolation]

In my opinion, nothing beats chalk and a chalkboard, though I don't know if this counts as an implement.

 

For my everyday writing, I use the Pilot Precise V5. It's a rollerball tip, a fine .5 point, and it doesn't bleed through your paper like uniballs do. I try to do my math in fountain pen whenever I have the chance. It's just a 3$ disposable one, but I still think it looks nice. Does run out awful quickly though.

 

My pencil is a .5 Pilot SideFX that I've managed to hang onto for two years. It's sturdy, has a twisty eraser, and a nice rubber grip.

 

And I prefer laptop keys to anything else. I hate raised keys. And I dislike spacing between them.

 

I thought I was the only person who cared about what they wrote with. Glad to see I'm not a weirdo.

Edited February 8, 2011 by A Tripolation

[Xittenn]

I thought I was the only person who cared about what they wrote with. Glad to see I'm not a weirdo.

 

Ummmm ...

 

I chew everything except keyboards and every pen I've used stops working properly after three pages. I can't justify using anything other than a PC as my spelling and grammar are less than exceptional and I am required to write most anything several times; I try to be eco conscious.

 

Of the few dozen keyboard styles I have used over the last twenty five years my current Gateway one is the best. I like the Gateway keyboard because it is thin, simply laid out in a standard format and the keys are easily depressed yet present a firm load to the fingers. I also do not like the ergo, but the fake boob wrist rests are fun to play with on the ones that come equipped.

[ajb]

I tend to use a mechanical pencil for scrap paper and my notebooks, or use my whiteboard for calculations and temporary notes such as reminders.

 

I also like to TeX things up as soon as possible if I think they are going somewhere.

[ewmon]

Gel pens!

[imatfaal]

El Cheapo yellow plastic blue ink bic biros for prose and very hard (4h and over) pencils for numbers

[Xittenn]

I really wish to get a giant whiteboard, I think it would make drawing UML diagrams and planning class hierarchic structuring of frameworks much simpler as it usually becomes cluttered on paper. I would also like to one day stereotypically ponder complex mathematical equations over the whiteboard even if only to have an excuse to drink wine and eat cheese.

[Mr Skeptic]

Thanks everyone. I'll check out your mechanical pencils if I can find them, and I really should try a fountain pen sometime.

 

As for keyboards, I don't think you can argue with Das Keyboard:

 

http://www.daskeyboa...s-professional/

 

Mechanical key switches like the Model M, USB hub, and a model with no keycap labels to scare your friends with. No extra function keys or anything, but it's awesome anyway.

 

Oooh, shiny! It would cost half what my computer cost, but it might be worth it. I'd really like to try it out first though.

 

In my opinion, nothing beats chalk and a chalkboard, though I don't know if this counts as an implement.

 

Of course it counts. I can't stand the screeching sound of chalk on the board, but it would be nice to have a large board to write on. I'd probably get a giant whiteboard if I had room for it.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Thanks everyone. I'll check out your mechanical pencils if I can find them, and I really should try a fountain pen sometime.

Get yourself a Lamy Safari or Al-Star. They're cheap for fountain pens ($30 or so), reliable, and they come with ink cartridges so you can get started without too much work. If you're serious about it you'll get a piston converter and use bottled ink, since it's cheap and comes in an insane number of color options.

 

(Also, fountain pens are where you can get "bulletproof" ink, which is resistant to just about every method of removing it from the page, including lasers.)

[Xittenn]

I find fountain pens rather difficult to write with, is it just me? The ones I've used have either had too flat a writing tip where I can't roll it around while writing or I also find that it creates an irritating friction or scratching on the paper when I'm writing???

[hypervalent_iodine]

Whiteboard markers and a whiteboard are my favourite things to write with/on (I can't stand the feel of chalk). Otherwise, I like super fine tip blue or black pens or failing that, a 3mm artline pen in any colour except green. Fountain pens and I do not get along.

[A Tripolation]

Fountain pens and I do not get along.

 

You must have done something to anger the Gods of Fountain. They are quite simply the best writing implements in existence. You know it's awesome when your pen costs more than your laptop.

[Klaynos]

For the notebook I carry around with me I use a Parker rollerball, it's a very fine tip and I've written with it on and off for over 15 years.

 

For writing in my lab book I tend to use a cheap parker fountain pen, I like writing with fountain pens, and when I'm at home writing stuff I have a really lovely one I like to use, but I'm very aware that the chance of me loosing my pen is very low. I also write in fine liners, and other liquid ink pens which I prefer, normal biros annoy me greatly. For drawing I have a couple of very nice mechanical pencils, but I often don't have them with me so sketches are normally in the pen I have to hand.

 

I write in black ink and mark in red...

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I find fountain pens rather difficult to write with, is it just me? The ones I've used have either had too flat a writing tip where I can't roll it around while writing or I also find that it creates an irritating friction or scratching on the paper when I'm writing???

You definitely can't roll a fountain pen tip around while writing. That's probably while you got friction. A good fountain pen will write very smoothly, since the ink lubricates the nib, but the tines of the nib must be lined up on the paper.

 

It's easy to adjust to. Lamy Safaris actually design the grip so you can't hold it wrong at all.

[imatfaal]

I am presuming you are American - forget Lamy - get a Cross fountain pen. Fountain pens are lovely to write with unless. like me you tend to scratch your ears, put them in your mouth/pocket and gesticulate with them - in which case it can become very messy. Cheap biro or expensive fountain - both are great to write with, but other people tend to judge you on your penmanship and the fountain pen trumps everything.

[Xittenn]

Well it was game over for me at gesticulate! Curious as to why this is so important? I can understand the use of fountain pens in writing poetry but if I'm going to write a five-thousand page design document the last thing I'm going to be doing is pulling out some parchment or quality paper for the job. Poetry though, most definitely or maybe when composing music, writing a letter to a loved one, when keeping a personal journal or well that's all I can think of.

Edited February 10, 2011 by Xittenn

[Ringer]

Well if your writing notes, formulas, or even a journal you want to be able to write comfortably for an extended period. If you can't do that you wont be able to write as clear or as well. If you're hurrying throughout your writing it wont come out as well.

 

That's why it's so important to me to have something comfortable and smooth to write with.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Fountain pens use water-based liquid ink. It's possible that if you flail the pen about, you'll get drops of ink thrown out of the nib and feed system. I've never actually had that problem with my pens, so it takes some violent motions to get it to happen.

 

Fountain pens have some advantages for long writing tasks. I believe Neal Stephenson (author of some very, very large novels) has written several books solely with fountain pen and paper. Points:

 

• Because the feed works with capillary action instead of a ball on paper, there is no pressure required at all. If you're pushing the tip down on the paper, you're doing it wrong. You can let the nib glide over the paper.
• A decent fountain pen should last forever, provided you don't smash it accidentally, and won't require replacement like cheap Bics.
• There are roughly ten bajillion different available ink colors. I know of one ink company that makes at least four variations on black.
• Fountain pens look awesome, anyway.
• You don't get hand cramps, because you don't have to press down, and the thickness of the pen makes gripping it easier.
• You can get so-called "bulletproof" inks which are resistant to water, chemicals, heat, UV, lasers, and just about everything short of incineration. If you're writing checks or taking records in a lab notebook, these can be useful.
• If you happen to have a stainless steel nib, you can use it to stab attackers when you have no other defenses.

Now, of course, there's a few disadvantages; the non-bulletproof ink, being water-based, will run off the paper when it gets wet, and you have to fill up the ink reservoir regularly, since the ink is used quickly. Chewing on an expensive fountain pen is inadvisable. Also, if someone decides to borrow your pen and has no idea how fountain pens work or what a screw-off cap is, they may well damage it. ("Why won't this cap come off?! Argh!" SNAP)

[CaptainPanic]

A regular keyboard (qwerty) is definitely the fastest for me, and often speed matters...

 

For normal writing, I use anything that I can find. I've lost and destroyed too many good pens to bother with those (I agree that fountain pens rule). I only use pens that are given as free gadgets (at conferences, symposia, etc.). Free pens are the only cost-effective way for me to write. I treat pens like lighters or socks - I seem to lose them faster than I can get new ones.

[Sophi]

Fountain pens. They're so flowing, and I can take fast notes during class with no problem (or carpal tunnel).

[Klaynos]

I'm a fast typer, but I find I produce much more coherent writing if I follow the following procedure:

 

Make quite verbose notes by hand for first few paragraphs/sections/depends on length I'm writing.

Type into coherent sentences and paragraphs.

Print.

Read and re-write by hand.

Type re-writen text.

 

This works for me on a couple of points, it means I've read the story of what I'm writing through several times before I'm at what I'd consider a first try.

I've had a break from looking at a computer screen.

 

It also means that I need a decent pen that I feel comfortable writing quite large chunks of text in.

[CaptainPanic]

This thread made me buy a new fountain pen.

It was a good investment... now let's hope that this one stays with me a little longer than average.

 

I told myself that I won't bring it anywhere on a trip. It just stays on my desk.

[imatfaal]

Good Luck with that Captain.

 

Has anyone here ever used one of those split keyboards - or a Dvorak style keyboard?

Edited February 21, 2011 by imatfaal