I use two pens for work. For log entries, I use a Zebra F-301 pen. When filling out some of our forms where fine writing isn't an issue, I use a Pilot G-2 07. My notepad of choice is a Rhodia Pad #11 grid style.
I've always been a Pentel RSVP pen fan. I like the look and feel. The twirling and spinning is perfect.
These were my pens of choice all throughout high school. I found that their quality dropped sharply after awhile though. When I first started buying them, they wrote smoothly and didn't skip. After awhile though, I started getting more and more that would skip even though they had a nearly-full ink cartridge.
If you can find them, Sarstedt makes an excellent fine-point permanent marker that uses a special kind of reflective ink. If you tilt a marked surface (preferably glass or plastic) and catch the light the right way, the ink turns iridescent no matter what color it was initially. This makes it very easy to read black markings on a black surface (or a surface that has since turned black).
I believe a company called Staedtler makes the same thing; they're called Lumocolor pens. Either the Sarstedt or the Staedtler pens should yield the same results.
I don't do enough handwriting to warrant a slick pen. For home I usually buy bulk packs of pens that have a triangle shape to the grip and for work I buy brightly colored pens to keep people from taking them.
I used this fountain pen from Grade 5 till the 5th year of University when I was told by my Equine Medicine professor that Fountain Pens were not legally appropriate and would prefer if I changed to another pen before continuing to work at the hospital. So I just got the exact same thing in a rollerball / gel version with a click top which for some reason didn't smudge as much as previous gel pens had for me.
What does that mean? How is a pen not "legally appropriate"?
I think it was the ink more than anything else, it tends to be water soluble so when the piece of paper you've signed (legal document), it runs more easily, but then I guess you would be an idiot to get water on important documents. The other thing is - if not used appropriately and you lay down too much ink - which you can with a fountain pen, it is easier to smudge for a few seconds longer than other pens. I didn't really comment on the whole thing as I was being marked subjectively on how I interacted with staff, a pen seemed to be very little to lose a grade over.
Out in the real world it doesn't really seem to matter.
You've given me an idead - I will try switching back now - as that way, hardly any one will borrow my pen because they think it's "broken" and won't write (i.e. they've never used a fountain pen before).
I find the Uniball Vision .7mm Fine to be highly reliable and smooth. For an even finer line, the Uniball .5mm Micros are great if you control for the tip so as not to scrape the paper.
For control over flow and detail, the Pilot Parallel 1.5mm has proven to be exceptional. (depicted is the 2.5mm, the only difference is in the nib)
Other than how a pen writes, one of the biggest factors on my choice of pens and pencils is whether or not I can twirl then in between my fingers or spin it on the top of my thumb. If I can't twirl or spin, then it's no good.
OMG! I twirl a pen nearly constantly throughout the work day. It's kind of a vestige of smoking. (Damn you, smoke nazis for not letting me smoke at work!)
How do you spin it on top of your thumb? I've tried, but I can't do it.
Have you ever seen those pens supposedly made specifically for spinning? There are even websites devoted to pen-spinning.
Question for the artists: Should you store your pens lying down or standing up?
You should only store them standing up if: 1) The type of pen you have is not prone to leakage or ink clots that will generally fuck up your pen and the stuff you store it with. 2) You store it with the writing end down so the ink doesn't all collect at the other end and make your pen useless. 3) The instructions of your pen do not explicitly direct you to store it lying down.
Question for the artists: Should you store your pens lying down or standing up?
You should only store them standing up if: 1) The type of pen you have is not prone to leakage or ink clots that will generally fuck up your pen and the stuff you store it with. 2) You store it with the writing end down so the ink doesn't all collect at the other end and make your pen useless. 3) The instructions of your pen do not explicitly direct you to store it lying down.
Huh? 3) makes it seem as if standing up ought to be the default. Shouldn't it be "3)The instructions of your pen explicitly direct you to store it standing up"?
In my opinion, if none of those things are violated then you can do either. A violation of any one of those requirements would be a good reason to store your pen lying down. I don't think there is a need for an "and" because that makes it sound like more than one of the criteria must be violated for it to be a bad idea.
However, I see your point...it could have been phrased a little better for easier comprehension.
Anyway, there are some markers that direct you to store your pens horizontally. There are some pens that seem prone to leakage. Other than those kinds of pens, I think it really comes down to personal preference.
In my opinion, if none of those things are violated then you can do either. A violation of any one of those requirements would be a good reason to store your pen lying down. I don't think there is a need for an "and" because that makes it sound like more than one of the criteria must be violated for it to be a bad idea.
Errr, it's quite the opposite. (X and Y and Z) is true only when X, Y, and Z are all true, but false when any one of them is false.
A truth table of X, Y, and Z against (X and Y and Z) and (X or Y or Z), with 0 for false and 1 for true: X Y Z | and or 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 1 | 0 1 0 1 0 | 0 1 0 1 1 | 0 1 1 0 0 | 0 1 1 0 1 | 0 1 1 1 0 | 0 1 1 1 1 | 1 1
In my opinion, if none of those things are violated then you can do either. A violation of any one of those requirements would be a good reason to store your pen lying down. I don't think there is a need for an "and" because that makes it sound like more than one of the criteria must be violated for it to be a bad idea.
Errr, it's quite the opposite. (X and Y and Z) is true only when X, Y, and Z are all true, but false when any one of them is false.
Right, what I should have said:
You should not store your pens standing up if any of the following are true: 1) The type of pen you have is not prone to leakage or ink clots that will generally fuck up your pen and the stuff you store it with. 2) You will not store it with the writing end down so the ink doesn't all collect at the other end and make your pen useless. 3) The instructions of your pen do not explicitly direct you to store it lying down.
A truth table of X, Y, and Z against (X and Y and Z) and (X or Y or Z), with 0 for false and 1 for true: X Y Z | and or 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 1 | 0 1 0 1 0 | 0 1 0 1 1 | 0 1 1 0 0 | 0 1 1 0 1 | 0 1 1 1 0 | 0 1 1 1 1 | 1 1
I got what you were saying without the huge table of confusing numbers. o.O
I got what you were saying without the huge table of confusing numbers. o.OBut I like huge tables of confusing numbers! Okay, I'm lying, but some people do, so it was worth posting just in case. Also, congratulations, you've just applied one of De Morgan's laws! not ((not X) or (not Y) or (not Z)) = X and Y and Z
Comments
If my table lamp wasn't busted, I'd give it a try.
I believe a company called Staedtler makes the same thing; they're called Lumocolor pens. Either the Sarstedt or the Staedtler pens should yield the same results.
I used this fountain pen from Grade 5 till the 5th year of University when I was told by my Equine Medicine professor that Fountain Pens were not legally appropriate and would prefer if I changed to another pen before continuing to work at the hospital.
So I just got the exact same thing in a rollerball / gel version with a click top which for some reason didn't smudge as much as previous gel pens had for me.
The other thing is - if not used appropriately and you lay down too much ink - which you can with a fountain pen, it is easier to smudge for a few seconds longer than other pens.
I didn't really comment on the whole thing as I was being marked subjectively on how I interacted with staff, a pen seemed to be very little to lose a grade over.
Out in the real world it doesn't really seem to matter.
You've given me an idead - I will try switching back now - as that way, hardly any one will borrow my pen because they think it's "broken" and won't write (i.e. they've never used a fountain pen before).
For control over flow and detail, the Pilot Parallel 1.5mm has proven to be exceptional. (depicted is the 2.5mm, the only difference is in the nib)
How do you spin it on top of your thumb? I've tried, but I can't do it.
Have you ever seen those pens supposedly made specifically for spinning? There are even websites devoted to pen-spinning.
1) The type of pen you have is not prone to leakage or ink clots that will generally fuck up your pen and the stuff you store it with.
2) You store it with the writing end down so the ink doesn't all collect at the other end and make your pen useless.
3) The instructions of your pen do not explicitly direct you to store it lying down.
However, I see your point...it could have been phrased a little better for easier comprehension.
Anyway, there are some markers that direct you to store your pens horizontally. There are some pens that seem prone to leakage. Other than those kinds of pens, I think it really comes down to personal preference.
X Y Z | and or
0 0 0 | 0 0
0 0 1 | 0 1
0 1 0 | 0 1
0 1 1 | 0 1
1 0 0 | 0 1
1 0 1 | 0 1
1 1 0 | 0 1
1 1 1 | 1 1
You should not store your pens standing up if any of the following are true:
1) The type of pen you have is not prone to leakage or ink clots that will generally fuck up your pen and the stuff you store it with.
2) You will not store it with the writing end down so the ink doesn't all collect at the other end and make your pen useless.
3) The instructions of your pen do not explicitly direct you to store it lying down.
Also, congratulations, you've just applied one of De Morgan's laws!
not ((not X) or (not Y) or (not Z)) = X and Y and Z
Hey, I learned something new today! I had no Idea who De Morgan was. o.o But wow, Kaplan explained those rules so much more easily than Wikipedia.