Favorite ballpoint...

[gmorgan]

As most people have stated the refill is what matters most. Someone mentioned it here already, but the Foray (Office Depot private label brand) is actually one of the best ballpoint refills (Parker style). It skates on paper and is not gel so lasts long. It's probably made by a reputable manufacturer as the box states that it's Swiss Made. It's also much cheaper than the crappy Parker brand refills.... I think I got a pack of two for ab out $4bucks.

 

Now having said that the refill is what matters most, my new favorite holder is a Dunhill AD1800 that I picked up from Costco at a deep discount. The model is discontinued by Dunhill but is really sweet and Costco sells it for less than half it's original price. The clip retracts when you twist it so 1) you won't forget to retract before pocketing and 2) the clip doesn't get in the way when writing.

[stjimmy]

Having just recently purchased a Aurora Optima Mini BP I've been carrying that in any pocket. My "go to" BP is my Fisher Space black BP that been in my pocket Day timer over 9 years. But I think I'm gonna up grade to the Caran de Ache mini, it's soooo sweet and pocket sized.

 

stJim.

[scribe75]

As most people have stated the refill is what matters most. Someone mentioned it here already, but the Foray (Office Depot private label brand) is actually one of the best ballpoint refills (Parker style). It skates on paper and is not gel so lasts long. It's probably made by a reputable manufacturer as the box states that it's Swiss Made. It's also much cheaper than the crappy Parker brand refills.... I think I got a pack of two for ab out $4bucks.

 

Now having said that the refill is what matters most, my new favorite holder is a Dunhill AD1800 that I picked up from Costco at a deep discount. The model is discontinued by Dunhill but is really sweet and Costco sells it for less than half it's original price. The clip retracts when you twist it so 1) you won't forget to retract before pocketing and 2) the clip doesn't get in the way when writing.

 

gmorgan - I have an AD 1800 too. Good BP but a little back end weighted. They stopped making it because the factory burned down circa 2000 or 2001, as I recall. I just need to find a smoother refill than Parker or Schmidt. PRobably have to go with a broad, it's not good for margin notes though.

[feiye]

I have a Lamy Spirit Palladium BP that I use daily because the design appeals to me, it's hot (plus everyone goes ooh, aah when they see such a slim ballpoint). Also a Parker Sonnet since it takes the international size refills.

[jic]

Grey Zebra Expandz for daily pocket carry. It's attractive, compact, well-made, and comfortable to write with. The unusual expanding action is fun to use. It's also cheap and commonly available enough that losing it wouldn't be the end of the world. The refills are cheap, too.

 

Brown Tortoiseshell Colibri Le Grand for writing at home. It is very comfortable to write with, and it feels substantial in the hand. Looks great too. I wish it took Parker-style refills though, instead of the more expensive and harder to get Cross-style ones it uses.

 

Since a lot of people have included rollerballs, my favorite is my black Parker Vector. My handwriting with it is almost indistinguishable from that done with my Pelikan 250, although is is not as comfortable and well-balanced (or fun) to use.

 

Whatever pen I use, I write almost exclusively in black ink.

Edited June 17, 2008 by jic

[barny]

Montblanc Mozart ballpoint for daily pocket carry though it is not my favourite it is my daily carry pen because of its small size and lightweight.

[Thornton]

Grey Zebra Expandz for daily pocket carry. It's attractive, compact, well-made, and comfortable to write with. The unusual expanding action is fun to use. It's also cheap and commonly available enough that losing it wouldn't be the end of the world. The refills are cheap, too.

 

I've always found Zebra to make a nice looking, sturdy, economical pen. I have several of the F-402 models lying in my desk and messenger bag.

[gregoron]

My current favorite ballpoint is the capped Pentel Line Style, which can be found here:

 

https://www.pentelstore.com/catalog/index.p...7976852765caa9e

 

It writes smoothly and the ink is very black, much like a Uniball Jetstream rollerball. It also has a nice retro and minimalist design. You can't go wrong with this $2.50 pen.

[wednesday_mac]

::looks up from desk:: What is this "ballpoint" you speak of? ::goes back to using FP::

[Robert Hughes]

Ballpoints are like toothpicks. You pick one up, you use it, you forget about it. Which ballpoint is my favorite at any given moment? One that writes and doesn't leak all over me.

[langere]

For, by far, the Parker Jotter. Works everywhere and even in the smallest village in the mountains or the jungle of Bolivia I can get replacement carts. I always have one with me when I'm on my research trips, looking for archives in the countryside.

 

Erick

[richardandtracy]

I don't have a ball point. Just a storage container for them - the round, open topped one in the corner of the room.

 

OK, having got that prejudice off my chest, I used to own a black Parker 25 ballpoint, and rather liked its solidity, look & feel, even though I didn't like the way it wrote. I really don't know where it is. I last saw it 3 houses ago.

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

[Deirdre]

The one thing that ballpoints are immensely useful for: writing on surfaces that are FP hostile.

 

Tyvek envelopes among them.

[lapis]

"Favorite ballpoint..., Do you have one?"

 

No.

 

Mike

[BillZ]

Since the arrival of rollerball and gel pens,I rarely use a ballpoint. Th erollerball does the duty for signing thermal reciepts,etc or when copies need be made.Plus so much of todays paper isn't FP-friendly it's nice to have the MB to use. That being said Istill have my chrome Cross BP/.9mm pencil set that I was given in 1979 for donating 5 gallons of blood. I was working for DuPont at hte time and the company oval is on the clip. Sentimental. I use the perncil all of the time to do the NYT xword puzzle. I l;oad it with MB lead,thouhg.

[pmsalty]

Favorite ballpoint pen? You've got to be kidding! An oxymoron!

PMS

[Sam P.]

Ballpoints? Anything that can write a fine line! I think all ballpens are the same...

[dpmahon]

If I must use a ballpoint I'm fond of Parker Jotters and then Mont Blanc ball points are nice (though I don't own an MB). My dad has two MB ball points and I've always liked them.

 

-Zac

Mega-Ball loaded with Noodler's black.

[bjornhansson]

My favourite is the Montblanc Meisterstück Classique (164). Size- and weight-wise the 164 suits me very well.

[bossy]

Like the G2 for smoothness, and 207 for fraud proof writing yet it's a little skippy.