Affordable Luxury Pens That Are Ideal For Taking A Copious Amount Of Fast-Paced Lecture Notes?

[huhjunn]

I've been looking at the Cross Classic Century. I just don't know how effortlessly it writes.

 

Also, I've been recommended the Retro 51 Tornado.

 

Both pens' refills cost relatively the same, but I prefer the Classic Century because of its looks and its made with 23k gold. But the smoother/effortless writer would win.

 

let me know your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks!

 

[proton007]

I don't think it makes much sense to go for expensive pens for 'lecture note' taking.

[Bobby Check]

I used a Parker 45 all the way through law school.

There was a period of over five years where I used a Cross CenturyII for note taking and there were days when I would take as many as 80 pages of notes after I started practicing law.

The Cross is an excellent writing pen and if it is comfortable in your hand, then I would certainly recommend.

Bobby

[huhjunn]

I used a Parker 45 all the way through law school.

There was a period of over five years where I used a Cross CenturyII for note taking and there were days when I would take as many as 80 pages of notes after I started practicing law.

The Cross is an excellent writing pen and if it is comfortable in your hand, then I would certainly recommend.

Bobby

Were you using ballpoints or fountain pens? Sorry for asking such a silly question, it's my mistake for not making it more clear in my initial post.

[Ecriveur]

 

I've been looking at the Cross Classic Century. I just don't know how effortlessly it writes.

 

Also, I've been recommended the Retro 51 Tornado.

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "luxury." Often people use that as a synonym for "expensive" but since you also want an affordable price, that's clearly not what you mean here.

 

For copious amounts of fast-paced lecture notes you want a smooth-as-silk nib that will not require any pressure to write. A day with such a pen and going back to a ballpoint will feel like going back to chiseling your writing onto stone tablets. You also want a pen that's comfortable to hold.

 

These things are somewhat subjective, especially how comfortable the pen is in your hand. Some people (like me) like heavy pens, other people don't. Likewise with long or short pens, cylindrical, cigar shaped or angular sided pens, narrow or wide pens etc.

 

Of course looks matter too, but only you can decide what works for you on that front.

 

I suggest you find the nearest fountain pen store, go there, and keep trying pens until you find one that you like, then buy it.

 

There are lots of affordable pens that have smooth nibs and are comfortable to hold.

 

Some affordable pens to try would include: 1) Lamy Safari, 2) Pilot Metropolitan, 3) Faber Castell Basic (or the somewhat more expensive Faber Castell Ambition), and 4) TWSBI 580. I'm not recommending that you get any of these, just that you try them and see if any of them are what you are looking for.

[huhjunn]

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "luxury." Often people use that as a synonym for "expensive" but since you also want an affordable price, that's clearly not what you mean here.

 

For copious amounts of fast-paced lecture notes you want a smooth-as-silk nib that will not require any pressure to write. A day with such a pen and going back to a ballpoint will feel like going back to chiseling your writing onto stone tablets. You also want a pen that's comfortable to hold.

 

These things are somewhat subjective, especially how comfortable the pen is in your hand. Some people (like me) like heavy pens, other people don't. Likewise with long or short pens, cylindrical, cigar shaped or angular sided pens, narrow or wide pens etc.

 

Of course looks matter too, but only you can decide what works for you on that front.

 

I suggest you find the nearest fountain pen store, go there, and keep trying pens until you find one that you like, then buy it.

 

There are lots of affordable pens that have smooth nibs and are comfortable to hold.

 

Some affordable pens to try would include: 1) Lamy Safari, 2) Pilot Metropolitan, 3) Faber Castell Basic (or the somewhat more expensive Faber Castell Ambition), and 4) TWSBI 580. I'm not recommending that you get any of these, just that you try them and see if any of them are what you are looking for.

I actually have the TWSBI 580 F and it made me realize that FPs aren't for me. My hand gets tired (maybe because you have to hold it a particular way, which I find to be a nuisance). The ink (Noodler's Black, which was recommended to me by members on this forum) tends to smudge, especially when it makes contact with water, which is not ideal if it rains outside and my notes are in my bag. Also, because it tends to smudge easily, highlighting isn't an option.

 

In terms of an affordable luxury pen, you make a good point. But affordable luxury doesn't have to be an oxymoron. I'm more interested in a ballpoint/rollberball that is exceptionally smooth and easy to write with.

[proton007]

But affordable luxury doesn't have to be an oxymoron. I'm more interested in a ballpoint/rollberball that is exceptionally smooth and easy to write with.

 

Luxury is all and well, but smoothness and luxury aren't exactly correlated. What you're looking for is a smooth writer. Care to state your budget?

 

Also, rollerballs are better because the ink is wetter more 'inky' as compared to ballpoints. Also, ballpoints aren't that good at maintaining contact especially in curves.

But rollerball ink may not be waterproof.

[rochester21]

Affordable luxury- pens with gold nib- cheapest gold nibbed pens are japanese- pilot custom 74. Simple logic, huh?

I don`t think anyone could qualify a pen that doesn`t have a gold nib or a body made from some precious metal as being a "luxury" item.

 

I now noticed that the OP was probably referring to ballpoints rather than fountain pens. Well, in this case, my view is simple: the only luxury ballpoints are those made from sterling or gold- and these are not affordable by any means I always laugh at the thought that montblanc, for instance, charges hundreds of dollars for plastic ballpoints that are just as common as those you buy at the supermarket, since the essence of a ballpoint is the refill used- and that refill is easy to make and should be cheap by definition.

 

In terms of smoothness, the cross century ballpoint is inferior to the cross century fountain pen. Also, the writing quality of cross refills is not that great. The only advantage is that the ballpoints looks as nice as the fountain pen. But i can never choose the ballpoint over the fountain pen, simply because it`s inferior as a writing instrument(it`s all about the resistance the tip of the ballpoint puts on paper, whilst the nib simply glides).

Besides, what would i be still doing here on FPN, if i liked ballpoints.

Edited May 21, 2013 by rochester21

[MadScientist]

As an avid ballpoint user, get something that uses Parker refills. I have had excellent but inconsistent results using the Parker gel refills (sometimes they skip badly, otherwise perfect) or the Schmidt easy flow 9000 refills (I don't find them quite as smooth as a good Parker refill). There is a fair number of manufacturers using this same pattern (not necessarily in every pen): Aurora, Monteverde, Montegrappa, Visconti, to name a few.

 

I also have several centuries, though none made after about 1990. I don't use them anymore because the currently manufactured cross refill are, IMO, trash. I haven't sourced a Cross refill that I liked yet.

 

A quick google search turns this up (I'm in no way affiliated):

http://www.coloradopen.com/category/parker-style-ballpoint-refill-pens

 

Look into finding a local pen shop where you can get a feel for weight, size, and construction. I haven't used anything that takes Parker refills that isn't made by Parker (bunch of Jotters and a Sonnet). I will warn you that over the years, I have broken the lower section off a number of jotters.

Edited May 21, 2013 by MadScientist

[Bo Bo Olson]

Lamy makes some nice ball points...that I gave my wife.

Pelikan makes some very pretty ones, too.

 

 

However if I was going to be forced to use a ball point or roller ball, I'd get one with a rubber pad near the tip; in your fingers do not have eyes.You need lots of help with a ball point in they are like trying to plow the south forty with out the mule.

 

Once you learn to hold a fountain pen behind the big knuckle on your index finger (not in front like a ball point or roller ball), fountain pens are so smoooooth. You don't have to use the ball point 'death grip', and squeeze a tennis ball all day long to have the strength to do so.

Fountain pens are so much less fatiguing to use than a ball point. No more stopping, shaking one's hand to get some life back in it.

 

There are some remarkably smooth Japanese very inexpensive good fountain pens to start out with. Give one a try.

You might not go back to shoving, dragging and pulling a ball point across a piece of paper.

 

Pilot makes a push button type fountain pen...which should be good for jotting short notes....but for a full class of note taking, I'd get a more classic fountain pen.

I like piston pens...others like cartridge&converter pens.

 

Yes one needs a ball point....to lend to others.

 

Actually I still have a few ball points....8-10...some came with a fountain pen, others were from '80's and before. I might use a ball point a couple times a month for a minute. I do have one always out on my desk in a two pen holder. But why grab a ball point when the desk fountain pen is ready to write from the pen holder. A regular fountain pen if a slip on, can take a second to be ready to write, a twist on 2 1/2 seconds...and you get smooth as a trade off.

 

Fountain pens allow you to chose what sort of width or mark you want to make....really a lot more fun than it sounds....that's way there are so many of us here, Talking about our pens, nibs, inks and papers.... 4 years ago or so, I'd never dreamed....I'd have fun making marks on paper....my hand writing has improved.

 

Go to Richard Binder's com, it is the basics of fountain pens. The more you know, the better decision's you can make.

 

I don't know if there is a ball point com. There are a number of fountain pen coms. Something to think of.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Bo Bo Olson

[Namru]

Monterverde Prima rollerball. Super nice looking and well made.

[parnesh]

My wife uses Lmay Vista rollerballs. The refill is the same across all the Lamy line and is very smooth (my opinion, please test). Why not a Lamy 2000 RB?

[Elizabeth in NJ]

I actually have the TWSBI 580 F and it made me realize that FPs aren't for me. My hand gets tired (maybe because you have to hold it a particular way, which I find to be a nuisance).

 

If your hand is getting tired, you're doing it wrong. Hand fatigue is what using a FP eliminates.

 

Maybe something with a triangular grip like a Lamy Safari would make things easier for you.

 

 

If you're committed to ballpoints but like something more luxurious, how about getting a Sherpa?

[sammyboy]

I like the Cross ballpoints if that's the direction you're headed in, though the refills do seem a bit Marmite - some love them, some hate them! Either that or a rollerball - I love the feel and weight of my Townsend RB though I'm not sure how long the refills last. The BP ones seem to go on and on despite looking quite thin!

[UK Mike]

As has been said already - the fountain pen is generally much easier to wrtie with than any ballpoint or rollerball because you use much less pressure. Perhaps a little more practice was called for before abandoning the medium.

 

In terms of alternatives - I pretty much dislike any kind of rollerball because they feel like dead sticks and I always seem to have flow issues with the exception being the Uni-Ball disposables. Parker rollerballs and Lamy have been consistently disappointing for me.

 

With ballpoints (yes I do use them) I find Parker and Fisher refills very hard work, with an ink that is too viscous intially. Possibly a warm climate would suit them better?

However, Parker refills from Stabilo and Schmidt have been MUCH better and the top performer prize currently goes to Schneider for their Visco-Glide ink versions.

If you need an ultra fine point on your Parker-type pen, OHTO make needle point refills to suit.

 

If you go for a Cross type refill, I can recommend Schmidt refills which are superb quality and are a fraction of the price of the AT Cross originals which don't seem to last 2 minutes.

Edited May 21, 2013 by UK Mike

[JulesSilvan]

Uni-Ball Jetstream. Wrote all my college essays with one, the only ballpoint not to give me hand cramps - it's hybrid ink rather than ballpoint and is very smooth. Granted, it's not the prettiest pen.

 

Other than that any that take Parker-style G2 refills.

[huhjunn]

At the moment I'm not interested in buying another fountain pen. In terms of parkers / cross's I heard that the writing quality of the refills went down because they changed manufacturing procedures throughou the years. Anyone know if a really well-writing ink refill from a company that produces luxury/fine-writing pens?

[TWRDO]

How about a Sherpa? You could use any of a number of options to fill it, and even switch between ballpoint, rollerball, or whatever you need.

[huhjunn]

How about a Sherpa? You could use any of a number of options to fill it, and even switch between ballpoint, rollerball, or whatever you need.

 

Do you have any recommendations for which sherpa I should check out? Thanks

[cellmatrix]

Personally the most effortless ballpoint I have every used is my montblanc le grand with a broad ink cartridge. But even that is still much more work than a nice smooth fountain pen.