Just Used A Ballpoint

[JulesSilvan]

As much as I love my fountain pens I prefer to use a Parker Jotter at work, sometimes I have to write on very smooth, shiny stickers - water-based ink just doesn't cut it on that type of paper. A decent refill makes all the difference.

[Moxoftritonytes]

I have a Cross Century ballpoint in sterling silver that I like much but that doesn`t write anymore because they don`t sell the fitting refills here. Then I have a Lamy Spirit that never failed on me and is a good writer but very slim. And a nice Parker Jotter Premium with a Schneider Slider XB refill inside. I don`t use them often but when I have to they just work. I have a terrible writing when using a ballpoint so I tend to avoid them.

[XiaoMG]

I like a good ballpoint. Not as sexy as a big-nibbed fountain pen but I suspect a BP makes my nasty handwriting a little nicer.

[Newjelan]

Thanks everyone - this topic made me laugh. I rarely use anything other than a fountain pen - pretty much only about once a month when I have to fill in Immigration/Customs forms at the airport or writing on an Express Post Satchel. For these I use a Uni Jetstream which isn't too bad. But after reading all this, I think I'll invest in a nice ball point for the times when you need one. (any excuse for another pen)

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Unfortunately one cannot use an FP in all situations.

 

The BP I carry in my briefcase and into the field is a Parker Jotter Flighter with a Fisher Space Pen refill. I much appreciate the FSP's ability to write on a vast range of surfaces in any orientation.

 

Bye,

S1

[thesunshine]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Tutuguans/0731131642-1_zps0383e501.jpg

 

FYI: This is a "franken-pen" of sort...I removed the medium point innards, and with surgical precision, successfully transplanted a 1.6mm BiC Cristal bold point. The barrel of a Round Stic is softer, and more flexible than the rigid hexagonal Cristal.

 

OK, wait a second. GClef, you managed to do that writing with a ballpoint? A ballpoint?

 

I have no clue how one goes about making that kind of line variation with a ballpoint, but I take my hat off to you sir.

[flatline]

My go-to writing utensils are still my drafting pencils and my space pens. Both are 100% reliable and require no special effort or consideration for regular use.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I'm having a lot of fun experimenting with my fountain pens, but they require constant care and feeding in order to function reliably. As such, they will probably never become my primary writing tools.

 

--flatline

[martinbir]

I usually carry a Parker Jotter for emergencies and have always been rather disappointed with the refills. It now has a Schmidt easy flow 9000 refill and is almost pleasant to use. No doubt it cost more and I believe it won't last as long but it is a big improvement.

[GClef]

 

OK, wait a second. GClef, you managed to do that writing with a ballpoint? A ballpoint?

 

I have no clue how one goes about making that kind of line variation with a ballpoint, but I take my hat off to you sir.

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Tutuguans/0801130825-1_zpsc1e540b1.jpg

[richardandtracy]

Signatures on credit cards are the only time I use a BP.

 

If I have to write on shiny card, then I just leave it longer to dry.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Elizabeth in NJ]

This would be a good place to share my Jotter refill tip!

 

If you have some upscale-type corporate giveaway pens lying around and you're not using them, check their refills. Some have Jotter clones and they write pretty decently too. Hey! Free Jotter refill! They probably won't last near as long as a real Jotter refill, it will save you a few bucks and the bother of buying a refill, especially if you don't use it much. You render the corporate giveaway pen useless, but if you're not using it anyway, it's no great loss. I expect that there are other refill types that are compatible in the same way.

 

Not surprisingly, I keep a Jotter with a knockoff refill around, but use it only under duress.

 

For writing on shiny stuff at the office and elsewhere, I find an extra-fine point Sharpie generally works better than a ballpoint for me.

 

While we all appreciate the pleasures of fps, bps are the more practical and versatile tool.

 

How's that?

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

My favorite ballpoints are the Schneider ones. I use ballpoint for drawings sometimes though. It gives a pencil-like effect but in ink. The BIC I used yesterday was the Clic Stic which is rounded and somewhat more flexible. It's not the same as the Cristal. I have a pack of pink, purple, green, blue, and orange Cristals with black ink lying around that I use for sketching.

 

Dillon

[Opooh]

A ballpen? Never heared of.

[Blade Runner]

@Elizabeth

 

Think about various writing situations and writing surfaces, and you will answer your own question as to why bps are the more versatile tool.

[Elizabeth in NJ]

Think about various writing situations and writing surfaces, and you will answer your own question as to why bps are the more versatile tool.

 

There are many types of versatility, and FPs far outshine ballpoints in everything related to options for nibs, ink colors, etc.

 

I like your avvy, by the way.

[Elizabeth in NJ]

Oops. Duplicate post.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Elizabeth in NJ

[Sasha Royale]

When I sign a credit card slip or something printed on coated paper, I just give the warning,

"Careful. It's wet."

 

Folks here at FPN are warm and generous,. I am certain that there will be no sanctions against the

"back-sliders". Repent ! Children are watching.

[Dillo]

Folks here at FPN are warm and generous,. I am certain that there will be no sanctions against the

"back-sliders". Repent ! Children are watching.

 

Back sliders? what back sliders? A pen is a pen, and it's got a nib or tip of some sort made of felt, plastic, glass or metal. A ballpoint is a ballpoint. It's a pointy object used to fill carbon forms that is often misused for general writing.

 

Ok, anyway, I do use ballpoints if I'm handed one at the supermarket, unless I'm already holding a pen of my own.

 

Dillon

[Plume145]

haha, GClef I'm not sure you've proven anything because c'mon, you're pretty much an outlier as far as lovely writing is concerned! In other words if anyone could make a cheap BP write pretty, that would be you lol.

 

I don't use BPs very much - when I'm doing a lot of handwriting I sometimes like to mix it up by using other stuff besides FPs so sometimes I'll go for BPs but only specific pens with specific refills, not a wide variety. And even there, that was mostly back in the day when I didn't have a lot of FPs to choose from, and even fewer colors - sometimes I would crave a different color but the only way to do that was by using a different sort of pen.

 

Now that I have several FPs and a pretty much unlimited number of colors and types of ink, I just switch pens and/or inks when I'm getting sick of what I'm using. That's usually enough to change the feel of the writing, I don't need to also change the type of implement I am using.

 

When the surface doesn't work for FPs (eg when I want to write on a photo, or use them on japanese masking tapes, for labeling or crafty stuff), I tend to go for tougher ink, such as sharpies. I like the fine liner sharpies, especially the mini versions that don't last long enough to dry out and are very portable; they still come in a ton of colors.

[kkshadow]

Parker Jotter and Waterman Phileas are my two BP's.

 

I spotted a Waterman Expert BP being used by my doctor, and found out he had been a long time Cross BP person, but finds now that they don't write well and they run out of ink too quickly. Just his opinion, I have no way (or desire) to know.