How Do You Choose The Pen You Are Using?

[bogiesan]

I close my eyes and reach.

[BaronWulfraed]

Dragging up an old meme:

 

In Soviet Russia, Pen chooses You

[senzen]

The sheer gorgeousness of Tsuyu Kusa, the velvety blue of Aonibi, the otherworldly calm of Hisoku, the historical connotations of Vert Empire, the dusky elegance of Yama Guri...

[georges zaslavsky]

filling system, reliability and nib

[Intensity]

I choose by nib type, writing style, and the ink I want to use. I have strong preferences for which pen works best with specific inks, so that influences my selection. I like variety, so my next fill is usually something different. The only inks refilled repeatedly are the conservative staples, like Iroshizuku black. That one is usually in a Kaweco Perkeo with a fine nib. The rest are a mix and match based on my mood at the moment.

[Emaxxy]

I usually decide by ink color. It just depends on the situation and how readable the ink is. When I'm in class I also will color code parts of my notes. I have about 20 pens inked up all with a different color of ink, so it works out fine.

[displacermoose]

Ink the first consideration. I don’t generally assign specific pen/ink combinations, but there are Rules.

 

—Black pens cannot have blue ink. Maybe bluish (like a teal or a blurple), but NEVER straight up blue. (Black ink is only for work and work has a separate set of considerations and pens and inks)

—The color of the ink and the color of the pen must not match, but must look well together.

—The nib and ink must play nicely together.

 

So I typically pick the inks I’m after and then find an appropriate pen. Usually I manage to have at least one Sailor and at least one Pilot. I have two large capacity pens (an 823 and an Opus 88), so one of them is almost always inked. The other 4ish are fair game.

[Bookman]

Whim

[Inky-Republic]

Generally like this:

 

1. Conway Stewart model 70 (fine - red ink) write comments on technical drawings

2. Sheaffer Connaisseur (medium - turquoise ink) General daily note taking, meetings etc

3. Leonardo Momento Zero (Stub - turquoise ink) Signing checks and writing personal letters

4. Conway Stewart Winston (Stub - black ink) Special occasions - signing contracts etc.