Rubber grips and metal sections

[holgalee]

I've never particularly liked rubber grips though I've tried. They can be helpful, especially for those with sweaty hands, or those who need their pens to have a wider girth. But I just don't like these lint magnets as they feel sticky or squishy. Some hard rubber ones even make me squeeze the pens harder and I'm not sure why.

 

Another recent trend is metal sections. I grip my pens low--the third finger is about 1cm from nib or tip--so even the metal screw-on thingie for many gel pens become "slippery slopes" for my fingers.

 

So I have huge difficulties finding pens that do not have rubber grips and metal sections, yet are wide and light enough for me. I've found the Pilot Choose and Pilot Begreen Green Techpoint, but that's about all.

 

Do you like rubber grips and metal sections? I've a feeling I'm the odd minority to dislike them, especially rubber grips!

 

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Edited from "sticky and squishy" to "sticky or squishy". Both are icky to me.

Edited December 30, 2009 by holgalee

[Pippin60]

I don't like rubber grips but metal sections don't bother me at all. I prefer resin, or ebonite, but I have a few metal section pens, 2 of which are my Visconti's which are larger pens which are my preference.

[jar]

I don't like rubber grips or sections at all, at least I have never found one that I can stand.

 

Metal sections are a different matter. There it depends very much on the design and execution. Most I've tried have been disappointing, but ST Dupont as one example has created metal sections that give great tactile feedback and control.

[Thornton]

I really like both rubber and metal grips on my pens. It's just a personal preference. I know plenty of people do not care for metal sections. I'm not sure about rubber though. I hope you can find more pens you enjoy writing with. Sometimes searching is half the fun

[Steve]

I'm with you, holgalee. I don't like the squishy-gripped pens...most companies cannot make one that isn't way too big, and I can't hold on to most of the metal sections that are out there. I think that's why I have gradually made my way largely toward vintage pens. Companies were able to make pens that you could hold on to and that would last. Kind of a Goldilocks situation...not too sticky, not too slick and heavy....simply, just right.

Steve

[Tsujigiri]

I think both of these are generally disliked here. Personally, I don't see a problem with metal sections, but I don't like rubber ones. Take a look at some of the extra-large Indian ebonite pens that are available. Ebonite is technically rubber, but it's more like plastic, and it will last a long time if it's properly cared for.

[ajcoleman]

One of the worst pens I ever held was a Parker multi-pen with a wide matte finish metal section. It was a heavy pen with a slippery grip. The size, shape, and finish made the pen very difficult to hold. I have a couple of old Sandford/Papermate PhD multi-pens with rubber grips in which the rubber has decomposed or something and actually turned slimy. Pretty nasty.

 

Though both metal and rubber grips can be done well, they can be done very badly.

 

Personally, I prefer plain plastic/resin I guess.

[Gojira]

I don't like pens with really soft, squishy rubber grips, but I do like those with a firm rubber grip like the one on my Sheaffer Javelin. My only concern with these would be the durability of the rubber as some people have reported them coming off over time. My hands can get sweaty at times so having a good rubber grip helps. No problems with the rubber decomposing or coming to life, hopefully it'll stay that way.

 

Not quite sure on metal sections. I find the metal section of my Parker 50 to be quite slippery but then again, it is a slim pen so that should be factored in. The metal section on my Stipula Ventidue feels fine and is actually very comfortable in my hand. Perhaps this is also partly due to the metal or steel used...the Parker 50 is matte while the Ventidue has a shiny, polished section.

 

 

 

 

 

[Silvermink]

I don't mind rubber grips, but am not a fan of metal sections, especially smooth ones.

[lovemy51]

rubber sections look and feel cheap, at least the the ones i have or seen (parker frontier is one). metal? hate them! yet i have a couple, one being the visconti rembrandt (it was a present).

 

all in all i try to stay away from both.

[rsx]

The only metal section pen I like is my Visconti Van Gogh Maxi, maybe because the section is short and I am mainly holding the plastic body, also it has a collar above the nib that is knurled and easier to hold. For whatever reason, it is very comfortable. Compare that, for example, to the Cross ATX - slippery powder coated body above a shiny, slick chrome section - like trying to grip an ice cube! Horrible!

 

I really do not like rubber grips in general either. The squishy ones, like the alpha gel grips from Uni, seem yucky to me. I just don't want to grip onto them. A harder rubber grip, like on the Lamy Studio stainless fountain pen, is OK - but just OK.

 

Give me a plastic section any day.

[gross]

I dislike all rubber grips and I greatly dislike spongy, rubber grips. I am not fond of metal sections, either but I do not have the same aversion to them as to the rubber grips. With the metal sections, my fingers seem to slip a bit and the nib rotates. Therefore, I avoid pens with rubber grips or metal sections.

[Pfhorrest]

Rubberized grips are very different from rubber grips, and rubberized once usually don't have the problems you describe.

[voop]

I don't mind rubber grips, but am not a fan of metal sections, especially smooth ones.

 

Heh, I am exactly the opposite: metal sections are nice (provided the pen design lends itself to metal), but rubber feels cheapish and I don't like that at all.

[Carrie]

Dislike rubber grips, can only really remember using one on a cheaper Parker fountain pen. Like you I seem to find myself gripping the pen harder when it has a rubber section.

 

I don't get on with metal sections at all, so I'm continually disappointed that so many modern Conway Stewarts seem to be made with a metal section. That said I do like the look of the Yard O' Led pens, I'd love to actually know of a shop where I could go in and try out one of those just to see if I could get on with the section.

 

 

[I am not a number]

A metal section is generally the thing that will immediately dissuade me from buying. There are a couple of metal sections that I can manage but they are very much in the minority.

[holgalee]

Interesting responses so far! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who dislikes both.

 

One of the reasons why I dislike rubber grips is purely psychological: over the years, I've seen too many stained or melted rubber stuff in my drawers. I find it annoying that the majority of non-fountain pens nowadays have rubber grips, and many have metal sections too. I end up having to create my own franken pens!

[JeffTL]

I've been using a Lamy Studio almost exclusively lately, having been too busy to ink up many other pens, and the metal section doesn't really bug me. I do like that it's easy to clean if it gets ink on it such as during filling ... even more so than the Parker 51 which is saying something.