A Ballpoint For Someone Not Using Ballpoints Much Anymore

[amateriat]

It seems that, every time I endure a sudden, major change in my life, I make some changes of my own in large and small ways. Now that another such change is upon me (don't worry, nothing to do with my health, which, thankfully, is fine), I'm changing little and big things up yet again. One of the little things is actually a culmination of big pen-changes I made months ago when i left Lamy-land for a pair of Pilots (Customs 823 and 74 Demonstrator), which I took to so well that not only has my remaining Lamy (2000) been largely ignored, but I've also gone completely off rollers and don't bother much with my fancier ballpoints (also Lamys). Writing with FPs has truly become the rule for me, no longer the exception.

 

But, of course, I still need a BP or two for hasty jotting and the like. I also desired something that would write reliably at odd angles (upside-down, etc.), and on irregular surfaces, but haven't got on as well with Fisher's Space Pens as much as I thought I would, and I also desired something cheaper. I then remembered something I saw on JetPens' site a few months back. Checked it out again last week, and decided to take a chance:

 

http://mysite.verizon.net/bwbenton/Pens/airpress01.jpg

Tombow AirPress

 

Not so pricey as to be overly-precious, but not annoyingly cheap. They arrived today, along with a few black and blue refills, which were quite pleasantly cheap (yeah, they're short, like the pen itself, but a lot cheaper than the even-smaller refills for my Lamy 2k four-color BP, which I'm keeping for the time being).

 

I'm generally not into short-stubby pens, but the AirPress has grown on me fairly quickly. I'm not planning to use these for any excursive writing, so long-term writing comfort isn't that big a deal. These seem to work out well in that regard. One interesting design twist involves the barrel: whereas I've tried other designs combining smooth barrels with raised, rubberized "splines" at the finger-hold section, the AirPress reverses this, utilizing smooth plastic splines inset upon a barrel finished with a tactile, almost rubber-like surface. The actuator button, clip, and screw-off barrel tip are metal with a brushed finish

 

The BP refills write well, with just enough resistance for decent writing control. When you click to expose the BP tip, the internal mechanism, which is well-sealed, actually pressurizes the refill, which supposedly allows one to use the pen while inverted. It's also supposed to write well on wet paper. It's a bit too late in the night to confirm these attributes, but I'll get to that soon enough.

 

For now, it's safe for me to say that these are about the only ballpoints I'll keep around: they're certainly cheap enough to keep a couple around the apartment (these are the fancier, $10 models; they have another model for a little over half that), plus one in my camera bag and each of my two "tech" bags. Refills, at a buck apiece, are easy to order by the fistful, but then again, the way I'll be using them, I doubt I'll go through them at an alarming rate.

 

That's my story. What BPs (or rollers or pencils or...) do others here reach for when FPs are the dominant instrument in your day-to-day writing?

 

 

- Barrett

Edited August 5, 2010 by amateriat

[Bo Bo Olson]

All I have is couple each of antique Jotters, and Flighters, a P-75, a old 4-in one and so on. One Parker empty 30 year old roller ball pen. Just in case.

Never tried a gel pen. I wonder if that would fit that. If not, well I really don't need to waste money on it.

 

Hell, I'm so far out in the stick, up and over the mountain, gel passed me by, with out me ever knowing about it, until I started doing fountain pens.

 

When I started in FP, I discovered I had 150 free BP's around the house.

 

I must admit I sold at the flea market many fine rubberized or better gripped ball points, that were free pens. They went for €1 apiece. For pure writing comfort some were much better than the "antiques" I kept.

 

The real cheap plastic "traditional" one went for rubber band 10 packs for €1.

 

I don't buy any refills* for the ball points I have, so only have three in "rotation", a mat blue Parker (part of a BP & MP set) that resembles in size and shape the old Cross Classic, an MB 734 and my P-75.

 

Can't afford ball point cartridges (Parker or MB type)...buying fountain pens, then Inks and then Papers. so when my rotation runs dry, I'll probably...no, no, ...no more free Ball Points.

 

Out of sight out of mine...my wife has my Cross Townsend, and I have a Pelikan 1956 BP and MP..A full set with the pen and zippered pen pouch.

They are not in my to use drawer...

I should though, at least once.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Bo Bo Olson

[tonybelding]

The only ballpoint I keep around anymore is my Fisher 2010 Space Pen -- the one with the huge "lifetime" ink reservoir. It's not a great writer even by ballpoint standards, but it always writes, requires zero care or maintenance, handles carbon/carbonless copy forms, and I can loan it if somebody wants to borrow a pen. Otherwise I generally write with my Vanishing Point when I'm out of the house. Those two pens I keep in my vest pocket.

Edited August 5, 2010 by tonybelding

[bjornhansson]

I like the Uni-Ball Jetstream pens. They write very smoothly, and they are cheap as well.

[Marko Kloos]

If I can't use a fountain pen, I can tolerate a Lamy Scribble. The plain Parker Jotter is also surprisingly decent to write with, but I use gel refills in that one.

[cmeisenzahl]

VERY cool choice! I've had my eye on those as well. Just picked up a Lamy Pico yesterday.

[nxn96]

A vintage Parker 45 Flighter or a Parker International Flighter from the same era. The newer gel refills work very well, and some of the Jotter knockoff refills that I cannibalize from ad specialty pens are surprisingly good.

 

I used to use rollerballs as my fountain pen alternative, but since I stumbled across a gel pen refill, I've pretty much abandoned rollerballs.

[InkyCarl]

Schmidt's "easyflow" is the most slippery ballpoint ever made and replaces Jotter refills. The ink isn't very dark, but it feels good to write with, works on junk paper, and can live for a long time in storage.

[J English Smith]

My favorite non-FP is the Lamy Accent Rollerball. Nice wide 1.0mm refills that last for a fairly long time and write without skipping or blobbing. Great signature pens and very smooth, almost like writing with a FP. And the fit and finish of the Accent is quite nice; well balanced yet a substantial and very impressive looking pen.

 

I still have all of my other ballpoints and rollers, just not using them very much anymore. The Parker 50th Anniversary jotter is a very nice ballpoint - I bought several of them at closeout prices. I personally hate the Parker Gel refill, but the regular Parker BP refill is very good and long lasting.

[jniforat]

ballpoints...well, i still use them at times. my favorite is the fisher cap-o-matic space pen and the parker jotter. i never leave home without both. :

[Hemingway]

I have a whole bunch of cheap ballpoint pens lying around, but the only one I carry with me is an old beat up cross.

[Pjake]

Whenever I need to jot down a quick note or sign on multipart forms, I use a CdA Geneva in black Lacquer that I have had for about 13 years or so. It's a beefy pen with good weight and great refills. It still looks to be in great condition. Other than a couple of Jotters and an Aurora Optima green BP, no need for anything else. I may look for a couple of antique/nos jotters at Dallas next month.

 

Peter

[Silvermink]

My main BPs are a Fisher Bullet and a Zebra F-701. Wouldn't mind adding a Lamy 2000 to that.

[amateriat]

My main BPs are a Fisher Bullet and a Zebra F-701. Wouldn't mind adding a Lamy 2000 to that.

Lamy 2000 BP? Stay tuned.

 

 

- Barrett

[GraceThroughFaith]

I use a Pelikan 250 ballpoint which I recently got at Galeria Kaufhof with the pen I wanted, a M250 (quite cheap, all told). It's a ballpoint, so no great shakes, but it looks good next to my flock of Pelikans.

[Zenas]

Cross Tech 3 (multifunction), or Parker Jotter, or Foray Multifunction, Zebra 301.

[Tweel]

I guess my ball pen "selection" currently sits at three:

 

- Pilot V-Ball (original version, not V5, etc.). Still my overall favorite ball pen, and its liquid ink can write on NCR-style copies without any chemical hiccups.

- Generic Montblanc-shaped Chinese pen (in chrome) with a Parker-style Itoya gel refill. Good for writing over Wite-Out, on paper where I'm otherwise using bulletproof black.

- 60's Wearever BP with a great Werner von Braun/Lava Lamp aesthetic, and a Papermate Lubriglide refill. Best thing I've found so far for grinding a legible copy through to the last page of a multi-part form.

 

-- Brian