What is your Ideal pen size (length)?

[kissing]

My favourite pen size is the demi (such as the Jotter or the Pelikan 150).

 

I find it the ideal size for a pen because it's compact without sacrificing function and comfort. I think they look cute and stylish too They fit snugly in a shirt pocket. They are in no way (for me) disadvantaged compared to regular sized pens as they take the same size converter (In the case of the Pel 150, while being small, it actually has a larger ink capacity than some of it's bigger relatives )

 

Do you have a size of pen that you prefer?

[LapsangS]

I voted for large. I like my Wality 69 eydropper (which is huge) but it is of course not very comfortable to carry around in a pocket.

[HesNot]

I have relatively small hands so I lean toward demi and standard size pens. I also tend to keep a pen available in my pocket and oversize pens don't work very well. If pressed - the "51"/61 standard size is my choice. I've held a few oversize pens and they just don't work for me.

[Ruaidhri]

I dithered - then voted no preference !

 

Love the size and feel of my Centennials. Then I pick up a "51" - what can I say then a Trident - smaller, slimmer but I like it.

 

I think it's more the overall feel/look/performance/associations that get me :blink:

 

Ruaidhrí

[wspohn]

I generally like large pens. I can wield my Meisterstupp...er stuck with great panache.

 

However, just because I am a big guy that likes large pens, doesn't mean that I ONLY use the whoppers. Just because you are adept with the claymore doesn't mean you can't also heft the odd rapier.

 

I enjoy using some smaller pens as well - the Parker 180 often gives me pleasure.

[thewolfgang]

If I pick up a big pen first, then a smaller, it's like a baseball player swinging a bunch of bats before going to the plate: it makes the one he uses seem lighter and easier to swing. But in the case of pens, the smaller one always seems too light.

 

Maybe it's because my wife has requested that I refocus on more substantial pens, 5.5" and up when posted and solid dark conservative colors like black and dark green and black, etc. Can't say I object since it's good to have her on board, and her preference comes from a cultural basis (she's Russian) and her sense of romance and mystery (which is why she chose me, after all).

 

Still, after looking towards smaller and mid size pens for great writing experiences, I'm very open to any recommendations for great writers among the giants.

[kissing]

I dithered - then voted no preference !

 

Love the size and feel of my Centennials. Then I pick up a "51" - what can I say    then a Trident - smaller, slimmer but I like it.

 

I think it's more the overall feel/look/performance/associations that get me  :blink:

 

Ruaidhrí

Agh So you were the one who chose the cheek answer :bonk: I tried to make it harder for people to choose that answer with the "absolutely, positively NO"

 

Now my fixed great poll is ruined thanks to you :ph34r:

 

 

(just joking - I do see your angle)

 

 

 

 

For me...I don't know why, but seeing that demi sized pens are just as functional as standard sized pens, I find that 2cm of unused barrel space pointless Maybe I just like efficiency /:)

Edited September 27, 2006 by kissing

[Richard]

Although I can and will use pens all the way from my Wahl Bantams...

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/faceted_cop_bantam.jpg

 

...to my Pentrace LE...

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/pentrace_le.jpg

 

...I really prefer them "standard." The Parker "51" is my ideal size.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/51_vf_navy.jpg

[Bradley]

Kissing, I usually prefer a full-size pen, so to speak, or a pen on the larger side. The "51" fits me perfectly, for example. However, I find that often this size pen does not fit well in my shirt pocket, which is where I must keep it during the day at work. Perhaps shirt pockets have become smaller over the years (?), but often the pen will stick up just a bit too far and I am concerned about its "security".

 

Of course, if one were to carry a "51" snuggly, one might be tempted by the demi. Yet, somehow, I imagine myself -- at some point during the day -- pulling out my pen in an idle moment and thinking, but does this make me less of a man?...

 

--Bradley

Edited September 27, 2006 by Bradley

[playpen]

They're all nice. I love the Pelikan 320 and it's tiny but I also love my Omas which is huge in comparison. Yes, size does matter. Sometimes they're nice small and sometimes they're nice big!

[kissing]

Yet, somehow, I imagine myself -- at some point during the day -- pulling out my pen in an idle moment and thinking, but does this make me less of a man?...

 

--Bradley

:bunny1: :roflmho: :ltcapd:

 

Is the pen size there to compensate or to represent ? It could work both ways

 

:bonk:

[goodguy]

No doubt I go for the big pens and the bigger the better.

As I mentioned before my everyday pen is Omas Paragon (the large size) and it feels very confortable in my hands.I have big hands so it makes perfect sense to go with what makes me feel comfortable.

 

The advantage of a collector like me that rarly use his other pans is that I can collect what I like without any conecting to there size since I will not use them anyways.The paradox is that I like to colect 2 pens that isnt huge: the Parker 75 and the Sheaffer Snorkel.

[TMann]

Perhaps shirt pockets have become smaller over the years (?), but often the pen will stick up just a bit too far and I am concerned about its "security".

I've noticed that, too. All of my pens, except for the shortest ones, seem to stick up out of my shirt pockets. Perhaps clothing manufacturers are no longer designing shirts for use with pens.

 

TMann

[jackoguit]

I'm a big guy- 6'4" 250+lbs.- Big hands, big feet, big head. I voted supersize- my Sheaffer Oversize feels best and I use it for letters. But for carry during the day I choose a "51", 21 or a vac major. They have the mojo that feels good to carry all day. The vac is lightest and sits in my pocket the best.

 

My first carry FP was a Rotring 600. It was so long & heavy that my shirt pocket was pulled down to my belt!. I'm sort of surprised I stuck with this FP thing! I gave it to my bro-in-law who now uses it, but he's at a desk all day and never needs to really carry it.

 

Jack

[CarromNpens]

I like large pens. Love the size of MB 149 and Pelikan M1000

[Kalessin]

Perhaps shirt pockets have become smaller over the years (?), but often the pen will stick up just a bit too far and I am concerned about its "security".

I've noticed that, too. All of my pens, except for the shortest ones, seem to stick up out of my shirt pockets. Perhaps clothing manufacturers are no longer designing shirts for use with pens.

I think shirt pockets, where they're still found, may be a little smaller, but I think it's more that men who tended to buy fountain pens in the 1930's-1960's wore suits every day to work. There really wasn't "business casual", it was either white collar (i.e. with a suit) or blue collar. The inside chest pockets in suits tend to be deep enough for full-size fountain pens, and the jacket tends not to droop under the weight of even a fairly heavy pen.

 

Suit vests are almost completely gone these days. Vest-pocket size pens were all the rage before 1930; I have a really old black wool frock coat suit (sadly it no longer fits me) with a special pen pocket on one side of the vest, where a little ring-top pen could be clipped to one end of a watch chain.

Edited September 28, 2006 by Kalessin

[Benjamin McFerret]

I don't think length matters so much as balance. To me, width matters more and I feel most comfortable with Pelikan 600 (small/medium size) size sections.

Ben

[jpolaski]

I had to vote for the oversized pens, also due to my size. My Big Red just fits so well in the hand, and makes writing just that much more comfortable...

[tonyv]

My modern pens are standard size (average 13cm), but my Parker Vac is right around 12cm. Both sizes fit comfortably in my hand.

[krz]

My most comfy pens are my old 30's fat Parker Parkette, or my Sheaffer's fat vac. Valiant.

 

But then I like small pens too, like my little Wahl/Oxfords or Sheaffer's Tuckaways.

 

My Snorkel Valiant is my favorite nib but I'm not real comfy with a long slender pen.

Edited September 30, 2006 by krz