Why Not Ballpoint Pens?

[milkb0at]

I'm interested in pens and pencils, leaning more towards fountain pens, but I don't have the snobbery or single mindedness to be a pure fountain pen user. Sometimes ballpoints are the correct answer and can be interesting in their own way.

 

There's loads of choice for refills - G2, Jetstream, Hi-Tec C, Parker Gel, Schneider, Space Pen - and lots of bodies to put in them. If you want something that's historically interesting, then a Parker 45 or Jotter, or Space Pen would fit the bill. Like modern? Then how about a Karas Bolt or Yoropen?

 

But you already have a Lamy 2000 so you already have one of the nicest ballpoints.

[BT-7274]

Pretty much how it goes for students too. There are times where I run into forms/tests where the only acceptable writing instrument is 'Nr. 2 pencil' or a ballpoint due to the amount of pressure needed. That said, I've found a Snorkel to be quite suitable for such forms and any decent mech pencil with 4B leads great in any of these situations. If it comes down to it, I have an odd Parker Rialto with a quinkflow refill that I find flows quite nicely.

[aussielondon]

The ballpoint pen is too perfect to have soul.

That, and also the fact that wet ink looks better than oil based ink of ballpens.

[Christi0469]

I use ballpoints daily, most for writing on carbon receipt pad and post-it notes, and I don't exactly hate it. While I prefer to use fountain pens sometimes ballpoint do the job better. And let's face it there are some great gel-pens out now as well.

 

While these pens do serve their purpose fountain pens are a joy to write with. It wouldn't break me if I could never use them again but it would make me very, very sad. Luckily I am pretty well stocked up at the moment.

[tendollarword]

There's nothing wrong with ballpoints, but I've never enjoyed using one as much as I enjoy using my fountain pens.

[tinysnail]

Before fountain pens, I mostly used rollerballs. Cheap, disposable ones from my University's bookstore. I particularly liked Staedler Cool Rollers. Before THAT, if I used ball points, I like Bic Atlantis and Papermate Write Bros. They were reliable and cheap.

 

Now, I still have a pile of BPs and RBs but I honestly don't ever use them. I keep one on me "just in case," but it's never actually necessary. Perhaps that would be different if I worked somewhere with weird criteria, but I am a grad student so it's basically all up to me

 

I really don't like the amount of pressure needed to get a nice, dark line out of a ballpoint. I like saturated lines! Rollerballs were good, but ran out of ink so quickly and I didn't know about good paper at the time so the feathering and bleed through was horrible on cheap notebook paper.

[Zookie]

I use a FP every day, but when I'm writing observation notes I have to use a BP(black ink only).

I have a Zebra F-301 for those. It has never let me down and I like the look and feel to it.

[bsenn]

 

There are so many cool old ballpoints out there. I put Parker compatible refills in some NOS Sheaffer ballpoints from an eBay lot. Just 'cause you have to use a ballpoint doesn't mean you have to use a Bic...

Brian

edit - Crud - I'll have to upload a photo later...

 

 

Old Sheaffer ballpoint I use. Parker refill fits with a little filing of the "crown" on the end. Fisher space pen refill also fits.

 

Brian

 

Edited September 24, 2014 by bsenn

[yogalarva]

I definitely think there is a place for ballpoints and gel pens - I pretty much always carry my Fisher space pen with me. That being said, I view ballpoints as a tool needed to get a job done, while fountain pens are a hobby. I could easily do all the writing I need for the rest of my life with a G2, but it wouldn't speak to my soul the way FP use does.

[HamFist]

I have a damaged booger hook (index finger) on my writing hand, its starts cramping up and hurting with the amount of pushing I have to do with a BP pen.

FP makes my writing neater and I can take down notes faster which leaves me time to actually listen and comprehend what the teacher is saying.

[aussielondon]

I have a damaged booger hook (index finger) on my writing hand, its starts cramping up and hurting with the amount of pushing I have to do with a BP pen.

FP makes my writing neater and I can take down notes faster which leaves me time to actually listen and comprehend what the teacher is saying.

Agreed, as I also get wrist pain when using any ballpoint, no matter how pricey.

My dad doesn't like fountain pens, but his writing style is different to mine..... maybe it's alot to do with how ones individual writing style suits either ballpoint or fountain pen?

 

Dad basically has the ballpoint version of my Parker and he says he will never go "back to those old bas*ards of things" (referring to fountain pens).

 

Also gel pens are cool too but I use disposable cheap ASDA (Walmart) ones for when I am taking a pen about and don't care if it gets lost.

[HamFist]

Agreed, as I also get wrist pain when using any ballpoint, no matter how pricey.

My dad doesn't like fountain pens, but his writing style is different to mine..... maybe it's alot to do with how ones individual writing style suits either ballpoint or fountain pen?

 

Dad basically has the ballpoint version of my Parker and he says he will never go "back to those old bas*ards of things" (referring to fountain pens).

 

Also gel pens are cool too but I use disposable cheap ASDA (Walmart) ones for when I am taking a pen about and don't care if it gets lost.

 

They may be cool to us but my grandma and mom remmeber it differently. They were from Soviet Union, to them fountain pen is that infernal device which randomly spilled ink on you or exploded in your backpack or bladder bursting in your hand when filling up.

[sandy101]

I really like the Pilot G-2 ballpoints and the Signo 207's. They have a comfortable grip and the range of colours of the G-2 are very good for marking papers.

 

I keep a preppy in my drawer at work for when I want to use an FP, but to be honest so many of my pens disappear at work I wouldn't want to take a pen costing more that £5 to work, and much of the paper is cheap and acts like blotting paper.

 

The there's the cost. FP ink isn't cheap and work isn't providing any cartridges, so I'd sooner use biros and rollerballs and keep the expensive stuff for my own writing.

[Flounder]

My handwriting is quite a bit worse with ballpoints.

[georges zaslavsky]

I have one ball point in case of someone wants to write something but I never allow to touch my fountain pens

[Downcelot]

May thank but no thanks. It's rare enough I get to write at work, I'll do it with style. Fp!

Edited October 4, 2014 by Downcelot

[wastelanded]

I use my FP as much as possible at work. For times when it's impractical, I have a rainbow of Sarasas which I don't mind that much.

[wastelanded]

Duplicate post

Edited October 4, 2014 by wastelanded

[OcalaFlGuy]

Ballpoints and rollerballs are too reliable and trouble-free to be interesting.

 

Toss a dash of panache into the mix and life with a BP isn't so bad and uninteresting.

 

 

 

 

There are refills out there that offer a pleasurable writing experience, it just takes some sniffing around to find them.

 

The pace at my new job, at least for awhile, hasn't been conduscive to FP use. So, I've made do with the Flighter 180 BP above loaded with the Itoya Gelfill. It's actually pretty nice. And, just like a FP, it's good for Exactly One Drop to the ground on it's point.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl-Taking the P-45 FP in tonight though

[inkeverywhere]

May I ask why BP only? Properly chosen ink can be fast drying and waterproof. The right nib can be more than firm enough for NCR or carbons (manifold). With hooded nibs only you would know you are using a FP.

A properly sized and balanced body can be very comfortable. Sadly even the best refills require pressure to write consistently. Roller balls are better, to me. Gels take a bit to dry and I am a smudger (although right-handed). I do find fibre tips to write nicely with very minimal pressure, but they don't seem to last very long (and will write on almost any dry surface, ie glass).

So to my question. Is there no way around this ban on other than BPs?

 

Paul

 

Paul the question you pose is a good one, "why only a ball pen", and one I can't answer. When put in a position where a company pays you a great deal of money on a weekly basis even the most hardcore FP'er would have to succomb to using a ballpoint.

 

I often wonder if the people who come up with these sort of "rules" even know of writing instruments other than Bic Crystals and Kilometricos.

 

Thanks for reading my post.

 

Greg

Edited October 4, 2014 by inkeverywhere