Any Pens Out There With Knurled Sections?

[Miz Black Crow]

Hey all. I was reading a few reviews and realised that some people seem to passionatley dislike metal sections due to slipperiness.

 

Does anyone know of any pens with knurled metal grip sections? If you're a slippery-section hater, would a knurled section appeal as a solution?

[ac12]

Miz BC,

Oh this one is funny.

In college, my hands/fingers were always sweaty and slippery. My fingers would constantly slide down the section of my Parker 45. I just could not hold on to the pen. I finally took a file and coarse sandpaper to the plastic section of my Parker 45 to ROUGHEN the slick surface. UGLY as all heck, but it worked.

 

Knurled or matt finished would work. It is the SMOOTH surface that is the problem. Smooth chrome is really slippery, if you have sweaty fingers.

Very oddly to me, gold is not as slippery as chrome. In college I used a friends gold Cross ball pen, and it did not slip in my fingers at all, where my chrome pen did. I do not know the science behind this difference.

Edited December 30, 2015 by ac12

[ajcoleman]

The first fountain pen that came to mind was the Levenger L-Tech pen. It is a metal pen with a heavily knurled metal grip section. I have never tried one, but it certainly wouldn't be slippery.

 

Though not fountain pens, I have used a number of ballpoints with knurled metal sections. A number of Fisher space pens come that way. I have an older Cross Century in which the section is lightly knurled. It is not as 'grippy' as the more deeply knurled Space pens, but it is a bit less slippery than the newer Century pens without that section.

 

In a number of cases I have found a matte finish to be more slippery than a more glossy shiny finish. My fingers just don't seem to stick to it as well.

 

Though knurling a metal section often helps, I generally find a plastic section to be more comfortable.

[gerigo]

The Dunhill Sidecar has a very distinctive knurled grip.

http://www.pensinasia.com/new/images/display/650?id=8058

 

The Visconti Opera Metal has a brushed steel grip. Not knurled I know, but it feels great and is not slippery at all.

https://chatterleyluxuries.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/L1040252-001-copy.jpg

 

The Muji fountain pen has a knurled grip.

http://lithicgoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Muji-Aluminum-Fountain-Pen-2.jpg

 

I believe the Rotring 600 early version also has a knurled section.

http://i.imgur.com/gxa3FFg.jpg

[dcwaites]

I have a new Parker Urban fountain pen with a plastic section, but it is so smooth it is hard to grip. It is the only pen in my collection with that problem. I am looking for some matt black lacquer to fix the problem. In the meantime, I have put a turn of translucent, matt sticky tape around the section, which fixes the problem for the moment.

[Miz Black Crow]

Oooh, that Levenger makes me all pitter-patter inside... Thanks for the suggestions, all!! I have a place to begin now!

[jar]

There are lots of pens that have used many methods to create non-skid metal sections. One I particularly like is the use of Sterling silver as the section material. Sterling silver is one of the favored choices for tableware since it does not get slippery when wet.

 

Other methods are putting patterns, groves, insets, ridges to provide control.

 

Perhaps the best method is to make the section slightly concave to position your fingers.

 

All such methods work and work well.

[oregano]

Pens that come to mind: Aurora Alpha has little studs (maybe not so comfortable though) and Montblanc starwalker midnight and resin (black) has the equivalent of a knurled section.

[D.C. in PA]

I noticed the Levenger L-Tech mentioned in an early response, with the note that the poster had not tried the pen. I have one and can confirm, at least for me, that the knurling prevents slipperiness. The pen is a bit weighty - it's metal after all - but not so much so that it is problematic, again that's for me.

[Manalto]

The Levenger L-tech is clearly "inspired" by the rOtring 600. Note that it comes in a "stealth" (all black) version too.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Manalto

[Sandy Fry]

Giuliano Mazzuoli Officina Mini End Mill Bronze looks like it might not be slippy. I think there are a few of these pens with different types of " tooling ".

 

David

[Manalto]

Very oddly to me, gold is not as slippery as chrome. In college I used a friends gold Cross ball pen, and it did not slip in my fingers at all, where my chrome pen did. I do not know the science behind this difference.

 

Chrome is the worst offender; it's been a deal-breaker for me with some otherwise nice pens.

 

jar mentions above that sterling silver, like gold, doesn't get slippery although the surface appears to be as smooth as chrome. The science, anyone?

[httpmom]

I realized early on that I really dislike chrome sections and ended up selling a few very beautiful pens for the slippery section problem (I should have know from previous experiences with Cross BP pens but never thought of it). That coupled with the fact that most metal pens tend to be somewhat heavy turned me away. However, I always loved the look of vintage Sterling pens and now that it has been pointed out that the sections are not that slippery, I find my interest has been rekindled. Thanks!

[jabberwock11]

I am surprised by how little this design is used in fountain pens, especially considering how often it is used on mechanical pencils and lead holders. A knurled section on a pencil is sort of standard, even on higher end pencils. I would love to see more of this in fountain pens, but the industrial design is not nearly as common or as in demand in fountain pens.

[ac12]

 

I am surprised by how little this design is used in fountain pens, especially considering how often it is used on mechanical pencils and lead holders. A knurled section on a pencil is sort of standard, even on higher end pencils. I would love to see more of this in fountain pens, but the industrial design is not nearly as common or as in demand in fountain pens.

 

 

One problem with FP is the grip/section is not necessarily where one would hold the pen. I have several FPs where the nib and section are so short that I hold the pen on the barrel. So a knurled grip/section would be useless for me on those pens.

Whereas I hold all my technical pencils on the knurled grip.

[Chrissy]

I haven't found the grip on Kaweco AL or Brass Sport pens at all slippery, and I'm no chrome grip lover

[Precise]

I like lightweight pens. Metal sections drastically increase the weight of some pens, such as Omas Paragon. But many Chinese pens are metal anyway, you just don't see it because it's painted.

 

I've tried thin rubber tape on sections. I've also glued thin rubber sheet on some with cyanoacrylate, which adheres superbly to rubber. But the rubber must be thin, or the cap won't fit.

 

I also have a Jinhao 601, which is knurled black material (plastic? black paint?). But the 601 is so small, that it's grip is poor in my hand.

 

Alan

[pepsiplease69]

I did a post on my blog where I tried to swap various nibs into the two levengers I have.

 

https://nibandlens.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/levenger-l-tech-and-truewriter/

 

Somewhere in there I had a close up of the knurled section of the L-Tech.

[PabloAU]

The "Gist" pen by Tactile Turn might be worth looking at. The first run is still being produced after a recent KickStarter campaign - I'm waiting on two for myself. There are a heap of different material combinations to choose from. Pre-orders are being taken on their website. (No affiliation other than being a patiently-waiting customer)

[Miz Black Crow]

I actually stumbled across the Gist pen last night--very exciting! I may have to preorder a polycarbonate pen with the copper section and finial.... Now if only they offered black nibs... do you happen to know if they'll take a Monteverde nib?