What do you guys like for pens? ...

[speedmaster]

A few years ago my wife let me buy myself a pelikan M800 fountain pen, a bit of a "grail" pen for me. (yeah, I know, I'm a shell of a man )

I was considering a Pelikan R600 or R800 rollerball to go along with it, but they're just too much money for me to justify.

This Lamy Swift looks kinda cool.
http://www.lamyusa.com/lamy_rollerball_L331_swift.php

I'd consider another German RB pen, maybe a Kaweco or Lamy if not too expensive.

I think I also kind like this, takes Fisher Space Pen refills.
http://www.countycomm.com/PEN.htm

What do you guys like for RB pens?

Chris

[The Deacon]

I use either a Cross Townsend Titanium or, believe it or not, a Smith & Wesson M&P. Both are relatively fat and heavy, both work well for me, Cross is considerably more elegant looking but the S&W is a whole lot cheaper and takes a standard Parker refill.

What I like about both is that the cap can be mounted securely on the pen when it is open as well as when it is closed. Some of the other pens I looked at, and quite a few of the "tactical" ones, seem to expect you to either hold the cap in your "off" hand or lay it down somewhere while you write. And, in spite of CountyComms "logic" for that, being able to attach the cap while you write does not preclude you holding on to it if you're loaning the pen to someone you don't trust.

[SQSAR]

I've recently acquired a S&W pen and am pretty darn happy with it. Most would consider it a 'tactical' type pen, but for me it's just a nice writing instrument (if ever pressed into a tactical/hostile situation, I've got other options that would be more 'appropriate' before a pen, but it's a nice collateral benefit to having one). Yeah, the tactical look is cool, but for all practicality sake, I bought it, and now like, it because it's a fairly hefty pen and I like both the heft and the grip it affords while writing. Plus, as Deacon mentioned, the cap snaps in place when writing with it, definitely an added bonus. Oh, and it is a very reasonably priced pen as well. But not so reasonably priced as to let too many people borrow it, , , ,it may grow legs if yo uaren't careful.

[npueppke]

I'm a big fan of Lamy. I'm more of a pencil guy (my favorite is the Lamy 2000), but I also dabble in fountain pens and other writing instruments. I have a Lamy Studio fountain pen that I like quite a bit, but I believe that my next purchase will be a Lamy CP1 fountain pen.

[ChapmanPreferred]

Sadly, just a Uni-ball Jetstream for me in black.

[Evil D]

I like it simple....Pilot G2 fine point :D

I do have a nice fountain pen but i couldn't tell you what brand. I haven't used it for a long time because i don't write very often.

[wsdavies]

Ditto....The Pilot G2 0.7 mm. For my style of handwriting, they are perfect.

I like it simple....Pilot G2 fine point :D

I do have a nice fountain pen but i couldn't tell you what brand. I haven't used it for a long time because i don't write very often.

[Pinetreebbs]

I take a lot of notes, (paper brain cells), at work and almost as many at home. I like the Pilot PV-5 fine and the G-2 gel pens, various ball points with padded barrels and some Fisher pens.

I have several old and new fountain pens from several makers. I would use the fountain pens more if I had good paper. My old office had a large ink jet plotter that always produced scraps of really nice paper I cut up for note sheets. Plotter paper is great for using a fountain pen, low bid copy paper is pretty crappy stuff.

[syphen]

Zebra F-301. Pretty simple but I like em!

My work stocks Pilot BETTER Retractable Ball Points so.. I seem to end up using them the most however.

I also keep a Spyderco Baliyo in my jacket pocket for passing time, but its a terrible pen. The grip sucks.

[JabFynger]

Zebra F-701, slightly modded to fit the Fisher medium refill. So overall you have about $7 in a very stout pen that writes very well and has all the advantages that a Fisher refill brings. Also, for those interested in a SD pen that is not designed or marketed as one, the F-701 is a good fit.

[Evil D]

I'm hoping soon to have a few Baliyos in my pen cup :D

[Pneumothorax]

A few years ago my wife let me buy myself a pelikan M800 fountain pen, a bit of a "grail" pen for me. (yeah, I know, I'm a shell of a man )

I was considering a Pelikan R600 or R800 rollerball to go along with it, but they're just too much money for me to justify.

Chris

I've got the 800 fountain pen. Really nice. Don't use it much, the nib is too wide. I also like Parker Duofold and Mont Blanc fountain pens. Rollerball...Mont Blanc makes the best fine point for me. I've got a collection of about 20 nice pens, but what I use most at work and like is the Pilot Signo 0.5mm gel pens. Those write better than anything for me.

[SolidState]

I use the Cross Ion and the Baliyo for most of my needs. Good pens. The Ion is great for going in the pocket.

[speedmaster]

Good thread, thanks, guys! :)

[jwingfie]

Another Zebra F-301 fan here.

[coelacanth]

I use three fountain pens and a mechanical pencil where each is most appropriate. I change inks time to time.

• Pelikan M320 (limited orange) with B nib for note taking.
• Pelikan M405 (blue stripe) with BB nib for writing letters and cards.
• Lamy 2000 with EF nib for Moleskine planner.
• Lamy 2000 (0.7mm MP) for drawing/sketching for work.

Also I often carry a sharpie to write ISO rating on film rolls.

[Vincent]

pilot G2 .5 blue

[tpro68]

I have two roller-balls that I use in my work as teacher and ongoing student. The Sensa is relatively inexpensive and takes the Parker gel-ink. I also have a Michael's Fatboy. It takes the Parker gel-ink as well. The point is that I think I like the Parker gel-ink most of all and so I look for delivery systems that can use it. I have had both for several years now. For fountain pens I have two users as well. I have a Sensa that matches the Sensa Rollerball. The second is the Namiki blue carbonesque vanishing point fountain pen. It is retractable. I was as much of a collector of pens as I am of knives until I settled on these. That is what gives me hope that I will find my perfect edc and stop the dollar bleeding. I can hope.

[slice22358]

My pen of choice is a Sailor 1911 with an extra fine nib

[redyps04]

Zebra F-701, slightly modded to fit the Fisher medium refill. So overall you have about $7 in a very stout pen that writes very well and has all the advantages that a Fisher refill brings. Also, for those interested in a SD pen that is not designed or marketed as one, the F-701 is a good fit.

+1 for me. This is hands down the best value pen on the market. It looks and feels like a much more expensive pen, and I just can't find a single thing wrong with it. I strongly recommend this pen- and it's only 5-7 bucks like Jab said...