Pens

Tools for Possibilities: issue no. 202

Japanese pen store

Jet Pens

Japanese pens are simply the coolest pens on the planet. Whether for writing notes, manga, or drawing, Japanese pens are the best. The finest are .18mm while the widest are brush pens that will allow you to practice your kanji. They also come in colors that will never see the inside of a Staples or and Office Depot.

The best place to get them is a web site called Jetpens.com. Given the exotic character of the merchandise, the prices are fine, but the extras, such as Japanese stationary, erasers, pen holders, and notebooks are simply amazing. Where else can you buy erasers that are also a game of balancing the erasers in an ark on your desk? And the colors, ranging from yellows and pinks to the office standards, are just awesome.

In the end, it is a very cheap way to gain a bit of understanding of a very different culture, while also getting some really cool pens. — Michael Aaron Dennis

Like many others I have an unhealthy obsession with office supplies, especially mechanical pencils. I’m always looking for the perfect pencil. JetPens.com offers a great selection of mostly Japanese pens, pencils, highlighters and supplies. Many of the name brands they offer are familiar in the U.S. (Pilot, Pentel) but you won’t find any of these at your local office supply store. JetPens also carries the hard-to-find Uniball Paper Clipper and Clips – a reusable paper binding system. — Amy Kahle

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Affordable and reliable technical pen

SKB Pens

This is the only pen I have owned that is suitable for writing technical notes. It has a .5mm point, which allows me to write small details such as subscripts and fractions. It is a ballpoint so it doesn’t bleed which is an annoyance I’ve encountered when writing small details with other pens. It doesn’t gum up as my Zebra ballpoints tended to do and so is suitable for drawing diagrams. It can write continuously without drying up and flows well over the paper. Most .5mm pens I’ve used dry up after writing for a while and are so sharp that they end up scratching the paper.

It’s also affordable. Unfortunately, while it only costs $1 a pen there is only one supplier in the US (that I’m aware of) and you have to buy twelve pens at a time.

You can buy it in black, blue, red, purple, or green with a .5mm point. You can also get it in black with a .7mm point. — Daniel Woelfel

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Freeflowing fountain pen

Lamy Safari Fountain Pen

Most fountain pens are appealing for their authoritative weight and the prestige of pushing an antique technology around the page. However, the Lamy Safari pen (designed by Wolfgang Fabian) re-thinks the fountain pen with comfort and accuracy in mind. It comes with a sturdy ergonomic grip similar too, but not as comfy as, the Dr. Grip. The pen is also made out of plastic making the weight (and cost) much less than a traditional fountain pen.

The Lamy weighs in at a meager $20 with ink costing about $2 to $5 dollars a bottle. The Safari is also frugal on ink; it runs a much smaller and tighter line than many pens meaning that the ink dries faster on the page, but do beware using ink from a different pen in the Lamy can clog it. You can see the ink cartridge at all times because a small part of the casing has been hollowed out.

Finally, the refillable cartridge snaps into place in the pen and is refillable through the pen’s stylus hence you don’t have to take everything apart when you want to refill (you do have to unscrew the top of the pen to get to the cart’s screw, but not the bottom) and also eliminating that first air bubble you get when placing traditional carts back in the pen. The plunger is operated by a screw action on the top making it easy to hold the pen in place while you refill it. It is also available as a left-handed version.

Lamy also sells other pens with a similar design and grip if you’re looking for a more expensive or stylish pen, but despite the Safari’s minor flaws (I had major problems the first day getting it to write consistently until I watered down my ink) it’s quickly replaced my old Picasso pen for everyday scribbling. I now own two Lamys, using one for correcting tests and the other for everyday writing. The over-sized clip is also a bonus as it’s less likely to get bent out of shape by clinging to pockets, belts, etc. —Andrew Jones

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Best everyday pen

Pilot G2 Gel Pen

Gel inks flow smoother than ballpoints, lay heavier ink on a fine line than roller balls, yet are less fussy than fountain pens. Once exotic, gel pens are now my everyday carry. I rely on Pilot G2 retrackable gel pens. They have never leaked over 10 years of carrying them in my pockets and backpack, don’t smear, are lightweight and cheap. The 07 has a pretty crisp fine line for writing or drawing. I now find other pens insufficient and will always take the trouble to locate one of these. I buy them by the dozen.— KK

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World’s thinnest line pen

UniBall Signo Bit 0.18mm Pens

World’s thinnest ballpoint pen…thinnest possible lines you could ever write. It’s quite fine. It has some sort of special ink for reducing friction so it won’t clog. It’s not super-flowy like a normal gel pen but it allows you to make sharp and precise short lines, which is what I suspect it was designed to do (i.e. for writing Japanese characters (see circle in picture with writing between lines of text), or alternatively adding fine details into drawings). I think it’s pretty cool. — Tim Hong

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Quality fountain pen ink made in the USA

Noodler’s Inks

I’ve been using Noodler’s inks in my fountain pens for at least six years. The basic Black is my favorite ink of all time, dries fast, and is utterly impervious to water or erasure once dried on paper. The Fox Red is also a favorite. Expensive, but very cheap in comparison to disposable ballpoints, and much better for the environment. —David Derbes

Though I am only a recent convert to the world of fountain pens, I have been really impressed with the Noodler’s Bulletproof Black Ink. When I first got started I tried a number of inks including some from Lamy and Parker only to find my writing would fade and wash away with the slightest hint of moisture. I decided I needed something more permanent.

My research paid off when I discovered Noodler’s Inks. Noodler’s ink is all made in the USA. I’ve been impressed with the amount of information they provide regarding the various qualities and properties of their ink. As far as their ink goes, it’s great. The black ink that I use isn’t as richly black as others, but it certainly holds up to the bulletproof claim when faced with the elements (water, sun, etc). In terms of ink flow, I have found the Noodler’s to be perfect for my needs (although the ink is only one half of the equation, the nib being the other). I use a fine nib, and have never had a problem. I will point out, though, that this is variable from ink to ink (and nib to nib) even from the same manufacturer.

Noodler’s Ink is sold in larger volumes (88 ml vs 50 ml, in most cases) but at a lower cost per unit volume when compared to other brands. The one bottle of Bulletproof Black I bought doesn’t look like it will be running out anytime soon in the next few years.

Finally, Noodler’s produces a range of specialty inks with different classifications including fluorescence, forgery resistance, and archival fade-resistance to name but a few. I highly recommend poking around their website to learn more. — Oliver Hulland