Because I’m still having a hard time getting back into the flow of work and prone to distraction, I’m excited to play with a new project: The Pen I Write With.
This idea stems from a joke I made on Twitter:
Maybe I’ll start a 976-PENS number not about the Penguins, but for people who want to discuss pens. “Medium Zebra gel rollerball, red. You?”
“Oh, a Uni-Ball Stick Elite in blue. That’s a sexy, smooth writing pen. Tell me, does it retract?”
As I suspected, people had pretty strong opinions about the pens they used.
No matter what the profession, people tend to prefer one type of software or hardware over the other and will debate the merits of each at length. So one would think the simple selection of a pen would be easy in the face of so many other decisions that need to made, but in reality is the preference of pen is as personal as they come.
I prefer the Zebra Jimnie Gel Rollerball in Medium because of its smooth ink and large barrel with a cushion because I tend to pinch my pen too hard –Â with the large “writer’s bump” on my right middle finger to prove it — and need the extra girth for grip. I also tend to do most of my outlining on index cards, which call for the thicker lines of a Sharpie Fine Point.
Please share with me the pen you use in a picture. It doesn’t have to include a handwriting sample, but it would be great if you could write out the name of the pen you use. If the sample above is any indication, no there is no way your handwriting is any worse than my mine.
Either post on your own Tumblr and tag it The Pen I Write With and it will be reblogged, or post a Twitter photo with the hashtag #ThePenIWriteWith or lastly, email it to ThePenIWriteWith@gmail.com. Include whatever URL you’d like your submission to link back to if you like.
So what is the pen you write with?
enerGel by Pentel. It’s great!
Submit a picture!
I prefer gel/ink pens rather than ballpoints. I don’t have a favorite, but I tend to like utensils like the Pilot Precise V5.
I use the uniball 207 micro point. Nothing too fancy, but it writes really smoothly and with a fine tip, which I like. My handwriting is really dependent on the type of pen I use; if there is friction in the writing, there’s a steep decline in quality. I was forced to use a Ticonderoga pencil today… borderline unintelligible. I don’t have a camera with me right now, but when I get home, if I remember I’ll submit a pic.
Uniball — all the way.
Pentel’s EnerGel 0.5’s in all colors — though I prefer blue. Smooth and quick-drying. Another plus is that they are refillable, which is good because they are pricey.
Oh I’m all over this-I’m an office supply addict. When I get back to the office next week I’ll tweet or tumbl you a picture. For quite some time I’ve been stuck on these 2: uni ball grip 0.7, black (in the lab only) and pilot G-2 07, black or blue. But the only pen I use to write thank you notes is the Pilot Precise V7 in black or blue.
Great pens, all! Cannot wait to see the submissions.