# How Many of You??



## jttheclockman (Jan 8, 2011)

Being this is a pen turners forum and we make pens or at least that is what I think we do here

I know we all probably make a pen for ourself to maybe test run or something else but my question is pertaining to the use of pens and weather you like a fountain pen or a ball point pen. If you want to comment also please do. Maybe tell us why you choose what you choose. But the poll will be simple fountain, ballpoint, rollerball, other???


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## Drstrangefart (Jan 8, 2011)

Ball Point. My handwriting's bad enough without a learning curve on using the pen itself.


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## soligen (Jan 8, 2011)

Hmmmm, I don't see an "All of the above" answer, which is what I would choose.


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## jttheclockman (Jan 8, 2011)

soligen said:


> Hmmmm, I don't see an "All of the above" answer, which is what I would choose.


 

I am sure you have a favorite. Just use that.


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## KenV (Jan 8, 2011)

Hey John -- I selected one, but the answer is variable.   I have been playing with the Schmidt/Private Reserve Rolling Riter that uses fountainpen inks in a roller ball format.

With the chasing of threads, those go into the Baron/Seldona fountainpen components and are a fountain pen like write with the ease of a roller ball.  

My every day pen is a Cigar with a Fisher refill -- writes anywhere on anything and that has been important - in the rain, in the snow, on most any surface.

Maybe -- All the above


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## Mark (Jan 8, 2011)

I normally carry a rollerball for my daily driver. The Fountain pen, doesn't always get through the carbon copies at work and I love the Zen style pen. I also have several ballpoint pens that I keep around the house for jotting stuff down. 

I have a Majestic FP, that I keep around, but I don't use it much. Plus when I do use it, I clean it out and then don't want to ink it again. :biggrin:


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## Longfellow (Jan 8, 2011)

*Fountain Pen*

I have a 50+ year old Parker 21 fountain pen, that is my favorite writing instrument. I had a Parker 51 back in the 1950-60 era but dropped it one day and that was the end of it.


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## Chasper (Jan 8, 2011)

I use them all as well as mechanical pencils.  But my pen of choice is a fountain pen.  I have five of them with various types of nibs and loaded with various colors of ink that I use most of the time.


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## Padre (Jan 8, 2011)

I grew up using a fountain pen, all the way to college.  Then ball point.  

Now I love my rollerball.


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## ThomJ (Jan 8, 2011)

I make a lot of roller balls,mit is what my market wants. I use a FP daily, and have converted a few folks.


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## ed4copies (Jan 8, 2011)

This may help those who sell, so I will add it here:

In my "real life" I run a business.  So, I make dozens of notes each day--one or two lines to remind me of conversations.  (If I were younger, I would be doing this on the computer--but it never seems to happen).

So, I use a sierra.  I have a half dozen made, each has a 9000 refill (except the red one).  A ballpoint is still the quickest, easiest way.

(BTW, I open and close my twist sierra with ONE hand--so for customers who ask for a "click", I can demonstrate this method rapidly and unidexterously!!)


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## jskeen (Jan 8, 2011)

I have a rack on my desk that holds 11 pens and it's usually 9 or 10 inked fountain pens and a couple of pentel conversions I just didn't think were good enough to sell, and haven't gotten around to reworking  (in like 2 years, so I guess technically they are mine now, not just waiting to be redone)  I probably have 7 or 8 pentel's around my office and shop all the time, when I run short on stock ones from making them to sell, I go get some more.  I've used them constantly since college.  

90% of my note taking for work and shop are done with whatever fountain pen I happen to reach for.  Most of them will end up in the for sale display eventually, although a few are permanent, like my pen swap pens.  I try to use every fp I make for sale at least one cartridge or converters worth, so I can feel confident that that particular nib/feed/section combo will work well.  If it don't I swap parts around till I get one that does, clean it, buff the pen quickly, and put it in the display.


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## Texatdurango (Jan 8, 2011)

Well, up until a few weeks ago, my favorite pen to reach for was a snakeskin emperor fountain pen that I made almost 2 years ago.  But since I recently tried one of the new rollerballs that use fountain ink, I haven't used another pen since!  I choose this because it lays down a beautiful line of ink just like a fountain pen but when I finish writing, I can just lay it down on the desk and it doesn't dry out, not even after several weeks of lying about without a cap.


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## witz1976 (Jan 8, 2011)

My daily user is a cigar with one of my first home brew resins.  However what I am finding when I want to make personal notes such I really prefer the feel of the fountain.  Currently it is an old PSI screw cap with a messed up piece of amboyna that I couldn't sell, but I am planning on making my own "nice" showpiece soon.


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## jttheclockman (Jan 8, 2011)

I have to say I am surprised at the amount of fountain pen users. I am abit like ED I use a Sierra computer blank pen and have for about 1 year now and I too open with one hand. I will be switching to a copper with a copper braiding because I want to test the durability of the copper plating. I reach for my pen many times in a course of a day so it should be well tested. Thanks all for taking the poll and hope to see more results.

On a side note I am going to have to give those refill that George talked about a try. Who carrys them and what kits are they good for???


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## papaturner (Jan 8, 2011)

Rollerball is my main stay however I always have a mechanical pencil handy along with a fountain pen( an old Mont Blanc ).


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## MesquiteMan (Jan 8, 2011)

Elegant Sierra with a factory refill is my absolute pen of choice.  I too open and close one handed and find it much quicker to pull it out of my shirt and start writing.  I usually do not have pockets on my shirt so frequently, my pen is clipped to the colar on t-shirts or the v-neck area on polo type shirts.

I have yet to try the better quality ballpoint refills but my need to.  I think I may check into the Fishers since I am in construction and am frequently writing on all kinds of weird things and at weird angles.


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## alphageek (Jan 8, 2011)

I carry a cigar most of the time.   I have some of each that I like - including some nice PITH pens.   I have several that I like, but I have somewhat large hands so I don't like the sierra and although I will often use a better capped pen (the zen is my favorite of those cause of the magnet) for what I do I like the ease of a twist pen better than a capped.


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## AKBeaver (Jan 8, 2011)

My daily is a ball point or pencil.  I use my FP when signing official documents.


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## Old Lar (Jan 8, 2011)

I use a ball point daily.  I use a roller ball when I sign documents at work.  I have just started to make a few fountain pens and may start to use one to sign papers.  I am going to try the new roller balls that use fp ink. Those intrigue me.


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## leestoresund (Jan 8, 2011)

I'm left-handed so I can't use a FP.

There was a time when I sold insurance and you HAD to use a FP because the ink would penetrate the paper where a BP wouldn't. Only sure way to ensure that it was a genuine signature.

Now I have to sign original papers in blue ink because a copier will not distinguish between black and blue. Black ink on an original looks just like the copy.

Gonna have to try the refillable RB.

Lee


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## ctubbs (Jan 8, 2011)

I have a new fp that I declare as my favorite.  It, in just these few weeks, has made a vast improvement in my hand writing.  However, much of my writing is done with either a BP or pencil because of having to make copies with carbons.  I have not yet put that kind of pressure on the nib of my new FP.  NOT GONNA HAPPEN!
Charles


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## ldb2000 (Jan 9, 2011)

I have several different pens that I use daily but my favorite pen to write with is my Parker Falcon (P50) Flighter FP . Whether I'm jotting notes or writing a letter I use my Falcon . I also carry a Paua Abalone Cigar with a Fisher refill and use it when I'm doing anything that requires a heavy hand for copies . 
After I started making pens I became facinated with vintage Fountain pens and have a small collection of Parker pens , the oldest is a Vacumatic built in 1937 and the newest is a "45" built in the 1990s . They all are fantastic writers but my beloved Falcon is my pen of choice .


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## Texatdurango (Jan 9, 2011)

leestoresund said:


> I'm left-handed so I can't use a FP......Lee


 
Lee, Don't being left handed stop you from enjoying a fountain pen.  I'm a lefty and use fountain pens all the time.


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## KenV (Jan 9, 2011)

John --  I have purchased the "Rolling Righter" which are made by Schmidt and marketed by both Richard Greenwald (Schmidt) or Mike and Linda at Indy-Pen-Dance (Private Reserve).   They are under $3 each and are tapped to fit the fine threads on some of the kit pens.  I chased the threads on a  Baron Fountain Pen and threaded one in directly.   There are mixed review on the Jr Gent with affirmative on the threads on an older Jr. Gent, and some reports of forced threads on what are apparently more current mfg Jr. Gent.  George reported success with the Jr. Gent.  Threads are at or very close to 6.4 by .5 metric.  Richard Greenwald sells that tap.

They really write nicely and make a low hassle fountain pen ink writing rig!!!!

I have an assortment of Jr. Gent FPs coming to see what gives on the threading.   

For under $3 they are a disposable but look to have some good things going for them.


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## jttheclockman (Jan 9, 2011)

KenV said:


> John -- I have purchased the "Rolling Righter" which are made by Schmidt and marketed by both Richard Greenwald (Schmidt) or Mike and Linda at Indy-Pen-Dance (Private Reserve). They are under $3 each and are tapped to fit the fine threads on some of the kit pens. I chased the threads on a Baron Fountain Pen and threaded one in directly. There are mixed review on the Jr Gent with affirmative on the threads on an older Jr. Gent, and some reports of forced threads on what are apparently more current mfg Jr. Gent. George reported success with the Jr. Gent. Threads are at or very close to 6.4 by .5 metric. Richard Greenwald sells that tap.
> 
> They really write nicely and make a low hassle fountain pen ink writing rig!!!!
> 
> ...


 

Thanks Ken. Worthwhile looking into. I am guesssing this will expand to other kits as well such as the Triton. Will be doing my first Triton some time this week hopefully. Snow is coming on Tues. and Wed.


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## KenV (Jan 9, 2011)

John -- 

If it has a 6.4 by .5 metric thread or really close, should be a success for the fountain pen verions.  

I do not know what size nib the Triton uses -- but if it is similar to the Jr. Gent, it might work.  

Understand that Mike at Indy-Pen-Dance has the taps coming at $24 which is a good price. (I paid a fair bit more).   Chasing the threads seems to be an assist with making hte Rolling Righter fit smoothly.


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 16, 2011)

Over the years of working, I used a ball point most of the time because of the multiple copies I had to write through... roller balls and fountain pens are good for one original copy, but not carbons... change is a slow process for me.


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## wm460 (Jan 17, 2011)

I like Fountain pens best, but carry a ball point at work as they seem to walk.


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## omb76 (Jan 18, 2011)

I use either a Majestic Jr. or a Jr. Statesman at work all the time.  I just like the way a roller ball writes.  Though reading these posts really makes me want to start using a fountain pen.  Gonna have to make one for myself and see how I like it as a daily writer...


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## TomW (Jan 18, 2011)

My carry pen is a fountain pen (shown in my sig picture).  I choose fountain pen for 2 reasons:

1) Reminds me to slow down, and write legibly.
2) Gives me a reason to say "no" when someone wants to "borrow your pen"...I usually say "I would, but it's a fountain pen, and you probably wouldn't want to use it"

Tom


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## Lenny (Jan 18, 2011)

Personally, I like a rollerball.


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