EDC Pen?

[gadget_lover]

I've decided that it's not the pen as much as the refill. My current EDC for writing is a hand turned pen made from rosewood with gold and black accents. You can buy a kit from www.pennstateind.com to make your own. I turned it on my Harbor Freight 7x10 minilathe.

The nice thing about it is that you can turn, carve or sand a shape that meets your own needs. This one just happens to feel good in the hand.

The black one is a .5 mm pencil with a carbon fiber body. The pencil tip extends and retracts with a click just like a ball point. Pilot made it about 30 years ago and stopped production for many years. I see they are selling them again as the "Vanishing Point Mechanical Pencil".

Daniel

 

[Steve C]

I bought a Fisher Telescoping Space pen a few years back. Neat concept, but not without issues: the sheath that covers the point when retracted is open at the end, allowing pocket lint to accumulate into a "dust bunny" on the point. Result... blob on the first stroke. Also, as the mechanism wears, it has begun allowing the point to peek out a bit from the sheath. Result... ink stains on/in pockets.

As a conversation piece/cool gadget, it excels. As a writing instrument, it is perfectly satisfactorily (with a clean tip).

But overall, it now stays in my junk box on my desk at home. The staining became too much of a problem. And I miss having it in my pocket.

I do not care to carry a "full-size" pen, for several reasons. I have been contemplating a regular Fisher Bullet Pen, since it appears to prevent the two drawbacks to the telescoping version.

So... anyone use the regular Bullet Pen???

.

 

[this_is_nascar]

I bought a Fisher Telescoping Space pen a few years back. Neat concept, but not without issues: the sheath that covers the point when retracted is open at the end, allowing pocket lint to accumulate into a "dust bunny" on the point. Result... blob on the first stroke. Also, as the mechanism wears, it has begun allowing the point to peek out a bit from the sheath. Result... ink stains on/in pockets.

As a conversation piece/cool gadget, it excels. As a writing instrument, it is perfectly satisfactorily (with a clean tip).

But overall, it now stays in my junk box on my desk at home. The staining became too much of a problem. And I miss having it in my pocket.

I do not care to carry a "full-size" pen, for several reasons. I have been contemplating a regular Fisher Bullet Pen, since it appears to prevent the two drawbacks to the telescoping version.

So... anyone use the regular Bullet Pen???

.

I have a couple of the Bullet Pens. They're nice, but require 2-hands to engage the pen (you have to pull the end off). The nice thing abou them, is once you put the cover-cap onto the end of the pen, it makes it a nice length for writing.

 

[drizzle]

So... anyone use the regular Bullet Pen???

I do, see my post above. I also agree with TIN's comments. I don't usually find it a problem to have to use both hands but there are times when it's a pain.

If I were going to always wear shirts or jackets that allowed me to carry a full size pen I would choose that over the Bullet Pen. I choose this for it's size and durablility and because it *won't* leak in my pocket.

Added: I also like the fact that when it's closed there are no sharp edges or points so I don't worry about it putting a hole in my pants pocket either. BTW, mine is without the clip.

 

[JimH]

I EDC a Tool Pen. It uses a Fisher space pen ink cartridge.

 

[kennyj]

The black one is a .5 mm pencil with a carbon fiber body. The pencil tip extends and retracts with a click just like a ball point. Pilot made it about 30 years ago and stopped production for many years. I see they are selling them again as the "Vanishing Point Mechanical Pencil".

Daniel

Is the body of that pencil as light and durable as one would be led to believe by seeing the words "carbon fiber?" And... do they make it in pen form?

I EDC a Tool Pen. It uses a Fisher space pen ink cartridge.

I saw that earlier today and ordered one, but from a different store. It's (relatively) cheap, and if I don't like it, it'd make a great gift for one of a number of people i know... one question, how has yours held up? One would expect it to be an exceptionally durable pen given its dual-use as a screwdriver, but there have been many "Yuppie Toys" with similar concepts that can't stand up to real-world use and abuse.

 

[gadget_lover]

Yes, Kenny J, the pilot Vanishing point pencil is very durable and very lightweight.

I started EDCing one around 1973. I'd carry it in my front jeans pocket. I broke the first in the mid 1980's. It snapped in half at the point where it threaded together. I found a replacement that year even though it was out of production at that time.

My mom was working at a staionary store at the time and found two of them "new in the box" on a shelf in the storage room. That was my Christmas present that year. I carry the pen every day and the spares are still in the box in my drawer.

I don't know if they are selling it as a ballpoint, but we are modders, are we not?

Daniel

 

[RAF_Groundcrew]

Stainless stel Parker 'Jotter' ball pen with fine black opint refill (I have lots of precise writing to do in my job, fine point helps).

I have several of these, in my various jackets and at work in my coveralls. I used to like Space Pens, and I still like the design, but the ink oozes out, and this really annoys me, having to clean ink off the end of the pen, and off my hands every time I used it.

A while back, I contemplated getting a Dunhill carbon fibre pen, but I though, and decided that I ddin't need such an expensive pen !

 

[Steve C]

I have a couple of the Bullet Pens. They're nice, but require 2-hands to engage the pen (you have to pull the end off). The nice thing abou them, is once you put the cover-cap onto the end of the pen, it makes it a nice length for writing.

That's kind of what I figured. Sounds just like what I need.

Thanks.

.

 

[JimH]

how has yours held up?

The Tool Pen is not my first choice for a screwdriver so it has not seen a lot of abuse. That being said, I do use it as a screwdriver a lot when I'm in a hurry or when I'm just too lazy to look for a screwdriver. I've had mine for about a year, and it looks and works just like it came out of the box.

The cap is very strong and allows you to give it quite a bit of torque. If you are not familiar with the tool pen, when the cap is on the pen is retracted and safe from harm. Take the cap off and the pen is extended and ready for uses. FYI, the cap goes on the opposite end from the pen/philips.

 

[Sigman]

I've carried a regular Space Pen for over 30 years (well had to replace one I lost on an Arizona mountain top while recovering a buck/filling out my tag)...

I replaced the standard medium cartridge with a fine tipped blue one and NEVER had any problems!!

It's ALWAYS with me! Comes in handy when trying to write in the rain, below freezing, or at angles for sure!!

You can get just the refills and they typically come with a little plastic cap that allows you to use them in Parker pens.

 

[Mi6]

Guys I just ordered this Porsche pen. I think it's perfect. Look here: http://shop21.porsche.com/usa/product2.asp?dept%5Fid=1004&pf%5Fid=WAP+055+001+16&MSCSProfile=61E4CECF7275066FD87B9817DA5865CB7C9D56B0258D5A10E01385CC8374971F1D704624B2EE07EA13C3C2F2EF67397B7AC66E9FF5328CDD6F9A753598CF3D3E7DCF61736B1F86619D670B6CC2CADBECB2C5CA2FD0357F4247ADAAA8CB8665AD9C1466FB86C430A195C6D4793E27A1DD670CE4EDE1DE2F5C6364D8E3624AF56FF7072068A78B15AA:rock:

 

[NetMage]

At work its a Rotring Quattro. And I have something for emergency's in my SAK Cybertool.

 

[nethiker]

I use a Fisher bullet pen and like it a lot. I often wear a t-shirt and like to clip it to the neck.

Has anyone tried their MARS or Millenium pens that claim to never run out of ink? How is this done? Do they just put a lot of ink in one cartridge and figure they charge enough to send people new ones if they run out of ink before they are lost? Do they write the same as their regular pens? I figure it's probobly better to buy a couple of regular pens with a bunch of refills and you probobly end up ahead after a lifetime of writing, what do you guys think?

 

[Ned-L]

I use a Fisher bullet pen and like it a lot. I often wear a t-shirt and like to clip it to the neck.

Has anyone tried their MARS or Millenium pens that claim to never run out of ink? How is this done? Do they just put a lot of ink in one cartridge and figure they charge enough to send people new ones if they run out of ink before they are lost? Do they write the same as their regular pens? I figure it's probobly better to buy a couple of regular pens with a bunch of refills and you probobly end up ahead after a lifetime of writing, what do you guys think?

I bought the Chrome Millenium Fisher pen some years ago. It has a nice look and feel to it. If I am wearing a dress shirt it clips nicely into a shirt pocket. If I am dressed casually it carries nicely in my pants pocket. It is much closer to a full sized pen when the cap is posted. I like the clip better than the one for the space pen. It is removable, but really doesn't move unless you want it to.

I thought it would be the ultimate EDC pen except it had something of the "ink booger" problem that someone else described and didn't write as smoothly as the regular fisher refills. I left it in my desk drawer for at least a couple of years and then recently decided to see if Fisher would do anything about it. They said to send it back - and sent me a new one! They probably changed the technology a little because I have no complaints about this one and have made it my EDC. Based on the girth of the pen it must contain a lot of ink, but I haven't used it long enough to know whether it really lasts for years and years. Anyway, as it is not refillable, I can't and don't worry about carrying refills.

Ned

 

[Pook]

My pen of choice is the Rotring Core Rollerball its a rather oversized pen, but it definatley designed for man hands...

http://www.goldspot.com/Rotring_pens/Core/22468.html

Piers

 

[toos]

AG7 Space Pen in my shirt pocket, and a Bullet Pen in my wallet. They both always work.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Guys I just ordered this Porsche pen. I think it's perfect. Look here:

Wow! If I had a pen fetish, I'd be cleaning my keyboard now

Like NetMage, I carry a Rotring Quattro. It's customized: blue Lamy pen refill (better than the Rotring refill, and way way way better than the horrible Fisher refilles), mechanical pencil, stylus, highlighter.

However, that's only for work. The Inka looks great as a hang-on-your-keychain pen; just ordered one.

 

[kennyj]

JimH: I (finally) got my Tool Pen in. How do you open this sucker up to change the refill? At the very least, mine needs lubrication... after pulling off the cap, I have to bang it against a desk repeatedly to get the point to actually extend. It looks like the flat screwdriver head has some play, but it doesn't want to pull out by more than one mm or so.

I can see this thing being exceptionally durable, and the weight seems reasonable (if a little beyond my preference) but if I can't make it reasonable to write with, it won't get anywhere near me as an EDC.

 

[Aloft]

I like the Fisher bullet pens. I'm intrigued by this new Inka Pen, but haven't bought one yet, as it's more expensive than the Fisher or Cross Ion, and the drool worthy titanium one is like $80! I have a telescoping Fisher as well, very cool, but still kind of new. Hopefully, I won't have the wear-out problem described by Steve C.

Really cool thing about Fisher: You can purchase "Invisible Ink" refills from Fisher for their space pens. The ink will flouresce when under UV light. Works great even with UV LED's, which tend to be closer to 'near UV' at the higher end of the UV wavelengths. Same price as the regular refills-- $5. It's kind of tough to write a long letter with them though, unless someone holds a UV light over the paper as you write!