Pens/Pencils which brands do you prefer?

[TakeruK]

Pen is good for lab books: you never want to erase anything. When you erase with pen, its just one mark through the center, so you can still read it incase it was a good idea. It doesnt fade as fast as pencil.

 

I personally use pencil because my habits were formed in physics and math and not the lab. There is a divide: physicists and mathematicians tend to use pencil where as everyone else tends to use pen. 

 

This is interesting and I might have had a weird experience, but it was the opposite for me. My very first University physics course was taught by a very inspiring retired professor and he absolutely insisted that we complete our homework in pen, for the same reason you say here. We were expected to, after some initial scratchwork, to turn in everything we wrote, so as we write up the homework solution, if we found that we made a mistake (oops, missed that factor of 2 there!), we were to just cross out the wrong values and rewrite them. The incentive was that if we were originally right (oh yeah, that factor of 2 isn't supposed to be there since we're considering emission from both sides of the sphere), we would still get full points.

 

In hindsight, although more points was the incentive, the true motivation behind this policy, I think, was to get us to think like experimental physicists. The professor was one of the frontier experimental particle physicists in Canada so he was probably training all of us to be experimentalists! However, that course had a huge influence on me (I can honestly say it was the single biggest reason for me to be a Physics degree) and so I used pen for my physics and math homework for quite awhile afterwards. 

[WriteAndKnit]

I keep cheap pens on me too -- mostly for people who forgot to bring one. I don't care if I don't get a cheapo bic pen back. I care a bit more about the G2s, but they're still not so pricey that I'd be mad about losing one.

[Crucial BBQ]

I think the Signo 207 is the best "cheap" pen on the market.  Outside of that I prefer Staedtler drafting pencils.  

 

[christianreese]

When it comes to pens, I don't have a specific brand I like. Pencils however are a different matter. I love Faber Castell. I've tried several other brands, but this is the one I "fell in love with". I'm a huge fan of their grip pencils. The fit very well into your hand and don't brake easily. I've dropped pencils, and they don't brake. Of course, I'm not saying they're indestructible. I'm saying they're reliable. It's always worth the investment.

[lyrehc]

Why would ppl use pen? It feels like a bad compromise between printing and pencil - neither with the neatness of print, nor with the convenience, versatility and speed of pencil. If I need ink, I print, elsewise, I use pencil for almost everything except signatures.

I like pen because a) I write faster with a good pen than with a pencil. And for me, handwriting is just as neat as printing, plus it goes faster. and I copy my notes sometimes and pencil is too light to copy well.

[pachydermatus]

Anything that's free and doesn't smear across the page (pencils, fountain and gel pens) or get jammed up as I write (ballpoint pens). I can't speak for all lefties, but for me writing utensils are an incredibly important aspect of daily life.

[yolk]

I use dixon tri-conderoga pencils. They are jet black, have wide triangular diameter, and  a thin rubber coat that feels great in the hand.

 

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR36j4KN8zJiBi2Btqwb7EJVkmt2x8MQ54PQovol7PmwlrSmtg9 (img)

 

I don't go cheap on my everyday essentials!

Edited November 22, 2014 by yolk

[prospecting]

I love dem Zebra mechanical pencils, and pens. They are awesome in quality and last. They got some weight on them too, which I like

[maelia8]

I positively dislike using pencil, whether mechanical or otherwise, because I'm a leftie and I hate getting graphite smeared all over the back of my hand. I avoid handwriting when possible and stick to typing, but when that can't be avoided, I use pen. The only thing I write by hand in pencil is my datebook, because things are changing in there so quickly sometimes that I have to erase or face running out of room on that day's page. I always disliked being told to use a pencil in math class during high school so that I could erase and make things "tidy," so I'm glad to hear that people doing higher calculations in grad school are allowed to use pen!

[Crucial BBQ]

Why would ppl use pen? It feels like a bad compromise between printing and pencil - neither with the neatness of print, nor with the convenience, versatility and speed of pencil. If I need ink, I print, elsewise, I use pencil for almost everything except signatures.

I prefer pencils but a good pen just glides over the page in a way that pencils do not. If you write a lot by hand that smoothness can be appreciated.  

 

As a student of biology, I was "trained" to use pens in labs.  For whatever reasons, writing in your lab notebooks with pencil is frowned upon to the point of simply not being acceptable.  Turning in a biology (or chemistry based on experiences) lab notebook written in pencil is worst than not turning one in at all. I believe the logic is that pen provides a permanent record of your notes.  If someone were to look at your original notes, with pen, it is more difficult to alter what you originally wrote.  

[dr. t]

Has anyone found cheap dot graphed ruled notebooks? It seems they are only found in expensive moleskin like notebooks and i just want a 1-3 dollar per notebook. 

 

A bit of a delayed response, but have you tried engineering paper instead? It's usually pretty cheap.

[Giverny]

I love my Uni-Ball Jetstream retractable roller-ball pens.  They're moderately expensive, but it's a great pen.  They write well and are durable, plus I have a thing for clicky pens.  And Uni-Ball uses that anti-check-washing ink, which apparently also works when you drop an exam in a puddle.  My marks were still there, but the prof's ink pretty much washed away.

[shadowclaw]

I have favorite pens for different things. I love Pilot G2 pens for note-taking and other everyday writing. They come in great colors, write smoothly, and don't smear. They are also great for correcting/commenting on papers. When I'm doing research in the field, I use rite in the rain notebooks and use a Fisher Space Pen. It's supposed to write at any angle, in extreme temperatures, under water, and in zero gravity. If I'm in the lab, I use a Zebra Sarasa pen. It's supposed to be one of the best pens for writing in lab notebooks. I find that it smears easily, but based on the following link, it will hold up to spills the best.

http://colinpurrington.com/tips/academic/labnotebooks

[ashiepoo72]

Size extra fine black Pilot G-2 pens for everything...reading, editing, note-taking. I'll use the size fine in a pinch but it's too thick and bleeds through thin paper. I love em because they don't smear at all, the ink comes out smoothly (worst thing ever when pen ink stops halfway through writing a word) and are reasonably priced (seriously...a dozen for like $10 on Amazon!)

I'm not a stickler for paper as long as it's college ruled.

[bibliophile222]

On 11/25/2014 at 10:31 PM, maelia8 said:

I positively dislike using pencil, whether mechanical or otherwise, because I'm a leftie and I hate getting graphite smeared all over the back of my hand. I avoid handwriting when possible and stick to typing, but when that can't be avoided, I use pen. The only thing I write by hand in pencil is my datebook, because things are changing in there so quickly sometimes that I have to erase or face running out of room on that day's page. I always disliked being told to use a pencil in math class during high school so that I could erase and make things "tidy," so I'm glad to hear that people doing higher calculations in grad school are allowed to use pen!

I dislike pencil for the same reason (leftie struggles) and because it fades over time.

As far as pens go, I have to give a shout out to Pentel Energel (liquid gel ink). It writes super smoothly, dries quickly, never leaks, works all the way to the end, and makes my handwriting beautiful. They're $3.69 for a 2-pack at Target. I've already converted my boss. 

[SetDec]

I use Le Pen in various colors for note taking and drawing, I like their thin profile which is able to just slip into a pocket. I do carry cheap/free pens for those that need to borrow something. I also use General's Draughting Pencils and Blackwings as a daily pencil. I do work/study art so I get picky about what I use.

[NotAlice]

I realize that most of this thread is older, yet I'm trying to get an idea of what others use. Right now I use Zebra M301 or Uni Kuru Toga for pencils. For pens, it's either Zebra or Pilot G2, depending upon what notebook I'm using. 

This semester I'm  using Muji B5 notebooks - which are lightweight and affordable. I also carry a folder with regular sized filler paper. I like the B5 size, and I'd like to find some notebooks with more pages that are as cost efficient and with as quality paper as the Mujis. 

 

[Green Machine]

Ticonderoga wood pencil leads kept breaking so regularly that I almost had a stroke during my diff eq final!  I wrote their customer service a letter about my experience much like my late grandpa used to do for everything he was unhappy about.  I finally decided to follow suit and try providing feedback the old fashioned way.  A month later, an unexpected, hefty box of pencils arrived on my doorstep.  They sent me enough free pencils to last me at least ten years.  I'm still using them.  Perfect, no.  Free, yes.  :-)

[madamoiselle]

I will throw hands for the honor of the Retractable Pilot G2, .7 mm, in black. 

Edited April 25, 2018 by madamoiselle

[IOnlyUseJetstreams]

Wow, my username is incredibly relevant here!

As my username says, I really prefer Uniball Jetstreams, 0.5mm. I have really small handwriting, so larger, gel pens like G2s are really bad for taking notes or doing any type of work. I wouldn't exactly call Jetstreams gel or ink pens, maybe a mix of both, so they don't smudge very often. Definitely my favorite pen by far!

[imd]

Pilot Hi-tecpoint V10 Grip. I have been using them for years and they are worth the wait of a 2 months delivery-time. And for notebooks, once you have tried Clairfontaine you can't go back! but they are soooo expensive! 

[megabee]

After years of searching, the Pilot Juice Retractable 0.38 is my pen soulmate. Relatively inexpensive and absolutely perfect for my writing style . Great for small or large handwriting, and doesn't smudge. Would take this over the G2s any day. Only downside is that they really aren't sold in stores, but they're available online (and with Prime shipping). 

Also slightly off topic, but the Ticonderoga Emphasis highlighters are wonderful. The only standard color highlighter set where the blue highlighter was actually usable and not immediately thrown out.

[brightorangesocks]

Reviving an old thread!  Thinking about school supplies has been a nice distraction from waiting to hear from schools.

My pen preference is Pilot V5 pens (black for most things, but I keep a bunch in various colors as well).  I don't know what it is about them, but I've been coming back to them for years and they've always been really solid.  I have had a couple fail and leak, but in the decade or so I've used them I figure that isn't unreasonable.  Pilot makes a similar type pen (I forget the name) that is pricier, but has a nice cushioned barrel, and I like those as well (not the G2, it's a different one but has the same tip as the V5).

For pencils, I am a diehard Papermate Clearpoint (0.5mm lead) fan.  I've used them for everything since sometime in middle school, maybe around 2005 or so.  I know that I had one for something like 7 or 8 years... the clip that holds the top on had broken off in a high school math class - I reattached it with a Spongebob Squarepants band-aid and kept on using it.  They last forever, have gigantic erasers, and have a large enough barrel to be very comfortable to use for long periods.  

[Adelaide9216]

I use Sharpie Pen in Black. love love love them.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sharpie-Point-0-8mm-Black-Count/dp/B0027ACOIM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549069833&sr=8-2&keywords=sharpie+pen

[SuzyH]

I purchased a pack of Pentel EnerGel Liquid Gel Pens because the package stated the ink was suitable for lefties (which I am). Love. For once I didn't look like half my hand was bruised as the ink dries super fast. Smooth writing and bright colors for color blocked notes.