Office Pens

[BrandonA]

I used to take my limited edition pens to work and never had a problem in doing so. Now though I've completed the set I've become a bit more protective of them. I therefore now take a set of MB Starwalker pens to work each day. The set includes a fountain pen, ballpoint and a mechanical pencil. I therefore have a pen for most circumstances, the fountain pen gets used >90% of the time.

 

I used to leave two pens in the drawer at work but now I take them home each evening when I leave. The main reason for this is in case I want to mix it up and change the pens.

 

I think it you work in a professional environment it doesn't really matter which of your pens you take to the office.

[Blue_Moon]

I have a different problem. I do some, but not a whole lot of writing in my office. I use either a Uni-ball gel or Pilot G2 because I can leave them sitting on my desk, ready to write when I need them. With a fountain pen, it would need to be on my desk, uncapped. I've tried one, and it just didn't seem to work out because it may go untouched an hour or two or three, and then was dry when I needed it - hard starts. However, I may need it every 10 minutes. It just depends on things, such as phone calls I receive, people coming to my office, and other unexpected things.

 

Is there a fountain pen and ink that someone could recommend that I could leave on my desk uncapped throughout the day, so I could have immediate access whenever I needed it. Personally, I would rather use a gel pen than have a desk pen stand on my desk - no room. The fountain pen I used was a Lamy. I didn't even try any others because I figured they would all dry out. Maybe a Pilot Varsity? I don't know if that would work or not. Any suggestions?

Edited July 26, 2013 by Blue_Moon

[pencils+pens]

You could get a desk pen. There is no cap to take off. The pen is ready at all times. And since there is no cap, it is less likely to just disappear - unless the base is taken also.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

Almost any pen that I have inked could come to work with me, except for a couple of older vintage pens which I want to take special care of. Generally it's two fountain pens in my shirt pocket, along with a mechanical pencil, and a bullet Space pen in a pants pocket, and they stay in my pockets when not being used. That's partly to keep people from just picking them up; many people assume that it's okay to write with any pen they see as long as they put it back when they're done. Also, though, I have things to do in a number of different rooms, and I never know where I'll need to write something down.

[Jflorek]

In my office I have a coffee mug full of ballpoints and rollerballs (Uni-ball, Parker Jotter, Cross twist pens) for folks who need to borrow a "regular pen". I usually have 2 or 3 fountain pens in that mug as well. Lately they have been a Hero Doctor 616, Sheaffer No-Nonsense, Jinhao X750, and a Baor 3035.

[Blue_Moon]

You could get a desk pen. There is no cap to take off. The pen is ready at all times. And since there is no cap, it is less likely to just disappear - unless the base is taken also.

 

 

Personally, I would rather use a gel pen than have a desk pen stand on my desk - no room.

[mikeschu]

I have a different problem. I do some, but not a whole lot of writing in my office. I use either a Uni-ball gel or Pilot G2 because I can leave them sitting on my desk, ready to write when I need them. With a fountain pen, it would need to be on my desk, uncapped. I've tried one, and it just didn't seem to work out because it may go untouched an hour or two or three, and then was dry when I needed it - hard starts. However, I may need it every 10 minutes. It just depends on things, such as phone calls I receive, people coming to my office, and other unexpected things.

 

Is there a fountain pen and ink that someone could recommend that I could leave on my desk uncapped throughout the day, so I could have immediate access whenever I needed it. Personally, I would rather use a gel pen than have a desk pen stand on my desk - no room. The fountain pen I used was a Lamy. I didn't even try any others because I figured they would all dry out. Maybe a Pilot Varsity? I don't know if that would work or not. Any suggestions?

 

Try a Pilot Vanishing Point. One click and it's ready to go.

 

As for the OP, A Pilot Metropolitan is a good pen. One thing I would suggest before buying another pen is to take a pad or a few sheets of the office paper that you write on home and write with your current pens to see how the paper reacts. It seems that for me the only pens that work are EF and relatively dry; otherwise they bleed onto the next page and feather like nobody's business.

[JPS_Rotring]

I work at a small company with my own restricted space. Coworkers would never take my pens - they hate fountain pens and love their cheap disposable ballpoints. That said, a customer once "tried" (more likely just forgot) that I lend him a Lamy Dialog ballpoint. So my daily office writer is a black Rotring 600 with Gold EF nib and one black Rotring 600 with BB and red ink for signature.

 

They get supported by some Rotring and Lamy ballpoints for when a fountain pen is not the best choice (e.g. (bleep) paper or quickly jotting down notes and drawing scribbles in a meeting).

 

For sketching I use a Rotring 800 mechanical pencil, 0.7 with 2H lead.

The two Rotring 600 and 800 still go home with me in the evening, because I privately write with them too.

 

 

For when I'm on location I got a Diplomat Spacetec (Fisher Spacepen produced in licence by german company Diplomat) and a True utility telescoping pen on my keychain (http://www.amazon.com/True-Utility-Telepen-Telescopic-Pen/dp/B002K9J26W)

[kaissa]

I have two pen cups at work. The one nearest the clients and visiting co-workers is loaded with office supply or vendor give away ball point pens and mechanical pencils.

 

A tactic that I use as well. The pen cup that is for the visitors is full of promotional ballpoint pens and pencils but my visitors simply just do not take them although I want them to do so dearly. "My" pen cup currently has a Lamy Safari FP and several Uniball Vision Elite BLX rollerballs which are great for signatures by the way. My "preciousss" ones are always in the bag out of sight.

[bluesky]

Agree, Pilot Vanishing Point would be a good choice for office pen and for Blue_Moon's pen requirement of be ready to write after hours of sitting with a single click.

 

One click and the nib is out and ready to write. Another click and the nib is stowed away.

I have not had any problems with it drying out in between uses.

Can leave on the desk ( if safe to do so) or easily carry in shirt pocket.

A medium nib works well for me with most grades of paper and I have an additional smooth cursive italic nib/converter section when I want to give something a little flare.

 

The only issue for me originally was where the clip is placed. Initially It was uncomfortable and made me not use the pen, but, later on trying it again it has been a great, I have used it as an office pen for years.

 

Recently I have been using Monteverde's ITF ( ink treatment formula) ink and have been pleasantly surprised with increased flow/ smoothness on cheaper and more expensive paper, cap off time, etc.

 

Best regards

bluesky

[angelofmusic81]

My job is definitely a "high-risk environment" for pens--any pens. I have taken to carrying my Nemosine Singularity with me daily, but when it is not in my hand, it is in my bag. It's inexpensive, but has become a favorite of mine. However, if it bites the dust or gets lost it won't be hard to replace. I used to carry a Pilot 78g and did end up losing it (my job involves a lot of travel in the community and there's no way to find one lost in the field). It was inexpensive and easy to replace as well. Of course, even though the second one is undoubtedly as good as the first, the lost one has grown to epic proportions in my mind just because it is lost forever.

[RJR]

I have had several less expensive FP's disappear from my desk at work in the past. My immediate co-workers would not "borrow" my pens but I do work in a 10 story corporate building and there are many people who wander in and out of our offices during the day. Since the company supplies most of the office supplies I suspect many see pens merely as company supplies and feel they are communal property.

 

I have company supplied roller ball and gel pens but I do keep a Lamay Safari FP at my desk filled with Asa Gao blue (company supplied!) and take the precaution of putting it in a drawer when I'm know I'll be gone for a few days.

 

I do more writing with that Safari the I do with all my other more expensive and home office based pens added together; I have really grown quite attached to that Safari!

 

Ray

[JulesSilvan]

When I worked in an office my main pens were a TWSBI Mini and a Lamy Vista, both with EF nibs, the only other person who used a fountain pen had a MontBlanc - no idea what model as he purely used it to make an impression in important meetings, yet only ever seemed to use Parker Quink ink. Luckily most of the places that I've worked at have had people who do respect other people's property - in that if they need a pen they will always return it or put it back where they found it after asking first.

[Moynihan]

What is your office pen?

 

I keep a few Lamy Safari and AL-Stars at the office. In office and during biz day when out of office, use my every-day-carry pens also.

[Opooh]

Since it is my own office, all my pens are kept there. The pens that are not in use are stored in a locked case.

[Runnin_Ute]

I have a different problem. I do some, but not a whole lot of writing in my office. I use either a Uni-ball gel or Pilot G2 because I can leave them sitting on my desk, ready to write when I need them. With a fountain pen, it would need to be on my desk, uncapped. I've tried one, and it just didn't seem to work out because it may go untouched an hour or two or three, and then was dry when I needed it - hard starts. However, I may need it every 10 minutes. It just depends on things, such as phone calls I receive, people coming to my office, and other unexpected things.

 

Is there a fountain pen and ink that someone could recommend that I could leave on my desk uncapped throughout the day, so I could have immediate access whenever I needed it. Personally, I would rather use a gel pen than have a desk pen stand on my desk - no room. The fountain pen I used was a Lamy. I didn't even try any others because I figured they would all dry out. Maybe a Pilot Varsity? I don't know if that would work or not. Any suggestions?

Just cap it. If it is a snap on cap (Lamy Safari, Al Star, Vista, among others) it is very easy - even if you just put the nib inside it and don't snap it shut. If you post that is a bit more of a hassle. But those are the options - hard starting because it has been uncapped, a desk pen, or cap it - even partial capping like described above.

[CAG_1787]

Though they'd be perfectly safe, I never leave pens at the office. I just use whatever my everyday carry pens are that day, but they go home with me, because I'll be needing them for more personal writing during the evening!

 

(Edit: typo)

Edited August 2, 2013 by CAG_1787

[wallylynn]

I have just one EDC, my Noodler's pen (right now I'm breaking in a Konrad, before I used a Ahab). I don't have to worry about anyone taking it since my boss doesn't like my "funny pen", and my coworker doesn't want it since he's lefty.

[OiRogers]

I carried DuoFold Sr's for a while... then Parker '51's for their ability to do 5 sheet carbonless.... moved to carrying a ballpoint MB and a Lamy 2k for a bit... then to Bexley Corona... recently been carrying the Lamy again. Just ordered a Lamy Safari for daily use as my vintage pens are getting more and more pricey by the day for my use.

I broke the Corona at work in an auto-crash recently... broke my left wrist as well, but was more upset about the Bexley. =P

[Parker51]

Hello, I also had an accident with a Bexley Corona. Howard Levy was very helpful in regard to this, replacing the part and reassembling the pen. If you think the pen is salvageable I suggest you contact him, and maybe he can help.