Pen That Can Take Abuse.

[Bookman]

I once had a red Delta 365 which I was so frustrated with that I threw it across the room. It survived. Does that count?

 

I really didn't like the pen; a hard starting dry writer which was uncomfortable in my hand. It was eventually traded for several third tier flexible-nibbed pens. I thought I got the better of the deal.

 

I have nothing but good things to say about Edison pens around here. I'm no shill, just a satisfied customer. Your Delta 365 is tough? I can attest the Edison Collier is tough too.

 

At Whole Foods a year and a half ago someone pulled my Edison Collier Persimmon Swirl Acrylic (in eyedropper mode, but sealed and closed tightly) out of my shirt pocket to write the bin number on a tag for loose tea. I held my breath and my oxygen deprivation was rewarded: she proceeded to drop my pen on the concrete floor where it broke in half at the cap threads, spilling Waterman Bleu Sérénité like blue blood out of its body cavity.¹

 

When I got it home I cleaned it up and spent well over an hour inspecting it, alternating between a loupe and my naked eyes. I saw how cleanly it had broken: just the "two" pieces—the cap with most of the barrel threads tightly inside and in place, and then the remainder of the pen. I also saw that there was not a mark on any other part of that pen, not even a little scratch or pock mark. I unscrewed the broken-off ring of threads from the cap, put the cap aside, laid the two injured pieces side by side, and began to formulate a plan. After that I spent a couple of hours working up my nerve and dry-practicing my moves over and over again for the ensuing one-shot Crazy Glue operation. A lot could go wrong. But nothing did. Good as new.

 

 

 

1. I promised to stand by Mrs Bookman (44 years, X months, 21 days, 9 hours, and 4 minutes ago) in sickness and in health till death did us part, but I never promised not to throw her under the bus in the recounting of an incident like this. And since she had never pulled any fountain pen out of my pocket—anywhere—let alone such an imposing pen like this one, I can only assume she had snorted angel dust or popped some magic mushrooms or shot PCP or something. Or maybe Stefano Dimera from Days of Our Lives got to her and implanted a microchip in her brain. In any case it falls under the rubric of "sickness," and so she's covered by the marital lifetime warranty.

Edited May 25, 2017 by Bookman

[sirgilbert357]

The acrylic that Franklin Christoph uses is super tough too, and is probably very similar to what Edison uses. VERY scratch resistant...but the tradeoff is how brittle that kind of material can be. I've never had one break or crack on me, but I could see it happening if I dropped it on a tile floor or something...

[ManofKent]

A Brass or Titanium Namisu Nova should be tough enough if you can live without a clip, and if you do somehow break the nib - the nib/feed units aren't expensive to replace, and just screw in. https://www.namisu.com/

[Inkdot]

Also with the Namisu Brass Nova you can punch holes in drywall and hammer in nails

 

It is a true versatile writing tool!

[Sasha Royale]

Remove the insides from a Mag-lite, and carry your pen in it.

[KellyMcJ]

 

I have nothing but good things to say about Edison pens around here. I'm no shill, just a satisfied customer. Your Delta 365 is tough? I can attest the Edison Collier is tough too.

 

At Whole Foods a year and a half ago someone pulled my Edison Collier Persimmon Swirl Acrylic (in eyedropper mode, but sealed and closed tightly) out of my shirt pocket to write the bin number on a tag for loose tea. I held my breath and my oxygen deprivation was rewarded: she proceeded to drop my pen on the concrete floor where it broke in half at the cap threads, spilling Waterman Bleu Sérénité like blue blood out of its body cavity.¹

 

When I got it home I cleaned it up and spent well over an hour inspecting it, alternating between a loupe and my naked eyes. I saw how cleanly it had broken: just the "two" pieces—the cap with most of the barrel threads tightly inside and in place, and then the remainder of the pen. I also saw that there was not a mark on any other part of that pen, not even a little scratch or pock mark. I unscrewed the broken-off ring of threads from the cap, put the cap aside, laid the two injured pieces side by side, and began to formulate a plan. After that I spent a couple of hours working up my nerve and dry-practicing my moves over and over again for the ensuing one-shot Crazy Glue operation. A lot could go wrong. But nothing did. Good as new.

 

 

 

1. I promised to stand by Mrs Bookman (44 years, X months, 21 days, 9 hours, and 4 minutes ago) in sickness and in health till death did us part, but I never promised not to throw her under the bus in the recounting of an incident like this. And since she had never pulled any fountain pen out of my pocket—anywhere—let alone such an imposing pen like this one, I can only assume she had snorted angel dust or popped some magic mushrooms or shot PCP or something. Or maybe Stefano Dimera from Days of Our Lives got to her and implanted a microchip in her brain. In any case it falls under the rubric of "sickness," and so she's covered by the marital lifetime warranty.

 

My dear life!!!!! The horror. I have an FC Loom that has impressed me with its durability (Short version: fell out of purse. Realized about 5 minutes later, rushed outside to find pen cap on sidewalk and pen laying in the grass, nib caked with dirt and ink drying in the sun. Picked it up, rushed inside and washed it off. It's fine. My only complaint about the Loom is that if it had a threaded cap, the cap wouldn't have come off- the body and pen cap is metal.)

 

My Edison sits safely on my desk in its box and is only used at home. The Loom goes in my purse.

 

Remove the insides from a Mag-lite, and carry your pen in it.

 

LOL!!!!!!!!!! That's not a bad idea, although it makes using the pen a bit of an ordeal.

[pajaro]

Parker 51 Flighter.

[Bookman]

… My Edison sits safely on my desk in its box and is only used at home. The Loom goes in my purse.…

 

On the subject of which pens stay home, which ones go out, or even whether any goes out: to each, his or her own. I'm less liberal with my Collier, post-injury. I take it out to dinner, to the library, to places where I know I'll be sitting when I write. I wear a sport coat when I do, and that's where I clip it: the inside breast pocket is deeper than a shirt pocket; it's secure in there. Plus, I always carry a Pilot Petit1 in a trouser pocket anyway. I do this mostly so I will have a pen to share with a stranger in case one notices whichever good pen I'm carrying that day and appears itching to write with it. But also, when I need to quick-grab a pen on-the-go (e.g. writing down a drunk driver's license plate number) I typically reach for my Petit1.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Bookman

[sandy101]

Parker 45 flighter, a Tombow Object 101 or anything by Diplomat.

[Didimauw]

I am a welder, and work can be pretty tough on my pens. So I like seeing lists like these. My pens weren't very expensive, so I'm not that worried about it. However I just want to see more well worn workhorse pens!

[sidthecat]

A "Tactical" pen is an interesting concept. My criterion is simple: can you kill someone with it?

 

Wasn't there a thread here about a Waterman found in a crashed WWII bomber? I'd imagine that metal pens might do better in the abusive environment, but anything that's toughened enough to survive your shop may not be much fun to write with.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Although there are some pens that can take a lot of abuse, I probably wouldn't take a fountain pen on a job site.

[dapprman]

Karas Kustoms was the first thing that crossed my mind, though if you're not bothered then I can recommend the Namisu Nova as well - I have the brass one - reckon it could double as a knuckle duster - was not surprised to find they were made in Glasgow.

[LuckyKate]

Not a fountain pen, but I saw the Schon design pens at the DC show and fell in love with them. They look indestructible (especially the titanium one).

 

https://www.schondsgn.com/collections/all

[Maurizio]

Jinhao 159. Inexpensive and rock solid.

[penrivers]

I dont know, I have maybe more or less 100 fountain pens, but outside my front door I only use rollr balls, pilot precises.

[Tas]

My humble Pilot 78G, the green one. It lived in my pocket for a good year or so. Never leaked, never dried out, never cracked.

Took a wash and a spin, twice, in my washing machine and kept its ink to itself.

 

I retired it from "active" duty after that and it now has a desk job.

[dukkimoon]

My gosh, if you can bust a Kaweco AL Sport....

 

My Kaweco Brass takes quite a beating. I don't have the same environment as you, but my Diplomat Aero seems mighty sturdy.

[dadbar]

My toughest fountain pen is my Montblanc Noblesse in stainless steel.

 

Metal section, metal barrel, metal cap. Still looks great even when it gets scratched.

[Bluey]

Why not just buy a Bic?