Hiding In Plain Sight.

[SoulSamurai]

The nice thing about being a programmer is that no one writes anything. Everything goes through a device. So pens last a long time and don't walk off because no one uses them. I use Shark and Varsity pens at work although I carry an Online Switch. Being old, I have to use a written planner so the pens are a necessity.

I'm a programmer. I find it very useful to scribble stuff on paper to organise my thoughts between blocks of coding, or when I'm momentarily stumped - my version of rubber ducking I guess. But then I find that useful when doing other things too; seems it just helps me organise my thoughts.

[Zookie]

Anyone who doesn't believe that a Pilot Varsity is refillable, please feel free to send your empties to me. I'll even pay the postage for you

Edited February 7, 2019 by Zookie

[sansenri]

My "who cares if they snatch it, I've got a few more in my drawer" pen is a Dollar 717 pen.

The pen is a twist cap piston filler, and has quite a nice Lamy type of nib.

It writes remarkably well for the very low cost, and can provide a satisfying feeling when writing such as not regretting too much not having a much better pen.

It's available in clear plastic but also in black, blue or red. It's made in Pakistan.

It generally sits in my pen holder in the office and has so far aroused no interest...

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DOLLAR-FOUNTAIN-PEN-PISTON-FILLER-DEMONSTRATOR-PROFESSIONAL-WRITING-PACK-OF-10/322008664598?hash=item4af9364a16:m:m5dZRree8sgP_jUcu9QOliw:rk:13:pf:0

 

you can find cheaper deals (in absolute value) if you search offers for 1,2 3 pens instead of 10.

[goodpens]

My "who cares if they snatch it, I've got a few more in my drawer" pen is a Dollar 717 pen.

The pen is a twist cap piston filler, and has quite a nice Lamy type of nib.

It writes remarkably well for the very low cost, and can provide a satisfying feeling when writing such as not regretting too much not having a much better pen.

It's available in clear plastic but also in black, blue or red. It's made in Pakistan.

It generally sits in my pen holder in the office and has so far aroused no interest...

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DOLLAR-FOUNTAIN-PEN-PISTON-FILLER-DEMONSTRATOR-PROFESSIONAL-WRITING-PACK-OF-10/322008664598?hash=item4af9364a16:m:m5dZRree8sgP_jUcu9QOliw:rk:13:pf:0

 

you can find cheaper deals (in absolute value) if you search offers for 1,2 3 pens instead of 10.

Thank you!

[sharonspens]

+1 for the Metropolitan

+1 for the Parker 51, or 45, or 21 (all of which will cost more than the Metro)

 

however, in most cases, if they are in the pen cup, people seem to think they are for common use - unless you have a practiced "evil eye" (I have a private office, and no one even thinks to pick up a pen off my desk without looking very closely at me first to see if they have permission to touch).

 

Sharon in Indiana

[A Smug Dill]

Another endorsement of Platinum Preppy pens to tick all the boxes.

 

Made in Japan. Cheap as chips; the (optional) converter costs more than the pen, if you choose to go that route. As reliable as they come, and even has the spring-loaded inner cap by design to prevent drying when unusued. Has a clear plastic barrel, which allows you to see (between the product's branding) how much ink remains, irrespective of whether you use the supplied ink cartridge, or fit it with the standard Platinum converter, or even turn it into an eye-dropper. Looks just like any number of disposable pens when capped and sitting in a pen cup or on top of a pile of documents. Comes with three different nib width options.

[goodpens]

+1 for the Metropolitan

+1 for the Parker 51, or 45, or 21 (all of which will cost more than the Metro)

 

 

Thank you!

[goodpens]

Another endorsement of Platinum Preppy pens to tick all the boxes.

 

Made in Japan. Cheap as chips; the (optional) converter costs more than the pen, if you choose to go that route. As reliable as they come, and even has the spring-loaded inner cap by design to prevent drying when unusued. Has a clear plastic barrel, which allows you to see (between the product's branding) how much ink remains, irrespective of whether you use the supplied ink cartridge, or fit it with the standard Platinum converter, or even turn it into an eye-dropper. Looks just like any number of disposable pens when capped and sitting in a pen cup or on top of a pile of documents. Comes with three different nib width options.

Thank you. I had a few when they first came out. Medium nib only and a few cracked barrels turned me away from them, though the writing experience was great. I should give them another shot; I want to try the EF.

[bongo47]

I’ve not actually held one, but was just looking at pictures of the Diplomat Magnum on the goulet pens site before heading to FPN. Think it would fit most of the criteria. Also maybe a Nimosine or Ohto Model. I also just picked up a Hero 52 for $2.59 on ebay. Writes pretty well and rather plain. Someone already suggested a Parker Vector, they’re plain enough, but I haven’t really loved the writing experience of the ones I have.

[cattar]

Thank you. I had a few when they first came out. Medium nib only and a few cracked barrels turned me away from them, though the writing experience was great. I should give them another shot; I want to try the EF.

 

The latest Platinum Preppy is made from polycarbonate.

So the cracking, usually it was the cap, is not an issue.

Same nibs in EF, F, M.

Edited February 8, 2019 by cattar

[Lomi]

Baoer 801 is an option too, it's cheap, based on Parker Rialto/88 more than Vector and it's slim enough to be recognized as ballpoint at first sight, also some range of colors available, but line thickness is somewhere between F-M thats why you might also need to buy Jinhao #5 F nib, baoer stock one is good too but I love this nib more.

[sandy101]

Platinum Plasir, Parker 45, Pelikan Stola III, Parker Sonnet (chrome finish), Oxford Fountain pen, Anything by Cross up to the Century 2, Waterman Hemisphere, Caran D'ache 849.

[goodpens]

Bongo47: Thank you. Good suggestions.

 

Cattar: Thanks for the info about updates to the Preppy.

 

Lomarion: Thanks for the suggestion and including specifics about what nib to swap.

 

Sandy101: Thanks for the list. Id wanted to try the Caran DAche 849, so now it is back on my wishlist. And since a few people have mentioned the Parker 45, I think Ill end up using mine in this capacity.

[BaronWulfraed]

I'm tempted to suggest finding an old Esterbrook 444 Dip-Less set and a supply of nib units.

 

It's obviously a desk pen, no one is going to walk away with it (and if they did, the odds are good you'll find someone with ink-stains from spilling the base), and the nib can be replaced if someone did mash it.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I'm tempted to suggest finding an old Esterbrook 444 Dip-Less set and a supply of nib units.

 

It's obviously a desk pen, no one is going to walk away with it (and if they did, the odds are good you'll find someone with ink-stains from spilling the base), and the nib can be replaced if someone did mash it.

That sounds like a winner..........defiantly won't walk easily.

Defiantly give a board for a desk...a bit of class.

[sirgilbert357]

If price were no concern, a Makrolon Lamy 2000 blends in with the best of them. But I would only suggest that for an under the radar office pen you plan to keep with you.

 

I refuse to fill my pen cup with ANY fountain pen. The office buys cheap pens in bulk, so I have one blue and one black in my pen cup, along with a highlighter. Despite it being the office-issued pen, someone STILL steals them occasionally!! I just walk 50 paces to the supply room and get another to restock my pen cup...

 

My fountain pens go with me to work, but stay on my side desk (where a visitor can't reach) or in my shirt pocket.

Edited February 8, 2019 by sirgilbert357

[Tadeo]

Anyone who doesn't believe that a Pilot Varsity is refillable, please feel free to send your empties to me. I'll even pay the postage for you

Hehe well, surely any pen can be refilled, but the effort to do so may concern some people. I like your optimism /determination though.

[WLSpec]

Jinhao shark pen in black. I've mentioned these before, and I think they are great pens. It won't attract too much attention, it is cheap, and it has an ink window. It also ONLY comes in F and Ef nibs, which is what you are looking for. You can purchase them on Goulet Pens. One note, though: it is a converter fill, so you would need a bottle of ink. Other Jinhaos are ok as well.

 

Varsity and Preppy are your best bets for disposable and cartridge fill. And a Pilot Metro is wonderful for a slightly higher price.

 

Good luck finding the right pen!

[JakobS]

I mainly have vintage pens, and many do well to blend in to work environments:

 

Sheaffer Imperial II Deluxe, or Imperial III, 330s or 440s, all have simple stainless steal (or plastic for the 330s/440s) caps with solid color plastic bodies, nothing really to call attention to, but have fabulous conical triumph or inlaid nibs that write effortlessly. Touchdown, or C/C fill which are both accessible filling systems.

 

Esterbrook SM Deluxe, similar style to the Sheaffers above with a stainless steel cap, and solid color plastic body, lever fill, can accept over the 70 different nibs (renew points) that were made over the companys history.

 

This can really depend on the work environment though. I keep a nice looking green Esterbrook J in my standing pen case at work, and nobody touches it. I do share an office with only one other person, though physical plant people wander through from time to time. It maybe we have an abundance of ballpoints around the lab, but I also dont make any show of its presence.....

Edited February 9, 2019 by JakobS

[Bibliophage]

Pick up a handful of Hero 616 pens.

 

They're not the flashiest pens, being Parker 51 knockoffs, but they write just fine, and you can fill them with just about anything, including inkjet printer ink. The only glitch I've had is that the aerometric feed tube _can_ come loose, but it's easy to fix. Just pop the aluminum cover off, and manipulate the tube with the sac and shove it back into place.

 

Right now, on E-Bay, there's a package of 10 of them for 8.18, including free shipping, under the search term "10x Classic Hero 616 Plastic China Fountain Pen"