Pen Grips: Review Of Two Very Different Options

[TheDutchGuy]

I hope this will be of some use to someone.

 

My experiments with pen grips might be of interest, whether you have hand issues or not (I do). It might make you adore a pen that’s currently on your so-so list and/or it might seriously improve your handwriting.

Why?

My choices were limited to either stop using pens or to adapt. I chose to adapt. Because I cannot use my index finger when I write, the first step was to improve the grip on my pens. I bought a triangular pen grip from Vitility for use with thin pens and pencils. For girthier pens, I needed a bespoke solution and found it in a simple piece of garden hose. Both solutions are reviewed below.

Summary

I’ve found that using a pen grip completely changes the way I perceive a pen, it’s nib, and the writing experience. It’s a game changer to the extent that a review of a pen used with a pen grip might turn out to be quite different from a review without it. Read on for details.

THE VITILITY PEN GRIP.

There are various products like this on the market, most of which seem to be intended for use with pencils. I paid 8 Euros for a set of three triangular Vitility grips.

The Vitility grip is made of soft foam but the material is quite resistant to tearing. It’s soft yet strong. It firmly grips my old Sheaffer Targa Slim. Sliding the grip over the pen can be challenging, there’s a lot of friction. Once in position, it’s a very sure grip.

Findings:

• You can rotate the grip to suit your preference (think of it as a super-wide Lamy Safari where you can rotate and set the nib to your liking).
• The difference in comfort and feel between various rotation angles is huge.
• The material is soft which initially makes you press into it, a natural impulse that needs to be overcome. Don’t squeeze, just hold. More easily said than done, requires practice.
• Weighs nothing.
• I find that the grip relaxes my hand very much and improves my grip on the pen. The pen just rests in my hand and all I have to do is move my hand to the right.
• The grip makes it much easier to write lightly, without any downward pressure at all.
• However, it does not seem to improve my handwriting.
• An added bonus is that the grip acts as a very effective roll stop and that the cap can be snapped on the pen without removing the grip.
• Limited to slim pens only.

Conclusion: the Vitality foam grip totally changes how a slim pen feels in my hand when writing: much more relaxed, no downward pressure. It allows me to continue using pens that I’d otherwise have to say goodbye to. However it does not improve my handwriting.

THE GARDEN HOSE TRICK.

For girthier pens, a different solution was needed. I found it in a simple piece of garden hose, the diameter of which nicely seems to match that of a lot of fountain pens. A piece of garden hose can be widened at one end by pressing a wedge into it. This make the widened end slip over the threads of concave pens. After experimenting, I ended up with four bespoke pieces of different length and taper which accommodate pens ranging from a ‘47 Parker Vacumatic Jr (the thinnest pen that will fit into it) to a full-size Visconti Homo Sapiens Lava Bronze (where the tapered piece of hose just slides over the cap hook ridges) and an Opus 88 Demonstrator.

In all cases, the pen should never be able to fall through the hose!

Yes, it looks funny. Yes, it ruins the beautiful design of a pen. To me, that’s a very small price to pay if the alternative is to quit the hobby.

Findings:

• Garden hose is much softer than the pen itself but much harder than the foam Vitality grip. There is no tendency to squeeze it. It offers a good grip and is not slippery at all. To me, it feels ideal.
• Heavier than the Vitality grip, but not noticeable when on a pen.
• The hose ‘equalizes’ the various shapes of different pens by taking taper and girth out of the equation.
• Things like step-downs, cap threads and slippery metal sections are gone. Just like that.
• I find that the hose relaxes my hand very much and improves my grip on the pen, more so than the Vitality product.
• The hose makes it much easier to write lightly, without any downward pressure at all. I always considered myself to be a light writer, but now I know what light writing really is.
• The hose definitely improves my handwriting.
• Costs nothing, easy to experiment with.
• You need to slide it off before you can cap the pen.

Recommended for those who are bothered by step-downs, cap threads, slippery metal sections and such.

Recommended for those who wish to continue using a certain pen, but aren’t able to because of hand issues.

Recommended for those who love a certain pen but can’t seem to write tidily with with.

Conclusion: for me this is a game changer. Not only does it offer me an escape from having to quit the hobby, it also totally changes how I perceive my pens. The difference is like night and day. Old friends will show previously hidden talents. Never did the hose make me appreciate a pen less, always it made me appreciate it more.

[MuddyWaters]

We should come up with a solution for the pilot metro step down which would make the pen amazing for its price.

[brokenclay]

Adapt for the win! Thanks for documenting these solutions.

[amk]

Fantastic adaptations!

[Arkanabar]

I'm glad you found these solutions. Right now, a girthy (~10mm) round section, and good flow with a light touch is good enough for me. I'll consider the hose trick if writer's cramp starts to bother me. I have yet to find a comfortable triangular grip. I have some pencil pillows (a slim, round open cell foam grip similar to original Grab-On bicycle handlebar grips), but they wouldn't fit any pens thick enough for me to like. They do fit nicely over ATB brake levers, though.

[TheDutchGuy]

I intend to find a less ugly piece of garden hose. The one I used now is hideous. But it proved a point.

[tinta]

Hmmm..........I need to fashion something for my Lilliput so that I can write more than a couple lines.

[Maurizio]

What do you think of these?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JR68Y37/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=AA4H2TAY217FY&psc=1

[TheDutchGuy]

What do you think of these?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JR68Y37/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=AA4H2TAY217FY&psc=1

 

Interesting! Thank you.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Go to....

Help! How Do You Hold Your Fountain Pen?

 

That is the forefinger up method of gripping a fountain pen, instead of the Classic Tripod. The tripod has many problems most folks take months to learn to have a light grip....Forefinger up is three minutes.

The over pressing at 10&2 is too natural in the Tripod.

 

 

IMO you still hold your pen so you put much too much pressure on your crab pinch forefinger. (I don't know exactly if you can straighten out your index finger)

At least you don't have the deadly Kung Fu thumb pinch.

[TheDutchGuy]

Go to.... Help! How Do You Hold Your Fountain Pen?

 

^—That’s a very useful discussion, thank you!

 

IMO you still hold your pen so you put much too much pressure on your crab pinch forefinger. (I don't know exactly if you can straighten out your index finger)

 

That photo shows how I hold a pen when _not_writing. Due to writer’s cramp, as soon as I start writing, my index finger moves away from the pen and there’s nothing I can do about it. But I will try the straight-finger grip you show on the photos in the other discussion. Thanks!

[TheDutchGuy]

BoBo, you’re a hero!

[Bo Bo Olson]

I was shown that 9 or more years ago by one of those guys over in the writer's section that came over and showed that up.

No more pain in at the middle finger first joint at the nail junction...........no fatigue, and an automatic light grip....so one don't have to press a nib too hard....and stress it.

Took me three minutes to learn, some three or four days of alternating between this and the tripod. By the end of the week I'd near buried the Tripod....except for ball points.

[seaclanky]

Hello DutchGuy...

 

Looks like you are struggling to get comfortable with range of grip modifiers out there. I've got a couple of suggestions which may or may not suit your hand.

 

Have you considered using electrical Shrink Wrap insulation?. Basically plastic tube that slips over the bare wire (ie the pen) and is then warmed with a heat gun to shrink it to fit. Electricians like it because it's seamless, durable and there's no glue involved. Just be careful with the heat gun. Various colours and diameters are available and it can be layered to suit your grip.

 

Another way would be to wrap with cordage. (String!) I like to tie Turks Head Knots on stuff and it takes a little bit of practice. However if you Google the subject you'll see what I'm on about. It would be a bit fiddly on something small like a pen barrel, but the textured grip may be just the thing for you. If you don't fancy a Turk's Head then a short length of Perfect Whipping would be easier.

 

The main drawback of this type of adaptation is that you can only really cover the barrel part of a FP, if you change the section diameter then the cap won't fit any more.

 

But if you were up for using dip pens.... these don't need such a tight grip anyway. The holders are cheap enough and there are nibs available for any writing style. You could experiment with a plain holder and some tape to give you something that works for you. Then the prototype could be used to knock out much nicer holders in hardwood, acrylics, and so on. Dip pen holders are much easier to make than FP's and the only factory parts needed are the little ferrules to hold the nib.

Also, with a dip pen it is possible to bring the wrist and forearm into play rather than the fingers; you may find less fatigue with this style.

 

Good luck on your quest,

[TheDutchGuy]

Good luck on your quest,

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and suggestions!

[markh]

I find metal gripping sections a real problem - hard to get a good hold. For some reason, sterling works ok, but metals like aluminum or other plated/shiny metals slip and require too much force.

 

But I mostly hold the pen above the grip, on the body. Sometimes over the threads (which usually doesn't bother me), and sometimes higher up. I also prefer pens with larger nibs (at least a #6, and even larger is better)

 

This has two effects. For one it magnifies my writing size - think about your pen/hand/paper combination as a lever. Moving my fingers away from the tip contact point increases movement and letter size for the same finger/hand movement.

 

It also decreases force my fingers transmit through the nib.

 

The decreased force also has an effect. The pen needs to be very well adjusted, with a nice flow for this to work for me. If the nib isn't smooth or slightly more friction in one direction the force moving the nib generated by my fingers/hand won't overcome this, and writing is more difficult. I'm not sure if I can fully explain this, but I think if you try it you can feel what I'm talking about.

 

 

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[jchch1950]

A very good idea. I will try it.

[welch]

On 6/30/2020 at 6:58 PM, Maurizio said:

What do you think of these?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JR68Y37/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=AA4H2TAY217FY&psc=1

 

Thanks, Maurizio! I will try this!