Why do people use Ballpoint pens ?

[jthole]

My Pelikan K200 pen with Pelikan or Jotter refill requires no more pressure to write than my M200 fountain pen. I like using this clicker pen when out of the house. It's easy to use. My Cross Century also doesn't take pressure to write. I think the "press down hard" concept is not factual. Way overblown.

 

Doesn't work that way for lefthanded writers, in my experience. As a lefty, you push the ball into the paper fibers, and it is tempting to use pressure to overcome that resistance. Since a fountain pen nib flows on a thin layer of liquid ink, there is much less resistance than with a metal ball covered with ink paste.

 

But in general, ballpoint pens are very convenient, inexpensive, and can be found everywhere. I just can't write with them really well.

[bluebellrose]

I go though an insane amount of ink at work. bic pens work out nicely.

[IndigoBOB]

The Schmidt Easyflow 9000 writes like a dream in whatever pen fits it.

 

I still can't beat the convenience and pleasure of having that in a parker jotter when I need to write something on the go and not have to worry about it. Requires 0 maintenance besides the refilling which is too easy.

 

And it writes on any paper.

 

Affordability.

 

Why are we entertaining this pompous question? lolol

[bemon]

I go though an insane amount of ink at work. bic pens work out nicely.

What do you do for work? I have to find excuses to use my pens. I keep trying to go down to one, but inevitably find myself with three inked. Ive started only half filling them so I can actually run them dry in under a month.

Edited November 15, 2017 by bemon

[bluebellrose]

What do you do for work? I have to find excuses to use my pens. I keep trying to go down to one, but inevitably find myself with three inked. Ive started only half filling them so I can actually run them dry in under a month.

I'm a cashier, and we are required to circle the points thing to promote the store mastercard and the survey thing for every person. Then there's the occasional american and chinese cards that have the swipe or pin and signature and the first time use cards. I don't use fountain pens at work. I'd run out of ink in one shift.

 

And people like stealing pens. People don't steal bics. Although I've lost some nicer bics as well.

Edited November 16, 2017 by bluebellrose

[bemon]

I'm a cashier, and we are required to circle the points thing to promote the store mastercard and the survey thing for every person. Then there's the occasional american and chinese cards that have the swipe or pin and signature and the first time use cards. I don't use fountain pens at work. I'd run out of ink in one shift.

 

And people like stealing pens. People don't steal bics. Although I've lost some nicer bics as well.

Got it. I'm a Digital Marketing Manager for an automotive group. Half the time I bring a pen and paper to a meeting I get teased: "You're our digital ad guy and you still write your notes?" I know my co-workers aren't serious, but they have a point. If I bring my laptop of my iPad it's faster to take notes AND I can actually read them after.

 

So I try to write my personal lists and gather thoughts by pen, but I really don't burn through much ink at all. I finally emptied my half filled Con-40 converter... it took me almost a week.

[Venemo]

The work place at times, due to pace (or multi tiered froms), does not permit the indulgence....

 

May I suggest the use of Esterbrook manifold nibs (eg. 9461), which were created exactly for this purpose?

 

[MYU]

A lot of times printed receipts come on a special thermal transfer paper that is too slick for fountain pens. Either they skip, or they leave too much ink. I once signed one and handed it to the cashier. When she grabbed it, her thumb touched my signature. She got ink on her thumb and was quite irate! So fountain pens have their place. I guess if I took a moment and blew on my signature for a good 20 seconds, the ink may have dried. But, you know how precious time is when you're waiting in line. People see you doing this and they'll give you sour looks. "Get with the 21st century and leave your fountain pen at home!" Well, I won't... but I don't use them to sign receipts anymore.

[lectraplayer]

A lot of times printed receipts come on a special thermal transfer paper that is too slick for fountain pens. Either they skip, or they leave too much ink. I once signed one and handed it to the cashier. When she grabbed it, her thumb touched my signature. She got ink on her thumb and was quite irate! So fountain pens have their place. I guess if I took a moment and blew on my signature for a good 20 seconds, the ink may have dried. But, you know how precious time is when you're waiting in line. People see you doing this and they'll give you sour looks. "Get with the 21st century and leave your fountain pen at home!" Well, I won't... but I don't use them to sign receipts anymore.

Actually, I found fountain pens work much better on receipts than anything else I've tried on that thermal paper, especially those Bic Round Stics they often have up for use that never seem to work. However, when I hand the clerk the receipt after I sign it, I tend to protect the signature by handing her the other end. Sometimes I'll tell her that the ink is wet. Since the paper is so slick, a roller ball doesn't roll too well across the paper, so no ink is placed.

 

The main advantage of ballpoints is they are cheap and disposable. I think the luxury ballpoint market developed because the ballpoint was so familiar to many and as always people try to fit something so functional in a much nicer shell, much akin to putting a cheap Clic Stic core in a New Orleans Saints logoed body. Instead, if most went through the effort of trying to learn to use a fountain pen properly, I think we would see many more in popular culture.

[mitto]

The Parker 51 ballpoint pens tend to fetch way more than the P51 FP. Likewise the MB ballpoints aren't cheap either.

[max dog]

Despite all my fountain pens, a slim Cross ballpoint accompanies me everywhere. One is always in my 3 pen pouch to accompany 2 fountain pens. BPs are convenient, and don't have to worry about accidentally damaging the nib when I am boarding an international flight for example and I have to fill a bunch a forms in a line up while juggling 2 suit cases and a camera bag etc. Last thing I need is to drop the fountain pen on the floor nib first, or catch the nib on something. Ballpoint are a lot more rugged. Fountain pen just doesn't work on a lot of glossy paper surfaces like name tags or luggage tags etc. There are many situations where a ballpoint is a lot more practical.

 

But then when I am at my desk in the evening, with a nice journal, needing to express some thoughts on paper, then that is when nothing but my favorite fountain pen and ink will do.

Edited December 12, 2017 by max dog

[jmnav]

Dear Colleagues,

 

I cannot understand why people use ballpoint pens.

 

Markets find equilibrium wherever offer meets demand and ballpoints are acceptable for the demand side while being greatly preferable by the offer side.

 

Once and again markets demonstrate that lower front cost trumps basically everything else, and ball pens are cheaper. Then, there are circumnstances when ballpens are preferable to fountain pens (rough environments, multicopy paper -which is less of an issue nowadays, but was very important in the fifties-sixties offices, etc.). Then, being so cheap, they can be sold with greater margin and being (most of them) disposable, increase "customer life-time value" and returning to the brand. They also allow for easier management of the whole value chain (they either already come with the ink to use, or make you returning to the branch for refillings). Ballpoints (probably) also found themselves on a moment of growing market for them (not that writing was an uncommon activity before, but I think it multiplied among general population along and after WWII).

 

Finally, once a turning point is reached, ballpens keep being used just because "that's what everybody uses": you don't need further motivation to use what everybody uses.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

Despite all my fountain pens, a slim Cross ballpoint accompanies me everywhere. One is always in my 3 pen pouch to accompany 2 fountain pens. BPs are convenient, and don't have to worry about accidentally damaging the nib when I am boarding an international flight for example and I have to fill a bunch a forms in a line up while juggling 2 suit cases and a camera bag etc. Last thing I need is to drop the fountain pen on the floor nib first, or catch the nib on something. Ballpoint are a lot more rugged. Fountain pen just doesn't work on a lot of glossy paper surfaces like name tags or luggage tags etc. There are many situations where a ballpoint is a lot more practical.

 

But then when I am at my desk in the evening, with a nice journal, needing to express some thoughts on paper, then that is when nothing but my favorite fountain pen and ink will do.

 

Exactly! Writing under ideal, or even good, conditions, a fountain pen is better. But we don't always get ideal conditions. And for a quick signature, or jotting down a word or two, you don't have that much time to think about the difference anyway.

 

My always with me ballpoint is a Fisher bullet Space Pen, and I usually have a mechanical pencil, too. One thing I've noticed in about seven years of using fountain pens is that they have taught me to use ballpoints more effectively. I don't press as hard with ballpoints as I used to, and have found that I usually don't need to.

 

Still, I probably lend my ballpoints to others more often than I use them myself.

[raggs]

i have only just started using fountain pens, and I'm afraid I do consider them rather a luxury item rather than suitable for some everyday tasks. Signing receipts, as some have mentioned, plus being able to carry them in my purse, definitely calls for a ballpoint for me.

 

I started using fountain pens because I journal, and I was always getting frustrated with ballpoints (granted, I've never really bought the more expensive ballpoints). I remembered using fountain pens as a youngster (yes, I'm that old!), ordered one and now writing down important things that I want to enjoy and spend time on is -enjoyable!!

 

So for me, ballpoints are utilitarian at jobs/times I don't want to risk my beloved fountain pens. The fountain pens are joy since I so enjoy physically writing.

 

My children and grandchildren rarely write anything though, except my daughter who also journals sometimes. Everything is typed on their phones! So for them, the debate is more - digital or pen, not even which type of pen!

[lectraplayer]

i have only just started using fountain pens, and I'm afraid I do consider them rather a luxury item rather than suitable for some everyday tasks. Signing receipts, as some have mentioned, plus being able to carry them in my purse, definitely calls for a ballpoint for me.

 

I started using fountain pens because I journal, and I was always getting frustrated with ballpoints (granted, I've never really bought the more expensive ballpoints). I remembered using fountain pens as a youngster (yes, I'm that old!), ordered one and now writing down important things that I want to enjoy and spend time on is -enjoyable!!

 

So for me, ballpoints are utilitarian at jobs/times I don't want to risk my beloved fountain pens. The fountain pens are joy since I so enjoy physically writing.

 

My children and grandchildren rarely write anything though, except my daughter who also journals sometimes. Everything is typed on their phones! So for them, the debate is more - digital or pen, not even which type of pen!

 

With the ballpoints that have been so common, and the fact the phone goes everywhere we all go nowdays, I can certainly see why many of the younger generation types on their phones. I do it too sometimes. That said, you may do well to show her how to use a fountain pen properly. She may discover this awesome thing called pen and paper.

 

Although for me, usually if I can't get my fountain pen to lay a line like I need, I'm probably better off just grabbing a Sharpie. A ballpoint has rarely pulled that one off for me. The only real advantage I can see with a ballpoint nowdays is if you deal with a lot of carbon paper and the abuse resistance. However, I'm regularly running into tasks that a ballpoint simply are not up to for me.

[FOUR X FOUR]

I dont even own a Fontain pen

Allan😀😀

[lectraplayer]

I dont even own a Fontain pen

Allan😀😀

Heretic!

[raggs]

 

With the ballpoints that have been so common, and the fact the phone goes everywhere we all go nowdays, I can certainly see why many of the younger generation types on their phones. I do it too sometimes. That said, you may do well to show her how to use a fountain pen properly. She may discover this awesome thing called pen and paper.

 

Although for me, usually if I can't get my fountain pen to lay a line like I need, I'm probably better off just grabbing a Sharpie. A ballpoint has rarely pulled that one off for me. The only real advantage I can see with a ballpoint nowdays is if you deal with a lot of carbon paper and the abuse resistance. However, I'm regularly running into tasks that a ballpoint simply are not up to for me.

 

 

 

Ah, now that you point this out - I use sharpies as much as ballpoints, if not more. Hmm. I just classify them all in my head as "non-fountain pens", it seems! Well except for my beloved gel rollerballs, but they are only used for my task planner, and what I love is the different colors, not the rollerball.

[lectraplayer]

Really, What lies are felt tip pens if you want to get right down to it. They have their own set of tricks.

 

The main time a ball point has an advantage to me is when you need the ball to apply pressure as you lay ink.

 

Other than that, I'll use gel inks either because they're more readily available or in colors I don't have in fountain pen ink yet.

[welch]

In the 1950's, people wanted a cleaner writing instrument than a fountain pen or a stick pen. The objection: liquid ink. You can see that in ballpoint advertising and in the design of the filling systems in the Sheaffer Snorkel and the Parker 61. Parker and Sheaffer had competed toward the filling system that required a user's hands to touch ink as little as possible.

 

Ballpoints had been fluky when Eversharp introduced the Biros' pen to the US. As best I can tell, liquid ink was nearly as risky in a ballpoint as in a fountain pen, and perfectly spherical balls could not reliably pull from an ink paste. Parker's tungsten ball ("T-ball Jotter") had tiny crevices to scrape ink from paste, and BiC seems to have had a similar invention.

 

After that: cheap mass-production of ballpoint refills, which cut the profit margin even from those pen companies, like Parker and Sheaffer, that offered ballpoints.