
Deciding among a hacker's best friend: pens - jseliger
http://jseliger.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/product-review-pens
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pasbesoin
I used to have a Koh-I-Noor brass barrel Rapidomatic 0.5 mm mechanical pencil
that was the best thing I'd ever written with. Foolishly, I took it to a
training class one time and lost it. I've never been able to google or eBay a
replacement. (There is still a Rapidomatic line, but it is plastic barreled,
without the stability and heft that made the brass barreled model so
exceptional.

The closest I've found is the Rotring 600 line, which was still carried by
Levenger. Also metal, and with a decently decisive action, but neither as
precise nor as well weighted as the Koh-I-Noor. Checking now, it appears
Levenger no longer offers it.

The Koh-I-Noor loss has been a bitter blow. The weight of the brass provided
just enough pressure to allow the pencil lead to glide very smoothly over
paper with minimal downward pressure. And the weight was just enough to dampen
slight tremors without making writing an effort -- in fact, it was less effort
as I didn't have to work as hard to suppress the tremors and minor motions or
stutters against an uneven paper surface.

As for the "hacking" aspect: Pencil/pen and paper is still one to the best
interfaces I've found for prototyping and for freestyle association. In
addition to its freeform nature, I find writing is enough slower than typing
that it causes me, in slowing down, to really think things through. I may
generate less raw output, but it tends to be of higher quality. That extra bit
of delay often allows my mind to go further on a point and to gain insight I
otherwise might not achieve.

There is also something kinesthetic about pencil/pen and paper that resonates
with my personality. Working in the medium itself begins to generate a
positive feedback loop.

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christofd
I like the Pilot G2 XF very much. The normal Pilot G2 is a little thick. For
Fountain Pens I really like the aluminum Rotring pens (German). They're a bit
heavy, but they feel like a real tool. Ah damn, Rotring doesn't make em
anymore... Well, Lamy fountain pens are really good and cheap (also German):
<http://www.lamyusa.com/safari.html>

The Pilot Disposable Fountain Pen is hilarious: [http://www.pilotpen-
store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=PIL+SV4B...](http://www.pilotpen-
store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=PIL+SV4B%2DBLU&).

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joe_bleau
My Koh-I-Noor was a 0.5mm Rapidomatic 5635, white plastic barrel. Great
pencil, until the barrel broke. I replaced it was a Rotring (probably the 600,
although I'm not exactly sure), sold by Levenger under their name. (The clip
is stamped Rotring, though). It's very nice, solid brass, and easily as good
as my (plastic) Koh-I-Noor.

I've had a few other very nice pencils. Less technical is the Pentel Kerry
(<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/45_356>) --everyone should own one.
The Ohto Tasche (<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/45_131>) is almost as
nice.

The Pentel Graphgear 1000 (<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_118>)
is good drafting pencil, but not quite as 'dense' as the Rotring. It has a
decent retractable sleeve, which might give it just a bit more wiggle. I also
have a Ohto Promecha 1000
(<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_154_659>) and Super Promecha 1500
(<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/340_154_663>), but to me they seem to
be more about trickery than solid quality. The SP1500 has about four
adjustments, so it's got quite the geek factor going for it. Pick one up if
you're into mechanical pencils.

I love the _very_ fine line gel pens that are now available from
<http://www.jetpens.com> and <http://www.jstationery.com>. The Pentel Slicci
(<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_342>) is my fave, but check out
the Pentel Hybrid Technica (<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_241>),
the Uni-ball Signo DX (<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_286>), Uni-
ball Signo Bit (<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_61>), and the
Pilot Hi-Tech C (<http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_284>).

As you can tell, I'm a little bit obsessive about writing instruments too.

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tait
I enjoy the Pentel Graph Gear 1000 - pretty heavy for the $20 price and the
extended drafting-style tip retracts when the clip is opened.
<https://www.pentelstore.com/index.php?grp=760>.

