For the last few years I have been using Pilot Frixion pens, they use an erasable gel ink. I prefer to use the 0.7mm but in the 0.5mm barrel, as they fit most pen loops better. See this video for an explanation.
I have recently been expanding my use of fountain pens and roller ball pens for general writing and journal writing.
Although my hand writing isn't the neatest on the planet I find a certain satisfaction writing with a reasonable quality fountain pen. I'm not talking expensive ones, more the lower end of the price range. I'm not sure if I would notice the difference myself.
Using a wet ink pen with your organiser can be a bit of a challenge. The combination of the ink and paper can be a bit of a compromise. Finding an ink you like in your pen, and paper that doesn't bleed through or if the paper is coated, finding paper that allows the ink to dry and not then be prone to smudging.
Despite these issues I think it will be a worth while change for me and one I will be trying out different options in the next few weeks.
So what pens do you enjoy using most in your organiser?
I love using fountain pens. I prefer a fine/extra fine nib and this helps reduce bleed through. I also use Franklin covey inserts (trimmed to fit personal) and this paper does not bleed through. My current favorite is the Pilot Vanishing Point Decimo. Writing with a fountain pen is more enjoyable and I can use any colour ink depending how on my mood. I also prefer the more expensive nibs as they write more smoothly. The brand of ink you use will also determine how much smudging and bleed through you get, some inks are just 'wetter' than others. I believe the investment is worth it - I find I use my planner more if 1) I like the look of the planner, 2) the setup works for me and 3) I like the pen I am using.
ReplyDeleteNothing looks more impressive than an historic journal organiser written neatly with a fountain pen with quality ink. I admire those of you who have the time and patience!
ReplyDeleteMy entries are all written quickly, often need to be changed/ updated and not intended to be read posthumously. I don't have time to wait for ink to dry and as a left-hander, have enough problems writing around ring mechanisms without worrying about smudging everything.
So, for me, it's Frixion erasable or pencil every time!
I don't think I will stop using my Frixion pens, but I will supplement them with my fountain pens. I will most probably stick to Frixion for planner entries which as you point out Tim are liable to change in some way. I'm right handed as far as writing is concerned.
DeleteDuring my pen sort out I came across some cheap Pilot V pens, they are a disposable fountain pen, although I'm told you can refill them. I must have had these over 5 years and every one of them worked first time!
I loved the Pilot V pens and still have a couple in working order. I wish that they still made them. Despite trying quite a number of lower to middle price range fountain pens, I am yet to find one that I am completely comfortable with so will remain with my Frixions for the foreseeable future :)
DeleteI agree, Tim. I use pencil for scheduling and a heavy black gel pen for everything else. I am trying to use inserts which are reasonably fountain-pen friendly primarily so I can write on them with whatever I have in my hand at the moment, which could be a stub of a pencil or one of my nice fountain pens. But whatever I use, it must dry quickly!
DeleteDibba, Pilot V pens are still quite widely available where I am; I've been known to pick them up in Paperchase; WH Smiths and similar places. I love them to write with and have refilled them in the past - I carefully used a pair of pliers to pull out the nib and bit with all the fins, filled it with ink and put it all back together again. It wasn't quite the same afterwards but I think I was too heavy-handed with the pliers.
DeleteI've just got a decent fountain pen after not having used one for years, and am enjoying it a lot. It's not as messy as I thought it would be. So far I've just used the Rhodia paper in my HBxWA5. My normal personal Filofax writing is with a Parker ballpoint.
ReplyDeleteFor my planner, I use .07 Frixions as well as just purchased Uniball Signo. For rapid writing and note taking, nothing beats the bold smoothness of the Bic Cristal 1.6m because I'm a big, heavy writer
ReplyDeleteFor the past ten years, my go-to pen has been this one from Acme Studio: http://tinyurl.com/qek5a86
ReplyDeleteBut I don't use the standard refill. Instead I swap it out for the Cross porous point refill (medium point for journaling, fine point for planning). The great thing about all Acme roller balls, however, is that they're all compatible with the same fountain pen converter, so I have that option as well. For me, it's the best of both worlds!
I recently purchased a limited edition Pilot retractable fountain pen with an extra-fine nib. And I use emerald ink from Franklin-Cristoph. It works well on my 2015 Filofax schedule, but even better in the 2016 schedules. Did Filofax change the paper for 2016?
ReplyDeletePilot pens for me. I love the Frixions for my diary - can't stand crossings out. I live my Vanishing Points and have about a dozen from the very plain to the more gorgeous. I wish I could find a fine point that I liked for the VPs as the two I have are scratchy. I've just discovered the Metroplitan/MR and think it's a great quality pen for the price. I also like the disposable V pens for on the move writing. My all time favourite pen is the Pilot MRU. I love this pen. It's absolutely perfect. Looking at this list, I think I might have a problem.
ReplyDeleteI'm using Lamy EF nib fountain pens and the inks that I use are Lamy, Noodler and Diamine.
ReplyDeleteI am currently using a Lamy Safari in my Moleskine journal, but for my Filofax and most daily writing I use still prefer a Jetstream. The nice deep blacks are great. On quality paper I use .7, and on lesser paper I use the 1.0. Both seem a bit smaller than their stated size. The .7 on Filofax or Mnemosyne paper is great and my handwriting seems to be better because of it.
ReplyDeleteI did go thru a phase while living abroad of using cheap Parker Vector fountain pens. I liked the thin size, cap and refillability. Sometimes the tips weren't great, but you could always buy another.
I have a Montblanc ballpoint, but it mostly rides in my pocket as an ornament. Their refills are blissful for a page or 2 when new, but then become a typical ballpoint pretty quick.
Love my Vanishing Point fountain pen, but for my organizer I love my JetStream multi pen!
ReplyDeleteHow have I missed those?! Two on the way now. Can't say I've been a multi color type, but I'll give it a shot now.
DeleteI've been using fountain pens in my Filofax since my first Filofax. Over the years, I've created a stable of XF/F pens, but paper is a continuing challenge - I've never had the space or patience to cut and punch my own.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, I have a Sailor Sapporo, XF Pelikan Pura and Platinum Century Nice which all write very finely, usable even on porous Filofax-brand Personal Paper. To use my XF Lamy 2000, F Pelikan Epoch or XF Rotring Initial, I resort to Japanese "bible-size" refills, from Life or Raymay, which have astonishing coatings that allow almost any Western F pens to really shine.
I credit my persistence in handwriting to my use of fountain pens - the lack of pressure necessary with a good writing pen means a lot less hand fatigue.
hi, off topic slightly, i am desperate to know the brand of a filofax type product which my mother gave me in 1986. It was real red leather, had the brand name in gold lettering on the inside front cover, it was very expensive and good quality, but wasnt actually filofax, the item was nearly identical to the look of filofax though. I think the small gold lettering might have said 'london', or made in london. Please help anyone if you can, I really want to get a copy of it.
ReplyDeleteI think of fountain pens for letters or journal pages written in nice cursive or important historical documents. Those that I know do not carry them or place them in their shirt or jacket pockets because of the wet ink in signing papers quickly. They use fountain pens for other writing. I place a ballpoint pen with a silver barrel in the pen loop of my Franklin pocket binder, and I carry a mechanical pencil in a small pouch in my handbag. I have been relying more on pencil because I designed a different week insert with longer lines than my first insert. I do not need to write in such small letters on the longer lines and can easily erase changes.
ReplyDeleteMe too!! Love the Frixion pens!!
ReplyDeleteMe too!! Love the Frixion pens!!
ReplyDeleteIn my planner, Sharpie pens. I don't have to worry about the ink not drying quickly enough.
ReplyDeleteLike many others, I also enjoy using fountain pens. I use a fine point and a 'softer colored' ink (e.g. JHerbin Cafe des Iles or Noodlers Lexington Gray) for thinner, non-fountain pen friendly paper otherwise ballpoint (Papermate Profile 1.4B) or gel pens (Pentel Energel). To avoid the problem altogether, I just use fountain-pen friendly paper: 28lb HP printer paper or Inkwell Press Planner inserts. For items that change a lot, I'll either use pencil or Pilot Frixion pens--love these!
ReplyDeleteSmall correction: HP 32lb printer paper--it's the best for fountain pen users!
ReplyDeletegel pens and i prefer black ink and occasionally colored gel ink as well. pilot, pentel and uni ball.
ReplyDelete