Let’s talk tools #3: Analog writing implements
It took me a long time to accept that paper and good old analog writing implements, a.k.a. pens and pencils, are still far superior to digital implements for most note-taking and other types of quick data capture. (For long-term storage I still migrate everything to a digital format, either by transcribing the note or scanning it, where I can have multiple backups and easy access to it from any device.) But, for that initial capture, pen and paper are king.
I don’t have a cool pencil pouch to show off. The reason why, is I have a bit of male privilege that I must claim, all of the pants that I wear have usable front pockets with more than enough storage for phone, wallet, asthma inhaler, pocket knife, fitbit, keys and a pen or two. And most of the year I have a coat that adds enough pocket space for a kindle and a notebook. (heh, maybe I should do an everyday carry post, see here.)
Now, I will admit that I love going to the pen and pencil aisle of big box stores. I will spend hours poking around at the pens and pencils, looking at the innovations in ink and lead or the colors and shapes. And it took me a long time to figure out what I was looking for.
On some level the most fun I have ever was back when I used to do calligraphy. The pens (either the old-fashioned ones with the nib that you had to dip or the felt tipped kind) have the ability to change the thickness of the line. You could have a hairline vertical line that winds into a finger wide horizontal line, all with the same pen. And it took me a long time to see that the ability to do that was something I wanted in the pens and pencils I used, in a lesser ability of course.
And I tend to misplace pens and pencils. Most other things I can keep track of, but pencils and pens vanish into wormholes and poof they are gone. So, I want an easily replaced and not too expensive device. So, no hand crafted artisanal, small batch, made only by one old dude and some guy in Brooklyn, free-range inks or pencil lead or pens.Replacements need to be easily Amazon Primed or picked up at Target.
As of now I have three work horses that I use, two pens and one pencil.
Pencil
I use a .9mm mechanical pencil. The exact type is not really important to me, but my favorite is a Pentel one that only comes in mustard yellow/orange. .9mm used to be mostly for architecture, but have become mainstream enough that you can usually find pencils and lead at Target and you can get the bags of the disposable generic ones for cheap. The .9mm after you use them for a bit, build up a sharp edge which lets you control the size the line that you are writing with and just feels right and looks good.
Writing Pen
Now, when I need to jot down a note or write my pages for the day longhand or need to take notes for a meeting, my go to is: a fountain pen. Now, these are Lamy Safaris are a bit more expensive than I would like (in the $25 range), but they are just big enough that I don’t lose them. They feel so nice in the hand and they produce a great line on the page. I currently have two, a fine and a medium, both filled with black ink.
Correcting Pen
For editing and critiquing I like a Pilot Precise V5 rolling ball pen. Usually red or green, but anything other than black. They have a nice feed and good contrast on printed paper.
Links
I find your lack of pen case disturbing :-p