Unnatural Love: Pens, Stationery, Office Supplies

[polly_mer]

Ooh - and my quad-ruled spiral bound notebooks. Hard to find outside of back-to-school season.

Maybe we are twins because I buy stacks of those every back-to-school season.

[Vkw10]

Composition books with sewn bindings, both lined and quad-ruled. No wires to snag a sweater, plus they shelve neatly so I can find my scribbled notes months later.

[Juvenal]

I go into the stationery store--no, no longer; the romance is over.  I found a great pen, "Extra Fine Liquid Espresso, Black Ink," and they are no longer to be found.  Of course, there are a thousand other choices, should I want, say, "glitter gel ink."  Right.

I have several fountain pens, but have given up using them.  These include one of my oldest, a "Parker 51," duplicate of one I had in grade school (my first fountain pen).  I will admit I had a liking for turquoise ink then, but, hey! it was sixth grade.  Try and find turquoise ink now, anyway...

I also have one of the worst expensive pens there is, a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck guaranteed to leak under any condition.  I no longer let it do so.  It sulks in a pen and pencil holder next to some worn down, cheap No. 2 pencils with rock-hard erasers.  "No, I'm sorry, looking miserable will not make me change my mind."

[hmaria1609]

Last year I bought a limited edition 21 count box of various colored Sharpies (see the picture here: https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Point-Permanent-Markers-Limited/dp/B01LZS2E55) on clearance and another package of 3 metallic colored ones.

A box of 96 count Crayola Crayons with the now retired dandelion color is another treasured one. 

[octoprof]

I have several fountain pens, but have given up using them.  These include one of my oldest, a "Parker 51," duplicate of one I had in grade school (my first fountain pen).  I will admit I had a liking for turquoise ink then, but, hey! it was sixth grade.  Try and find turquoise ink now, anyway...

Oh, I have turquoise ink! I buy it in bottles and refill my pens. Türkis is my favorite, most of the time.

My pens are all medium to very inexpensive models of German brands. I love them and if one doesn't work the way I want it's not a huge loss.

[Tee_Bee]

This thread has been quiet. I guess working from home doesn't stimulate the pen and paper lust the way the before times did. But I have become so tired of typing that I got out all my fountain pens and cleaned them this weekend. And started writing notes in notebooks again. Tactile! My new discovery is Zebra Clickart retractable marker pens. They are incredibly satisfying to write with.

I doubt I am the only pen fetishist out here....

[Liquidambar]

I gave an exam in person recently.  Since this is the only hand-graded thing these students will get back from me all semester, I used a different pen color for every single question.  Nobody commented about it.  (At least I restrained myself and didn't use glitter pens.)

[sinenomine]

The other day I was crushed to find that my favorite ballpoint pen is no longer made. I'm jealously guarding the one I have and hoping I can find something to use as a refill.

[eigen]

I'm back to using fountain pens this semester, which makes me very happy. I'm considering splurging on some more expensive / nicer ones, but haven't decided what yet.

I have a fleet of Pilot Metropolitans in different colors that correspond to different color inks. And I've got a great assortment of inks from Noodler that are awesome.

[Tee_Bee]

I'm back to using fountain pens this semester, which makes me very happy. I'm considering splurging on some more expensive / nicer ones, but haven't decided what yet.

I have a fleet of Pilot Metropolitans in different colors that correspond to different color inks. And I've got a great assortment of inks from Noodler that are awesome.

I've been eyeing those Pilot Metropolitans. I have three Lamy Safaris and a Rotring (they don't make fountain pens any more) but you can never have too many, right?

[ohnoes]

I'm another fan of fountain pens, but my current obsession is fine point dry erase/whiteboard markers.

Virtual learning means I need to keep up with student work in a different way, so I've laminated rosters and make analog notes each week.  It's delightfully efficient and surprisingly pretty.  I also use my office window for weekly to-do lists, so I get medium point markers for that.

[eigen]

My whiteboard marker obsession is the pilot refillable markers (http://pilotpen.us/categories/dry-erase-markers/). I love them. And the refills are cheap and I don't have to throw out the whole pen when they run dry. The tips last me 3-4 refills per marker.

Colors are really bright, there's a large range, and they write really smoothly and erase cleanly.

On fountain pens, what I like about the pilot pens is the really fine nibs. I've got a fine and medium, and the fine is really fine. Much more so than what I've found from other manufacturers.

[mamselle]

For those with pen refill issues, contact this place.

   https://www.bobslatestationer.com/

Ask for the pen counter, the buyer has 20 yrs experience buying pens and accessories, of all kinds, and matching inks and hard-to-get refills.

M.

[Anselm]

I own one of those heavy cast iron tape dispensers.  It will survive a nuclear war.   

[apl68]

At our community's recent vaccine clinic they were giving out pens promoting the state's Rural Health Partnership.  They were a good deal nicer-looking than those sorts of giveaway pens usually are.  But they have a rather odd means of getting the point out for use.  You don't push a button on top, twist it, or pull off one end.  There's a slide on the side that you have to operate.  It takes a moment to figure out.