Advantage/Disadvantage Fountain or Ballpoint Pen?

R

razcob

Joined
Feb 4, 2002
Messages
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Having been caught up in this forum, I am shopping for a smmooooth, quality, good-looking pen. I am first going to determine if I want a fountain, rollerball or ballpoint. Any selection considerations, (smoothness, quality, temperature, leakage, tip size, maintenance, etc...)?
 
Advantages of fountain pens:

- smoother writers

- availability of different nibs provide line variation. You can get different nib sizes (xf, f, med, broad) and nib cuts (italic, stub, oblique, etc.)

- wide variety of ink colors available (can even mix to get the shade you want)

- wide variety of pen styles: vintage, modern retro, modern high-tech, custom . . .

- obligatory knife content: did you know that knifemaker David Broadwell makes custom fountain pens? Did you know that Grayson Tighe makes custom fountain pens?

http://www.david.broadwell.com/pens.html
http://www.tighepen.com/

- actually, you CAN get a nib that will write on carbon copies--in vintage pens, this is called a "manifold nib." For a modern pen with a stiff nib, most Watermans would fit the bill.

By using a fountain pen, you are preserving a bit of history that would otherwise be lost. They are not that much more expensive than other fine pens, unless you are buying a limited edition. In fact, is often said that $20-$100 fountain pens are better writers than $200-$400 fountain pens! Leakage is not an issue with modern fountain pens, and as for maintenance--just flush with cool water between refills!

Excellent sub-$100 FP's include the Lamy Safari, the Pelikan 200, and the Waterman Phileas or Laureat.

I heartily second GarageBoy's recommendation of the Pentrace forum. This is to fountain pen lovers what Bladeforums is to knife users.

C'mon . . . join the fountain pen revolution!
 
Fountain & rollerball ink is water based. Ballpoint is oil based. If you write a check with a ballpoint pen, there is a risk the check could be altered with solvents (i.e. the oil based ink could be washed away with solvents) where this is more difficult with water based inks like those found in fountain pens and rollerballs. Personally, I don't see the point of a fountain pen. Even with a cartridge, a fountain pen is less convenient than a rollerball. And a ballpoint writes less smoothly (otoh, ball points won't dry out like a rollerball and write over a wider variety of surfaces, my advice, keep a Fisher Spacepen to cover difficult writing conditions, and a good roller ball for every day).

Kref
 
Hi All-

A rollerball melds the best of all worlds. The smooth flow of a fountain pen coupled with the durability and reliability of a ballpoint. Store it tightly capped and you'll never need to fear a splotched shirt, blouse, jacket, or bag.

If you're writing volumes of information, rollerballs have greater drag compared to a ballpoint, but in this day of computers, who is writing that much? The appearance of rollerball ink on paper is much richer and more robust than ballpoint...another reason that type of pen gets my vote.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Through the benefit of many Gadget and Geer folks before me...

www.joon.com

www.penwa.com (favored by many, excellent terms)

www.goldspot.com (have done business with them, very solid).

www.altmansluggage.com

www.pensplanet.com

other???

don't forget to checkout the Parker Sonnet and the Waterman Expert II

Both for less than $100

Let's take a quick look..

49833.jpg


wonderful pen, takes less expensive refills.

and then there is Parker. I love my Sonnet. It's heavy in my hand and writes like a dream. Agree rollerball is the way to go.

86422.jpg
 
Kyocera, the ceramic knife people ,make a ball point with a ceramic ball. With that you can get waterbase ink. ..I don't know about the modern fountain pens but in the old days many went to ball points because fountains would spring a leak if you flew in an airplane because of the pressure changes.
 
I like and recommend fountain pens though yes you should have a regular ballpoint for checks.

I suggest you get an inexpensive Sheaffer or Parker (I like the Parker Frontier) and try it out, if you like it add a refill adapter and a bottle of ink (again I like Parker), if you don´t like it a fountain pen makes a good present (save the box).

Right now I have with me a Parker Frontier, a Delta Nautilus and a cheap Sheaffer (under $3 US and it actually is a pretty good writer) I also rotate a Pelikan 250 (one of my favorites) and an Aurora Style (good and not expensive).

Luis
 
Actually; unless you use a ballpoint refill that uses carbon black as a pigment a fountain pen or rollerball is probably better for a check. It is possible to "wash" a check written with a ballpoint (dye based) using solvent and remove the amount and payee. Although most fp inks are water soluble when dried; they are not effected by solvents or bleed enough to give evidence of tampering. The best things to use are some of the gel rollerballs (permanent and archival when dry), or a fp with some relatively new inks. When these dry on paper (cellulose actually so watch out for vegtable based fabrics) they become permanent. These are the Noodler's brand eternal inks( http://members.aol.com/scaupaug/ink/index.html ). I have personally tried water, bleach (10% dilution and straight) and methanol on writing done with one of the blue inks. None of it had any effect.

Anthony Lasome
 
FPs with Noodlers Perma black for checks. I know about manifold nibs, but they're kinda rare. Vintage sheaffers have NAIL like nibs. Esterbrooks have interchangable nibs
 
I like the smoothness of the rollerballs. We have a bunch of G2s at work that I use and they are certainly nice to write with. However, I tend to write small and its sometimes difficult with ink that flows too easily. The lines end up not being as fine as I would like and there are often stray marks between the characters. Its for these reasons that I will not give up ballpoints. I've never even tried a fountain pen but I'm sure the problems with that would be even more exaggerated.

I was sorting my pens the other day and I came agross two ballpoints that write as smooth as can be. One had an insert that said The Quill Co. The other I can't find at the moment, but both inserts were the screw in type.

Mark
 
along with not working for carbons another con to fountain pens is they use up ink pretty fast, back when i was going to school taking notes/etc i had to fill 2-3X a week, was worth it because the pen wrote so well but it is still something to think about.

i personally prefer the montblanc pens, i have a roller ball and a fountain, am happy with them, mostly use the roller now, lots of carbons, but if i go back to school for notes/etc or if i have to do lots of writing the fountain rules imho.
 
I've had the same Cross ball point pen since 1967, and its been fine. Can't count the number of letters home I wrote with it from 1972 till 1976 while in the service. still make out my checks with it.

It's become my trademark to those who know me, a dented up old Cross and a dented beat up old Zippo with my unit crest on it from 1972.
 
fountains are a bit of the past - they can be extremely smooth, put down lines which vary in width and intensity and in general make writing a more interesting experience. They can also be finicky and many require a bit more care. I love my FP's - it sort of makes you slow down a bit and enjoy the process.

but rollerballs are also great - smooth writing and quite nice to handle.
 
Not to highjack this but what fountain pens work for lefties and which inks dry the quickest.

As much as I want a fountain pen I hate getting my pinky finger black or blue with ink.

As far as I know the biggest problem is the fact that lefties push the pen rather than pull it across the paper.

:confused:

KS
 
IMO ballpoints suck to write with, but are oftly convenient.

Rollerballs write a ton smoother, are usually a little larger which I like, and put down a much darker line.

FP's are awesome to write with. Tons of ink choices, unique look to the writing, and just a great feel. Not the most convenient and you have to be more careful with them, but the extra work is worth it in many cases IMO.


If you want to try a FP for cheap check out the Parker one available at Staples and other such stores. I got mine for about $6 or $7 and it writes fairly well. I really like being able to use different colors of ink in my pens. I have a Pelikan filled with Private Reserve Sherwood Green, a Waterman filled with Sheaffer Brown and a Namiki Vanishing Point filled with Penman Saphire. Lot of fun having a variety of colors to choose from.
 
Hi All-

Please allow me to "second" the suggestion offered by slide13 with regard to the inexpensive Parker fountain pen available at Staples/Office Depot. To make it easier to find, it's offered in black or deep navy blue with chromed accent pieces and pocket clip.

Collecting pens can be a mighty expensive hobby, too...

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I was at a career seminar and one of the keys to success were to be prepared with a pen at all times. They then went on to say fountain pens ALWAYS LEAK, carry a ball point/rollerball to avoid embarrassment. Fountain pens are probably best left on a desk. YMMV.

I carry a Fisher Bullet in my pocket at all times. ;)
 
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