help me find this totally non-remarkable pen
June 27, 2017 10:12 AM Subscribe
I have found the perfect pen. But where can I buy it again?
As it says on the tin. Pictures of this well-worn pen above. I perused the Office Depot website (who even knew they merged) and did not find its sisters. Presumably Office Max didn't manufacture its own pens and someone else sells these, perhaps with different branding. This pen is so good. It writes perfectly and doesn't bleed. It's getting a little spotty now, and I'm afraid. Don't make me use shitty work-funded pens!
As it says on the tin. Pictures of this well-worn pen above. I perused the Office Depot website (who even knew they merged) and did not find its sisters. Presumably Office Max didn't manufacture its own pens and someone else sells these, perhaps with different branding. This pen is so good. It writes perfectly and doesn't bleed. It's getting a little spotty now, and I'm afraid. Don't make me use shitty work-funded pens!
The pictures don't really give me a lot of detail to go on, because it looks like a fairly generic (literally, in this case) clicky pen. Based on what you wrote, I'm not sure that any picture would work, though, because what you like about it seems to be how it writes rather than how it looks. That's something that a picture can't convey well. You're probably best off going to your local Office Max/Depot and just testing some out. One thing I can tell from the writing is that it doesn't appear to be a normal ballpoint - maybe a gel or a rollerball. Maybe a Pilot G-2 would be similar?
I did some searching on eBay, and I found some "Office Max retractable gel pens", which don't appear to be the same as your photo. So maybe I'm wrong about the gel thing, or maybe they changed the look.
posted by kevinbelt at 10:59 AM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
I did some searching on eBay, and I found some "Office Max retractable gel pens", which don't appear to be the same as your photo. So maybe I'm wrong about the gel thing, or maybe they changed the look.
posted by kevinbelt at 10:59 AM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Can you unscrew the pen body and show the ink cartridge to us (or to someone at OD)? Pen bodies are made and cast away with ease, but companies really rely on a limited set of ink cartridges.
That's a moot point if what you like about it is more the body than how the ink flows and reacts to the page.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:22 AM on June 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
That's a moot point if what you like about it is more the body than how the ink flows and reacts to the page.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:22 AM on June 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
As Ladh has alluded to, a lot of pens rely on modular designs, so assuming you really like the flow of the pen, you need to find what cartridge is used.
posted by jacobean at 11:53 AM on June 27, 2017
posted by jacobean at 11:53 AM on June 27, 2017
Response by poster: The ink says G-20. It looks fairly standard.
The pen is running out of ink and since I took it apart I can no longer click it! Oy gevalt.
posted by quadrilaterals at 12:23 PM on June 27, 2017
The pen is running out of ink and since I took it apart I can no longer click it! Oy gevalt.
posted by quadrilaterals at 12:23 PM on June 27, 2017
Perhaps these? (That's what I found searching "g20 ink pens".)
posted by ktkt at 12:31 PM on June 27, 2017
posted by ktkt at 12:31 PM on June 27, 2017
Do you prefer the fit of the pen in your hand (the pen body) more than the flow of the ink on paper, or do you like both equally? I get the impression you're looking for this specific body shape. In that case, you may need to contact a vendor of bulk personalized pens (like this one, there are many) and ask if they have a pen in this body style that accepts G-20 ink refills. Share the image(s) with them. They may ask you to make some measurements, but they'll be able to help you find out what specific body style this is. If they have them in stock, you'll be able to order dozens-to-hundreds for around ten cents each. I went through this process with my org a couple years ago and the company sent me a huge box full of various sample pens to test out before we settled on a specific style to order.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 2:21 PM on June 27, 2017
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 2:21 PM on June 27, 2017
Did you ask Office Max about who their vendors are? That would be the place to start. Especially if you find a particularly pen happy employee.
posted by Vaike at 2:41 PM on June 27, 2017
posted by Vaike at 2:41 PM on June 27, 2017
If you're open to suggestions of other pens that write well with no bleeding or smearing, the Uni-ball Jetstream is outstanding. It's been our household go-to pen for some years now. Plus it's one of the pens recognized as being secure against check-washing, if you're concerned about that.
posted by Lexica at 4:11 PM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Lexica at 4:11 PM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hydra77 at 10:24 AM on June 27, 2017