Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Pen

Thin pencil anyone?

nam3d — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:27:30 -0800

I'm looking for a 'thin' pencil... I recently purchased a PicoPad . Overall I've been impressed with the product but I've found the pen supplied not to be 100% reliable and I'd much rather write with a pencil.

Could someone point me in the direction of a thin and short pencil that I can use instead of the supplied pen?

You can really get the size of pen by watching this video.

White pen for marking photographs?

deliquescent — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:17:22 -0800

Is there such a thing as a white pen that can be used to write on a photograph? My wife and I just received the Christmas cards we bought through Shutterfly - they're basically 5X7 inch photographs. We had fussed over the wording for a while, but because of the multiple edits we now have a very awkward greeting. It's too expensive to start over, and I think I can remedy the situation if I could add an apostrophe and a colon, but with what? I think white out would be too obvious and too difficult to write with, and my google searches have failed.

Thanks!

I quit my "pen pal"--do I need to explain why?

naplesyellow — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:14:12 -0800

I feel weird about dropping my foreign pen-pal-but not weird enough to want to change anything. Am I too cruel? A woman in Germany befriended me last year. She saw my very handsome brother's page on an memorial site...and she claimed to "love him". (yeah..I know...what was my first clue that she is troubled). But I didn't see any harm in writing to her and I really enjoyed learning about where she lives, etc. She writes in impeccable English because she is a translator. It was kind of nice to discuss my brother with her...since not too many people cared about him while he was alive. Over the year, however, she made noises about coming here to the US. She is very effusive and "loving". I told her I have absolutely no room for guests (which is true) and she writes back things like "oh, don't worry, I can stay in your yard in a tent!" She is the kind of person who sends hugs and kisses and "cuddles"...she fawns over me. I know that she is very lonely because she is taking care of her elderly Dad and she never goes anywhere. She was writing to me twice a day...really long long emails. I feel almost like a guy who "led someone on"--but I have completely run out of things to talk about with her. I just stopped writing and answering her. A bit abruptly. She loves to send me stuff and I am completely tired of it. I just didn't know how to tell her that I don't want to write anymore...so I have handled it passively agressively by just dropping her.
I know I have not handled this well...but the question is..should I just never write back and call it a day? She isn't writing either now and I know she is "hurt" because she has written my dead brother some messages about it on his tribute page.
Advice gladly accepted.

Pencil-like pen, please?

ishotjr — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:08:00 -0800

Are there any pens that write like a pencil? I have a weird problem. It is much easier for me to write neatly with a mechanical pencil than a pen. It's odd, because my printing is very neat in pencil, but I have difficulty not ending up with chicken scratch using a pen. I'm in grad school and have to take a lot of notes by hand, which I do with pencil. The notes tend to smudge when they rub against the other pages in my notebook. I could switch to harder or finer lead, but 0.7 HB is optimal for the way I like to write, plus I'd rather have my notes in ink. Are there any pens out there that have a writing feel more like that of a pencil *and* don't bleed through (so I can use paper front and back)? Erasable is a plus, but certainly not a deal-breaker.

Watch/Pen Audio Recording Device

thankyoumuchly — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:13:59 -0800

Looking for a discreet audio recording device (not one of the typical voice memo recording sticks you get at radio shack, this must be discreet). I am a public speaker at my company and I typically speak at multiple meetings per day, with no time to take notes for follow-up questions. I need a stand-alone audio recorder that is discreet (wrist watch, pen, etc.) and that can handle at least 8 hours of recording on 1 charge / 1 set of batteries. I've found multiple types of watches with recording similar to this one in the link below (mostly these watches all have the USB 1/8th inch headphone jack looking plug on the left side of the watch face by the "9" and seem to be crappy quality). Is this a piece of junk? It kind of looks like it is. I need good solid audio, that is my main buying point:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26493

Does anyone have any experience with these discreet recording devices (maybe an audio recording pen)? Please help hive mind!

Bonus if it's a watch and also has a stop-watch functionality built it so I can record audio and time myself!

Thanks in advance - TYM

Illustrator: set corner point as default?

Mayor Curley — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:59:30 -0800

In Adobe Illustrator, is there a way to make the pen tool default to corner points rather than curve points? It's a PITA if you're drawing something jagged (like a map border) and you have to click on every point that you set to make it a corner point.

Help make our Pomeraninag feel at home in a new house.

spacefire — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:52:33 -0800

How can we make a nice, safe and attractive area for our dog in the new living room? We just moved to a new place, yay! It is a first floor one bedroom apartment. We have a Pom doggie who has issues (rescue). He like to bark and sometimes pees inside (he was neutered very late, at 3, just beforew e got him from a shelter).
He is a little too hyper and shouldn't be so because of collapsed trachea. Thus he needs to be in an enclosed area for his own safety when we are out of the house. At the previous apartment where we had more room, we had him in a baby pen with a heavy duty rubber mat under. Now, place being smaller, we halved his pen by removing some segments and also cut the rubber mat in half.
We would like to purchase a new pen and a more attractive mat for him, that would look better than what we have right now and also would be easier to move around. Products ideas are welcome!
Also, any suggestions for alternative indoor sheltering options are welcome! We haven't tried crating, I am unsure if that helps at all. He is also developing arthritis and likes to stretch sometimes.
Ideally something that would be easy to clean too, and that would prevent his hair from spreading everywhere.
Doggie is bigger than toy Pomeranians, he is about 17 pounds.

My (really not great) handwriting into pretty, pretty computer text?

eb98jdb — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:34:22 -0800

My (really not great) handwriting into pretty, pretty computer text? Is Livescribe the answer? I have to take a lot of handwritten notes in my job. This results in a lot of them being stored up in notebooks and I will never be bothered to type them all up afterwards and so alot of useful info is left to moulder. I'm looking for a solution that will enable me to make handwritten notes, transfer them to a computer and then have them OCR'd (is that a verb?) into text which I can then store and transfer.

I've seen the Pulse Smartpen.

A few points:-

1. I'm fine with using the special dotted paper
2. If relevant, running Windows XP
3. I'm not fussed about recording audio although it doesn't hurt if it's there.
4. I want to avoid (at all costs) taking notes on ordinary paper and then scanning and OCRing them
5. I've seen some stuff which involves clipping something to an ordinary sheet of paper - not sure I like the look of that.

My questions:-

1. Does this thing actually take my (admittedly not great) handwriting and convert it into text? I've seen some reviews but would be interested to hear if anyone has live experience of this
2. If it doesn't, does anyone have any recommendations of something that would do this?

Thanks for your help

Looking for Moleskine notebook accessories.

bamassippi — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:21:01 -0800

Looking for Moleskine notebook accessories. Looking for Moleskine accessories (from the cheap to the luxurious) for my 5" x 8" Moleskine. I write all the time and

- carrying cases
- pens
- pen holders
etc.

Laundry Mess

mdwiffle — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:41:23 -0800

I just did a small load of laundry and a pen (without cap) was in it. Am I screwed?

The clothes (all light colors) now have blue pen marks all over. Any suggestions for how to remedy this? Will I need to individually clorox each pen mark?

All suggestions are welcome!

Phrasing for a PR Person's Present Pen

eytanb — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:14:04 -0800

Latin Filter: As a present for someone in a PR-related field, I wanted to inscribe a variation of what Louis XIV would have inscribed in his cannons - "The Last Argument of Kings", implying that the pen is her weapon. What would you replace the word "last" with? Bonus points for helping out with the Latin. I have a friend who works in a PR-related field in the military. Needless to say, while she does love the work, it does not pay so well. Her job is soon coming to an end and I would love to get her something to show my appreciation for working with her. I was originally going to go with a pen with the cliched "The Pen is Mightier..." but then came across the Louis XIV "The Last Argument of Kings" and realized that switching with word "last" with something else (first? civil? optimal?) could make for a clever, thoughtful present.

I would like to get the quote inscribed in Latin, so if you have a killer suggestion and know how to say the entire phrase in Latin, I will send you wave upon wave of good karma for the duration of the week.

Pen name

leigh1 — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:24:29 -0800

Does anyone know the name of this Caran d'Ache fountain pen? It's greyish with marbled texture. It was given to me as a gift in 2001.

Pen + Paper + Pocket = Profit

nmaster64 — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:06:16 -0800

Best cheap and very pocket-friendly paper/pen solution? My pockets are full as is, but I really need to keep something on me to take down those wonderful little sparks of genius that usually end up lost to the aether that is ADD. Looking for a cheap (definitely sub-$20) pen and paper answer that I won't just leave at home due to tight pockets. Would love to hear ideas and some experiences people have had with different solutions.

Thanks!

Help me find a sewing-kit-in-a-pen.

ScarletPumpernickel — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:01:14 -0800

Please help me find another sewing-kit-in-a-pen like the one I bought at Brookstone in the 1990s. Back in the 1990s, I went to Brookstone and bought a gadgety-cool yet practical clear ballpoint pen that contained a complete sewing kit. The pen refill held five tiny thread spools, and the remaining space in the plastic chamber held a couple of needles and a safety pin. The sewing kit slid out of the plastic sleeve using the refill as a spindle.

It's been a source of aid and amusement for many years, but it finally grew legs and walked away.

I bought the original as a gift, and I'd like to replace it.

Despite my best efforts at Google-Fu, I cannot find *any* pen containing a sewing kit.

Please help!

Help me keep my vote.

mr_book — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:27:37 -0800

I got my Absentee Ballot in the mail. It says to use the special writing implement. There isn't one. Help me get this un-fucked. So I'm in Idaho. My voting area is Adair County, MO. I requested the absentee ballot, they sent it, and it has a bunch of arrows next to names and proposals with half the arrow missing. I'm supposed to fill in the arrows with the "special writing implement" that's included. Problem: there is no writing implement included. Suddenly I miss the hanging chad.

Having been fucked on the last two elections, I'd rather not have my vote dismissed a third time. Maybe its the burn, but this seems like a way to get me to not vote. Like as, I have to send away for the writing implement only to have it arrive on Nov 6th, or something like that.

Is there a fix for this? If it's as simple as "just use a ball point pen," please tell me. The ballot looks like its electronically read; it seems unlikely that the Election Commission uses different pens that the rest of the world - special pens - so this seems like an easy fix. Problem is, I can't find seem to find anyone else who is having this problem.

Help me, Hive Mind, you're my only hope.

What is the new equivalent of the PaperMate G-Force pen?

The Giant Squid — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:08:23 -0800

What is the new equivalent of the Paper Mate G-Force pen? I love the Paper Mate G-Force pen, something about the weight, the action, the feel, the look, the way it writes... I really enjoy this pen. I feel good when I use it. call me OCD, but, I will only sign documents or checks with a Paper Mate G-Force.

Which, of course, means that Paper Mate has discontinued them. What is the pen they used to replace it? Is there an acceptable replacement?

Help me learn to draw [a bit more] like Jason Polan

stuboo — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:24:38 -0800

Is there a name for this style of drawing? And can you suggest a good course of action I could take to learning it? Other than "practice it" what advice do you have? I love this simple style of drawing and would really enjoy learning it.

xB Touch-up Paint Pen Advice

FatherDagon — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:34:45 -0800

Anyone have experience using auto paint touch-up pens? I've got an '06 Scion xB that I bought new about a year ago, and from the night I brought it home on, other people expressed an almost pathological need to door scuff and keyscratch the sides while I slept. I've just purchased this auto touch-up paint pen which is the same paint color as my car. Anyone have experience using these things to cover key scrapes and those white scuffs from doors banging into the sides? Any advice or things to watch out for?

Inexpensive Pilot G6 gel pens (or at least as good alt)?

nolnar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 07:05:41 -0800

Help me find webshops with inexpensive Pilot G6 gel pen cartridges, or at least as good alternatives, that ship to private customers in Europe? BACKGROUND:
I write a lot by hand with gel pens, specifically the Pilot G6, mainly black or blue color. http://www.pilotpen.us/products/ ; screenshot: http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2814/pilotrangelt1.png . I think Pilot uses the same ink cartridge for G2 mini, G2 pro, G2 and G6.

ALTERNATIVES:
Alternative pens/catridges should be at least as good as the G6. They should have the same or similar qualities as the G6, G2 et al: good flow, dry quickly, no "stuttering".

EXAMPLE:
I have locally found the Niji J-clear range of pens and have "testdriven" them for a while (http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9688/nijijclear05ea7.jpg ; I can't find an official website when googling). The J-clear is normally almost as good as G2, G6 et al. But lines drawn with the Niji pens are in my experience always a bit more "fuzzy". And, a more serious problem, some of the Niji pens began to "stutter" after a while. With "stutter" I mean that even with least half the ink left in the cartridge the regular think ink flow frequently gets interrupted by half flow or no flow but then later works as it should again. That really makes a pen unreliable and obstructs efficient use. (I should note that I bought all the Niji test pens at the same time so maybe I good a batch that was old or otherwise nonrepresentative.) So any alternative to G6 et al should be "fuzzy" or "stutter".

VOLUME:
The pens/cartridges should also be available for bulk purchase by some internet enabled store that ships to Europe (to Sweden specifically). With bulk I mean something around 50-100 pens (I use up around 50 pens a year). But if a GREAT bargain price was available if a larger batch is purchased then that might also work.

PRICE:
the Niji pens cost the equivalent of 1.5$ over the counter where I live. That's for one pen (casing) including its ink cartridge. I have not found a place that sells just Niji cartridges. The G6 cartridges also costs around 2$ at local office supply stores.

But I have a hunch that there are DRASTICALLY less expensive gel pens/cartridges around somewhere but that I have just not discovered the brand name and where to get them. Maybe in the sub 0.5$ price range. Maybe from some webshop outlet in east asia with very low bulk prices even with the shipping cost to Europe included.

My hunch is based on my experience from purchasing electronical devices cheaply from such webshops, from reading about eye glasses consumer activism at http://glassyeyes.blogspot.com/ and from sheer optimism. If it works for mp3 players and glasses then why not pens, right?

Ok, I hope that is enough details for the question. Now I hope for your feedback.

Help me get my flower power back

sociolibrarian — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:30:35 -0800

Can anybody tell me where I can find a flower pen I bought years ago? I got it at a stationery store. That store doesn't carry them anymore (I've been checking back and checking back for a good decade now) and they referred me to this place as a possibility, but when contacted, those folks said unfortunately they don't carry such a thing.

I loved this pen and really want to buy more of them. All my searches, calls and emails have turned up nothing.

It is hard plastic, with 3 or 4 hard plastic petals that open when you push the lever down for the pen to come out. Here's my attempt at a drawing of the flower pen.

Pen name paranoia

ndicecco — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:24:34 -0800

I've decided to publish a poem and a short story under a pen name. I'm wondering if there are any negative consequences involved in this that I may not be aware of. My motivations for this are purely literary. Part of a bigger literary project that I'm engaged in necessitates that I actually publish something as a fictional person. The literary journal I aim to publish under is a university small press sort of thing, in Canada BTW. This journal requires that I provide a mailing address. I'm tempted to either use my own, or pick some address at random. My question is... is this legal? Do I "lose" the rights to my writing if I do this? If I'm "found out" by the journal, are there any legal or copyright ramifications?

Basically, I just want to double check with a few smart people before I go ahead and do this. Is this actually a bad idea? Or am I more or less in the clear to get my bigger project on the go?

The pen is mightier than the sword!

banjo_and_the_pork — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:28:48 -0800

What kind of pen did Dr. Jones use in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? My Google-fu is failing me! I'm trying to identify this pen. Bonus points if anyone can tell me where to buy a replica/collectible version of it. Thanks!

Sudoku? I hardly know Sue!

unixrat — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:31:26 -0800

NameFilter: Help me name my 2-8 player sudoku game! A while back, GAMES magazine was having a 'create a new game using the sudoku board'. I toyed with a few ideas, but didn't send any in. I revisited one of those ideas recently and have fleshed it out into a full game. I'll post it to projects after it's been named. It'll be available free for download forever.

Here's a quick overview: 2-8 players, 30 seconds a move. Filling in squares on the board give points, with the Big Play being one that completes a square, horiz and vertical line at the same time. If two or more people fill in the same square, zero points are given. No equipment needed except for a timer and pens/pencils.

Any ideas?

Mutant hybrid office supplies

doift — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:22:37 -0800

Flat pencil or pen that can be used as a bookmark- does such a thing exist successfully? Recently, I was reading a book in which I needed to underline things, and I took it on some errands on the subway with me. I was using a regular mechanical pencil as a bookmark so I could underline as needed. However, the book wouldn't close properly, and the pencil kept sliding out of the book when it was in my bag, and it was annoying. Also, like many people, I sometimes like to carry a notebook and pen or pencil around with me, and have similar troubles then. It occurred to me that a flat or nearly flat writing instrument that could double as a bookmark would be an extremely useful thing. Google search produced these "flat sketching pencils", which still seem too thick. This comment in a previous thread led to these pens, which seem kind of cheap and poor quality, and also maybe too thick.

My question, then, is: Does a really good implementation of this idea already exist? Or are the above-linked examples the best we have for now? Has anyone encountered any interesting bookmark/pencil hybrids in the wild?

Dot-based "Fax Highlighter"? Am I insane?

clango — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:17:40 -0800

When I was a kid, I found a bizarre pen at my grandmother's house. It was a marker with a roller on the tip and it created a dot pattern similar to zip-a-tone when you wrote with it. The ink was a dull purple, like Spider-Man's webbing in a comic book. She called it a "fax highlighter," but I've never been able to find such a thing in office supply stores or on the internet. It sure would be cool to have one for shading and creating a unique look in quick sketches. Help?