Gel pens: Help me learn to make them perform consistently. [more inside]
posted by knave on Apr 10, 2007 - 9 answers

As a left-hander, I've struggled to find a pen that writes smoothly but dries almost immediately so the ink doesn't smear when my hand passes across it. The the Uni-ball Jetstream fits this bill nicely. Some have criticized it as too smooth, but I like it. It offers me the smooth lines of a gel ink without the goopyness. Unfortunately, I'm also a devotee of weighty, elegant, well-made writing instruments. Though I've given up on using fountain pens for anything other than a signature, I can live with the size and style of a good rollerball design. Are there any high-quality pen bodies (Waterman, Pelikan, Montblanc, etc.) that will accept a Uni Jetstream refill? I've had trouble finding any information regarding the cross-compatability of refill cartridges, and I'm unwilling to buy another $100+ pen only to learn that the ink is unsuitable for me. Of course, if you can recommend a fountain pen that will fit the bill, I'd love to hear about it. But my experience has been that, even using extra-fine nibs and specialty inks, I have to choose between smearing the page or literally scratching my letters into the page.
posted by strunkl on Jan 3, 2007 - 9 answers

I'm not sure if these even exist - but is anyone aware of either ballpoint or rollerball pens that come in brown ink? [more inside]
posted by tastybrains on Jul 11, 2006 - 12 answers

What are your favorite (preferably gel) pens for writing in a Moleskine that dry quickly and won't smudge or bleed? [more inside]
posted by aebaxter on Dec 2, 2005 - 35 answers

AutographFilter : I'm going to a concert in a few weeks time, and was wondering about the ideal pen to use (if any) on glossy paper with a dark background. [More inside] [more inside]
posted by mragreeable on Oct 14, 2004 - 7 answers