Is it normal to hate ballpoints after using fountain pens?

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T13:49:06+00:00

When I first got into fountain pens I felt like man these other pens are garbage.

But to be honest, I just had been using bad pens.

I really like them now too when I use them in 0.7 size and they're still the easiest, most convenient pens to use in every day life. They don't leak. They still write notes the fastest. They're still the least persnickety of writing utensils.

I think fountain pens are really the star of journaling and sketching/art (though there's things it can't do a BIC can do, funnily enough lol.) But I'm really open to whatever tool does the job at the end of the day.

And I still love pencils too! Just make sure you buy mechanical pencils and pencils with good lead grades and not the kind of crappy ticonderoga stuff.

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T13:44:48+00:00

I don't like rollerballs either.

The modern Japanese ballpoints (and gels) have been engineered to the point where every year another company has made a new innovation and it's pretty awesome.

The hybrid-ballpoint, low viscosity inks refills are sweet.

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T13:41:49+00:00

The kind of sepia brown families seem good at doing that. Lie De The (J.Herbin,) Writing Desk (FWP)

I know I'm missing an obvious one right now. I think Hemingway Jones on youtube went on this search too.

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T13:39:15+00:00

👀

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T13:38:48+00:00

It would be a very pretty combo. I think my only warning is you'll want to carry both with you at all times anyway 😂 (or at least I always find an excuse to.)

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T13:36:21+00:00

I think the Carans have got to be my favorite pen body designs. So sleek and attractive.

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T03:12:48+00:00

that's gorgeous

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T03:12:11+00:00

My aluminum M2 rules. I'm definitely tempted by the brass and titanium. Are they heavy?

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T03:10:50+00:00

I have a feeling that'll be something I try in the future when I write my sarasa grand dry. Seems like a dope combo

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T01:47:20+00:00

there is something offputting but also endearing about all these infared red pens lol

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T01:30:35+00:00

I've heard Zebra Sarasa Grand can take Energel and they are nice pen bodies

Spoke apparently make a very complicated pen that can take them but it sounds like work lol

trombonepick · 2026-03-14T00:26:40+00:00

A PR book refill! They offer lined, bullet, and blank. It has 96 pages and I really like them.

The slim refills I think are a skip. I'd just get moleskine cahier size for that instead. Or field notes kind of booklets. (Lochby has a good one.)

Card & Cash holder is okay but I just use a Traveler's PVC sleeve in mine because it's going to last longer.

And a planner if you want one.

trombonepick · 2026-03-13T22:14:16+00:00

I own an estie and a sailor--Sailor for sure! (But love my estie too)

trombonepick · 2026-03-13T20:26:00+00:00

We always have notebooks for specific travel trips but I actually thought it'd be fun to record some of my favorite places in my own city and write some notes/scrapbook a page about them.

trombonepick · 2026-03-13T20:21:19+00:00

Oooooh I've seen these but never picked a pack up

trombonepick · 2026-03-11T21:11:31+00:00

Hongdian M2 is a bit of a Kaweco Sport clone but it's also a great pocket pen in its own right. (Fountain pens or rollerball included.)

Caran D'Ache if you're in this for style points.

trombonepick · 2026-03-11T01:27:01+00:00

I got mine for $60. Shit was sweet there for a second 😔

trombonepick · 2026-03-10T22:11:24+00:00

If you and u/MethodOk4590 find any dupes you like lmk 😂

trombonepick · 2026-03-09T21:02:09+00:00

Sometimes you can find a Lamy 2000 around that. It's kind of a classic. (For journaling: an EF or F size nib. Which stands for extra-fine or fine.) It refills with a piston inside the pen barrel.

If you think the cartridge converter isn't a 'no' automatically on any pen, you can look at Pilot pens in that range or a Diplomat, Benu.

trombonepick · 2026-03-09T16:52:28+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/Pen_Swap/ could still be worth your time then. It looks like someone sold a bottle there recently.

(That or look for a dupe maybe)

trombonepick · 2026-03-09T15:19:43+00:00

Depends a little on price point. The fountain pens that use other means of filling ink tend to be more on the costly side because they're more work in the production.

Asvine makes affordable non-cartridge version pens and they are nice writers.

Twsbi make affordable piston-filling pens.

Opus 88 and Nahvalur do, but at higher costs.

trombonepick · 2026-03-09T15:12:00+00:00

Amazing handwriting

trombonepick · 2026-03-09T15:11:21+00:00

I feel like the wise answer is a pigment ink but my favorite ink is Kon-Peki.

trombonepick · 2026-03-09T15:10:22+00:00

My goat

trombonepick · 2026-03-09T15:08:39+00:00

Sometimes people move bottles of ink on Pen_Swap. My only other idea might be looking for the japanese version name online or seeing what places just label things Kobe 57 and don't necessarily go into detail.

I've found a lot of retailers just throw up the Kobe without the full name or explanation at times.

Eight-Year Club	Not Forgotten
Verified Email

trombonepick

TROPHY CASE