Pocket Pens - tell me about your favorite

[Toulouse]

What is your favorite pocket pen? For me, a pocket pen is one that easily fits in a front pocket of my pants. Pens that I know of that would fit my definition include: Kaweco Sport pens and the Franklin-Christoph Model 40 Pocket. But I'm sure there are others....
Please share your experiences with pocket pens - I'm in the market for a step up from the Pilot Petit 1 that I'm currently using.

[writingrav]

Well, you know my answer to that one: Kaweco Sport, thought the F-C Model 40 is on my list for sometime this year.

[Toulouse]

Well, you know my answer to that one: Kaweco Sport, thought the F-C Model 40 is on my list for sometime this year.

I do like my F-C 40, but it is a little expensive for me to have banging around with my keys. And I know how much you love your Kaweco Sports ... they're currently at the top of my list because the price is about right for me.

[gbryal]

My Al-Star is full of scratches and dents from riding in my pocket. It doesn't mind. It suffers so my other pens don't have to. I think any of my metal pens, like my x450/x750 or Nemosine Fission could handle it too. My worry is a pen breaking when I sit.

That said, I got a little telescoping Camlin for free with an order that is small enough that it might be able to do the job too.

[writingrav]

Well, you know my answer to that one: Kaweco Sport, thought the F-C Model 40 is on my list for sometime this year.

I do like my F-C 40, but it is a little expensive for me to have banging around with my keys. And I know how much you love your Kaweco Sports ... they're currently at the top of my list because the price is about right for me.

Good point about the F-C 40, but I still want one. The Classic Sports and Ice Sports are an incredible value and I use them as eye droppers so they hold a ton of ink. The AL series are cool, more money but still a value but you have to use either cartridges or the not so great squeeze converter. The Art Sport is more expensive still but is really good looking and can be used as an eyedropper. I'm waiting for a vintage piston filler to arrive in the mail. Should be the best of both worlds.

[fpquest]

An obvious choice, Kaweco AL Sport is my pocket pen of choice. It used to be a Pilot VP since its retractable, its a little big but easy to pull out and use.

[stevekolt]

An obvious choice, Kaweco AL Sport is my pocket pen of choice.

Pocket pen of choice here also. Waiting for one to be announced by Brian @ Edison Pens...just wishful thinking at this point

[trhall]

Pocket pen of choice here also. Waiting for one to be announced by Brian @ Edison Pens...just wishful thinking at this point

Brian does make a pen called the Gem. He also makes a Mini Gem. If you search his Smugmug site you'll find images.

They're custom pens that a customer asked for but he'll make them for anyone. The cap threads onto the back of the barrel, IIRC.

Not sure if that's what you were looking for or not.

[ardgedee]

I've become really fond of my Muji pocket pen, even though the nib is broader than I usually like.

[KBeezie]

My current favorite 'pocket' pen is a Pilot Elite "Big Cap" from the late 70s sold by SpeerBob (it's a korean made version of the Pilot Elite Mini with an extra-fine steel nib), for about $22.

The cap is metal, the little end cap is plastic, but most of the pen when capped is protected. (it does post all the way to the ring when the sticker is removed)

posted.jpg

capped.jpg

I have a Japanese made version of the Pilot Elite Mini with a 18K Soft Fine nib coming, should probably be here tomorrow if not tuesday, identical size and look as the above, except the nib is a little larger and 18K gold instead of steel. That ran me $26 + $10 shipping, the Pilot Elite Mini seems to go for 25 to 40 on ebay when it's listed in auction format (though not always with a soft fine, sometimes just a fine, or medium, or posting or 'script' nib, but all are 18K)

The Steel Nib does have a tiny amount of flex to it.

[discopig]

My current favorite 'pocket' pen is a Pilot Elite "Big Cap" from the late 70s sold by SpeerBob (it's a korean made version of the Pilot Elite Mini with an extra-fine steel nib), for about $22.

The cap is metal, the little end cap is plastic, but most of the pen when capped is protected. (it does post all the way to the ring when the sticker is removed)

posted.jpg

capped.jpg

I have a Japanese made version of the Pilot Elite Mini with a 18K Soft Fine nib coming, should probably be here tomorrow if not tuesday, identical size and look as the above, except the nib is a little larger and 18K gold instead of steel. That ran me $26 + $10 shipping, the Pilot Elite Mini seems to go for 25 to 40 on ebay when it's listed in auction format (though not always with a soft fine, sometimes just a fine, or medium, or posting or 'script' nib, but all are 18K)

The Steel Nib does have a tiny amount of flex to it.

I've actually been curious about those, they look pretty nice.

[reprieve]

My favorite pocket pen is my Kaweco AL Sport in raw aluminum. It's heavy duty enough to stand up to a few knocks and its fine nib always starts up immediately even after sitting unused for a few days. It lives in the pen loop of my Hobonichi planner's cover and I can toss it in my bag without worrying about the pen getting banged up.

I have a Franklin Christoph 40P in solid emerald with a wonderful Masuyama broad stub nib. I use it as an eyedropper. I love the pen, I love the nib, but I carry it with my other pens in a pen case as I don't want it to get scratched (and I don't quite trust an eyedropper-filled pen rolling around in the bottom of my bag).

I also have a silver Kaweco Liliput that has held up well to banging about in my purse. It is so tiny, though, that it has been (temporarily) lost twice. But I like it a lot because it's small enough to fit in a women's sweater pocket or even the rare shirt pocket.

I recently acquired a red Pilot Stargazer, which turned out to be being surprisingly small. The fine nib is very fine and smooth and a reliable writer. I carry this one clipped to my shirt sometimes and it's small enough to fit in some of my sweater or blazer pockets.

The Pelikan M300 is a nice pocket pen also, but, much like the Franklin Christoph 40P, a bit too nice to abuse. On the other hand, it's a piston filler! And it has been made in some lovely colorful finishes (I have the orange one).

Oh, I almost forgot the Stipula Passaporto. I have a few of the early ones, with the threaded barrel ends for posting, and I quite like them. They offer a steel italic nib option, which is nice. They can be used as eyedroppers or cartridge pens. I use them as eyedroppers. They're nice for traveling but for whatever reason they don't stay in my regular rotation (not quite sure why, hmm…).

[reprieve]

The post above about the Pilot Elite reminded me of my Pilot M90. I love that one--the metal barrel and cap are nice and hardy. They're expensive now though (if you can find one). I also have a vintage-ish MYU 701, which is very similar. The nibs on both pens are just fantastic.

[KBeezie]

The post above about the Pilot Elite reminded me of my Pilot M90. I love that one--the metal barrel and cap are nice and hardy. They're expensive now though (if you can find one). I also have a vintage-ish MYU 701, which is very similar. The nibs on both pens are just fantastic.

Except on the "Big Cap" one that's made in Korea, the end cap (or I guess what would have 'technically' been the barrel if not for the huge section) is plastic.

I think the end cap on the the Pilot Elite Mini that's coming is metal, because it has a "18K" Stamp under a triangle on it in the picture with a texture that implies it's metal.

But yes, when I was doing a search for "Pilot Elite Mini", all the buy-it-now listings were over $100, but when I looked at auction history they only went for around 25 to 40 with a variety of different 18K nibs. I *think* the Pilot Elite 95S is probably the modern equivalent to them now.

[Kaputnik]

Well, I don't carry fountain pens that way. Even my T-shirts have pockets, and that's what they're for. I do have some pen slips, and I'll occasionally carry a fountain pen in a cargo pants leg pocket, if I'm wearing cargo pants.

If I were going to carry one in a front pants pocket, though, my Parker 51 Demi is certainly small enough. So is the Kaweco Liliput. Of the two, the Parker is the better writer, but the Kaweco is not bad at all. My Esterbrook SJs are small enough too, but I'd hate to scratch the celluloid, and carrying a lever filler in a way where the the lever might catch on something seems like a bad idea.

Oh, and I do carry a pen in a front pants pocket most of the time, but it's a ballpoint. Fisher Bullet Space Pen as an emergency backup.

[jokeruk]

I've noticed no-one has mentioned the Pilot Petit 1 - any opinions on that, as I've been looking at one.

Especially for the price!

[KBeezie]

I've noticed no-one has mentioned the Pilot Petit 1 - any opinions on that, as I've been looking at one.

Especially for the price!

I've only seen it on JetPens for under $4 and I'm not particular a fan of completely clear plastic pens (especially plastic in my pocket).

Here's a review of it by one of my favorite youtube reviewers.



Honestly though if you've 'been' looking for one, the price seems like you could just get it to try it (I usually feel that way of anything under the $5 mark that has me wondering about it for a long period of time).

PS: The op mentioned the Petit1 as one he's using now.

[jokeruk]

I've noticed no-one has mentioned the Pilot Petit 1 - any opinions on that, as I've been looking at one.

Especially for the price!

I've only seen it on JetPens for under $4 and I'm not particular a fan of completely clear plastic pens (especially plastic in my pocket).

Here's a review of it by one of my favorite youtube reviewers.

Honestly though if you've 'been' looking for one, the price seems like you could just get it to try it (I usually feel that way of anything under the $5 mark that has me wondering about it for a long period of time).

PS: The op mentioned the Petit1 as one he's using now.

I'm not quite sure why I had thought about it, just came across it at some point and thought about getting one considering they are dirt cheap. I've got to admit that I wasn't sure about the clear plastic bit!

[Kaputnik]

I've noticed no-one has mentioned the Pilot Petit 1 - any opinions on that, as I've been looking at one.

Especially for the price!

I threw a couple in on a JetPens order once. They're not bad at all, write about like a Varsity as I recall. My main problem with them was that they just aren't comfortable in my hand. I haven't used mine in over a year, maybe closer to two. They use a special short cartridge, which can be refilled of course, but the Pilot converters are all too long. Might be possible to eyedropper them, but I haven't tried it.

[Brisboy]

Love my guider pocket pen and my ohto rook. Pilot petit goes ok too.