this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2024
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AskBeehaw
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How so?
There's only one situation where a ballpoint is better suited than a fountain pen: writing checks. Fountain pens are not good for situations where you have to press hard enough to create a pressure duplicate. Thankfully, check-writing is going slowly extinct.
There are many pens besides the Pilot Vanishing Point that are just as convenient; why do you say that ballpoints are more practical?
They're also better for writing on bad or dirty paper, non-paper surfaces, and if you write in your hand instead of on a desk (the high pressure threshold makes mistakes less visible for me).
PS
Try out the FPR Ultra Flex EF nibs. I've got one of them on a Jinhao x750. It's not the most practical (it can railroad and go dry), but the flex is so worth it.
I had a Monteverde retractable rollerball I absolutely loved which was well-suited to writing through carbon forms.
Like most things, many people don’t want to be inconvenienced with the ritual of refilling their pens; a ritual many fountain pen owners actually enjoy; they don’t care about the granular control over color. Blue is blue. Black is black. But for us, a particular shade of cornflower blue is what brings us joy.
Good points!
Many FP lovers refill from bottles, but it isn't necessary. Cartridges are easy to use, well-suited for travel when you may run dry in the middle of a trip, and TSA doesn't give you grief about them.
Again, my point to OP was that there's very little practical advantage to ball points over fountain pens; if you're using cartridges, they're not much better for the environment, but you can do things like use a converter most of the time and carry cartridges as back-up. Fountain pens are fantastic writing implements.
That, and the ink can handle a bit of water unlike that of a fountain pen (unless you use India ink but then good luck if you have a leak and ruin your bag or shirt because nothing can get that stuff out)
PS The last time I used a check was in the 90s 😆 Do people still use them where you are? I couldn't even get one from my bank if I wanted to.
Google "waterproof fountain pen ink". Here's a comparison of 137 waterproof black inks.
India ink is for drawing, not for fountain pens. You need a specialised indiagraph to use it.
I've had multiple pens in my bag, the worst leak dirtied the nib a bit.
There are a large number of water-resistant and water-proof inks; both Sailor and Montblanc make several. Legal documents are (usually) required to be signed in waterproof blue or black ink, so you'll find a lot of selection in especially these brands that cater to business people.
Any ink that is indelible is going to be impossible to get out of clothing if you spill it; I think that's rather self-evident?
I have used checks in the past couple years. Only like two or so, but enough that I somehow have a checkbook.