Graduation pen for future lawyer . . .

What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student? I tend to like the gel type ink in the Pilot G2. I found this
group via my night's research into personal productivity, and like the
notion of the sorts of pen that could accept the G2 refill, but I am
naturally not tied to that. I've noticed several lawyers using Mont
Blancs, but as I'm not sure what range of quality pens are out there,
I'm not sure where to start. I've thought about the Cross ATX, but
that's based on web searching only.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Ben Wilson

Pelikan M150 Fountain Pen, Black, Medium nib ($57 msrp, can be found
for as little as $45)
or
Rotring 600 ballpoint pen, matte silver - takes Parker style ballpoint
or gel refills ($37 msrp, can be found for as little as $25)

Blue ink is preferred by lawyers (so you can tell the difference
between the original and the photocopy). I recommend Noodler's Legal
Lapis for the fountain pen (it chemically bonds with the paper and
can't be removed without physically destroying the paper, plus it's
light-proof). My guess is that a lawyer would prefer the ballpoint to
the gel refill, since gel inks are generally water-soluble,
slow-drying, and prone to smear.

Save the Mont Blanc for a more significant event than graduating law
school. Your recipient still has to pass the bar exam, get the first
job, get promotion out of the New Lawyer pool, etc. Both of the pens
I've suggested are striking in appearance, comfortable to use, and
built to stand up to a lot of use. The Rotring 600 is also getting
harder and harder to find, so it will have the distinction of being
unusual. The Pelikan has a band of the lawyer's favorite color (same
shade of green as old US currency). Both of these communicate a
professional, do-not-mess-with-me image, but in a refined, genteel way
(in my opinion).

Congratulations to your graduate!

Ben,

Unless you know that he/she likes fountain pens, a roller-ball is a
safer bet. They write nearly as smoothly as fountain pens and require
less attention. They are available in virtually any price range and
the price doesn't generally affect the writing quality since it's the
refill that does the writing. Higher price will get you a nicer
looking pen.

While blue is generally a good ink color choice so that signatures on
originals can be identified, a change of refill gives the user the
color of choice. While some of the special fountain pen inks are very
permanent, the only attorneys that I've run into in my 37 years of
practice that pay much attention to such things are those of us that
are "into" pens. Most documents don't require archival ink and most
attorneys wouldn't know where to find it.

If it's a fountain pen that you're after, you might want to look at
the Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point pens. They are fountain pens which
have a retractable nib unit that extends and retracts at the push of a
button as on a ball-point. They are quality pens well respected by us
pen "nuts" and not merely a gimmick as they might at first appear.
They use regular fountain pen ink from cartridges or from a bottle by
means of a converter which is included. Very handy when you're on the
go and don't want to fool with the cap of a regular fountain pen.

I own three Mont Blanc pens and am very happy with all of them. Many
pen "nuts" feel that they are overpriced and that may be the case, but
mine are very reliable and are among the pens I most enjoy using. If
you're considering one, you should consider whether the new lawyer
will be comfortable with a pen considered by many as a status symbol.
That image could make some uncomfortable and less likely to use the
pen since its identity is so obvious.

Good luck to your graduate. I've sometimes shared the following quote
regarding precision in writing with young lawyers. Perhaps it will be
of interest to him/her and if not, only a few electrons have been
wasted.;-)

Justice Stephen in "In re Castionio", 1 Q.B. 167-168 (1890) said:

"...It is not enough to attain to a degree of precision which a person
reading in good faith can understand; but it is necessary to attain if
possible to a degree of precision which a person reading in bad faith
cannot misunderstand. It is all the better if he cannot pretend to
misunderstand it."

Dick

On 5 Jan 2006 20:18:55 -0800, wrote:

What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student? I tend to like the gel type ink in the Pilot G2. I found this
group via my night's research into personal productivity, and like the
notion of the sorts of pen that could accept the G2 refill, but I am
naturally not tied to that. I've noticed several lawyers using Mont
Blancs, but as I'm not sure what range of quality pens are out there,
I'm not sure where to start. I've thought about the Cross ATX, but
that's based on web searching only.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Ben Wilson

Ben, as the resident pen fanatic at a law school library, I sometimes get to
see pens that our grads have been given as
gifts (since they know that I'm also the lady with all the bottled ink that
they can use if needed!) My advice would be
to skip the Mont Blanc - the grads I know who've received them tend to see
them as a status symbol, not as a real
writing instrument (I know one who made it a point to carry the MB in his
suit pocket for show -- and then use a G-2
to actually write with.) Of the two grads that I know of who've absolutely
loved - to the point of becoming pen
enthusiasts - the pens they got as gifts, one received a Pelikan fountain
pen, the other an Aurora. Don't know the exact
model numbers, but in each case the pens looked distinctive, they wrote
really well, and the mix of form and function
made for a great gift.

Sally, Law Liberry Lady....

wrote in message
oups.com...
What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student? I tend to like the gel type ink in the Pilot G2. I found this
group via my night's research into personal productivity, and like the
notion of the sorts of pen that could accept the G2 refill, but I am
naturally not tied to that. I've noticed several lawyers using Mont
Blancs, but as I'm not sure what range of quality pens are out there,
I'm not sure where to start. I've thought about the Cross ATX, but
that's based on web searching only.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Ben Wilson

On 5 Jan 2006 20:18:55 -0800, typed:

What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student? I tend to like the gel type ink in the Pilot G2. I found this
group via my night's research into personal productivity, and like the
notion of the sorts of pen that could accept the G2 refill, but I am
naturally not tied to that. I've noticed several lawyers using Mont
Blancs, but as I'm not sure what range of quality pens are out there,
I'm not sure where to start. I've thought about the Cross ATX, but
that's based on web searching only.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Ben Wilson

Hi Ben,

Well, I've been a lawyer for decades - I'm old enough that I learned
to write with a dip-pen in grade school, went on to fountain pens and
never stopped. Though you don't actually say so, I presume that you
are asking about fountain pens.

Though I have many fountain pens, my top three are a 30-year old
Montblanc, a Lamy 2000 and a Pelikan 605, all with nibs ground to
italic cursive. The Lamy is not at all garish, affordable and a
piston-fill - an all-around good choice, IMO.

And I've never met a lawyer who uses black in his fountain pen; I
certainly don't, adorning my correspondance and pleadings with such
colors as: Herbin's Violette Pensée, PR Naples Blue and Tanzanite and
Diamine Royal blue.
--
Cordially,

Serge Dasara
1/6/2006 10:12:12 AM

wrote in message
oups.com...
What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student? I tend to like the gel type ink in the Pilot G2. I found this
group via my night's research into personal productivity, and like the
notion of the sorts of pen that could accept the G2 refill, but I am
naturally not tied to that. I've noticed several lawyers using Mont
Blancs, but as I'm not sure what range of quality pens are out there,
I'm not sure where to start. I've thought about the Cross ATX, but
that's based on web searching only.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Ben Wilson

Welcome to the group!

It's my understanding that the Pilot G2 refills won't fit the current Cross
pens, only the older ones.

It's also my understanding that Waterman rollerballs *do* accept the G2
refills, so a pen like that would give both rollerball and gel ink options
for the same pen.

If the graduate is female, the Waterman Ici Et La is supposed to accept both
Waterman ballpoint and rollerball refills...which means that the G2 should
also fit.

Personally, I prefer fountain pens and if the graduate is open to using
them, I recommend any Cross (Cross nibs are made by Namiki and Pelikan), the
Parker Sonnet (very comfortable), any Namiki/Pilot including the (very
convenient) Vanishing Point, any Pelikan, and any Waterman that fits your
price range.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

On 5 Jan 2006 20:18:55 -0800, wrote:

What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student?

Don't try to give people "daily use" pens unless they've made it plain
what they want. Pens are a very personal choice - if they already hae a
preference, then even a good pen is likely to be ignored in favour of
it. I certainly will never use anything with a metal body and if it's
too thin then I wouldn't even be able to hold it.

Give nearly any person a fountain pen and they're just going to ignore
it. Maybe they're missing out, but fountain pen users are pretty few and
far between these days and you're unlikely to convert them just by
giving them a nice one.

That said, as few people really use pens for very long these days
anyway, then their precise suitability is less important. If it's just
something that's used for signatures, then anyone will be happy with an
impressive fountain pen, even if they'd never consider writing a whole
page with it.

I hate to say it, but the best commemorative gift is perhaps the Mont
Blanc. They're not a pen for writing with (they're overpriced and poorly
made) but they have iconic status as a posession and the white start cap
makes them easy to spot across a desk. If you're going to give a pen,
and you know it's not really going to be used, then it's not a bad gift.
OTOH, the number of fake MBs around these days makes them about as
devalued as a Rolex or TAG-Heuer watch.

As to modern pen brands for writing with, then I'd go with a Pelikan.
They're excellent pens, and they have good ink capacity. They also offer
a good range of models to suit most budgets, and even the cheapest are
still well-made and good writers.

I wouldn't recommend a new Parker 51, despite them being my own
favourite pen. Get an old one from eBay if you have to - they're nicer
styled and sometimes better constructed than the modern versions.
Pre-war Parker Duofolds might be nice too, if the recipient has a
fondness for Art Deco styling and some of the more lurid colour
combinations they offered.

With a roller ball pen, the quality of writing depends on the refill,
not the case it resides in. I have heard good and bad about MB refills.
Generally good reviews for Schmidt products, which are used with
Pelikan, Parker, and maybe some others. If you like the G2, look at
other Pilot/Namiki offerings. Someone makes a roller ball that can
filled with fountain pen ink. (Who is that?, someone help me please)

Cuz

wrote:
What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student? I tend to like the gel type ink in the Pilot G2. I found this
group via my night's research into personal productivity, and like the
notion of the sorts of pen that could accept the G2 refill, but I am
naturally not tied to that. I've noticed several lawyers using Mont
Blancs, but as I'm not sure what range of quality pens are out there,
I'm not sure where to start. I've thought about the Cross ATX, but
that's based on web searching only.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Ben Wilson

Bruce Herbitter writes:

Someone makes a roller ball that can filled with fountain pen ink.
(Who is that?, someone help me please)

At least Herlitz Tornado and some pens of Kaweco are available as such pen.


--
Juhapekka "naula" Tolvanen * http colon slash slash iki dot fi slash juhtolv
"She turns me on. She makes me real. I have to apologize for the way I feel."
Nine Inch Nails

wrote:
What would be a good quality daily use pen for a graduating law
student? I tend to like the gel type ink in the Pilot G2. I found this
group via my night's research into personal productivity, and like the
notion of the sorts of pen that could accept the G2 refill, but I am
naturally not tied to that. I've noticed several lawyers using Mont
Blancs, but as I'm not sure what range of quality pens are out there,
I'm not sure where to start. I've thought about the Cross ATX, but
that's based on web searching only.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Ben Wilson

A future lawyer? Just avoid black ink. Now seriously, any Pelikan will
be a good choice. Others: Aurora Optima, Omas, Delta...

Juan in Andalucía