If you haven’t already, give Noodler’s Ink a try. All the ink is made by one guy, Nathan, in Southeastern Massachusetts. He’s absolutely fanatical - most inks are waterproof and resistant to many chemicals and are extremely good value.
I’d estimate that I have roughly 20 bottles. I usually will buy if I like a label or the color. Though, I did once buy a rare purple ink of his because it was the last one and I didn’t want the annoying person behind me to get it.
I keep the smallest space pen in the wallet in sewed together. It’s 20 bucks and is perfect for writing on a PM sheet against an electrical cabinet or steel vestibule. When you drop it into a scrap chute on a press, a pretreat tank or in a conveyor pit it’s cheap enough to walk away from without too much regret.
Very interesting but one quibble. In a "Made-in-America" post shouldn't you find an immortal American guitar God rather than going with the "Snow Dog" from over the northern border?
I love Rush jokes almost as much as I love a good pen.
My father turned me on to them early in my career. I always used whatever cheap plastic pens were available until he bought me a nice - but not too nice, so I'd figure out for myself what I like - pen and told me one should always spend the money to get the best tool for the job. My daily driver is a Waterman Hemisphere rollerball that my wife got as a gift from a client. (Pilot G2 refills fit perfectly at a fraction the cost of OEM refills).
My favorite pen is a sterling silver Tiffany twist-action ballpoint that my father received from his employer when the company celebrated its 50th anniversary sometime in the late 70s or early 80s. The story I heard is people got so drunk at the dinner that several of them left their pens behind (or figured they were "just" a Cross or Sheaffer), so dad picked up a few strays as well. If so, he must have given them away over the years, because I found just one while going through his house after he died. It's too thin to for my hand (I like a pen with heft) and I haven't figured out which refills it use (I think they're Cross) so it rarely gets used, but I occasionally break it out when I need to look expensive.
Do you know of any exceptional refills available? I use the Skilcraft Aviator B3 in the jet...durable and nice to have black/red/pencil on hand with minimal space. But it would be nice if a Fisher or similar refill would fit for large swings in temperature...
My wife loves pens and I have purchased several fountain pens for her over the years. Not for me, as high end writing implements are a waste with my handwriting no better than chicken scratch.
I am now liable to pick up one of the USG pens for her to celebrate our upcoming anniversary. Thanks for the reviews!
Much like my parents when I was a kid and wanted a puppy I had to prove I could take care of the goldfish first. No fancy pen until I can prove I won't lose my entry level Space Pen. So far so good! Thanks for the write up. I'll probably snag a copper model from Urban Survival Gear next time it comes up in his rotation.
Not made in the USA, but brand new, not even out yet. Appears to be made in the UK, but wondered if you had seen it. Uses magnets for the retract action somehow. Very tempted to order one.
On TV Tropes, there's a page called Crack Is Cheaper, which essentially states there there're no cheap hobbies. Now, while I'D never spend five hundred bucks for a ballpoint pen, I like to believe I'm philosophical enough to see how somebody else could, and would be completely happy with their purchase.
After all, I'm one of those guys who'll spend a hundred bucks on a model kit of a battleship or fighter plane, then throw another couple hundred in photoetch parts, several kinds of glue, resin upgrade parts, masking tape, masking liquid and paint at it, all for something that in the end, just sits on a shelf looking pretty.
And I'll do that at least ten times a year.
So live for today - within reason. After all, none of us are going to fool the Great Judge on the Last Day by citing what we HAVEN'T done.
Love this made in The USA theme. Such a rich topic with a lot of pleasant surprises! Thanks for doing this.
If you haven’t already, give Noodler’s Ink a try. All the ink is made by one guy, Nathan, in Southeastern Massachusetts. He’s absolutely fanatical - most inks are waterproof and resistant to many chemicals and are extremely good value.
Appreciate this... I'll look at it for the fountain pen test.
Wtf my wife uses some of these inks (in addition to making her own).
My wife has spent the GDP of a developing nation there. Good stuff.
I’d estimate that I have roughly 20 bottles. I usually will buy if I like a label or the color. Though, I did once buy a rare purple ink of his because it was the last one and I didn’t want the annoying person behind me to get it.
I keep the smallest space pen in the wallet in sewed together. It’s 20 bucks and is perfect for writing on a PM sheet against an electrical cabinet or steel vestibule. When you drop it into a scrap chute on a press, a pretreat tank or in a conveyor pit it’s cheap enough to walk away from without too much regret.
Yay! Tresmonos is here.
William Henry has some great knives and pens; made in Oregon. It's been my daily writer for 5+ years. Short and has a great heft to it.
https://www.williamhenry.com/bolt-belize.html
Jack, do you know if there is any US machining of ball point tips?
My understanding was that majority of tips were still produced in Japan, Germany, and Switzerland.
Other than Fisher, I don't know of anyone who is making the actual ball in the USA. I could EASILY be wrong about this.
How much for the side click gulf livery pen? It sort of matches my C8 (rapid blue, red seats).
$200? I need to go back and see how much I paid, but that's in the ballpark.
Very interesting but one quibble. In a "Made-in-America" post shouldn't you find an immortal American guitar God rather than going with the "Snow Dog" from over the northern border?
Once you let a Grimsmo pen in the mix, it's all up for grabs!
Also, there are no American drummers as annoying as Peart.
I love Rush jokes almost as much as I love a good pen.
My father turned me on to them early in my career. I always used whatever cheap plastic pens were available until he bought me a nice - but not too nice, so I'd figure out for myself what I like - pen and told me one should always spend the money to get the best tool for the job. My daily driver is a Waterman Hemisphere rollerball that my wife got as a gift from a client. (Pilot G2 refills fit perfectly at a fraction the cost of OEM refills).
My favorite pen is a sterling silver Tiffany twist-action ballpoint that my father received from his employer when the company celebrated its 50th anniversary sometime in the late 70s or early 80s. The story I heard is people got so drunk at the dinner that several of them left their pens behind (or figured they were "just" a Cross or Sheaffer), so dad picked up a few strays as well. If so, he must have given them away over the years, because I found just one while going through his house after he died. It's too thin to for my hand (I like a pen with heft) and I haven't figured out which refills it use (I think they're Cross) so it rarely gets used, but I occasionally break it out when I need to look expensive.
Do you know of any exceptional refills available? I use the Skilcraft Aviator B3 in the jet...durable and nice to have black/red/pencil on hand with minimal space. But it would be nice if a Fisher or similar refill would fit for large swings in temperature...
I think Pilot G2 is the best general-purpose durable refill, but it's not up to Fisher standards.
Maren Morris, what a stunning voice
My wife loves pens and I have purchased several fountain pens for her over the years. Not for me, as high end writing implements are a waste with my handwriting no better than chicken scratch.
I am now liable to pick up one of the USG pens for her to celebrate our upcoming anniversary. Thanks for the reviews!
Much like my parents when I was a kid and wanted a puppy I had to prove I could take care of the goldfish first. No fancy pen until I can prove I won't lose my entry level Space Pen. So far so good! Thanks for the write up. I'll probably snag a copper model from Urban Survival Gear next time it comes up in his rotation.
In case this article is not updated: Urban Survival Gear changed brands to Smooth Precision Pens, same ownership as far as I know.
Not made in the USA, but brand new, not even out yet. Appears to be made in the UK, but wondered if you had seen it. Uses magnets for the retract action somehow. Very tempted to order one.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lazlo-the-pen-redefined#/
I just bought some Grado headphones, maybe I should write a wall of text about them.
On TV Tropes, there's a page called Crack Is Cheaper, which essentially states there there're no cheap hobbies. Now, while I'D never spend five hundred bucks for a ballpoint pen, I like to believe I'm philosophical enough to see how somebody else could, and would be completely happy with their purchase.
After all, I'm one of those guys who'll spend a hundred bucks on a model kit of a battleship or fighter plane, then throw another couple hundred in photoetch parts, several kinds of glue, resin upgrade parts, masking tape, masking liquid and paint at it, all for something that in the end, just sits on a shelf looking pretty.
And I'll do that at least ten times a year.
So live for today - within reason. After all, none of us are going to fool the Great Judge on the Last Day by citing what we HAVEN'T done.