Anyone interested in ballpoint pens??

[GregNYC]

They're kind of a post-WWII thing. Even though my parents were both artists and designers, and used drafting pens for their work - for everyday use, they both used ballpoints. My mom loved the color choices that Lindy had. Forget what my father used.

I've been using a Parker T-Ball Jotter, a great current pen with retro lineage. As well as a Montblanc Jules Verne. If this turns into a lively thread, I'll photograph them.

I've never really found anyone else interested in ballpoints though...

 

[Jay]

I carry a Parker Jotter. For a ballpoint, I love it!

 

[Feraud]

I am sure plenty of people are interested in ball point pens! They fit the Golden Era lifestyle. Oh those fountain pens are so terribly old fashioned.
The Mont Blanc Meisterstruck writes beautifully. My wife has been into quality writing instruments for years and we have a lot of decent pens floating around the house. I am frequently in trouble for pocketing her better pens.

 

[binkmeisterRick]

There are pen collectors who are into the old ball point pens. The idea of the ball point pen goes all the way back to te late 1800's, but the biggest problems they had were that they either leaked like crazy or clogged something fierce. Despite numerous patents, the ball point pen didn't improve much over the following decades, making them highly impractical pens. They didn't really gain notoriety until WWII pilots noted that they worked well at high altitudes and didn't require filling as often. But ball point pens had many flaws and it wasn't really until the 50's that the pen design and proper ink formulas really improved and made the ball point pen a practical writing instrument.

The biggest problem with collecting vintage ball point pens is that you can't realy use them. The cartridges are different today than they were back then. You can still buy vintage style ball pens, and some have even taken vintage ball points and had them modified to take modern cartridges. But most of the old pens have long since dried up. They're great for display, but not always much more.

Modern fountain pen makers also make ball point pens to compliment the fountains. In fact, Bert at Pen Haven has a MASSIVE fountain pen collection, but does much of his writing with a ball pen. So share pics of your ball pens!

 

[GregNYC]

Thanks guys - that gives me a lot to think about! I don't have any vintage ballpoints, but will post some interesting ones.