# Do you sport a favorite pen?



## gicts (Dec 14, 2009)

I know it seems trivial, but has anyone found a favorite pen?
I really enjoy roller balls but our run sheets eat them alive. Usually my pen survives the front of one form, and sometimes my pen can make it through the front of the other form. However, the back of the first run form kills my pen and I have to switch to a second pen and give the first an hour or so to get back to normal. So in the end I carry 2-3 pens in my pocket and toggle through them during the day. 
Regular ball point pens do fine for other people, I'm just not a ball point pen person. Is anyone in the same situation? I'm looking for something that will suit my needs. Kinda wondering if the pen NASA invented comes in something other than a ballpoint. I feel like such a nit picky newb


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## firetender (Dec 14, 2009)

True story: Back in the early space race, the US was working hard to cover all details. Seeing that in zero gravity pens wouldn't work, the engineers spent millions designing a pen that would.

In Russia, of course, they had the same problem, however, they thought a little out of the box and issued their cosmonauts _*pencils*_!


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## ffemt8978 (Dec 14, 2009)

firetender said:


> True story: Back in the early space race, the US was working hard to cover all details. Seeing that in zero gravity pens wouldn't work, the engineers spent millions designing a pen that would.
> 
> In Russia, of course, they had the same problem, however, they thought a little out of the box and issued their cosmonauts _*pencils*_!



Can't use pencils on PCR's.  

My preferred pen is the Zebra F402.  Works well on carbonless forms, and is quite comfortable and durable.


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## Sasha (Dec 14, 2009)

I heart gel pens with a bold tip. I hate writing with light ink. I am very neurotic about my pens, too.. If I for some reason don't have my bold tip pens I whine until we can stop at CvS or something.


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## EMSLaw (Dec 14, 2009)

firetender said:


> True story: Back in the early space race, the US was working hard to cover all details. Seeing that in zero gravity pens wouldn't work, the engineers spent millions designing a pen that would.
> 
> In Russia, of course, they had the same problem, however, they thought a little out of the box and issued their cosmonauts _*pencils*_!



Actually, the Fisher Company developed the space pen at no cost to the US Government.


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## firetender (Dec 14, 2009)

great catch; There goes my credibility!

...although THEY spent millions, no?


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## EMSLaw (Dec 14, 2009)

firetender said:


> great catch; There goes my credibility!
> 
> ...although THEY spent millions, no?



They spent a million, according to Scientific American.  But, hey, $3.00 for a pen beat $128 for a pencil!


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## leftysoftball (Dec 15, 2009)

ffemt8978 said:


> Can't use pencils on PCR's.
> 
> My preferred pen is the Zebra F402.  Works well on carbonless forms, and is quite comfortable and durable.



I agree! Been using Zebras thru collage and ever since. I prefer fine tip.


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## Seaglass (Dec 15, 2009)

Someone gave me a space pen awhile ago. I guard that thing with my life... it really will write on anything. The downside is that it's really small, hard to grip with wet or slippery gloves, and supposed to be expensive and a hassle to refill. If you get one, get a longer and thicker one with some sort of texture, and try not to get one with a cap. The cap never stays on the pen, which makes life a little harder.

The rest of my service uses those cheap Bic things. A few people also use those Sharpie fine-tip pens. I really don't like those... they bleed everywhere if you don't write fast and never seem to write well on gloves. I also can't get them to work too well on PCRs, but I'm not sure if people are actually using them for anything but glove notes and worksheets.

Cheap rollerballs are totally fine. I wouldn't have gotten the space pen if someone hadn't given it to me.

Edit: in my non-EMS life, I love my fountain pen. Which is totally useless for EMS.


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## Aidey (Dec 15, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I heart gel pens with a bold tip. I hate writing with light ink. I am very neurotic about my pens, too.. If I for some reason don't have my bold tip pens I whine until we can stop at CvS or something.




HA! These are also the only pens I will use at work. 

I also carry a black permanent marker. Great for pedal pulses, labeling the ET tubes so you can see the size, and about 100 other things.


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## DV_EMT (Dec 15, 2009)

I use these sharpies cause they dont smear on our waxy pharmacy labels


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## NomadicMedic (Dec 15, 2009)

I found some awesome black gel ink pens at the Dollar Store. They come two to a pack. I bought 10 bucks worth. Best cheap pen I've used. Love 'em! 

I also carry a black sharpie on me. Works for writing on just about anything. Perfect to label the syringes when I have to draw up multiple drugs, great for writing expiry dates on the end of the preload boxes when restocking the medic unit and handy for writing "ROB" on my coffee cup, so one of my co-workers doesn't use it for a spitter!


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## allvitals09 (Dec 15, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I heart gel pens with a bold tip. I hate writing with light ink. I am very neurotic about my pens, too.. If I for some reason don't have my bold tip pens I whine until we can stop at CvS or something.



+1 These have to be the greatest pen ever invented


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## Seaglass (Dec 15, 2009)

n7lxi said:


> I also carry a black sharpie on me.



Me too... my service actually requires at least one of us to have one. We never actually use them unless we put a tourniquet on someone, which is pretty uncommon.


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## mcgrubbs (Dec 15, 2009)

Fisher SMB-4.

It's a clickie pen...so no lost cap.  Has a hard, very durable finish.  Swapping the Fisher cartidge is easy as pie.  Writes anywhere in any condition.

Everyone who uses it, love it.  I keep them around in the nice boxes to hand out to people who deserve it.


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## Pyromedic (Dec 15, 2009)

the pen i find that day in my car is my pen  but im using the bic see through pens, they work wonders for me.


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## Medic744 (Dec 15, 2009)

Which ever cheap brand made it into the pen caddie on the desk at work.  I am horrible at losing my pen, usually before I even finish checking off the truck.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Dec 16, 2009)




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## bunkie (Dec 16, 2009)

My favorite pens are just cheap ones my college gives out. Every time I go into the office I take another one, hoping to build my stash to a never ending supply.


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## JPINFV (Dec 16, 2009)

The only thing I care about is that my pen is huge.


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## Dominion (Dec 16, 2009)

Zebra F301 is my favorite pen to use.  

Durable clip cause I'm always breaking plastic clips. - Check
Fine Point - Check
Writes extremely well on a PCR - Check

They're my favorite pen. If I can't have my Zebras I'll go with a Pilot Easy Touch.  I only know these models because they are sitting right in front of me


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## Epi-do (Dec 16, 2009)

As long as it has black ink, and it works I am not that picky.  However, I did manage to get a hold of 2 or 3 of these, that I absolutely love.  Since I am left handed, when writing in the truck at night, I get a shadow if I just use the overhead light in the truck.  These provide just enough light that I don't have to worry about not being able to see what I am writing due to the shadow.







Of course, now that we are doing ePCRs, it isn't really much of an issue for me.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Dec 16, 2009)

firetender said:


> True story: Back in the early space race, the US was working hard to cover all details. Seeing that in zero gravity pens wouldn't work, the engineers spent millions designing a pen that would.
> 
> In Russia, of course, they had the same problem, however, they thought a little out of the box and issued their cosmonauts _*pencils*_!


 

Oh my word.....I love it! THAT right there is American inginuity at it's finest. Of course you can't argue that the space pen doesn't get the job done. And well. And in some cases even where a pencil won't.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I like those cheap little click style ball point ones like they hand out at auto repair places and car parts stores. You know, the kind with no cap. Just a clicker on the top and a clip on the side. But I can't find them for sale anywhere. Guess I'll have to visit NAPA more often.....


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## bunkie (Dec 16, 2009)

lightsandsirens5 said:


> Oh my word.....I love it! THAT right there is American inginuity at it's finest. Of course you can't argue that the space pen doesn't get the job done. And well. And in some cases even where a pencil won't.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> I like those cheap little click style ball point ones like they hand out at auto repair places and car parts stores. You know, the kind with no cap. Just a clicker on the top and a clip on the side. But I can't find them for sale anywhere. Guess I'll have to visit NAPA more often.....



those are the kind I steal from my school. :blush:


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## Sasha (Dec 17, 2009)

I looked at space pens... holy heck they're expensive!!!!


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## Seaglass (Dec 17, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I looked at space pens... holy heck they're expensive!!!!



Yeah... a cheap one is about $10. Which is why I would've never bothered to get one myself, and why I never let mine out of my sight.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Dec 17, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I looked at space pens... holy heck they're expensive!!!!


 
Mmmmmhmmmm.........Hence the free ones that I liberate from NAPA, U-Haul, and Hometown Rentals and Chainsaw shop. All in the name of community service and better patient care of course!


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## EMSLaw (Dec 17, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I looked at space pens... holy heck they're expensive!!!!



The "real" one is about $50.  They have some that are in the $5-10 range now.  Yeah, that's a lot for a disposable pen, but it's a pittance for a good pen - compare with the $1500+ Mont Blancs out there. 

I like gel pens just fine, myself, but I do own a space pen.  When I refereed, I used to carry the bullet model to keep my score cards with - they write in the rain without smudging, and at any angle.


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## CAOX3 (Dec 17, 2009)

My partners, he always seems to have one as opposed to me and it always seems to write. 

I'm a pen clepto, I steal everyones, not intentionally.  I can never find one when I need it, then when I get home I seem to have accumulated 10 or so.  

Oh well....


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## Medic744 (Dec 17, 2009)

CAOX3 said:


> My partners, he always seems to have one as opposed to me and it always seems to write.
> 
> I'm a pen clepto, I steal everyones, not intentionally.  I can never find one when I need it, then when I get home I seem to have accumulated 10 or so.
> 
> Oh well....



Im kinda that way.  When I worked in a Dr office I used to take home a ton that the drug reps would bring.  I have a problem when it comes to pens though, I love having a ton in diffrent colors and styles. No joking I prob have around 2000 pens around the house, yet at work and in my car I couldnt find one if my life depended on it.


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## CAOX3 (Dec 17, 2009)

Medic744 said:


> Im kinda that way.  When I worked in a Dr office I used to take home a ton that the drug reps would bring.  I have a problem when it comes to pens though, I love having a ton in diffrent colors and styles. No joking I prob have around 2000 pens around the house, yet at work and in my car I couldnt find one if my life depended on it.



The funny part, I throw them in a box at home I brought them in a while ago and everyone claimed their "lost" pens.


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## Medic744 (Dec 17, 2009)

If I borrow one while on a call the person who owns it will hunt me down as soon as the call is over an reclaim it.  They know it wont make it to the next call.


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## LucidResq (Dec 19, 2009)

Free pens from drug reps. My favorite is this bright yellow one advertising some prenatal vitamin. I work in an OB-GYN clinic. Funny story... 

I used to always have this Yaz (birth control) pen, and then I lost it. The other day in my sociology class I saw some random guy using it. It took all of my willpower to not stand up and yell "THAT IS NOT YOUR PEN UNLESS YOU HAVE A VAGINA!"


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## mikeN (Dec 19, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I heart gel pens with a bold tip. I hate writing with light ink. I am very neurotic about my pens, too.. If I for some reason don't have my bold tip pens I whine until we can stop at CvS or something.



I use very similar pens.  Uni-ball has a pen with a similar design.  I prefer to use the 0.5 tip.    I also buy those blue bic pens that come in the 10 packs for 2 bucks.   Those are for my partners that need a pen or I have to write on something that will eventually be photocopied.


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## TomInOregon (Dec 25, 2009)

I have somewhat recently started carrying a Sharpie with me everywhere.  I'm planning to change that to a Stainless Steel Sharpie soon and I'm trying to figure out which ball point pen to carry.

     Tom


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## ATL-MEDIC (Dec 28, 2009)

I love the Parker Jotter pens. With an all stainless steel body. They look good clipped in my shirt or pants pocket.




http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/339260/Parker-Jotter-Ballpoint-Pen-1-0/


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## trevor1189 (Dec 28, 2009)

I keep a pen in the pocket of my coat which I sometimes wear. Otherwise I use one on the ambulance (when there is one).


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## Manic_Wombat (Dec 29, 2009)

I think I am gonna splurge on one of the 8$ rubberized space pens. I was at an mva the other day in nearly sub zero temps, and all the papermates and bics in the clipboard refused to write more than two letters outside in the freezing cold. I had to memorize the patient info then write the PCR in the rescue. It sucked.


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