The BEST Black Pens For Bullet Journalling? How To Choose YOUR Best Pen

[@deidredenney832]

I recommend the website Jet Pens because one can buy one pen to try out instead of a big pack of pens you might not like.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

agreed! they also have a lot of information about different pens!

[@jameslawrence6710]

And sampler/starter pen sets with a bunch of different ones to try

[@catwhitt]

Deidre Denney My favorite site!

[@elizabethscharnell9787]

@@jameslawrence6710 Right! My birthday gift to my mom this year was a starter pack set up for Lefties! Loved seeing her use one taking MD notes.

[@television4994]

Lefty here. Just wanted to add to the lefty + smearing conversation. It REALLY depends on paper and hand positioning. I'm a sidewriter, meaning I come straight across through my own writing. I smear pretty much everything, and typically drag a bit of scrap paper along under my hand to blot as I go. Hookhanded overwriters curl their hand over the top of their writing, and, depending on how extreme the hook, they almost come at their writing from a righthanded direction. They smear way less than I do, generally speaking. Underwriters come at their writing from below the current line. Again, this can be subtle or pronounced. They, too, smear far less than us sidewriters. Hope this has been helpful! Thank you for another amazing and informative video, Cindy. ❤️🤗

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

I always love hearing perspective from lefties! I have tried to wrap my mind around writing positioning as a lefty and it makes my brain melt.

[@533134]

I’m an underwriter as a lefty I think. A lot of people are shocked I’m a lefty.

[@television4994]

@@533134Oooh, intriguing! Why are people surprised you're a lefty? What do they say?

[@533134]

Tele Vision I write like a righty.

[@irhonda31]

Interesting! I'm a righty, so hadn't thought about these things.

[@sallydansereau1270]

After making a few errors, I take my journal or sketch pad to the store and test the pens on the exact paper I use. I’m a lefty, and my current favourites are the Micron pens in various thicknesses. Next mission is to investigate refillable fountain pens ....

[@madalynreilly1769]

I am loving this series on consumerism in the planner community! I find myself having trouble with the "unlimited stock for xx days" in regards to weekly sticker kits. I understand that businesses have limits on their production and timing, but my goodness I spend so much money on kits under the ruse of "oh well i might want this for a few months from now but it won't be available by then." trying to remind myself of the b/s/t groups to find out of stock items and that my planner doesn't have to be perfect!

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

duuuuude limited supply can GET YA

[@carah444]

I recently found your channel and you’ve got a new subscriber! I find your demeanor/presentation style/candidness refreshing, informative and hysterical, too! Can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store for us. Love it!🌻

[@sallieishere1409]

I know you don't hear from me often, and it's been a long time since you have. I felt like I needed to chime in here to tell you how I love your book. It's just darling and such a great little helper! I use it, not just for practice, but for inspiration. I know from listening to your videos that it was quite a laborious project for you and much of your life fell to the sidelines. I'm very appreciative that you stuck with it and made it available for people like me. I just rec'd another copy I ordered for a friend. PS. I'm also loving the CGM you're using on your hair! It's really getting curly! I use it, too and it's transformed my wavy/kinda curly hair to coils and spirals. Who knew? Hoping you're feeling well whenever you see this. I'm sorry for your pain. I'm a chronic pain sufferer myself and have dome to really hate to know anyone's in pain. Please know I pray for you. So, from no comments to the longest comment! Be well. Be at peace. Gentle hug -

[@kristinaschmitt8298]

The Pilot G-2 0.38 black gel pen is my hands down favorite and so far my "Most Stolen" pen. It allows me to write small and if I need to write bigger, I size up to their 0.5 pen. They check off all the boxes that are most important to me at the moment: lightweight, fits comfortably in my hand, refillable, no or rare bleed through, and light enough ridges to either be unnoticeable or not even there. I'm not sure if they're waterproof or archival, but it doesn't matter at the moment. One of my friends just introduced me to the Pentel EnerGel liquid gel ink pens. The one I got is a 0.7 and by fate, purple. It's a lot heavier in the hand and definitely more juicy, but I haven't had a problem with smearing yet. Since it's thicker and more of a novelty colors, I only use it for frames or doodling. Whew! Sorry about the novel. I'm loving your series on consumerism and I hope you're feeling well today! 😊

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

I LOVE that pilot g2 for my planner. no lies here

[@sistergoldenhair0727]

Kristina Schmitt I adore this pen for the beautiful line it makes but I absolutely HATE the way it makes my writing look! Must be the grip or something. I just have a major love-hate relationship with this pen in that I have ALL of them but I don’t like how my writing looks with them;)

[@PahlaB]

Omg, the 🍆. Dying. 🤣 This was ridiculously helpful and thorough. I’ve never thought about my pens. Like, at all. But they bug me, so of course I should buy nicer pens! So, thank you for going so in-depth with your review.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

i realized when I was editing that I failed ass at making tip size jokes so I had to add it in post production hahahahahaha

[@sherylw4599]

@@CindyGuentertBaldo I chortled all the way through, coz *I'M* a mature adult ;) Of age 57. .. (OMG you just said Big Tip again .. ROFL)

[@Lara-lf8rv]

O wow I've never thought about most of these things, not even the paper I write on! Love this video!

[@KatieReadsKoziesAndMore]

I love my Micron pens for use on fabric (I’m a doll maker), paper, and every other way imaginable. But it is important to note that using them on fabric noticeably shortens their lifespan. I was amazed when I first started journaling to find that Microns seemingly lasted forever compared to drawing faces/features on dolls. I am almost manic about capping my pens when not-in-use. I’ve learned to save caps from old pens (any brand) just in case I lose a new pen cap. Thanks for this review!

[@rachelace6102]

Thank you, I am thinking about starting a bullet journal and so I am doing some research before I go nuts with buying things.

[@sabrina01keller57]

Thank you. Just started journaling per my therapist and shrink.This will help as I'm already feeling overwhelmed by this journaling/tracking. I've subscribed because I love your personality, honesty, and your voice is very soothing to me. I appreciate you very much🙌💟

[@Cocobird5]

Couldn't resist posting on this -- I exclusively use fountain pens for all of my writing. I use fine tips for thinner paper, thicker paper can handle just about anything. I have a variety of pens -- some are less expensive -- $20 and under. Amazon has Wing Sung 3008s in sets of four for under $17. I like them very much. Some pens are more. There are also flex pens, which can give you a faux version of calligraphy. I also have a variety of inks, so I have about ten pens filled with blue, orange, green, turquoise, different shades of brown, and one black. I find they glide smoothly across the paper. Bottles of ink last a very long time. The major problem with fountain pens is that they can become addictive, and a hobby rather than just a tool.

[@anneinauckland2318]

Yes, I only use fountain pens but they are addictive. I bought one a few years ago and now I have ... quite a few 🙄😂

[@momokeen]

Pro tip for those of you who hate ridging in your planners or journals: look into getting a shitajiki, or "pencil board." It's basically a thin piece of plastic that you put under the page you're writing on to protect the following page(s) from ridging (if it's on the back of where you're writing), or accidental bleeding (on the following sheet or sheets if you just had a disaster). Hobonichi makes some in their journal sizes: A6, A5, and weeks, but you can also find really cute ones in B5 or B6 on Amazon with characters like Gudetama (if that's your thing-- it's totally mine), or more plain ones. The shitajiki that Hobonichi sells has a "today" tab on top so you can easily use it to mark your place, and the side is also marked with a ruler in case you need to measure anything in your journal. Hope that helps someone out there!

[@Obsidian_Iris_]

I have so missed your reviews! I like to watch them even if you’re reviewing something I don’t need or I’m not interested in at the time because you tend to drop some general knowledge I didn’t have prior to the review and just because you’re so damn funny. 😂 I used to do my own research by starting with at least three sources that I trusted, preferably sites that have customer reviews that can be trusted not to encourage bias because the product was provided to reviewers for free or at a discount. Currently when I am considering a new stationery product, I search for a review from you first. I trust your objectivity where it applies, your willingness to state the things you don’t like or problems with the product, and I appreciate the thoroughness of your reviews. You know, all the things you listed. I’m also often too -lazy- tired to do the research myself. I’m glad you’re starting to feel better. Be gentle with yourself, you would with anyone else you love. 🌸

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

I'm hoping to do some more reviews soon! I haven't been that inspired to do them lately haha

[@jameslawrence6710]

Agreed! I’ve watched several of your reviews multiple times for the detail and side by sides.

[@emilyhuber5257]

I was just talking to someone about how ball point pen ink has a weird smell!! They thought I was crazy 😂 you are not alone!

[@lilith_33]

Thank God, someone speaking and thinking about left handed persons!! I can't believe it. Thank you Cindy, for this amazing video full of good recommendations 🙌🏻

[@NerdyPandaPlans]

I love the Papermate flair but NOT in my happy planner. For some unknown reason is mine ALWAYS smear but only on Happy Planner products. I am so picky with pens on different paper and I loved this video!

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

i wonder if it is because the paper is really smooth?

[@NerdyPandaPlans]

@@CindyGuentertBaldo Maybe? Never thought of it that way. I get so upset about it it because I don't see others having the same issues that I have with it. Though I am impatient and write like a child, which could be the reason as well.

[@talksfromtheheart]

As always a great video! And I feel like a moron....cause I never even factored the paper...if that makes sense...so that was a great point! Thanks for another great video.

[@tryfail_failbetter]

For two years now I've only been using fountain pens, so luckily I don't have to think about and buy pens anymore. I found my pen peace. Additionally I'm using the mildliner highlighters, but that's it. Prior to the switch I used and tried a lot of different pens, nothing felt right... so I know the feeling of wanting to buy all the stuff.. thank you Cindy for this awesome series on consumerism!

[@tcconnection]

I love how thorough you are with aspects of pens to consider

[@SarahR745]

ball points do have a funky smell! I thought it was just a me thing. I’ll still use them at times but i find gel pens to be my favorite. I’m a pen junkie and tend to fall in love with news ones all the time. Currently I’m loving pentel clera gel for day to day writing. Ink joy & pilot g2 are my favorites for colorful pens.

[@sandiwedemeier4853]

I'm a lefty with huge laws and currently I'm loving Le Pens. I write pretty small with a light hand. I'm also loving Staedtler Triplus Fine liners my Leuchtturm bullet journal. The Le Pens are fabulous for writing in my Miquelrius journal. P.S. I rarely use black pens. All that being said I really enjoyed this video...you are quickly becoming a trusted source for me!

[@Estefany_Estrella]

It took me 8 years to find the right pen for me! I write maths for my school like a lot, and you began to worry for the the possibility of using your pen (or pencil) for hours without feeling uncomfortable with it.

[@angiemcpeek3530]

You crack me UP! Thanks for the spinning head right before bedtime! 😂

[@Hinagiku2]

Thank you for bringing the paper part of this video up. I honestly would've never thought of that when choosing a pen! I just go crazy for pens, and I always want more. But since I've watched your conscious spending video, I am always trying my best to stop myself from buying SOO many pens. Again, thank you Cindy for your wonderful videos and being my voice of reason when it comes to buying bujo supplies.

[@jaynemay1205]

You're just the best! I look forward to your content so much! Hope you are doing well! I am such a buy all the pens person, but its nice to be reminded to be more thoughtful!

[@jaynemay1205]

One thing thats important to me too is the vibrancy of the colors in the ink. I know there is a term for this, but its escaping me. When I buy a black pen I like when its very nice dark black ink and i also like it to be smooth on the paper.

[@annamattos8627]

I love Muji black .38 pens with my Happy Planner, but with my cheap, coarse paper notebooks I use Uniball Signo black pens. I save my Hobonichi notebooks for fountain pens. You are absolutely right, Cindy. Paper matters!

[@greenconverse27]

🤏🤛😅 love your thought process style ♡ Great video Cindy. Awesome tips (heh tip).

[@notamirror]

I like to kick it old school... I use Paper Mate 1.0 (M) ball point pens. I use a black one in my EC and a blue one in my Power Sheets. I use green ones to grade student papers and red ones to edit texts. I find them the most satisfying to write with and I know that they withstand my fairly heavy hand. I buy a big ol' box of them at Walmart.

[@sarahs1368]

Great tips! So many variables. I am a heavy handed righty and I've heard that girthy pens are easier on hand and wrist muscles. I do love my ink joy gels. When I get some funds I might try a fountain pen.

[@elisabethshabouk5698]

I love pigma micron 01, 03, 05 for setting up my bujo.I write in it with ink joy gel fine tips. I originally started out with tombow monos but had a super bad experience with the tips dried out upon arrival that I won’t try them again.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

awww that sucks!

[@fyrwench]

Great video! I have trouble resisting a pretty pen and end up with a garbage can full of pretty but dead pens. I do love my fountain pens and how I can personalize the ink. Then I freak out because I can't find it. 😑 Thanks for the tips and I look forward to more.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

omg, pens drying out is a THING

[@rebeccasanders2289]

I watch your reviews and buy those pens! 😂😂😂 I like that you tell us the good and bad about products.

[@dannysvinylrainbow4852]

Ms, I agree with you. Alot of pen videos I watch, lean on the side of promotion for the freebies they get. Its hard to tell whats real anymore. Thank you for the realness

[@whitemageFFXI]

My go to pens right now are the Frixion clicker pens because I love being able to erase, there are no caps to deal with, there are lots of colors to choose from, and I can buy refills online to cut down on how much plastic I use. The one down side is that the very thing that makes them erasable also makes them prone to fading if I'm not careful. I also really love the Pilot G-2 1mm because I write pretty big and I love the feel of the wet, bold lines. I don't like how they tend to smear on some papers though, so I'd like to find a bold pen that isn't a marker, that doesn't smear as much. On the rare occasion that I want to write really fine, I have another pen that I use, but I don't remember if offhand. I'll have to update this comment later :P Edit: Found it! It's the Pilot Precise V5 Pen extra fine. I like it because even though it's an extra fine tip, it still has that wet ink feel that I like.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

ooooooh I'll have to check out that pilot pen!

[@gretchencade]

V5s were my original pen love

[@kimholmes3083]

This is a great video, my funds are super limited so I have to really think about what I buy. Not gonna lie if money wasnt an issue I would have all of the pens 😉

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

If I had all the money I'd have a bigger office to make room for all of the pens hahaha

[@butterflychirp9447]

Your hair looks great! I love the silver!

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

Butterfly Chirp thank you!

[@inksplat]

I’m a lefty, and I actually love inky pens, but I am an underwriter (ie: i hold my pen like a right handed person, not from the top or the side), so i don’t come across as many of the smearing issues and side-writers and over-writers. it’s a preference thing. I also buy all the pens to try new ones, but I just love pens. 😂

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

my lefty loves inkjoy pens - they curl their hand around... I don't know how that translates haha

[@533134]

Cindy Guentert-Baldo they’re an over-writer. Sorry Kat!

[@MacMoonie]

I love Sharpie pens. They are just the right shape and size, they come in a variety of colours, and are locally available. Those are my go to for everything right now - of course I don’t draw so I’m ok with only 1 tip Size. I also love Inkjoy gels. But I have noticed they won’t write on some papers ... most specifically the Passion Planner, which I use at work!!

[@ridiculousspider]

I love my Sharpie pens but I also don't draw. And I am not heavy handed. They are also affordable and locally available. 😁

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

my lefty kid LOVES the inkjoy pens!

[@werelemur1138]

I usually use the Sharpie pens too, but I have a Pilot with a finer point if I want to get more writing in a smaller space.

[@lulugregory3246]

I haven’t watched it all yet... but the points you make at the beginning are great. I have tried a bunch of different pens, hated most of them and have just gone back to my BLUE bic biros that I have always used. I know that is probably shocking to most, but I think the reason I didn’t like my bullet journal was because I felt I *had* to use a black felt tip/gel pen... I have always preferred blue ink, and there is something I like about a biro rather than a felt or gel pen... don’t ask me what it is cos I couldn’t tell you... but there you go... I’m a rebel lol xx

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

dude, blue ink to your heart's content!

[@gretchencade]

I usually give my black pens away. Blue foreverrrr

[@stiles9635]

The pilot g2 pens used to be my go-to, and I still have a couple as backup. But I have my one fountain pen (pilot vanishing point decimo) that I love the look and feel of. Before that I had a Pilot Explorer that I had for a year, so I proved the concept that I wouldn't lose track of my fountain pen lol.

[@rinaamz5686]

I am very particular when it comes to bujo pens. For setup I like a fine liner with archival ink so I can use Mild liners and Tombows on top. However, for writing in my bujo, I prefer a retractable, .05 gel pen. Right now I’m loving the new Sharpie s-gels for that.

[@adannavillegas6035]

I love ballpoint pens which is so weird in the planner world but my handwriting just looks better with them

[@heathereverson3073]

Adanna Villegas I recently switched to the jet stream from fountain pens and I am loving it ! So much lower maintenance

[@Guildarama]

I do too. I bought a box of purple ones.

[@TheMegWrites]

I have found the black LePen to be the best, and I wonder why I never hear people talk about them. I like how opaque/black they are. They don’t smear. And they don’t bleed through the pages. They’re fabulous. They come in packs of 4 at Joann’s or on Amazon. 🙂

[@artcrylics]

The Bic Intensity Pro black fine tip permanent marker .5 mm is my go to for my bujo. I keep a mug full of them on my desk. Internet bff 💙

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

nice!! i tried those a while back and was enchanted by their barrels

[@AxisOAnarchy]

I’m actually a fountain pen user mostly but I use the Simply Gilded or Hobonichi pens. The Simply Gilded pens have an amazing weight to them. Both of them are refillable as well so I’m not worried about always buying more.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

one day I'll figure out fountain pens. haha

[@AxisOAnarchy]

Cindy Guentert-Baldo I’m still adjusting my grip but the LAMYs I use have a grip where it’s hard to hold it the wrong way. There is definitely a learning curve though!

[@lena_ng3654]

All fountain pens can be refilled.

[@irhonda31]

Very thorough one reasonable reviews. Thanks! I love pens, and can't even draw or doodle.😭

[@mamadeb1963]

I love my cheap Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen for my daily log. I'm currently using blue-black cartridges, and the color makes me happy. But for setting up my monthly and weekly pages, I use Staedtler fineliners in 0.03. I prefer them to Pigma Microns because the barrels are matte, which feels better in my hand, and I also like the scratchy feedback I get with the tips. First time I tried them, I knew they were my pens. I use 03 because that just looks right for my bujo boxes.

[@letmetakeashelfie2713]

Ball point pens definitely have a scent but it’s one I at least have grown to love. But maybe I am the weird one

[@elizabethscharnell9787]

You are not alone. That was a sensory flash when Cindy mentioned the smell.

[@maciemurrane2336]

This is the video I needed! I tend to switch between micron felt tips and muji .3 gel pens

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

Macie Murrane I have never been able to enjoy the muji pens, even tho I know so many people who love them!

[@litzam.gonzalez]

Hi Cindy, I have recently fallen in love with the TUL 1.0 retractable Gel Pens. Have you tried these? Is so, how are they for the EC and A&O? Thanks in advance, Litza

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

I've used TUL pens (not that tip size tho) and loved them in my EC - I'll have to look for the broader tip!

[@litzam.gonzalez]

I shake a lot due to severe anxiety a severe panic disorder. As you said in the review, the larger tip size “hides my shaking”! Would you use them on your A&O?

[@mcnanns]

My two favorite pens I always use are the Pilot precise v5 rt which is my "bold" pen that works on pretty much every paper I use. I love the grip, the click, and how much it works on. My other favorite is for the teeny tiny writing I do like in my Hobonici, but I can see why some people hate it because it can easily be too scratchy - the uniball signo ultra micro 207 in .38. Both are available on Amazon and I tend to buy refills for the pilot ones and a box of 12 for the uniball.

[@dianebadger51]

I'm a new subscriber and I love your videos. I was wondering if you have used the Happy Planners?

[@catwhitt]

But I love pens! And markers and all things stationery! I must indulge in all the inky prettiness! Ok, ok, yes you are right. I will do my research. And well, not indulge too much. Maybe a little. :) I love your videos! I hope you are doing better. These last months have been a doozy. Take it easy and take care of yourself.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

thank you so much

[@jasminecruz7643]

OMGGGG!!!! THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS VIDEO.. I SERIOUSLY SUFFERED FROM FOMO IN THE PENS DEPARTMENT AND WAS LOOSING MY MARBLES... BUT THEN ON A RANDOM SHOPPING DAY AT STAPLES I DECIDED TO PURCHASE THIER PEN BRAND CALLED TRU AND FELL IN LOVEEEE. It is staples Tru brand black fast erase gel pen. They have a couple of tip sizes but I use a .5 or .7 because I also have a heavy hand and I love me some bold ink. And WOW!!!! It is amazing. I thought because I never heard of anyone speaking of it I would be a total weirdo but listening to this video makes me want to yell from a rooftops. I LOVE STAPLES HOME BRAND TRU BLACK GEL PEN. 😂😂😂😂

[@brendam.7538]

After buying probably hundreds of pens, I finally figured out that I like ball point pens the best for planning.

[@RaquelliBee]

I am a lefty and my favorite kind of pen is one that us highly pigmented, flows quickly, and dries faster than a gel pen. I cant put a lot of pressure/ be heavy handed because I have weak wrists. I need it to dry because I am a lefty. My favorite is the pilot g2 or a sharpie pen. This is for actually filling out my layouts. To draw my layouts I use cheap bics bc I use a ruler for straight lines and that tends to ruin tips. I also make a simple layout using Alistair weekly and doodle around the black in color for funsies. I like fine liners but I'm to rough carrying them around for them to be a planner pen

[@peterr.905]

A very interesting and thought provoking video, thank you for your sage advice. Unfortunately, I don't get much chance to use the high quality paper, so I tend to go towards 0.1 or as close as I can get to that size, due to feathering and bleedthrough.

[@cindylee5593]

I use my reject pens @ work - FYI a co-worker gave me back something I'd written; I said how to know it's the original? She said cause my originals feel like braille! Another heavy handed working girl. But I still love trying out pens and paper - but I have a fixed planner budget otherwise I'd buy it all.

[@TheBunnyBeatdown]

After watching various pen reviews and trying different pens the pilot G2 .07 series is till my favorite everyday pen. Been using it since highschool. it took me 4 school years of continuous use to get halfway through the ink. Its comfortable for me to hold. Im right and heavy handed. I dont mind the ghosting on some papers. I like the way it feels when I write with it. Are there better pens? Yes but I still go back to the pilot G2 .07 series

[@cerealnana]

I tend to reach for my coleto multipen with 0.4 refills in blue/black, brown, pencil, and eraser. Unipen for fineliners as microns are expensive in the UK and dry out too fast. I'm mostly a fountain pen user. I love love love my Twsbi's with waterproof Rohrer and Klingner Sketchink.

[@insidiouschaos812]

I am always living for micron pens- they come in every soze i could need, including their bold Graphic tips (great for quick important writing) and the brush tip that i use for filling in big spaces when im drawing. I also have a set of stabilo triplus ive had since college that are still hanging in there, plus half a set of Zig writer pens that are meant for scrapbooking that i bought on clearance forever ago. The zig pens are super cool when you can color coordinate them with your sticker kit, so you can have your white space and your sticker colors tie in together, but i know it isnt for everyone. I dont even exclusively use them in my planner, i mostly use a micron 02/03 mixed with a microperm and a sign pen (v cool, but i probably wont rebuy. Im not the biggest fan of the flexibility of the nib for regular planning, since i dont do a whole lot of lettering)

[@Hammished7]

I love me some fountain pens. Love. I have a few $3 shark ones, look like sharks and write amazing! The most I’ve spent is $70 (it’s black and stealthy), but I usually stay in the $20 range because I have too many pens to justify spending more. Mostly used for journaling because the pens are weighted better and I find I don’t have The Grip Of Death since they practically write on their own. Plus the color variety!!! I love odd colors that were unheard of in the pen world even 5 years ago. And I have bottles of custom colors that I hoard because I’m not sure how I made such an amazing color. Downside, there is a learning curve to find the best fit: nib size and flexibility, post v unposted, barrel width, etc. Also economical if you write a ton. I can kill an ink joy gel pen in less than a month (60-80 pages) but I have a bottle of ink still going strong after 4 years (3000 pages). Paper can be an issue, but there are so many fountain pen friendly notebooks coming out that are under $8 for 200+ pages. Plus, fountain pens come in fun shapes and styles AND less waste! I’m eyeballing one from a NASA collab and one with shell inlay. My fountain pen collection is isolated to a single train case, but me pen collection is insane. Fine liners are usually relegated to drawing for me because the shapes and weight are difficult to hold for long periods of writing/bujo. The Le Pen can die because that barrel hurts my hand just looking at it. I have a triangle grip on it I’ve had rattling around in a pencil case since 1988, but even that can’t help me love that pen, though it’s one of the few to have gray ink until recently. Ink joys are great, the metal ballpoints are better weighted than the gel pens AND have refills so it so much less waste! Uniball blackened ink roller balls are a fave, and Japanese stationary stores carry refills. Pilot G2s have the best color purple gel ink and have refills. I can geek out for days on pens! But what I look for now are ease of use (flow and pen weight), sustainability and economy. Ballpoints can be stinky, but I’ve only ever been offended by one brand. A cup of coffee is usually enough to kill the smell of the ink otherwise, and I can usually be found it’s coffee near me.

[@lauragliebe8632]

Im a pen addict I just bought the karin brushmarker pro set im so excited to play with it. I have recently gotten into fountain pens and I bought a fancy one, I can't remember the name of it. But I'm constantly on jetpens.com ordering all the time something new to check out, i LOVE the blue-black color so I'll hop for any pen in that color, lol oh I also have a dip pen I've been wanting to play with but I haven't had the time to get out.

[@supersparkley123]

QUESTION: Cindy, thank you for this review! I love your honest videos! I’m a lefty and my new favorite pen for everything is the Pentel Energel, I get a big pack on Amazon, they are pricy, but dry very fast and don’t smear up my hand as I write! I HATE that sh*t!!! Also, what color/brand is your lipstick or gloss in this video??? Thx!

[@BeantownMrs]

I bought the Pigeon Letters pens based on your recommendation and I looooove them! I think they might be my perfect pen.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

dude, I freaking LOVE THEM

[@TOPminKWON]

I bought an array of pens and paper.... I already know I'm not a fan of bold tips so I already have narrowed down what I would buy... i bought different types of pens... i wanted to know what i liked.. and I'm glad I bought a big array... if I absolutely hate the pen I can give them away to my nephews and nieces so I don't really put them to waste. Surprisingly enough I refill my fountain pens quite fast, I heard a lot of people saying it would last longer/ be cheaper in the long run... I'm not so sure about it. I think to me the biggest thing is it waterproof?

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

part of the reason I'm scared to really dive into fountain pens is because of my collector tendencies. soooo much $$

[@scrapplancreatewithtracey9714]

I have been using unipin drawing pens :) pretty good :)

[@robyntaylor4054]

Thank you so much, this was so informative

[@kerryramirez6994]

I like to write with fine liners if I am not able to use an extra fine nib fountain pen, but I love microns and thick ass felt tips for art. I find that I like the interplay between the watercolor and ink, but I have a super loose style of art, so lately I’ve been using dip pens with fountain pen ink.

[@jessicabarone1716]

Hi! Neurodivergent here, and YESS ballpoint inks have a smell!!!!

[@nidoqueef4453]

I bought a bunch of pigma micron fine liners because of online influence before I realized that the tips are not nearly sturdy enough for my hand. I tried pitt artist pens but the tips were also a nightmare for me. I switched to using staedtler triplus fine liners and muji gel pens which are both super durable.

[@MomLawCrafts]

Have you tried the uni pin fine liners? I keeping alternating between those, tombow mono, and microns. I am loving this series on consumerism. I am trying to get better about my purchases, but I still occasionally just go crazy and buy shit I don’t need.

[@marycnhatch4934]

I love my G2 Fine 0.38 black ink pens.

[@marycnhatch4934]

P.S. I'm a lefty...both definitions. LOL.

[@insidiouschaos812]

I have loved sakura pigma micron pens for nearly a decade, I have used them for years as I went through phases of trying different hobbies. And for me, they seem to last a long time as long as I dont accidentally buy a multipack with a dud in it. I have only had to replace one or two of my collection in the last year. I also use the Staples brand ball point pen for work, but ut can be really inky and smears pretty badly on legal pad paper. It takes forever to dry but it goes on so smoothly and nothing im using it for is important enough for me to really care if it does. It takes almost no pressure to make a mark and since i write with a pen almost completely horizontal it leaves no ridge. It really doesnt like being used vertically though.

[@insidiouschaos812]

Edit: i used staedtler fineliners through college, one 12(?) pack (the smallest one at michaels) got me through five years of college and only right at the end did two of them really start drying out. Literally my only complaint was that the pack i had came with two shades of blue and two of green but no purple

[@apra121987]

I adore this video and you too :)

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

awwwww thank you!

[@DawnDevine]

I'm also a liner pen user - but I'm a brand slut. The one I carry out of the house connected to my bujo is the Pilot V Razor -- but at home, I've use Copic, Micron, and Zig... And I too am riding on the "ball points stink!" train. Be well, my friend, - oh - and one last thing --- thank you for the great content!

[@desereetouchet9294]

My hubby got me a beautiful sparkly pen from Swarovski and it had this cute little swan charm on it that I removed almost immediately because it was so irritating when I tried to write anything more than a short list.

[@teresamonroy6798]

I don't know why but ink joy in México gets funky, and it stains awful, I'm a lefty and I love Zebra xtra dry and your simple stabilo black fineliner, another favorite kawaii themed gel pens

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

that's so weird - I wonder if Mexico gets different pens (like I know certain pens in Japan are actually different than the same brand in another country)

[@teresamonroy6798]

@@CindyGuentertBaldo they are made diferently and they stain awful!! I usted to love black ink joy but it got real nasty on muy bujo

[@tinmanlover1994]

Hi Cindy I use the paper mate ink Joy clicky colorful pens I got the, at Walmart. So far I've worked though 1 pen complete and the pink,red and magenta,dark green and light blue are close to running out but it will take a while longer. I am doing a pen project were I am using the Same pen for the month right now I'm using the pink,red and manta pens for Febuary and next month in March I want to use the dark and light green pens for the whole month in every day wrighting in my planner and journaling. I want to finish up using the whole set of pens before buying more. It's a fun challenge I came up with this month and I wa t to keep it going with a few pens every month. I am wanting to film a video on it to see if anybody would be interested I. The idea instide of project pan like make community it's project pen

[@jamieferguson3131]

I am a huge fan of multipens, but finding a good one is rough. I really like the sharbo, but I have dexterity issues so it's a bit too thin for me. I've been using the Tombow multi & I am loving it. Some of the refills are hit or miss, the one in my pen currently doesn't flow right away (annoying af) but i've gone through like 3 already & this is the first refill that is being a butt. I prefer ballpoint, because I find that gel pens make my handwriting look sloppy.

[@blair94]

"is the pen sexy?'" lol i laughed until I realized that the pens I like are all pens i use because they are sexy. I have the same likes as you, which is why I love the sakura micron pens

[@cats.39]

Ahhh! I thought I was the only one who doesn't like the smell of ballpoint pens!!! Everyone tells me I'm crazy haha

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

dude, they have a SMELL.

[@cats.39]

@@CindyGuentertBaldo Yes they absolutely do!!! And some of them are WAY stronger than others. Then again, my family calls me the bloodhound because I can smell the FAINTEST things and figure out where it's coming from lol

[@533134]

I love signo or g7 gel pens in 0.7 😬

[@celtprincess13]

I had to laugh when you said "walk in any store and find them" and then said Flairs--I have been searching high and low for a blue medium tip Flair and I will BE DAMNED if I can find one. I mean, I could order a shitton from Amazon but I just need ONE. And no local stores have anything but the candy color packs.

[@saravallejo3399]

It's also easy to buy a shit ton of pens because you gotta meet that $25 Jet Pens free shipping minimum, yo. I like tiny tips. Pilot EnerGel 03, Muji .25. Gimme them stabby pens!

[@533134]

I’m lefty and I write like a righty does. I don’t smear my ink.

[@LadyMordhaus]

I love ball point pens, but totally agree some stink really bad. I won't use those ones.

[@CindyGuentertBaldo]

the ones I like the most for writing are the ones that smell the most. i can't win!

[@LadyMordhaus]

@@CindyGuentertBaldo lol!! That's usually how it works 🤦‍♀️😂

[@lamontmccaskel6078]

👍🏾

[@533134]

And does your pens have a cap, have a grip?

[@maggyruth]

I have a vehement dislike of pens with clips. I will use them if I must, but the way they end up resting on my hand irritates me so that I end up getting ragey. More often than not I end up either using pens with caps, so I can leave those off while I’m writing and avoid the clip, or try to break the clip off (if it’s plastic.) Sensory issues man...they’re a bitch.

[@533134]

In relation to your heavy handedness, you have an iron grip!

[@dulcinda1]

Lol

[@margoriebrodie2303]

I have an essential tremor (meaning my hands shake like a mf). I have found that I have the most control with ballpoint pens. I am not sure why that is?? All those gel pens and fineliners are mighty seductive but I have trouble using them. p.s. I forgot which pens you said work best with mildliners= let me know if you remember. Shaking vs smearing- there is always a pay off- but either will do if we defeat Trump is 2020. :)