by TonyB on September 2, 2009
Lefties, we know you have it rough when it comes to finding good pens, since most of them are designed to be used by right-handers.
A typical right-handed person using a pen pulls it toward the right in a smooth motion, leaving a line of fresh ink untouched behind the writing hand.
A left-handed person has to push the pen from left to right. That requires the writer to press harder on the pen, which can be uncomfortable and can force the paper to foul the writing tip. Meanwhile, the writing hand drags over the ink and smudges it.
Obviously, then, the two most important qualities in a pen for left-handed people is that the ink dries quickly and that it flows as smoothly as possible. With that in mind, these are some of the pens left-handers might consider:
Sharpie Pen – Several left-handed readers over at the excellent Pen Addict blog reported that they’ve had good experiences with the Sharpie. It has a plastic tip that lays down a smooth, even line of quick-drying ink that, according to the maker, won’t bleed through most papers. Although the pen isn’t specifically designed for lefties, the smudge-resistant ink at least will help you avoid those annoying smears.
Uni-ball Jetstream – A rollerball pen might not be the first choice for a lefty because the ink can smudge if your hand passes over it as you write. However, that’s the main selling point of the Jetstream: It’s a hybrid that combines the fast drying ink more common to a ballpoint with the gentle glide of a gel. You get fewer smudges and a more comfortable experience.
Fisher Space Pen – Actually, any quality pen with a pressurized cartridge can be a good choice for left-handed people, including the Uni-ball Power Tank or the Inka Pen. The advantage is that since there’s always downward pressure on the ink, you’ll get a constant smooth flow, whether you’re pushing the pen across the paper or pulling it. You won’t be rubbing the ink off the ball, “drying up” the pen, as sometimes happens when lefties use ballpoints. And the pen will even write upside down. How cool is that?
STABILO ’s move easy – This rollerball pen is designed for kids, but there’s no reason adults can’t use it also. What’s important is that STABILO makes a left-handed version of the pen that is molded with grip recesses so that your thumb and finger fit comfortably without any odd contortions. The idea is that you can hold it with a light grip, and it still will move easily across the paper. Available in .5mm and .3 mm. The smaller size is recommended for faster drying. Usually ships with blue ink, although you can order black ink refills.
Yoropen – The advantage of this ballpoint pen is that it’s adjustable to fit whatever position is comfortable for you. Just rotate the tripod grip to the left, and the angled design is supposed to allow you to relax your fingers and give you a better view of what you’re writing so you don’t smudge the fresh ink. You can get the refillable Executive (a bit pricey at more than £30) or inexpensive disposables.
Pelikan Pelikano Junior – There’s much discussion online about whether left-handed people can use fountain pens. Some lefties say they’ve tried and found it impossible, while others swear they’ve been comfortably using fountain pens for years. The general consensus seems to be that it’s difficult because the left-to-right upward motion distorts the tines of most pens. However, the Pelikano Junior, another pen for children that also works for adults, comes in a version specifically for left-handers. The two key features are a slightly rotated grip (nice but not all that useful) and a ball at the tip of the nib that keeps the pen moving smoothly over the paper, even when pushed left to right. This pen tends to write wet so you might want to try one of the optional fine nibs.
Of course, these are only a few of the pens available to left-handed people. We’d like to hear about your experiences with pens for lefties. Have any favourites that have worked for you, or any that you’ve tried and know just don’t do the job? Let us know.
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by TonyB on August 19, 2009
Sure, this is the computer age, but we all still use pens for just about every day for everything from taking customer orders to jotting down the grocery list. That can be painful sometimes for people with arthritis or repetitive stress injuries and those in professions that require a lot of writing by hand. Using ergonomic pens can help ease the discomfort.
There’s no firm definition of exactly what an ergonomic pen is supposed to be or how it should look. The general idea seems to be that a good ergonomic design for a pen is one that allows the user to hold it in the gentlest possible grip and apply the least amount of pressure possible in order to write.
That typically means a large body with a padded grip of some kind, using a rollerball or gel ink. Some are simply standard pens made larger, while others, as you’ll see, go in quite another direction.
We haven’t tried every one of these pens, but these are some ergonomic designs that have consistently earned good reviews from pen users.
- Pilot Dr. Grip: This retractable gel ink pen shows up near the top of just about every ergonomic pen list, probably because it is endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation for Ease-of-Use. And that’s for good reason. The soft rubber grip is a joy to hold, and the gel ink flows freely so that it takes minimum effort to move the pen across paper. This is a pen you can use comfortably for long writing sessions. Not a bad-looking pen, either. However, grime tends to stick to the cushion.
- EzGrip: This is another one that makes most of the lists. Designed by Dexter Technologies, the pen features a unique grip with a wide shelf of sorts – what the company calls a “comfort ledge” – where the tip of the index finger rests on top of the pen. Writing is accomplished by pushing gently on the pen to guide it. According to Dexter, a study by the Cleveland Clinic found that compared to other pens, the EzGrip takes far less pressure to use and is significantly more controllable. Arthritis experts Carol and Richard Eustice at About.com give the pen top marks. Uses Parker refills.
(Note: While the company claims, in hyperbolic fashion, that the pen is the end of writer’s cramp, medical researchers have actually discovered that writer’s cramp is linked to brain abnormalities.)
Update: We received a response from the makers of the EzGrip.
Wanted to mention the author is referring to Dystonia, also known as Focal Dystonia, in which de Quervain’s Disease is included as well. Our well founded claim – The End of Writer’s Cramp – Guaranteed – still stands. We refer to the everyday cramping writer’s get from holding on too tight — an overuse or repetitive stress injury. A human frailty – not a brain abnormality. (just in case you may have it)
- Paper Mate Phd: The plus for this retractable ballpoint is that it has a wide body, which always makes for a comfortable pen. However, the triangular rubber grip is slightly awkward, even though the edges are rounded so they don’t press too hard against your fingers. Paper Mate’s Lubriglide Ink makes for a smooth writing experience, ensuring that it doesn’t take much pressure to move the pen.
- Bic XXL: This is one of the widest-bodied retractable ballpoints on the market. The fat, round barrel and foam grip make the pen incredibly comfortable to use. These are typical ballpoints, so they aren’t exceptionally smooth writers, although their performance is perfectly acceptable. Takes a standard Bic refill. Downside is that the foam cushion tends to dry out and get scratchy. Unfortunately, these pens are difficult to find in US and almost impossible to get outside the US.
- Ergosof PenAgain: One of the oddest-looking ergonomic pens you’ll find, but that almost seems to be a requirement for ergonomically designed products. Instead of holding the pen in a triangle between thumb, forefinger and middle finger, you slip your index finger into the U-shaped opening and rest it on top of the pen. Depending on the model, the body is made of soft rubber or molded plastic. Most reviews seem to focus on how comfortable it is without going into much detail about how it writes, although there have been complaints about ink not flowing smoothly enough. The pen is refillable.
- Yoropen: Another ergonomic pen with a unique shape. The Yoropen has an adjustable tripod grip that is designed to keep your index finger from sliding down the pen into the classic – and wrong – pinch hold. Because the grip rotates, you can position wherever it’s most comfortable for you. (We also recommend this pen as a possible option for lefties.) Available in both standard ballpoint and gel ink. One word of caution: Be careful not to grip the pen too tightly, as that might cause hyperextension of your index finger.
As you can see, we didn’t explore ergonomic fountain pens in this article, but you might want to check out “Voodoo Ergonomics” over at the Fountain Pen Network, where Jon does a pretty fair round-up of the most comfortable pens.
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