Ask HN: What stationary are you using?

I found out, just yesterday, that it is stationery (with an ery) when talking about office supplies and stationary (with an ary) when talking about something that isn't moving. I'm not a grammar nazi and I don't care how people spell it at all, I was just interested that after years I had always been getting it wrong, so I am just sharing it here!

Just FYI... I know it is considered uncool to correct writing, and I'm often told that grammar is irrelevant these days. I don't mean to be that guy, but I also don't believe grammar is irrelevant. Personally, I always get briefly confused when I read the wrong word. ("Stationary _what_?" -- I thought briefly you might be talking about a stationary bicycle.)

http://grammarist.com/usage/stationary-stationery/

For an everday pen, I use a Lamy Safari fountain pen[0] with an extra-fine nib. For a pencil I use a Pentel GraphGear 1000[1] in 0.5mm.

[0] http://www.lamy.com/eng/b2c/safari/017

[1] http://www.pentel.com/store/graphgear-1000

By way of pen, I use a Parker Vector (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Parker-Vector-Stainless-Medium-Fount...). The plastic ones tend to break - avoid! - but the stainless steel ones are excellent: durable, attractive and well priced. Good ink flow and a nice thick line from the nib. The Parker blue and black inks have a watery cast that I've always liked too.

I don't use pencils.

It's probably UK only, but for note pads, I use the Pukka Pad Jotta (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pukka-Pad-Notebook-Wirebound-Jotta/d... - reasonably priced, I think, but cheaper again at Costco if you're a member. Also available with squares rather than lines, albeit at higher cost). Inexpensive everyday notepad with good quality paper. Adequate construction quality. Spiral binding allows you to have it laid flat or folded back on itself.

(If you sit at a desk, and work somewhere where people won't mind if you have notepads that are purely functional, I rate these higher than Moleskines. They are cheap (but not crap), and cheap (but not crap) is good! You can't have too much notepaper.)

Moleskin notebooks are OK, but I much prefer Leuchtturm1917 (https://www.leuchtturm1917.com) which are available blank, ruled, squared, and dots. I like the dots as I am neatness challenged when writing. I also like the Fabriano Misto Carta notebooks, particularly the gluebound A5 stars version which allows pages to be easily separated.

I use a variety of pens and pencils--my brief case usually has a substantial selection, enough to start a small writing instrument store. Lately I have been using Pentel CLICK 0.7 pencils available from Costco. They are nice for fine detail and have a substantial eraser. They have a very different feel from the iconic Blackwing 602 Palomino wooden pencils which I use for hand written drafts.

Paper: Modnotebook

Interesting product. It's a regular moleskin, but it comes with an envelope so you can mail it in and the notebook will be scanned and put into a cloud account for you in various formats. Then the notebook will be mailed back to you. I find this to be a great way to preserve ideas and drawings.

http://modnotebooks.com/

Pencils: I'm an artist as well as developer, so I'm extremely picky about my mechanical pencils. My number one requirement is the need for a replaceable twist-up eraser. I burn through erasers like no other, so having a long eraser that you can twist up as it's depleted is a necessity.

Paper Mate Clear Point 0.5mm http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Mate-Mechanical-Assorted-34666PP...

Pentel Twist-Erase III 0.5mm http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Twist-Erase-Automatic-Assorted-...

There are pros and cons to each of these. The Twist-Erase III's are more durable and there is more friction that keeps the eraser put. The Clear Point can break if you step on it or simply wear down from use. You'll also find yourself twisting the eraser back out as it likes to twist back down over time. The main advantage of the Clear Point is that the nib retracts completely so you don't stab yourself when you put it in your pocket. I can't tell you how many times I've been stabbed by the Twist-Erase III. The quality of both of their erasers is good.

I'm very much 50/50 on these two. I will say that I won't use anything but these.

Pens: I do not use pens.

I've tried a lot of pens, from fountain, to regular ballpoint, Fisher to Parker, and I'm yet to find a better pen than the Pilot G2 Retractable.

It doesn't look "fancy" but it is effectively a ballpoint pen than glides across the page. It is retractable so no caps, and it doesn't have a stupid thick stalk like some so called "premium" pens (so they're easy to hold for long durations).

Yet as much as I love these pens, they're only $12 for a box of twelve. Hardly super expensive.

I discovered them in what Americans would call "High School" and used them all throughout University and haven't stopped since. They're now my pen of choice. I have a whole draw of more expensive pens, but the G2's are the workhorse that gets it done.

PS - Yes, fountain pens glide across the page too. But I got tired of the mess/hassle.

PPS - My Parker Stainless Steel Classic is likely my favorite LOOKING pen. It is the same as the Parker Stainless Steel they still sell, but has a touch of gold leaf on the clip and cap. As much as I like the look of both the Parker Stainless Steel AND the Stainless Steel Classic, the G2 is simply better for actual writing.

My notepad of choice is the Rhodia dot pad. They're bound on the top of the page so they're good at laying flat, and I've never had an ink bleed through the paper. As far as pens I use a Pilot Metropolitan with Noodler's black ink. However, I'm really lazy with refilling it so I tend to default to the PaperMate InkJoy pens that my office gets.

Pilot G-2 0.38 (I like the thin line) + Pentel Twist-Erase 0.5 (I like unique combo of mechanical pencil and full-size eraser)

I have kind of gone off Moleskines due to their price and low page count. For my software development work, I've recently taken to buying 9x12 sketchbooks (Canson artist series at the moment, but sometimes whatever is on sale at Michael's) and I use these for notes, and especially for state machine diagrams, flow charts, charts, etc. Occasionally the results are even pretty, but mostly they just become a mess. That's OK. My pens are "Paper Mate® Flair® Felt Tip Pens, Medium Point, Black" and I buy them in bulk since I am always using them up and occasionally losing them.

I have at times had various fetishes for mechanical pencils and fountain pens but that way can lie madness, so this is sort of the antidote to keep me grounded in a state of "just write it, dude, stop fussing with your tools."

Whatever gel pen my employer's supply closet contains.

A 5x8 tear-off notepad, ruled.

Postits.

A lab notebook for when it matters. It mostly doesn't.

Well working in gov't I have a wide array of Skillcraft products, some are ok. So if I don't have to pay for the pens I request the Precision 305, it's not bad. But I mostly use Uni-ball Signo 207 pens (http://www.amazon.com/uni-ball-Retractable-Translucent-12-Pa...). I could care less about how someone couldn't wash away the ink but I really like how they write.

As for paper products I just use whatever skillcraft steno pads are available.

I like using mechanical pencils over pens for everyday notes, although I'm probably in the minority. My goto one is the Uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil http://amzn.com/B0026ICM1E

There's also a slightly more expensive metal version: http://amzn.com/B004OHNTVC

I have both, but oddly enough I prefer the lighter weight of the cheap plastic one. Just feels more comfortable to write with for me.

Rhodia notebooks are awesome. Lovely quality paper. I can write in a fountain pen and not have any bleed - so much nicer to be able to use both sides of the paper. I alternate between orange and black for different projects. The grid has a unique layout I like - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DC5NW4?psc=1&redirect=t...

Pentel p205. (sometimes 207)

I don't use pen.

edit: http://davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.co.uk/ is a good resource for reviews of mechanical pencils and erasers.

Parker fountain pen with an italic nib, and a notebook with squared paper pages.

I use a different notebook, a Black n' Red wirebound hardcover, 8-1/4 x 5-7/8 Inches.

I usually use a Pilot Hi-Tec-C (0.3mm) pen and a Pentel Sharp (0.9mm) mechanical pencil with a polymer block eraser.

I use my Fisher Space Pen almost exclusively. It hasn't let me down.

Pen: Uni Pin fine line. 0.1mm is my go to for general day to day use, anything over 0.5mm tends to be too thick for writing.

Pad: whitelines black oceans (Lined) is really nice to write in.

Notebook: Moleskine.

Pen: Uniball Retractable Jetstream 1.0 thickness. I give them to the people I care about. I have many packs at home. I mourn when the pen runs out.

Why do people like Moleskine so much? I like a nice pen to write with, but binder clips with a stack of scratch paper to take notes is plenty enough

Depends what you want the pen for. I use a Staedtler triplus fineliner as far as daily use pens go and a uni kuru toga mechanical pencil.

I use a Muji 0.38 black pen and a 0.7mm BIC mechanical pencil. For a notebook I prefer the dotted leuchtturm1917.

pen: Skilcraft U.S. GOVERNMENT, black ink, fine point.

pencil: Zebra M-301, .5MM

eraser: Pentel clic eraser ZE22

paper: whatever is in front of me

the tools matter less than what you do with them. you can write/draw with many things, on many things.

that said, i am fond of index cards and blu-tack. these go well with walls.

edit: for some reason this thread reminds me of the american psycho business card scene...

Mouse, Monitor, Keyboard