Gift Pens

Thanksgiving is over ladies and gentlemen. And as the last leftover turkey sandwich settles in for digestion we must all turn our heads towards the oncoming holiday season and the joy and warmth it brings. As the climax of the holiday season draws near and the last weeks of the year come into play, the world slows down just long enough to give us all time to enjoy the good company of friends and family. Familiar songs ring from the radio, the smell of familiar foods waft through the house and familiar relatives drop by—usually unannounced. But, the end of the year isn’t here yet and before you can slow down and lift a glass of cheer you have some shopping to do. And here at Executive Essentials, we have two words for you: gift pens.

What? You thought we were going to say trousers?

In particular, we’d like to talk a little about personalized ink pens and custom imprinted pens. At Executive Essentials, we have a wide variety of classic and modern pens that will strike the fancy of any friend or relative you need to shop for. In fact, we carry engravable pens from top name brands such as Montblanc, Cross, Waterman, Parker and more. And, if you’re worried about price, don’t be. Even though many of those name brands have pen lines that come with a high price, Executive Essentials carries a slew of pens at prices that are more in the range of a gift, rather than an inheritance. Have look at some of these great customized ink pens.

Cross Century Sport

Let’s start with some more affordable pens and work our way up to those that are – well – less affordable. Now, it’s important to remember that affordable does not mean cheap, especially in the world of pens. And that is exactly the case with the Cross Century Sport. This is Cross’s newest slim swivel-action ballpoint. It features an inventive flat-to-flare twisted clip. The sport is a combination of engineering and agile styling with a translucent satin finish and topped off with brushed chrome-plated appointments. This is a pen that takes engraving well. Burnish the name of a friend or relative on the side of this sleek writing instrument and present it with joy in the premium gift box it comes in. Yours for under $34 plus shipping with engraving!

 

Cross Century Sport Pens

 

Waterford Metro Ballpoint Pen

This Metro from Waterford has a unique 1950’s style with a touch of modern flair. It has a streamlined barrel that lends it to a wide variety of hands with a weight that is balanced well for those who don’t like to brute force their way through each word. With its tailored and elegant shape, the Metro Collection is easy to handle in-between the lines and eye catching all at once. Through it all, it delivers a smooth and comfortable writing experience. Appointed with a solid brass cap and accented with gold trim this pen is ready made for engraving and sure to please. At Executive Essentials right now you can have this pen engraved and under the tree for under $54 plus shipping.

 

Waterford Metro Ballpoint Pen

 

Parker Sonnet Rollerball

A personalized pen is a gift that will continue to have value throughout the life of the recipient.

 

With luck, the joy of that pen will be passed down generation after generation. Although, don’t expect the ink to last that long. The fact is, a good pen will outlast its owner, and if that pen is personalized, that owner will live on in that pen. These are the way memories are made and how new generations are reminded of the one that came before. There is no better pen to carry that message than a Parker Sonnet Rollerball. This rollerball has a stainless steel body brushed with a texture effect and then polished for a smooth touch. The pen is outfitted with 23 karat gold accents. Its modest and streamlined shape makes it comfortable for both men and women. With its arrow clip adorning the pen cap this pen is all Parker. Make this pen a gift for under $90 plus shipping. Someone will thank you for it.

 

 

Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique Ballpoint Pen

Meisterstuck is German for “masterpiece” and this pen lives up to its name. One of the most highly sought after pens from one of the most respected pen companies ever, Montblanc Pens create writing instruments for people of all ages and all walks of life. And they have been doing so since 1924. This Classique Ballpoint is hand-crafted with pride and care to craft a precision instrument capable of writing plays or jotting down grocery lists. It has a rich, luscious ebony-black resin barrel and cap that contrasts magnificently with the three gold-plated rings banding its circumference. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to tell you just how much this pen costs, since Executive Essentials is proud to be an Authorized Montblanc Dealer, and therefore we do not post prices on our website as per their rules. However, I do suggest you take the time to request a price. You’ll be happy you did.

 

Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique Ballpoint Pen

 

In a world where technology is quickly taking over every aspect of our lives, it’s too easy to get wrapped up in iPads, Nooks and 3D TVs. It’s too easy to plug in and drop out. So, this year, give your friends and family a tool that will allow them to plug into themselves. Give them a reason to reflect and a way to capture those reflections. After all, getting the economy back on track isn’t the only reason you’re buying gifts this year.

How To Select A Comfortable Pen

–Tracy McCusker is at it again. This time letting us in on what to look for in a comfortable pen!

Twelve years ago, I visited my doctor with blinding pain in my right wrist. It was so bad I couldn’t even flex my fingers without crippling my arm. The early diagnosis was carpal tunnel. As time went on, the pain moved around my hand–from the thumb/index finger to the heel of the hand/pinkie. Bad typing positions, inflammation problems, poor posture were all suspected.

What I didn’t tell my doctor is that I had bought a skinny black & chrome Cross Century.  In those days, I spent six to eight hours a day writing by hand. Note-taking, essay-writing, journaling, filling out worksheets, doodling on tests. Most of the writing was wrote and unthinking.  Because I wasn’t paying attention to the writing, I couldn’t actually feel how my hand was cramping up in pain each time I picked up the pen.

Cross Century Ballpoint Pen

The Cross Century is a beautiful, classic pen. But it is the kind of pen that belongs on a desk for signing documents or jotting down a to-do list. But it sure wasn’t designed for my kind of writing. I had no idea how miserable the pen was making me until I bought another pen, the Cross ATX. The large, tapering barrel was a revelation. My hand no longer had to contort into a claw to keep a firm grip on the pen. Holding it felt so natural. My hand began to ease up—as did my wrist problems.

 

Over the years, I’ve become adept at spotting the ins and outs of comfortable pens. With the proper pens, my repetitive stress injuries are silent more often than not. Those with arthritic or circulation/pain problems may still need more specialized instruments; however, for most, this list will help keep in mind what to look for to find a comfortable writing experience.

Barrel Size

The first indicator of a comfortable pen is its barrel size. A comfortable writing tool will fit into your hand without the need to scrunch your fingers to get a good perch on it. The Cross Century and the Cross Sport are pens that require you to tense your fingers and wrist to grip the pen. If you do any substantial amount of writing, or already have a repetitive stress injury, these pens will aggravate your wrists. The most comfortable pens will have a fairly fat barrel.

Michael’s Fat Boy Chopper Gel Pen

Some barrels are evidently fat (Michael’s Fat Boys). Some came be hard to judge in a photograph. A good way to judge if a pen has a good barrel size is to check for a taper (a narrowing of the pen) near the tip of the pen. Tapering pens usually are fairly thick in their midsection. The taper allows you to adjust your grip forward or backward along the pen barrel depending on what feels more comfortable.

 
If you aren’t sure what pen size is most comfortable for your hand, mid-size pens like the Parker Sonnet might be a decent place to start searching. However, the Sonnet can be a painful experience for someone with a sensitive wrist. Be sure to test it out!good way to judge if a pen has a good barrel size is to check for a taper (a narrowing of the pen) near the tip of the pen. Tapering pens usually are fairly thick in their midsection. The taper allows you to adjust your grip forward or backward along the pen barrel depending on what feels more comfortable.

Barrel Material

Closely related to the barrel size is the barrel material. A comfortable pen won’t have you fighting to hold onto a slick surface. A comfortable pen will have a non-slippery material to hold on too.

As much as I love the Visconti Impressionist Collection, they are no longer pens that I can use. I own a Van Gogh Starry Night Rollerball and a Van Gogh Midi, simply to admire their fiery colors. But write with them? The Van Gogh ballpoint barrel is made from a slick resin; the rollerball (and fountain pen) have a chrome grip. Although chrome is an eye-catching material, it is one of the hardest materials to hold. Any amount of moisture (and I mean any amount!) and your fingers will go skittering off into the page.

Although the Cross ATX Rollerball was the pen that sent me down the path of finding comfortable pens, I discovered its chrome grip was so slippery that my hand would constantly (and unconsciously) fight to keep a good grip on the barrel. It took longer to tire and stress my hand than the Century. However, I was still doing too much writing for it to be a long-term solution.

Cross ATX Ballpoint Pens

The Cross ATX Ballpoint, on the other hand, uses the barrel material as a grip. I’ve bought several ATX ballpoints for friends and colleagues over the years, and the finishes have varied over that time. Back in 2002 and 2005, I was able to buy Basalt Black Ballpoints with fairly grippy surfaces. Recently, the popular finishes switched over to a more slippery Lacquer. For those who need a pen that doesn’t fight their grip, the ATX ballpoints in a matte finish are my usual recommended starting place. A secondary recommendation is the Waterman Carene ballpoint in a matte finish.

Pen Lip

When you look at a new pen for the first time, focus on their writing grip area. Can you see a small area near the tip that doesn’t look like the rest of the pen? Is it surrounded by a strange bump?

Parker Premier Fountain Pen

Some pen manufacturers solve the “slippery pen material” with the pen lip. This lip is a bump, swell, or grip area near the tip of a pen. This lip helps to keep your hand from sliding onto the page. It is common to have pen lips on fountain pens, where the transition between body and nib is usually sudden; it is not as common to encounter them on rollerballs and ballpoints. However, they can still be found. Mid-range Waterman’s rollerballs usually have pen lips. The Waterman Hemisphere and the Waterman Expert have gentle flairs that keep the fingers on the writing grip. Parkers also have them: the Parker Premier and the Parker Duofold ballpoints are good examples. The Premiere has a ringed area near the tip to help the fingers find something to hang onto if they start to slip. The Duofold has an elegant swell towards the tip that attempts to prevent this slipping in the first place.

 

Even less common, but often still helpful, is the cap bump. On pens that have snap-off caps, there is usually a step that your hand can rest against if you have a fairly high grip on a pen.If a pen uses a fairly slippery material (like a chrome or plastic

If a pen uses a fairly slippery material (like a chrome or plastic resin), but has a pen lip, chances are it will be easier and more comfortable to use these pens than ones that lack the lip.

Specialized Grips

For those of us who have the worst wrist troubles, the most comfortable writing experience is with pens that have specialized grips. These specialized grips are often made of different materials from the rest of the pen; sometimes these specialized grips sacrifice sleekness for comfort. The four major types of grips are knurled grips, cushioned grips, geometric grips, and grooved grips.

Knurled grips are those that have miniature criss-cross or diamond shapes cut into the metal. Examples of knurling are xacto-knife grips or grips on drafting pencils. While metal doesn’t sound like it would be comfortable on the skin, it is surprisingly effective for tools that must be held tightly or for long periods of time. Knurled grips on fine writing instruments are rare (a few discontinued Rotrings were knurled), but you can find types of knurling on pens like the Caran d’Ache pencils.

Caran d’Ache Ecridor Maya Pen

Cushioned grips are only slightly easier to find on luxury pens. At least two higher-end pen makers have built a reputation around cushioned grips: Michael’s Fat Boy and Sensa. The occasional pen from one of the big names has a cushioned grip: the Cross C-Series Rollerball and Fountain Pen both have a rubberized, cushioned grip. It’s no surprise that the C-Series is one of my favorite new designs from Cross.

 

Geometric and grooved grips are pens that depart from the shape of the pen body in order to fit more effortlessly into the hand. These can be hexagonal grips, triangle grips, a gently contoured set of waves. These kinds of grips are definitely not the norm for luxury pens—many of my favorite geometric grip pens were phased out years ago like the Cross Morph which actually changed shape from a smooth barrel to a triangular-shaped surface when you “dialed” out the tip.Keep in mind that all people write with different grips. While these four general principles hold true for comfortable pens, you might find a particular pen comfortable that I consider to be impossible to hold. Above all, if you have a repetitive stress injury, it is important to listen to what your body is telling you and seek out your instruments accordingly.

Keep in mind that all people write with different grips. While these four general principles hold true for comfortable pens, you might find a particular pen comfortable that I consider being impossible to hold. Above all, if you have a repetitive stress injury, it is important to listen to what your body is telling you and seek out your instruments accordingly.

Check out the Executive Essentials Catalog for many exciting pens with different grips that will suit your style of writing.