5 ms·

I saw this post and came to ask for left-handers' recommendations. I'm glad this article actually has a section for it! Certain pens perform very poorly for me,

I saw this post and came to ask for left-handers' recommendations. I'm glad this article actually has a section for it! Certain pens perform very poorly for me, like the ink stoping and starting. Pens are the only left-handed designed product I've ever found I really needed. Aside from scissors or computer mice maybe, but I grew up using my right hand for those activities.

queuebert 5y ago
You could always write in reverse like Leonardo da Vinci.
- boogies 5y ago
  TIL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci#cite_ref-Polidoro_58-1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci#cite_ref-Pol...
Foobar8568 5y ago
Try a fast dry ink like the Noodler's Polar blue ink, you'll need a good paper and maybe a F nib as it has a tendancy to bleed through the paper as it's a really fast dry ink, but it won't smear. My daughter is left hand and has no problem writing with it with the occasional bleed with a M nib. It's like magic.
GavinMcG 5y ago
I'm a lefty, and I've tried an awful lot of pens. I agree with the Energel recommendation (and primarily use Energel refills) but I'd put Zebra Sarasa gel pens alongside them. There are other good options out there in terms of quick-drying ink, but Energel and Sarasa work especially well for me because I'm an under-writer, keeping my hand fully below the line, which lowers the angle at which the pen meets the page. Many pens don't tolerate the low angle.
- wslh 5y ago
  Something like the Uni-ball 0.7 or 0.8 ?
- clairity 5y ago
  used to be a pilot g-2 user but switched to zebra sarasa about a decade ago. so much better (no smearing). cobalt blue is my fave, though i have all the colors. i’ve tried energel but wasn’t as enthused by it.
samatman 5y ago
My go-to has been the Pilot Precise for many years. Something about the stick rollerball means that whatever weird angle I attack the page, it writes. Ink dries instantly as well, difficult to smear it even on the cheapest paper.
smarx007 5y ago
As a leftie and a fountain pen user, I think the choice (matching) of paper is often overlooked. Earlier I was after “the right pen” and now I know which pens will work well on which kinds of paper. Sadly, it means that Rhodia premium paper is off limits for me except of EF nibs and dry inks. Uni tank ballpoints, on the other hand, pair with any kind of paper and even write upside down.
chana_masala 5y ago
Hello left handed friend! I don't have anything useful to add, only wanted to share my experience being left handed. I use a right handed mouse with my left hand, which makes me hold it quite strangely and the buttons are still for right handed, so I use them backwards.
- Mezzie 5y ago
  You should be able to change the button settings. At least you used to be able to. My mom has hers set up that way; she mouses left.
  - chana_masala 5y ago
    I'm just so used to it the wrong way now!
- technothrasher 5y ago
  I'm primarily left handed, but "switch hit" for a lot of things, including mice. I've never had any problem with the position of the buttons in either hand, though when using a mouse with my left hand my hand posture is at about a 45 degree angle to the mouse so that my index finger is still resting on the left button. I then rotate my hand to move my index finger onto the right button when I want to use it. When I'm using the mouse as intended in the right hand, I use two fingers. I find either approach works fine for me. The only thing I've consciously forced myself to learn to use right handed are firearms. Left handed firearms are hard to find, and using right-handed ones with your left hand creates a lot of hardships.
  - chana_masala 5y ago
    > at about a 45 degree angle to the mouse so that my index finger is still resting on the left button Yes that's what I do too!
aidenn0 5y ago
Just because it's not on the left-hander list (but is elsewhere in TFA), my daughter is a leftie and likes the sarasa dry, so that might be one to try as well.
uberalex 5y ago
Lamy does a really nice (and easy to replace) left-handed medium fountain pen nib. https://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/09/lamy-oblique-and-left-handed-nibs-whats/ https://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/09/lamy-oblique-and-left-ha...
daotoad 5y ago
JetPens actually has a guide for this, too: https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Lefty-Friendly-Pens-and-Writing-Supplies/pt/891 https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Lefty-Friendly-Pens-an...
odiroot 5y ago
I'm a leftie. Using rollerball pens with fast-drying ink (as others recommended). I think it's a good compromise.
trevvr 5y ago
Have a look at a Yoropen. I've been using the executive zII for years now and the executive pencil is my everyday 'beater'. In fact I like the pencil so much I've got two. The old pens are hard to find refills for nowadays. But the newer pens have refills all over ebay.

queuebert 5y ago

You could always write in reverse like Leonardo da Vinci.

boogies 5y ago
TIL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci#cite_ref-Polidoro_58-1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci#cite_ref-Pol...

Foobar8568 5y ago

Try a fast dry ink like the Noodler's Polar blue ink, you'll need a good paper and maybe a F nib as it has a tendancy to bleed through the paper as it's a really fast dry ink, but it won't smear. My daughter is left hand and has no problem writing with it with the occasional bleed with a M nib. It's like magic.

GavinMcG 5y ago

I'm a lefty, and I've tried an awful lot of pens. I agree with the Energel recommendation (and primarily use Energel refills) but I'd put Zebra Sarasa gel pens alongside them. There are other good options out there in terms of quick-drying ink, but Energel and Sarasa work especially well for me because I'm an under-writer, keeping my hand fully below the line, which lowers the angle at which the pen meets the page. Many pens don't tolerate the low angle.

wslh 5y ago
Something like the Uni-ball 0.7 or 0.8 ?
clairity 5y ago
used to be a pilot g-2 user but switched to zebra sarasa about a decade ago. so much better (no smearing). cobalt blue is my fave, though i have all the colors. i’ve tried energel but wasn’t as enthused by it.

samatman 5y ago

My go-to has been the Pilot Precise for many years. Something about the stick rollerball means that whatever weird angle I attack the page, it writes. Ink dries instantly as well, difficult to smear it even on the cheapest paper.

smarx007 5y ago

As a leftie and a fountain pen user, I think the choice (matching) of paper is often overlooked. Earlier I was after “the right pen” and now I know which pens will work well on which kinds of paper. Sadly, it means that Rhodia premium paper is off limits for me except of EF nibs and dry inks. Uni tank ballpoints, on the other hand, pair with any kind of paper and even write upside down.

chana_masala 5y ago

Hello left handed friend! I don't have anything useful to add, only wanted to share my experience being left handed. I use a right handed mouse with my left hand, which makes me hold it quite strangely and the buttons are still for right handed, so I use them backwards.

Mezzie 5y ago
You should be able to change the button settings. At least you used to be able to. My mom has hers set up that way; she mouses left.
- chana_masala 5y ago
  I'm just so used to it the wrong way now!
technothrasher 5y ago
I'm primarily left handed, but "switch hit" for a lot of things, including mice. I've never had any problem with the position of the buttons in either hand, though when using a mouse with my left hand my hand posture is at about a 45 degree angle to the mouse so that my index finger is still resting on the left button. I then rotate my hand to move my index finger onto the right button when I want to use it. When I'm using the mouse as intended in the right hand, I use two fingers. I find either approach works fine for me. The only thing I've consciously forced myself to learn to use right handed are firearms. Left handed firearms are hard to find, and using right-handed ones with your left hand creates a lot of hardships.
- chana_masala 5y ago
  > at about a 45 degree angle to the mouse so that my index finger is still resting on the left button Yes that's what I do too!

aidenn0 5y ago

Just because it's not on the left-hander list (but is elsewhere in TFA), my daughter is a leftie and likes the sarasa dry, so that might be one to try as well.

uberalex 5y ago

Lamy does a really nice (and easy to replace) left-handed medium fountain pen nib. https://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/09/lamy-oblique-and-left-handed-nibs-whats/ https://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/09/lamy-oblique-and-left-ha...

daotoad 5y ago

JetPens actually has a guide for this, too: https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Lefty-Friendly-Pens-and-Writing-Supplies/pt/891 https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Lefty-Friendly-Pens-an...

odiroot 5y ago

I'm a leftie. Using rollerball pens with fast-drying ink (as others recommended). I think it's a good compromise.

trevvr 5y ago

Have a look at a Yoropen. I've been using the executive zII for years now and the executive pencil is my everyday 'beater'. In fact I like the pencil so much I've got two. The old pens are hard to find refills for nowadays. But the newer pens have refills all over ebay.