Thread: Pen ergonomics?

I think about ergonomics. I don't like pens that get all fancy with little dips and hollows and end up looking as comfortable to hold as a porcupine.

But something like Toni just did I think would be comfortable. The reason being is if I recall her latest were slimelines which are a very small diameter pen. Cigar pens are much, much larger in diameter than a slimeline, if you rounded out a cigar pen like people often do with slimelines then yes, that would probably be a bit big but then again there are pen kits that are even fatter and bigger than cigar pens so I suppose it all comes down to individual preference. Cigar pens are well over a half inch in the middle, a slimeline might only be a quarter inch. So a little rounding can actually make a slimeline more comfortable to hold.

I personally love cigar pens and they way they feel but I have very big hands. If you were, or even I were, going to be writing for extended periods of time I might opt for a lighter slimeline. But then maybe that would be more uncomfortable, I dunno, who writes anymore, isn't' that what word processors are for?

I'm big on a good, ergonomic pen even though I don't write for long periods of time.

I find pens are generally not long enough, especially when they have the clip on them. The clip swings down and ends up jabbing into my hand - very annoying.

Soundman and I designed a pen shape that is very very close to perfect for my hand. The only problem is that it's not long enough, but the length was decreed by the kit.

Another pen shape that might be a challenge to make, is the shape of the marking knives that Derek made for a few of us here. Now that is one heck of a comfortable tool!

https://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=50436

cheers
Wendy

When it comes to ergonomics with a pen you must remember that not everybody holds a pen the same way or for a matter the correct way to write. I was taught calligraphy so I tend to hold a pen with my thumb, fore and index finger, I have seen some grip a pen with all four fingers wrapped around a pen. As Matt has said a slimline has a 7 mm tube so if you did a straight slimline it wolud be a touch over 8mm. I am not a fan of the pronounced wasp waist style of silmline but curving it out from the nib and incorporating a cove and a fillet at the centre band and mirror that design to the top half. I have big hands so any of the larger pens feel comfortable, the only larger pen the felt awkward to me was the Panache.

Wendy hit it on the head though, in designing a shape to "suit her hand", if making pens for customers you have to look to what they want that suits their hand, if we made our pens to suit ourselves then it would be uncomfortable to others. That is why I have a selection of different styles for a customer to see what suits them. I am sure as pen crafters we do think about ergonomics, I do know that I tend sometimes to get lost in the artsy fartsy designs then Tasha May gives a reality check and I am back on path again.
Darren

Henry Ford felt that we could eat cake so long as it fitted his recipe. I have a best friend of 55 yrs and even now can be surprised how different our likes and needs in all things can be.

Hon Bloke you have invented a new style pen at 1/4 inch when the hole in the blank is 7 mm,roughly the size of the brass insert itself is 1/4 inch.The reason we turn varying shapes is because some timbers look flat,skinny,some look dreadfull as you cut the colour and the grain in and out.When I was in Utah some several years ago I went to an education seminar with an American friend and we were all given a photocopy Xerox of a famous basketballers hand,it covered a foolscap page. My life changed that day and ever since I know I will never design a pen to fit a real lot of people all the time.Here I spent time with a young man 7 foot 6 inches tall,I am 6 foot 2 inches myself,my wife is 5 foot 2 inches,boy one size will never fit allyou want it to do.All we can do is enjoy making our way and it is amazing when you give a pen as a gift how acceptable it becomes.When you sell too much choice can kill a sale,compare apples with apples.
If you make as I mostly do slimlines with a slight hour glass shape in hundreds of cases folks say how comfortable that is.
If you want a taller pen,nothing to stop anyone using longer brasses and timber or simply make pens without clips for special places next to the computer for example.
Show us a pic of your favourite pen,let us see the variety and reasoning even if some do not make we have an opinion.
Show us your pens.
Peter

Originally Posted by rufflyrustic

I find pens are generally not long enough, especially when they have the clip on them. The clip swings down and ends up jabbing into my hand - very annoying.

I've made a few longer pens 'specially for people who've requested 'em. It's not a rare request at all. maybe the basic pen kits are designed by japanese car mfrs?

Unfortunately, for anything bar a slimline the extra tubes tend to be a bit exxy so it drives the base costs up disproportionately. Sadly, while a slimline pen lengthens nice'n'cheaply, the kit looks dicky when you make the pen thicker... and how many people do you know who like writing with knitting needles?

Originally Posted by Honorary Bloke

thick-bodied

Do you mean the fat sausage? Looks amusing right? What is the secret? Drink a lot of alcohol before you turn.

I find the slim line made according to proper specs is too narrow for me and is tiring to use, hence I make mine a bit 'meatier' at the nib end, thus reducing the degree of precision grip needed to drive it. Haven't had any complaints, but have done a couple that I think are too thick - however the older hands often liked them.

Answer - different horses for different courses!!

JD

Thanks for the replies. I'm learning. Horses for courses, naturally, but I now realise that the "medical" pens were slimlines and that it was actually just the camera that played my eyes.

I hold a pen the way the good sisters taught me. I'm still scared to change for fear they might come round with the ruler and smack my hand.

So if the good sisters hit the back of your hand, you would be right handed then?

Originally Posted by bdar

So if the good sisters hit the back of your hand, you would be right handed then?

I would be if they'd had their way. I take your pun ( ), but actually they DID try to get me to change and I just couldn't master it so they finally gave up. The result was terrible penmanship regardless of which hand I mess it up with.

[Yes, and the bad sisters were on the left. ]