Others have spoken about their experiences with these pens while in the service or working for the federal government, so you can read about the history there and how these pens have become iconic. I particularly love the fact that they are crafted in the USA by blind workers. To put it concisely, these are great pens. They are made for work and get the job done smoothly. They aren't exactly made for gifting to someone because they aren't shiny with the latest barrel design. They write so well, they are comfortable in the hand, and they don't fail for no good reason. I have big hands, too, and there's no fatigue even after a long time of writing. My hands don't slide down the barrel while using these, either, which is a godsend. To some folks, these may seem like dinosaurs compared to modern writing instruments, but these are made so well and they are so well-engineered that newer pens have nothing on them. I'm in my 50s now, but I first started using these when my dad (who was a civilian working for the Army) brought them home from work and I "borrowed" them from his briefcase. They lasted so long, wrote smoothly, and were incredibly comfortable to use, so anytime I found one, it was mine! When I went off to college, I didn't have ready access to them, so I stopped using them. Just recently, I was thinking about my dad and remembering those pens, so I looked around and found them on Amazon. I wasn't even sure that they were still manufactured. They are just as good today as they were then, so I have a package of them at work with me. I am the head of the company, so I may have my assistant get more for a few of the departments, if they want to try them. Anyway, I rambled, but trust me when I say that these are worth every penny. Make sure to get the medium point black ink version. Also, make sure to get the ones that say "Skilcraft U.S. Government" on them. I'm sure the other Skilcraft offerings are great, but the ones I'm recommending are truly the best! Read more
The iconic Skilcraft US Government has been in continuous production for 50+ years now virtually unchanged. It's the last pen standing of its kind - the 50-60-70 "modern" industrial design school plastic body with chromed metal construction. It's even the last to use the formerly ubiquitous all brass tubular thin refill. The only detail that has changed is the metal band has picked up body color stripes along the way. You probably first came in contact with them in the military like me where they were everywhere. Design: The overall design of the US Gov't obviously took inspiration from the early 60's era Papermate Piggy Back/Malibu (production ended in early 90's). The designers slimmed the profile a tad, changed the ring to a band, streamlined the clip and added a taller, slimmer, more cylindrical button. Excellent. It's not retro, it's the genuine article. It's a small pen by modern standards and has no grip or fatigue relieving surfaces. Some might find writing at length with it unpleasant. On the other hand, the slim design fits nicely into any pen hole or loop in a uniform, shirt etc. which is exactly what it was designed for. Construction: Common for the era, the design of the US Gov't is executed in glossy black ABS plastic body and head with chromed steel button, clip, band and tip. The barrel unscrews revealing a standard for the era type straight, thin, brass tube refill. I did notice a couple of flaws. There are slight irregularities in the head molding that can be felt or seen at the right angles and the gloss on a couple the barrels have marred spots - which might be shelf-wear and not a defect. Neither are noticeable at conversation distance nor affect the functionality of the pens in any way. Writing: Writing is responsive with light pressure. A little heavier pressure makes a bolder line. It has a bit of tactile feedback but I wouldn't call it scratchy. No hard starting (once the ball is primed), skipping, broken lines, blobs or blotches whatsoever. I've never known one to leak. It's not the smoothest ballpoint I've ever used and nothing close to a rollerball or gel. It's a medium level performer. Ink: The ink color is a pretty standard ballpoint purple-black with a red sheen. It's an indelible ink - impervious to water and bleach washinging. Alcohol does make it explode but the writing is recoverable and any altered document altered would be obvious. It passed a freezer test. I haven't tested the upper limit of its temperature range or writing length. Bottom line: These are a bit pricey for what they are at near the $1/pen mark which approaches the bulk cost of the absolutely fantastic Uni-ball 207. The government pays maybe a little over half of that from what I can tell ($.50-.55/pen) and there aren't better bulk ballpoints out there in that price range. I highly recommend these because they're US made by the blind, have a timeless iconic design and solid performance. Read more
These write smoothly, last a long time, and are well made. For the price these are among the best pens I have ever used. By modern standards they are a bit thinner than a common pen, but that does make them easier to carry in a notebook or a pocket. I even sent one through the washer and dryer (on low), and while I may have been merely fortunate here, it did not explode ink. In fact, it continues to write. They're cheap enough that you don't have to feel bad about losing one, but durable enough to warrant buying their inexpensive refills. I would liken them in many ways to a Fisher Space Pen, though more affordable and more disposable. Read more
I bought it because im geeking out about the history of the pen. It feels very good in the hand. The fact that its smaller than most pens make it extremely comfortable for some reason. I can feel the good quality of the materials used. And the click is satisfying. Other than that i love how it looks and how the writing itself feels. Ill give some if them to friends from abroad as a geeky souvenir. Read more
