Best Writing Utensil For Cache

[+BirdManOfCT]

What is the best writing utensil for a cache? Personally, I always carry my own pen. But, for a cache out where it often gets below freezing, seems like a pencil might be logical choice. But, how do you keep it sharp? Some alternatives?

[+Sue Gremlin]

Put a little pencil sharpener in the cache.

Edited February 28, 2006 by Sue Gremlin

[+CYBret]

Them Astronaut Pens are pretty nice..but a tad pricey.

 

Some time ago there was a discussion about Uni-ball Power Tank Ballpont Pens. They seem to be a good caching pen.

Multi-performance ballpoint pen writes smoothly on wet surfaces, in extreme cold and even upside down! Rubber grip with hexagonal design provides superior writing control. Semi-translucent barrel for monitoring ink supply. Refillable.

 

Bret

[+Shifty]

I am firm hardcore believer in The "Pilot V Razor Point" Writes great, only problem is that the pen bleeds if the paper is wet, but it writes on pretty much any surface.

[+briansnat]

When I place a cache I usually put in two golf pencils sharpened at both ends and a pen. I figure that if the pen doesn't work and the pencils are blunt, anyone can sharpen the pencil with a pocket knife, a rock or even their finger nail if necessary.

 

I never include a pencil sharpener, but when I go back for maint visits I often find that someone else has included one for me.

[+StarBrand]

I usually leave a couple of cheap mechanical pencils, a real pencil with sharpener, and a pen. Should alawys be something to write with.

[+Big Sky Explorers]

We usually bring our own, it freezes up here and writing utensils are not reliable when they freeze...I also don't like pencils, they don't hold up on a log book.

[+Mystery Ink]

I usually carry a Space Pen they do cost alot and occasionally slip out of your hand but I have writen on soaked logs with them and they did just fine.

 

Cybret is right though they are pricey and are easy to lose if aren't careful.

 

I use the Space Pen rather than the pens in the cache container.

[+The Canning Clan]

I'll chime in with the Uni-Ball Power Tank...we use these exclusively at work and at home. They are a cheap alternative to the space pen but have the same abilities. I've used mine outdoors down to -30 with no problems.

[+Mastifflover]

I carry a space pen with me at all times but I use a Uni-Ball Powertank at work. Love em'.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

I've been putting PaperMate SharpWriters in my new caches. About $3.50 a dozen. No need for a sharpener, and they have an eraser.

 

<editted for grammar>

Edited February 28, 2006 by BBWolf+3Pigs

[+Salvelinus]

... seems like a pencil might be logical choice. But, how do you keep it sharp? Some alternatives?

 

Dosn't everyone carry a pocket knife wherever they go?

[+Team Cotati]

The cheapest ball point pen that I can find.

[+Nero]

like other have said..

 

I cary with me a Fisher Space Pen. they write on anything even wet log books.

[+nfa]

pencils and sharpies and uni-ball power tanks...all good

 

I put pencils in caches I place or maintain, and cache with sharpies and uni-balls

 

Jamie

[+BirdManOfCT]

... seems like a pencil might be logical choice. But, how do you keep it sharp? Some alternatives?

 

Dosn't everyone carry a pocket knife wherever they go?

Yep, bigger than Crocodile Dundee's knife.

[+3jaze]

Up here in the north country, good quality graphite pencils work the best. I place two short pencils (full pencil cut in half) and a pencil sharpener in my caches. Many of the dollar store pencils have such poor quality graphite in them that they cannot be sharpened properly. More often than not, the mechanical pencils need the skills of a mechanic to fix after a while. Full size pencils tend to poke holes in ziplocks and also create problems when trying to re-stuff a cache container. Pens tend to freeze in the winter. It’s also been my experience that should a cachelog become wet, you can still read the entries that were written in pencil but the ones in ink often bleed to the point of being unreadable.

[+sept1c_tank]

...anyone can sharpen the pencil with a...rock or even their finger nail if necessary.

 

Or you can sign the log in blood when you fail!

 

A pencil in the cache is the best bet, but someone who caches without their own utensil is just a dummy and deserves a DNF if they can't find a way to sign the logbook.

 

Brian, you can also use those stubby, broken pencils, spindling them with your index fingers against a piece of bark, to make a signal fire and send smoke signals to the cache owner to ask for permission to log the cache without signing.

[+Maingray]

The venerable VWR Lab Marker. Tried and tested in labs across the world

 

http://vwrlabshop.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_0011283