Is there such a thing as an ideal size and shape? Probably not, not even for a pen. However, there may be an ideal shape for a purpose. For me, a pen is more than just a pen. It is a productivity device, a quintessential tool of a knowledge worker before computers. The tradeoffs easily explained with pens also apply to everything else.
The workhorse devices
The workhorse devices which we use all the time are on the smaller side of the standard. Parker 51 used to be the most popular fountain pen for decades. It was 5” (127mm) long and 0.47” (12mm) in diameter. Another popular pen, Lamy Safari is about that size.
Cheap, ergonomic, and popular Pilot Hi-Tecpoint V5 Grip Rollerball is 137mm long when capped (128 mm uncapped), 12mm in body diameter. It weighs just 11 grams, less than Parker Jotter and it writes effortlessly. Parker Jotter ballpoint pen is 128mm long, 9mm in diameter. It’s always been a popular pen considering that over 750 million Jotters have been sold since the original release in 1954. I think I owned about 100 of Jotters with all kinds of refills in my life.
It is pretty remarkable to understand that the workhorse devices of different manufacturers, using very different technologies and mechanisms, yet observe the same sizes.
That’s like 15” laptop size. It is possibly the best balance of size vs performance. Can there be anything better? Possibly for some, not for all.
Multipens
We kind of want to think that multipens offer the best of productivity and portability. You get one device with many functions and expect to use all of them occasionally. In fact, this rarely happens. If you have a swiss knife, how many of its functions do you use? Maybe two or three. If you have a multipen that is a mediocre pen and below mediocre pencil, you are likely never to use the pencil.
Some multipens are beautiful, but they are not exceptionally good pens. Most use very small D1 refill with large tolerances in the tip, so the ink capacity is small and accuracy is limited. Many multipens are monstrous: huge fat pens to allow for the rotation of refills.
There are even fountain pens with two active nibs and eyedropper mechanism with two different inks. They will write, but their balance will be off, and they may leak. The only multipens I like are brush pens with one side softer than the other.
Multipens are devices for emergency use. Take a fine nib writing pen, a bold nib highlighter, a mechanical pencil you trust. If one of them fails, have a multipen for emergency use. I do not expect it to be used very often. Unlike swiss knives, multipens are not very portable.
Oversized pens
The most efficient pens are for table use. They are large and light. Large size provides for very nice grip: the pen can perfectly sit in your hand. The light weight allows you to wield the pen for hours. These pens are not built to be carried around. In many, you will see no clips: sculptured roll-stoppers and special shape ensure they will not roll off the table.
If you are a male with large hands, heavy grip or age-related issue (arthritis or Parkinson), you will really want to use oversized pens. While these pens are relatively expensive, they can have huge beautiful nibs, a lot of space for ink, great ergonomic grip, exceptional weight balance. They may have space for beautiful design features.
As you noticed from the description, I like to keep on my desk or in my drawer an oversized pen or lead holder. Most of them are hand-made tooled items. Yet I can dream of beautiful Italian masterpieces with a hefty price tag. For example, Delta Dolcevita is a wonderful oversized pen I hope to buy someday. Visconti Homo Sapience brand produces huge pens of all kinds. Visconti Divina Elegance features an elegant twist.
While in fountain pens, huge size is a sign of luxury, in lead holders it is a necessity. A mechanical pencil with 5.6mm nib will naturally be fat. It can be rather short though.
Calligraphic holders will be long and slim to balance for dipping action. They remind the ancient quills and brushes. You are not expected to carry one in your pocket anyway.
Portability vs efficiency
There is a special kind of pens called pocket pens. Broad and very short pens are best suited for pants pockets. Kaweco sport and Fisher telescopic pens are examples. These pens can be shorter than 10cm (4 inches) closed. When open they may become larger by an entire inch to sit somewhat comfortably in your hand. Kaweco Liliput is 3.8” retracted, 5.0” extended, 9.3mm (0.37”) diameter. Lamy pico is about the same length but 12.7 mm (0.5”) in diameter. Some have expensive clips which are carried separately from the pen, so they will not mess up with the pant pockets. Oh, and these pens can be quite heavy to withstand the hostile environment of your pants.
Slim pens with powerful clips are intended for your shirt pockets. Those pens are thin, long, and powerful. The Pilot birdy switch holds a pen and a mechanical pencil (2 in one) in a metal finish body 4.7” long, 5.6mm (0.22”) in diameter. Zebra techno is very slim but also very short (3.9”) and can even fit a large wallet.
Are the portable pens comfortable to write with? Not really. Thin pens are painful to grip. Clipless pens tend to roll off the tables. Short pens are too short to lie comfortably on your hand. Pens with caps have issues holding the cap (small cap insert) and telescoping pens cannot be operated by one hand. Eyedropper pens may soil your pants. Other pens do not have large ink storage and cannot write for a very long time.
Do we see something similar with our laptops? Hell yes, but the reasons are different: small screen, not enough connectors, poor keyboard, awful power dissipation.
The holy grail devices
There are expensive giant pens with the best shape factor possible, tons of ink storage, and the perfect nib. They are extremely well balanced, joy to write with, only you are not likely to take them out. A holy grail pen, like Nakaya fountain pen, Pelikan 1000 or Montblanc 149 is too expensive to lose. It is like a piece of jewelry: you will keep it for special occasions and use it carefully at home.
The holy grail pens are likely to be standard 5.25” inch (133mm) open and medium .55” (14mm) in diameter. They are made from the best materials, like precious resins and urushi ebonites, so they will be lighter than they look. And a huge gold nib (these are usually fountain pens) will make them perfectly tip-heavy.
While the experience of writing with such graceful monsters is superb, you are not likely to use it on a daily basis.
In a similar way, photographers will often prefer to keep their most expensive lenses at home. They do not want anything to happen to it. A travel lens is more than enough in most cases.
Disposable pens
Pens do not have to be good. One of the most used kinds of pens are Uniball Jetstream. These pens are very light and plasticky, slightly longer than and slimmer than standard at 14cm length and 10mm diameter… These pens are so popular, that they come in all flavors from extra-fine (Edge) to bold (RT BLX). The fine and medium nibs come in 10 different colors (Color Series). And there are multipens. These disposable pens are extremely reliable, ergonomic, and yet not an issue to lose. You can share them with your colleagues.
Yet Uniball Jetstream are more ergonomic expensive than Bic Cristal pens. Sometimes I think that Bic Cristal pens are built for people that enjoy losing their pens. These are very simple devices that reliably leave a mark on paper. When many people need to fill a form they are given disposable pens, and when half of those pens are lost nobody cares. You can share them with your neighbors.
Disposable pens tend to get used a couple of times and then they disappear. We do not really know where or how, we just buy more. Writing with them is not fun, but they are rarely used for long writing sessions. These are tools for those that do not care about their tools.
We often see people that buy generic knives, pens, cheap Android devices, and cheap laptops. There is something liberating not caring about your tools. Freedom is often worth more than luxury, comfort or productivity.
Jewelry pens
The size of jewelry does not really matter. What matters is the design and where the item will be weared. There are even tactical all-metal pen “jewelry” pens for mighty men.
Just like disposable pens sacrifice some of the functionality for cost reduction, the jewelry pens offer a lot of style with reduced functionality. These pens are not intended for everyday use, they are display items. Some of them are too heavy to be useful for hours. Others have various beautification that cut into the hand of the person using it.
Many of luxury pens are jewelry: they are sterling silver pendants or statues intended to be used with gorgeous stands. I do not imagine someone buying such a pen for himself: this is a sort of product we buy for people we want to please.
Limited edition and collectible pens are very much like jewelry pens, only they are bought by professionals. They are rarely used but often admired, and after several years often sold for speculative price gains.
We have something similar with knives and watches. Some masterpieces are bought to be kept in a desk or glass stand as display pieces. Some are occasionally placed in display windows of cool stores to command the attention of passers-by and emphasize the quality of the store.
Bottom line
While nobody admits that there is a perfect size and shape of an item like a knife or a pen, the abundance of high-quality high-demand products with a very specific shape factor suggests otherwise. And you can always collect other items for fun or special needs.