avigo Posted February 23, 2016 Share #1 Posted February 23, 2016 I am not in the military.Maybe a stupid question, but I want to get a bunch of the Skillcraft US Government ballpoint pens. They come in both medium and fine. My question: What would the actual, "standard issue" pens be? Medium, or fine? Black or blue? Here are links: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055KSO3A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=A3K3TVBMTCRGHA http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055KSNYK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_1&smid=A3K3TVBMTCRGHA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagmanL6 Posted February 23, 2016 Share #2 Posted February 23, 2016 Speaking for the Marine Corps from my experience black and black only. Heaven forbid you ever did anything in any other color. Don't remember any fine tips so I'd say medium. The ones made before those on the amazon site had a solid silver ring between the top and bottom pieces Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mruiz Posted February 23, 2016 Share #3 Posted February 23, 2016 They should be black ink, medium. The blind makes them in Texas. last time we order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mslurvey Posted February 23, 2016 Share #4 Posted February 23, 2016 The green memoranda books that are listed on Amazon along with the skill craft pens sure bring back found memories! Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avigo Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share #5 Posted February 23, 2016 Thanks so much guys! Exactly what I was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGrayGhost Posted February 23, 2016 Share #6 Posted February 23, 2016 Here is an example of the solid chrome center style that BagmanL6 is referring to: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ballpoint-Pen-SKILCRAFT-Black-Plastic-Chrome-Accents-U-S-Government-/291673767732?hash=item43e91c7f34:g:usQAAOSwcBhWWnO5 These are the ones I always remember using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avigo Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share #7 Posted February 23, 2016 The green memoranda books that are listed on Amazon along with the skill craft pens sure bring back found memories! Mason Which notebooks were/are standard issue? the side bound ones, or the top bound ones? Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mslurvey Posted February 23, 2016 Share #8 Posted February 23, 2016 top bound ones if I remember right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagmanL6 Posted February 23, 2016 Share #9 Posted February 23, 2016 Funny, I remember the side bound ones pretty much only. I've seen a few of the top bound ones over the years but it seems like we always had the side bound ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtpeter Posted February 23, 2016 Share #10 Posted February 23, 2016 Those are the right kind of pens. Issue pens were never blue, always black. The earlier pens had a solid silver band as mentioned, I believe the style with the alternating black and silver bands came out probably around 2000. You can use a finger nail to scrap off the black band and get a silver band. As part of the RFI gear after 9/11 we did get a shipment of the Rite in the Rain top bound khaki notebooks as well as the Rite in the Rain pens. They worked better than the Skillcraft pens but also more expensive. As for the green memo pads, sometimes supply would get the top bound and sometimes the side bound so either one is correct to fill a utility pocket. We typically used a rubberband to index the next available page in the notebook, but rubber bands don't survive very long in the desert heat. If you search Amazon for 'The Green Journal', the cloth bound large format notebook was also commonly used in offices as log books. We basically used which ever size was available and depending on it purpose. Enjoy! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtpeter Posted February 23, 2016 Share #11 Posted February 23, 2016 Should also have mentioned that I believe the Skillcraft pens were introduced in the early 1960s so they have been around for a while. I also believe the green cloth bound, larger format notebooks date back to the 1940s although the markings would have been different since NSN was adopted in 1974. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagmanL6 Posted February 23, 2016 Share #12 Posted February 23, 2016 Who knew pens and notebooks could generate such discussion and bring back so many memories!? This is one of the few times where I feel like I'm holding my own on the forum to boot. We all used to fold down the page when we moved to another in a triangle fashion. You're absolutely right in that the rubber bands really didn't hold up. I finally found oversized paper clips that I used. Folding down the page (s) made the book thicker and of course all us grunts had to stay thinner, lighter. Let's not even get started about grease pencils and acetate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtpeter Posted February 23, 2016 Share #13 Posted February 23, 2016 Oh no ... not grease pencils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avigo Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share #14 Posted February 23, 2016 Those are the right kind of pens. Issue pens were never blue, always black. The earlier pens had a solid silver band as mentioned, I believe the style with the alternating black and silver bands came out probably around 2000. You can use a finger nail to scrap off the black band and get a silver band. As part of the RFI gear after 9/11 we did get a shipment of the Rite in the Rain top bound khaki notebooks as well as the Rite in the Rain pens. They worked better than the Skillcraft pens but also more expensive. As for the green memo pads, sometimes supply would get the top bound and sometimes the side bound so either one is correct to fill a utility pocket. We typically used a rubberband to index the next available page in the notebook, but rubber bands don't survive very long in the desert heat. If you search Amazon for 'The Green Journal', the cloth bound large format notebook was also commonly used in offices as log books. We basically used which ever size was available and depending on it purpose. Enjoy! Peter Thanks so much! Exactly what I was looking for. I really appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted February 24, 2016 Share #15 Posted February 24, 2016 Standard issue Skilcraft pen...black ink...60s through early 80s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted February 24, 2016 Share #16 Posted February 24, 2016 Field stripped for cleaning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted February 24, 2016 Share #17 Posted February 24, 2016 Notebook...side bound ...mostly. Top bound available, but they always seemed to deform in the pocket then get torn up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted February 24, 2016 Share #18 Posted February 24, 2016 Even vintage scratchings in notebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avigo Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share #19 Posted February 24, 2016 Awesome, thanks Rolf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas36th Posted February 24, 2016 Share #20 Posted February 24, 2016 I used these pens and notebooks all thru school. Plus always had the red and black mechanical pencils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avigo Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share #21 Posted February 24, 2016 I used these pens and notebooks all thru school. Plus always had the red and black mechanical pencils. Would these be the current US military issue version of the mechanical pencil? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UARLDQ?ref_=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avigo Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share #22 Posted February 24, 2016 duplicate post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted February 24, 2016 Share #23 Posted February 24, 2016 Would these be the current US military issue version of the mechanical pencil? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UARLDQ?ref_=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t That's a mechanical grease pencil (crayon style marker). Normally used on acetated map sheets. I have a US Government mechanical pencil somewhere in my stash but it will take me a while to find it. I've seen the style that Texas36th showed but never used them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manchu Warrior Posted February 24, 2016 Share #24 Posted February 24, 2016 Not to get to far off track. With that said, I have been out of the Army for almost twelve years and as of yet I use nothing but black ink pens. If there isn't one around I will find one before I write anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd12 Posted February 28, 2016 Share #25 Posted February 28, 2016 Here are two pens I have left from the supply room... Black ink. I Don't know if they are "medium" or "fine", we only had one choice. 2000-2009 timeframe. Also shown is the popular "green book"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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