I need a set for drawing up geological maps and sections: Any suggestions?

I know Rotring are probably the default when it comes to stuff like this, but they are A) expensive, and B) require maintenance.

Eddings do some fibre tips, but they don’t really have the consistency of line that many, more specialist pens do.

Any suggestions?

When I did similar stuff, I rather liked these, thinking them lower maintenance than the Rotring equivalent…

http://www.staedtler.co.uk/en/products/technical-drawing-instruments/technical-pens/

And the magic words –

Ultrasonic Pen Cleaner

Ooh. Wow. Brings back memories of sitting in a soaking wet tent updating my field map. Hope technology has moved on from Rotring!!

It doesn’t look like it Doc 🙂

Mapping pens? How about the real deal? Twiddling with the screw to get the right width then loading the pen with a brush and doing a couple of cm at a time?
It’s right up there with cutthroat shaving and making your own energy bars.

We still use rotring (isograph or rapidograph) for drawing on film.

Yes, they’re fairly high maintenance but a lot of that is down to people drawing on paper with them – fibres get stuck in the nib and stop the wire moving.

Now, if we could source decent mains powered erasing machines the world would be a much more peaceful place. The best we can get is battery powered hateful crap. 😆

Back in my drwaing office days I used Rotring and Mars Staedler. Rotring were better but Mars more affordable.

Rotring pens! That brings back memories of hours spent updating navigational charts on ships. Cleaning always was a chore.

Have you looked at these?

http://shop.pilotpen.co.uk/p/dr-drawing-pen

They may not be publication quality, and wear quickly, but might do the job.

slowoldgit +1

Preferred Staedtler over Rotring and lower maintenance.

They always blocked up at some point mind!

A guy a work recommended those Staedtler pens. However, they’re still over £50, which is more than I wanted to spend

Ruggised tablet running the BGS.SIGMAmobile tools in ArcMap? Saves the paper getting wet, feeds straight into the database, uses the correct styles etc: BGS

Otherwise rotoring is what I’ve used in the none digital past.

Ruggised tablet running the BGS.SIGMAmobile tools in ArcMap? Saves the paper getting wet, feeds straight into the database, uses the correct styles etc: BGS

Not an option, I’m afraid: We have to do it by hand.

What sizes do you need, mike? I’ll have a look under some seat cushions, no promises though.

(edit) And I don’t do rush

Haha that would be great SOG. The Uni suggested 0.18, but anything close to that would do.

Sorry, only 0.35 and 0.5 turned up here. One is in the pen cleaner where I’m attempting to undo a decade of neglect.

I used rotring during my degree for plans and geo maps.

mikey74 expensive yes but last well still got mine from 1980s with stencils etc
mrjmt we had a mains eraser but most people used a razor blade to scrape errors off. too easy to go through film with eraser

I used to use both Rotring and Staedtler pens extensively, both need a certain amount of maintenance, but no more than any other pen using actual ink. The biggest problem involved Kodatrace, the translucent drafting film, which is very abrasive, and will wreck a nib immediately. The tip has radiused edges, so it can be used for sketching, as soon as you use one on film, the edges become very sharp, and will tear paper.
I always used to draw on CS10 board or paper, but any good coated paper is fine with a Rapidograph.
Still got mine kicking around upstairs somewhere, they will probably still work fine, if I bothered to put cartridges in them, and most are getting on for forty years old.
Expensive, yes, but looked after properly they’ll last decades, and the individual nibs are easily removed and replaced if they get damaged.
If you’re careful, it’s possible to take the inner wire out of the nib to unblock them.

I must have a half dozen here somewhere from my geological mapping days, including a 0.18. If I could find them you would be welcome to them. I know where the box top is as use it as a ruler still. Where the pens are in anyones guess. Will have look tonight

Cheers farmer. Feel free to send me an email (in profile).

Has anyone tried these?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001B2NOKE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1456906273&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=rotring+tikky&dpPl=1&dpID=41Ss32gnL2L&ref=plSrch