fountain pens are the best for BIFL; if you are serious, finding a fountain pen that works for you and learning to effectively clean, refill, and use it is your best bet
but this person claims they have used a Parker pen that they inherited that was manufactured in the 1970s and which they still make refills for … refills for a pen like that might be more expensive, and in general ballpoint pens are not going to last as long (and generally over a lifetime you won’t find pen companies that continue to manufacture compatible refills), but this might be a backup option if you just won’t consider fountain pens
One point is that the Parker and Cross type of refills completely replaces the writing head and so by one view it is not really “BIFL” since so much of the unit has to be refreshed (and so not as environmentally friendly) compared to a fountain pen. That being said, for some people the risk of ink all over your hands is not worth or even entirely precludes using a fountain pen, or there may be other circumstances.
For example, at my workplace there is only one approved type of pen that can be used 😢
fountain pens are the best for BIFL; if you are serious, finding a fountain pen that works for you and learning to effectively clean, refill, and use it is your best bet
but this person claims they have used a Parker pen that they inherited that was manufactured in the 1970s and which they still make refills for … refills for a pen like that might be more expensive, and in general ballpoint pens are not going to last as long (and generally over a lifetime you won’t find pen companies that continue to manufacture compatible refills), but this might be a backup option if you just won’t consider fountain pens
Overall you are correct.
But standard Parker and Cross can refills have been the same for longer than I’ve been alive. Very easy to get.
One point is that the Parker and Cross type of refills completely replaces the writing head and so by one view it is not really “BIFL” since so much of the unit has to be refreshed (and so not as environmentally friendly) compared to a fountain pen. That being said, for some people the risk of ink all over your hands is not worth or even entirely precludes using a fountain pen, or there may be other circumstances.
For example, at my workplace there is only one approved type of pen that can be used 😢