Noodler’s

Why r/BuyItForLife recommends Noodler’s

4 mentions from real owners

• #1Dec 30, 2025

  Letter writing set recommendations

  I’d buy a [Lamy Safari](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/lamy-safari-fountain-pen-shiny-black) and [Noodler's Black](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/noodlers-black-3oz-bottled-ink). Noodler's Black resists water, UV/light fading, forgery attempts, chemicals. It’s a good quality pen and ink combo that will not fade on paper and last a long time.

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• #2Sep 4, 2025

  1950s Sheaffer Valiant Snorkel pen in pastel blue. Fully functional, and better looking than most modern pens. It has a medium 14k gold conical "triumph" nib with platinum masking on the tip for better ink flow.

  I'm a lefty. Its possible to use one. You just need an extra fine nib (JP from Pilot or Sailor are typically 1 size smaller than Euro. E.g. JP M is a EU F). For black ink, Bernanke Black from Noodler's is an amazing ultra-quick-drying ink. Only issue is that you need to constantly use or it will evaporate in the pen within 3 weeks

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• #3Mar 3, 2025

  Where Does "Buy It for Life" Not Make Sense?

  I hear Noodler’s Polar series inks are extremely fast drying, or inks like Pelikan 4001 series just are kind of dry to begin with. Get something like this, a fine or medium nib on something like a Lamy Safari (which forces a correct grip), and most of all, get used to writing with your paper laying about 45° clockwise, so you can work on having a relaxed hand position that will sit naturally below the line you’re writing on, and fountain pens should be a breeze for lefties, too! The part about hand and paper position is actually just a universal thing - even righthanded folks need to be mindful or their hand, if the ink isn’t a fast drier, you’ll just smudge the line above what you’re currently writing anyways.

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• #4Dec 2, 2015

  Young professional purchases

  Focus on what suits *your* needs, rather than on the idea of what a young professional needs. Like, people could declare a certain coffee maker a kitchen essential, but if you don't drink coffee, there's no point in getting it. For the less fashion sensitive articles of clothing, LLBean has fantastic quality, and Lands End is also pretty good. If you lose your water bottle, BIFL status is less important than usability, although if you like the mouth of Nalgene, then obviously keep using it. I favor Contigo and Camelback because they encourage me to drink more water than I would with a Nalgene, even though they are inherently less durable. I have an STM backpack with a well padded laptop compartment that I love. It's held up better than any other backpack I've had. It's also quite comfortable. Watches usually last pretty well. The weak points are thin plating and canvas or leather straps (which are also more comfortable, imo, so I put up with them). I'd make sure to get something I won't be sick of in 10 years, because unless you get a really crummy one, you'll probably still have it. That might be one of the more important BIFL aspects with watches, really. Briefcase: Depends on your job. You want it to fit the environment. You might be interested in a fountain pen. It won't save you money, but it will mean you'll have the one nice pen instead of a bunch of cheaper ones. For a discrete pen, I like the Hero 616, which is modeled after the Parker 51. The standard pen recommendation is the Lamy Safari. I always use Noodlers Black ink, because it's impossible to remove from paper, which makes it great for signatures, but some people prefer washable ink to avoid clothing mishaps.

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