For those of you who have known me since eighth grade, you knew this was coming. Some people collect cards, and others collect snowglobes. For me, it’s the eloquent fountain pen. Now, I’m about 70% sure an image of Thomas Jefferson writing the constitution popped into your head. (And you are correct; he used a Boston safety pen to write it) However, this instrument is not a relic, it’s just as relevant today as it was 200 years ago.
This here is a diagram of how a fountain pen works. Have you ever had a pen explode in your bag, dousing everything in black or red? This is the same concept, except it’s controlled, and it will not douse your bag(most likely). in most pens, there is an ink reservoir. Some are known as bladder converters, while others are a piston.
Bladder converter on a pilot metro
Piston Converter on a Lamy Safari
Personally, I am in the realm of thought that pistons are superior. They are easier to fill. This “feeds” into the feed(see what I did there?) and distributes the ink in a controlled fashion to the nib. Because of this, less pressure is needed to remove the ink from the pen, so long writing sessions become easy-peasy lemon-squeezy, helping to knock out whatever you may need to write.
Another important aspect of the build of the pen is the country in which is it manufactured. Some pens, like Lamy, Pelikan, and MontBlanc are german which means their nibs will write broader, or thicker. On the other hand, Japanese pens, like Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor have finer lines. Personally, I use extra-fine nibs, even on Japanese pens. I love that crisp, thin line that showcases your handwriting. If you prefer a thicker line or want to fully showcase the properties of your ink, using a larger nib or a German pen may be the way to go. So now you know how the pen works. This is where the fun part begins.
The absolute best part of using fountain pens is ink. Remember in middle school, when everyone would have giant packs of Papermate flair pens because there were so many colors? Fountain pen ink comes in thousands of colors. If you want to see for yourself, check out https://www.mountainofink.com/, where there are reviews for nearly every ink on the planet. Inks can have also sorts of properties. Whether they have glitter, change color, or have really good shading, there is something for everyone. One brand, Noodler’s, has a line of bulletproof ink. Even an ink removing laser developed by MIT can’t remove it. (Yep, they tried!) Some simply have an amazing history behind them.
Tyrian Purple, for example, is one that really piqued my interest. For those of you who don’t know, Roman senators had purple robes because they were a status symbol. The dye used for them was harvested off the Phoenician coast and was extremely expensive. This ink is a recreation of that specific color. Even more interesting is that this dye doesn’t fade. Instead, it gets brighter as time goes on. 
This ink, called Dark Matter, has an even more interesting story. The owner of this brand ended up getting his hands on a bottle of ink from Los Alamos, which was where the Manhattan Project took place. I own this bottle, and the color itself is really nice. While it is black, it writes like a very dark green, which adds a bit of flair to my words.
Lamy Safari(left) and Pilot Metropolitan(right)
If you have learned more than you ever wanted to know about fountain pens and wish to leave, this is your chance. However, on the slim possibility you want to get involved in this hobby, I have some great suggestions for you to start with. The two pens I showcased earlier, the pilot metropo
litan and the Lamy Safari are both dubbed the best starter pens. Personally, I prefer the nib on the pilot, but as said earlier, it all comes down to preference.
If you like the idea of the pen but don’t want to deal with the hassle of ink, try a cartridge. It’s like a disposable converter with minimal mess. However, if you want to dive right in, I highly recommend Noodler’s Dark matter for black ink, and Pilot Iroshizuko in shin-kai for blue ink. While not my favorite, Pilot Iroshizuko in kon-peki is also a fan favorite. If you want a little spice to your writing, J. Herbin’s Emerald of Chivor is a fan favorite with both color-changing and glitter properties.
For those of you out there who like to write, this may be one of the best decisions you ever make. It was for me, trust me. If you have any questions, go to these sites:
JetPens: https://www.jetpens.com/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-fountain-pens/pt/927
GouletPens: https://www.gouletpens.com/pages/fountain-pen-101
Write On!
Asha Rajagopal
Hi Asha!
I love your blog! Fountain pens are really cool! They give off a very classy and refined feel. I actually have one fountain pen but I can never find the opportunity to use it. One question I have is, is there a specific paper that you have to use when writing with fountain pens? Whenever I used my fountain pen, it would easily bleed through, which contributed to why I stopped using it.
Hey Irene,
There is lots of fountain pen friendly paper out there. My personal favorite brand is Rhodia, but there are several others such as Clairefontaine, Tomoe River, Maruman, and Kokuyo. If you tried to use Moleskine; don’t. It won’t work. Instead, many people use the Leuttcherm 1917 notebook. If you want something to pick up at target, I find inkjet paper or mead 5-star paper works pretty well. Overall, you want something that is NOT absrobent. The pages usually feel pretty slick. Happy writing!
Hi Asha,
I have never really been big on pens myself except for, as you know, my weighty and super prestigious DECA State pen (which is now lost in the Learning Commons somewhere), but I really do think that having the right pen can boost your confidence and make you feel special. As a close friend of yours, I’ve always loved your enthusiasm for fountain pens, and they seem super cool after reading this blog. I’d love to get one for myself one day too!
Hi Asha,
You are very knowledgeable about fountain pens! I have always been curious as to how pens work, but it had only ever been a passing thought in my head – I assumed that they were filled with ink and run as ink does. Based on your description, pistons seem comparatively more easy to write with than bladder converters, probably a lot less hand-cramping. I have never used a fountain pen before, but after reading your blog, I might look into it.
Hi Asha,
I’ve tried fountain pens before, but I never really used them on a consistent basis. I never realized there were so many different types of fountain pens and ink though. It’s very interesting to see the vast array of possibilities that fountain pens offer. However, I think I’ve heard fountain pens are harder to use. Do you agree with this? Personally, I found the specific orientation a little bothersome, but I guess that’s just personal taste.
Judson
Hi Judson!
While some people do find the orientation bothersome, it really depends on the pen. A higher-end one, the Lamy 2000, is notorious for having a sweet spot that writes perfectly but writes scratchy everywhere else. If you find the orientation an issue for you, I would recommend the Lamy Safari. The grip angles your hands into a position that forces the pen into the proper position. Overall, I do believe it’s simply an adjustment period. After that, it is a fantastic experience all around.
AHHHHHHH I knew this was coming. Though I haven’t exactly kept up with using fountain pens after the many ink explosions I’ve created (yup you’ve seen them), I’d still like to try a different style of fountain pen. The flex pen was awesome in concept, though I failed at the execution. I love the idea of them however, because changing ink colors always puts me in a more productive mood for some weird reason. Plus, it’s crazy satisfying how smoothly the ink comes out. If you have any more pen suggestions for me, I’d be up for it since I still have two bottles of ink!
Hey Asha,
I think I remember you talking about fountain pens a while back but I never really knew there were so many specific mechanisms that are in fountain pens. I have a somewhat similar hobby for custom mechanical keyboards–one is writing through tech the other is physically writing. This was a really interesting read, thanks for sharing.