So You Want to Buy a Fountain Pen

So you want to buy a really nice fountain pen but don’t know where to start. It’s been years since you first used that cheap pen at school and you now want to experience using a finer writing instrument. Where do you start?

Firstly, lets start with what you wish to use the pen for. Is it going to be every day use, for example taking notes in school, more for artistic penmanship such as calligraphy or for just a little bit of writing each day?

Next, how much are you looking to spend? You can get every day fountain pens from $1.00 up to and beyond $500. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the more expensive the pen is, the better it is. You may find that a $50 pen writes just as nicely as a $500 pen. However, the cheaper pen will most likely be made of plastic or steel, whereas the more expensive pen will be made from superior materials such as gold and platinum.

You also need to discover which nib suits you most. Fountain pen nibs come in different thicknesses, from extremely fine to fairly thick. The more flexible a nib generally the more effects you can get from it – press lightly for thin writing, press harder for thicker lines. If you only want to write fine writing, then a harder thin nib would best suit you.

Appearance is also important. We often make choices based on looks rather than practicality, so getting a happy medium between the two is important. What’s most important is that you choose a fountain pen that you are comfortable using, otherwise it will just get left in the drawer with your other unused pens.