Question: I’ve recently rediscovered an interest in writing by hand, and while I’ve always appreciated a good pen, I’ve never used a fountain pen and don’t know where to begin with all the different nib and filling system options. And what do I do about paper? Help!
I get this question all the time, and while I’ve probably answered it before in blog posts and/or videos, it tends to be timely right after the New Year when everyone has purchased their fresh planner or notebook and many consider whether they should pick up a fountain pen for the first time. But where to begin? Here’s my “two minute speech” that I typically give people in the shop or at a show:
Don’t Spend a Lot of Money
If you’ve never used a fountain pen before, don’t start at the $200 price point. In fact, you probably don’t even want to start at the $50 price point. There are plenty of excellent fountain pens that cost $25 or less, which will allow you to get a feel for writing with a fountain pen nib, cleaning the pen, changing the ink, etc. without a huge sunk cost. In my own store, I have plenty of people who come in having never written with a fountain pen at all, and I almost always direct them to the Platinum Preppy, the Pilot Kakuno, or the Pilot Explorer (the latter if they really insist on having the ability to use bottled ink immediately since the Explorer ships with a converter). The Preppy is a great option for those uncertain about nib sizes and how different fountain pen nibs will work with their handwriting, since Preppy’s are inexpensive without being “disposable”, and you can buy them in multiple sizes to experiment. Our “Best Pens” post highlights these options and several more.
Start with a basic ink, but even cartridges come in a range of colors.
Start with a Basic Blue, Black, or Blue-Black Fountain pen Ink
While experimenting with inks is a huge part of the fountain pen hobby, get used to writing with fountain pens first. Standard blue, black, and blue-black inks usually flow well, dry relatively fast, and come in both bottles and cartridges. (I usually recommend cartridge pens for true beginners.) It’s especially important to pay attention to ink if you’re left-handed, since many lefties hold the pen in a way that causes their hand to smear the ink if it takes too long to dry. Making sure the pen and ink combo is compatible with your handwriting style is the formula for success.
Our B5 and A4 paper sorter, which we keep stocked with many different fountain pen friendly paper brands.
Be Sure You Have Some Decent Fountain Pen Friendly Paper
The same paper that you can use for ballpoints, gel pens, rollerballs, and pencils won’t necessarily work well with fountain pens. Most fountain pen ink is water-based, meaning that it may feather and bleed-through on particularly absorbent paper, especially recycled papers or office stock. Purchasing some slightly better paper with a heavier paper weight or coating will make for a more enjoyable writing experience. While Clairefontaine, Rhodia, Maruman, and Leuchtturm1917 are the usual go-to recommendations for solid paper that is easy to source, there are many smaller brands as well. For several years I’ve tracked paper brands and their relative “fountain pen friendliness” in this evergreen blog post that gets updated annually.
Give Yourself Some Time to Adjust to the Pen (and Writing with Fountain Pens in General) Before You Start Buying More
It’s easy to get carried away with online recommendations - everyone has their own opinion on “the best” fountain pen, often driven by their own personal preferences and experiences. That said, there’s only one way to figure out what your own preferences are, and that’s to gain as much experience as you possibly can by using pens for an extended period of time before moving on to something else. Obviously, if a pen truly doesn’t work for you (i.e., it doesn’t write, is falling apart, hurts your hand after more than a day or two), move on immediately, but try to avoid the “I-like-this-but-wonder-if-there-is-something-better” mentality that often leads to an acquisition mindset rather than the thoughtfulness or creativity many are seeking out in the first place.
A huge part of why I decided to open the physical T.G.S. shop in Nashville is to give people the opportunity to come in and experience fountain pens in person and to have conversations like this one before picking out a pen and deciding which one is right for you! We are open Thursdays and Fridays from 1-6pm and Saturdays from 10-6pm.
