Ask TGS: How Do You Recommend Fountain Pens to New Users?

We’ve had a lot of new pen enthusiasts discover our brick-and-mortar shop recently, including many who have never held, much less used, a fountain pen! As someone heavily invested in the growth of this community, it’s always incredibly gratifying to meet new users, especially when they leave with their first pen. But “Where do I start?” can be a difficult question to answer. Here’s my typical process, and I thought it might be fun to give you a behind-the-scenes look.

1. Start at the Testing Station. We have a testing station set up in-store (see pic at top) so that customers can write with a rotating selection of certain pens that we offer. As of now, the fountain pen part of the tray contains four pens: a Platinum Preppy with a fine nib, two TWSBI ECO fountain pens with a medium and broad nib, and a TWSBI Diamond 580 with a stub. I always ask the customer to write a few lines on Maruman Mnemosyne paper with the medium TWSBI nib, from which we can either go finer or broader depending on preference. I find that a TWSBI Medium serves as a nice baseline for determining preferences, so there’s usually always one of those inked up and on hand.

2. Don’t go too expensive for a first fountain pen. I hesitate to venture too far outside the $20-40 price range for a first pen, and usually have an even less expensive option (here, the Preppy Wa) just to show that it’s possible to find a reliable everyday writer at a relatively inexpensive price point. Spending too much can lead to frustration with the inevitable learning curve, and I want people to feel free to take their new pen everywhere and write with it as much as they can without being overly afraid of loss or damage. I tend to start with Lamy Safaris, Kaweco Sports, or TWSBI ECOs.

3. Emphasize the combination of pen, ink, and paper for a good writing experience. Brands like Moleskine serves as a gateway to “nice” stationery for many people, so if I see that they come in with relatively non-fountain pen friendly paper I try to take time to explain that certain papers generally work better than others with fountain pens, and if there is a specific paper you want to use you may have to adjust the ink, nib size, etc. to get an optimal result if the paper isn’t intended for fountain pens. The Maruman Mnemosyne and Basic range works well and is usually what we have available for testing.

Sometimes people immediately recognize that a fountain pen isn’t for them, either because they don’t like the feel or because they hold the pen in such a way that it makes writing a clean line difficult. If that’s the case, we have a selection of gel, ballpoint, and rollerball pens (as well as pencils) available to compare. Even if they don’t find a fountain pen, it's valuable to be able to confirm preferences, which is the main reason I love having an in-store shopping option.

If you’ve been wanting to try a fountain pen (or any other type of pen for that matter), come see us in person and please don’t be embarrassed to ask questions. We wouldn’t have opened the store if we didn’t want to help new users discover this world. We are open this weekend from 10-6pm on Saturday, and will have special hours next week since we are traveling to the San Francisco Pen Show Thursday - Saturday.

For further reading and additional pen recommendations, please do check out the “Ask TGS/FAQ” page, as well as our “Best Pens” Guide that has been updated for 2025.

For those who will ask, here’s the current lineup, from left: Zebra Sarasa Grande Vintage, Uni Zento Flow, Uni One, Ohto CR02, Uni Jetstream Prime, Anterique Ballpoint in a custom parts-bin combo by yours truly, a Platinum Preppy Wa, TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Nickel, TWSBI ECO Creme/Rose Gold, and a standard TWSBI ECO in black.

Ask TGS: New Notebook Systems Informational Resource Page

As part of the ongoing site refresh of the various T.G.S. informational resources, I’ve created a page specifically dedicated to notebook systems and select blog posts and YouTube videos from over the years. I regularly receive questions from readers and customers who are considering investing in a notebook system and want to be sure they are choosing the best one for their specific needs, so a resource such as this one is probably long overdue. I plan on updating it as I work on new content, some of which is specifically designed to fill the gaps in what already exists here. I hope you find it helpful.

Don’t forget that all weekend, we are running a special on planners and some notebook systems in the shop! Take an extra 10% off your order with the coupon code “FIREFLY” at checkout, and come see us in-store. We are here Saturday until 6pm.

Updated Site Resources: Updated FAQ Page and Summer Pen Show Schedules

I’m trying to be more consistent in updating site resources such as the FAQ (“Ask TGS”) page, the Review Archive, the “Workhorse Pens” Series, and more. As of this morning, our FAQ Page has been updated with some additional information and to incorporate recent reviews from the “Ask TGS” series. With more than a decade’s worth of T.G.S. content, I’ve spend a considerable amount of time lately trying to curate it for those new to the site, with a focus on topics that will be of interest to those just starting to explore the world of good stationery. I enjoy writing this sort of content, and am always looking for suggestions on topics of interest, so please feel free to leave a comment or reach out with questions you’d like me to answer!

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At some point at every pen show - and especially the large ones, you will want to escape this.

The T.G.S. Summer Pen Show Schedule: D.C. and San Francisco!

I’ve also had a few questions about the summer pen show schedule. I’m currently planning to attend both the D.C. Pen Show (July 31-August 3) and the San Francisco Pen Show (August 29-September 1). While I may have some limited items for sale in D.C., I’ll mainly be camped out in the Vanness Pen Lounge downstairs holding workshops. The idea of a pen lounge was in response to attendee requests for a place to escape the crowds, especially on Saturdays (see above), with round tables for people to socialize with friends in a quieter environment and periodic workshops on pens, inks, notebook systems and more. We’re going to run this back with the team from Vanness Pens this year, so be sure to check out the details. You may have to scroll down a bit due to “unique” nature of the D.C. Pen Show website,

San Francisco is going to be a content-based trip for me, as I’ve not attended a pen show “for fun” in quite some time and also feel like I need to spend a little bit of time exploring new makers, helping friends out with their workshops and panels, and more.

We will be open this weekend in our physical shop from 10am-6pm on Saturday, and most weeks Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm leading up to the D.C. Pen Show. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

Ask TGS: The Best Inks for Cheap Paper

I need to periodically address this topic because so many people come to me looking for recommendations for pens and ink that they can use on the thin, recycled paper that’s common around offices and schools. The bad news is that fountain pens are very difficult to use on “cheap” paper (i.e., the standard recycled copy paper your office buys in bulk), unless you want to invest in more expensive pigmented ink that requires more regular fountain pen maintenance. Your best bet, honestly, is to not use fountain pens under these circumstances unless you’re prepared to deal with some feathering and bleedthrough. Personally, I usually use a ballpoint pen (I prefer the newer low-viscosity versions), or a fine-tip gel pen. Here are five of my go-to recommendations.

1. Uni Jetstream. Why is the Jetstream No. 1 on this list? I recommend it because it’s universally available, with refills containing Jetstream ink now being made in pretty much every format. These will even fit non-Uni pens. In addition to availability, which is a huge plus, it’s permanent, comes in blue, black, and red ink options, and dries almost instantaneously, making it a good choice for lefties. Uni recently released the Jetstream “Lite Touch” ink formulation, which is slightly smoother, and may be preferable to those who prefer the feel of a gel pen over a ballpoint.

2. Pilot Acroball. I think I personally prefer the feel of Pilot’s “Acro-ink” to the Jetstream, but the fact that it’s not as widely available knocks it to number 2 on this list. It does, however, come in the same 4+1 multi pen format as the Jetstream, and if I had to spot a key difference, I would say that the Pilot Acroball pen writes a more solid line.

3. Platinum Carbon Black Ink. For those who abolutely have to use a fountain pen for everything, regardless of paper quality, you will have the best luck with pigmented ink. Platinum Carbon Black is the gold standard here (and if you want a really black ink, the more expensive Chou Kouro), but companies like Diamine and Tom’s Studio have their own versions which also work fairly well, as does Sailor. As noted above, pigmented ink can require more maintenance than standard water-based fountain pen ink, so be sure to periodically clean your pens to prevent any clogging.

4. Gel Pens .5mm or finer. While gel pens are definitely better than rollerballs and fountain pens on bad paper, they’re not oil-based like ballpoints so they can still feather and bleed in the larger tip sizes. Finer sizes (.5mm, .38mm, etc.) should do better.

5. Fineliners. If you enjoy writing with a pen that doesn’t require you to use a lot of pressure, fineliners can be an excellent alternative to fountain pens because the finer tip sizes don’t put as much ink on the page and therefore might not feather or bleed. Tom’s Studio makes a couple of different refillable fineliners that allow you to use your fountain pen inks, and pigmented fineliners like the famed Sakura Pigma Micron also work quite well. I’m a huge proponent of fine-tip fineliners at work.

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For those who wish to buy their own office-grade paper (“office grade” in the sense that it’s inexpensive), the Midori Spiral Note Basic Notebook averages around $6-8 and can be a very cost-effective option if you burn through a lot of paper regularly. I’ve actually had a few customers inquire about making this a standard for their office, which I love to hear!

I write a lot about this subject, but low-quality paper is a growing problem as workplaces try to cut the cost of paper (or eliminate it entirely). The other day I came across a legal pad where the paper quality was so poor that the ink they used to print the lines on the pad had feathered. (Yes, they sent that product to market, and yes, some company paid for it.) As you might expect, the only thing that worked remotely well on such poor paper was a ballpoint or a pencil. If you find yourself having to work through similar situations regularly, hopefully you find this post helpful. Your options may be limited, but you do have options!

I write a series of posts under the “Ask TGS” tag, where I try to respond to the most frequently asked questions from readers and in-store customers. I’ve compiled the most frequent inquiries into a stand-alone FAQ resource, which is periodically updated

Ask TGS: Five Benefits to Buying Fountain Pens In-Person

Why should you shop in person rather than online? It’s a question that’s increasingly important, as smaller independent retailers disappear from towns and cities across the United States - a trend that disproportionately affects the stationery industry, as the “big pen stores” vanished a long time ago. I’ve never been one to answer this question categorically. Brick-and-mortar retail isn’t inherently better or morally superior. Especially with niche industries like stationery, there are markets that simply can’t support an in-person pen shop, whether that’s due to population/demographics, the cost of real estate, or a wide range of other factors. That said, I do firmly believe that a brick-and-mortar retail space - if the business will support one - offers a handful of distinct advantages that an online shop will never be able to replicate. Today I’ll talk about several areas where I think a physical pen shop offers customers a unique experience. While I discuss these five factors from the perspective of buying a fountain pen (they are often the trickiest to purchase, especially for the first time), they apply to other products as well.

1. You Can Pick Out Your Specific Pen. I find this to be a huge advantage when I’m considering an expensive pen in an unusual material where there might be a lot of variation between different items. Case in point: in a couple of recent YouTube videos (including the one below), I discuss the Leonardo Momento Zero Nuvola, which features a multicolored swirl pattern that’s different on every pen. When I visited Vanness Pens last month, I was able to look at a handful of pens and pick which specific pattern appealed to me the most.

2. You Can (Usually) Test Nibs. This practice will differ by retailer, but unless the pen is limited, a collector’s item, or extremely expensive, most retailers will allow you to at least dip a pen in ink to test the nib. In my own shop, I generally keep a set of pens inked so that customers can test out specific models and see which one best fits their handwriting.

3. You Can More Easily Match Pens and Inks. If you’re someone who likes to pair fountain pens with a specific ink that complements the pen’s color or design, it’s much easier to do this in person than online. You have the pen with you, which you can compare against the ink swatches most retailers have available. There’s really no substitute for seeing inks in person, given how much color calibration can vary among computer monitors and phones.

4. You Can Learn How Different Filling Systems Work. Vacuum fillers such as the TWSBI Vac700 and the Pilot Custom 823 can be tricky if you’ve never used one before, and I’m always willing to do an in-house demonstration with one of my own pens or to allow customers to fill a new pen in the shop so that they can ask any questions. In other words, you can ruin my carpet instead of yours!

5. The Retailer Can Learn Your Preferences. I can always offer better recommendations if I have the ability to see in person how someone holds a pen and their handwriting style. Once I’ve seen this in person a couple of times, I have a better sense of what the customer likes and can even alert them to new pens that might be coming into the store before they’re released. It’s hard to develop that sort of customer relationship online.

I go into more detail on this topic in yesterday’s YouTube video. You can also watch me pick out my Leonardo Momento Zero Nuvola and select a nib.

What If You Don’t Have a Pen Store Near You?

Unfortunately, given the somewhat niche nature of the stationery business these days, most communities lack a designated pen and stationery store, and many communities don’t have a store with any meaningful stationery selection. While I love in-person retail, this is the main reason why online stores will always have a place in the market and why I continue to focus on growing the online T.G.S. business to reach those who have few other options. That said, even if you don’t have a pen store near you, local or regional pen clubs that meet periodically (even monthly or quarterly) can give you a chance to try before you buy, and of course the series of pen shows held across the country every year offer in-person shopping opportunities if you’re willing to travel.

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To that end, if you’re ever in the Nashville, Tennessee area, please stop in and see us! We’d love to welcome you in store and answer any questions you may have.

The Gentleman Stationer is open most weeks Thursdays and Fridays from 1-6 and Saturdays from 10-6. Our site is entirely self-supported through the shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.