If there's one thing I really enjoy after nearly a decade in the business, it's knowing that appreciation of pens, ink, and paper isn't some hipster fad, that analog tools aren't going anywhere despite the pressure to digitize everything, and there are still many people out there who have only recently discovered our little niche on the internet. Given the volume of new readers and the large number of questions I've received about "Fountain Pen 101"-type topics, it's helpful to revisit the basics, for both new users and even those of us who are more experienced. Below are five pointers I always offer to new users who ask about fountain pens, particularly those who seem hesitant due to the fountain pen’s reputation for being fussy and high-maintenance. At the end of the day, it's fairly easy to care for a fountain pen, keeping a few things in mind.
Clean Your Pens Regularly
Pen cleaning routines range from the ad hoc ("whenever the ink runs out - every week/month/YEAR?") to the highly regimented ("once a week whether the pen is empty or not"). Personally, I'm not very strict about cleaning, but I try to keep it to once every two months at a minimum. I plan to write a longer resource on pen cleaning techniques for different filling systems, but 90% of the time I simply flush the pen with water. The other 10% of the time, a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner normally does the trick, and it’s rare that I ever use anything other than water mixed with a tiny drop of dish soap to flush a stubborn pen. You can read more about my basic process for cleaning most fountain pens here.
Use Water-Based Inks Intended for Fountain Pens
If you spend any amount of time on the pen internet, you'll read countless "blacklists" of inks that aren't "safe", that stain, or that will "dissolve plastic." Many of these horror stories are apocryphal tales that started with a grain of truth but are mostly exaggerated. At the end of the day, if an ink is marketed as being "for fountain pens", it is mostly likely ok to use in your pen. If you have an especially rare or precious pen that you don't want to stain or damage, I strongly recommend using only blue or black ink made by a pen manufacturer. Otherwise, there can be no guarantee that dyes uses in red, orange, purple, or other color inks won't stain your pen, and you proceed at your own risk with inks marketed as “permanent”, “super sheening,” “shimmering” or featuring other “special properties.”
For the most part, staining is the real risk. Even if a fountain pen ink dries out in a pen and the ink no longer flows, you typically can fix the problem by flushing the pen with water. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU USE INDIA INK, CALLIGRAPHY INK, OR ANY INK MARKED AS BEING FOR ART OR DIP PENS ONLY, AS THESE CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE PENS IF THEY DRY INSIDE THE FEED OR THE FILLING SYSTEM. SOME ARE ESSENTIALLY PAINT. All of the inks we carry in our shop are intended for fountain pens. You can read more about inks that I consider “safe” here, and why sometimes “boring is better.”
Invest in a Well-Made Pen Case
Protect your pens when you're not using them, or when you're carrying them to and from work. I strongly encourage people to actually use their pens as intended - some dings and scratches are inevitable - but you don't want to risk a pen getting dropped, stepped on, or cracked because it rolls off a desk when not in use. You don't need to spend a lot of money here. Not only do we live in a modern "golden age" of pens, ink, and paper, but the number of pen cases and case designs readily available has absolutely exploded in recent years and you can find anything from single-pen sleeves to 36-pen albums, to handcrafted wooden pen boxes that look great on a desk or bookshelf. Read more on different types of cases here.
If someone asks to try my fountain pen, I always start with two questions: (1) Have you ever used one before? and (2) Show me how you hold your pen. If the answer to question two is anything like this picture, continue reading below.
Don’t Lend Your Nice Pens to People Who Don’t Know What They’re Doing
This is a controversial "rule", but it's one that I follow. I keep a few inexpensive steel nib fountain pens on me to lend out to those who want to try writing with a fountain pen or express curiosity, but I'll politely decline to lend my nicer pens, especially those with gold nibs. It's something of a myth that you shouldn't allow others to write with your pens because the nib "adjusts to your hand" and letting someone else use the pen ruins it - the real risk is damage. People who are used to writing with modern ballpoint or gel pens that require a lot of pressure can bend the tines, requiring a costly repair.
That said, DO share your pens at pen club or a pen show. There's little to no risk in allowing a knowledgeable person to test out a fountain pen.
USE Your Pens Regularly
In my experience, any nib writes better after a short "break-in" period, and to a certain extent, a pen will adjust to your hand over time (but the effect is just not as dramatic as some would have you believe). Making sure your pens get used therefore not only ensures that you'll get the best value from your purchase, but I've found that it does help keep things writing smoothly. Note: If you use your pens regularly, and/or have some sort of system for rotating through your collection, you'll also remember to clean them.
I'm listening!
If you're a new user, or someone still relatively new to fountain pens, what would you like to know? For experienced users, what do you wish someone had told you about pens early on - perhaps something that would have saved you a lot of trouble, heartbreak, or money? Drop a suggestion in the comments or via the “Contact” link up top!
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