Writing With Fountain Pens
Why are
these archaic devices still in existence, and why do some writers prefer
them to Bic, Biros, and even roller-ball pens? This Tipsy Thursday is
all about pens: a writer's best friends. Sorry kittens.
Why Fountain Pens?
It's
not about nostalgia. It's not about looking cool. It's definitely not
about trying to stand out in a crowd, though uncapping a fountain pen
in public is a nice way to start a conversation. Simply put, no finer
instrument has ever come along that can replace the smoothness of a
fountain pen nib. Long writing sessions are easier and don't cramp up
your hands, and the reduced stress on your pen fingers allows your
writing to flow nicely. It can even improve your handwriting.
A Little History
Fountain
pens were originally the solution to a common problem with writing
implements. Specifically, the need to carry an ink well around in your
pocket. The nib design is similar to nibs cut into reeds and feathers,
but a steel or gold nib never needs resharpening, so durability comes
into play. For most purposes, the nibs are very similar to those used
on any dip pen, but the general idea of the fountain was the ability to
hold a much larger reservoir of ink, hopefully without draining it all
over the page. There's some dispute about who made the first "true"
fountain pen and I'm not getting into it, but since their inception
they've been used and appreciated until their eventual replacement by
roller-balls and ballpoints.
So what's the Difference?
Ballpoint
pens contain an ink reservoir with a captive ball at the end. Applying
pressure spins the ball so it can continually pull ink from the
reservoir and deliver it to the paper. To keep from leaking, ballpoints
use an ink that is thick and greasy. Generally they cannot be
refilled. Even for "refillable" ballpoints and gel pens, the refills
are a whole cartridge. That is ball, captive holder, and pre-filled
reservoir. True roller balls are much smoother, requiring less pressure
to work, and higher quality in design, allowing them to use just about
any kind of ink that would work in a fountain pen, such as water based
inks. Gel pens are of similar design with their own special ink,
putting them somewhere between ballpoints (Bic/Biro) and roller balls.
The
key note about all of the above is they require some pressure to
write. High quality roller balls can be quite smooth as a note to their
construction and price, so they can be lovely writers too. Another key
difference in fountain pens is the angle the pen can be held at. There
is a limit to how far you can tilt any captive-ball system toward the
paper before the captive mechanism is catching the paper instead of the
ball, causing drag and skips in the ink flow.
Fountain
pens have an older design where a slit down the nib carries ink by
capillary action. Thus, if the point touches the paper, ink starts to
flow, and keeps flowing. The ink lubricates the point allowing it to
glide effortlessly. No pressure is required on a properly functioning
fountain pen. This makes it easier also to practice the old Palmer
method of handwriting where your fingers just hold the pen and your arm
movements make the strokes. Compared to squeezing a ball point and
jabbing it into the page as you write, fountain pens reduce stress on
your entire hand, allowing you to write for much longer sessions with no
carpal tunnel worries and no hand cramps. The biggest difference in a
fountain pen isn't the look, it's the feel. For bad arthritis, a nice
pen is essential to comfortable writing.
You have to refill them all the time though.
Okay,
yes. Most commercial FPs run out of ink faster than a Bic. Two
important things counterpoint this note. Typically, when I used Bics,
they would get lost or tossed long before their ink supply ran out. Not
likely with a more expensive pen. Second, once you get the hang of it,
refills are not difficult and don't take much time at all. Less time,
certainly, than a trip to the store for more pens.
Refilling
your pen, specially if you are using a reservoir system that doesn't
require cartridges, reduces the amount of plastic being tossed in the
trash. That's never a bad thing. It also means more choices of ink.
Any color imaginable and even scented inks are available. There are
different types of inks to suit different styles of writing. Some are
waterproof, others aren't. Some even resist bleach so they are great
for checks (I know. What are those?). A truly permanent ink is great
for archival stuff.
Also,
there are lots of options when it comes to reservoirs. Converters
don't hold much, maybe 1/2 a cc. A good piston mechanism can easily
double or triple that capacity, requiring less refills, and converting
your pen to an eyedropper fill can allow it to hold enough ink to
outlast a gel pen or a Bic. The real question for most people is "how
much do you write?"
Aren't they Messy?
Not
really. Refilling can spill ink, and opening a brand new bottle of
Noodler's without inking everything around it can be a fun challenge. I
use a couple of paper towels and I'm careful, so most times I don't get
ink on my fingers. It depends on the filling mechanism too. My Ahab
pen is tricky to fill without ink stains. The good news is your fingers
are back to their normal color in a day or so. I find a little
silicone grease around the bottle threads helps keep them from leaking
in harsher conditions (like hours in a hot car). For most people, ink
wells stay at home though, so it's no bother.
What's the catch?
The
catch is the learning curve. Fountain pens require a little more
maintenance than a Bic that you can just throw away when it acts up.
Flushing the pen before filling it when it's new is a good practice, and
smoothing out a baby-bottom nib is a good skill to learn, though might
be too much for some. Usually the place you order from can do basic nib
services if the pen isn't acting right. A fountain pen should never be
a hassle. If it is, then something is wrong. It's also not a good
idea to leave a full pen unused for a long time, as the ink can dry out
in the nib. I leave my inked all the time, and if one stops up, a brief
pass through some pouring water, flick twice into the sink (a little
ink will spray out), and half a twist of the converter fixes the flow
problem. Just make sure to give it a good wash before the next fill-up.
Which pen?
Question always comes up when someone takes an interest in one of my pens, but prices can be scary for first time buyers.
If you want a "disposable" pen for a bit more than the price of a gel-pen, then Pilot Varsity
is a fantastic choice. They run about $3 and give you an introduction
to fountain pens without spending long-term money. They aren't
refillable by design, but they hold a good bit of ink and last a long
time, they are also very resistant to drying up.
Another cheap way to go is a Platinum Preppy.
At about $4 you have a very capable cartridge/converter pen. In my
experience they write a little rough and have the feel of a pencil, but
for me there is no better work pen for my job. I work in a pretty rough
environment that requires a solid but inexpensive pen and waterproof
ink. Noodler's X-feather ink works well in a Preppy for my
application. A converter for this pen costs more than the pen, but you
can also convert them to eyedroppers with pretty good success. All it
takes is an o-ring and some silicone grease.
From there, I would say the Pilot Metropolitan
is the next step up. I don't own one, but it's so highly recommended
that it's hard to ignore. They run about $15 and the performance is
supposedly amazing for such a cheap pen.
If
you will be doing art stuff and need line variation, the Noodler's pens
are at a decent price point (Ahab for $20) and allow some flex. It
won't match your dip pens for performance, but works really well for the
menial stuff. Nibs can be modded for better performance and higher
risk of springing the nib.
My favorite pen in the $50 range has to be the TWSBI 580. Beautiful pen, piston filler, and performs very well. I love them.
There
are a billion other choices, but these are my picks based on my
experience and research. If you can throw down $1000 for a Visconti or
Mont Blanc then go for it :) I have friends who like Lamy pens,
specifically the Safari, which runs about $40. Pelican is another great
brand, but a little on the pricey side.
Leave
a comment. Have you been tempted by this article to try a fountain
pen? Do you already own some and have anything to add that I may have
missed? What are your favorite pens and inks?
Note: This is an old post. I no longer work in the oilfield, but I'm still writing with fountain pens, and would still make the same recommendations. My daily writers are currently the same Noodler Ahab, My Monteverde, and a new Visconti that I recieved from the family for xmas.
