The Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen is often recommended for beginners but can be appreciated by anyone. This is a demonstrator fountain pen, meaning that it has a translucent body that allows you to see the filling system and monitor ink levels. Despite having a plastic body, most people find it to be well-balanced and well-made, with sufficient weight and a slightly tapered barrel for grip. There is no pen clip but the cap is faceted to prevent the pen from rolling off flat surfaces. This isn’t usually visible when you just write in pure ink, but when you wash with water before the ink is dry you get a colour tint so to speak. I’ve indicated what these inks seem to lean towards – some are more neutral but mostly they have a cool or warmer shade to them. Examples Protecting the nib of a fountain pen is important since it’s essential for smooth writing action. While most fountain pens have a cap for protection, a retractable fountain pen—like this option from the Pilot Vanishing Point Collection—houses the nib inside the barrel of the pen when not in use. This makes the pen more portable and even airplane-safe. Splurging on a luxury fountain pen is usually about the artisanship that goes into making the pen, says Chris. That’s what has made premier fountain pen brands like Montblanc and Cross worth the splurge. But for durability, Chris recommends a metal barrel and steel nib—both of which are common. One of the issues with nano inks is the fact they are waterproof and permanent – so if a pen dries out (like my Noodler’s Ahab did – grr) it’s A Big Problem…so clogging is a risk, and then it might be hard to remove the ink as unlike dye ink, it won’t wash away. In my experience very few pens have ever dried out – vintage pens seem to cope just fine, as does Platinum Preppy’s and Monami Olikas although the latter can hard start (translation: it need several tries to make a mark).

Fountain Pens | WHSmith

Also surprisingly did really badly on the Shitty Paper Test. As much feathering as Sketchink. Uh-oh. And this aced the cheap paper test, which I was surprised at, I’d have thought such a ‘wet’ expensive niche ink would have feathered like crazy, but it was the best.The Asvine Forest Fountain Pen delivers the precise, thin lines of an extra fine fountain pen without feeling scratchy or skipping across the paper. The extra fine nib of this fountain pen is constructed of stainless steel that has undergone physical vapor deposition (PVD) for added durability. While using the pen, you’ll appreciate that it has a textured aluminum body for additional grip, although the somewhat thin diameter of the barrel can make it more challenging to grip for a longer session of writing. When not in use, the cap secures tightly over the nib to protect it from damage or leaking. Searching for the smoothest-writing fountain pen is a lifelong journey for some people. Chris Elfering, the founder of Lochby, a store that supplies journals and accessories specifically for fountain pens, says that the features most important to people shopping for fountain pens are the writing experience and materials. “For [the] writing experience, it's usually about how smooth the nib is and how heavy or balanced the pen is," he says. In regards to materials, he adds that certain items command a higher price—“for example, gold nibs over steel and arco celluloid bodies over acrylic.”

Pens, Quink Inks and Refills | Parker Parker Fine Pens, Quink Inks and Refills | Parker

Oh and EDIT: e) Noodler’s is run by a alt-right-winger who put the literal ‘Jews With Horns’ anti-semite trope on their ink bottles and has done it twice?– so that’s a massive NOPE from me. Boycott Noodlers, don’t buy their products). And then the Noodler’s Heart of Darkness has many, many fans online who love the inks price, durability, and “bulletproof” nature. Pretty expensive, used to be cheaper, can be more of a clog risk, can scan to a red shade, or is that my scanner?

While it’s hard to select one material as the best for fountain pens, Chris does point out that specialty pen materials and finishes, like a lacquered body, wil fetch higher prices. “Lacquered pens are among the most expensive. They're hand painted and require many layers to produce.” Other features that will add to the price of a fountain pen are gold or platinum plating, often seen on the body or cap of the pen. Now given this long journey, I wish I could say ‘use THIS ink!’ and be done with it, at least for myself. But as always, it’s a matter of compromise.

Fountain Pens UK - Engraved, Personalised | Pen Heaven

This is a pigmented ink so it’s water-resistant, but it won’t clog your pen and isn’t impossible to clean. It’s a nice writer and a practical everyday ink that remains fun to use. You may think that cleaning a fountain pen will be a regular ritual, but the fact of the matter is that if you use the right fountain pen, you don't have to clean it often, according to Chris. He suggests cleaning it perhaps on a monthly basis and adds that he often only cleans his fountain pen when switching ink colors.A fountain pen with a medium nib is a versatile choice for journaling, signatures, drawing, or any other task where you want to put personality to paper. The Scriveiner Fountain Pen is a popular choice, thanks to its enameled brass body and medium nib gilded with 18K gold. The fountain pen is a stylish writing implement found on business desks or in personal journals. Unlike your standard ballpoint pen, it requires more finesse to use and refill, but it produces a polished look for signatures, formal correspondence, or sending elegant invitations. It’s also popular for use in journaling or art. Firstly a few basic bits about fountain pens: although they use ink, unless it’s a very special pen they cannot use standard India or Chinese inks as the particles of shellac or carbon are too large and will clog the pen. Most fountain pen inks are dyes which avoid these problems as dyes are liquid chemicals rather than particles suspended in a liquid…but those are not lightfast (they fade in sunlight), nor waterproof or permanent.

Best Fountain Pens of 2023 - The Spruce The 11 Best Fountain Pens of 2023 - The Spruce

The body of the LAMY Safari is ABS plastic. It has a cap and clip to secure the pen when not in use, although it should be noted that the wider body of this plastic fountain pen sometimes prevents it from fitting into the spine of a notebook or a pen holder compartment with as much ease as more “torpedo”-shaped fountain pens. In addition, the plastic body doesn’t offer the same aesthetic appeal or weight as a metal fountain pen. However, it’s more budget-friendly and never cold to the touch.

And then you have the day-to-day inks that people might not think of as being the best, but people use for years on end and keep buying, so they have to be at least mentioned… A pre-filled fountain pen is a simple and convenient way to explore this type of writing instrument. Many students start with this type of disposable fountain pen, rather than starting with the challenge of learning to appropriately fill the pen with ink. One of the most popular options for students is the Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen. The wash came out a strange sort of red but only on the copier paper, not sure why. In my practical experience, it washes similarly to Sketchink but darker. The barrel of a fountain pen is often made out of metal (usually brass) but may be constructed of plastic, wood, or other materials. The choice of barrel material comes down to aesthetics and ergonomics. A metal pen offers a weighty feel, but can become tiring to hold for extended writing sessions. A plastic pen is lighter and may be easier to grip for longer periods of time. Other options, like the Faber-Castell E-Motion Fountain Pen with a pear wood barrel, offer the opportunity to make a style statement with your writing instrument.