Welcome To Writing Instruments - Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop

[Guest Denis Richard]

Dear dwellers of the FPN water hole, elders and pups alike,

welcome to the forum on FPN which is your first stop here . We have been asked by the Admin Team to moderate this forum, which may be the most encompassing of all on FPN. It our pleasure to serve this great community of ours. (In truth, we failed to reach escape velocity and the admins caught up with us ).

There are not many guidelines for this forum. If you have read the general FPN guidelines you know most of the "rules". If you haven't, you'd better do it now before an Admin or a Moderator finds out ! The only additional rules, effective immediately, are :

• Authors of questions about ink colours will be severely punished. (i.e. the post will be moved to the Inky Thoughts forum.)
• Requests concerning which pens people are carrying will be met by unholy thunder. (i.e. you will be submerged by an unmanageable number of confusing answers.)
• ...

Seriously, here are the golden rules : Speak about what interests you, ask any question that keeps you asleep or simply passes through your brain while sipping coffee, and, most importantly, enjoy yourself.

This forum is for the discussion of writing instruments and their use, whatever is your concern or the information you wish to share. If you are a newcomer, do not be afraid of asking the most basic questions. (It makes us feel so good when we can pretend that we are knowledgeable !) One advice : try to use the search feature of the site before asking a question. If you still have unanswered concerns, try to post in an existing thread that started with a similar question. But if you don't, that's ok too, and we'll manage to make you even more confused than you were when you came in anyway.

Finally, think of our role in this forum as cleaners, organizers and occasional conversation stirrers, more than Guardians of Rule and Order.

So, just grab a chair, a drink and enjoy !

The First Stop Forum Moderators.

[RonB]

FOUNTAIN PEN NETWORK

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Welcome to the Fountain Pen Network! In order to assist you in searching for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, we’ve listed below some of these FAQ’s. Of course, you are free to ask similar and related questions again, but this posting may help you to see what factors to consider and what questions have been asked and answered before.

 

What Pen Should I Buy?

This is probably the most commonly asked question on the Fountain Pen Network. In many cases, someone new to fountain pens doesn’t know where to start and wants opinions from those who are more experienced fountain pen users. However, it is difficult to answer this question without more information. For example, how much do you want to spend? Do you like small pens or large pens? Thick or thin barrels? Heavy or light? Traditional looking or sleek and modern?

 

If you are not very familiar with fountain pens, the best strategy is to go to a store that stocks them and try some various types. Also, look at various pen seller sites on the Internet to see the various styles available. Determine the answers to at least some of the questions posed above. Once you have some preferences in mind, the members of the FPN can help you answer this question better.

 

Some of the following threads include the question of “What pen should I buy” which have been asked and answered before. These will give you some ideas as to the factors to consider. Feel free to ask your question, but remember to have some preferences in mind first so that you can be better helped.

 

Best inexpensive (cheap) pens:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=9931

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=14898

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7139

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=13308

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24855

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24387

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=23587

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20714

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17536

 

Best under $50:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7395

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7825

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20512

 

Inexpensive pen for an engineering student:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=9069

 

Pen for College student:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7306

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=16363

 

Fountain pen under $75:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10306

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10146

 

Good writer under $80:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21615

 

Best pen under $100:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10586

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24520

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18034

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=15214

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7892

 

Teacher pen under $100:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6912

 

Seeking specific pen advice:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10376

 

Celluloid pen under $100:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17165

 

Upgrade fountain pen under $125:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=9644

 

Small writing FP under $125:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6314

 

Decent size pen under $150:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6433

 

Good starter, all day writer for Dr. under $150:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26785

 

Best pen for $150:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26711

 

Pen under $200:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7028

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6356

 

Best pen for $200-$300:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24497

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21190

 

Pen for female around $300:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=16459

 

First expensive pen up to 170 pounds:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8968

 

Best pen under $400:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8974

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8104

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6378

 

If you had $500 to spend on pens:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=15403

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26285

 

Help me choose another:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8753

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27425

 

Student/ starter pen for 8/9 year old:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8772

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=19012

 

Large / Wide-bodied / Heavy fountain pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7985

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20567

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20482

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20291

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18479

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18278

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17432

 

Small / Slim size pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17700

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=13006

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6676

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6649

 

Fountain pen for teacher, nicer than Pelikan Go:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7955

 

Fountain pen for wife, fiancée or girlfriend / Female pens:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24754

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18782

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18436

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=15788

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=14962

 

Traditional FP:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7201

 

Most durable pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26512

 

Black/silver pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6265

 

Newbie advice:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6223

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=25521

 

Where to get fountain pen repaired:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8030

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8018

 

Best Pen/ Smoothest writing pen / most reliable / “Go to” pen?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8722

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=4933

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7423

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27082

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=25883

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17883

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=15842

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=23596

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21607

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20843

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=19268

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17773

 

If you could only have one pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7209

 

Desert island pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6190

 

Chinese Pens:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=22737

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24969

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=25227

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24633

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=23656

 

What is a vintage pen?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=11044

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7854

 

Why do you like vintage pens?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21030

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21573

 

Vintage versus modern:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17759

 

Cheap vintage American pens / best vintage under $100:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6809

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=22456

 

Favorite Pen brand / most underrated pen brand / most elegant brand?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=2981

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=25584

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=19231

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20293

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10200

 

Scratchy or skipping nib problems

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7080

 

Nib smoothing:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8221

 

Best place to buy pens / Where do you buy pens / Pen shops

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=23325

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10709

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10071

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26734

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10852

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=23079

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=16717

 

Nib material:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=11275

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21814

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20944

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17450

 

Should I ink this mint pen?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...p?showtopic=353

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7104

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6450

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26544

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21928

 

Stub, oblique and cursive italic nibs:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=9502

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10245

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10274

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=11348

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10805

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10803

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=9436

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=9169

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8914

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8562

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8281

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6686

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=23067

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20116

 

Most trouble free modern pen brands:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8909

 

How many fountain pens do you have:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6460

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26581

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21935

 

How to and how often to clean out a pen?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10263

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8432

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6945

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=22079

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=19396

 

Fountain pens and airplanes / travel

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10420

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8749

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27287

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26078

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21642

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18656

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17327

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=12382

 

Do fountain pens adapt themselves to a user’s writing style?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8976

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18662

 

Best ink for your fountain pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8290

 

Nib sizes / preferences:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8021

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=22745

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=25785

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=21353

 

Fine nib fountain pens:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26243

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24436

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7089

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=25866

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26293

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7089

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=23921

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=19451

 

Fine pen for everyday office use:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27476

 

Ugliest Pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27192

 

Wide pen, smooth nib:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27451

 

What pen is your holy grail?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27128

 

Most elegant black pen:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=25715

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=22716

 

To post or not to post, that is the question:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=5857

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=26457

 

What pen was your biggest disappointment?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=20039

 

Why doesn’t Parker revive the Parker “51”?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=17984

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=27820

 

Why do you collect pens?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=5809

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=14420

 

Do you let others use your fountain pen?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=28065

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=22165

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=24364

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=19096

Edited March 25, 2007 by RonB

[Admin]

Please PM contributions to Mods or Admin - content may be edited after consultation with contributor

 

 

Bill's Observations On Nibs

 

Flexy, semi-flex, and stub nibs are not for everyone! Just because some of us on FPN like them and rave about them, does not mean your experience with them will be so positive. They take a different touch and you may need to exercise some patience as you learn how to write effortlessly with them. (Incidentally, "copperplate" and other ornate writing styles are not meant for everyday use, take time to master, and are more trouble to learn than they are worth unless you plan to become a calligrapher -- in my opinion, of course.)

 

These nibs may all turn out not to be your cup of tea. Liking them is not a sign of a sophisticated pen user. If you try one and don't like it, don't blame the pen -- just ask the vendor or manufacturer for a nib exchange. There is no reason why a general fountain pen user, let alone a casual user, MUST have one of these. Think of them as specialty tools.

 

Bill's Observations On Ink

1. 1. Any ink will work in some pens all of the time.

2. Some inks will work in most pens most of the time.

3. No ink will work in all pens.

4. All inks, if left in a pen for a sufficiently long time, will dry up and clog the pen.

5. India ink and anything else not designed for use in fountain pens will ruin any fountain pen in short order.

6. Sometimes it's the pen's fault, not the ink.

7. Trust your own experience with an ink more than anything you read or hear.

Observations 4 through 7 (in that order) trump the others.

 

My advice: Buy the ink color you like, with the properties you need, and try it. If it works, great. If it doesn't, that doesn't mean the ink is no good. It just means you need to try it in another pen.

 

If you buy a pen from someone who says, "If you use Blotto Ink in this pen, it voids my warranty," you have a choice: Don't use Blotto Ink in the pen, or buy the pen from someone who does not restrict the warranty.

 

The Pen Koan

If you meet the perfect pen on the road, drive over it and crush it.

 

Source: BillTheEditor

 

[MYU]

What nib sizes are available for fountain pens?

 

It's a tough question to answer accurately, because the nomenclature for nib sizes has changed over the years and the "actual" size of a nib can vary depending on the maker (for instance, it is well known that Japanese nib sizes tend to run smaller than Western nibs, even by as much as one full size).

 

Here is a list of general nib size designations:

XXXF = Needlepoint

XXF = Super Extra Fine

EF/XF = Extra Fine

F = Fine

OF = Oblique Fine

SF = Soft Fine

FM/MF = Fine Medium

SFM = Soft Fine Medium

FK = Fine ball point

M = Medium

OM = Oblique Medium

SM = Soft Medium

B = Broad

OB = Oblique Broad

BB = Double Broad

OBB = Oblique Double Broad

BBB = Triple Broad

 

C = Coarse

MS = Music

PO = Posting

FA = Falcon (flexible)

WA = Wavily (brush stroke)

SU = Signature (stub)

Z = Zoom (multi-angled)