Fountain pen
A fountain pen store is a nib pen that, unlike its predecessor the dip pen that contains an internal reservoir of water-based liquid ink. The pen draws ink from the reservoir through a feed to the nib and deposits it on the paper via a combination of gravity and capillary action. Filling the reservoir with the ink may be successfully manually, or via the inner filling mechanism which creates suction to transfer ink directly through the nib into the reservoir. Some pens employ removable reservoirs in the form of pre filled ink in the cartridges. A fountain pen needs a little or no pressure to write. These Parker Duofolds from the 1920s used the Lucky Curve feed system and self-filled using a “button filler”. They were quite long approx 7 inches long when posted.
For me, a fountain pen is really just another tool. But it’s a special tool. One of the few tools that you can connect with, on a personal level. Though I consider myself a user, and not a collector, I still enjoy the intrinsic value of owning a fountain pen.
Indeed, in this modern day of smart phones, and super-techy gadgets, it is downright refreshing to have a delightful tool that never runs low on batteries, never has software crashes, and never gets outdated!
If you still don’t want a fountain pen now, I don’t know what to tell you! After all, what could you not love about a fountain pen? Sure, they require some light maintenance, and a little upkeep/devotion, but with a fountain pen, it’s fun to perform these tasks, not annoying. If you’ve decided that you do indeed want a fountain pen, read on for more information.
Vintage or Modern ink pen?
So, you’ve finally made the decision to buy a pen, right? Well, now you’re probably looking at the dazzling array of different options available. There are hundreds of thousands of different pens on the market, and many of them have some extremely winning qualities. What you need to do is decide what you want for your fountain pen. I group fountain pens into two main categories: vintage pens, and modern pens. There are ups and downs to both types of pens.
Advantages of vintage ink pen
1. You often times get more pen for your $ than with a modern fountain pen.
2. You get the added nostalgia of the pen being vintage.
3. A vintage pen has a history behind it, each one has a unique story.
4. You might just prefer the retro style!
Cons: of vintage pen
1. Vintage pens tend to be more fragile (not all of them) than their modern counterparts.
2. Vintage pens often need repair before they are functioning again. This is the same as restoring any antique when it has been out of use for a lengthy period of time. This is all dependent on where you buy your pen from. There are many reputable sellers of vintage pens who will guarantee them working for you. I will provide a list of places to purchase pens from at the end of this article.
3. You might dislike the certain filling systems that vintage pens use. I personally love them! They are a lot more unique than most modern filling systems. I’ll talk more on filling systems in just a minute here.
Advantages of Modern Fountain Pens
1. Modern pens are usually very sturdy, due to the new plastics we’ve invented recently. This is very important if you are a student, or work at a job where your pen will be subject to some light “abuse”.
2. Many people, including me, prefer some of the modernly styled pens. Most particularly when you’re looking at a lower price range.
3. Modern fountain pens are guaranteed to work when you get them unless of course, you have a strange occurrence of a manufactures defect. Luckily most companies and retailers will replace your pen if it’s not working properly.
4. Most modern pens will last longer without the need to be refurbished. Vintage pens need their internal components replaced every 15-20 years, or more depending on the filling-system.
Cons: of modern ink pens
1. Modern pens can have a tendency to not write well out of the box. This is not uncommon, but it’s not extremely common either. It is something that you should be aware of. Luckily if your pens have been purchased from a good re-seller, they will make sure that the nib has either been tested beforehand, or that they have a good return policy.
2. You may dislike the filling systems available for modern pens. Most of them in the lower price range will feature filing systems that just aren’t as good as a vintage pen for the same price.
Fountain Pen Choices
Design
For me, a fountain pen must look aesthetically pleasing if it’s going to get anywhere near my “to-buy” list. I have a feeling that this is important to most of us. Form over function – yes, but I still want a pen that I enjoy looking at and handling. To best show you some different styles, I’ll go over the basics, and include lots of pictures!
Types of fountain pen
Retro Pens
This is one area where vintage pens are the winner every time. If you love that retro-awesome look, take a gander at this pen!
This pen here is an Ester brook – an extremely popular brand of vintage fountain pens. This pen will be shown below, as it is one of my top recommendations for vintage pens! Coming in a variety of colours and sizes, the Ester brook J series is one awesome looking pen. The pen below is a red Ester brook, full sized model. They come in green, blue, copper, grey, and black.
Elegant Pens
These pens are usually very simple clean. They are very understated, but at the same time, they stand out in their own special way.This here is a Pelikan M205 – all white, rhodium trim (silver coloured as opposed to gold coloured). Many people tend to think of white pens as “ladies only” pens, but I disagree. I love white pens, though I will say that they are prone to staining, which is a disadvantage.
Weird Pens
I call any pen that is just abnormal, a “weird” pen. Here’s a prime example of one, being one of my favourite pens as well.
The TWSBI Diamond 540 (and 530). This pen is called a demonstrator. This means that it’s made of clear plastic, and is built in such a way that the internal components can be clearly seen. I really love demonstrator pens, but some people just don’t. I all comes down to a matter of personal preference.
neplar 