Fountain Pens

Fountain Pen FAQ

Why should you use a fountain pen?

Fountain pens are great for anyone who writes a lot. They're very smooth, and can write with no pressure. They are also perfect for adding some individuality to your writing. Bottled ink gives you the choice of thousands of fountain pen inks. The option of different nibs means you can give your writing a different style, from italic to super broad to super fine. And once you’ve bought the pen, bottled ink can also be cheap and use minimal packaging, mostly recyclable - so they’re good for the environment *and* your pocket!

What is the best ink for fountain pens?

The easiest option is to use fountain pen cartridges, but one of the joys of using a fountain pen is bottled inks. Using a converter means you can use lots of different inks, and you can pick between inks from the top pen makers like Parker and Montblanc or ink specialists like Diamine, Ferris Wheel Press or Robert Oster .

What is the difference between a fountain pen cartridge and a converter?

A cartridge is a small plastic tube, pre-filled with ink, that you just push into the pen and you’re done. They’re quick, clean, and easy, and you can carry a spare and refill anywhere. A converter lets most cartridge-filled pens use bottled ink. Bottled ink will almost always work out cheaper, and gives you access to far, far more colours and types of ink, while also doing away with that single-use plastic.

Do fountain pens leak?

Many years ago, fountain pens did risk leaking. That really isn't a problem these days. A modern fountain pen is no more likely to leak with normal use than a ballpoint or rollerball pen. Inky fingers are a risk when refilling with bottled ink, but can be avoided with a bit of care.

What nib should I get with my fountain pen?

That’s a very personal question, which only you can decide. If you really don’t know, medium is the safest option. If you prefer a broader line and smoother writing, a broad nib will give you that. And a finer nib will, of course, give you a finer line, but usually with a slightly more ‘scratchy’ feel.

What is a good starter fountain pen?

A good fountain pen for beginners would be easy to use, solidly made and perhaps most importantly doesn’t break the bank. Have a look through our hand picked selection of starter fountain pens to find yourself a classic at an entry price, while you figure out what you like in a pen.

How long does a fountain pen last?

A properly looked after fountain pen should last at least ten years, but plenty of them are still going for decades after that. We’ve used pens from the 1930s that are still going, with just a little maintenance needed.

Which paper shall I use with my fountain pen?

Most paper works fine, but some brands are better than others. Look for paper that says it’s fountain pen friendly to be on the safe side, though we’ve often found even quite cheap notebooks often work well. Rhodia and Clairefontaine are often favourites among fountain pen fans.

When was the fountain pen invented?

The history of the fountain pen is pretty fascinating. It's thought that Leonardo da Vinci might have designed one for himself, way back around 1500, but it wasn’t until the 1800s before they started to become reliable and commonly used. The early 1900s saw much more reliable designs for the feeds, getting ink to the nib with less mess, with innovations from Waterman and Parker. The Parker “51” gave us several improvements to make fountain pens work more reliably, including some that are in common use even in rollerball pens today.