Getting Started with Fountain Pens
Fountain pens have been trusted writing instruments for over a century. Unlike ballpoint pens that press ink onto paper with a rolling ball, fountain pens use gravity and capillary action to draw ink from an internal reservoir through a carefully shaped nib. The result is a smoother, more expressive writing experience that many people find genuinely transforming.
If you've been curious about fountain pens but felt intimidated by the variety of options, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get started with confidence.
Why Fountain Pens?
People are drawn to fountain pens for many different reasons. Some appreciate the writing experience — a well-tuned fountain pen glides across paper with almost no pressure, reducing hand fatigue during long writing sessions. Others enjoy the sustainability — a single pen can last decades, and refillable ink systems produce far less waste than disposable pens.
For many enthusiasts, the real draw is personal expression. With thousands of ink colors available — from everyday blues and blacks to shimmering teals and deep burgundies — your writing becomes uniquely yours. The nib you choose, the ink you fill, and the paper you write on all combine to create a deeply personal experience that a ballpoint pen simply can't match.
Anatomy of a Fountain Pen
Understanding the basic parts of a fountain pen will help you make informed choices when buying and maintaining your pens.
Diagram: the main parts of a fountain pen
Nib
The nib is the metal tip that touches the paper. It's usually made from stainless steel or gold and has a small slit that channels ink to the writing surface through capillary action. The nib is the most important factor in how a pen writes — its size, material, and shape determine the line width, flexibility, and smoothness of your writing.
Feed
The feed sits beneath the nib and regulates the flow of ink. It has tiny channels and fins that use capillary action to draw ink from the reservoir while allowing air to flow back in — a carefully balanced system that keeps the ink flowing steadily without flooding.
Converter / Cartridge
The ink reservoir connects to the back of the feed. A cartridge is a pre-filled, disposable ink container — convenient but limited in color choice. A converter is a reusable reservoir with a built-in piston that lets you fill from any bottled ink, opening up thousands of color options.
Barrel and Cap
The barrel is the main body of the pen that houses the ink reservoir. The cap protects the nib from drying out and damage when the pen is not in use. Caps may snap on or screw on — screw caps provide a more airtight seal but take slightly longer to open.
Choosing Your First Pen
The best first fountain pen is one that's reliable, easy to maintain, and affordable enough that you won't hesitate to use it every day. You do not need to spend a fortune to get a great writing experience.
Budget Tiers
Under $10: Pens like the Platinum Preppy and Pilot Varsity offer surprisingly good writing quality. They're perfect for testing whether you enjoy fountain pens before investing more.
$15–$40: This is the sweet spot for beginners. The Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy Safari, and TWSBI Eco are all reliable, well-built pens with smooth nibs and good ink capacity. Many enthusiasts continue to use and recommend these pens even after building large collections.
$50–$150: Mid-range pens like the TWSBI 580, Sailor Procolor, and Pilot Prera offer improved materials and more refined nibs, but the writing experience improvement over a good $30 pen is incremental rather than dramatic.
Tip: Start with a single pen in the $15–$40 range. You'll learn a lot about your preferences — nib width, weight, grip — before spending more. Many experienced collectors say their $30 pen still gets the most daily use.
Nib Widths
Nibs come in several standard sizes. The width affects both the look of your writing and how much ink is laid down:
- Extra-Fine (EF): Very thin lines, ideal for small handwriting or detailed work. Uses less ink but can feel scratchy on lower-quality paper.
- Fine (F): A popular all-purpose choice, especially for everyday writing and note-taking. Fine enough for most paper but smooth enough to be enjoyable.
- Medium (M): The most popular width. Produces a visible, expressive line that shows off ink color well. Great for journaling and correspondence.
- Broad (B): Thick, bold lines that really let ink colors shine. Best with high-quality paper, as the heavier ink flow can cause feathering on cheap paper.
Approximate line widths for standard nib sizes
Tip: Japanese pens (Pilot, Sailor, Platinum) tend to run about one size finer than Western pens (Lamy, Pelikan, Kaweco). A Japanese Medium is roughly equivalent to a Western Fine.
How to Fill a Fountain Pen
There are several common filling systems, each with its own advantages:
Cartridge
Pre-filled, disposable
Converter
Reusable, twist-fill
Piston
Built-in, high capacity
Eyedropper
Maximum capacity
The four common fountain pen filling systems
Cartridge
The simplest method. Remove the spent cartridge, insert a new one, and gently squeeze until ink flows to the nib. Cartridges are convenient for travel but limit your ink choices to the brand's own offerings (unless you refill empty cartridges with a syringe).
Converter
A converter replaces the cartridge and lets you fill from bottled ink. Submerge the nib in ink, twist the converter's piston to draw ink up, then wipe the nib clean. This opens up the full world of fountain pen inks — and bottled ink is far more economical than cartridges over time.
Piston Filler
Some pens (like the TWSBI Eco) have a built-in piston mechanism. The barrel itself is the ink reservoir, which means much higher ink capacity than a converter. Filling works the same way — dip and twist — but you get more ink per fill.
Eyedropper
The highest capacity method. The entire barrel is used as an ink reservoir, and you fill it directly with a dropper or syringe. Not all pens support this, and you'll need silicone grease on the threads to prevent leaks, but ink capacity is unmatched.
Basic Maintenance Tips
Fountain pens are low-maintenance, but a few habits will keep them writing reliably for years:
- Write regularly. A pen that sits unused for weeks can dry out. If you use a pen daily, the ink stays flowing.
- Cap your pen when not in use. This prevents the nib from drying out.
- Flush with water when changing inks. Run clean water through the pen until it runs clear before switching to a new ink color.
- Flush monthly for regular-use pens. Even with the same ink, a monthly rinse prevents buildup in the feed.
- Use fountain-pen-safe inks only. India ink, calligraphy dip pen inks, and acrylic inks will clog and potentially ruin your pen.
Important: Never use India ink or calligraphy inks in a fountain pen. These contain shellac or other binders that will clog the feed permanently. Only use inks specifically labeled for fountain pens.
For a deeper dive into pen maintenance, see our Fountain Pen Maintenance & Care guide.
Find Your First Ink
Now that you know the basics, use InkPalette to discover fountain pen inks that match any color you can imagine. Pick a color and we'll find the closest real-world inks for you.
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