Fountain Pens

Since high school I've really enjoyed pens. It started out as nifty ball points with clever mechanisms.

+ Show Spoiler [Balisong Pen] +

+ Show Spoiler [Capless, rotates to reveal tip] +

Little did I know that pens could be used for something much, much cooler than writing. Youtube was kind enough to introduce me to the world of pen spinning.



Diving headfirst into pens widely used for these feats, I got into modding. I made quite a large number of pens that have been broken or lost over the years, and only three remain, unfortunately. I remember an RSVP mod I made early on that I filled with water and some lava-lamp looking material which was probably the best looking pen I've ever made. I didn't venture into modding as far as some others once I came by a solid few that really satisfied my spinning needs.

I give you Firefly's LED G3 mod:



3 years went by while I sat in my classes flipping pens around, and after I graduated I no longer kept up the practice. After high school I basically did whatever I felt like except start college. Travel. Cross country USA road trip with friends. Two solo trips to Japan. A trip to England and Sweden (Dreamhack, baby!)

Today, I'm more or less an adult. College student. And I still have a very deep interest in pens. It has gone from nifty mods for pen spinning:

+ Show Spoiler [RSVP MSXA] +
+ Show Spoiler [Metalic Comssa] +

To more aesthetically pleasing (and actually intended for writing) fountain pens.

I would recommend to buy a pen that can use/comes with cartridges. They are simple to use , it's hard to make a mess with them, and you can avoid spending money on a bottle of ink in case you decide fountain pens are not for you. I'm going to compile a list of pens arranged by price which I think are good selections for first time users.

Platinum Preppy $3.30
Cheap. The best money can buy for less than $4. If you want to try bottled ink, you can get a Platinum converter for about $8.

Pilot Penmanship $8
Intended market is students learning to write. Has a triangular grip to help teach correct angle to hold the pen. Demonstrator version available. (As far as I know, converters do not fit in this pen)

-- Pilot Metropolitan $15 --
Comes in 3 colors, 3 styles for each color. This pen has made a name for itself in the market of cheap pens for being very good value, most bang for your buck kind of thing. If this pen is within your budget, definitely check it out. I think these come with a converter, might depend on who you buy from. I'd recommend this pen to anyone who is considering making fountain pens their tool of choice.

Ohto F-Lapa $16
Listed in part because it was my first pen in this price range. Fairly smooth. Classy look. However if the Pilot Metropolitan were available when I made the purchase, I would have gotten it instead. Anyone who has both would probably recommend the Metropolitan. The F-Lapa can use a converter purchased separately.

Lamy Safari $25
If you have more money you want to invest, the safari is probably the way to go. Solid pens, solid nibs, excellent value. You can use them with cartridges and converters. A lot of color options available. Triangular grip. Getting a safari also has the benefit of allowing you to try different nibs without buying a new pen. You can buy Lamy nibs separately ($10 I think) and swap them around, allowing you to find a size and style you like without buying six or seven different pens. And if you were really hoping for a demonstrator, the Lamy Vista is exactly the same - but clear, for just a few bucks more.

Pilot Prera $50 (Though I have seen it for about $35)
Just a beautiful pen, solid colors or clear demonstrator version. Steel nibs. I don't own one (but want one), though I have been able to use a few of them, and they're a pretty solid pen. Cartridge and converter compatible. Some people say it's a great starter pen, to me it's just a little too expensive to really recommend to first time users - but it is very beginner friendly. I know you can remove the nib and replace them with similar (but not all) Pilot nibs. I assume you can also remove the feed for easy cleaning, but I'm not 100% on that. If you have the budget and want to make a truly serious go at fountain pens, check this one out.

Some tips on choosing a nib
If you don't have a nearby store that sells fountain pens, get a medium nib and adjust if you like from there. If you do have a nearby store, they will have paper you can test the pens on. Peter Twydle suggests to write a lower case e as you normally would - if the hole in he e is filled with ink, get a finer nib.