Join the fountain pen revolution
Friday, March 6th, 2020 16:25![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cashewOK, not really.
Basically, I've seen a lot of consensus on beginner fountain pens and in my experience, I'm not so sure I agree with most of their assessments. Which is why I want to write a blog post about my totally objective and not at all subjective opinion on what the recommendation for beginner fountain pens ought to include.
So, why fountain pens?
I think the biggest barrier to entry on a fountain pen is trying to convince people that it's totally worth switching over from their easily accessible rollerball/gel/ballpoint pens to the more archaic fountain pen. After all, the disposable pens out competed the fountain pen for a reason beyond just marketing.
While it's true that the disposable pen is much more convenient, I would argue that the fountain pen's upkeep is greatly exaggerated. First, if we ignore the ecological cost, modern fountain pens use cartridges, which makes them just as easy to refill as the rollerball/gel/ballpoint pens. If you use a high end rollerball/gel/ballpoint, you'll already be familiar with buying refill inserts for your high end pen. The fountain pen is no different, except instead of inserts, you buy cartridges that plug into the pen instead.
I'm going to use the Pilot G2 as an example. The G2 refill costs $6.99 for 6, averaging to $1.17 for a single refill. Pilot ink cartridge (for Pilot fountain pens) is priced at $5.53 for 12, averaging to $0.46 per cartridge. In my experience, the Pilot cartridge (which holds over 1mL worth of ink) last around half as long as the G2 refill, so a pack of 12 ink cartridges will last about as long as the G2 inks. If you get them in bulk, they can go as low as $7.92 for 24, working out to be $0.33 per cartridge. Basically, you'll be saving a lot of money if you go through the ink quickly.
For basically the same amount of convenience, you'll be shelling out slightly less money for the ink. However, there is a secondary option. If you are willing to refill your fountain pen from a bottle, thus freeing yourself from proprietary cartridges and plastic waste, you'll actually save significantly on ink refill. I've already done the math in previous posts here and here, so I won't rehash the math. The crux of the question is this: is it worth the hassle?
Here's the truth: refilling from a bottle takes less than 30 seconds. It's as simple as uncap bottle, dip pen nib into bottle, twist the converter knob, wipe off grip with scrap paper, and re-cap bottle. All this talk about ultra sonic cleaners and pen wash is a bunch of baloney. Unless you intend to re-sell your fountain pen on the second hand market, you don't really need to wash the pen out...ever. Fountain pens can basically refill and refill and refill without every getting clogged, as the new ink will dissolve the older dried ink that might have been left over in the pen. In terms of sheer use, you're unlikely to get the pen clogged up. Unless you're changing colors half way through, there's very little reason to ever wash your pen.
Now, while it's true that dropping your pen nib first onto the ground will break it and make it impossible to write, the same is true for a lot of rollerball/gel/ballpoint pens. Not to mention that sometimes the rolling ball mechanism gets stuck and then the entire refill is dead. (Yes, I've had this happen to me even on the G2!) So, you'll need to be a little more delicate with your fountain pen, but unless you're taking notes out in the wilderness in the wind and sleet and rain, the extra durability of rollerball/gel/ballpoints don't really offer that much more convenience than a fountain pen. (Remember, WW2 soldiers wrote letters in the trenches with a fountain pen.)
Also, there's this belief that fountain pens cannot be jostled or they'll spill ink everywhere. This is false. I've dropped my Pilot Kaküno many times (capped!), there's been zero ink spillage. Throwing my fountains in my purse to be carried around has done them about as much harm as it has to my gel pels, which is to say not at all. In fact, my gel pen crapped out first from a lose ball in the writing tip, rendering the pen defunct, while my fountain pen kept chugging. Basically, the fragility of fountain pen is greatly exaggerated.
OK, so the fountain pen isn't worse than rollerball/gel/ballpoint, but why make the change? What's better?
There are many ways the fountain pen outperforms the rollerball/gel/ballpoint:
If any of those points appeal to you, then you may want to consider switching over to a fountain pen.
OK, if my long, long spiel has finally convinced you to give fountain pens a try...WAIT. Figure out what you want out of your pen first before you invest $15 into the fountain pen experience. There are many, many guides out there (just google), but here are some of my personal experiences.
Before I start, I'll be using some pretty common jargon. To understand these words, Brian Goulet at Goulet Pens has written a very comprehensive glossary. Give it a quick read to understand the words like converter, cartridge, nib, feed, and grip. You can ignore the other stuff for now.
For me, the beginner fountain pen needs to fulfill these following points:
So, with these things in mind, I'm listing what I perceive to be the best beginner pens.
Moonman M2:
Moonman M2 just barely misses the cut-off at $19.99 MSRP retail on Amazon. The pen is an eye-dropper fountain pen, which means ink gets dumped directly into the pen body with an eyedropper (which is included with the pen). But the pen itself does not come with sample ink, which means to start writing with the pen, you'll have to purchase a bottle of ink. What's more, the pen cannot use cartridge/converters, so you must purchase bottled ink. This, I feel, is just a smidgeon more than a new convert might be willing to put up with, even though I feel the point of a fountain pen is to fill it from a bottle. However, Moonman M2 is a great investment as a second pen after the first ever fountain pen, as it takes standard #5 JoWo nibs that you can purchase and swap in if you're not satisfied with the original nib that came with the pen or just want to try a different nib width. What's more, it proves that just because the pen is a Chinese pen doesn't mean it has to be cheap and poorly constructed. And the large ink capacity coupled with fine nib width makes for a good pen for students who need to write a lot.
So, those are my recommendations for the top Beginner Pens. If you Googled for recommendations, you'll probably see a few of the following pens. Here's why I wouldn't recommend them as a person's first fountain pen:
Aaaaaand, that's concludes the definitive guide to beginner fountain pens. There really isn't that many options on the market, which is a shame, because it really shouldn't cost an arm and a leg just to get a pen that refills ink from a bottle. WTF?
Basically, I've seen a lot of consensus on beginner fountain pens and in my experience, I'm not so sure I agree with most of their assessments. Which is why I want to write a blog post about my totally objective and not at all subjective opinion on what the recommendation for beginner fountain pens ought to include.
So, why fountain pens?
I think the biggest barrier to entry on a fountain pen is trying to convince people that it's totally worth switching over from their easily accessible rollerball/gel/ballpoint pens to the more archaic fountain pen. After all, the disposable pens out competed the fountain pen for a reason beyond just marketing.
While it's true that the disposable pen is much more convenient, I would argue that the fountain pen's upkeep is greatly exaggerated. First, if we ignore the ecological cost, modern fountain pens use cartridges, which makes them just as easy to refill as the rollerball/gel/ballpoint pens. If you use a high end rollerball/gel/ballpoint, you'll already be familiar with buying refill inserts for your high end pen. The fountain pen is no different, except instead of inserts, you buy cartridges that plug into the pen instead.
I'm going to use the Pilot G2 as an example. The G2 refill costs $6.99 for 6, averaging to $1.17 for a single refill. Pilot ink cartridge (for Pilot fountain pens) is priced at $5.53 for 12, averaging to $0.46 per cartridge. In my experience, the Pilot cartridge (which holds over 1mL worth of ink) last around half as long as the G2 refill, so a pack of 12 ink cartridges will last about as long as the G2 inks. If you get them in bulk, they can go as low as $7.92 for 24, working out to be $0.33 per cartridge. Basically, you'll be saving a lot of money if you go through the ink quickly.
For basically the same amount of convenience, you'll be shelling out slightly less money for the ink. However, there is a secondary option. If you are willing to refill your fountain pen from a bottle, thus freeing yourself from proprietary cartridges and plastic waste, you'll actually save significantly on ink refill. I've already done the math in previous posts here and here, so I won't rehash the math. The crux of the question is this: is it worth the hassle?
Here's the truth: refilling from a bottle takes less than 30 seconds. It's as simple as uncap bottle, dip pen nib into bottle, twist the converter knob, wipe off grip with scrap paper, and re-cap bottle. All this talk about ultra sonic cleaners and pen wash is a bunch of baloney. Unless you intend to re-sell your fountain pen on the second hand market, you don't really need to wash the pen out...ever. Fountain pens can basically refill and refill and refill without every getting clogged, as the new ink will dissolve the older dried ink that might have been left over in the pen. In terms of sheer use, you're unlikely to get the pen clogged up. Unless you're changing colors half way through, there's very little reason to ever wash your pen.
Now, while it's true that dropping your pen nib first onto the ground will break it and make it impossible to write, the same is true for a lot of rollerball/gel/ballpoint pens. Not to mention that sometimes the rolling ball mechanism gets stuck and then the entire refill is dead. (Yes, I've had this happen to me even on the G2!) So, you'll need to be a little more delicate with your fountain pen, but unless you're taking notes out in the wilderness in the wind and sleet and rain, the extra durability of rollerball/gel/ballpoints don't really offer that much more convenience than a fountain pen. (Remember, WW2 soldiers wrote letters in the trenches with a fountain pen.)
Also, there's this belief that fountain pens cannot be jostled or they'll spill ink everywhere. This is false. I've dropped my Pilot Kaküno many times (capped!), there's been zero ink spillage. Throwing my fountains in my purse to be carried around has done them about as much harm as it has to my gel pels, which is to say not at all. In fact, my gel pen crapped out first from a lose ball in the writing tip, rendering the pen defunct, while my fountain pen kept chugging. Basically, the fragility of fountain pen is greatly exaggerated.
OK, so the fountain pen isn't worse than rollerball/gel/ballpoint, but why make the change? What's better?
There are many ways the fountain pen outperforms the rollerball/gel/ballpoint:
- Economy: as I've stated before, for sheer economy, fountain pen is actually cheaper to use in the long term compared to its disposable rollerball/gel/ballpoint counterparts. This is my main reason for switching.
- Ergonomics: most fountain pens are designed with ergonomics in mind and therefore friendlier to the fingers when writing. This is my secondary reason for switching. I've gotten so used to fountain pens' ergonomics that using rollerball/gel/ballpoint is becoming actively uncomfortable.
- Color: if you can imagine a shade of color, there's a fountain pen ink in that specific shade. They shimmer, they sheen, they glow in the fucking dark. If you want colors, fountain pen has your back. I like alternating ink colors when I write in my journal. It makes me happy.
- Nib options (tip options): Have you ever wondered how people write those lovely spencerian script or gothic script? The writing tip of a fountain pen (the nib) can come in many different shapes that allows one to write with varying line widths in a single stroke. Sure, you can do the same with a brush tip, but how good is your brush control? Not to mention brush pens are even more niche than fountain pens.
- Aesthetics: Not gonna lie, fountain pens usually look better. (Although gel pens do give them a run for their money. Look at these adorable gel pens!) They also appeal to different types of aesthetics, from cute to industrial to artisan URUSHI LACQUER. Point is, if you have an aesthetic you like, there's probably a fountain pen out there somewhere that fits it. Personally, one day I intend on getting my hands on these kawaii food fountain pens. Restock them TofuCute! Now, yes, the prettier fountain pens are going to cost more, but the same can be said for any other type of writing instrument so...
If any of those points appeal to you, then you may want to consider switching over to a fountain pen.
OK, if my long, long spiel has finally convinced you to give fountain pens a try...WAIT. Figure out what you want out of your pen first before you invest $15 into the fountain pen experience. There are many, many guides out there (just google), but here are some of my personal experiences.
Before I start, I'll be using some pretty common jargon. To understand these words, Brian Goulet at Goulet Pens has written a very comprehensive glossary. Give it a quick read to understand the words like converter, cartridge, nib, feed, and grip. You can ignore the other stuff for now.
For me, the beginner fountain pen needs to fulfill these following points:
- Reasonably priced: the user should be able to start using the pen without spending more than $20. Ideally the price is under $10, but the sub-$10 market is filled with really crappy experiences, so I'm upping the price to $20. $20 upfront investment for a pen that's going to last you, hopefully, your entire life sounds reasonable.
- Longevity: by which I mean the pen should still be a fun pen to use even after the user has gone past the initial "Beginner" stage of the fountain pen hobby. The pen needs to offer more than just the ability to write well, it should have some degree of tinkering room. Fountain pens are meant for long term use, so any disposable fountain pens are not considered a good introduction to how fountain pens work.
- High quality: I mean, this should be a no brainer, but the fountain pen market is plagued with poor writing pens in every price range. But the sub-$20 market is plagued with pens that write no better than rollerball/gel/ballpoints and makes the newbie question what exactly is the big hoopla about these fountain pen thingies?
So, with these things in mind, I'm listing what I perceive to be the best beginner pens.
Pilot Kaküno:
OK, Pilot Kaküno is top of this list because not only does it tick all the boxes, it also is one of the cheapest options while writing like a $50 pen. Currently, Kaküno sells for $12.50 on JetPens in the US and even cheaper in its native Japan. For $12.50, you get the pen plus one starter ink cartridge. Plug the cartridge in and start writing. To keep writing, you'll need to purchase more cartridges (linked above) or buy a converter for bottled ink. Or, you can be really cheap and refill the cartridge with bottled ink by using an ink syringe ($2.50). Don't throw the ink syringe out, you can reuse it indefinitely.
At the outset, Kaküno offers nib widths in EF (0.3mm), F (0.5mm) and M (0.7mm). Once you've gotten into the fountain pen hobby and want to try something fancy, Kaküno's nib can be interchanged with nibs from the Pilot Parallel ($8/pen, or $31 for 4; for reference, mainstream replacement nibs fall between $14 and $25 each). The Parallel nibs come in wider stubs and italics that will allow you to write more interesting scripts, while still using your comfortable Kaküno body. The nib/feed system is friction fit, which means you can pull the thing out and swap the parts around as you see fit.
Platinum Plaisir:
The Plaisir is second on this list, despite having an aluminum (and therefore possibly more sturdy) body. The reason is because the Plaisir costs $14.25 from JetPens (higher elsewhere) and lacks a cute smiley face on the nib. It's also a slightly less comfortable writing experience. However, what Plaisir does offer is the patented Slip-'n-Seal cap that keeps the ink from drying out for up to two years. So if you're not a very prolific writer...wait, why are you switching over the fountain pens again?
Anyway, the Plaisir's nib unit (grip+nib+feed, basically the business end of a fountain pen) is interchangeable with the Platinum Preppy. The Preppy is often recommended as a starter pen, but the Preppy is designed to be disposable. As such, I recommend skipping over the Preppy and move straight to the Plaisir, while using the Preppy as a source of replacement nibs. The Preppy costs <$3 each, therefore is a cheap source of nib replacement if you ever break the nib on your Plaisir. Otherwise, it's the same as the Kaküno: comes with a starter cartridge and you'll need to keep buying more cartridges or get a converter to use bottled ink, or you can go with the ink syringe method. (Converters are just so much more convenient.)- Edit 2022-07-20: I can no longer recommend the Grip as a starter pen as mine broke after about three years. The rubberized grip literally came off with the cap, getting stuck in the cap of the pen and making the pen unusable. This is unacceptable for a pen that costs $20. I retract any support for this pen.
Faber-Castell Grip:
The Faber-Castell Grip is at the bottom of this list because it's one of the most expensive options. The pen comes in EF (0.5mm), F (0.6mm), or M (0.8mm) nib sizes and can be picked up at your local Barnes&Noble for $19.95. The package includes 7 (seven!) ink cartridges, so you can write for a while before having to buy more. The nib also writes very smoothly, although it makes a scritch-scritch noise when writing (known as feedback in the FP community).
The biggest advantage of the Grip is that it uses Standard International feed housing. Both Pilot and Platinum uses proprietary connectors, which means you must buy their cartridges to use in their pens. Grip, however, uses what is effectively the "universal" cartridge. That means you can buy boutique ink from the likes of J. Herbin or Diamine, and their cartridges will also fit the Grip. This gives you far more options in terms of ink color before you start getting into bottled ink. Of course, you can always add an international converter ($5) to the purchase (or buy Faber-Castell branded converter, also $5) and start using bottled ink that way. The one draw back of the Grip is that it requires some coaxing and jamming to get the converter to fit inside the pen barrel properly.
Unlike the other two on this list, Faber-Castell sells Grip nib units separately! That means if you were unfortunate enough to break the nib on your Grip, you need to only shell out...$16 for the replacement nib. (=_=) But, Faber-Castell does make all of their nibs interchangeable, so if you start getting into the hobby a lot, you can purchase higher end nib units and simply swap the Grip's nib out for the higher end nib. The Grip's feed also can house standard #5 JoWo nibs, which you can purchase for...$14. Look, basically what I'm saying is that the majority of the cost of the pen rests in the nib. You're practically getting everything else for free.
Honorable Mention:
Moonman M2:Moonman M2 just barely misses the cut-off at $19.99 MSRP retail on Amazon. The pen is an eye-dropper fountain pen, which means ink gets dumped directly into the pen body with an eyedropper (which is included with the pen). But the pen itself does not come with sample ink, which means to start writing with the pen, you'll have to purchase a bottle of ink. What's more, the pen cannot use cartridge/converters, so you must purchase bottled ink. This, I feel, is just a smidgeon more than a new convert might be willing to put up with, even though I feel the point of a fountain pen is to fill it from a bottle. However, Moonman M2 is a great investment as a second pen after the first ever fountain pen, as it takes standard #5 JoWo nibs that you can purchase and swap in if you're not satisfied with the original nib that came with the pen or just want to try a different nib width. What's more, it proves that just because the pen is a Chinese pen doesn't mean it has to be cheap and poorly constructed. And the large ink capacity coupled with fine nib width makes for a good pen for students who need to write a lot.
So, those are my recommendations for the top Beginner Pens. If you Googled for recommendations, you'll probably see a few of the following pens. Here's why I wouldn't recommend them as a person's first fountain pen:
- Pilot Metropolitan: Pilot jacked up the price of the Metropolitan in the past few years and now it's definitely no longer the best bargain for the money. What's more, the Metro writes about as well as the Kaküno without really offering anything more in terms of bells and whistles. As such, I can't find it in myself to recommend the Metro over the Kaküno.
- Kaweco Sport series: The starting price for this pen is $23, already over my $20 budget. It's also a pen that doesn't really work with any converters in the market right now, so the only option is to buy more cartridge ink or refilling with a syringe. Or do eyedropper conversion, but we're getting a little deep here in terms of "beginner". Also, the Kaweco nib is extremely fat, which means it won't play nice with regular paper, which a beginner will be most likely using. In addition, there seems to be some quality control problems in recent times and the German engineering doesn't seem to be keeping up with the demand.
- TWSBI Eco: The pen is $30. That's really high for a starting pen. Sure, it's a piston filler with high ink capacity and an easy way of checking on the ink levels due to its clear pen body, but. But, it's still $30 and that doesn't include ink. Which means you need to shell out more money on top of the $30 you already put into the pen to even begin trying the pen. This is not OK for me as a beginner's pen. It's really more of an intermediate pen for those who liked their first fountain pen experience and want to try something a little more daring.
- Pilot Varsity/Platinum Preppy: These pens are disposable fountain pens. Basically, they are no different from your usual rollerball/gel/ballpoint other than having a fountain pen nib tip. They really don't stand up to prolonged use and therefore not really in tune with what I think of as the fountain pen experience. I just don't see the point of these pens as a beginner pen.
- Lamy Safari: $30. Thirty dollars. NO. This is too much for a beginner pen that doesn't even include a converter. For $30, I expect a converter at the very least. Not only that, Lamy also has proprietary converter/cartridge system, so it doesn't even have universality as an advantage. Then there's the fact that the Lamy pen's nib has questionable quality control and, like the Kaweco, writes on the fat side, which means it demands higher quality paper to keep up with the heavy ink flow. Lamy has a staunch following, but I don't find their beginner fountain pens a good option.
Aaaaaand, that's concludes the definitive guide to beginner fountain pens. There really isn't that many options on the market, which is a shame, because it really shouldn't cost an arm and a leg just to get a pen that refills ink from a bottle. WTF?
 |   Tags: |
no subject
Date: 2020-03-10 13:40 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-10 13:49 (UTC)Edit: Or, the pen you have might just have a poor nib. Sometimes these things happen. T_T