The Most Common Beginner Fountain Pen Mistakes

While many people prefer to use a ballpoint pen for its practicability, writing with a fountain pen is a unique experience on its own. When you never used a fountain pen before, this may lead you to make some fountain pen mistakes. A fountain pen can enhance your handwriting and offers you tremendous advantages when compared to ballpoint pens, gel pens, and rollerball pens. And that’s why more and more people are starting to use fountain pens. 

When you compare ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pens, you might notice that usually, fountain pens are a little more expensive. Besides the higher pricing, fountain pens also require a bit more attention and care.

However, fountain pens also offer an exclusive and luxurious writing experience. When you ditch a ballpoint pen for a fountain pen, you may notice a big difference on your handwriting and on the pleasure you get when you write. Fountain pens can make a difference in your work or in your life since they offer you the kind of experience that no other pen can match.

If you’re just starting on fountain pens, you need to be aware of some of the most common beginner fountain pen mistakes, and how to avoid them. 

The reality is that when you use a unique fountain pen you need to pay attention to certain details.

Most Common Beginner Fountain Pen Mistakes

#1: Using The Wrong Type Of Paper:

One of the things that makes fountain pens completely unique is the fact that your handwriting can and will be slightly different when you use a different fountain pen. This is due to the nib and to the ink feed differences. Two fountain pens might look similar, but unless they come out of the same manufacturer, they’re the same model and use the exact same feed and nib, your writing experience will be different. 

Besides the nib and feed, when you use a fountain pen you also need to pay attention to the ink and type of paper you’re using. 

If the paper you’re using is too thin or is not ready for liquid ink, you’ll see ink feathering, ink bleeding or ink ghosting. 

Ink bleeding occurs when you are writing on a paper which doesn’t absorb the ink. So, you write on one side of the paper, and you will see the ink appearing on the other side of the paper. 

To avoid ink feathering, ink bleeding, and ink ghosting, you need to make sure that you are using a thicker paper, or better yet, a fountain pen friendly paper. This is one of the fountain pen mistakes that most beginners make.

Notice that not all thicker paper is fountain pen friendly. Between a thin and a thick paper of the same quality, at least with the thick paper, you can avoid the ink bleeding. But premium paper such as Clairefontaine or Rhodia notebooks offer you the best writing experience.

The Nib Size And The Ink

But these problems are not related to the paper only. The nib size and the ink you are using can also avoid or cause such problems. 

Let’s say that you’re using an Extra Fine nib, for example. In this case, you may get away even with a cheap copy paper. But if you’re using a wet broad nib or an italic nib, you’ll definitely need a better type of paper to avoid all the ink bleeding you may get with that type of nib.

If you’re using a Fine or Extra fine nib and still have some ink bleeding problems, it’s time to get a better paper or to change your ink. Those nibs should not cause ink bleeding in any decent type of paper. 

The type of paper you use can make all the difference in your writing experience. If you’re using a dry or small nib like an Extra Fine nib, you may get away by using copy paper. But if you’re using wet large nibs, like broad or calligraphy nibs, you’ll need better paper to handle all that ink without ghosting, bleeding and feathering. 

#2: Pushing The Nib Too Hard:

If you’re only used to writing with a ballpoint or a rollerball pen (especially with a ballpoint pen), you might be used to push a little too hard on the pen to get it to write properly. Some people have written with a ballpoint pen all their life so they’re used to use some pressure on the pen to get it to write. But on a fountain pen, you don’t need to use any pressure to write. And if you do so, you may end up damaging your nib. Unfortunately, this is another common fountain pen mistake.

One of the things that you should keep in mind is that a fountain pen glides across the paper without any effort. Since fountain pens use liquid ink, it flows much better than the oil used on ballpoints. A rollerball pen is closer to the fountain pen, but a good fountain pen offers you a lot more smoothness.  

If you take a closer look at a fountain pen nib, you will see that there is a tiny split in the middle of the tines. This split allows the ink to flow directly to the paper. When you use a fountain pen and you push too hard, you can easily break or damage the nib. In a good case scenario, you bend it, and then it won’t be easy to get it to its original form. 

If this happens to you, you can always replace the nib. But it’s something really easy to avoid so try to let the pen do all the necessary pressure. If you need a replacement nib to replace a bad one or to try a new writing experience out of the same fountain pen, check out our replacement nibs category and find the right one for your fountain pen.

#3: Using The Wrong Ink:

If you’re new to fountain pens you may think that all the inks are the same. In that case, you might believe that the smartest thing to do is to always buy the cheapest one. However, not all fountain pen inks are the same. That doesn’t mean that all expensive inks are great and all the cheapest inks are terrible. But, the reality is, there are great inks in the market and others that should be avoided.

With time, you’ll learn to recognize and learn the brand that you trust. With experience, you’ll know exactly the type of ink and the brand that serves you well. You’ll know exactly what specific ink works really well on your pens and on the paper you use. 

It’s important to notice that some inks are thicker and tend to dry faster and others are just the opposite. Some fountain pen inks can easily stain your fountain pen while others don’t. Some brands are particularly aggressive and you’ll soon know the brands that won’t work for you. 

Understanding The Differences Between Inks

The truth is that while some brands do have more problems than others, it all depends on the type of paper and pen that you use. If you’re using a $4 Platinum Preppy, you’ll probably won’t care much about the ink brand (as long as you stick with fountain pen ink. Never use different kinds of inks like India Ink or dip pen ink, since those might destroy your pen).

But if you’re looking for good ink to use in a valuable vintage pen, it pays to be careful and to stick with a well-known brand. 

If you’re looking for high-quality fountain pen ink at an affordable rate, you might want to consider buying fountain pen ink samples. Ink samples allow you to test a wide variety of colors and brands without buying full ink bottles.

You can also use fountain pen ink cartridges on most modern fountain pens. Cartridges are more expensive per ml, but they’re very practical and allow you to refill your pen easily and anywhere.

As a rule of thumb, the more expensive the fountain pen you’re using, the more careful you should be with the ink you’re using. And never use any kind of ink that is not made for fountain pens. Some beginners try calligraphy ink or dip pen inks which are too thick for fountain pen nibs. The result of using the wrong type of ink is that, in most cases, the pen won’t ever write as well again. This is one of the fountain pen mistakes that can lead you to completely ruin or damage your fountain pen.

#4: Not Cleaning Your Fountain Pen:

As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, a fountain pen requires some maintenance. And a substantial part of that maintenance is to ensure that you clean it before you store it, or between ink changes. Cleaning a fountain pen is simple and easy, and when you get the hang of it, it’s actually fun and it’s all part of the hobby. So, there isn’t any reason why you should make this fountain pen mistake.

If you don’t clean your fountain pens on a regular basis, they might end up clogged by dust or by ink residues. Nevertheless, cleaning your fountain pen is not difficult at all. In fact, you just need to use our Fountain Pen Cleaning Solution and it will be ready to store or to change the ink.

For regular maintenance, you can even clean your fountain pen with water. But on deeper cleaning routines, a pen cleaning solution might be handy.

#5: Using Acetone or Alcohol On Your Fountain Pens:

Some people don’t clean their fountain pens enough, and others go to the exact opposite mistake. These beginners are so committed to clean their fountain pens, cartridges, and accessories, that they try to clean them with acetone or alcohol. While that may seem a good idea, and while both alcohol and acetone can be handy in life, cleaning fountain pens with them shouldn’t be considered.  Some beginners get obsessed with a small ink residue and try to wash it with water at first. When they realize that water can’t remove the stain, they move to something highly aggressive like acetone. Both acetone and alcohol can break down plastic, including the plastic used on your fountain pens feeds, barrels cartridges, and converters. 

The end result of using acetone or alcohol to clean your pens depends on the pen. You can get severe stains on your pens, you can get broken plastic parts, or on the worst case scenario, you’ll get melted parts. So, make sure that you avoid this fountain pen mistake.

The best way to clean an ink stain it to let the pen with water overnight to see if the ink disappears. If water can’t solve it, you can use a fountain pen cleaning solution. Even when you use cartridges, it is always better to use water first, and then a cleaning solution. 

This exact type of conservative cleaning works well for me in pens, nibs, feeds, cartridges, and converters. There’s no need to use alcohol or acetone. If your pen or cartridge has a small ink stain, please remember you might ultimately melt it if you use alcohol or acetone to clean it. On the other hand, with water and a good cleaning solution, you will be able to clean everything you need. 

#6: Cleaning Pens With Hot Water:

When cleaning your pens, you should try to use lukewarm water. I’ve seen some people that tried to use hot water to properly clean. However, using this method with some pens may be a huge mistake.

Some vintage fountain pens, for example, can be destroyed by hot water. Some beginners find this one when they soak vintage pens in hot water and find that hot water can actually melt some vintage pen parts. 

If you’re not sure about the pen age or materials, play it safe and just use lukewarm water. 

#7: Disassembling Pens Without The Right Tools:

Disassembling a pen without the proper tools is something that can damage a pen or pen part beyond recovery. One of the most common mistakes I’ve seen over the years is when people want to remove a nib and they just can’t do it. So, they end up grabbing pliers to remove it. Ans this is something you should never do. Never use pliers or any tools on your pens, unless, of course, you know what you’re doing. 

To remove a fountain pen nib, for example, you can use a Grip Rubber. To disassemble a vintage fountain pen to replace the ink sac, for example, it depends on the model you’re working on. But a little research will show you the right tools you can use to complete your task. When you get experienced in fountain pens, you’ll be able to easily find different ways to accomplish some of these tasks. However, as a beginner, avoid breaking your pens, nibs, and feeds with pliers. 

#8: Not Keeping The Nib Up When Traveling:

This mistake can affect you in any type of traveling, but especially if you’re traveling by plane. When you’re traveling by plane, the cabin pressure changes during the flight and these changes can cause some ink leaking. If you’re traveling with your nib pointing up, those pressure changes shouldn’t affect you and your pen shouldn’t leak. But if you’re traveling with your nib pointing down, you’re almost sure to get ink leak that will probably stain your shirt or jacket forever.

When traveling by plane, even if you carry your pens horizontally in a regular pouch, the pressure can cause some ink leak. 

The single best way to avoid ink leak on a plane is to travel with your fountain pens empty. No ink, no stains. Unless you need to use your fountain pens during the flight, I would personally clean them, and fill them when I reach my destination. 

The second best way to avoid problems with your pens on a long flight is to travel with your nib pointing up.

Another interesting fact is that if you’re traveling with ink in your fountain pen, you might want to keep it filled with as much ink as possible. The less air there is in the ink chamber, the less likely it will leak. Most people think the less ink, the safest. But the reality is that the less air, the better. 

#9: Carrying Your Fountain Pen With Phone Or Keys:

Carrying a fountain pen in a pocket is doable, but if you carry your fountain pen in the pocket with your phone or your keys, you might damage it. If your pen is made of plastic, keys or other objects might scratch it or even crack it. On the other hand, if your fountain pen is made of metal, keys and phones will only scratch it most of the times. 

The truth is that this last option doesn’t bother some. Some people feel that a couple of scratches here and there is nothing to worry about, and they ultimately give the pen some character. For others, a single scratch is already considered damage. 

Then, depending on your keys, and your pen, the damage might be none, small or huge. I wouldn’t carry a light cheap plastic fountain pen on my pocket, even without keys. A metal sturdy pen or a tactical pen are a different story. 

Use this one according to your own personality and preferences, but since it’s something natural that can damage your pen, we added it to the list. 

#10: Dropping A Fountain Pen On The Floor:

Dropping a fountain pen on the floor can damage it permanently. Even if it lands on the barrel, it can cause some cracks. 

But among all the types of drops, the worst one is to drop your fountain pen on the tip of the nib. While the nib might seem durable and nearly unbreakable for some beginners, the reality is that if you drop your pen on the floor and it lands with the nib down, you might deform or even break the nib (and feed). 

The heavier the pen the worse, but even a light pen might need a replacement nib after this type of accident. In addition, the more expensive the pen the worst. A fountain pen with a gold nib will be particularly expensive to find and replace a nib. 

Dropping a fountain pen on the floor is usually an accident, not a mistake. But yet, it’s something that we added to this list for the simple reason that can be avoidable, at least to some extent. 

If you’re careful enough to put the cap once you stop using the pen, you greatly reduce the chances of dropping it on the tip of the nib. You won’t be able to avoid a drop, but at least you protect the nib that can easily be one of the most expensive parts of your pen. 

Then, if you use a pen pouch or a pen sleeve you can further protect your pen from scratches and from some of the most typical drops. 

These small habits work as an insurance against potential drops, and they can make all the difference if you drop your fountain pen on the floor.

#11: Lending Expensive Fountain Pens:

Defining an expensive fountain pen is relative. No matter the price, a fountain pen will be considered cheap for some, and expensive for others. But what is not relative is the fact that lending a fountain pen to other people might be a mistake. 

Lending a cheap fountain pen to others is actually a great idea. If you love fountain pens and would love to introduce this amazing hobby to someone, nothing like showing them how great and different it feels to write with a fountain pen. Having some inexpensive fountain pens around to lend to others can be fun and a great experience on its own.

But lending expensive fountain pens can be a disaster. Most people who never used a fountain pen might fall in one of the mistakes we already mentioned and damage your pen. Most of the times, people fall into the “Pushing the nib too hard” mistake, and they can bend or break your valuable nibs. 

If you don’t know a person that well, and have no idea if she has experience with fountain pens or not, it might be wise to play it safe and lend one of your less expensive pens. 

#12: Not Using A Fountain Pen:

It might sound a little cliche but not using a fountain pen is the biggest mistake of all. Fountain pens offer you an unmatched writing experience. With the huge variety of colors to choose from both in ink cartridges and ink bottle formats,  fountain pens allow you to customize and personalize your tasks and journals beyond limits. 

Some people never tested a fountain pen so they stick with their ballpoint pens. Others bought a couple of fountain pens but they keep them in a drawer. Others used to write with fountain pens but went paperless, and type almost everything. 

While each tool has a purpose, fountain pens are still amazing writing instruments. Even in the digital world, turning off your desktop, putting your smartphone on silence, and putting your thoughts on paper without any distractions or intermissions, is one of the pleasures that most people don’t know about.

And that’s why not using a fountain pen is, in our opinion, a mistake.