If you’re looking for an amazing and bright orange that works in any fountain pen, click here.
Diamine Orange Ink Sample – Fountain Pen Ink
Fountain pen ink is one of the joys reserved to fountain pen enthusiasts. With hundreds of shades to choose from, fountain pen users can test, use and collect unlimited ink shades.
With so many different ink shades to choose from our fountain pen ink samples give you the opportunity to test and collect fountain pen ink for a fraction of an ink bottle price.
No matter your personal taste or the occasion, there’s a perfect ink shade for your needs. You simply have to find it. And finding the perfect ink shades on each color is one of the pleasures of fountain pen ownership.
Diamine Orange Ink Sample
Diamine Orange is a beautiful fountain pen ink. It’s a well-behaved ink on most nibs sizes and papers. You can get a Diamine Orange Ink Sample in any of our 3 ink samples sizes.
Unlimited Flexibility
You can get this ink sample in 3 different sizes: 2ml, 3ml or 5ml. This gives you unmatched flexibility to test and collect your fountain pen ink.
The 2ml ink samples are the industry standard. They let you fill your converter or cartridge 2 to 4 times depending on your converter size. For some, that’s more than enough to test the ink and decide if they want to purchase a bottle.
The 3ml ink samples are a perfect balance between the 2ml and the 5ml ink samples. They provide you a little more ink. You can fill a cartridge or a converter 3 to 6 times with a 3ml ink sample.
The 5ml ink samples provide you more than enough ink to deep test and decide if it’s the right ink for your collection. These 5 ml ink samples are highly collectible. If you don’t write that much or if you plan on using dozens or hundreds of different inks, a 5ml ink sample can last you a long time.
If you’re looking for a great daily writer with some personality and exclusivity, this Yellow Jinhao 599 Limited Edition Fountain Pen may fit the bill. Discover more details here.
When you look to a Jinhao 599, it’s impossible not to think about the Lamy Safari. The Safari was the original pen with this design, so many people think the 599 is just a clone.
In reality, there’s no way to deny the inspiration behind the Jinhao 599. But the pen itself has its own arguments.
I do love both the Lamy Safari and the Jinhao 599. These pens are practical and make good daily writers. Between the two, I prefer the plastic feel I get on the Safari. The plastic feels thicker than the one you get on a Jinhao 599.
But the Jinhao uses a standard international size converter and a regular nib, so it’s more practical and flexible than the Safari.
The Yellow Jinhao 599 Fountain Pen
When you get a 599 you can easily use your favorite fountain pen bottled inks. There’s a converter included. If you want to, you can also use the international-sized cartridges manufactured by most brands (not by Lamy of course).
The 599 is entirely made of plastic. It’s not as thick as the Lamy, so it’s more prone to cracks. But don’t get me wrong. The Jinhao 599 feels good enough, just not as good as the Safari.
The pen weights around 20 grams and the length is 137mm.
The Yellow Jinhao 599 Limited Edition
For the limited edition, we replaced the nib with our own handmade 1.3mm stub nib. This nib is such a joy to use! It’s smooth and offers you more than enough line variation for daily use or for calligraphy.
The pen was cleaned, tuned, and improved to assure a perfect writing experience with this wet stub nib.
This pen includes 2 X 3ml ink bottles and a 5ml Fountain Pen Cleaning Solution. So, you’ll get everything you need to start using this pen right away and to preserve it for years.
Limited, Exclusive and Collectible
InexPens Limited Edition Fountain Pens are designed for those who look for uniqueness and exclusivity. We manually grind, smooth and polish the nib, to create a unique writing experience. The result is a unique and highly collectible fountain pen.
The Jinhao 599 Limited Edition Fountain Pen offers you the opportunity to have a 599 like no other. This is a common and affordable pen, but there’s not another 599 exactly like this one. If you simply want a daily writer and don’t care about stubs, then you might prefer to get a regular 599. But if you want something manually tuned, perfected and unique, get your limited 599 by clicking here.
The beautiful Diamine Oxblood ink sample is now available in 3 different sizes:
2ml
3ml
5ml
If you’re looking for a beautiful brown that works in any fountain pen, click here.
Fountain Pen Ink & The Diamine Oxblood Ink Sample
Fountain pen ink is one of the joys reserved to fountain pen enthusiasts. With hundreds of shades to choose from, fountain pen users can test, use and collect unlimited ink shades.
With so many different ink shades to choose from our fountain pen ink samples give you the opportunity to test and collect fountain pen ink for a fraction of an ink bottle price.
No matter your personal taste or the occasion, there’s a perfect ink shade for your needs. You simply have to find it. And finding the perfect ink shades on each color is one of the pleasures of fountain pen ownership.
Diamine Oxblood Ink Sample
Oxblood is a beautiful fountain pen ink. It’s a well-behaved ink on most nibs sizes and papers. You can get your Diamine Oxblood Ink Sample in any of our 3 ink samples sizes.
Unlimited Flexibility
You can get this ink sample in 3 different sizes: 2ml, 3ml or 5ml. This gives you unmatched flexibility to test and collect your fountain pen ink.
The 2ml ink samples are the industry standard. They let you fill your converter or cartridge 2 to 4 times depending on your converter size. For some, that’s more than enough to test the ink and decide if they want to purchase a bottle.
The 3ml ink samples are a perfect balance between the 2ml and the 5ml ink samples. They provide you a little more ink. You can fill a cartridge or a converter 3 to 6 times with a 3ml ink sample.
The 5ml ink samples provide you more than enough ink to deep test and decide if it’s the right ink for your collection. These 5 ml ink samples are highly collectible. If you don’t write that much or if you plan on using dozens or hundreds of different inks, a 5ml ink sample can last you a long time.
With a screw-type cap and 50gr of weight, this is a solid pen, that offers a smooth writing experience.
The Champagne Gold color suits the metal body and the end result is an attractive and distinctive pen.
Order your Champagne Gold Jinhao 159 or check all the specifications by clicking here.
Fountain Pens: An Exclusive Writing Experience
A fountain pen turns your writing tasks into moments of pleasure. They provide you with the most smooth writing experience and provide a feel that’s completely different than the one you get with a ballpoint pen.
No matter if you’re writing your notes or tasks in a piece of paper, or if you’re signing documents, a fountain pen turns those simple moments into a relaxing experience.
Unlimited Fountain Pen Ink Shades
With fountain pens, you have unlimited colors to write with. While on ballpoint pens you have a blue, black or red, in fountain pens you have dozens of shades in each color. No matter your personal taste, there’s a perfect fountain pen ink color for your needs.
Gold Jinhao 159 Fountain Pen
This beautiful Gold Jinhao 159 Fountain Pen is an amazing fountain pen. It brings its own ink converter so you can use any bottled ink right away.
If you prefer the flexibility or ease of use of cartridges, you can also use ink cartridges on this pen.
With its stainless steel nib, this Jinhao 159 Fountain Pen provides a smooth writing experience and the longevity that you’re looking for.
This fountain pen is perfect to use or a special gift. Pens are perfect gifts for those that appreciate handwriting. They make a great birthday or Christmas gift and this fountain pen is no exception.
Unlimited Personalization
This pen can easily be personalized to your preferences. You can easily get a completely different writing experience with it by replacing the nib. If you’re interested in getting the most out of your new fountain pen check our replacement nibs.
You can easily use any of these replacement nibs in any compatible fountain pen. This way, you can change and adapt any of your fountain pens to your hand lettering or your taste.
If you’re looking for a beautiful blue that works in any fountain pen, click here.
Fountain Pen Ink
Fountain pen ink is one of the joys reserved to fountain pen enthusiasts. With hundreds of shades to choose from, fountain pen users can test, use and collect unlimited ink shades.
With so many different ink shades to choose from our fountain pen ink samples give you the opportunity to test and collect fountain pen ink for a fraction of an ink bottle price.
No matter your personal taste or the occasion, there’s a perfect ink shade for your needs. You simply have to find it. And finding the perfect ink shades on each color is one of the pleasures of fountain pen ownership.
Diamine Royal Blue Ink Sample
Diamine Royal Blue is a beautiful fountain pen ink. It’s a well-behaved ink on most nibs sizes and papers. You can get a Diamine Royal Blue Ink Sample in any of our 3 ink samples sizes.
Unlimited Flexibility
You can get this ink sample in 3 different sizes: 2ml, 3ml or 5ml. This gives you unmatched flexibility to test and collect your fountain pen ink.
The 2ml ink samples are the industry standard. They let you fill your converter or cartridge 2 to 4 times depending on your converter size. For some, that’s more than enough to test the ink and decide if they want to purchase a bottle.
The 3ml ink samples are a perfect balance between the 2ml and the 5ml ink samples. They provide you a little more ink. You can fill a cartridge or a converter 3 to 6 times with a 3ml ink sample.
The 5ml ink samples provide you more than enough ink to deep test and decide if it’s the right ink for your collection. These 5 ml ink samples are highly collectible. If you don’t write that much or if you plan on using dozens or hundreds of different inks, a 5ml ink sample can last you a long time.
In this article, I’m going to share my best advice on how to properly write with a fountain pen. If you’ve been using ballpoint pens most of your life, you know that ballpoint pens can write in most positions and angles. Fountain pens, on the other hand, require specific angles to write smoothly.
How To Hold A Fountain Pen
If you’re just learning how to write with a fountain pen it makes sense to start by trying to hold it in the correct position.
If this is your first fountain pen, there might be a little learning curve. But with a little practice, you’ll write with a fountain pen as easily as you’ve been writing with any other type of pen.
When you learn how to write in the correct position, you don’t need to apply any pressure on your fountain pen. The pen simply glides across the paper and writes. This is one of the main advantages of fountain pens. While you need sometimes to use pressure to write with your ballpoint pen, this isn’t the case of fountain pens. After all, as long as you’re writing at the sweet spot, you don’t need any pressure at all.
#1: Hold the Pen Between Your Thumb and Index Finger
To optimize your pen control, and to find your sweet spot, or correct angle you need to hold your pen the right way. You should place it between your index finger and your thumb. Let the barrel gently rest on your middle finger, and keep your pinky finger, your palm and your ring finger in the writing table to provide the stability you need.
#2: Fountain Pen Writing Angle
The right writing angle for most fountain pens varies. But is usually found between 40 to 55 degrees, calculating the angle between the pen and the desk.
If you compare the writing angle between fountain pens and ballpoint pens, pencils or basically any other writing instrument, you’ll probably notice that the fountain pen perfect angle is at a lower angle.
But without measuring angles, you just need to pay attention. You’ll notice that while the writing angle is not the same as the angle you’re used to on your ballpoint pens, it’s totally intuitive. So, when you grab a different pen, you automatically adjust your writing angle as soon as you get a “feel” into the pen.
There’s a degree variation for a good reason. The exact right angle is not the same for everyone. With practice, you will find the perfect angle that works for you.
#3: Write With Your Arm
When you write with your fountain pen, you should avoid using your hand muscles.
When writing, some people tend to keep their arm and hand pretty motionless. The truth is that they only move their fingers to control the pen. While you may be used to this writing position, you probably already noticed that it is exhausting. This is especially true when you need to write a long text.
Since you are looking to properly write with a fountain pen, you can take this opportunity and start holding a regular pen and pencil in a better way that doesn’t cause you any strains or injuries.
In order to properly write with a fountain pen, you should start by lowering your arm. This way, you will be using your arm’s muscles instead of your fingers’ muscles. By doing so, you won’t need to strain your wrist and hand so much.
#4: Reduce The Pressure
If you’re used to writing with ballpoint pens you might be used to push down too hard when you write. Ballpoint pens require you to constantly push down in order to write efficiently, but fountain pens don’t.
A fountain pen should require virtually zero pressure since its own weight is enough to keep it writing effortlessly. You simply need to glide the fountain pen across the paper and you should be able to get a constant ink flow.
If you push too hard, you can ruin the alignment of your nib, bend it or even break it.
#5: Learn To Balance The Pen
Try to write with the cap posted and unposted to see what works best for you. Depending on your own preferences and on the pen you’re using, you can use the cap to add extra weight or length if necessary.
#6: Do Not Rotate Your Fountain Pen When Writing
Some people develop a strange habit when they are writing. Without noticing, they rotate their pens. While on a ballpoint that habit alone won’t affect the pen, with a fountain pen, rotating the pen might affect the nib alignment, or even damage it. So, avoid rotating your fountain pens when you’re writing with them.
#7: Remember The Right Angle
To assure you keep writing at the sweet spot angle, you need to keep your nib leveled with the paper. You can’t let it change the angle when you write. If you accidentally change the angle, the ink flow might be affected and the pen might skip.
How to Pick up Your First Fountain Pen
You can find lists of the most recommended beginner friendly fountain pens everywhere. Every blogger, pen shop, and YouTuber have their own recommendations, and some fountain pens appear on most of these lists.
Nevertheless, you need to keep in mind that no fountain pen can be considered the best beginner fountain pen for everyone. Finding the right pen depends on many variables. These include your budget, your personal preferences, your hand size, and your personal writing style. That’s why you can read countless lists, see the exact same pens recommended, buy them and ultimately be disappointed with them.
We all started somewhere and with time, you’ll find your own preferences. Some people prefer large and heavy pens, others prefer tiny pocket pens. Some people look for affordable pens while others look for premium fountain pens. Some people love modern pens, while others swear by the vintage fountain pens.
So, which one is the best beginner pen? Simply put, the best beginner fountain pen is the one you prefer. I personally recommend you start by an affordable pen to see if you like it or not, and then you can easily move up and get something fancier.
But, no matter what your budget or experience is, you should buy a fountain pen that you like. There are beautiful and amazing pens for all budgets. So, if you buy something that you find special and attractive, you’ll be more interested in using it and in learning how to use it and maintain it.
Here are some of the aspects that you need to consider when you are looking for your first fountain pen:
#1: How Large Your Hands Are:
You should keep in mind not only what you like but what you should use as well. If you have large hands, for example, you will probably feel more comfortable using larger pens. If you use a small pen you might feel some fatigue or discomfort. Small and light pens are a perfect suit for those with smaller hands.
#2: How Big Or Small Your Handwriting Is:
This is one of those details that most beginners forget. On ballpoints and other writing instruments, there are not many different options about the tip size. There are different ballpoint and rollerball tips. But the tips (or nibs in this case) available in fountain pens offer much more personalization.
Extra fine nibs are perfect for those who have a small handwriting. Broad nibs, italics and stub nibs are a good fit for those with larger handwriting. If you’re not sure about the size of your handwriting and consider it average, you can easily start with a medium nib. You can then try something different in the future.
You can even use multiple different replacement nibs in the same pen and change the writing style instantly.
#3: How Fast You Write:
A pen to take notes and to put your thoughts on the paper won’t be the same pen that a student takes to a class to take fast notes. Those who need to write fast, usually prefer light pens with wet nibs to assure stable ink flow even during fast writing. On the other hand, those who are trying calligraphy tend to prefer specialty nibs such as stubs or flex nibs. And those who want to write slowly but with a regular nib, can simply use metal pens with fine nibs.
#4: A Word About Ink:
There are all types of inks in the market, and you can get fountain pen ink in any color you can imagine. But yet, some people try to use dip pen ink or China ink on their fountain pens. Keep in mind that this is a quick way to ruin your new fountain pen.
There are thousands of fountain pen ink shades in the market from dozens of brands. Choose whatever you want to, but stick with fountain pen ink.
Also, if you’re starting out and want to play it safe, you might want to go with new ink, not vintage ink. Old ink might have some mold which could ruin your pens. If you already know what you’re doing, go ahead and use vintage ink if you want to. But beginners should definitely stick with new ink in my opinion.
If you’re looking for the right ink to start, you might want to check our fountain pen ink samples. With our samples, you can easily test and collect any ink without buying an entire bottle.
#5: The Right Paper To Start With Fountain Pens:
If you’re looking to practice or improve your handwriting, you might want to get a lined paper pad or notebook. Lined paper will help you improve your handwriting. Since you’re starting with a new writing instrument, it makes sense to get back to the lined paper. Once you feel comfortable with your writing, you can get back to the blank paper.
Most people recommend some pretty expensive paper here, but to start with, use whatever you have and like. There are some amazing papers in the market, some of them are really fountain pen friendly while others just use that sentence for marketing. But you don’t really need premium paper to start. You can try it in the future and see if it’s a good fit for you or not. I personally believe that no matter what paper you go with, you should go with the lined paper. This allows you to improve your handwriting and learn how to properly write with a fountain pen at the same time.
#6: Desk and Chair:
If you’re just starting to learn how to properly write with a fountain pen, it pays to be careful about your practice space. Just like other writing instruments, writing requires a comfortable chair and a desk or table. You need your arm to move freely, and you need to feel comfortable. So, using a nice chair and your favorite table or desk are highly recommended.
Finally Start Using Your New Fountain Pen
As in most things in life, practice makes perfect. And the exact same thing happens when you’re trying to properly write with a fountain pen. The more you write, the more comfortable you’ll feel with it and the easier you’ll get your sweet spot angle.
The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll be in cleaning and maintaining your pen or in learning more about this fascinating hobby.
In case you just run out of ideas, here are a couple of them:
Send a handwritten letter to your long-distance friends
Create a handwritten greeting card and send it to someone you love
Write a love letter to your other half
Keep a journal or diary
Use your fountain pen to sign important documents
Try to boost your productivity with a bullet journal
Write down your to-do list with your new pen
With a little bit of imagination, you’ll be able to find countless new ways to include handwriting into your life. If you enjoy your fountain pens as much as some of us, you’ll discover the pleasures of handwriting. Besides, you’ll find out how relaxing it can be the simple task of putting your thoughts and ideas into a piece of paper.
You’ll be able to discover how different fountain pen ink shades can help you memorize some things, and actually boost your productivity. And above all, you’ll have fun with this new hobby.
When you look to a Jinhao 599, it’s impossible not to think about the Lamy Safari. The Safari was the original pen with this design, so many people think the 599 is just a clone.
In reality, there’s no way to deny the inspiration behind the Jinhao 599. But the pen itself has its own arguments.
I do love both the Lamy Safari and the Jinhao 599. These pens are practical and make good daily writers. Between the two, I prefer the plastic feel I get on the Safari. The plastic feels thicker than the one you get on a Jinhao 599.
But the Jinhao uses a standard international size converter and a regular nib, so it’s more practical and flexible than the Safari.
The Black Jinhao 599 Limited Edition
When you get a 599 you can easily use your favorite fountain pen bottled inks. There’s a converter included. If you want to, you can also use the international-sized cartridges manufactured by most brands (not by Lamy of course).
The 599 is entirely made of plastic. It’s not as thick as the Lamy, so it’s more prone to cracks. But don’t get me wrong. The Jinhao 599 feels good enough, just not as good as the Safari.
The pen weights around 20 grams and the length is 137mm.
The Jinhao 599 Limited Edition
For the limited edition, we replaced the nib with our own handmade 1.3mm stub nib. This nib is such a joy to use! It’s smooth and offers you more than enough line variation for daily use or for calligraphy.
The pen was cleaned, tuned, and improved to assure a perfect writing experience with this wet stub nib.
This pen includes 2 X 3ml ink bottles and a 5ml Fountain Pen Cleaning Solution. So, you’ll get everything you need to start using this pen right away and to preserve it for years.
Limited, Exclusive and Collectible
InexPens Limited Edition Fountain Pens are designed for those who look for uniqueness and exclusivity. We manually grind, smooth and polish the nib, to create a unique writing experience. The result is a unique and highly collectible fountain pen.
The Black Jinhao 599 Limited Edition offers you the opportunity to have a 599 like no other. This is a common and affordable pen, but there’s not another 599 exactly like this one. If you simply want a daily writer and don’t care about stubs, then you might prefer to get a regular 599. But if you want something manually tuned, perfected and unique, get your limited 599 by clicking here.
We just added the Baoer 100 fountain pen to our shop. This is a classic fountain pen available in 5 different personalized nibs.
With a length of 135mm, the Baoer 100 is a comfortable pen to use. The chrome-finished cap perfectly matches the pen body.
This pen supports international cartridges and includes a converter.
Click here to read all the specifications or order this beautiful pen.
Baoer 100 Fountain Pen: An Exclusive Writing Experience
A fountain pen turns your writing tasks into moments of pleasure. They provide you with the most smooth writing experience and provide a feel that’s completely different than the one you get with a ballpoint pen.
No matter if you’re writing your notes or tasks in a piece of paper, or if you’re signing documents, a fountain pen turns those simple moments into a relaxing experience.
Unlimited fountain pen ink shades
In fountain pens, you have unlimited colors to write with. While on ballpoint pens you have a blue, black or red, in fountain pens you have dozens of shades in each color. No matter your personal taste, there’s a perfect fountain pen ink color for your needs.
Baoer 100 Fountain Pen
This beautiful Baoer 100 Fountain Pen is an amazing fountain pen. It brings its own ink converter so you can use any bottled ink right away.
If you prefer the flexibility or ease of use of cartridges, you can also use ink cartridges on this fountain pen.
With its stainless steel nib, this Baoer 100 Fountain Pen provides a smooth writing experience and the longevity that you’re looking for.
This fountain pen is perfect to use or a special gift. Pens are perfect gifts for those that appreciate handwriting. They make a great birthday or Christmas gift and this fountain pen is no exception.
Unlimited personalization
You can easily get a completely different writing experience with it by replacing the nib. If you’re interested in getting the most out of your new fountain pen check our replacement nibs.
You can easily use any of these replacement nibs in any compatible fountain pen. This way, you can change and adapt any of your fountain pens to your hand lettering or your taste.
If you’re looking for a beautiful brown that works in any fountain pen, click here.
Fountain Pen Ink
Fountain pen ink is one of the joys reserved to fountain pen enthusiasts. With hundreds of shades to choose from, fountain pen users can test, use and collect unlimited ink shades.
With so many different ink shades to choose from our fountain pen ink samples give you the opportunity to test and collect fountain pen ink for a fraction of an ink bottle price.
No matter your personal taste or the occasion, there’s a perfect ink shade for your needs. You simply have to find it. And finding the perfect ink shades on each color is one of the pleasures of fountain pen ownership.
Diamine Ancient Copper Ink Sample
Diamine Ancient Copper is a beautiful fountain pen ink. It’s a well-behaved ink on most nibs sizes and papers. You can get a Diamine Ancient Copper Ink Sample in any of our 3 ink samples sizes.
Unlimited Flexibility
You can get this ink sample in 3 different sizes: 2ml, 3ml or 5ml. This gives you unmatched flexibility to test and collect your fountain pen ink.
The 2ml ink samples are the industry standard. They let you fill your converter or cartridge 2 to 4 times depending on your converter size. For some, that’s more than enough to test the ink and decide if they want to purchase a bottle.
The 3ml ink samples are a perfect balance between the 2ml and the 5ml ink samples. They provide you a little more ink. You can fill a cartridge or a converter 3 to 6 times with a 3ml ink sample.
The 5ml ink samples provide you more than enough ink to deep test and decide if it’s the right ink for your collection. These 5 ml ink samples are highly collectible. If you don’t write that much or if you plan on using dozens or hundreds of different inks, a 5ml ink sample can last you a long time.
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.
