How to Use a Fountain Pen

Writing with a fountain pen is an art.

A fountain pen utilizes a nib to control the flow of ink from a cartridge. This free flow of ink provides a smoother writing experience than a ballpoint pen. Writing with a fountain pen conveys an old-fashioned, professional feeling to letters or your signature on contracts. It takes a little more work than a ballpoint pen, but many people find it worth it.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Fountain pen
• Ink cartridge
• Tissue

1. Prime the pen. Insert the nipple at the back of the nib into the cartridge. Squeeze the cartridge gently until the nib fills with ink. Use a tissue to remove excess ink from the nip and write a few words to get the ink flowing smoothly.

2. Run water over the nib of the pen if it starts to skip. Ink may be clogged there. Do not submerge your entire pen, as it may be damaged by the water.

3. Change the cartridge if the ink starts to glob. This indicates low ink.

4. Hold the pen in a triangle formed by your thumb and first two fingers. The top of the nib, where you may see engraving, faces up. Hold the pen at a 45 degree angle as you write. The nib has two tines. Both should touch the paper as you write.

References

• Mont Blanc Pens: How to write with a Mont Blanc fountain pen
• My Father's Pen: Fountain Pen, Their Care and Usage

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish