Happy Fountain Pen Day

Fountain Pen Day is the first Friday of November, and can be observed all weekend. I still don’t know what I’m doing, but it’s kind of fun exploring this new option of pens. Wish there were more places to explore. I might be able to access a physical store in the coming months while traveling to visit family. I wonder if that might make or break my experience. I already rushed in way too fast and purchased 4 low level pens and a cheap calligraphy pen from a craft store. I’m not trying to be a “collector” like some. It’s just this brand new world, and there are so many choices, so many different shaped and types of nibs. As a newcomer, it can seem difficult to resist.

The last pen is an infamous student pen that is supposed to force one to use proper technique. I didn’t really want it, but found a discounted one, and thought it might be the “good for you” practicing pen. I already hate it. Yet I wonder if I need to keep it in order to prove I’ve tried it. I can imagine years from now, some expert, somewhere, will tell me to try it again while I roll my eyes and groan internally. It looks cheap, feels cheap, writes dry and scratchy. I could probably handle some of those things, but all together – glack. The calligraphy pen is scratchy and cheap looking, but the markings it produces are pretty, so it’s more tolerable.

I have to admit the looking down at the nib is fun itself. Not saying I need to look or feel fancy in front of others. It’s a different adventure, though. If one is considering all elements of writing – how the pen feels, how smoothly it writes, how the ink appears, and all that, it can be considered part of the overall experience. I’m not saying I need to run out and get scented inks (those do exist), but I can see a lot of fun with this. Even if you don’t consider the hundreds of different types of inks, look at some of the choices one has for black: https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Black-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/20

I love how this page shows a comparison of drying times. That is one part to get used to. Since you’re dealing with liquid ink, you have to wait a bit for the ink to dry. The ones that came with my pens don’t take too long. What I noticed right away was how intensely black it was, compared to all the pens I’ve had before. Unfortunately it was a generic cartridge, so I can’t identify to re-purchase. One would think it shouldn’t be too difficult to get some good ink, but look at all those choices! And that’s merely one store’s suggestion of offerings to consider. Who knew such a simple thing could be so complex. Wish me luck.