Earlier this year we did a very popular post called Top 7 Fountain Pen Mistakes which featured some of the low points of using a fountain pen (and how to avoid them!). Here we sought to turn that on its head and talk about some of the biggest wins you can experience as you start out. These wins may not even be something you know is in store for you, and that's the best part. As fountain pen users we can all experience these wins which is just icing on the cake from our normal writing experience. Here are 7 of the best Fountain Pen Wins we've experienced:
1) Full Fountain Pen Fills
- Starting out, you first realize you have to actually fill your pens
- It's a process to learn it, especially because different pens fill different ways
- Once you figure out the hang of it though, it's a great feeling when you top that sucker off and you know you'll be good to go!
2) Realizing You Don't Have to Use Pressure
- Ballpoint and rollerball pen life accustoms you to scribbling to get your pen going and bearing down to get it to work
- This can actually cause pain in your wrists and hand because of how tightly you grip and bear down
- Properly functioning fountain pens write with the weight of the pen itself, so all you need to do it guide the pen, and the ink flows on its own
- It feels smoother, hurts less, and gives you more control for improved handwriting
3) No Smudges After Writing
- This one is especially for lefties who think they can't possibly write with a fountain pen without smearing the ink everywhere
- You actually can! Check out our Fountain Pen 101 for Lefties video
- It might take a little experimentation with hand positioning, ink, and paper but you may actually be surprised how well it can work
- The same goes for doing artwork, drawing, and hand lettering, it's such a good feeling when you realize you have options that don't smear!
4) Finding the Perfect Ink Color to Match Your Pen
- One of the best things about fountain pens is the myriad of ink choices!
- As soon as you realize you can choose your color, you also realize you can fulfill your obsessive compulsions to match everything in your life, and you go on the hunt for the perfect color ink to match your pen
- Ink color can shift a bit with lighting, paper, and even the pen and nib size, but when it all lines up and you find that perfect match, it feels so good!
5) When You Meet a Stranger and Realize They're Using a Fountain Pen
- Let's face it, we fountain pen people are a unique bunch and we're kind of used to be that one odd "pen person" in our circle of friends
- But every now and then, we'll bump into someone at a restaurant, work meeting, college classroom, or elsewhere in the world and see that they're using a fountain pen
- There's instant connection there, and the line between strangers and friends immediately ceases to exist as we rattle on and on in fountain pen terminology foreign to those outside of our little pen party
- Almost no one uses fountain pens because they have to, but because they want to
- It's this passion that connects us, and making this connection in person is pretty special
6) Seeing Shading or Sheening When You Weren't Expecting It
- Shading and sheening are characteristics of liquid fountain pen ink and it varies from ink to ink
- A lot of times, those new to fountain pens don't even know what's happening when they first see it
- It quickly becomes one of the most unique and interesting aspects of using a fountain pen, and makes trying different inks like a little surprise every time
- Tip: paper makes a huge difference! the more ink resistant, the more these features will shine
7) Writing the Perfect Letter
- Oftentimes, starting up using a smooth flowing fountain pen will spark an interest in re-learning cursive after years of neglect
- It can take some getting used to, but practice reveals that you actually do enjoy it when you don't have your teacher inspecting your every letter
- Part of the fun is making it your own, and in the process you can discover certain letters that you simply love to write!
- This is a simple pleasure but makes little moments of joy possible even if you're just doodling or writing notes while a long-winded co-worker is droning on about synergy and optimization in your next meeting
That's good stuff, right? So which win has been the best for you? We'd love to hear about it in the comments.
Write On,
The Goulet Pens Team
