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• Part 1 of 3: Writing with a fountain pen
• Part 3 of 3: Using different nibs

Many people nowadays use a ballpoint pen. However, there are also those who still prefer the elegance, precision and personal character of a fountain pen. A fountain pen has a pointed instead of a round tip and can thus be used to create strokes of different widths, depending on the pressure applied, the speed and direction of the strokes. The refill of a fountain pen is replaceable, which means you can do a lifetime with a single pen. However, when writing with a fountain pen, you use a slightly different technique than with a ballpoint pen, and learning this technique will make writing with a fountain pen a lot easier.

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Part 1 of 3: Writing with a fountain pen

1. Hold the pen correctly. Remove the cap from the pen and grasp the pen with your dominant hand, gently squeezing it between your thumb and forefinger. The pen itself should be against your middle finger. Put your other fingers on the paper to keep your hand steady.
   • It is important to hold a fountain pen correctly as this will prevent your hands from getting tired while writing. It also helps during the writing process.
   • While writing you can slide the cap on the back of the pen or just put it somewhere if you have small hands.
2. Check what kind of fountain pen you have. Nowadays there are three types of fountain pens for sale: fountain pens with loose refills, converter fountain pens and piston fountain pens. These fountain pens all have a different filling system and the filling system determines how you refill the ink when it has run out.
   • Pens with loose refills are the most commonly sold today and are the easiest to refill. To write with such a pen, you just buy ready-to-use refills with ink in them. When a refill is empty, all you have to do is replace it with a new one.
   • Converter fountain pens have refillable refills that slide into the pen. These fountain pens are very suitable for people who do not mind refilling the ink and who do not want to throw away any refills every time the ink is used up.
   • Piston fountain pens are very similar to converter fountain pens. However, the fountain pen has its own built-in refill system, so you don't have to replace the reusable refill with a separately purchased converter.
3. Refill the ink in a piston fountain pen. Remove the cap from the pen tip and, if necessary, remove the cap on the back of the pen covering the tip. Twist the end (you will probably have to turn it counterclockwise) to slide the plunger towards the front part of the pen. When you have done that, do the following:
   • Completely submerge the nib in a jar of ink, submerging the hole on the back of the nib.
   • Turn the end of the pen clockwise to draw ink into the reservoir.
   • When the reservoir is full, remove the pen from the ink. Turn the plunger counterclockwise again and let a few drops of ink fall back into the ink bottle. This helps to get rid of air bubbles.
   • Clean the nib with a cloth to remove the excess ink.
4. Refill the ink in a converter fountain pen. These pens can be refilled in two ways: with a piston mechanism or with a squeeze mechanism. To refill a pen with a squeeze mechanism, dip the nib into the inkwell and do the following:
   • Slowly push the converter on the back of the pen and wait until you see air bubbles forming in the ink.
   • Release the converter slowly and wait for ink to draw into the reservoir.
   • Repeat this until the reservoir is full.

Part 3 of 3: Using different nibs

1. Choose the right nib for your daily writing work. There are many different types of fountain pen nibs suitable for different situations and creating different effects. For your daily writing, choose:
   • A round nib, which is great for creating lines that are equally thick everywhere.
   • A small nib that makes thinner lines.
   • A sturdy nib where you can barely push the two parts apart so that they don't separate when you apply a lot of pressure to make wider strokes.
2. Learn about the different materials that nibs are made of. Fountain pen nibs are made of different types of metal, each with its own unique properties. Nibs are usually made of the following types of metal:
   • Gold, which is quite flexible so you can control how wide the strokes get.
   • Steel, which springs stronger so you can apply more pressure without pushing the two parts of the nib apart. The strokes you make don't get wider when you push harder.
3. Take good care of the nib. To prevent the nib from getting clogged, always store the pen with the nib facing up when you are not using it. Keep the pen in a box to protect it and to avoid damaging and scratching the pen tip and pen.