Why Use a Fountain Pen? |10 Reasons to Write with a Fountain Pen

You have probably heard of fountain pens many times in the past, but do you know the benefits of using one? Many people feel fountain pens are more comfortable to write with, make your handwriting cleaner and more professional-looking, and are more eco-friendly and affordable (over the long term). There are many advantages to using a fountain pen. Read on to learn why you should write with a fountain pen.

Fountain pens come in many different colors and designs and serve a variety of purposes. There are plenty of reasons out there that would make using a fountain pen worth your time, and in this article, we are going to address the ones we feel are most important.

Items we will be discussing in this article.

• What is a fountain pen?
• What Types of fountain pens should I buy?
• Ten reasons why you should use a fountain pen
• Great fountain pens to consider trying

What is a Fountain Pen?

A lot of people often confuse a fountain pen with a dip pen, and while they provide a similar writing experience, these two types of pens are very different.

A dip pen is a wooden rod with a metal tip that comes to a point. The tip has slits and divots cut into them that holds the ink and controls its flow. These pens require a separate ink well that holds the ink, where the pen is then dipped inside to collect the color. Think feather pens or quill pens, from way back in the day. 

Check out our article about the history of Quill pens!

A fountain pen is the feather pens upgrade. Instead of having to continuously dip the metal tip of a fountain pen into ink, the ink is stored in a cartridge inside the pen itself. Gravity pulls the ink downwards and onto the paper.

What Types of Fountain Pen Should I buy?

There are many different types of fountain pens you can purchase (which will be detailed in another article.) For the sake of staying on topic, we will simply list the options available and how to choose the best one for you.

The main types of fountain pens you should consider purchasing include:

• Cartridge Fountain Pens
• Eyedropper fountain pens
• Converter fountain pens
• Cresent fountain pens
• Piston fountain pens

When buying one of these pens, pick the one that feels the most comfortable to you. Everyone will have a different preference which is okay, but it is important that your hand is able to flow while writing. 

You will also want to look into the price of the pen. As some are a lot more affordable than others, whether it’s the cost of the pen itself or the ink to refill it. Some fountain pens are expensive just because of the brand or prestige related to them. You can find hundreds of fountain pens that have a price tag well north of $1,000.

Lastly, you want to consider the convenience of the pen you are using. Some pens are known to run out of ink a lot quicker than others and can be a pain to fill. 

10 Reasons Why You Should Use a Fountain Pen

Now that you know what a fountain pen is and what types are available to you, let’s discuss a few of the reasons we believe you should use fountain pens.

1. Personalize Your Handwriting

When you use a fountain pen, you can put your own personal touch on your handwriting making it look unique and distinguished. These types of pens allow you to move the tip in more ways than a traditional pen giving you different sized lines and strokes with one solid movement. 

These different styles can make your signature stand out and even hard to copy, which can also be beneficial to keeping others from easily being able to forge your name.

2. Make Your Writing Look More Professional

Not only will a fountain pen help you personalize your handwriting, but, it can also help your writing look a lot more professional. Whether you are penning a note to a friend or handwriting a resume, a fountain pen will add a little oomph to increase your look and make you stand out. 

If you are a Doctor, CEO, Lawyer, or anyone else with a position of authority, having a fountain pen can help your handwriting match your personality and the way you conduct business.

3. Fountain Pens Are More Comfortable to Write With

If you enjoy writing or remember the way your hands felt after completing a long school essay, then you know the tingling, numbness, and stiffness that can come from pushing a pen down on the paper to get it to write. 

That is not an issue when you are using a fountain pen. Because fountain pens allow the ink to easily flow from the cartridge (or storage department), gravity pulls the ink towards the paper in the appropriate direction, requiring less action on your part to get your words written down.

Without having to push on the pen, you are going to find that writing with a fountain pen is much more comfortable and you can write as much or for as long as you like.

4. Fountain Pens are Eco-Friendly

If you are concerned about overcrowded landfills, and plastic waste sitting in the planet’s soil for hundreds of years waiting to decompose, then you will be happy to know this isn’t a situation you will come across with fountain pens.

Once you purchase a fountain pen, it can be used for a very long time, only requiring the cartridges to be refilled. This means no more disposable pens running out of ink and being tossed frequently into the trash.

5. Saves Money Over Time

Another positive to consider when purchasing a fountain pen is how much money you will save yourself over time. True, these pens are much more expensive than most disposable options out there. However, they will not require replacing. If you take care of your pen properly, they have been known to last decades, which is a lot longer than any disposable pen you will come across.

You are saving even when it comes to purchasing the ink when refilling. Because you buy the ink in bulk style containers you are going to pay a lot less than you would for the tiny amount of ink stuffed inside the small tubes of a disposable pen. 

6. Makes You More Unique, Makes You Stand Out

Anyone can write a letter or fill out a Christmas card, but, you will truly stand out to anyone that receives your cards and letters handwritten in calligraphy written with a beautiful fountain pen. 

Writing sentimental texts to friends and family will seem so much more sincere if it comes in handwriting that took a little extra time and effort. 

There are many different forms of calligraphy you can learn to use when writing with fountain pens that will show the person receiving your writings that you deeply care.

7. You Can Begin a Collection 

Are you keen on collecting? Many people have their very own fountain pen collections sitting on their desks or displayed in a cabinet for everyone to see. There are so many different styles, shapes, colors, and designs that you can start a collection of these pens too. 

You can customize fountain pens and have one with your children’s name on it or your favorite sports team. You can collect a different fountain pen from every state or country you visit. 

There are a ton of different ways you can collect and display fountain pens making them functional and decorative at the same time.

8. They Are Nostalgic

Take a trip back in time and think about how our ancestors would use this form of writing on a daily basis, as it was literally the only way they could. 

It is fun to add a little history into our daily lives giving us a chance to appreciate the simple things in life that we have often taken for granted. 

Consider using your fountain pen while writing a letter or book by candlelight, doing that can really set the scene. 

9. It Can Improve the Look of Your Penmenship

Do you have sloppy handwriting? Do people struggle to read the words or letters you write down? Purchasing a fountain pen can actually help solve this problem if you take the time to learn how to write with it properly.

Using a fountain pen has been known to help improve the look and legibility of many people’s handwriting, making people more confident in what is sent out and making them look much more professional and sophisticated.

10. Great For Advertisements or Decorating

Because there are so many different styles of calligraphy you can learn when writing with a fountain pen. You can add different colors and letter sizes to make fun and interesting flyers, advertisements, or decorating holiday cards. 

Think about which font you often choose when you are typing a letter to someone you love? If you are attempting to send a love letter, calligraphy is a romantic way to go.

If you are looking to send a sympathy card, calligraphy gives your words a sympathetic and caring touch.

5 Fountain Pens we Highly Recommend

There are so many fountain pens on the market today, it would be nearly impossible for us to list all of our favorites in one list. However, what we can do is give you a few examples of great fountain pens options so you know what types of things to look for when you go shopping.

Tight budget? Check out the best fountain pens under $50

1. Dryden Designs Fountain Pen

The Dryden Designs fountain pen comes with refill ink cartridges and is extremely affordable for just about any budget. These pens come in a variety of different colors and aid in comfortable writing and elegant letters.

2. Wordsworth & Black Fountain Pen Set

The Wordsworth; Black fountain pen set is a professional, silver chrome pen, made for journaling, letting writing, and so much more. This pen is comfortable in your grip and writes smoothly with a sleek look that will impress everyone you know.

3. Parker 51 Fountain Pen

Now, if you are looking for a pen that will turn heads and make your co-workers jealous, this Parker 51 fountain pen will do the trick. This is a more expensive option and for good reasons, the pen represents a brand that was once known for being one of the most sought-after pens for decades, flaunting its unique arrow style clip, and a smooth, comfortable, and unique grip.

4. Scriveiner Luxury Fountain Pen

This Sciveiner Luxury fountain pen is a top-of-the-line option for anyone looking for a professional and sophisticated fountain pen. This is a black lacquer pen with a 24K gold finish and has a Schmidt 18K nib (or tip).

You can purchase this pen in different colors and with different-sized tips specific to your personal style and preference.

If you are interested we did a whole review about the Scriveiner fountain pen, which you can read here.

5. Wordsworth & Black’s Fountain Pen Set, Luxury Bamboo

Another great product coming from the Wordsworth & Black company is their luxury bamboo fountain pen. This pen is made from beautiful bamboo wood with a German iridium nib with each one handcrafted to perfection.

As mentioned above, these are not the only options available to you, far from it, but hopefully, you can get a good idea of what to look for by checking out these 5 awesome products.

What Can You Do With A Fountain Pen?

Now that you know what pens to look for and why these types of pens are a great option. Here is a shortlist of a few things you may want to try doing with your fountain pens.

• Send a handwritten letter to friends and family who live far away
• Compose a personalized greeting or holiday card and send it to someone you care about
• Use it to sign important documents to make yourself look more professional
• Use it when writing in a diary or journal
• Create a to-do list that will defiantly get your attention
• Write a romantic letter to someone you love

What can you do with your fountain pen? Be creative.

Summing Things Up

While it is pretty obvious you should use a fountain pen for writing, you may not have previously known of all the other benefits these products possess. When purchasing a quality fountain pen you will get the advantage of a smoother scroll, a more professional look, and an option that will last you a very long time.