The Pilot Parallel Pen is (IMHO) one of the greatest calligraphy tools yet invented. Versatile is its middle name. It is impossible to convey the sheer wonder of this tool with black and white text. I’ll try though.
The Parallel Pen has two parallel metal plates forming its nib. Ink runs down between those plates in a capillary action from the cartridge (or bladder – they both come with the pen). This unique design gives several funky options.
The Parallel Pen can do everything a normal dip or cartridge nib can do, and more. You can dip it in your ink, you can use the cartridge, you can use the bladder to wash out your nib properly, you can use the bladder to hold ink. You can write with just the edge (corner) of the nib for a very fine line (something that most nibs won’t do).
Amazing colour effects are possible. If you load your cartridge with one colour, then dip the nib in another colour and write, you will get a gradual change in colour along the line. With careful use of a brush to load ink onto the nib, you can obtain a rainbow effect within each pen stroke.
The Parallel pen comes in 4 different sizes – from 1.5 mm wide to 6 mm wide. They’re about A$26 each, and there’s a fantastic range of cartridge colours. The only place I’ve found them in Australia is at Will’s Quills – but Will’s do mail order, as far as I’m aware, to anywhere in the world.
Try it. Just try it. Any calligrapher will drool with joy at the realization of what this wunderpen can do. Just refer to sockpuppet’s write up on the fountain pen for rules on the care of your Parallel Pen. I cannot stress this enough – do not let knowlessmen touch your Parallel Pen.
Acknowledgements and disclaimer:
Acknowledgements to http://www.willsquills.com.au and the wisdom of Will himself. Disclaimer: I have no personal interest, economic or otherwise, in promoting these pens or the shop Will’s Quills. I just can’t shut up about them. They’re so wonderful.