In this age of modern communications, where it has become all too easy to send an e-mail or pick up a cell phone, taking the time to actually write a letter to somebody has become a form of rare luxury.
As is the case with all such luxuries this means that we should take the time and the effort to do it properly. Just like taking the perfect bath requires the right atmosphere of calm and relaxation, writing the perfect letter requires the right pen.
Writing a letter, be it a quick note to a friend or a romantic poem to a loved one, needs to be done with the right amount of care and attention. This means you can't write it with a 50 cent bic ballpoint. A ballpoint pen is a ballpoint pen whatever you might try and case it in. A solid gold, hand finished, ballpoint will still write no differently to its plastic cased throw away cousin that you'll find on the desks of any office. A fountain pen is, however, different.
In many ways fountain pens are slightly archaic, being little more than the not-to-distant relation of the quill pen and the dip pen. In its essence a fountain pen is nothing more than a quill that can hold its own ink. So what is it that gives the fountain pen its sense of style and its unique charm?
Perhaps it derives a large amount of its charm from the fact that fountain pens do seem a touch archaic in today’s world of throw away consumables. Maybe it comes from the implication that the writer cares enough to use a tool that requires a little bit more care and attention, after all fountain pens need to be kept clean, filled up with ink and generally need that little more personal effort. For me the thing that always does it for me about letters written with a fountain pen is the amount it tells you about the other person. Do they use the normal blue or black inks? Or are they slightly different and use green ink, or even purple or orange? Do they use a thick nib or a fine nib, or perhaps they use a calligraphic or oblique nib. How do they write? A spidery copperplate or with broad flowing strokes of the pen. In these ways the fountain pen is a little window into their persona.
Now that I've hopefully persuades you that you desire a fountain pen, let us move on to the main topic of this humble write-up: How to Buy a Fountain Pen.
Firstly you should decide how much of your hard earned capital you are willing to part with. This is quite important since you're about to part with anything from $5 for a cheap-and-potentially-nasty pen, all the way to in excess of $2,000 (no I've not added an extra zero mistakenly) for hand crafted specials from the likes of Mont Blanc, Pelikan and Montegrappa. Personally my fountain pens (I've got four of them) run from $35 for my Lamy Al-Star all the way to about $400 for a Mont Blanc I was given eight years ago. Currently I'm writing this on a plane to Dallas using a Caran D'Ache that I got recently.
Once you've decided how much you're willing to spend then its time to head over to a pen shop. At a good pen shop they'll have a wide range of pens from a variety of different pen makers, including several that you're likely not to have heard of before.
At the store you should start by spending some time perusing the pens that are available within your price range and see if there are any that catch your eye at a first glance.
Once you've found a few pens that you like then ask to take a look at them. Pick up each one as if you were going to write with it. Start off by just holding it and getting the feel of the pen.
With each pen feel its weight in your hand. Does it sit naturally in your fingers and in the cleft between your thumb and index finger? Does it balance nicely (remember to place the cap on the top of the pen if that is where you would normally keep it) or does it exert too much upwards pressure against your fingers. Is it too heavy for you? Would it tire your hand to use it for long periods of time, or is it too light so that it feels insubstantial when you hold it and you lose some of the fine control over the pen.
Now feel your grip on the pen. Is the barrel too wide for you or is it too narrow so that your fingers hit each other. You do after all want your pen to be comfortable in your hand so that you won't get cramps when using it for long periods at a time.
Now that you found a pen that’s comfortable and well balanced in your paw its time to try writing with it. At a good store they will have pots of ink into which they will dip the nib of the pen to charge it up and let you try writing with it. Once the nice man (or woman) has done this you will be offered a pad of paper to scrawl on. Try writing a few words on it, sign your name, doodle a quick pattern with it. How does it feel to write with? Does the ink come out too quickly? Or too slowly so that it fades out when you write quickly. Is the nib too thick or too fine? If so then ask them, many places will just be able to change it over for you.
If you've done all this and you're still happy with the pen then congratulations you've found the right pen for you!
Now here’s the difficult bit. Repeat after me (to the shop people) "I wish to purchase this quality product." they will then ask for money, give them your credit card and sign the bits of paper. Well done you now are the proud owner of a shiny new fountain pen. Go forth and write freely with age old style and quality.
Coming next week: Choosing an Ink
all hail nate, may his blessings fall upon us