You may think that cleaning a fountain pen will be a regular ritual, but the fact of the matter is that if you use the right fountain pen, you don't have to clean it often, according to Chris. He suggests cleaning it perhaps on a monthly basis and adds that he often only cleans his fountain pen when switching ink colors. Protecting the nib of a fountain pen is important since it’s essential for smooth writing action. While most fountain pens have a cap for protection, a retractable fountain pen—like this option from the Pilot Vanishing Point Collection—houses the nib inside the barrel of the pen when not in use. This makes the pen more portable and even airplane-safe.

Black Fountain Pen - Etsy UK Black Fountain Pen - Etsy UK

I have no idea why R&K Dokumentus looks so red on this? I put R&K initially down for a more blueish tinge but red it is! Real World Examples Pretty expensive, used to be cheaper, can be more of a clog risk, can scan to a red shade, or is that my scanner? This is a pigmented ink so it’s water-resistant, but it won’t clog your pen and isn’t impossible to clean. It’s a nice writer and a practical everyday ink that remains fun to use.The body of the LAMY Safari is ABS plastic. It has a cap and clip to secure the pen when not in use, although it should be noted that the wider body of this plastic fountain pen sometimes prevents it from fitting into the spine of a notebook or a pen holder compartment with as much ease as more “torpedo”-shaped fountain pens. In addition, the plastic body doesn’t offer the same aesthetic appeal or weight as a metal fountain pen. However, it’s more budget-friendly and never cold to the touch. Now given this long journey, I wish I could say ‘use THIS ink!’ and be done with it, at least for myself. But as always, it’s a matter of compromise. Also surprisingly did really badly on the Shitty Paper Test. As much feathering as Sketchink. Uh-oh. The wash came out a strange sort of red but only on the copier paper, not sure why. In my practical experience, it washes similarly to Sketchink but darker.

Montblanc® Fountain Pens Montblanc® Official Site

And then the Noodler’s Heart of Darkness has many, many fans online who love the inks price, durability, and “bulletproof” nature.

New, TWSBI Diamond 580 Sunset Yellow

The Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen is often recommended for beginners but can be appreciated by anyone. This is a demonstrator fountain pen, meaning that it has a translucent body that allows you to see the filling system and monitor ink levels. Despite having a plastic body, most people find it to be well-balanced and well-made, with sufficient weight and a slightly tapered barrel for grip. There is no pen clip but the cap is faceted to prevent the pen from rolling off flat surfaces. One of the issues with nano inks is the fact they are waterproof and permanent – so if a pen dries out (like my Noodler’s Ahab did – grr) it’s A Big Problem…so clogging is a risk, and then it might be hard to remove the ink as unlike dye ink, it won’t wash away. In my experience very few pens have ever dried out – vintage pens seem to cope just fine, as does Platinum Preppy’s and Monami Olikas although the latter can hard start (translation: it need several tries to make a mark).