How to Use a Fountain Pen When You’re Used to Ballpoint Pens 🤔

If you’re ready to make the leap from ballpoint pens to fountain pens, there are a few things you should know. We’ll cover four differences between ballpoint pens and fountain pens to keep in mind. Shop all the products mentioned at JetPens.com: to.jetpens.com/3JkN7MP
#fountainpens #platinum #pilot #pilotmetropolitan #preppy
▬▬ ✦ T I M E S T A M P S ✦ ▬▬
0:00 Intro
0:34 Fountain pens and ballpoint pens use different inks.
Sailor Manyo Nadeshiko Ink to.jetpens.com/3JnYwv0
Uni Jetstream Standard Ballpoint Pens to.jetpens.com/3yF9XcO
De Atramentis Document Grey Ink to.jetpens.com/3yF9YNU
Livework 4 Color Ballpoint Multi Pens to.jetpens.com/3YQdPm0
1:35 Fountain pens don’t work on every paper.
Livework Ballpoint Pens to.jetpens.com/3JjiQOg
Rhodia Paper to.jetpens.com/3JiqhoR
Midori MD Paper to.jetpens.com/3JnQaUg
Tomoe River Paper to.jetpens.com/3ljKi6s
2:25 Fountain pens are usually held differently from ballpoint pens
Zebra bLen Ballpoint Pens to.jetpens.com/3YLl9Q1
3:32 Fountain pens need less pressure to write.
Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pens to.jetpens.com/3Ji8q1r
4:24 Fountain pens need more maintenance than ballpoint pens.
LAMY AL-Star Fountain Pens to.jetpens.com/3lpqP4i
Pilot Prera Fountain Pens to.jetpens.com/3YRaMtK
5:18 What Fountain Pen Should I Get?
Kaweco Perkeo Fountain Pens to.jetpens.com/3JIpnDB
Kaweco Sport Fountain Pens to.jetpens.com/3yHHofa
Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pens to.jetpens.com/3JKS96M
Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens to.jetpens.com/3JKk9HE
7:24 Outtakes
▬▬ ✦ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ✦ ▬▬
WHY Do People Like Fountain Pens So Much? ✒️🤔 • WHY Do People Like Fou...
Best Student Fountain Pens 🖋️📓 • Best Student Fountain ...
How to Clean a Fountain Pen • How to Clean a Fountai...
▬▬ ✦ L I N K S ✦ ▬▬
N E W S L E T T E R : www.jetpens.com/newsletter/sub...
B L O G : www.jetpens.com/blog
F A C E B O O K : / jetpens
I N S T A G R A M : / jetpens
T I K T O K : / jetpens_official
T W I T T E R : / jetpens
▬▬ ✦ F A Q ✦ ▬▬
What is JetPens?
- We are an online stationery store. We carry unique, high-quality pens, paper, and art supplies from Japan and beyond.
Where can I buy the products?
- You can buy the products from our shop JetPens.com.
Do you ship to my country?
- We ship worldwide to most countries! Please see our shipping page for more details: www.jetpens.com/help/Shipping...
How much does shipping cost and how long does it take?
- We offer free shipping to USA orders over $35! Shipping time depends on the method of shipping you choose. See available shipping methods and international shipping rates here: www.jetpens.com/help/Shipping...
What currency are your prices listed in? Can I see the prices in my country’s currency?
- Our prices are listed in US dollars. Our website currently does not have the option to use other currencies.
Do you have any offers, coupons, or promotions?
- We do run promotions for our newsletter subscribers from time to time! Sign up for our newsletter here: www.jetpens.com/newsletter/sub...
JetPens does not offer coupon codes. You can learn more here: www.jetpens.com/blog/coupons/...
Where are you located?
- Our office and warehouse are located in the United States. While we do not have a physical retail storefront, our online store www.JetPens.com is always open! We fulfill orders Mondays through Fridays except on major US holidays. Find out more about us here: www.jetpens.com/AboutUs

[@JetPens]

Would YOU make the switch? Let us know in the comments!

Thank you for introducing us to the squiggly plant! 😊

[@rishonjr1215]

I would recommend the Jinhao 992 Student transparent pen for intermediates or students.... it's a great pen for less than 10 bucks.

[@MinalKalkute]

Already switched to being Fountain pen enthusiast I want to know which ink is being used at 7:36 timestamp

[@rishonjr1215]

@@MinalKalkute I think it is the Lamy safari

[@kangnadevmurari7974]

@@rishonjr1215 L

[@TABrownWV]

As someone who bought my 1st fountain pen after using ballpoint pens, I have to say the thing that surprised me most is the amount of pressure that is needed to write. I love to journal & do a lot of writing, so my hand would cramp up after writing for long periods of time. But, when I started using a fountain pen, I noticed that I didn't need as much pressure & could write longer without my hand bothering me.

[@yuklimka7251]

A correctly tuned pen should write under its own weight when dragged across paper held by its tail. I love fp and grew up with them although as a lefty an inky hand was a fact of life in grade school. I still use gel pens (and on rare occasions bp pens), but I always have a few ones inked up with matching inks. What was your first fp?

[@TABrownWV]

@@yuklimka7251 My 1st fountain pen was a kaweco sport. The size really appealed to me & they had one in purple, which is my favorite color. I bought it from Goulet Pens along with their random ink sampler pack.

[@brandchan]

Yes, such a game changer for me.

[@yuklimka7251]

@@brandchan It always takes some playing around before finding the best combo of pen, paper, and ink. Gushers can be tamed with dry ink, dry writers need more lubricated inks-- and paper is often neglected by fp beginners.

[@Bodhi246]

That's really relatable..

[@theronwolf3296]

The way I would explain the psychological difference is this: A ballpoint is very much like a pencil. You tend to press straight down, and can use a wide variety of pressures, because the point doesn't really care. In both pencil and ballpoint, the tip is actively pushing the ink/graphite onto the paper. Think of the fountain point as a brush, barely touching the paper--just enough to let the ink flow. You're not pushing the ink onto the paper, you're letting capillary attraction pull the ink off the point.

[@awaken77]

I used fountain pens mainly in school 35 years ago. But due to recent trend as niche hobby, I resurrected interest in it, and became a collector. Fountain pens somehow survived despite digital technology boom, they are one of these "analog" things which last long, much longer than digital devices which became obsolete in a year. A timeless classic, like film cameras, mechanical watches, and vinyl record players.

[@dernayt2728]

Imo fountain pens and mechanical watches are different things. While quartz watches are superior to mechanical ones in almost all aspects, fountain pens have their advantadges against ballpoint ones (mainly comfort and customization options).

[@cqpadovani]

What surprised me when I started using fountain pens back in 2011 was that the fountain pen is a personal item... I do not like to share my fountain pens to people who wants just to write something down quickly... they will ruin it... so it becomes something personal... something that it is truly yours... combining it with high quality paper and all the ink choices... well... the writing experience just go to a higher level... it is a great hobby!!

[@AMiniki]

I must admit that I really enjoy writing with fountain pens, it feels special. And once you learn how to take care of your pen, it becomes second nature. I did use the guide you guys have. I think that one tip I got when I started using fountain pens is to use a syringe to fill the converters, it really does help to ensure a full fill every single time and the mess is minimal. Also, converters are great, but if you are short on money, you can reuse the cartridges for quite some time. OH! And i always recommend to use a medium nib to start with, you can try other nibs later and see how you like it. For a beginner I would absolutely recommend the Preppy, and if you don’t like the fact that the branding is too in your face, Platinum has the Prefounte, which is a more serious Preppy. Try the medium nib, it sliiiiiides so beautifully and even worked nicely on my Moleskine.

[@Bodhi246]

I also have a preppy but in extra fine.. I actually love the feedback from the nib.. Feels more like a graphite pencil..

[@jessicabarroga6289]

Don't be intimidated by "high quality paper". As someone who made the switch to fountain pens in the middle of college I found that Wal-Mart's Pen&Gear brand heavyweight notebooks work great for fountain pens, in face most Pen&Gear paper products perform acceptably well with most fine and medium nibs. So you don't need to worry about wasting your nice paper on maddly scribbled lecture notes that aren't meant to last and can save your high quality paper for more meaningful writing. Buy the pen!

[@GregoryCarrier]

Thanks for the tip.

[@conceitedperson78]

Shoutout CVS Caliber paper, it even has sheen sometimes.

[@steveshepherd333]

I was taught to write with a fountain pen, at junior school, probably about 58 years ago, I’m 65 now … I was an ink monitor and two of us would check and fill the ink wells, in each desk, covered with a sliding brass square cover. We were taught to write, first with ‘dip’ pens, and a little later in italics with with an Osmiroid 65 fountain pen. This was in an ordinary country school. How I look back and remember the headmaster, drumming into us, about the angle of the pen, how to hold it etc. etc. Over the last few years,in training sessions, and in our respective groups, I have been told that I have lovely hand-writing, I take it for granted I suppose …. I have never like ball or felt tip pens, that being said, I also love to write in pencil, especially when the point has slightly flattened on one edge, you can get lovely italics. I have a really good selection of fountain pens, which one I use depends on the paper on which I write, an important factor. You can never have too many fountain pens, different nibs, widths, italic, broad, narrow, fine, gold tipped, plastic pens, metal pens, inks - they are all very personal…… go on, treat yourself to a beautiful pen, a calligraphy book, and some good quality paper, and a blotter, get creative. The art of writing, amazing 😊👍🏻🙏

[@summercannon8238]

The narrator's bloopers are always my favorite part of these videos, I stick around to the end just to see them

[@fudanshi62]

The things that surprised me are the amount of pressure needed for the fountain pen to write. It needs so much less pressure than the ballpoint and gel pens and the consistency of the ink because when I was using ballpoint and gel pens they tend to have skippings very often for my liking and when I first write with a fountain pen it was so smooth and consistent with the ink and I was like "Finally, after all the years of hand cramps and cursing I have found the perfect writing instrument for me". Yeah I am never going back to ballpoint and gel pens after that

[@davidnelson1117]

I was 51 when I used a fountain pen for the very first time. As a lefty, I was an overwriter my entire life until a couple of years ago. Now FPs are almost the only pen I use. I'll use a ballpoint when I need to, but I have to really need to. What I like best about using a fountain pen is the fact that it will write just from the weight of the pen. Which means no more hand cramps, even after hours of non-stop writing. What I like second best is the almost endless choice of inks to use in my pens. I'm just glad that I fell down this rabbit hole.

[@channelsixtynine069]

I've always been an underwriter with the page turned 45 degrees to the right and writing down the page. I've adapted quite well to fountain pens. I've always used mechanical pencils up 'til now. I found ballpoints too slippery to write with and difficulty forming letters, but like you, I use them out of convenience. Both types of pen results in smudging, but as far as I'm concerned, that is a characteristic of my writing.

[@Snoop_Dugg]

so FPs are better for lefties?

[@davidnelson1117]

@@Snoop_Dugg I wouldn't say better, necessarily, but they certainly are not only for righties. How a lefty holds the FP depends on how well it will work. As I mentioned, I trained myself to be an underwriter with my fountain pens. With a ballpoint I still hook-overwrite.

[@Dee_Just_Dee]

I've never liked how my cursive writing looks with fountain pens due to the angle changes and pauses when I change where I rest my hand on the paper as I move from left to right. I love how pretty much every clip in this video shows someone writing elegantly in print form with a fountain pen. I need to give that a try!

[@HEATHENS5074]

Tbh fountain pens are better for writing in cursive because of how smooth they are.. sometimes i accidently switch to cursive midway when writing with a fountain pen

[@scooby428]

I have a Pilot vanishing point fountain pen (converter and cartridge), which has the clip on the same end as the nib. This feels odd at first however it prevents pen roll and helps improve handwriting. This has been my experience which is good because I write a lot mainly in cursive and I'd like to be able to read my own writing! They're not inexpensive however they're very well made and write like a dream. (As does the metropolitan).

[@matchress3832]

​@@HEATHENS5074 I'm so guilty of this 😅 everything I write is like 90% handwritten, but some letter combinations just demand a nice flow 🙈

[@jdhbeph]

When I went from ballpoint pens to fountain pens, I was surprised how much longer I could write for. I'd always hated writing with pens because my hand would ache after 15-20 minutes. As a result, I never journaled, and my handwriting was terrible since I never really practiced. But since a fountain pens works by means of different technology, I didn't have to press as hard to write as I did with a ballpoint. With a fountain pen, I could practice handwriting comfortably for 1-2 hours, and my handwriting improved dramatically as a result.

[@erikabartosiewicz7427]

I made the switch to fountain pens and have been loving them! I have quickly amassed a collection. I keep one uniball jetstream in my purse and on my desk for when I need to sign receipts or have incompatible ink in my fp. I use it to journal, plan, and write birthday / thank you cards. I have terrible wrist pain but proper cursive form (as taught by Michael Sull) and fountain pens have helped ease any pain I used to have while writing. There's nothing more vintage feeling than using a similar writing style ( and pen ) as my great grandmother did.

[@luslab]

I started my journey with fountain pens just a month ago and have already got a small collection of pens and inks. That said and as you mentioned, fountain pens are not good on all papers. I still love my collection of gel pens, ballpoint pens, etc. They all have their place and time, but since I started using fountain pens I have been journaling and writing a TON more, and enjoying it a lot too.

[@Dee_Just_Dee]

So very true. I work outdoors, and so I try to use quick-drying and waterproof inks out in the field as much as possible. I also have to fill out some forms on carbon transfer paper. I also have to write on heat-transfer receipts as shown in this video (fuel receipts for a company vehicle, every few days). So, specialty gel and ballpoint pens very much fill those roles. Uni-ball Signo and Fisher Space Pen are my go-to cartridges there. But I don't want to always have to strain my wrist and knuckles to write, so I really should be using fountain pens at home and in the office.

[@debrarantilla9879]

I really love my Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen! I definitely second the recommendation for it being great for people exploring a new interest in fountain pens. It is heavier in hand and has a more luxurious feel when writing than plastic bodied pens. JetPens also has great videos that help with clearly explaining how to use and maintain fountain pens. The lure of fountain pens for me personally though is the ink. The variety of beautiful colors and dual shading or shimmers adds a level to my writing and correspondence that I really enjoy, and that I hope the recipients also enjoy. 🖋️📜

[@davidnelson1117]

My F nib Metropolitan is my overall favorite. It's the one I always find myself going back to for everyday writing.

[@Lnd802]

Love the honesty and details

[@BlackjackaandHookers]

I got my first fountain pen as a Christmas present from my girlfriend (which she bought from Jetpens of course), and what surprised me most about the transition was how much I use it now! I expected it to be something I would use every now and then for signatures or other special occasions. But then I used it to take notes for a class and didn’t want to go back! I now use it almost every day for writing notes at my job.

[@HEATHENS5074]

Wow that's so sweet.. what pen did u get bte

[@BlackjackaandHookers]

@@HEATHENS5074 It was a Lamy Safari, which I think was perfect for me because it’s very sturdy and has that grip section that made it easier for me to learn to write with it.

[@HEATHENS5074]

@@BlackjackaandHookers ohh thats great. i too wanted a ink pen which I could use to take notes in class. i bought a parker beta premium ink pen. its really cheap and came with a lot of minor issues but now I've fixed it and it works like a charm

[@LordCrowman]

Quite possibly the best timed video. I just bought the fountain pen sampler from Jetpens today!

[@lauriephilemonoff6305]

No one has ever mentioned speed of writing affecting our choices in fountain pens. I am a FAST scribbler and the extra fine and fine pointed fountain pens just will not work for me. As soon as I purchased a medium nib, WOW! No more problem!

[@mariamaunez6642]

Your videos are so much fun and informative

[@timothyleonardpugal2713]

Switching to a fountain pen wasn't as difficult as I expected. I continually love how the nib glides on paper.

[@elnidodelfenix8200]

I haven't fully made the switch from ballpoint to fountain yet, but I own a Pilot Kakuno and a Monami Olika that I've been picking up more than my usual ballpoint and gel. I found out my biggest surprise was that I apparently really press down when writing! I never realized how hard I pressed the pen down when writing to get a clean line until I used a fountain pen that wrote with little to no pressure.

[@BooksForever]

The Kakuno was an excellent choice-great value (and comfort) for its price.

[@yuklimka7251]

@@BooksForever And the nib engravings are just a fun detail. I like the Family edition. I currently have two, but I'm tempted to get the entire family. LOL

[@BooksForever]

@@yuklimka7251 - we grow old, but we certainly don’t have to FEEL old.

[@elnidodelfenix8200]

@@BooksForever Its honestly so great, i was surprised by how good it was! A fellow stationery fan recommended it to me as a good starting point for my collection and I must say, for the comfortable grip and the great looks (I got a demonstrator), its amazing!

[@elnidodelfenix8200]

@@yuklimka7251 I know right?? I've been using my Kakuno at university and anytime I get asked about it its the first thing i show off about it haha- brings me so much joy

[@shannonmariehauck]

I’ve been using fountain pens roughly 40 years now. Discovered them when I was 10 or 11 and have been hooked ever since. Platinum Preppy is a great starter / trial pen. Under $10 and with a little silicon grease on the threads, can be used as an eye dropper pen meaning the whole pen barrel is filled with ink. No cartridge or converter. It’s the way I use all my Preppy’s. Metropolitans are awesome every day carry pens. A few of mine have scratches and even dents in the body, but they still work flawlessly. If you need a durable pen, this is it.

[@deita2191]

I started with a Lamy Vista and expecting to be happy and all done with fountain pens but I was very wrong . I ended up collecting 15 more pens throughout the past 7 month since I started using one .. yay..

[@niradnam13e]

Definitely me! At first I didn't know this hobby can be a rabbit hole. And right now I'm saving up for my first gold nib fountain pen 😂

[@elizabeth3405]

Thank you for this video. I have rheumatoid arthritis and just writing a shopping list can be uncomfortable so I’m hopeful that making the switch to a fountain pen will make it easier Update: I’ve been using the Pilot Kakuno and am really enjoying it. It is so much easier on my hands and I love how it has made me slow down and appreciate my cursive again! Thank you to everyone and their suggestions ❤

[@eleanor.shadow]

May I suggest you choose at least a medium nib, so you have decent ink flow - the better the ink flow, the less pressure :)

[@yuklimka7251]

Consider looking for an acrylic or aluminum pen body (lightweight) with a thicker grip section and a snap cap. Brass pens may be too heavy for you.

[@elizabeth3405]

@@eleanor.shadow thank you so much for the suggestion 💛

[@elizabeth3405]

@@yuklimka7251 I truly appreciate all of the suggestions ~ I'm so excited to get one!

[@yuklimka7251]

@@elizabeth3405 If you have a Reddit account, there's an amazing community at r/fountainpens that's very welcome to anybody from the fp curious to long-time users/collectors. You could ask for recommendations for your specific needs.

[@colorfulthinker]

Great video! Thank you for your help🥰 loved the bloopers, and your plant is cute!🪴

[@jdlvtrn1]

I'm old.I first learned to write with a dip pen and an ink well. We were not allowed to use ball points until 7th grade. You can imagine the mess 100 little kids made in grammar school! One useful habit I retain to this day is saving empty spice jars for cleaning/soaking ink pens where the ink has dried and clogged the nib &/or cartridge, and add some ammonia to the water and dish detergent for a fresh start.

[@marinagerezvalenzuela5740]

I used fountain pens in primary school and after a long time of using ballpoint I'm using fountain pens again. I just feel they're more eco friendly than the ballpoint since they use cartridges because it's very rare to find refills for ballpoint pens where i live

[@WoWHunterkari]

German way of learning to write: 1st grade grafite-pencil 2nd grade fountain pen 7th grade (optional) ballpoint pen. I still have my Lamy ABC fountain pen and my 5th grade Safari. Plus the ALStar from when I started work-education.

[@TheWhiteWhistle]

This kinda reminds me of the difference between FDM and SLA 3D printing. While FDM is pretty simple to get started with, quick, and requires little maintenance (such as the ball point), it produces more, “printed” feeling results with layer lines and such. However SLA printers, while being much harder to get started with and require more maintenance (like the fountain pen), produce noticeably higher quality results like they were injection molded. Duper cool!

[@danielleanderson6371]

I so desperately want to be a fountain pen person, but almost all of my writing goes into either my planner or a recipe book, neither of which is particularly well-suited to inks that don't dry quickly, bleed through thin paper, and run when you get them wet. I have two fountain pens-nice ~$50 ones at that-and neither of them gets enough use to keep from drying out. I think if you're going to get into something like fountain pens then you have to really look inside yourself and ask if you're the type of person who sits down for prolonged writing sessions at least once a week. If not, there's no shame in getting a nice ballpoint or gel pen; I like my Pilot FriXion multi-pen for use with my planner.

[@Dee_Just_Dee]

Ooo, Pilot Frixion is definitely a nice pen for certain things. My employer has me using a RocketBook with Frixion pens. The combination is basically a whiteboard in notebook form - you write in the notebook, and then you use an app on your phone to copy your writing into digital form. And then you can use a damp rag to erase and reuse the pages.

[@greencandyy6632]

I recommend getting Pen + Gear Walmart spiral notebooks if you don't want to spend much money. Either the 1 subject notebook, heavyweight notebook, or the poly version. The paper does not have any bleedthrough.

[@geminigrrl66]

Absolutely! I have a couple of their notebooks and the paper quality is surprisingly good. My fountain pens love it.

[@monsterpig4528]

I found that the graph notebooks I use for math are also great for fountain pen inks! They're great for sheening and I do blackletter calligraphy on them 😹

[@SuonoReale]

I'm a lefty; looking forward to writing my next piece of music with a JetPens fountain pen.

[@ConfidentCanvas]

I have switched and love my fountain pens! This video was helpful, even after using them for a while. I feel fancy using the fountain pens, lol. ✍🏽💜

[@Dra9ontail2]

I learnt to use a fountain pen before a ballpoint when I learnt to write in elementary school. There's nothing wrong with an ol' reliable Parker Jotter, but the comfort of writing and TLC you can give a fountain pen, makes it a special thing to own and use.

[@PupsLeaps]

Thank you for this video!! Very helpful!! I just recently started to get into fountain pens thanks to the recommendations from your channel I got a couple Preppy ones but these specifics covered in this video are really helpful!! Also i love the jokes made at the end xD it made me laugh, i always look forward to these extra bits! So cool seeing your adorable lil squiggly plant, the peperomia, it looks so cool never heard of it before :0 Thank you again for making such helpful video, i look forward to the next ^^

[@annascully83]

I always love to write and I got my first Fountain pen 5 years ago with Jetpens, was a Pilot Petit and Monami Olinka❤, but I didn't knew nothing about them that time. Watching your guides helped me a lot. I really love the Twsbi and the Peppy, now I have few different ones😮, and tones of inks😅, last year I got my first Golden Nib (Sailor Nebula) and is sooooooo smooth ❤❤. I use ALL of them every day for my in mt journal.❤Totally recommend to watch the videos about cleaning and maintenance, is so important but once you learn is esay to do and for me is such a pleasure to take care of my "babies"😊😊❤❤

[@PlenusPotent]

Great video, thank you

[@petermostyneccleston2884]

I prefer the Fountain pen, and do not write with anything else. People are suprised when they see me writing, but I always write with a Parker pen. I have different pens, for different colour ink, but waxy paper is horrible. We had to start writing with cartridge pens, when I was at Junior school, then were allowed to use ballpoint pens, in senior school. While I was there, I went back to the fountain pen, and have not used anything else since. I am now in my 50s.

[@dracolipop]

My first budget fountain pen was the pilot petit. They sold for only rm6 when they first appeared in malaysia ❤❤

[@Ink2Screen]

YAY another Malaysian! I started with the Petit and the Monami Ollika too. The petit is still somewhere in my collection and has transitioned to a "I should adapt it to be an eyedropper pen" but the monami is no longer around. :(

[@dracolipop]

@Ink to Screen hi!! i remember seeing the olika all over popular bookstores. It's no longer available? My current fav is the iridescent kaweco. What's yours?

[@Dee_Just_Dee]

Similar story here! Last year I got a fountain pen off of Wish, and then some simple disposable Zebra fountain pens from Staples for about $2.50USD apiece. Love 'em!

[@kunaalharidas9983]

Rm6 je. I can finally try a fountain pen. Thanks.

[@yeezet4592]

Ditto! I still have like 4 from visiting my family last year

[@sherrycohen1824]

You forgot to mention that fountain pens can be works of art.

[@Dee_Just_Dee]

Well, so can ballpoints. I have a ballpoint made of deer antler. And a Fisher Space Pen. And an all-steel Parker Jotter which is apparently what they used as the Q grenade pen in the James Bond movie Goldeneye. All elegant pens, and all ballpoint.

[@mjalbert5359]

My first fountain pen was the Asvine Mustard Yellow in a fine nib. It doesn't get much attention, but I really like that pen and still use it. It even comes with a converter and I think it's VERY beginner friendly. My FAVORITE pen 🖋️ is the TWSBI Eco in the special edition Smoke and Rose Gold in a medium nib. I bought it from you guys, @jetpens I use it every day 🤩🤩

[@billy_h_bonney2097]

I made the switch to fountain pens and as a lefty, it hasn't been easy, but I have found that my handwriting has drastically improved.

[@acolossalsquid]

I regularly use my Lamy all star metal body fountain pen, absolutely love it!

[@derkaiser9881]

I daily a Lamy Vista and Pilot Frixion. Super nice combo, though in the future I might splash out for a Diplomat Aero or something a bit more premium. Also, I highly recommend anyone with a fountain pen buy a bulb syringe for cleaning. I started doing it recently and it's so much faster than using a sink or soaking the front half.

[@jess53nz]

Bulb syringes are a game changer!

[@GelatinSkeleton]

i have a platinum preppy that’s my pen of choice lately, i like that when it’s capped it doesn’t look obviously like a fountain pen (i dunno, weird social anxiety i guess). i also love the blue-black ink in mine and love writing with it in my hobonichi planner (which i think either has tomoe river or tomoe river s paper). i always keep a bunch of ballpoint pens on me in case i need something else, but i pretty much always go for the preppy now. i love the way it feels and how my hand doesn’t cramp using it because it requires so much less pressure. i may upgrade to a metropolitan within the next year though since i’ve been taking the preppy with me everywhere in a pen case.

[@johndoejr3503]

I think you can use it on almost any kind of paper, I’ve been do it for years. Just use a Medium or finer nib and a quick drying ink. I use Noodler's Bullet Proof and a Pilot Metropolitan. Thin paper it will go thru but not on copy paper.

[@bloodbane21]

One time I got curious and bought a safari and my oh my it's a game changer, questioned myself why did I only start using one now. Liked it so much that I used up the included cartridge ink on the same day I got it and my hand and wrist didn't hurt at all which is my main problem when using ballpoints/rollerball pen. If anyone plans to use one and likes it and if your pen includes a converter, buy ink samples not an entire bottle when you go ink hunting. Trust me you will buy alot of inks in different colors and shadings and oh you might buy more pens in the future, as I bought a custom 845 after a week and now my daily writer.

[@oz_jones]

I got my first fountain pen, Lamy Safari and got a few different ink cartridges and a converter. So far i have been trying to familiarize myself with it, but have been loving it.

[@rhino2104]

My first was a birthday present from my parents. They went all out and got me a Pilot Vanishing Point. The most surprising part for me was how much more quickly you go through ink with a fountain pen vs a ballpoint.

From fountain pens to ballpoint and now back to fountain pens. I made the switch because they need less pressure to write well. My hand & wrist were hurting too much with ballpoints and ink in gel pens seem to disappear when I use them a lot. And then I discover inks & colours ✨❤✨

[@Bogframe]

I found that my handwriting improved dramatically when I switched to a fountain pen.

[@KeeperOfSwans]

I switched to fountain pens for the ink (must have my sparklies), but I was surprised at how much better my handwriting is when I use them. I started with a TWSBI 5 years ago and still love that brand, lol.

[@abrucoconu1611]

I really would like to get into fountain pens, but I have been hesitant because I'm a leftie and splotches...even though there are left-handed fountain pen writers. I finally found gel pens that dry quick enough for me so I don't get little smudges on my hand.

[@paulherman5822]

Would I make the switch? Did basically in 1983 when I found an old grey Esterbrook J in our barn. Dad took me to town for a bottle of Sheaffer Skrip blue-black and other than when ink was very hard to find in the 1990s, haven't looked back. And after I had a stroke, they're the only pens that don't hurt to write with. As to things they won't write on: avoid stone paper (like sandpapering your nib tip) and plastic won't work. Today there is basically a fountain pen ink for most surfaces. Anything else there's a Sharpie. 😁

[@ginnyinindy1005]

I found one of those weird "Disposable" fountain pens on the ground in high school and I absolutely loved it. It was the first pen I ever ran the ink completely dry on! I want to get back into using a fountain pen here soon (The cartridge was attached to the nib and grip. I was sad when it was gone)

[@barksandvino]

It surprised me how much cleaning I had to do for my fountain pens. I eventually adjusted and learned how to clean them.

[@bernardomanara389]

I use FP since I was very young. I love them.

[@anfhe]

There are chinese sellers on shopee (not sure about other places) that sell cheap pens that take fountain pen cartridges and converters, personally I found that they were pretty useful to getting used to the whole inking system with fountain pens without making the big leap from pen tips to nibs. They also helped me get used to ink concepts like "wet" and "dry" inks, being careful of using shimmer inks on thin tips/nibs, etc. Figured I would mention it in case there's someone reading the comments on this vid who want to try fountain pens but are intimidated with making the switch. Also, I introduced my younger cousin to fountain pens using these cheap pens and now he likes fountain pens as much as I do :)

[@themuttmutts]

Just realized that I already have three of those beginner fountain pens shown at the end of this video 😂 now I just need to try them...😅😊

[@nikkisimms8075]

I got a wonderful pink fountain pen in a pack of pink pens and fell in love!

[@tia.huynh36]

I'm a 95-er and in Vietnam at the time I'm in grade 1, pupils started their writing with fountain pen. Not until grade 6 we started to use ballpoint pen in school. I remember a fun thing, with fountain pens, one could help friends when their ink was dry by sharing few drops from their own pen 😅 ink from one pen to another 😅

[@jmarie1959]

I love my Platinum Preppy! Didn't know about the converter though. Haven't been brave enough to venture out past the ink cartridges. Thank you!

[@houghwhite411]

You can try getting syringe and refill your cartridge that way. It's pretty economical

[@Bodhi246]

Do you use ink syringe??

[@kayzz8848]

I love the converter. So many fun inks to try.

[@l-d3573]

I’ve been using a fountain pen for 6 years, and I’m honestly never going back to the regular ballpoints! It is so different, but writing with a fountain pen just feels so much better.

[@sameer1321]

Now you need to make “How to use a Ballpoint Pen when You’re Used to Fountain Pens” 😂

[@Chronosmaster002]

Came here to make this comment

[@petermostyneccleston2884]

Why do I want to use a Ball point pen? I went back to Fountain pens, when I was 15, I am now 51, and have not used a Ball Point since. The technology behind the fountain pen is so much nicer to work with the pens are fatter, and heavier, but the ink just flows.

[@KevinCockerline]

Bought a fountain pen about 6 months ago and really love it. Gotta find a good water-proof ink though

[@bluevol1976]

My cursive handwriting looks much better with a fountain pen. I like to write in cursive as much as I can since it appears to be a lost art to many. I really like my Zebra and Pilot Varsity disposable pens. The ink pigment is very bright and long lasting and they're easy to use.

[@smartmagis]

I was a Parker Jotter user for over a decade beginning in high school. And I still have and love those pens! But I stumbled on an old fountain pen among my folks’ things and decided to try it out. First off, the inks look SO MUCH NICER! That alone makes it so much more interesting to write with. Second, it just feels great. I want to write for much much longer and now also much more often. And even as I’ve gotten hooked on JetPens and branched out to new pens like the Sarasa Dry (gel) pen and the Uni Jetstream (ballpoint) and the Uni Vision Elite (rollerball), none of them are as awesome as even the cheapest of fountain pens that I’ve come across. And I started on junk paper too. Thankfully I was soon rewarded with a nice Leuchtturm after cleaning out and rinsing some old pens for my aunt. Seems the stationery bug runs deep in my family! And the move to nice paper makes the ink and the writing that much better

[@dtaggartofRTD]

made the switch in college. genuinely saved my grade point average through better note taking.

[@goatsplitter]

A month or so ago, i picked up a cheap set of dip in ink pen nibs and ink to play with in art. I've since been wanting to convert to a full fountain pen because the nibs are very different to the microns one used for ages in a way that i very much prefer. I find that is like painting in that you can use extremely fine line work with barely a stroke at all, or with a little mostly pressed, you can get the regular nibs width line. While you say to only use the nib facing towards the paper, and this is probably true generally and especially for writing, using it at other degrees of rotation produces different effects, which is something for artists. Anyway. Great info and video! Thought I'd give my different perspective

[@Narja23]

I switched from ballpoint pens to fountain pens when i was 8, never got back! I have a very sensible wrist, fountain pens saved me 😅

[@v3bs756]

switched from ballpoint to fountain pen, with some practice improved handwriting and began to write small and tidy where EF nibs compliments my writing style

[@msandrini]

Subscribing because the Outtakes!😉

[@OofusTwillip]

I collect and use vintage fountain pens, mostly with flexible nibs. My oldest is a Mabie Todd Swan chatelaine eyedropper-filled. My favourite is a French 1920s Waterman Red Ripple hard rubber, with 18kt XF "wet noodle" (super flexible) nib. 18kt is the standard for Europe.

[@robertascholten8173]

Last year (?) I purchased the fountain pen introduction set from JetPens. While I liked using all the pens in the starter set, my hands on favorite was the Platinum Preppy followed closely by the Zebra fountain pen. Today I ordered cartridge refills and a converter (!!) for my Preppy. I'm excited at the prospect of using different colored inks and being able to refill my pen with the trial set of inks I have ordered. I really like using the fountain pen. It makes me slow down when I write, which gives me more time to think about what I'm writing (who knew??!!). And I simply am gobsmacked over using a superior quality of paper - such as Mnemosyne and Midori - pure heaven.... JETPENS FOREVER!!! A rabid fan ::))

[@gangeyeesoneja1802]

What surprised me the most about the switch was the difference in speed. The speed at which I could write with a ballpoint pen, you’d have to go slower writing with a fountain pen. No wonder teachers in school would say your handwriting improves with fountain pens, because you pay attention to the handwriting once you write slow.

[@Ensensu2]

I usually use paperboard with fountain pens and it works fine. Everything from the inserts in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to the packaging on bulk junk food containers like Honey Buns and such.

[@DavidWilson-sm2ym]

Pilot Acroball (ballpoint and current favorite pen) also comes in PINK for Breast Cancer Awareness.

[@chuazac7789]

the thing that surprised me the most is that the ink is so watery to the point that it looks abit fuzzy compared to ballpoint pens. but will definitely continue to use fountain pens. FYI if you are someone with small handwriting i suggest one of the more finer nibs as it will be quite difficult to write it with a fountain pen

[@1996starter]

I m a student and have a large stationary collection. And i m thankful for jetpens for 1/3rd of that collection. I want to get into budget friendly fountain pens easiest to use with smooth writing and calligraphy for asthetic note making. Also i require a tool to make tables and drawing lines. My current rulers smudge and slip when drawing lines and i require drawing those tables with black pens or fine liners. Any recommendations for this particular task in field of pens pencils and rulers which make this task easier

[@ocarina6908]

Most of writing with a fountain pen was way easier than I expected - even going straight to a piston filler. But sooo many of my existing notebooks didn’t work well with it. The Leuchtturm was alright, but the Moleskine was absolutely awful. Time to grab some Rhodia and Midori notebooks I guess!

[@tinytarakeet]

Was gifted my first fountain pen this year (LAMY Al-Star) and was surprised by how hard I fell for it!!!! >

[@jess53nz]

An al-star was my first too! Now I have all the colours i could find!

[@jayachakraborty5753]

It was so smooth, it felt difficult to switch from a fountain pen to a ball point pen after writing with a fountain pen, my handwriting became bad after writing with the ball point pen

[@channelsixtynine069]

Being left handed, I've always preferred using mechanical pencils. These feel very similar to write with, to a fountain pen. Both have resistance, which is very beneficial to my writing. By contrast, ballpoint pens are difficult to keep control of.

[@ardennosaka750]

My first fountion pen was a zebra F series, and I hated useing it but then I got a cross fountion pen and ow man I love useing that pen I even wrote some short sories with it. Now I have vasois fountion pens, and I love useing them. My faverete things about foution pens is you don't need to write hard, and it works plus it teches you not to write hard which is a no no for artist like me. My secound faverete thing about foution pens is lots of ink color chooses, and I love that. Plus it makes me want to write more.

[@amartyachowdhury4228]

In India, few companies make fountain pen friendly pages. Thise who do, the pages are quite expensive,

[@pixelsbykris5494]

I... I didn't know about the high angle thing with Ballpoints... I wonder if THAT is why even my expensive Sailor ballpoint pen didn't wanna work for me. I naturally write at a low angle, so that might also be why fountain pens work easier for me....

[@Munchkin2000]

This was a trip down memory lane for me. The last time I used fountain pens was in primary school over 50 years ago! I then remembered the pink blotting paper we used. Does blotting paper still exist?

[@TheTISEOMan]

With fountain pens, though. It doesn't require much effort to get them to work on even the thinnest paper. So yeah, you could get the argument that ballpoints 'just work.' but I find that a well tuned fountain pen with the ink of your choice is a much better fit. Basically, put in the effort for a better experience.

[@ruadhagainagaidheal9398]

When I was a school boy ballpoint pens were not permitted in lessons. We had to use fountain pens with broad italic nibs. Once I left school in 1963 I didn’t touch a fountain pen again and only used ballpoint or rollerball pens. Until now in 2023. I have just inherited well over a hundred high-end collectable fountain pens and so I have to re learn my penmanship at the age of 76 ! My newly acquired pens are worth many thousands of (UK) pounds - life’s tough, isn’t it ?

[@Mafiooso686]

It surprised me how thick the pen strokes were . I thought it would be thin and only thick when I pressed it

[@saniainez]

7:56 aww we love a plant dad 🙌

[@lordeverybody872]

Remember, there are a multitude of vintage fountain pens available some reqiure an overhaul, others, are ready to go

[@bernardomanara389]

I have a cheap Parker, two old sheaffer with gold nib and a Mont blanc writers edition.

[@RychaardRyder]

ive switched but still keep a parker ballpoint in my bag since the tests in uni are always printed in horrible blotchy papers

[@avishekchakrabarty2560]

Best of both world is the gel pen with a 0.7 mm tip, always smooth, cheap, also can write on any paper, no pressure required to write unlike ball point pens

[@Multi2794]

I love fountain pens but also ballpoint !

[@RIckyJamesP]

Oh you keep teasing me with the Sailor Manyo Haha but I live in Japan and can’t find it anywhere. Not even on Amazon. 😂

[@octavionytgaming9115]

Bro pls do gel pens to sketch pen also