What Are Brian's Unpopular Fountain Pen Opinions? - Q&A Slices

Do you have any opinions/preferences that aren't popular in the fountain pen community? I myself love hearing some feedback while I write, and I find something oddly satisfying about a little bit of echo on the page, but I find that not many people agree. Your videos are what got me into fountain pens. Thank-you to you and the Goulet Pen team.
if there's one thing I've learned about the fountain pen community, it's that if you ask 10 people what they think, you'll get 10 different opinions!
that said, there are some fairly common things that people agree on
but for everything that the community leans towards, there's an equally if not greater enthusiastic minority that feels the complete opposite
Here's a couple of my preferences you may or may not agree with:
Cartridge converter pens are generally my favorite! They're so easy to clean, if the mechanism acts up it's a couple of dollars to replace it, and they're generally more affordable!
Broader nibs make my handwriting better- most people feel the opposite, that fine nibs make their writing better, and I still just don't understand that!
My handwriting looks best at about 70% max speed- generally slowing down helps most people, but I actually write better when I'm pushing my speed just a bit
You don't have to use fountain pens for EVERYTHING- I'm as much a convert as anyone, but there are times when I just will not even bother (carbon paper, signing receipts)
I ink and carry all my pens, price be darned- while I definitely am more careful with my particularly rare or meaningful pens, I feel they are meant to be used and will never buy a pen with the intention of storing it away and never using it, mine are all fair game
Paper can never be too smooth- I can appreciate paper with a little bite, but I have not yet experienced a trifecta that's TOO smooth for my liking
Check out the Full Version of Episode 165:
• Goulet Q&A 165: Design...
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[@kazuh7140]

Absolutely agree with you. Regardless how expensive something is, its functionality always comes first

[@tremblaycallum783]

Money over everything

[@meosk]

cost efficiency is king

[@JeanMarceaux]

The only pen you may buy and actually not use would be Parker T1, not for the rarity reasons (that too, but it's not the most inportant part), but because the tip tends to just pop off the nib and take a leave.

[@JeanMarceaux]

The best thing about Brian's vlogs is not the pen speak (that's a given, I wouldn't have been here otherwise), it's the LEGO Technic sets in the background. That yellow truck makes me drool almost as much as a Sheaffer Prelude Plasma.

[@Sciguy95]

I love lego too. My favorite set is my my ultimate collectors edition Millennium Falcon.

[@CurtisPurnell]

Who doesn't like filling up their pens??? I love filling pens. That's my favorite part.

[@Gouletpens]

I agree, especially when it's after a 30-minute cleaning session. It's like a reward for all the hard work. Putting in a new ink, testing it out. Very satisfying! - Colin

[@munster355]

Unless there's still a lingering droplet of water that stays in the feed longer than you'd think and some of your first lines are diluted. It sucks worse when it's your first time using an ink and you're not a fan of lighter inks (myself)

[@teaartist6455]

@nuwavghost XD I do almost the same but with a piston filler, so much more practical than others in my opinion since unlike with cartridges you aren't forced to fill the pen at a a specific time but can just decide to do it when you have a bit of time and the pen is starting to get empty. I kinda like filling the snorkel, though and I like that it makes it very clear that it's empty, not like some others where you may be able to still squeeze out a few words.

[@aniruddhbakshi2770]

I don’t enjoy it at all

[@barbarahallowell2613]

I love cleaning and inking up my pens. It's relaxing, fun, I'm taking care of my favorite tools. Ink stains on my fingers, I wear them with pride :)

[@DrTomTonkin]

I agree across the board. The big issue on getting more FP users is paper (in the US). I got my son to move to better paper for school, now to get him into FPs (insert sinister laugh)

[@qwerty_artist]

Thomas Tonkin Opposite for me, I can't convince my dad to use fountain pen's because he only uses the basic paper at work heh. And here I am spending all my monies on paper lol

[@notconvincedgranny6573]

Opposite problem here. My son and his daughters are very much into fountain pens now. Mostly they're into my collection, doggone 'em.

[@DrTomTonkin]

I think paper is the real difference maker.

[@DrTomTonkin]

Time to get them their own GPC account :)

[@qwerty_artist]

notconvincedgranny I don't blame them, I have a grandma who has more copics than I have sketchbooks, I can't stay away...

[@penarbor]

Long live the cartridge/converter system!!! People may say whatever they want about them but it is the most practical filling system out there. I had to disassemble a piston filled modern OMAS Milord (leaking) and it was a pain to do. Every time I would twist a part out I was praying that nothing cracked or snapped for good. The inner tube had a huge crack near the nib unit which is why it was leaking. If it were a standard C/C filler, I'm quite positive this would not have happened. I hope I'm able to fix the crack and put everything back together. Fun fact: the OMAS cotton resin is like hard play dough. It is very elastic. I had damaged the filling knob a bit but was able to 'mold' it back into shape fairly easily. Polishing it back to a good shine is also very easy.

[@notyourhoneypie]

I absolutely agree that fountain pens are good for certain situations and moments, but not for everything. I'm super picky about my pens in general and about the paper I use. I can't imagine myself using a fountain pen in my planner, especially when I'm out and about - I'll be just too scared to spoil my planner or clothes or my bag, etc. And when I'm studying I tend to use ball pens, because I can highlight easily without problems. And I'm not scared to run out of ink. But when I'm journalling I only use a fountain pen, because it's a pure pleasure, especially on Tomoe River Paper. There is something special about fountain pens, and it's kind of a ritual for me to write with it. So... writing a letter to a friend? Yes, definitely. But making a shopping list in a bus on the way to the supermarket? I don't think so)))

[@mariacamila5995]

Well, your handwriting is big and I've also noticed you like thicker pens. For me it's all the opposite. My natural handwriting is very small, so I feel like I have to make it bigger on purpose when I write with thicker nibs and that makes me uncomfortable. Besides, it takes a lot of space. I remember back in school when on tests some tasks said "write 10 lines about x". And I always ended up writing a lot more than my peers, because my handwriting was so much smaller, and some of them even made it bigger on purpose to have to write less. I don't think that's fair, but it was then when I realised that everyone's handwriting is so naturally different, so, obviously we tend to have different preferences on paper and ink and pen and nibs.... I also like fine pens, when they are thicker it gets uncomfortable, I like my pens thin as pencils, maybe because I have very thin wrists? Who knows. I think these things are as inherent to us as being right or left handed

[@teaartist6455]

In Germany we typically have "write about 100 words" in English and other foreign language exams. Only informal recommendations described in lines or pages specifically because there's a huge variance (from "writes in the tiny squares in graph paper with room to spare" to "writes in huge bubbly script on the normal lines and has trouble with space).

[@ashknoecklein]

I switched to fountain pens because I have never found a ballpoint or rollerball pen I can stand. So now I bring one with me everywhere, even if it's just a Pilot Petit1. If I use a ballpoint again in my life, it will be too soon. Sludgy ink! And rollerballs have such a fine point.

[@mysteryland01]

I have a Schneider Breeze rollerball that writes the same width as my fountain pen that has a medium nib and it actually is a breeze to write with. But it might be hard to get, if your not living in Germany or Austria.

[@randy-9842]

Amazing. I agree with every single one of your points. Well, except that I've never seen, let alone touched, a $2800 pen or any price close to that. Nevertheless, I echo your viewpoint on each and every issue. Hmm. Think watching your videos might have influenced me just a bit? I strongly prefer the broad nibs, especially if they're a bit "soft" and springy and I definitely write better with them. Possibly because I relax my death grip when using them. I'm an engineer and have always written (printed) extremely tiny. With a fountain pen, I just naturally, and unexpectedly, returned to my grade school script writing! Bigger is smoother and more legible for me too. Hey, it'll never be "pretty" but nearly everything is relative. THANK YOU, YOUR WIFE and ALL of your TEAM for getting me back into Fountain Pens and making this rabbit-hole journey very enjoyable! The rabbit-hole has been deep and a bit more expensive than I'd have guessed, but I'm in control of that and you, Rachel and your Team truly have made it (ie: transferring some of my meager 'fortune' over to you guys) fun, educational and worth every penny!

[@philipzuidema5435]

I definitely prefer a finer nib. For me, it only comes down to writing size. On rhodia, I take up one dot's height and, even when using a medium, the circles in my o's, d's, etc close up and that really bugs me

[@teaartist6455]

Same here, even fine is kinda dodgy at times, but then, I tend to write even smaller (about 2-4mm high.

[@jacquesdespadas]

I agree, fountain pens are not for all occasions. Sometimes you need a pencil. :D

[@jamesaritchie1]

Really? When?

[@jacquesdespadas]

@@jamesaritchie1 You'll know when it happens. It'll be a revelation.

[@willcresson8776]

Damn straight.

[@vikab8929]

James Ritchie Math. When I use the doc cam to model how to do math to my students, I always use a pencil. I want them to be able to erase mistakes easily

[@safala]

Vika B On the other hand, I like using pens (not just FP, but any pen) to do math cause if there’s a mistake, I just cut it and start new. It may be because I like having my mistakes for future reference, but also I may just be plain lazy.

[@georgemanning6217]

As you say, fountain pens don’t work on multi-part forms. That’s why I also carry roller balls & (horrors) a ballpoint. Sometimes I MUST use pencil. I use only mechanical pencils -- can’t stand the wooden ones.

[@no_handle_required]

100% agree with the "they're a tool" comment. I wish I could write checks with a fountain pen, or use them on carbon paper at work, but it's not sensible. They have their place, as does any hobby.

[@anguswhite8233]

My unpopular fountain pen opinion is: I love Pilot’s con40 convertor! - I’ve got very small writing and mostly use ‘F’ or ‘EF’ pens which use ink sparingly; also, I like changing inks, so it suits me that my reserve doesn’t last forever :)

[@anam00090]

Yes, hate wasting extra ink or accidentally letting it dry out. CON40's capacity is enough for my writing sessions and you get to switch it up soon enough without feeling like you're wasting anything.

[@a_mustache_of_great_repute]

I don't mind low volume converters. I like changing the ink depending on the mood or the person I'm writing to, so it's just not a problem for me.

[@abc-wv4in]

I agree!

[@thepuppetmaster9813]

Your profile picture sucks

[@a_mustache_of_great_repute]

@@thepuppetmaster9813 so does your mom

[@EddyWoon]

Excellent episode. My journey with fountain pens started in the late eighties while I was in primary (aka elementary) school and I had classmates that were into it too. Priorities changed when the family moved to a different country. I am now re-exploring the world of fountain pens. Looks like a Pilot MR or MR2 might be the first pen to get me back into fountain pens again.

[@brandiscott3987]

In one of your Q&A videos, you mentioned something along the lines of "readable inks", or more versatile inks that aren't such an eyesore in large doses. Can you provide a list of your favorites, preferably ones that would do well in Leuchtturm notebooks? Also, I tend to change out my inks on a weekly basis so small ink bottles would be preferable to large ones since I like to own a variety of affordable inks to choose from.

[@michaeldonoghue9015]

My favorite part of fountain pens is changing the ink. So I like it when there is a smaller ink capacity so I get to fill it again. That’s fun for me!

[@cferracini]

Me too! I used to fill until close to the top but now I only do it halfway so I can refill again soon when it's a proprietary cartridge. When it's standard, I like to refill the short cartridge.

[@donna30044]

Writing instruments are like pies: different sizes, fillings, textures, and weights. Some are brought out only for holidays. I usually prefer a lighter pen with a soft, fine, flex nib and a cartridge converter (Pilot Falcon), filled with Noodler's Liberty's Elysium. For carbons and receipts, I use a G2. I like Pecan and Pumpkin pies about equally, both cold and with loads of whipped cream. Pie or pen, whatever suits you is fine with me. Wouldn't it be boring if everyone were the same? As for using vs. not using pens, I have the Parker Vacumatic that my father used in school in the 1920s & '30s. The bladder dried up and fell apart long ago so I sometimes use it as a dipping pen with non-permanent inks, usually Mont Blanc blue. I know the bladder could be replaced, but I won't do it -- it wouldn't be the same. I also have a very old Scheaffer calligraphy pen that I still love to write with sometimes, just because it makes me want to concentrate on what I'm doing. A recently acquired Noodler's Neponset comes out when I'm feeling bold and carefree. It's the beautiful Baikel blue and its generous proportions just make me want to write large, bold and florid lines. Sometimes, the stylus and the italic nibs are trotted out, along with the India ink -- just to play. I use what gives best expression to what I feel. Someone else might well give vent to their feelings differently. To each their own. I am me. I would never dare to ask someone else to conform to my ideals of what pen, nib, ink, or paper are best, nor will I allow others to so constrain me. Let the ink and the words flow. Write to your heart's content. It's all magic! Write on!

[@pendlera2959]

That was beautiful. (Seriously - no sarcasm.)

[@jamesaritchie1]

I love a soft nib, but not flex nibs. They are not the same thing at all.

[@aureliodecanton9970]

Yeah as much as I love fountain pen, I still keep a ball point in my pocket. You never know what kind of paper they are gonna give you on a college exam.

[@liliana1lfr]

Thank you for your honesty about broad nibs! I have always wondered when choosing a pen if I should go fine or extra fine, and follow trends, but my handwriting and writing style is better supported with a thicker, more defined line.

[@prycenewberg3976]

My handwriting is very small and tight, and as I use finer nibs, it gets even smaller and tighter, so if I were to suddenly switch to a broader nib, it would be completely illegible. That said, a broad nib would probably permit more mistakes without being noticeable, but... still.

[@uqox]

I love fountain pens, but the Uni-ball Deluxe Micro, with its light-fast waterproof ink is the way I go for use most of the time. I LOVE to sit down, figure out what color ink I want to go with and then the pen to match my mood, lastly, picking the proper paper, and then I write letters to my loved ones. I can use a butter knife to open things, but that's not what it's for. Using fountain pens is an inconvenient joy I'll never want to be ridged about.

[@OliverWendellBones]

"Functional Art" - YES! I feel the same way about classic cars. I totally get the collector thing. But, for me, if I can't use it, I don't want it.

[@danielleanderson6371]

The fact of the matter is that until Pilot comes out with FriXion ink for fountain pens I’ll always have to carry a gel pen for my planner. I like my gel pen! It does what I need it to and doesn’t give me attitude like my fountain pens do. That said, I do like a bit of attitude, too, which is why when I adopted a cat I specifically looked for one described as having “a big personality.” I like a pen with “a big personality,” and to me those tend to be fountain pens.

[@MissRuthina]

Awww yiisss! Functional art! You get cooler and cooler the more I get to know of you! Freaking cool, man.

[@Acemans]

I like cheap paper. To an extent. Let me explain... I like how it absorbs the ink almost instantly and don't have to worry about smudging, I hate feathering though so ive looked for cheap paper that dries fast and doesn't feather. Surprisingly sticky notes made by universal are great. So there, that's my unpopular opinion.

[@cferracini]

For me, semi-coated printer paper works great with my EF nibs. But for a wet writer like Lamy in M nib it bleeds to the other side a bit

[@theprincemachiavell1]

ALL THE HERESY! Only joking. What you said about the personalised nature of the hobby is its true beauty and variance of opinion is bound to happen!

[@Goose46]

I tell you what, It makes me so happy to hear you say even your handwriting has inconsistencies. As I get into fountain pens I am finding I prefer broader nibs too, and I have shaky hands.

[@carolynyoung7543]

500 pens!!??? Where is the OH, emoji? You have enough pens to fill every single one of them with different inks and still in a lifetime not use the same one twice. Cartridges are nice, you can use a syringe to reuse the cartridges beyond the original ink they come with so that you can put any ink in them. They are reusable for those of us who don't have access to being able to own our own store. I prefer extra fine nibs, fine if they are European made. I don't think any of the preferences are cause to disagree or for there to be any serious discourse. The very fact there is a community of people who enjoy fountain pens and the accouterments which come with them, no matter the type, nibs, method of filling, inks, goes against the grain of today's norm. Many people fail to understand and feel satisfaction using a cheap disposable pen and their electronic gadgets and are satisfied doing so and fail to understand anyone who enjoys fountain pens. We are all considered rare and quirky. How can you be pragmatic and expect others to be super passionate? Those who do not know one can not use fountain pens in every situation do not exist in the 21st Century. Common sense has eluded them. I carry around promotional pens for situations when I can not use my fountain pen, and also when someone asks for a pen. I don't loan or give my fountain pens ever. I have experiences where someone did not know how to use a fountain pen and ended up emitting ink from the pen all over the place. Not pretty. Also, still need to keep track, people tend to walk away with the pen they use without you reminded them it was given to them. Let alone if they find they enjoy using your pen. Paper? Right now, I am enjoying tomoe river. I am enjoying using Life Notebooks without lines. I love blank cream paper.

[@meosk]

I totally agree with you Brian! i bought a broad nib lamy 2000 and I feel the same, the small imperfections get smoothed out with a broad nib and my handwriting looks much better! gotta take notes fast to keep up.

[@friscodog]

I recently discovered that I, too, write better with a broader nib. I'm intuitively driven toward extra-fine nibs, but when I recently forced myself to use my Conklin with a Medium nib, I was amazed to find that my writing looked much better to me. I thought I was nuts - so it's great to hear that I'm not the only one.

[@IvoTrausch]

My controversial opinion is that I like very smooth nibs, as in almost babybottom smooth. I have a couple of old Pelikan Level's with gold nibs, which at the time were heavily criticized because half of them were overpolished, which are the ones I love best. I also like that pen because it is massively misunderstood and a huge pain in the ass to use, and it was a massive flop, which is why I feel sorry for them and have to hort them. I as well love me some Clairefontaine. I have been using it, without exaggerating, since I can write, and I would not use any other paper. I also seem to go always for medium nibs, I have a couple of broads and one or two fines, but no matter what pen I had, the medium option always writes the best to me. I am totally with you on broad nibs, although they are a bit niche for everyday writing, but they are very nice for writing big. On the other hand, I absolutely hate stub nibs. Maybe because I'm left handed, so it always looks off, but I cannot write with a stub nib. Last one, I have to admit that I hate pain in the ass inks, like glittery inks or permanent inks, especially some of those Noodler's inks. Don't get me wrong, some of them are nice, but some like the infamous Baystate Blue should not be for sale in my opinion.

[@nthonyholden]

I hear you on nibs. I like extra fines (with lots of flex) for drawing, and broader for writing

[@johnedgar7956]

I have the exact same issue with handwriting! I was just talking with someone about this yesterday. For some reason, my handwriting looks MUCH better with broader nibs, and especially with stubs, than they do with finer nibs. You are not alone, Brian! :-) I don't get it, either...maybe finer nibs show all the "little errors" more easily..?? :-)

[@richardmyers4262]

Totally with you on the "tool for the job" opinion. I work as an advisor out in the community and there's no way I'm rocking up with a fountain pen to help someone fill out forms. The parker jotter with a fisher cartridge is my go to work pen. Writes anywhere!

[@speedbird8987]

I also carry a ballpoint (Pelikan Souveran or Montblanc Pix) at work for certain tasks. Sometimes a fountain pen doesn’t cut it, especially if you have to hand your pen to a colleague or a patient to write or sign something.

[@jilliancrawford7577]

I personally just prefer finer points in nibs and pens because it is much easier to add ink to something than it is to take away. For example, if I were to make a sketch with a pencil, I can erase it if a line ends up being too thick. If a dip pen or fountain pen makes a line that's "too thin" for what I want, I can easily just go over it until it has the exact line weight I want. Sure, there's various methods of white-out, but not every piece can have a mistake masked over (especially if the paper has a very obvious color, texture or pattern that white-out would stand out on). I am not saying anyone is wrong for preferring something different, I'm just giving context to my own perspective to further expand and build upon it.

[@Snowy_Breeze]

In the case of school or work where the paper is generally fine to use with pens, I'd much rather use a fountain pen. If I can, I'm gonna use the fountain.

[@nova002880]

I like a broad nib for general writing and signature, I carry a fine point for such times as needed with printed forms or small spaces. As for inky fingers, my day is not complete with out them. I am always adjusting or doing something with my pens. I have friends that say I would change nibs or inks between the salad course and dinner entree which of course I wouldn't do. That would only be done during the less formal setting of lunch

[@randy-9842]

Thanks, nova002880 -- enjoyed your comment!

[@nova002880]

Thanks. Going out for dinner and the fingers are dressed formally with BSB

[@randy-9842]

Good choice. If you spill any on the table cloth, at least try to match the shape of the Goulet Logo even though BSB is a bit darker in shade! :D

[@Gouletpens]

Inky fingers as an outfit accessory! :) - Colin

[@MackerelSushi]

- I hate shading. I feel it makes the ink look cheap and watered down. - I consider ‘shimmer’ to be just ‘meh’. I don’t hate it, but it’s nothing to get excited about. - I only use inks from 3 color categories: black, blue, and red - I print instead of writing in cursive with my fountain pens. And in all caps.

[@teaartist6455]

I print as well but not in all caps. I never quite go the point of caps to be honest, except for those you can write in a very swirly manner. Actually, thinking about it, I tend to add swirly caps at random at the beginning of any words and often ignore the non-swirly ones even where they would belong.

[@kattz753]

I know that this is old...I just want to say that it's ok to be a pen person. It doesn't always have to be a fountain pen, even if they are your favourite type of pen. I also have a favourite type of rollerball. I just picked up an awesome set of fineliners at a dollar store and was happily drawing and scribbling away when this video popped up. They write beautifully and they were a huge bargain. Gotta love that.

[@barbarahallowell2613]

I TOTALLY agree with using your pens and not just stowing them away. It's like when you only bring out the good dishes for holidays and company. I like to eat my Cheerios from my China bowls. Why save the good stuff for occasions, make every day more fun.

[@aardappelsoepje760]

For the “broad nib” opinion: I have TINY handwriting. I usually use 0.5 grid Paper because of the smaller spacing between the lines and even then I sometimes still write two lines of text on one line. So that’s why I like fine and extra fine nib sizes.

[@richikdutta2683]

Wow.... not only did you introduce me to this community...but seeing this video really made me feel a part of it.....every thing u said makes sense . so thanks Brian. kudos keep up the good job....

[@Gouletpens]

aw thanks. That's great to hear -Brian

[@sbornot2b]

Agree, love broad (and italic) nibs, but I also love hooded nib. This is quite a small corner to try to inhabit... saves me money on pens.

[@janepilecki8083]

I agree about paper and broad nibs. Paper cannot be too smooth! And the broader the nib, the happier I am. They are smooth and really show off the ink. I don't write tiny, and I don't use cheap paper. So a broad nib is my go to nib. Go Brian!!!

[@bikkies]

I've only been in the hobby maybe 6 months or so, but I'm with you on a lot of this. I prefer broader pens or at least medium because they are more forgiving of my abysmal scrawl. They also seem to make a pen feel more wet'n'juicy which I love. I am a hoarder though, mainly of cheap Chinese pens but quite a lot of Lamy and Parker too (some being more mid-range). My worst habit is getting a pen, inking it up and not using it. My supposed EDC probably comprises something like 15-20 pens inked up at the same time. I am particularly bad for fully inking a piston filler, letting it stand and then flushing it out - chucking all that good juice down the sink - only to fill it again with a different ink that will similarly go largely unused. Why? I just love the whole filling experience, the inky fingers, the occasional accident. I must be a masochist.

[@jimbrown4041]

Really happy to learn you like broad nibs better as well. I'm currently using Pelikan's 4001 Turkish Turqouise in a fine nibbed Parker Vector (do'nt rat me out, ok?) and saving up for the TWSBI 580 AL Emerald (know an address where they still have it) and DEFFO going stub on that one. The Turqouise would also come to life more with a broader nob. Right now it's a genuinely brilliant ink which is just locked up in a cage, or that is how I feel about it anyway.

[@vikab8929]

My favourite nib size is a 0.8 stub. Clearly they aren’t popular because almost no one makes them, but I have dysgraphia and that particular nib makes my everyday writing not look like a child’s.

[@Mr851212]

I fully agree with the nib size affecting your penmanship. I notice it as well that the finer lines make my writing look inexcusably sloppy at times. I believe the reason at least for me is that the thinner line just shows mistakes, and more importantly, hand shaking more clearly. A larger line covers that up better and produces a visibly straighter line. That's my guess anyway.

[@byronzhao2962]

When it comes to broader vs finer nib, I agree with you! My handwriting definitely looks nicer with broader nibs. It helps cover up inconsistencies in my writing. However, I still love fine nibs for the same reason since it exposes my inconsistency therefore allow me to fix them along the way. In a word, I think finer nibs are best to practice and improve my handwriting!

[@sondraedwards189]

Agreed! You don't want your favorite baseball player to autograph your home run catch with a fountain pen!

[@georgelovesnopain]

You guys are my top 5 reference check points for fountain pens. And.. you are at rank 1. Thnx for all the knowledge and keep up the good work..😊👍

[@VirtualBSHere]

Here's one: Not only do I prefer the cartridge converter system, but I fill my cartridge converter with an ink syringe in order to keep the tip of my pen clean and not need to wipe it off. Using this method, an empty cartridge would hold more ink, but I don't have any of those and I don't want to waste away a full one just so I can use it with a different ink - so I just fill the converter instead.

[@MrRufusjax]

Amen. I carry around a standard ballpoint pen for signing receipts and writing ideas on bar napkins. My fountain pens are used when I sit at my desk journaling or making a list of goals or tasks.

[@angelinatran4930]

Really late to the conversation, but I believe there's a ratio of nib size to size of your writing. For everyday writing and bigger writing, larger nibs smooth out the lines more. Finer nibs are more likely to show every shake of the hand you make on paper. I'm new to fountain pens but this rule seems to apply on felt tip pens, graphite/lead sizes, and ballpoint pen nib sizes too.

[@preranachatterjee2195]

The broad nib must be an absolute favourite for artists. Since handwriting allows one to use lesser paper space to write alphabets it often becomes difficult to use broad nibs as the letters nudge with each other and become illegible.. so most people prefer writing with fine or extrafine... but for people who draw with fountain pens and have the independence to decide spaces between lines (which generally is much smaller in case of handwriting) according to their drawing composition, broads, stubs, flexes are great guys.

[@teaartist6455]

Why would we? Where would one need such thick lines? Extra fine, MAYBE fine is best for artwork that isn't pretty big. For medium to look any good you'd already have to have a A3 sheet or similar.

[@CrimsonStrider]

The best use I have for ballpoints etc... is when someone else asks for me for a pen 😎. Had one person break my Decimo the moment I turned around by trying to pull off the tip as though it were a cap. I agree about certain inks on “shiny” types of paper. I have found certain inks work well though.

[@burnylowe-miller4012]

I , too, love the broad nib. I have large handwriting and the broad nib is most awesome. I just recently got my first double broad nib. And love how my handwriting looks.

[@smileywolf]

My handwriting is opposite from yours (like many). It gets better with smaller nibs. Medium is the largest I've gone and I rarely use the couple I have.

[@smileywolf]

I'm giving my family fountain pens for and ink for Christmas this year (all purchased at Goulet). I hope they love them as much as I do. But I won't be offended if they don't. I wish I could afford a Visconti! Those pens are so beautiful!

[@livioamaglio5824]

Hi Brian, lovely video as always. :) When you talk about toothy paper (not as smooth as Rhodia) what brands do you refer to? I am a crazy broad nibs user and I’d like to try less smooth paper. Thanks :)

[@finduline1991]

In terms of nib size: I like to use a bigger nib size (usually M) for my print handwriting and a very fine for my cursive handwriting :):) I think it's because my print handwriting is a rather broad font and it looks good when the letters blend into each other (close-packed). When I'm writing cursive though, I like to see the details and swirls and every single letter. I think it really depends on the handwriting ;)

[@SOMNIOHM]

200% agree with you on the Broad nib😁😂😂😂 My fav.

[@VirtualBSHere]

I just figured something out regarding smooth paper... This is how I'm going to test new pens and ink: > I'm going to cut up my old aeronautical charts to use as scrap paper (particularly IFR charts with a lot of white space). _That's some fine quality paper. (the government apparently sells them at a loss: the paper costs more than the price of the chart.)_ > I'm going to use my PC graphics tablet as a writing surface for a super smooth backing.

[@lisaleone2296]

I'm glad to hear that you don't think fountain pens need to be used for everything. I have specific things I use my fountain pens for, and other things where I prefer a gel pen or a fine-point permanent marker. I also have different nibs for different uses. As far as paper.... you made me think of a KZbin channel with a woman who considers Tomoe River paper to feel 'crunchy', and 'like toilet paper' (her words). I don't understand that description at all - but I also don't like writing on Tomoe River paper and I don't understand why so many people refer to it as "fountain pen friendly."

[@ritvikvaishnav3472]

i agree with all of your points! i get the most pleasure out of my fp when i write letters to my pen pals

[@CarlaPavon]

Yesssssss! I am totally agreed with “Fountain pens are not for everyone” and is not a bad thing. There are people like: oh no, fountain pens, not practical at all, look at your fingers! That would not happen with a rollerball...”, And in the other hand: “oh I hate rollerballs, I am so miserable using a rollerball, I signed the bill on the supermarket with my fountain pen and is a crappy paper...” well I guess it will be a little difficult for the supermarket get some Tomoe River for the ticket’s paper. I love writing, I love pens. Pencils and rollerballs, crayolas😅..., give me a rollerball and I will enjoy it... but fountain pens for me has some magic that I prefer them over other writing instruments😊 It is awesome when you find other people who share the same passion! And is Ok if others are not into it that is why it is a personal choice😀yay! Great video as always!

[@teaartist6455]

Funnily the "look at your fingers" part is exactly why ballpoints are pretty much banned from my pencil case. With fountain pens, if they leak then I can at least wash it out, with ballpoints, well, not so much.

[@jamesaritchie1]

Well, fountain pens are not for everyone, but they are for anyone. The ONLY way to know who they are for is to get the person to try one. I'd never push anyone into using fountain pens who obviously didn't like them, but I'd never, ever push anyone away from using them, either. Sometimes it takes a while, and a number of experiences, to learn to love something. It's just wrong to say fountain pens aren't for someone because he or she pisses and moans. I've pissed and moaned my way into a number of things that I grew to love when I stuck to them, usually from the urging of family and friends. Impatience on our part is worse than pissing and moaning on their part. Keep encouraging such a person, and one day they may be a bigger fan than you are.

[@guitarchitectural]

A bit late on this but I enjoyed it! What do you look for and prefer in a rollerball?

[@lizdelisle1912]

Thanks for the tip on the bulb syringe for cleaning!

[@sheelachattopadhyay]

Some of my fountain pen preferences come from having gotten used to dip pen use prior to it. I haven't quite tried the nicer papers yet, but am willing to do so. For fountain pens, I prefer piston filled mainly because then the parts are less likely to be lost. I have cats that like playing with smaller stuff on my desk, so that factors into the preference. I do use cartridge converter pens as well, even the Five Below ones when I don't want to use a ballpoint pen. I don't like smearing fountain pen ink on glossy papers, such as the receipt paper - I will use other types of pens for those. I use fine and extra fine nibs for my handwriting, but I write on the bigger side and the smaller nibs help me fit more onto the page.

[@spike852]

I'm with you. Ink 'em and use 'em. Broad nibs are more fun, just because they produce a more dramatic-looking end product. And I'd never use a fountain pen on a crossword; ballpoints for the easy ones, pencils for the tough ones. However, I'm more concerned with how the ink looks on the page than I am with how it feels when you're putting it there. But I get ultimate smoothness.

[@paulherman5822]

I first discovered fountain pens in the early 1980s, coming across several (surprisingly in good condition) in my folks' barn left by the previous owner, in high school. They were a range of nib widths and even companies (the broad was a gold nib--possibly old enough to not have been tipped), and I dug up some ink (which was very hard to find, in the area I grew up) and used them for everything. Sadly, when I went to college, where I didn't have access to fountain pen ink, so I had left those pens at home, the pens were lost. On top of that, my handwriting took a nosedive thanks to ballpoint frantic note taking. Fast forward to the present: I had a stroke, and have had to do serious work to regain my handwriting, and ballpoint pens really cramp my hand after a paragraph, at most. Didn't keep me from writing, I dealt with the pain. Until an acquaintance (who had used fountain pens since elementary school in Germany) reminded me that fountain pens were easier on the hand. I got one, and now have dozens. Each nib size has a different use. From the fine and extra fine for quick notes and such, to a broad for bigger, more expressive writing. I also have an Osmiroid 75 calligraphy set, to get back into calligraphy, plus some of the multitude of Osmiroid (and Esterbrook, which fit) nibs will allow me to play with my handwriting even further. You use whatever you like, whatever appeals to you. I think that having started with a range of pens kept me from just liking a small range of pens, and I definitely have more time than some to play with my handwriting, since my stroke. Whatever works for you seems to be the best way to do things, and besides, like several others have said, there's the functional beauty. Because of my earlier pens, I will always have a soft spot for the vintage lever fill pens, but I have I think about every style of filling system, at this point. Do I like them all? No. I agree with Brian about the ease of the cartridge converter pens. For massive amounts of writing, which I have the time to do, now, sure, the vac, piston and eyedropper filling systems are nice. But there's only one vacuum filler in my pocket daily. The rest (2) are cartridge converters. There's so many varieties and colours of pens and inks out there that I am surprised that more people don't use fountain pens. I'm sure that for everyone, there's one pen that is perfect for them (or 10, or 100, or... 😁) Add the massive range of colours, there's something for everyone. Ballpoint pens, for me, are something that I only use if I must, any more. Like I've read, ballpoint pens are only for filling out forms on an airplane. 😉

[@jakem9524]

Five years late to this conversation, but I really like converter pens. Mainly, if a converter breaks, or stops working, getting a replacement is quite simple. But if you manage to break a piston or vac filler pen mechanism? You better just hope the manufacturer helps you out on that one!

[@rangeldi]

On your preference for broad nibs, these and stubs are also my favorite. But I may agree with people that think their handwriting looks worse with broader nibs. In my case, it seems I was born with a natural calligrapher's penmanship, so maybe that's why I have a preference for Broad. (I know I'm 4 years too late on this comment, but I watch tens of your videos and just stumbled on this one now.) :)

[@AlTheEngineer]

I totally agree about safe-queens. I use all my "functional art" pieces that I won. Whether its expensive pens, watches, designer bags, etc. I wouldn't buy anything just to store it away into a safe!

[@ejboshart0161]

One of mine is that there is very little appeal to flex nibs for me. Of course, I'll still support them when a company is thinking about adding them to their line up because I know plenty of people like them. But I don't know, the idea has never piqued my fancy with how easy it is to spring the tines and leave your pen unusable until you get the nib replaced. If you can at all, some pen company don't let you easily replace the nib for one reason or another. I LOVE stubs though for line variation since no pressure is needed to get that variation so the risk of sprung tines is a lot lower. And if I want some mile wide line variation, there are stubs like 1.5s, 1.9s, even the 6.0 Pilot Parallel if I want to be able to paint my walls with ink. So even a "wet noodle" flex nib has no appeal to me when I can get a similar effect with a stub nib.

[@cesarpaniagua8712]

I agree, broad nib with a simple converter system work best for me.

[@artemisargent8623]

I completely agree with you, Brian. To me, broader nibs have a very wide line width, whereas your mistakes tend to be quite small.

[@abc-wv4in]

I change inks a lot, too. I don't usually even fill up a little converter, as I'm retired and don't do much lengthy writing. I love stub nibs but not broad nibs.

[@HighWideandHandsome]

Agree on the cartridge converter pens. I like switching out different inks, and converters are an easy way of doing that.

[@TejaSunkutheoriginal]

My handwriting also looks better when I use broad nibs, even if I write small. However, I tend to use fine nib pens because the paper I use feathers if I use any of my broad nib pens. I'm stuck with the paper I have for right now because I don't have the money to buy fountain pen notebooks

[@NatiiixLP]

A terribly late comment, but I feel like sharing my not-so-hot take anyways. I have to absolutely agree with the fine vs broad argument. Fine lines are great for precision, and I thought an EF was the only way to write Chinese characters due to their complexity and stroke density, but then I discovered that they look by far the best when writing using a brush (pen), which is broader than a typical B nib most of the time. Yes, many of the strokes blend together, but you can still make them out thanks to ink shading, usually, so now I'm slowly fading away from fine, scratchy nibs towards broader and broader nibs. I thought I'd hate them, but with a bit of practice and control, they're brilliant and have a far more interesting signature than EF nibs, which effectively look like any old fineliner.

[@FPSYut]

The broad nib question is easy. Broader line hides imperfections better and while using broad nibs you tend to write bigger. Furthermore by writing bigger you naturally use different muscles in the hand the general idea is that the further back the muscles used the smoother the lines are going to be. (Whole arm is smoother than the wrist and wrist is smoother than fingers, you can easily test this by writing on a chalkboard). Me personally I prefer needlepoint nibs, the feedback can be harsh but when using a light hand it's manageable, and the results are worth it.

[@TechGirl84]

Brian, I’m brand new to the world of fountain pens, but it sounds like you and I have a lot of the same preferences in fountain pens. I prefer a broad nib, and I do seem to prefer a cartridge converter (that’s purely based on research, not personal experience with different filling mechanisms).

[@sparklefulpaladin]

I also love broad and stub nibs! As an ambi/lefty user, people think this is very odd. But my writing looks a lot nicer with the broader nibs. I've been really enjoying the Lamy broad nibs on the Safari/Al-Star, though I know the tripod grip section isn't for everyone. I also very much agree with the idea that not everyone should use fountain pens. I think people should at least give them a try, but if people don't like them, then I respect that. I have a Preppy as a "loaner" in my EDC that I let people mess around with if they want to try out a fountain pen. Though I much prefer fountain pens for 90% of my writing (I also write on fountain pen tolerable paper), I still keep a couple of gel pens or ballpoints on hand if I need them. Only ballpoint I kind of "enjoy" is the Uni Jetstream.

[@Symphing12]

The same thing happens to MY handwriting! It looks better when I use my LAMY Medium as opposed to my LAMY Fine.

[@FufuFang]

If you study engineering subjects, extra fine nibs are better - how else are we supposed to write the subscripts and superscripts?

[@luke_0605]

I personally have bigger handwriting and I LOVE broad nibs, I will easily prefer a larger nib over a smaller ANY day

[@LGPanthers1]

I'm someone who doesn't want to over-justify a choice and IMO the smooth paper point is incredibly valid. I feel like medium/fine nibs on rhodia paper is the easiest way to get someone to understand what the point of fountain pen writing is in a way that the most people will naturally understand. I/We/They will eventually try a broader nib with 54th Massachusetts and then really get hooked. Not like that's coming from experience or anything.

[@Pandaikon0980]

While I tend to like a Medium to Fine nib on my pens, I have to agree with your other points, especially about not using a fountain pen for all things. I tend to leave my fountain pen at home out of concern I'd get ink everywhere using it, so I've taken the time to find ballpoint, rollerball, gel, and felt tip (fineliner) pens that work for me that I can use depending on the need. The right tool for the right job. I can't even imagine attempting to use a fountain pen on a receipt made of that awful, almost waxy paper that some places use. Give me a ballpoint for that any day! Also, if someone asks to borrow a pen, I know I'll have a cheap disposable pen I don't care about on me in case it gets broken or "wanders off".

[@OmicronTauKappaClassicDaddy]

I've bought more pens with broad and double broad nibs lately. They help a lot with inks that are in the sunnier range of chroma. Also, my eyesight is not as great now that I'm older so I really appreciate being able to lay down some big fat letters with a pen.

[@alexmcd378]

I was with you until smooth paper. That audible scritch is part of the experience for me. Fun video though.

[@courtheiss3574]

I use 3mm grid, 3mm dot grid, 5mm grid, 5mm dot grid and occasionally 6mm rule and have fairly small handwriting so fine or medium (my finest is a Pilot fine, broadest is a Pelikan medium) nibs work well for me, anything larger than a Pelikan medium makes letters into blobs. I agree with you that not everything takes fountain pens, I have select gel pens, fineliners, rollerballs and ballpoints too.

[@Limicola1]

Nice video. Great food for thought!

[@thatdamnsamsquanch]

I keep a Uniball Signo for signing checks and other important documents. Theres too many evil thinking people out there to not protect my signature. I actually know 2 people who have had checks washed. I just dont want to risk it.

[@clairity_dx5552]

Yeah, I can definitely understand that. On top of that, chances are the paper isn't that friendly to FP ink so unless you're using something like R&K Salix, feathering or bleed might be an issue too.

[@abc-wv4in]

I use Noodler's Heart of Darkness in a M nib Metropolitan for writing checks. The ink is "bulletproof" so I hope that's safe! So much fraud going on now.

[@VirtualBSHere]

Some Noodler's inks are permanent - to the point that you'll destroy the paper before you get the ink off. (Noodler's black, particularly, is completely unaffected by water.) Although I will say, among all my rollerballs, the Uniball Signo has the most permanent ink - the only one so far to be completely unaffected by water.

[@mikafoxx2717]

Any Noodler's bulletproof or Warden series (like bad blue heron) ink will be immune to water, bleach, ammonia, peroxide, UV, lasers..

[@NomadicPhoton]

Hey Brian, any chance of doing a watch collection tour in a future video?

[@itsteganyay]

What kind of pen do you use on receipt or carbon copy paper, if not a ballpoint? I can't think of anything that would work quite as well, but I'd love to know if there is a better option! I started working at a printing company a couple years ago, and they had a stack of old cast off letterhead paper that someone ordered by mistake, which they turned into scratch pads for the office. The second I touched my cheap bic ballpoint pen to the paper... it was magic! The paper was far smoother than anything I'd ever written on before, and the pen just glided across it... or so it seemed before I bought my first fountain pen! Since that experience sort of kicked off my obsession with improving my writing experience, I've developed a soft spot for ballpoint pens, and do still use them around the office. I can completely understand how they're a last resort pen for you and others though! I personally can't stand roller ball/gel pens... If I want a pen that writes wet, I'll use my fountain pen, and for anything else I use ballpoint :)

[@teaartist6455]

There are special nibs made for it (Manifold Esterbrooks and I think the Triumph point was designed for it as well) if you absolutely insist and crappy paper can be okay with very fine nibs and dryer inks. That being said, I wouldn't know where one would use carbon paper nowadays (we have scanners and printers) or why one would have to sign a receipt, but that may be an American thing.

[@namebrandmason]

@@teaartist6455 I'm American, and I signed a receipt at a restaurant a few hours ago. Since we're expected to leave a gratuity for waitstaff we have to write in our tip and sign for the total. Small businesses will also still want a signature on the receipt sometimes provided they don't have a touch screen on their credit card machine.

[@mandarin1257]

I don't like scratchy nibs, but subtle feedback is one of my favorite things about fountain pens.

[@Gouletpens]

Then you'd love the Sailor nibs! -Brian

[@mandarin1257]

@@Gouletpens Hmm, might be worth a shot! Cheers.