The Fountain Pen

• Although fountain pens may seem quaint to many people, they actually represented a big advance on the pens that came before them. Before fountain pens, people relied on dip pens, quill pens, reeds and brushes. All of these needed to be recharged with ink constantly, and most were very difficult to use consistently. There would be a glut of ink on the tip at the beginning of the stroke, and very little by the end of it. Fountain pens were the first to use reservoirs, allowing the writer to continue writing without an ink well nearby.
  
  

How it Works

• Fountain pens have a reservoir inside the pen that holds the ink. Some of them use a disposable ink reservoir, while others can be filled with an eyedropper. The ink flows down into the nib, where it is dispensed by a thin slit. When a writer or artist draws a fountain pen across a piece of paper, ink flows out of the slit. Gravity keeps it flowing along with what is known as capillary action. In capillary action, molecules of liquid adhere to one another, pulling each other along. When ink slides onto the paper, the molecular bond between the ink particles pull more ink behind, keeping the flow smooth and continuous.
  
  

Uses

• Fountain pens are not frequently used for jotting notes or other sorts of casual freehand writing. They are temperamental and difficult to use when compared to rollerballs, felt pens and ballpoint pens. Fountain pens can achieve some artistic effects that these other pens can't, however. Because a ballpoint pen has a broad, flat tip, it is extremely useful for calligraphy. By varying the angle of the stroke, the writer can get broad lines or narrow strokes, letting him achieve interesting artistic effects.