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I have only ever used the type of fountain pen that you have to dunk in an ink well for calligraphy.

What is the appeal of a fountain pen over a ball point for writing a letter?

I am curious as to why any pen is better than another as long as your writing is legible and if it's just an aesthetic thing these is no need to explain because I can see the difference.



If it is used correctly, a fountain pen writes differently than other pens. You don't have to write differently if you don't want to (and most people new to fountain pens probably don't), but once you get in the habit, it is an obvious difference.

The ink flows off the nib of a fountain pen so it is more of a wet paint brush technique rather than a PRESSURE technique of the average ballpoint where friction and pressure makes the little ball roll and allows ink to get applied onto the page. If you write a lot, and you use a fountain pen the way it is intended, it is much smoother with less fatigue or "writer's cramp". If you write the same way with both pens, you'll never notice a difference and wonder why you wasted the money. If you buy a fountain pen with a cheap nib or poor craftsmanship it will not write well, the ink won't flow (or will run way too much or be blotchy) and it will feel "scratchy" and cheap.

Oh, yeah, and if you apply too much pressure to a thin or fine nib on a fountain pen, you may permanently damage it and ruin your pen.

Think of it as the difference between a paint brush and a chisel.


Edit: Oh yeah, and if you don't write a lot, it probably really isn't worth it to get a fountain pen. There is a damn good reason why ballpoints and rollerballs became the standard. They are cheaper, easier, less messy, and work better, and make an imprint (for carbon paper or checkbooks).

But if you write a lot or for a long period, fountain pens and fountain pen ink (and don't forget the various options of ink--from thick to thin and all different colors) is the only way to go.



Edited by E.Y.Davis (06/08/09 06:52 PM)
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