Fountain Pen Myths – True or False?

Fountain pens have been around for a very long time.

And whenever something has been around for a long time, people tend to develop a few rules, stories and slightly exaggerated warnings about it.

Apparently, fountain pens are difficult to use. They leak everywhere. They need constant cleaning. They're only for calligraphers. You need perfect handwriting. And, apparently, you should probably own a tweed jacket before you're allowed to use one.

Well… not quite.

As someone who spends rather a lot of time making, using and talking about pens, I thought it was time to separate the fountain pen facts from the fountain pen folklore.

So, let's see how many myths I can put to rest.

Myth 1: Fountain Pens Are Difficult to Use

❌ FALSE

I'll admit that a fountain pen can look rather complicated when you first pick one up.

There's a nib. There's a feed. There's ink. There might be a converter or cartridge. And suddenly you can find yourself wondering whether you've accidentally enrolled in an engineering degree.

But actually, writing with a fountain pen is remarkably simple.

Put the nib to the paper, let the ink flow and don't press down like you're trying to engrave your shopping list into the desk.

A good fountain pen should glide across the page with very little pressure.

Once you've got the feel for it, you'll probably wonder why you ever thought it was complicated.

And that's one of the things I love about fountain pens.

They look complicated. They're actually wonderfully simple.

Myth 2: Fountain Pens Are Only for Calligraphy

❌ FALSE

Beautiful calligraphy and fountain pens certainly go together.

But you don't need handwriting worthy of an illuminated medieval manuscript to enjoy one.

Fountain pens are wonderful for:

• Everyday writing

• Journaling

• Letter writing

• Note-taking

• Sketching

• Signing documents

• Creative writing

• Writing lists of things you will probably forget to buy

A fine nib can produce wonderfully precise writing, while a broader nib can give your handwriting a little more character.

And there's something rather lovely about seeing your own handwriting on a page.

It doesn't have to be perfect.

It just has to be yours.

That's something I think is easily forgotten in a world where most of what we write is typed, corrected and made to look identical.

Myth 3: Fountain Pens Leak Everywhere

⚠️ PARTLY TRUE

This one does have a little truth behind it.

Older fountain pens weren't always quite as reliable as modern pens, and ink is, rather inconveniently, a liquid.

Modern fountain pens are generally very dependable when they're looked after properly.

However, fountain pens don't particularly enjoy being thrown into a bag, shaken vigorously and then taken on an aeroplane.

Changes in air pressure can cause ink to move where you would rather it didn't.

So I recommend treating your fountain pen with a little respect.

Keep it capped, don't abuse it and, when travelling by air, take a few sensible precautions.

Your shirt will thank you.

And I can tell you from experience that discovering a lovely blue ink stain on your favourite shirt is considerably less romantic than it sounds.

Myth 4: Fountain Pen Ink Is Expensive

❌ FALSE

You can spend a small fortune on fountain pen ink if you want to.

There are enough colours, shades, sheens and special editions available to make choosing an ink almost as complicated as choosing the pen.

But you really don't have to.

There are plenty of excellent fountain pen inks available at sensible prices.

The important thing isn't whether your ink costs £5 or £50.

It's whether it is designed for fountain pens.

India ink, drawing ink and other unsuitable inks can cause problems and potentially clog your pen.

So by all means experiment with colour.

Just don't pour something mysterious into your fountain pen because it looks inky.

I've always thought that "but it was the right colour" probably isn't a particularly convincing explanation when you're trying to rescue a blocked nib.

Myth 5: Fountain Pens Need Constant Cleaning

❌ MOSTLY FALSE

You don't need to dismantle your fountain pen every Tuesday evening while wearing rubber gloves and listening to classical music.

Regular, sensible cleaning is usually all that's required.

Cleaning becomes particularly important when:

• You're changing ink

• You're putting the pen away for a long time

• The ink has dried

• The ink flow becomes inconsistent

• The pen has been unused for a while

Usually, flushing the pen with clean water is enough.

I think the important thing is simply to look after your pen.

Think of it like looking after a good pair of shoes.

You don't polish them every five minutes. You just don't leave them in a swamp.

A fountain pen that is looked after can give you years and years of writing pleasure.

And that's one of the reasons I love making pens that are intended to be used rather than simply admired.

Myth 6: Fountain Pens Scratch the Paper

❌ FALSE — although a bad nib can!

A properly adjusted nib should feel smooth and controlled on the page.

If your fountain pen feels like you're writing with a tiny cheese grater, something probably isn't right.

The nib could be misaligned, damaged or simply not suited to the way you're holding the pen.

Paper also makes an enormous difference.

Some papers absorb ink quickly and can make writing feel completely different from using good-quality fountain pen paper.

A good nib, good ink and good paper can make writing feel almost effortless.

And once you've experienced that combination…

going back to a scratchy biro can feel strangely disappointing.

For me, that feeling of a good nib gliding across the paper is one of the great pleasures of fountain pens.

It's a tiny thing.

But sometimes it's the tiny things that make a difference.

Myth 7: Fountain Pens Are Only for Older People

❌ FALSE

This one always makes me smile.

Fountain pens have a long history, but that doesn't mean they're stuck in the past.

People of all ages enjoy them today — students, artists, writers, collectors and people who simply appreciate beautiful, well-made objects.

Perhaps that's because a fountain pen offers something that most modern technology doesn't.

A sense of ownership.

It's not just something you use and throw away.

You choose it.

You refill it.

You look after it.

And eventually, it starts to feel like your pen.

That's particularly important to me as a pen maker.

When I make a pen, I don't want it simply to look good in a photograph.

I want someone to pick it up, use it every day and eventually find themselves thinking:

"This is my pen."

Myth 8: Fountain Pens Are Always Expensive

❌ FALSE

You can spend a little.

You can spend quite a lot.

And, if you really get carried away, you can spend enough to make your bank account ask some very uncomfortable questions.

But you don't need to.

There are excellent fountain pens at a wide range of prices.

And sometimes the value of a pen isn't about its price at all.

It might be a gift from someone special.

It might have been bought to celebrate an achievement.

It might have been given to mark a birthday, retirement or new job.

Or it might simply be the pen you used to write a letter that meant something.

That's where a pen becomes more than a pen.

I've always found that idea particularly special.

A pen can be an object, but it can also carry memories.

Myth 9: Fountain Pens Aren't Practical

❌ FALSE

A fountain pen can be an extremely practical everyday writing instrument.

You refill it rather than throwing it away.

You can choose your nib and ink.

You can use it for a quick note or several pages of writing.

And because fountain pens generally require very little pressure, many people find them particularly comfortable for longer writing sessions.

Of course, there is one potential downside.

Once you've discovered fountain pens, you may suddenly find yourself discussing paper quality with complete strangers.

There is no known cure.

I've also noticed that owning one fountain pen can somehow lead to owning another.

And another.

And another.

I'm not saying this is a problem.

I'm simply saying that I've never heard anyone complain about having too many pens.

Myth 10: You Need Perfect Handwriting

❌ ABSOLUTE RUBBISH

This might be the biggest myth of all.

You don't need beautiful handwriting.

You don't need to be a calligrapher.

You don't need to know the difference between every nib size, filling system or ink property.

You don't even need particularly good handwriting.

Because handwriting isn't really about producing perfect letters.

It's about putting something of yourself onto paper.

A handwritten note from someone you care about is special precisely because it is theirs.

The little quirks, the uneven letters, the crossings-out and even the occasional spelling mistake all tell a story.

A computer can reproduce perfect text.

It can't reproduce you.

That's why I think handwriting still matters.

It is personal in a way that typing simply isn't.

So, Are Fountain Pens Actually Worth It?

I think they are.

Not because they're necessarily better than every other writing instrument.

But because they make writing feel different.

There's the weight of the pen in your hand.

The movement of the nib across the paper.

The colour of the ink.

The sound of the nib.

And that wonderfully satisfying moment when you finish writing, look down at the page and realise that you've created something that didn't exist a few minutes earlier.

In our increasingly digital world, that feels rather special.

Perhaps that's why fountain pens haven't disappeared.

They've simply been waiting for us to slow down enough to appreciate them again.

And that's something I really enjoy about making them.

I spend my time creating pens that will, hopefully, become part of somebody else's everyday life.

A pen might sign an important document.

Write a letter to someone you love.

Record a thought in a journal.

Write a first draft of a novel.

Make a shopping list.

Or simply sit on a desk waiting patiently for the next idea.

I never really know where one of my pens will end up.

And I rather like that.

The Pen Guy's Verdict

Myths busted. Pens defended. No nibs were harmed in the making of this article.

You don't need perfect handwriting.

You don't need expensive equipment.

You don't need to become a fountain pen expert.

And you certainly don't need a tweed jacket.

All you really need is a pen you enjoy holding, some suitable ink and something worth writing.

And if that pen happens to be handmade, beautifully finished and chosen because it means something to you…

well, that's even better.

Because I don't believe a pen should simply write.

I believe it should become part of your story.

And perhaps that's the real reason I make them.

Not simply to create something that puts ink onto paper, but to create something that might be held, used, treasured and eventually remembered.

Because long after the ink has dried, the memories made with a good pen can remain.

That's what makes a pen more than just a pen. ✒️❤️