Parts of Your Fountain Pen

Your fountain pen consists of four parts when assembled — the cap, the nib, the barrel, and the ink reservoir. Most reservoirs are either a piston converter, a cartridge, or an ink bladder. The converter and ink bladder use fountain pen bottled ink, while the cartridge is a self-contained, disposable unit already filled with ink.

How to Fill a Fountain Pen

Fountain pens can be filled a few different ways — the two most common are an ink cartridge and an ink converter.

2. Attaching the Ink Converter

Most cartridge/converter-style pens come with a converter included, and it may already be attached. Ink converters match the style of cartridge the pen uses — most use a standard international cartridge, though some brands use proprietary ones, so make sure you get the correct converter for your pen. Insert it onto the back of the grip section; it will either press-fit or screw in, depending on the pen.

3. Filling the Ink Converter

Flush the air from the converter (this varies slightly by converter type). Place the pen, nib first, into the ink bottle until the nib is fully covered. Twist the piston counterclockwise to force air out, then clockwise to draw ink in. While holding the nib above the bottle, slowly twist counterclockwise until a bead of ink appears at the tip. Gently blot excess ink with a lint-free cloth.

4. Filling with a Cartridge

Remove the piston converter by gently pulling it away from the nib. Insert a fountain pen cartridge into the nib section and push firmly until it clicks into place. You can switch between bottled ink and cartridges anytime by rinsing the nib and converter with cool water.

How to Use a Fountain Pen

1. Hold it right. Keep the nib above the feed, at roughly a 45-degree angle to the paper — avoid twisting the pen in your hand, since both nib tines need to rest evenly on the page or the pen may skip.
2. Don't press too hard. Fountain pens need far less pressure than a ballpoint or gel pen. Too much pressure can prevent the pen from writing well, and can even damage the nib over time.
3. Keep it capped. Always cap or retract your pen when not in use, or the ink in the nib will dry out. If it does dry, scribbling for a bit or adding a drop of water to the nib usually gets it flowing again.
4. Clean it periodically. Fountain pens gather tiny paper fibers and dried ink over time. We recommend cleaning every 1–2 months for best performance (see the Cleaning section below).
5. Use fountain-pen-friendly paper. Not strictly necessary, but it makes a real difference — regular paper can cause bleed-through, feathering, or skipping, since most everyday paper isn't made with fountain pens in mind.

Understanding Nib Types & Sizes

The nib is the single biggest factor in how your handwriting will actually look — and sizing isn't as simple as it seems.

European vs. Japanese Nibs

Japanese writing traditionally uses fine, detailed kanji characters, so Japanese nib manufacturers (Pilot, Sailor, Platinum) calibrate their entire size range finer than European brands (Pelikan, Lamy, Montblanc, Diplomat). As a rough rule: a Japanese nib runs about one full size finer than the same label on a European pen.

Widths are approximate and vary by brand and model — use this as a guide, not an exact spec.

Regular Nib Sizes

Special Nibs We Carry

How to Clean Your Nib

• Remove the cartridge or converter.
• Flush the nib and grip section with cool water.
• A converter (without ink) can be used to draw water up through the nib and flush it back out.
• Lightly blow air through the nib assembly to clear out remaining liquid.
• Dry the nib and grip section with a lint-free, soft cloth.
• Repeat a few times, then dry again with a soft cloth or paper towel.
• If the pen is clogged, soak the nib and grip section in a cup of cool water for up to 24 hours.
• Remove and rinse under a slow stream of cool water, then gently blow out excess water.
• Dry thoroughly, then reinsert a fresh cartridge or converter.

How to Store Your Pen

• Keep the nib pointing up when not in use, so ink drains back into the converter or cartridge — this helps avoid drying or clogging.
• Store your pen in a case or pouch to protect the finish from scratches.
• When flying, keep the nib upright, and either ensure a full cartridge/converter is inserted or remove it entirely before the flight.