The Nib & Fountain Pen Guide
Honest articles about fountain pens, ink and fineliners for people who write by hand. We explain the jargon once and move on. Pair each guide with the swatch library and the pen finder.
Nib size at a glance
All articles
Fountain pen nib sizes explained: EF, F, M and B
Which nib suits your handwriting, your paper and the way you write? A plain explanation with a nib line-width comparison and the pens to match.
Read →Cartridge vs converter vs bottled ink: how to feed your fountain pen
The three ways to fill a fountain pen, compared honestly. When to start with cartridges, when to switch to a converter and bottled ink, and what the difference feels like day to day.
Read →How to fill a fountain pen (and clean it without the mess)
A calm, step-by-step guide to filling with a converter or cartridge, flushing a dry nib, and storing the pen so it writes first time every time.
Read →The best fineliners for journalling and bullet journals
Which 0.3mm fineliner bleeds least, dries fastest and stays true across a whole notebook. Our picks from the Staedtler Triplus, Uni Pin and Stabilo ranges.
Read →Choosing your first fountain pen: a beginner's guide
A calm introduction to the world of fountain pens. How to pick one, how to fill it and what to do if it skips. No jargon assumed.
Read →Blue, blue-black or black? Choosing an everyday ink colour
The three most-used colours compared for legibility, smear resistance, mood and character. Why blue-black earns its keep as the practitioner's default.
Read →Waterproof and archival fineliners for art and notes
Which fineliners are genuinely lightfast and waterproof, which are dye-based and will fade, and what that means for sketching, annotation and art use.
Read →Gel pen vs fineliner vs rollerball: what writes best for you
Three ink delivery systems with very different feels. The simple guide to which one suits your hand, your paper and your writing habit.
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