The Fountain Pen Book

By Tony Thomas

If you are interested in fountain pens, this book is a great place to start. It is short, easy to read and filled with valuable information that I have gathered since becoming a fountain pen enthusiast. I have included lots of links so that you can connect with other fountain pen users, dealers, and resources. It is a great primer for those just entering the world of fountain pens.

The subjects covered include:

A Brief History of Fountain Pens
Vintage vs. Modern Fountain Pens
Great Starter Fountain Pens
All About Ink
Fountain Pen Filling Systems
Fountain Pen Maintenance and Cleaning
Fountain Pen Nibs
Writing with Fountain Pens
Building a Fountain Pen Collection
Paper for Fountain Pens
Mixing Fountain Pen Inks
Pens from Around the World
Custom Fountain Pens
High-End Fountain Pens
Fountain Pens As Investments
Fountain Pen Dealers
Fountain Pen Resources

About me: I am Tony Thomas, editor of the Frugal Fountain Pen blog: thefrugalfountainpen.blogspot.com. My blog has had over 230K page views since it started in January of 2014. The recently revised version now contains photos and editorial enhancements!

I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

Check out this YouTube video about the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4PKGfPEVhY

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tony Thomas
• Release date: Apr 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370115358

Book preview

How I Got Involved With Fountain Pens

My name is Tony Thomas and I am the editor of a blog called The Frugal Fountain Pen:

http://thefrugalfountainpen.blogspot.com/

I bought my first fountain pen around 1968 at the age of 12. It was a very cheap Sheaffer school pen that used ink cartridges. It had a blue transparent plastic barrel.

What I really remember is how much I enjoyed the experience of writing with a fountain pen back then.

Fast-forward twenty-two years to 1990. I saw a gray Waterman Laureat at an office supply store and decided to buy it. And that time I used Montblanc black and Sheaffer black fountain pen inks. I enjoyed writing with a fountain pen again but bottled ink was becoming very hard to find. As a result, I was forced to retire my fountain pen.

Then, sometime in the 2000s, I bought a Waterman Phileas. I used it for a while but still had a hard time finding ink. It was a really nice pen and I wanted to use it.

Around 2009, I found an ink called Noodler's Bulletproof black on Amazon.com and discovered FPN.

I bought a few Lamy Safaris and a bottle of Noodler's black and have never looked back.

Why Fountain Pens?

When I pull out my fountain pen, a lot of people don't even know what it is. That never ceases to amaze me. Generations ago, that was the only type of pen anyone used.

Many wonder why I even bother with a fountain pen when there are so many ballpoint and rollerball pens available. Good question.

Writing with a fountain pen is a totally different experience than writing with ballpoints and rollerballs. Personally, I find it to be very relaxing and enjoyable. Even luxurious. I love watching the ink flow onto the surface of the paper as my thoughts are transmitted onto the page. It makes me feel that I am connecting with previous generations and bringing the joy of handwriting to a new one.

Why should you use a fountain pen?

1. They are much better for the environment as they are not disposable. Your fountain pens are unlikely to end up in landfills. If they are nice, they will probably be passed down to future generations or end