What is a fountain pen?
Q: What is a fountain pen?
A: A fountain pen is a pen that has a nib and a reservoir of ink.
Q: How does a fountain pen draw ink?
A: The pen draws ink from the reservoir through a feed to the nib. The ink travels by a combination of gravity and capillary action.
Q: What is the nib of a fountain pen?
A: The nib is the part of the pen that writes on the paper.
Q: How do different shapes and styles of nibs affect writing?
A: Different shapes and styles of nibs can change the amount of ink distributed and the thickness of your writing line.
Q: Are nibs replaceable in most fountain pens?
A: Yes, most fountain pens have replaceable nibs.
Q: How are reservoirs of ink filled in fountain pens?
A: Filling the reservoir with ink may be done manually, by a Pasteur pipette (eyedropper) or syringe. However, usually it is done by an internal filling mechanism which creates suction. A piston mechanism or a vacuum transfers ink directly through the nib into the reservoir.
Q: What are pre-filled ink cartridges in some fountain pens?
A: Some pens have removable reservoirs in the form of pre-filled ink cartridges.
