The Fountain Pen (Die Füllfeder)
This red Lamy fountain pen is my go-to preferred writing instrument.
The first time I ever held a fountain pen was when I was 8 years old. Before that, the only writing instrument I had in school was a pencil or a ball tip pen. I had no knowledge whatsoever of how to write with a fountain pen. It was my Austrian tutor, Elfriede who purchased my first set of writing instruments in preparation for the Volksschule -- in it included a fountain pen. She informed me that all the children in Austria use the fountain pen as their writing instrument. I’ve leveled up, I thought to myself, no more Mongol pencils for me! I knew that had to get acquainted with it ... and fast!
I used little force to open it, afraid that I would break the pen with sheer power. However, once I opened it, I was instantly smitten! I examined the pen closely, the nib looked so clean, too beautiful to use. At first, the thought of writing with it seemed somewhat daunting. Taking a deep breath, I proceeded to write. Almost immediately, the round-tipped nib scratched the paper and made a sound likened to that of fingernails scraping down a chalkboard. I cringed ... and so did Elfriede. She then began to instruct me on how to hold the pen correctly. With the right fingers in place, she told me to gently set down the nib on the paper and write at an angle without using too much force, allowing the ink to smoothly glide on the surface of the paper. I slowly got the hang of it after writing my name a couple of times. From then on, it has always been a joy to jot down notes or do my arithmetic for school. It was one of those unique experiences you often look back to from time to time.
Much to my dismay, I had to let go of using a fountain pen in school when I came back to Manila. I still kept it in my pencil case but using it made my classmates stare and as a returnee; I didn’t want to attract attention to myself. I wanted to be like everyone else, and everyone else used the ballpoint pen in all its different types. It wouldn’t take long for my fountain pen to be dormant and become nothing but a remembrance of how school life was like in Austria.
It was in October 2016, our first homecoming back to Austria that sparked my (almost forgotten) interest in using the fountain pen once again. I made sure to purchase one in the airport before leaving. What I bought was a relatively inexpensive Lamy Safari Fountain Pen in red -- a subtle reminder of my recent homecoming, mimicking the color of the Austrian flag. It didn’t take long for me to be reacquainted with the instrument and soon enough, I was well on my way to using the pen to sign documents, fill up lines in my daily planner and doing most of my non-stressful writing with it. I carry it with me at all times and use it as often as possible – it’s a love affair rekindled. My children too, on our second sojourn to Austria, were introduced to the fountain pen and got them as unique gifts from my dear classmate Sigrid. It was such a joy seeing them use their very first fountain pen.
With all that being said, here are some of the reasons why I prefer to write with a fountain pen:
- Promotes better penmanship. Writing with a fountain pen will ultimately force you to write correctly making your handwriting look better.
- Economical. You don’t have to continually buy a new pen whenever the ink runs out. You only have to refill the ink or cartridge whenever needed.
- Eco-friendly. The fewer pens you need to buy, the less trash you contribute to society.
- Expression of artistry. Other than everyday writing, there are some uses of the fountain pen. You can use different types of nibs to express your creativity or artistic mood to make a statement or embellish a piece of art.
- An air of sophistication and tradition. Not only does it look good but also writing with a fountain pen gives off a feeling of style and elegance you can hardly ever achieve with an ordinary ball pen.
- Makes you feel good. Writing with a fountain pen doesn’t require a lot of pressure on your hands hence, writing lengthy correspondents is made easy.
If this piece has inspired you to own your first fountain pen, a good brand for starters is this one from Lamy. This brand offers a variety of fountain pens to suit your specific need and expertise. This product won’t burn a hole in your pocket and is readily available in most National Bookstore branches within Metro Manila. Before your purchase, however, it would be wise to read up on its use and maintenance. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes the first time around because much like with everything else in life, practice makes progress. So go ahead and enjoy yourself with you’re your new pen and embrace the feeling of writing the old-fashioned way.
Already a proud owner of a fountain pen? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.
