| For many, a pen is just a means to an end. A quick | | | | qualities of a fountain. Rollerball pen are often chosen |
| way to communicate and in today's world, a dyeing | | | | as a upmarket substitute for the ballpoint pen, or for |
| art. For others it is a ticket to the past, present and | | | | fountain pen lovers as a good travelling substitute |
| the future depending on your tense. A fine pen can | | | | because they give a similar writing experience as the |
| offer more than a sleek design and depending on | | | | fountain without having the problem of carrying ink |
| what writing mode you choose, Fountain, Rollerball or | | | | bottles or cartridges about. |
| Ballpoint, it can make or break your writing | | | | Ballpoint Pen |
| experience. | | | | The ballpoint pen is probably one of the most |
| Fountain Pen | | | | commonly used pens of all. It writes using an oil |
| The fountain pen is a nib pen. It is a writing | | | | based ink which dries almost immediately after |
| instrument which requires little or no pressure to | | | | contact with the paper. The ink chamber relies on |
| write with. Ideally a fountain pen should glide across | | | | gravity to dispense the ink onto the ball which means |
| the paper using the ink as a lubricant. A lot of people | | | | that a ballpoint is not very practical for writing upside |
| use fountain pen as their primary writing instrument | | | | down or on surfaces with a low adherence. There |
| over ballpoint pen and rollerball pen. A fountain pen | | | | are two types of ballpoint, the disposable and the |
| uses water based ink which is filled via a piston, | | | | refillable. Disposable ballpoints are usually made of |
| convertor or cartridge system. Most fountains are | | | | plastic and can be very inexpensive, once the ink has |
| available in different nib widths which are made of | | | | been consumed you simply throw it away. Refillable |
| either steel or solid gold. Aesthetics, history and | | | | ballpoint pens are generally higher in price and made |
| heritage all play a big part in the use and collectability | | | | of higher quality materials like silver, resin, gold and |
| of the fountain pen. | | | | wood, hence certain companies offering a lifetime |
| Rollerball Pen | | | | guarantee. They generally have a good selection of |
| Rollerball pen use a ballpoint writing mechanism but | | | | easily available refills in different colours and point |
| contain a free flowing water-based liquid ink refill | | | | sizes to suit the individual. Pop in to our London pen |
| making it less stressful on the hand and much easier | | | | shop or visit our pen website to see the whole |
| to write with. Rollerballs are designed to have the | | | | spectrum of pens we sell. |
| convenience of a ballpoint and the smooth writing | | | | |