| Retractable fountain pens have a creative feature | | | | and the paper is what can be retracted in such |
| called the retractable nib. These retractable fountain | | | | fountain pens. In the earlier pen models wherein the |
| pens have unique designs and are manufactured with | | | | nibs were made of steel, the ink would corrode it |
| ingenious technology. These pens have an elegant | | | | easily and as a result to prevent this, nibs were |
| style and usually are of a larger size with a durable | | | | either gold or Iridium plated. As gold is very soft and |
| metal body with attractive gold and chrome accents. | | | | wears down too easily, iridium coated nibs are much |
| Some of the retractable fountain pens have a hand | | | | preferred for retractable fountain pens. The bodies |
| lacquered finish which makes them unique, giving each | | | | of such pens are subject to wear with steady use |
| pen its own style. | | | | over time and as a result sturdy materials were used |
| Retractable nibs are made from a variety of metals | | | | for the exteriors. The more expensive pens have |
| including gold and silver. Their unique feature is that | | | | bodies which are made of metals like Palladium or |
| they are available with gold and rhodium accents in | | | | exotic woods, and are decorated with gold accents. |
| various colors. These nibs on being damaged can be | | | | The reservoir which is the place where the ink is |
| easily replaced with another of the same kind. These | | | | stored is also special in such pens. Initially, reservoirs |
| pens are usually either cartridge or convertor filled | | | | were made of flexible sacs that could be refilled but |
| fountain pens and have very solid nibs. | | | | with time, they came to be replaced by glass or |
| The nib which is the contact point between the pen | | | | plastic cartridges. |