My EDC Fountain Pen
There are certain things you cannot leave the house without: purse, wallet, keys, maybe a pocket knife, compact, phone... For me, aside from the essentials like cards or money, I always carry my fountain pen and a notepad. ALWAYS. No matter what.
My every day carry (EDC) fountain pen, a Kaweco Liliput in brass, lives either in a pant pocket or the fold of my wallet. Although I have other fountain pens at home and in my messenger bag, this small wonder gets the most use. For jotting down grocery lists, crafting a poem or idea on the go, signing a documents, it’s just there. I never have to utter that desperate phrase of the unprepared Hang on, let me find a pen. The dents, scratches, and deep patina all attest to this.
Personally there are myriad reasons to use it. First and foremost, nothing writes like a fountain pen. I’ve shared my love of pencils, but the feel and fluidity of the fountain pen are unmatched; not having to press down, unless you want some line variation, borders on magical. The combinations are also infinite. Ink colour, viscosity, nib size, flex... you make your pen yours. On a related point, you never have to borrow someone’s pen—something I absolutely loathe—or lend it out (Sorry, it’s a fountain pen). This said, a fountain pen will undoubtedly start a conversation: that’s fancy; my grandmother had one of those; aren’t fountain pens for calligraphy? Any discussions about writing and writing tools in this day and age are to be cherished.
For most of my longer form writing I will use a fountain pen (while penciled notes and snippets abound at my desk). Every journal entry, story, poem I’ve written has been inked with one. Somewhere in a drawer I have a rollerball and maybe an old, dried out ballpoint, but that’s where they stay. They provide zero enjoyment, thus their relegation to uselessness. I enjoy the act of writing so I don’t settle for inferior tools. But the pen need not be expensive. A Lamy Safari, Kaweco Sport, TWSBI Eco all give me the same pleasure as do more expensive models.
If you are a fountain pen user or aficionado, I am preaching to the choir. If you haven’t yet fallen in love with pure, satisfying, soulful writing, pick up a cheap fountain pen and give it a try. There are even models that come inked with no need for converters or cartridges. However, once you try it, you’ll never go back to a scratchy, uncomfortable, soulless stick pen.