What is the best fountain pen for students? If you are a student who is trying to shift from a ballpoint pen to a fountain pen, you might ask the same question.
While ballpoint pens are commonly used in school, fountain pens can also be a great writing tool. In fact, if you know how to use it, fountain pens can do wonderful writing.
Fountain pens are reliable, durable, and affordable. These characteristics of a writing tool are essential for a student. Finding these features can be tough if you are new in using a fountain pen.
Not all fountain pens are created equal. In fact, the reason why most students use ballpoint pens instead of fountain pens is that fountain pens are known to have issues in writing.
But there are fountain pens that are designed to help students achieve their academic writing tasks.
What makes the best fountain pen for students?
The answer to this question can be arbitrary. No two students have the same preference when it comes to judging a fountain pen’s quality. What works for me best may not work for others.
The most important thing you need to think about before buying a fountain pen is the very purpose of buying the pen. Where will you use it? Is it for document signing? For note-taking? Or, for daily diary writing?
These questions are very important. You might need to buy a sturdier or perhaps a fancier fountain pen depending on your purpose. This, of course, depends on many reasons. But the most significant question would be “What is your main goal in purchasing the pen?”
Therefore, the best fountain pen for students is the one that helps them achieve what they want to achieve. The most common uses of all writing tools in school are note-taking, drawing, and coloring.
A sturdy and long-lasting fountain pen can be tremendously helpful for students. It allows the students to engage in long writing sessions without having issues.
Aside from being durable, fountain pens also have good looking features that give the users a good feeling about the pen.
Unlike usual writing pens, fountain pens are designed for almost all writing conditions. They are not the type of writing tool that you leave on your table. Fountain pens, in my opinion, are something to be cared for.
Fountain pens can ignite the excitement or motivation to jot down notes during the class. If you are a student, this may help you a lot. Most students nowadays do not write notes during class. Instead, they heavily rely on their screens.
However, scientific studies suggest that using the traditional way of writing can have tremendous benefits to the writer. It helps the student remember the written information better than those who use computers or laptops.
Now that you know the reason why you should use a traditional way of writing notes, you may be already convinced that you should use a pen.
I am not saying here that using a fountain pen is better than using a ballpoint pen. But if you decide to buy a fountain pen over the ballpoint pen, I have some recommendations for you.
Below is the list of the few fountain pens you can try to use in school. There are hundreds of brands out there. But in this post, I will only be sharing the ones that I personally tested.
1. Pilot Metropolitan Collection Fountain Pen
What I love about this fountain pen is its super smoothness and the ability to hold a lot of ink. In fact, as you become accustomed to this, it feels like the pen gets smoother over time. It perfectly works even on cheap paper or a notebook.
It is super easy to maneuver too. You can easily implement your artistic writing style without having any trouble. As soon as the pen runs out of ink, you can refill it easily.
The funny thing is that a lot of people think that the Pilot Metropolitan is an expensive fountain pen. But it is not. It looks expensive but it is actually affordable. It is indeed a balance of affordability and quality.
This fountain pen will just perfectly glide on paper leaving nothing but a clean and precise line. Unlike other fountain pen brands that skip and smudge, this one is different. Although it does skip occasionally, it does not bother the writing momentum.
The only downside of this fountain pen is its grip section. But maybe it is only for me. I prefer the bigger grip section not slender. But if you have a small hand though, this pen will perfectly fit.
Overall, I highly recommend this fountain pen for students. This pen will stand against the test of note-taking, journaling, and drawing.
Salient Features:
- Affordable
- Perfect for students
- Has a great aesthetic value
- Durable
- Reliable
- Writes on virtually any type of paper
2. Lamy Safari
My other favorite fountain pen is the Lamy Safari. This is one of the best fountain pens I ever have. It is super smooth and reliable. You can enjoy this not only in signing documents but more so in writing.
This is a beautiful looking fountain pen. But more than aesthetic value, this fountain pen did not give me a headache. It literally glides on paper without leaving smears. The writing performance is just remarkable.
This is perfect for note-taking and long writing sessions. This is truly an amazing writing tool that a student would love. Unlike another fountain pen that is heavier, this fountain pen is lightweight.
Salient Features:
- Super easy to write with
- Has several colors to choose from
- Comes with multiple nib sizes
- Durable
- Super comfortable and smooth to write with
- Perfect for note-taking
- Perfect for students
3. Platinum Preppy
My handwriting is quite small so I love pens that allow me to implement my writing style. Then I found the Platinum Preppy. Unlike other fountain pens that gave me a headache before, this pen does the opposite.
The body of this pen is made of plastic making lightweight for comfortable writing even in long writing sessions. For me, this is a perfect fountain pen for students who are accustomed to the traditional way of note-taking.
The only drawback of this pen is that because the body is made of plastic, it might not as durable as the steel ones. You have to be careful when carrying this pen for it might not stand abusive use.
Nonetheless, this pen helps me in many ways. The multiple colors allow me to highlight the important information I want to remember. With this pen, you can have a writing tool and a highlighter.
Salient Features:
- Great writing instrument
- Easy and comfortable to write with
- Easy to monitor ink
- Can be used for writing and highlighting
- With multiple colors to choose from
- Affordable
- Perfect for students’ use
4. Pilot Varsity
I discovered this pen accidentally. My friend actually let me borrowed his Pilot Varsity which I like. Then later, I bought some for my own.
What I like the most about this pen is the ink flow and controllability. The ink just smoothly flows and does not create any distorted line. This feature of the pen allows the writer to control the whole writing process.
The outcome is a neat and excellent writing performance. The steady ink flow eases the writer’s hand, especially during long writing sessions. There’s no need to apply pressure on the pen.
The pen also comes with multiple color variation allowing you to do more than just note-taking. The quality like this of a fountain pen is comparable to most expensive counterpart brands.
Unlike other fountain pens that cause smears and smudges, this fountain pen does not. If you are a student, you definitely love this pen. It does not only help you achieve your personal writing style but also improve your penmanship.
Salient Features:
- The quality is greater than the price
- Affordable
- Perfect for a low budget purchase
- Reliable
- Versatile
- Contains good ink capacity
- With multiple uses
5. Noodler’s Flex Pens
I love hiking and mingling with mother nature during the summer. During the trip, I always bring my diary with me. Camping is a great opportunity to reflect and a great opportunity to write an entry in my diary.
In this relaxing moment, when there is no need to hurry, I love to scribble and make every moment of it memorable. In this case, I use the fountain pen that gives me the freedom to do so. And my favorite in this category is the Noodler’s Flex Pen.
This is a nice and versatile fountain pen. Not only great for note-taking but also for other writing tasks. It is durable too perfect for everyday and outdoor use. Not to mention the number of color choices a writer can choose from.
Salient Features:
- Comes with multiple color variation
- Durable and reliable even for extreme condition
- Superior quality in an affordable price range
- Has great ink capacity
- Can be easily cleaned
6. Platinum Cool
This fountain pen is another high-quality inexpensive pen. It is a marvelous writing instrument under $50. The nib is made of steel making it excellent and durable. It has the appearance of an expensive pen at an affordable price.
We have a collection of highly-priced fountain pens here at The Ballpoint Pens. But I love the Platinum Cool for my daily writing tasks. With its price, it is incredible to have that smooth ink flow. And the best part is that this pen does not smear, unlike usual fountain pens.
If you are a student who wants to try a fountain pen aa your writing instrument in school, you probably want to check this out.
Salient Features:
- Easy to maneuver during the writing
- With excellent writing performance
- Comes with a converter
- With a clear body that allows the writer to monitor the ink level
- Affordable
- One of the best fountain pens for students
7. TWSBI 580
Note-taking needs a writing instrument that is smooth on paper and has a fine and excellent writing performance. A pen like this helps the writer accomplishes his/her goal. One of the best pens in this category is my other favorite – the TWSBI 580.
Of course, this is one of the favorite fountain pens. It has an irresistible appearance and perfect balance between the weight and length of the pen. Such a combination makes this fountain pen an excellent writing instrument.
The ink just creates clear and precise lines on the paper. For years of using this fountain pen, it did not give me a problem in the middle of the writing task. It does not skip as far as my experience with this pen goes.
It is super smooth to write with on virtually any type of paper. If you are a meticulous writer, there is a high chance that you like this fountain pen too. I highly recommend this for students.
Salient Features:
- Super smooth to write with
- Works perfectly on virtually any type of paper
- Does not smudge
- Comes with a variety of nib sizes to choose from
- With a clear body that allows the writer to see the ink level
- Easy to be cleaned and maintained
- Great maneuverability
- Affordable
- One of the best fountain pens for students
There you go. You have my recommended best fountain pens for students. Although everything is based on my preference and experience, I believe that you will also like the fountain pens I mentioned above.
If you don’t find a pen that fits your needs and style, you can search online or go to the nearest school supplies. I hope that this list helps you find a fountain pen for your writing tasks in school.
How to take care of the fountain pens?
Now that you already have decided or already bought your favorite fountain pen, the next thing you might want to know is how to take care of your writing tool.
Fountain pens can be more sensitive than ballpoint pens. This means that these writing tools may need more care and maintenance.
In this post, I will share with you some basic techniques in caring for your fountain pen.
1. Keep the cap on when the fountain pen is not in use.
One of the most common problems with fountain pens is ink clogging. This happens when the ink dried up at the tip. The ink will not flow and therefore the fountain pen will not write.
To avoid this problem, you need to make sure that the cap is on before storing the fountain pen. This prevents the ink from drying up.
If the fountain pen does not write because of the dried ink blocking the ink from flowing, you can soak the tip of the pen in cold water. However, this tactic does not always work. Sometimes you need to completely dismantle the pen and clean it thoroughly.
2. Keep your fountain pen for your own use
This may sound selfish. But believe it or not, others may not care about your fountain pen as much as you do. This commonly happens in school. There is nothing wrong with letting anybody to borrow your fountain pen. The only problem is that they may not be careful enough when using it, especially when writing an essay.
So, if somebody borrows a pen from you, you better lend a cheaper ballpoint pen rather than letting them use your precious fountain pen.
3. Give a flush for your fountain pen regularly
If you did not use your fountain pen for quite a while, the ink may have hardened that cause clogging. The build-up in the nib may, in turn, distort the pen’s overall writing performance.
Flushing can help to eliminate blocking dried ink. You can also soak the nib of the pen in a cup of cool water for several hours. This should soften the dried ink.
How to keep fountain pens functional?
There are many ways you can do to clean your fountain pen. Below are the important tips you can do to make your fountain pens functional all the time.
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Cleaning the fountain pens
- Start by unscrewing the barrel from the nib.
- Wash and rinse the nib with water until it is totally clean.
- Do step number 2 regularly to make the pen stay functional.
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Use the fountain pen correctly
- When writing with a fountain pen, do not apply tremendous force on the pen. It may damage the tip. Just allow the pen glides on paper without deliberate effort.
- Use newly bought ink. Old ink may cause several writing issues. It may not flow smoothly and therefore cause smudges and skips. As long as possible, use the new one.
- If you will not be using your fountain pen for several days, make sure you clean it. This will prevent the ink from hardening that will cause damage later on.
- Avoid exposing the fountain pen to high temperature or to direct sunlight.
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Store the fountain pen correctly
- Do not store a fountain pen without cleaning it first. Wash it completely before keeping to its safe place.
- Store the fountain in a vertical position not horizontal. Keep the nib down. This keeps the fountain pen safe from developing a clogged ink.
Finding the best fountain pen for school use is one thing. Keeping it safe is another. The overall process, however, is not difficult. You just need to be mindful of the way you use and care for your fountain pen.
