Down the Fountain Pen Rabbit Hole

I first got to the fountain pen scene shortly after a decade of being smitten with mechanical pencils. I’m still relatively new to the hobby so I’m discovering new stuff every day.

I’ve always liked writing tools and stationaries so the fixation on fountain pen felt like the next natural step.

I often “think” with my pen, be it brainstorming, sketching, or taking notes. I still prefer writing on physical mediums because digital tools still can’t replicate the feeling of ink and nib on paper. Of course, digital is the more convenient and practical option but I love the feeling of carving—etching your marks on paper, leaving something of permanence.

Whenever I brought up my pen and ink interest with older Vietnamese relatives, they often mused that they were required to learn cursive using dip pens when they were younger. Fountain pens have a long history dating back even during Da Vinci’s time but then perfected and commercialized in the 1900s. In that regard, there’s a timeless aspect to these tools.

As for the physical appearance of the pen itself, it lasts long, has an interesting yet simple inner mechanism, and looks extremely snazzy. It also helps that you don’t need to press as hard as other writing tools, alleviating concerns with carpal tunnel.

A good fountain pen can make your thoughts flow like a stream.

Beginning of the (P)end

At the start of this hobby, I only owned a Lamy Safari. It was my only fountain pen for a few years until I gained more financial freedom to indulge in my nonessential interests.

The hobby escalated this year as I grew closer to a friend through our shared interest of pens, art, video games, and animals. We often exchanged experiences of our latest pen/ink samplings, laughed at absurd stationary gadgets, and marveled at different inks and their properties.

I went to Tokyo in May of 2025 and visited a handful of stationaries store. (Beautiful country deserving its own post.) I bought a few pens I’ve been eyeing for a while, a handful of converters, and a ton of new ink. I’m enjoying the new additions to my collection a lot! It became a ritual of some sort when I clean out pens and refill with a different ink color based on how I’m feeling.

New pens to the collection

I ended up buying a ton of Iroshizuku Ink for my collection. With the amount I have, I think I can last for the next decade or so.

My current ink swatches as of this post

Turns out, ink is as important as the pen itself and paper quality often dictates how your ink may behave once laid down (i.e.: the ink may feather, sheen may not show up…) Writing is really a three part experience consisting of pen, ink, and paper.

(P)enabling and Dis(p)engaging

I think I’m going to avoid purchasing any more ink, pens, or paper in the foreseeable future. I’m quite content with my current collection and it’ll last me a few years.

I have to confess, I put more novelty on the tools itself than what it’s supposed to be used for.

No matter how much ink, pens, or nifty writing tools you own, if your penmanship is bad, it won’t magically improve your handwriting or your prose.

(Also, the cheapest pen I own is still my favorite. What a ripoff. Pilot kakuno, you will always be famous.)

There has to be a point of excess and buying for the sake of owning rather using. I’m going to be more conscious of my purchase and use what I already own opposed to fueling consumerism hell.

Who am I kidding, see you at the D.C. Pen Show in August 2025! I’ll be swatching inks and trying new pens, hopefully avoiding any more purchases.

While I don’t encourage overconsumption, I encourage people to find the joy of writing tools—whether for journaling, artistry, or the romance of leaving marks that can last for an eternity.