6 ms·

I can never get over the "scratching" feeling of fountain pens. It gives me a weird goosbump feeling and makes them impossible to use. Am I using them wrong? U

I can never get over the "scratching" feeling of fountain pens. It gives me a weird goosbump feeling and makes them impossible to use. Am I using them wrong? Using the wrong brand/type?

MSFT_Edging 3y ago
Yeah, that comes down to the nib. Not all pens are scratchy. I sorta like a sweet spot of a little bit of scratchiness. I have an old pilot metropolitan that is almost too smooth. I even dropped it once and had to re-form the nib. I usually use a pilot v5 rolling ball pen with the water based ink which is a little scratchy but requires very little pressure compared to a normal ballpoint.
nolamark 3y ago
You ought to be able to find a pen without a scratching feeling. The nib, the ink, and the paper can all contribute to a scratchy feeling. If you have been trying with an old pen, the nib could be damaged, or the ink too dried out. If you are writing with a new pen the you might need a wider writing nib, a medium or above is your best bet. In pen reviews, look for how "wet" the pen writes. I like writing very tiny letters and use a Pilot extra-fine, an it is can be scratchy, but I replaced the medium nib my Pilot Metro was sold with. It was not scratchy with the medium. Jetpens has some 5 pen sampler pack if you're are $25 curious. https://www.jetpens.com/JetPens-Beginner-Fountain-Pen-Sampler/pd/24218 https://www.jetpens.com/JetPens-Beginner-Fountain-Pen-Sample...
xanderlewis 3y ago
Certain brands like Platinum and Sailor are known for this — it’s somewhat euphemistically known as ‘feedback’ and some people like it. I’ve been partial to it in the past. Pilot is an example of a brand known for smoother writing. Try one! There is also the possibility that the nib is just out of alignment. You might need to look at it under a loupe and perform some adjustments… there are various guides online or you can pay an expert to do it.
adamtaylor_13 3y ago
Holy cow I feel seen. All throughout school I was plagued by that “nails on chalkboard” feeling that I get from using a pencil. Pens don’t typically give me that feeling thankfully.

I can never get over the "scratching" feeling of fountain pens. It gives me a weird goosbump feeling and makes them impossible to use. Am I using them wrong? Using the wrong brand/type?

MSFT_Edging 3y ago

Yeah, that comes down to the nib. Not all pens are scratchy. I sorta like a sweet spot of a little bit of scratchiness. I have an old pilot metropolitan that is almost too smooth. I even dropped it once and had to re-form the nib. I usually use a pilot v5 rolling ball pen with the water based ink which is a little scratchy but requires very little pressure compared to a normal ballpoint.

nolamark 3y ago

You ought to be able to find a pen without a scratching feeling. The nib, the ink, and the paper can all contribute to a scratchy feeling. If you have been trying with an old pen, the nib could be damaged, or the ink too dried out. If you are writing with a new pen the you might need a wider writing nib, a medium or above is your best bet. In pen reviews, look for how "wet" the pen writes. I like writing very tiny letters and use a Pilot extra-fine, an it is can be scratchy, but I replaced the medium nib my Pilot Metro was sold with. It was not scratchy with the medium. Jetpens has some 5 pen sampler pack if you're are $25 curious. https://www.jetpens.com/JetPens-Beginner-Fountain-Pen-Sampler/pd/24218 https://www.jetpens.com/JetPens-Beginner-Fountain-Pen-Sample...

xanderlewis 3y ago

Certain brands like Platinum and Sailor are known for this — it’s somewhat euphemistically known as ‘feedback’ and some people like it. I’ve been partial to it in the past. Pilot is an example of a brand known for smoother writing. Try one! There is also the possibility that the nib is just out of alignment. You might need to look at it under a loupe and perform some adjustments… there are various guides online or you can pay an expert to do it.

adamtaylor_13 3y ago

Holy cow I feel seen. All throughout school I was plagued by that “nails on chalkboard” feeling that I get from using a pencil. Pens don’t typically give me that feeling thankfully.