Inside the Inky World of Fountain Pen Lovers

Correction fluids have improbably outlasted the typewriter and survived the rise of the digital office. Christmastime is when the pens in my house get their biggest workout of the year. Like many Americans above grammar-school age, I seldom write by hand anymore, outside of barely legible grocery lists. But the end of the year brings…

The United States of America celebrates National Handwriting Day today. It was originally established by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association in 1977. Not many people would have heard of this holiday since it wasn’t proclaimed as a national holiday by US Congress. Their objective is to promote the use of pens, pencils and writing paper. January…

  1 There is no risk of lead poisoning if you stab yourself (or someone else) with a pencil because it contains no lead—just a mixture of clay and graphite. Still, pencil wounds carry a risk of infection for the stabees, lawsuits for stabbers. 2 And bad juju for anyone linked to Watergate: In his…

This is an old article by Josh Giesbrecht that I came across in my bookmarks and I thought it is still very relevant, informative and interesting.  Enjoy! Recently, Bic launched a campaign to “save handwriting.” Named “Fight for Your Write,” it includes a pledge to “encourage the act of handwriting” in the pledge-taker’s home and…

My fascination with exotic nibs, or nibs that were different from your regular ‘M’ that was and is marketed by most manufacturers began back in 1984 when I discovered the Rotring Artpen. These were offered individually as well as a set. I actually saw an ad for it somewhere and went over to my pen…