How to write with a Mont Blanc fountain pen

Many people ask this question after buying their first Mont Blanc fountain pens. I say ‘first’ deliberately, because I am well aware of the collector’s addiction that makes ordinary people turn into avid fans of Mont Blanc. Providing new models of fountain pens are launched each and every year, it is really hard not to buy a second pen.

Mont Blanc fountain pens aren’t ordinary writing instruments: they are works of art. Just like timepieces, fountain pens are meticulously crafted by skilled artists and engineers to come up with well designed yet fully functional fountain pens. That is why collectors keep it and pass it on to the next generation as a sort of heirloom.

Montblanc fountain pens have much in common with quills which were used before pens were invented. The difference, however, lies at the ink flow: modern fountain pens are consistent while quill and ink has a thick print when newly dipped and pale when ink is running dry. Yet for writers and history lovers, fountain pens are the nearest imitaions of the old writing instrument.
So, you’ve just joined the world club of fountain pen owners, and are eager to taste the pleasure writing with a fountain pen gives.

You may be wondering what is the correct way to write with a pen? Is the metal part supposed to face up, sideways, or down? You may have tried writing all these different ways and figured out that each has a different effect.

The proper way is metal side facing up (for the smoother writing).
Generally, the correct way to write with a fountain pen is with the metal part of the nib up. But some pens will write when flipped over - some are even designed to do that so that you can in effect get two nibs in one.

While simple at a first glance, actual writing with a fountain pen requires some attention at start.
Writing is always smooth when using a Montblanc fountain pen. A reservoir for the ink is controlled by a nib at the tip of the pen. Flow is controlled by capillary action with the help of gravity. Unlike the ballpoint pen, a fountain pen has no breaks when scribbled unless its ink is almost depleted. Also, a fountain pen’s ink complements most writing papers because it is mostly water-based, in contrast to other pens that use poisonous chemical-based inks. A fountain pen only includes dye and surfactant as part of ingredients.

The proper way to write with a Mont Blanc fountain pen is to hold the pen in the triangle created by your first two fingers and your thumb. The nib of the Mont Blanc pen should be up, so that you may see the engraving (if any) on the nib; the black portion of the nib (the feed) should be down. The nib of a Mont Blanc fountain pen is a piece of metal, either steel, gold or titanium, which is split down the center. On the underside of the nib, on both pieces of the split, is a half ball of iridium. If the fountain pen is held properly, both tines of the nib should hit the paper at the same time, allowing for a smooth feel and a consistent flow of ink.

All expensive Mont Blanc fountain pens are refillable (this is to tell you that cheap replicas may turn a nightmare for buyers, so always choose authentic Montblanc pens!). There are, of course, the disposable types which are of worse quality and lower price. However, a disposable fountain pen will not make your writing look good as a real fountain pen can. A real fountain pen will do justice to your penmanship, and will server you for many years.

There are two different ways to handle the cap of a fountain pen. Probably the most common manner is to post the cap on the back of the pen, aligning the clip with the nib. If the pen is held properly, the clip will be out of the way of your hand, and the cap will help with the balance of the pen in your hand. If the fountain pen feels uncomfortable in the hand, you may decide to use the cap in the “European” style, setting the cap on the desk as you write. Rather than setting the cap down, many people may decide to hold it in their non-writing hand.