Many calligraphy enthusiasts favor fude pens (art pens with bent nibs), because their curved tip offers expressive power that ordinary fountain pens cannot match. The author has previously shared some writing samples produced with such pens. Below are personal insights on what to look for when purchasing a fude pen.
I. The Nib
1. Bend Length
The greater the bend length, the larger the character size you can produce. A well-controlled bent nib allows you to write both large and small characters with great flexibility. However, some fude pens on the market today have a bend length of only 1–2 mm — especially gift-oriented pens from newer brands that focus more on packaging than performance (and are often quite expensive). When selecting, aim for a bend length of 2–3 mm.
2. Bend Angle
This relates to your personal writing posture. In the standard grip, the thumb and index finger hold the pen, the middle finger provides support, and the ring and little fingers curl inward. The barrel usually rests against the base of the index finger (the largest knuckle), with the fingertips about one cun (roughly 3 cm) from the nib tip. Calligraphy enthusiasts generally want one pen for both everyday writing and artistic creation, which places higher demands on the bend angle of the fude nib. With the standard grip described above, you can write small characters for daily use; by holding the pen slightly further from the nib or letting the barrel lean into the web of the thumb, you can write larger characters. Therefore, a bend angle of approximately 50 degrees is ideal — rest the barrel against the index finger base for small writing, or against the thumb web for large writing. If the angle is too small, writing large characters becomes awkward. Unfortunately, most fude pens on the market today have a bend angle that is too steep (some even reaching 90 degrees). Such pens make everyday small writing nearly impossible, or force the user to hold the pen almost upright.
3. Gold Nib or Not?
From personal experience: avoid gold nibs for fude pens. The springiness of gold nibs is not suited to this type of pen. A fude pen relies on controlling the contact surface between nib and paper to achieve its effects, whereas a straight-nib pen benefits more from a gold nib, whose flexibility helps produce pronounced thick-and-thin line variation — especially in regular script (kai) and clerical script (li).
II. The Filling System
Older pens used a fixed rubber sac filling system — the author still has a few pens of this type (e.g., Hero 616). This system can detract from the aesthetics of pens with exposed nibs, which is why removable converters have become popular.
1) Removable rubber-sac converter: In my experience, these only fill to about one-third capacity. Since fude pens consume more ink than regular fountain pens, I do not recommend pens that use this type of converter.
2) Piston or screw-type converter: These maintain the clean look of an exposed-nib pen, are easy to fill, hold plenty of ink, and are highly recommended.
III. Pen Weight
Calligraphy lovers tend to prefer slightly heavier pens. Some manufacturers, catering to this preference, cut corners on the barrel material but add a heavy screw to the cap finial to increase the pen's overall weight. This not only fails to improve the writing feel but actually throws off the pen's balance. Weight is not about being heavy for its own sake — what matters is how the pen feels in hand. The cap must not be too heavy; when the cap is posted, the center of gravity should not shift too far back. Additionally, if the pen is excessively heavy, prolonged writing sessions will cause hand fatigue.
IV. The Grip Section
Due to inconsistent quality in plastic components from some manufacturers, plastic grip sections were once prone to cracking. Today, most pens use steel, brass, or other alloys for the grip. When choosing, avoid grips that are too smooth — a slippery grip compromises control and leads to fatigue during extended writing.
V. Brand Selection
Most fude pens on the market today are from domestic Chinese brands. Imported pens labeled as 'art pens' or 'calligraphy pens' are usually broad-nib pens and are not well-suited to daily Chinese writing and calligraphy practice. There are many domestic brands, but the brand name itself is not the most important factor — the author owns several fude pens that are not from major brands yet write beautifully. If you are buying a pen as a gift, however, brand reputation does matter; well-known domestic brands need no introduction. As for the 'Wangzhe Calligraphy Pen' brand — a mail-order brand that specializes in calligraphy and fude pens — the author owns two and finds their writing performance excellent. Their signature feature is multi-angle smoothing treatment, which meets the needs of many calligraphy enthusiasts. Customer service is very good, though the quality of the pen body could be improved.