By Li Hanming
The fountain pen is a vital tool in hard-pen calligraphy creation, as essential as a rifle is to a soldier. The writing performance of a fountain pen directly affects the creator's mood and expressive ability. Imagine a pen with scratchy ink flow and a sharp nib that catches and tears the paper, halting mid-stroke — this would surely dampen any creative inspiration. How could good work emerge from such an experience?
As Wang Yuanqi wrote in Peiwenzhai Shuhua Pu: A skilled calligrapher who obtains a fine brush is like a master craftsman with a sharp tool — working in harmony is a pleasure in itself. Those who claim they can write beautifully regardless of the brush — is that really a sound argument? Ancient calligraphers were meticulous about their tools; likewise, today's hard-pen calligraphers should not be casual about theirs. Below are the methods for selecting and maintaining fountain pens that I have summarized from personal experience, offered as a reference for fellow enthusiasts.
Nib Materials and Types
Modern fountain pen barrels and caps come in an astonishing variety of materials, but the crucial component — the nib — is invariably made of metal. From hard-wearing space-age titanium to precious gold, various rare metals are used to ensure wear resistance and corrosion resistance, extending the pen's lifespan.
Nib types are classified as fully hooded, semi-hooded, and fully exposed. A fully hooded nib encloses both nib and feed within the barrel, leaving only about 2 mm of the nib tip exposed. A fully exposed nib reveals most of the nib and feed. Semi-hooded falls in between.
My Recommendations
If your budget allows, choose a gold-nib pen with a fully exposed nib. Gold-nib pens are premium products, finely crafted from barrel to nib, with excellent wear resistance. I advocate for fully exposed nibs because they offer superior springiness, enabling greater stroke variation and richer expressive potential in creative work.
That said, not every expensive, high-end gold pen suits everyone. Take the world-renowned Parker gold pen, for instance — exquisitely made with a lifetime guarantee, but its price is beyond many. Moreover, its nib is delicate and soft, designed for the flowing, evenly weighted strokes of alphabetic writing, not for the highly artistic square characters of Chinese, especially difficult for beginners to control.
The preference for fully exposed nibs is my personal view. Every calligrapher should choose based on their own habits and creative needs.
Selection Steps at the Shop
At the stationery store, first choose a model that fits your taste and budget, then inspect as follows:
Start with a visual check: the barrel and cap should be free of damage. The nib is the most important part — it must be firmly seated, not loose. The left and right iridium pellets should be roughly equal in size, with no defects. The nib should sit flush against the feed. Then, holding the pen in writing posture, press it lightly onto paper to observe the nib slit width and the nib's springiness. Finally, fill with ink and check the reservoir or piston for leaks. Tap the nib gently on paper — no ink drops should fly out. Draw figure-eights on the paper — there should be no scratching. Ink flow should be smooth. Write a few characters in your usual style to see if the line thickness variation meets your expectations.
Finding a pen that is absolutely perfect in every way is unlikely. This means the user must spend time with the pen, practice diligently, and wear it in — only then can it become a truly responsive instrument for creating good work.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Hard-pen calligraphy creation generally uses black carbon ink, which contains gum. If the pen is left uncapped and exposed to air for an extended period during use, the ink can congeal and clog the nib, causing rough, discontinuous writing — a common annoyance for hard-pen calligraphy enthusiasts. Regular cleaning is the solution.
Most fountain pen nib sections can be fully disassembled. Use a soft brush and a spray bottle to clean the nib and feed. For pens that cannot be disassembled, or where disassembly risks damage, immerse the pen in a basin of clean water and repeatedly fill and expel water to rinse out residual ink. Then use a spray bottle to flush the nib, and thread a fine cotton string into the gap between feed and nib to clean it (less applicable to fully hooded nibs). If stubborn residue clogs the fine nib slit beyond the reach of brushing or soaking, a strand of hair threaded through the slit can effectively clean it.
In addition to regular cleaning, observe these daily habits: never press down excessively hard on the nib; never write on hard or rough surfaces; always cap the pen after use to protect the nib; and use quality ink. These measures will protect your pen from damage, extend its life, and keep it in peak condition to help you create more and better hard-pen calligraphy works.