The pen is mightier than the sword these famous words referred to the fountain pen, as that is what was in used at the time. A nice fountain pen is not only a writing instrument, but also is a signature of the taste of a person. Most fountain pen users prefer writing with fountain pens only, as those offer a wide range of ink color choice and smooth writing. Fountain pens require less hand pressure for writing and its possible to write for a long time with less fatigue. The style and look of fountain pens are both very appealing. The cost is also relatively lower since ballpoint pens are lost or misplaced in no time and have high refill costs. Even a higher end fountain pen worth $200 or $300 would cost a few cents a week considering its long life of twenty to thirty years.

The fountain pen contains several parts: the nib, the feed, the round barrel that holds the nib and the feed, the reservoir that holds ink and a cap or lid that is screwed to the outer surface of the reservoir and prevents ink from spilling. There is a clip attached to the cap that enables the pen to be clipped to shirt or coat pocket. The solid metal clips of fountain pens are better than plastic clips of most ball point pens.

By capillary action and gravity, ink flows down the feed. The slit in the nib channels down the ink to the nib point. The small whole at the beginning of the slit allows air to help the capillary action. Ink is filled with a dropper in to the reservoir or ink cartridges are used inside the reservoir to supply ink to the nib. The body of the pen is normally made up of plastic, hard rubber, metal and celluloid.

Fountain pens are available in an infinite number of designs. Nibs of gold and silver add to the cost and beauty of the pens. Many companies are actively involved in manufacturing fountain pens, adding more variety and colorful designs. Fountain pens are manufactured and marketed by Waterman, Parker, Sheaffer, Cross, Pilot, Caran D Ache and others.