How to Choose a Fountain Pen: Nib Sizes, Materials & What to Look For
How to Choose a Fountain Pen: Nib Sizes, Materials and What to Look For
Whether you're buying your first fountain pen or adding to a collection, this guide covers everything you need to know.
Few objects reward careful consideration quite like a fountain pen. Unlike a ballpoint picked up at a newsagent, a fountain pen is chosen for the way it feels in the hand, the line it lays down, and often the story behind how it was made. Get the choice right and you may never reach for another pen again.
This guide walks you through every factor worth considering: nib sizes, filling systems, materials, weight, and the questions most buyers forget to ask.
Start With How You Write
Before looking at any pen, think about your handwriting. The way you hold a pen, the pressure you apply, and the size of your script all point towards the right nib before you've set foot in a shop or opened a browser.
Do you write with a light touch or press firmly? Heavy-handed writers often find fine nibs frustrating, they can feel scratchy under pressure. A medium or broad nib tends to be more forgiving.
How large is your handwriting? Fine nibs suit small, precise scripts. Broader nibs suit larger, more expressive writing and look particularly good on quality paper.
How fast do you write? Fast writers often prefer wetter, broader nibs that keep up with pace. Slow, deliberate writers have more freedom they can enjoy the control of a finer point.
Understanding Nib Sizes
Nib sizing is the single most important decision you'll make, and it's frequently misunderstood. Here's what each size actually delivers on paper.
Extra Fine (EF)
The narrowest line available. Ideal for small handwriting, technical annotation, or anyone who finds standard nibs feel imprecise. Extra fine nibs require a light touch , they can feel resistant if pressed.
Fine (F)
The most versatile starting point for new fountain pen users. A fine nib works across most paper types and handwriting styles. If you're unsure, start here.
Medium (M)
The standard nib size in most pen ranges. A medium nib is expressive without being indulgent it shows ink colour beautifully and suits everyday correspondence and journalling.
Broad (B)
A broad nib lays down a generous line that showcases ink shading and sheen. It suits large, confident handwriting and feels wonderful for signatures. Less well suited to small paper or tight scripts.
Italic and Stub
These are not round-tipped nibs but flat-edged ones. They create line variation thick on horizontal strokes, thin on vertical ones which gives handwriting a calligraphic quality. Italic nibs are sharper and demand more precision; stub nibs are more forgiving and better for everyday use.
A note on Japanese vs European sizing: Japanese nibs run approximately one size smaller than their European equivalents. A Japanese medium writes closer to a European fine. Worth knowing if you're comparing pens across different manufacturers.
Nib Materials: Gold vs Steel
The nib material affects both the writing experience and the longevity of the pen.
Gold Nibs
Gold nibs typically 14 or 18 carat have a natural springiness that allows them to flex very slightly under the writer's hand. This gives writing a sense of responsiveness that steel cannot fully replicate. Over time, a gold nib also wears subtly to the individual writer's style, becoming uniquely theirs.
Gold nibs are standard on serious writing instruments. YARD-O-LED's fountain pens, for instance, are fitted with 18 carat gold nibs, the choice of a manufacturer that prioritises the long-term writing experience over short-term cost.
Steel Nibs
Steel nibs are stiffer and more consistent. They are an excellent choice for beginners who want to try fountain pen writing without significant investment, and modern steel nibs are considerably better than their reputation suggests. Many writers use steel-nibbed pens for years without complaint.
The meaningful difference becomes apparent only when you write with a well-tuned gold nib for an extended period. Then the distinction is difficult to ignore.
The Pen Body: Materials and What They Mean
The body of the pen affects weight, balance, durability and frankly what it says about the object in your hand.
Resin and Acrylic
The most common material in modern fountain pens. Lightweight, available in endless colours, and durable. An excellent choice for anyone who carries a pen all day and wants reliability without weight.
Brass and Lacquer
Heavier than resin, brass pens have a satisfying heft. The weight distributes writing effort across the hand, which some writers find reduces fatigue. Brass ages beautifully under lacquer finishes.
Sterling Silver
The most prestigious material for a handcrafted writing instrument. Sterling silver 925 parts silver per thousand is warm to the touch, develops a natural patina over years of use, and carries the British hallmark as a guarantee of purity.
Silver pens made in the traditional manner, such as those produced in YARD-O-LED's Birmingham workshop, are hand-chased or engine turned by craftsmen using techniques unchanged for over a century. No two pieces are identical. The material is not chosen for appearance alone it is chosen because it ages into something more personal with every year of use.
Filling Systems
How a pen takes on ink matters more than most buyers realise, particularly if you intend to use bottled ink.
Cartridge
The simplest system. A sealed ink cartridge slots into the pen and is replaced when empty. Convenient for travel, limiting in terms of ink choice — you're restricted to the cartridges compatible with your pen.
Converter
A converter replaces the cartridge and allows the pen to draw ink from a bottle using a piston or squeeze mechanism. This opens up the full world of bottled inks hundreds of colours, finishes and properties. Converters are the best of both worlds: the convenience of cartridges with the freedom of bottled ink.
Piston Filler
A built-in piston mechanism draws ink directly into the barrel. Piston fillers hold more ink than converters and are common on higher-end pens. They are the choice of writers who go through significant volumes of ink.
Eyedropper
The simplest possible system ink is drawn directly into the barrel using a pipette. Maximum ink capacity, minimum mechanism. Best for writers who use one ink consistently and don't require the pen to travel frequently.
Weight and Balance
A pen that feels perfect in the shop can become uncomfortable after twenty minutes of continuous writing. Weight distribution matters as much as total weight.
Posted vs unposted: Most fountain pens can be used with the cap posted on the back of the barrel (making the pen longer and heavier at the rear) or unposted (cap set aside). Try both. Some writers find posting improves balance; others find it top-heavy.
Grip section diameter: Wider grips suit writers who hold a pen loosely; narrower grips suit those with a precise, tight grip. If your hand cramps after extended writing, the grip section is often the culprit.
Overall weight: Heavier pens are not better pens. A well-balanced lighter pen will outlast a heavy one for extended writing sessions. That said, a certain weight communicates quality — the question is whether it is distributed correctly.
What to Look for in a Luxury Fountain Pen
If you are considering a pen at the upper end of the market, the criteria shift somewhat. Performance is assumed. What distinguishes the exceptional from the merely good is craft.
Hallmarking: On a sterling silver pen, look for the British hallmark — the assay office mark that guarantees silver content. YARD-O-LED pens carry this on every clip, making authenticity verifiable.
Individual numbering: A pen that is individually numbered has been checked and signed off as a discrete object. It is not one of thousands; it is one.
Handwork: Engine turning, hand chasing, and enamelling are techniques that cannot be fully replicated by machine. The variation between individually worked pieces is a feature, not a flaw it is evidence that a human being made your pen.
The nib: On a serious pen, the nib should be tuned to write immediately on first use, with no skipping, hard starting, or railroading. A nib that requires adjustment on a new pen is a warning sign.
A Final Word
The best fountain pen is the one you reach for every day. Start with a nib size matched to your handwriting, choose a filling system suited to how you use ink, and let the material reflect how seriously you take the object.
If you are ready to make a considered choice, YARD-O-LED's range of sterling silver fountain pens — handcrafted in Birmingham, individually numbered, and fitted with 18 carat gold nibs — represents the standard against which other writing instruments are measured.
Explore the full YARD-O-LED pen collection →
YARD-O-LED has handcrafted sterling silver writing instruments in England since 1822. Each piece is made by a small team of master silversmiths and individually numbered.