How To Choose Your Second Fountain Pen (and Why It Should Be A Japanese One)

There’s a lot online about choosing your first fountain pen, but not much about choosing your second. Why second? Because when you buy your first fountain pen, you really don’t know whether you will enjoy using a fountain pen or not yet. However, by the time you decide that you want another fountain pen, you’re more likely to be certain that, yes, fountain pens are indeed great instruments of writing.

I think there’s much thought to be put into the second fountain pen. Unless you were gifted a fountain pen or inherited one from your family, most people’s first is exploratory and is likely something that is fairly affordable yet practical. In other words, you have purchased something that you actively want to seek out more of. You don’t necessarily want to spend a significant amount of money on your first pen, but I think you should definitely invest in your second.

1. Regardless of what your first fountain pen was, your second should be one of quality and pride.
   • Quality because you have committed to using more fountain pens, and therefore this one should be one that can last in your possession for many years to come. It should be something that brings you joy every time you pick it up and reminds you that this is indeed the right path to walk.
   • On the other hand, it should be something that you are proud of using. It’s a manifestation of your new discovery, and it should make you feel excited about the pen and the hobby.
   • Be sure you choose something that you think will represent you well. When people look at the pen, they should immediately think of you!
   • Do not buy a pen just because of “the hype”. Only buy your second pen when you’ve done the research and connect with the product.
   • Think about how you want to use the pen. Do you want to write with it in print? cursive? Will you use it for headers? bullet journaling? drawing? all-round writing? All of these factors will help you narrow down and determine what nib to choose. Whatever nib you choose, it will not do everything, so be thoughtful when it comes to selecting the nib to fit what you’d like to use it for.
   • What size hands do you have? If your hand hurts from holding smaller pens, you should look for something with enough girth around the section, whereas if it doesn’t matter all too much then you have a lot more choices.
2. It should be a gold nibbed pen.
   • There are steel nibs that write just as well as a gold nib, it’s true. However, there are also rollerball pens that write just as well as a fountain pen. The point is not that a gold nib will be radically transformative, but rather that owning and writing with a gold nib pen is a quintessential part of the fountain pen lifestyle. It’s the same reason why people buy cameras even though an iPhone can take pictures just as well. Owning a gold nibbed pen is part of a fountain pen tradition that spans over a century. It’s what nibs were made of back when everybody used fountain pens and ink, and it connects you to the rich history and tradition of fountain pens.
   • You can feel safe using any fountain pen ink with a gold nib without fear of damage (however, still do not use inks not intended for fountain pens)”. Iron gall inks are semi-permanent inks that include some iron content that bonds with the paper. This is the kinds of ink that people in the past used to use for record keeping, and is perfect for people who want to write journals to pass onto their loved ones. However, iron gall inks, due to the iron content, can be potentially corrosive to steel nibs. Older steel nibs in particular are prone to corrosion by iron gall inks, and although steel nib technology has advanced to the point where it is relatively safe to use most iron gall inks with them, it is still a risk that most would prefer to avoid. Gold, however, is a non-reactive metal, and therefore it is perfectly safe to use iron gall inks with nibs that have more than 14k (58.5%) gold content. It is with a gold nib that you can truly and fully explore the wonderful world of inks.
   • It will be something that you will be able to pass on. Gold nibs generally have better longevity due to it being a stable metal that is non-reactive. This means that the writing point is resistant to more sustained use (in the sense of being wet, not in the sense of hard writing pressure which is bad). You can often find older vintage steel nibs with white crust on them, which more often than not means that those nibs are goners, whereas even gold nibs that develop a patina can be easily polished to it’s shiny original state without damage.
   • Pens with gold nibs are often, but not always, made with higher quality materials. This is because gold is much more expensive than steel in general, so most manufacturers who use gold nibs tend to be more careful with even the other materials used overall. For example, many steel nibbed pens come with chrome trims, whereas gold nibbed pens are usually equipped with trims that are plated rhodium or gold. These small details of quality can go a long way in preserving the look and feel of your pen.
3. It should be a Japanese pen
   • Japanese pens have by far the largest diversity when it comes to nib options. The vast majority of pens made in Chinese and western markets use the same generic nibs made by Jowo/Schmitt, Bock, or Shanghai Jingdian. However, the 3 big Japanese manufacturers all make their nibs in house. This means that they have developed proprietary alloys, nib shapes, imprints, in house finishing, etc. that make a real difference in the writing experience. An Opus 88 and an Esterbrook, while being different brands, would both use the same Jowo nib unit, and therefore write very similarly. However, Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum all make their own nibs and finish them in house, so pens from those manufacturers would not only write differently from each other, but also from the other standard nibs.
   • Japan has a long history of pen manufacturing. In fact, Sailor’s history stretches back to 1911. That’s even before the establishment of many countries. The know how and expertise of these companies shine through in their products so you know that you are holding a quality product.
   • Japanese fountain pens drop the fluff for actual manufacturing excellence. There’s very little marketing pomp surrounding the standard Japanese fountain pens. On the websites of Japanese pen manufacturers, you won’t find an ad copy of their latest collaboration with street style fashion brands, but you will find pages and pages dedicated to the history of their devotion to quality.
   • Japanese pens are relatively affordable, especially when it comes to gold nibbed pens. The basic line of gold nib pens will run you around 100-150 USD (as of November 2021), which is what many western steel nibbed pens are asking for.

So having said all this, below are my recommendations for your second fountain pen in no particular order.

• Pilot Custom 74/Pilot Custom Heritage 91
  • A slim and elegant pen, the black Custom 74 has the largest variety of nib options to choose from out of the pens on this list. You can most certainly find something that suits your hand with this model.
  • The Custom Heritage 91 is essentially the same as the Custom 74, but with flat ends and a sword shaped clip rather than a ball shaped one.
  • 132 USD at the time of writing.
• Pilot Custom Heritage 92
  • The Custom Heritage 92 is the translucent version of the Custom Heritage 91. A pen for people who are serious about writing a lot, while also enjoying a filling technology usually reserved for pens at double the cost. The smoothness of the Custom Heritage 92 piston is extremely satisfying.
  • 165 USD at the time of writing.
• Pilot Custom 823
  • An outlier on this list and the most expensive pen here, many Japanese pen fans consider the Pilot Custom 823 to be the ultimate pen. It’s not because there aren’t any fancier pens (there are), and nor is it because there aren’t any better writing pens (there are). However, the Custom 823 sits in that sweet spot of price to value where everything just makes sense. A large and responsive nib that is backed by an enormous ink capacity thanks to the plunger vacuum filler, this pen is perfect for people who think they want the second pen to be the last (good luck with that though).
  • 330 USD at the time of writing.
• Pilot Capless Vanishing Point/Decimo
  • Do you want a fountain pen that is as handy and easy to use as a ballpoint pen? Look no further than the Capless series. This model enables you to press a knock mechanism to engage the nib unit just like many ballpoint pens. This pen is perfect for jotting down quick notes in meetings without having to fumble around with the cap, not to mention that the click feels extremely satisfactory.
  • Both the Vanishing Point and the Decimo start at 165 USD at the time of writing.
• Sailor Profit 1911 Slim/Sailor Pro Gear Slim
  • The Standard/Slim line is not the entry model to Sailor’s gold nib lineup, that would be the Profit Lite. However, unlike the Lite, the Standard/Slim line features their premium trim just like the more expensive Full size models. Sailor nibs are known to have more feedback due to the way that they finish their nibs, and many fans love Sailor pens for this exact reason.
  • The Pro Gear is the flat topped version of the Profit/1911
  • 143 USD at the time of writing.
• Platinum 3776 Century
  • The 3776 Century is Platinum’s most recognisable model and the most popular fountain pen in Japan by sales due to it’s large nib at a relatively low price. This pen is perfect for people who prefer an extremely stiff writing nib and is the pen that I would recommend for those with a heavy hand. However, the tradeoff for it’s price is the quality control, which is sometime lacking when compared to the other Japanes peers.
  • 165 USD at the time of writing

Any other hints for choosing your second pen? Leave a comment and let me know!