The story of me starting using fountain pens

The reason of me using fountain pen comes from a necessity.

At first, I was using the ball point pens and gel pens just like most people. However, as I picked up learning Japanese, I realized that I need to write kanji a lot. By a lot I meant A LOT, I have spent hours upon hours in 3 to 4 years studying Japanese, mainly writing kanji upon kanji while pronouncing them in my head.

As I used these ballpoint pens, I realized that it only lasted for a very short time. On average, one refill will last one month. At the most intense session it can even last as short as a week. I spent dollar after dollar on these pens until I was spending a lot of money on them. I literally have a box of paper in my house filled with words I have written waiting to be recycled.

I have since printed another 1000, yes one thousand, sheets of writing paper waiting to be exhausted, which will last me probably 2 years. But since I was focusing on other things like making games, that will probably last even longer than 2 years.

This is when I explored other option: the fountain pen. Initially, I do not have a clear idea on where to find them in Singapore since most people use ball point pens here. Fountain pens are a niche that only a handful of people uses. As then I searched for the reasons to use a fountain pen and one of perks struck me: the pen and ink are separate. I can buy ink again and again while using the same pen. One pen can last me for essentially a lifetime. So, I tried to find a place where to buy a fountain pen.

I searched through the Internet, visit places in Singapore and that where I found an arts shop called Overjoyed. The online shop can be found here. It is located at Cineleisure, 8 Grange Road B1-02 Singapore 239695 beside Takashimaya store. This is where I make my first purchase of a fountain pen, the Platinum Preppy. Its relatively cheap at less than 10 dollars.

Back then I had no idea that there was something called a converter for the fountain pen. Instead, I was using a cartridge that comes with the fountain pen. I also bought an ink bottle at another art store called Arts Friend at Douby Ghaut. It's Pelikan 4001 royal blue ink that contains just over 60 ml of ink. Then I took to practicing learning Japanese.

Once I switched to fountain pens, I occasionally switched back to ball point pens. Each I switched back; I was reminded of why I went to fountain pens in the first place. As I used up the cartridge of ink, I started to fill it up with the Pelikan 4001 ink. I also so not have an eyedropper or syringe to filled it precisely. It made a mess out of me, that is when I learnt of the converter and went out to buy one.

I went back to Overjoyed store I mentioned and bought a Platinum converter that cost a little over 10 dollars and that is when I kept using it ever since. I have been using it for a while now and it is still in my collection.

Then I refilled my pen over and over and was amazed how long a bottle of ink last. At the same intensity where a ball point pen lasts me a week, a bottle of ink can last me half a year to a year.

It is kind of a necessity for me to switch to fountain pens and I am still using it from time to time. Since then I have expanded my collection and that is for another post.