My father taught Lyn and me to write using a fountain pen. It was an old, substantial pen that felt cool to the touch. The ink just flowed onto the paper.

Then I started using ball point pens that came 24 to a box for $1.99. I had to lean my weight into writing. And I found out my handwriting was really, really atrocious. There just wasn’t any control to a ballpoint pen.

Of course, there is less and less need to use a good quality pen in the digital age. But there are still plenty of times that require a handwritten note. Thank you cards, condolence notes, and yes – the old fashioned letter. And if you are using a fountain pen, you will be looking for excuses to handwrite notes, simply because it is such a luxurious feeling.

If you haven’t used a fountain pen before or would like one for everyday use, I highly recommend the Cross Stratford Black Fountain Pen Medium. It is a semi-glossy lacquered rich black pen with a chrome clip and trim. The stainless steel nib is absolutely gorgeous, intricately engraved and crafted.

Installing the ink cartridge on a fountain pen can sometimes be a tricky (and sometimes messy) proposition, but the cartridge popped right into place, no mess, on the first try. In use, it doesn’t drip ink but keeps it at a nice even flow. It is easy to control the pen, and it even allows for more letter artistry than a typical ballpoint pen.

A few tips for using a fountain pen:

1. Your Grandfather’s fountain pen may have tended to leak. Modern ones, for the most part, do not because the ink cartridge fits better with the nib. But to avoid any leaks, always store pens upright, so the nib does not fill with ink, which tends to splatter upon removing the cap. To store this pen upright, use the clip on the top to secure it in a shirt pocket, in a briefcase or attache or, to clip it in your handbag.
2. If you store a fountain pen horizontally in a display case or the original box, invert it for a brief period before use so that the excess ink drains out of the nib.
3. Ink flows easily from a fountain pen; you need very little pressure on the nib.
4. Learn how to hold a pen correctly for ease of use and to create flowing ink. While calligraphers hold their pens vertically upright, you will be holding the pen at roughly a comfortable 40-degree angle.

HOW TO HOLD A FOUNTAIN PEN
Watch the video below to see how to hold a fountain pen.

1. Remove the cap from the pen and put it on the top of the pen, with the clip of the pen aligned with the top of the nib. This is called “posting.” Posting a pen cap give the pen more length and gives it weight, this makes it easier to hold in your hand and gives an elegance and ease to the writing.
2. Rest the top of the pen cap in the crook between the thumb and forefinger.
3. Rest the base of the foot of the pen that holds the nib between your ring and middle fingers. This keeps the pen steady
4. Place your index finger and thumb on the other side to gently maneuver the pen.
5. Place the pen on the paper with the nib tip at the 40-degree angle, just touching the tip to the paper. Remember to keep the tip at an angle, not vertically like a ballpoint pen.
6. Go ahead and write!

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c79SULxOrqo[/embedyt]

While this isn’t the heaviest fountain pen in my collection, it still has a nice heft to it. That is critical to me when I’m picking out a pen as it simply feels better in the hand.

This pen is a fantastic gift for anyone, and it looks far more expensive than its $24.95 price point. It comes in a traditional looking box with the Cross logo. It’s also a great gift for yourself. Did you recently get a new job, promotion, or take up journaling? Treat yourself to the luxury of a beautiful fountain pen.

Find it at PensandPencils.net.

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.