Rediscovering the art of writing with a fountain pen
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I doubt many teenagers use a fountain pens these days – or even know what one is!
But I was an avid fan in my youth, scribbling away in notebooks, textbooks and even answering GCSE and A-level exam questions with one.
Then I started my journalism training and fountain pens fell by the wayside.
Fine-tipped ballpoint pens were much better for getting up to 100wpm shorthand!
I’ve tried a few fountain pens since, but not many can keep up with my resulting fast handwriting.
(I may have been out of a newsroom for 12 years, but it’s still a hard habit to break!)
Ellington Pens: Luxury on a budget
Towards the end of last year, I was approached by Ellington Pens to try one of their products.
The brand was founded by Ethan Ellington, who used his passion for collecting fountain pens, background in maths and the time afforded by the Covid-19 pandemic to develop his first fountain pen over a period of 18 months.
His aim was to create a luxury industry standard fountain pen, using the same high quality materials and craftsmanship, without the hefty price tag.
“I toyed with different dimensions, constructions and materials until I found the perfect weight to comfort ratio,” he explains.
“Blindfolded, I tested our first prototypes against the most expensive fountain pens I could get my hands on and found virtually no difference.
“An Ellington Pen is the world’s first pen that is perfectly balanced with both the cap posted and unposted.”
The Nautilus Fountain Pen
For the uninitiated, ‘posting’ a fountain pen means placing the cap on the back end of the barrel while writing, which makes the pen longer and can change its balance and weight.
Again, going back to my shorthand training, I have a habit of leaving the cap off any pen that I use to make it lighter – and faster – to write with.
I have done the same so far with the Nautilus fountain pen I was gifted by Ellington Pens, which was fitted with an Extra Fine nib at my request.
The pen is crafted with a stainless steel barrel and comes in a gift box with three ink cartridges and an ink converter, as well as a one-year warranty.
Getting ready to write: First impressions
The Nautilus is the perfect weight for me and I love the striking blue colour, with gold accents.
While setting up the pen, the barrel was easy to unscrew and did so very smoothly and the ink cartridge was easy to insert. Even the lid has a satisfying click.
Like many people, calligraphy aside, I don’t get many opportunities to write these days.
I also tend to think special pens like the Nautilus should be kept for best!
I have, however, used it so far to make notes on my watercolour practice sheets and for some monoline calligraphy practice.
First impressions have been really favourable and it seems I have finally found a fountain pen that can keep up with my naturally quick handwriting pace!
The pen is really comfortable to hold, smooth to write with and the ink flow is nice and consistent. It also fits neatly in the slimline ‘everyday’ pencil case I keep in my handbag.
The Nautilus is one of 15 designs in the Ellington Pens range, which also includes calligraphy sets with six interchangeable nibs up to 3mm wide.
To check it out for yourself, visit the website here. (Affiliate Link)
London-based Ellington Pens offers a 30-day trial period, so I’m going to use the pen as much as I can over the next month and I’ll update this blog with my further thoughts!