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Fine Pen FAQ's Let's face it, we're a bit fanatic about fine pens. We work closely with so many beautiful works of art, from the world's finest luxury brands, and over time it's easy to forget some of the basic questions everyone starts out with: What is the difference between a ball point and roller ball pen? What is a gel pen? What is a pen refill? What is a fountain pen? How do you choose the right fountain pen nib size? and so on... We've assembled answers to these questions and more here in our Fine Pen FAQ's. Start your education of Fine Pens here: Ball Point Ink Ball point ink: Non water based, high viscosity paste ink (like molasses), which does not thin down when you write with it. Ink transfers from the refill to a rotating ball which spreads the ink on the paper. Ball point ink will slow down your writing. Ball point pens are the top choice for people who sign multi-page/carbonless forms or people who need to concentrate on a slower style of writing. Search for a Ball Pen - Over 600 In Stock!. Roller Ball Ink Rollerball ink: Water based, low viscosity ink (like water), which takes very little effort to get it to flow, hence smooth writing. Ink floods the ball point and in effect you just drag a pool of ink around the paper as you write. Typically, rollerball ink is not permanent and will run when exposed to water. Roller Ball pens generally write very quickly, with very even coverage. Search for a Roller Ball Pen - Over 500 In Stock!. Gel Ink Gel ink: Water based ink which has a viscosity which can change. The ink typically has a high viscosity when the pen is not being used, but when the ball starts to rotate, the ink thins down to have a low viscosity similar to rollerball ink. Ink transfers from the ball similar to both ballpen and rollerball. A cross between a puddle of ink and printing press transfer to paper. Gel inks "glide" across the paper, creating a very soft and smooth feeling when writing. Paradise Pen carries a complete selection of Gel pen refills that will convert most Ball Point Pens into a Gel pen! More Writing Types Paradise Pen also sells a wide range of additional refills: Fine Liners, Fiber Tips, Highlighters, Pencils, & Stylus Tips. What is a Pen Refill? Most of the ball point, roller ball, and fountain pens that we carry use a pen refill to supply the ink for the pen. For a ball point or roller ball pen, the refill contains the ink and the writing tip. Simply unscrew the body of the pen to replace your refill. Click on this link to see a sample of a pen refill. Ink qualities vary by manufacturer.  You may find that a certain vendor manufactures a refill that writes smoother than another manufacturer. Once again, personal taste will determine a refill that fits your writing style best. Some pen refill types are also interchangeable. For instance, we can replace many stock ball point refills with a gel, capless roller ball, or fine liner refill! Fountain Pens use a different "refill". The majority of fountain pens that we sell use a cartridge refill or a converter. A fountain pen feeds the ink from the cartridge or converter, down through the feed into the nib. See our Fountain Pen Care & Maintenance Guide for more information.
Fountain Pens: The Pinnacle of Pens Fountain Pens add a flourish to your writing, they "slow" you down and make your writing, especially cursive, better and more legible. The little bit of added maintenance is worth the trouble. They normally use water based inks which can smear when wet and run if wetted after it dries. With the exception to Mont Blanc Blue-Blk, which is archival and permanent. Selecting a Nib Size Fountain pen nibs must suit the consumer's writing style. That doesn't mean they need to only use one nib size. They may need/want different nib sizes for different tasks or to suit their mood: ie:  a fine nib for numbers or if they write small, or a double broad for signatures. Usually nibs are purchased in medium nibs, with fine second and broad a distant third. Nibs are available (by some manufacturers) in XF (extra fine), F (fine), M (medium), B (bold), BB (broad bold), OB (oblique broad), OBB (oblique broad bold), and I (italic). Gold Nibs Gold nibs are the first choice for most pen lovers. They come in 14k and 18k versions (and some select softer golds - the higher the karat number the softer and more flexible the nib will be). These nibs are stamped in solid gold, like jewelry. If they are not stamped and look gold, they are merely gold plated steel nibs. The gold gives more flexibility for more expressive writing, and will conform to your writing style in a month or so. EXPERT TIP: Don't lend your fountain pen to anyone as it will affect/damage the nib. Everyone writes at a different angle and pressure. So your customized nib will not write the same for someone else and the nib will "wear" unevenly. Steel Nibs Steel nibs are great for starters/students and for those who like a stiffer nib. Now remember, we write on the nib's iridium (sometimes a mixture) point, not the gold or steel. This very hard material is on the tip of every fountain pen nib. How well this is made will ultimately decide how well/ or bad the nib will write. You can have a $1,000 pen with a gold nib that writes poorly and a $60 steel nib that writes like a dream. It all has to do with how well the point was finished. On many occasions there is hand work which explains the varied nature of nibs. Final Fountain Pen Thoughts We always tell our customers to buy the pen they dipped in our store if they like the way it writes. You can turn around and get another one of the exact same pens, but it could very well write differently. Dipping a fountain pen and testing it is extremely important so the pen can be compared and accepted or rejected.
 If you would like more information on selecting the perfect pen, either as a gift for someone else, or as a personal purchase, please contact our closest store, simply by dialing toll-free: 866-747-5800. One of our local writing experts will be happy to find out more about your writing style and gift needs. Find a Paradise Pen Store Near You.
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