How fountain pens are made

A fountain pen writes by capillary action, the same force that pulls water up a paper towel.

stations: 6
things upstream: 51
raw sources: 20
steps from the ground: 7

The short version

A fountain pen nib is cut from a flat sheet of metal, tipped with a hard alloy ball, and split with a thin saw so the two halves can flex. The barrel is turned or molded, and a plastic feed under the nib meters ink. Pieces are assembled, then every pen is writing-tested.

Stamp the nib blank

A flat nib shape is stamped out of a sheet of stainless steel or gold alloy. It is then curved to give the point its spring.

Goes in
Stainless steel Gold
Weld on the tip

A tiny ball of very hard metal is welded to the point, so the nib survives years of rubbing on paper.
Slit the point

A very thin spinning blade cuts a slit from the tip back to a small breather hole. The slit splits the tip into two tines, and ink flows down it by capillary action.
Grind the tip smooth

The tip is ground and polished, often by hand, until it glides over paper without catching.
Make the barrel

Cheaper barrels are injection-molded from plastic. Premium ones are turned on a lathe from metal or resin.

Goes in
Plastic Brass
Assemble and write-test

The nib and a plastic feed that regulates ink flow are pushed into the section, joined to the barrel with a filling system, and fitted with cap and clip. Each pen is tested by writing with it.

End of the lineFountain pen

Worth repeating

Lewis Waterman launched a commercially viable fountain pen in 1884, selling 36 a week from a cigar kiosk in New York at first.
The Parker Pen Company made the first pen without an ink sac in 1932.
Premium nibs are usually 18 to 22 karat gold, while steel took over on cheaper pens as gold prices rose.