A pen that is made up of only two pieces may seem like a fairly straightforward device that is easy to use. But the calligraphy dip pen can take some getting used to before you even have a chance of mastering it. There are a few factors that you need to consider when you head out to buy a calligraphy pen.

A dip pen is a kind of calligraphy pen made up with a handle and one of a range of differently sized nibs. The handle may be made of wood, glass, metal, bone or plastic. Some of these nibs have an ink reservoir permanently attached while others have a slip-on version.

Many calligraphers choose to use a metal dip pen over, say, a fountain pen because of the range of inks that can be used with a dip pen, inks mixed to different colors and consistencies. Old-time dip pens were charged with ink by dipping the nib into ink before writing, this is not the only way to add ink to a calligraphy pen. In fact the dip pen can be recharged with ink by feeding it with a paintbrush, an eye-dropper or a syringe which makes sure that you get good control of ink flow.

When connecting the nib to the pen holder you must push the nib firmly into place so that the dip pen does not shake when you write. The nib should be sitting securely between the metal prongs inside the pen holder and its outer shell.

Here’s something to remember about pen nib sizes. Although they may all range in size from a 0 to a 6, some manufacturers have made their smallest size nib a size 6 and worked up as the number have fallen. Most other manufacturers increase the number size as the pen nib size increases, so a 0 is the smallest and so on. It’s a good idea to get to know the standards of the various nib manufacturers so that you are aware of the style of each and whether it will suit you.

When buying a new dip pen nib it is advisable to give it a good clean with detergent and water before thoroughly drying it. Many nibs have a thin layer of oil applied to them to protect them in transit and failing to remove this oil will affect the quality of your work.

When choosing a dip pen over a fountain pen, consider the following advantages the dip pen affords you. A wide range of inks can be used with a dip pen. Inks such as traditional iron gall ink, India ink or acrylic inks will work fine in a dip pen while these kinds of inks will clog up and ruin a fountain pen. Naturally, the fact that you can interchange pen nibs gives the dip pen a much greater flexibility over the fountain pen. Price is a further advantage that a dip pen gives you with replacing nibs a lot cheaper than replacing entire pens.

You will ensure the life of your dip pen is a long one if you are diligent in cleaning the nibs after use. Just as important after thoroughly cleaning the nibs is ensuring that they have been properly dried. Nibs are made from metal and you don’t want to find that your favourite Esterbrook nib has rusted between uses.

Buying a good quality pen for calligraphy and pen nibs will ensure that you will start off with the best possible equipment for producing fine quality work. All that is left is practising often and diligence when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your pens.

Find out more about the calligraphy pen as well as learning about the range of calligraphy pen nibs available. There are plenty of opportunities to buy a calligraphy pen at a reasonable price with such a large range available to choose from.