Legacy GoPens Blog

On Point With GoPens #20

What is an oblique nib? An oblique nib has a tip that is cut or ground at a slight angle, and the pen must be rotated slightly to achieve proper contact on the page. If you're unfamiliar wit...

On Point With GoPens #19

What's the point of the second inner cap inside the cap of my pen? This helps prevent the ink from drying out by making an air tight seal. In modern pens, you can see these quite easily on c...

On Point With GoPens #18

My vintage pen cap has some holes in it. Does it need repairing? If they are small, clean holes, they were intentionally drilled into the cap to reduce condensation. They should not be block...

On Point With GoPens #17

What do the numbers and letters on my nib mean? It depends on the numbers, of course. Nibs are marked with their gold content, such as 14K/585, or 18K/750. Some modern nibs have 23K Pd ...

On Point With GoPens #16

Why do nibs have tipping? Vintage pen nibs were tipped with iridium, a hard, expensive metal alloy, because the gold nibs on the pens were far too soft to withstand being in continuous conta...

On Point With GoPens #15

I bought a vintage pen on eBay with a name engraved on it. Is my pen more or less valuable than one without a name engraved on it? The addition of a name doesn't necessarily add monetary value, ...

On Point With GoPens #14

What kind of paper should I use with my vintage fountain pen? You can use any paper with your fountain pen, but with copy-type papers, your ink will likely feather, and bleed through the pap...

On Point With GoPens #13

I love the look of fountain pens, but don't they always leak? A leaking fountain pen is a sign that something is either broken, misaligned, or you're throwing it around too roughly. A f...

On Point With GoPens #12

I'm interested in buying a vintage pen, but I want a pen with the easiest filling system to use and take care of. What would you recommend? The eye dropper filling system was the first found...

On Point With GoPens #11

Why are some nibs smoother than other nibs? A great question - many people seek smooth nibs, whereas others like nibs with a little feedback. The tipping on the end of the tines are finely p...