- Dryden Designs Fountain Pen Medium Nib Gift Pouch - with 24 Ink Cartridges - MCM (Blue)

I have loved fountain pens (“ink pens” as opposed to “ball-points”, 60 years ago) my entire life, since my first Parker. So I have, well, several. I bought a Dryden a few weeks ago because old men cannot decide if they have too many or too few of anything, and I bought one for a cherished family member. For me, it is a wonderful pen. Here is what I look for in a fountain pen, and why I appreciate my Dryden: 1) is it physically a beautiful instrument (its ‘aesthetics’) - and, yes, the Dryden looks slim and effective (you know, the way some people do); 2) does the ink flow without fits and stops and curses and buyer’s remorse - and, yes, my Dryden leaves a uniform line, whether straight or curved; 3) does the point, the nib, kind of translate the feel of the paper, so you have a sense of actually having accomplished something through your own intention when writing (I guess you could call this the pen’s “agency”; OK, I will) - and my Dryden gives me the feel of the several kinds of paper I write on, mostly WalMart notebooks at 10 for a dollar; 4) does the pen have a weight and circumference at crucial points of contact and a balance that complements my hand’s length and strength, sort of like a good kitchen knife or a familiar pickleball paddle - and, yes, my Dryden feels almost like an extension of my index finger so I kind of feel like I’m not just writing but interacting with the pen and ink to leave a record of myself (remember when you were a kid, and you watched your finger leaving your mark in mud or dust, and you wondererd if this is what cave men thought when they drew on walls, and did they think one day a kid would see their drawings and wonder about them? you don’t? well, you will, or I hope you will); 5) does the pen hold a reasonable amount of ink so you can complete more than one run-on sentence just like this one - and, yes, my Dryden has the same cartridge that most every fountain pen uses - easily enough for a letter of decent length, not enough for your autobiography; and, 6) is it affordable so I will want to get to know the people I might meet who use one, or can it be bought only by the dingleberries and poofheads who claim to run the planet - and, yes, even on a fixed income, I had enough to buy 2, like I said, and hopefully you can afford one, too, along with some decent ink (I like Noodler). So, yes, a darned fine investment for an old person. A young person, too.

It’s a really good fountain pen, loved the smooth writing and ink flow. It’s worth the money

Recently I decided to make a foray into the world of fountain pens, and decided to try a few less expensive ones to see whether I like them or not. Having read through the review of various fountain pens on here, I decided to give this one a try based off of the review. So far I've had it for about a month and here are my impressions: Pro: 1. Stands out - I've had fancier pens gifted to me before, but I've never had anyone comment on me using them. However, unexpectedly, a fountain pen seems to draw comment from everyone seeing me use them. 2. Writes Beautifully - The smoothness that people rave about when writing with fountain pens is true. The pen literally glides across the paper with little effort and minimal skipping or other issues. 3. Good weight and size - Having larger hands I've always preferred pens of a decent size, so no compliants here. Cons 1. Pen Cap and Barrel - Probably my primary complaint about this pen. The barrel has a slight curve to it, whereas the cap has a straight opening if that makes sense. As a result, you sort of have to wedge the cap onto the end of the pen while using it and it frequently falls off. That or you leave the cap on the table while using it and risk loosing it. 2. Cartridge Size - This could be a negative or it could not. The cartridges that are sold by the manufacturer are surprisingly small and run out of ink after a short period of use. Definitely annoying. In the long run however, I plan on using a converter (and refilling directly from an ink bottle) so it really may not matter assuming refills of the converter last longer. I'll update the post when I find out. Overall in my opinion (I can only speak for myself after all) a good introductory pen if you are new to fountain pens. Allows you to try out something new for a minimal price, but if you are looking for something for more serious use I might shop around a bit more. Seems to be a decent manufacturer, so some of their other pens might fit the bill.

I wanted a fountain pen but without breaking the bank to buy one. This pen is perfect! It is a metal casing, well balanced & weighted, and lays down a smooth, clean line of ink. It came with 24 replacement ink cartridges (12 each of black & blue), plus it has the ability to self-fill a cartridge with an ink of your choice. Nice little soft pouch for storage and protection. I highly recommend this pen to anyone who wants the lovely experience of using a fountain pen. This instrument is high quality and for less than $10. It can't be beat!

I love this pen. It is my first fountain pen and I have wanted one for awhile. It was exactly what I was looking for and I look forward to getting more in the future. It writes smooth and the ink flows well. I have been writing with it every day for special use. I prefer it to other non-fountain pens I have purchased.

Great pen

Maravilhosa! A qualidade dessa caneta impressiona. Recomendo.

قلم جيد ويستحق مازال تحت الاختبار لكنه لا بأس به خاصة ان سعره في المتناول

I love this pen. It is an excellent value. It writes smoothly and I was very pleased with the performance. It outperforms other fountain pens I've bought for 5x this price. Includes an ink converter as well. You can't go wrong for the price. Emails from the company thanking me for my business was also a nice touch. Just ordered another one in a different color. Very pleased.