Hi, I am a teacher and an aspirant who primarily uses FPs. One month ago, I bought a Camlin Elegante (I already had one; I am a hoarder 😂 ).

So, the new one started out scratchy, but after two days of writing and emptying one converter full of ink, it felt smooth with a little bit of feedback.

My old Camlin (not that old, just 2.5 months old) was the same: scratchy at first, then smooth after some writing, but not as smooth as I expected. So, I swapped my 15-year-old Montex Retro pen nib into this Elegante and, oh my! It now writes like butter.

I used Camlin Red and Black inks, with Camlin Blue sometimes. No issues. It works smoothly. Both of them are my daily drivers.

I used Camlin trinity and Unomax ICON too for a long time . Will review it someday .

Impulsive buying .....

Jinhao 599 ... ( I already had Jinhao 599 matte black )

Initial impressions: Writes fine , But my matte black one writes extra fine like . But the nib say both are fine . Build quality is superior in matte black . Looks good in photo , but in hand experience is not that good .... My suggestion would be go for matte black one ....

From left to right

​

Camlin elegante

Jinhao 992

Parker vector metallix

Hauser Grip it × 2

Camlin Trinity × 2

Unomax ICON ( Brio model ) × 2

Unomax magnum

Jinhao 599

Unomax Ultima

Pierre Cardin Napoli

Pierre cardin Penomatic

Cello Royal

Unomax Njoy writing

Parker Beta neo

Flair inky ( 15 years old , belive it or not )

Montex Student× 4

( I have Black taped the body so it looks more asthetic and give a nice bamboo look )

Octane fountain × 3

​

Bottom row

​

Flair carbonix × 3

Flair inky glow

Flair inky ( model name forgot )

Zoox i9

Montex vintage ( 15 years old )

​

Regret after buying : parker vector

​

Smoothest : Jinhao 599 & 992 , Unomax Icon , Hauser grip it , Montex vintage pen 15 year old , Montex Student

​

​

Not Recommended : parker Vector , Camlin trinity , parker Beta neo .

​

Ink I use : Only Camlin & Parker quink ; sometimes Cartridges .

​

You can AMA !

​

Want a Long review ?

​

​

​

Bought this this morning and using Camlin Red ink , No issues till now , So smooth !

Hi everyone! (Long , but informative post maybe !)

I'm a fountain pen enthusiast who genuinely enjoys writing. For some context, I'm a 23-year-old banking aspirant and tuition teacher, so I write a lot every day. To give you an idea, a fully filled converter usually lasts me only 2–3 days.

I don't own expensive fountain pens—the costliest pen in my collection is a Parker Vector. Most of my experience comes from using affordable, everyday fountain pens extensively.

I've been writing with fountain pens for more than 15 years. I used them throughout my school days and continue to use them heavily today. Since my budget is quite limited, most of my experience comes from practical, budget-friendly pens rather than luxury models.

Here are a few things I've learned along the way.

1. Wick-Feed Pens Are Good, But Only in Specific Situations

Wick-feed fountain pens are generally smooth, reliable, and beginner-friendly. However, they work best when you stick to one type of ink. The real problems often begin when you start changing inks frequently.

My advice:

• Use wick-feed pens only if you write regularly.
• Don't leave them unused for 2–3 days at a time.
• Avoid constantly switching between different inks.

If you're looking for affordable alternatives with a proper feed system, consider:

• Octane Fountain Pen
• Montex Student
• Montex Bouncy

These pens are usually easier to maintain and handle ink changes much better.

2. Give Your Pen Time Before You Start Tinkering

One thing I often see in the fountain pen community is people buying a pen, writing with it for a few minutes, and then immediately trying to "fix" it because it doesn't feel perfectly smooth.

Please don't do that.

Just write with the pen.

Both my Parker Beta Neo and Parker Vector reached their full potential only after I had emptied 2–3 converters of ink through them. The improvement was noticeable and absolutely worth the wait.

When you buy a new fountain pen:

1. Flush it with a mild dishwashing liquid solution to remove manufacturing residue.
2. Rinse it thoroughly with clean water.
3. Fill it with ink.
4. Use it until the first fill is completely empty before judging its performance.

Many fountain pens become better with use. The nib gradually adapts to your writing style, hand pressure, and writing angle. What feels average on day one may become a wonderful writer after a few weeks.

3. Don't Carry Your Expensive Pens Everywhere

I cannot stress this enough: don't carry your expensive fountain pens everywhere.

The universe has a strange law—expensive fountain pens attract theft, loss, and that one friend who says, "Can I see it for a second?" and vanishes.

4. Good Ink and Good Paper Matter More Than Most People Think

Many beginners focus only on the pen, but the writing experience depends just as much on the ink and paper.

For paper, I've had an excellent experience with JK Cedar 100 GSM. I bought it for around ₹399, and it has virtually no bleeding issues with fountain pens.

For inks:

• Parker Quink is a reliable all-round choice.
• Camlin is perfectly fine for everyday use and budget pens.

Edit: After reading a comment, I'd like to clarify that my recommendation of Camlin ink is mainly for students, exam aspirants, and heavy writers on a tight budget.
As a tuition teacher, I also recommend it to many of my students because it's affordable, easily available, and gets the job done. I personally go through a lot of ink, so I value practicality and cost-effectiveness. If you own an expensive fountain pen, I'd personally suggest using a higher-quality ink if your budget allows.

Camlin isn't bad—it's simply a practical choice for people who write a lot without wanting to spend a fortune on ink. If your budget allows, investing in better-quality inks can noticeably improve the writing experience. I am from a small town , so there are not many options available here!

A decent fountain pen on good paper will often outperform an expensive fountain pen on poor-quality paper.

These are just my personal observations after more than 15 years of using fountain pens. I'm not a collector, nibmeister, or expert—just someone who writes a lot and enjoys the hobby.

If people are interested, I'll make a "Best Fountain Pens Under ₹300" and best jugaads guide next. There are some genuinely excellent pens in that price range that deserve more attention.

Stay tuned, and feel free to share your own experiences and recommendations in the comments. I used ChatGpt to sum up my thoughts and correct grammar , but the experiences are all mine .

Just delivered to my house in the morning , and I have been writing with them since then !

Two things ;

It has little feedback .

Please do look and feel the pen , then buy..... I have very small hands , but I am used to with cello fountain pens , the pen is very small according to me !

I have written with them a long time in my childhood , It has a spring airtight cap .... And its the smoothest pen I had .

Now the quality of fountain pens they are making is really shameful !

Even I can ( exaggerated ? Maybe ) compare them with platinum preppy .... And still say , they are better !

It's now not available , only in online 😔 ! I have one .... Despite of its wick feed , its still working ! ( belive me , I bought it in I think 5th grade )

This is pierre cardin Napoli, It is very very smooth .... It has somewhat medium to fine nib . It has a push pull type converter . Costs around 80 .

Very smooth , But not recommended for big and sweaty hands . I use it as my daily driver with camlin red ink ( I am a tuition teacher ) .

Just bought it today ! Writes so smooth !

My now 3 new workhorses ;

Unomax Icon ( must buy guys trust me )

Jinhao 599

Camlin elegante

Next pens to buy : Parker Vector metallix ; Jinhao 911 matte black .

In my previous post, I was asking whether the Jinhao 599 rebranded as 'Gold Leaf' was legit or not. Thanks to all of you, I finally got one! This subreddit has given so much to me. I thought I was alone in this niche, but now I know I’m not.

About the pen : Initial impression , The pen is smooth , Nice grip ; slightly less premium than parker vector but good. I used Camlin Syah black ink . I dont have any writing problem but my sister had some problem due to her unusual grip .

Quick questions as a beginner:

1. Are Jinhao pens on Amazon India (sold as “Gold Leaf”, “Ledos”, “Buzz Cool” etc.) original or just rebranded fakes? Where do you buy genuine ones in India?

2. Is Daytone Bond 500ml ink bottle any good for beginners?

Hi, this is my pen Collection as a student , It has many functional pens but I don't own super expensive ones . Planning to buy parker vector & Jinhao 599 .

Want review ? AMA !