Dropper filled fountain pen showdown!

From top to bottom: traditional, middle joint, rear end joint, plug feed, Hicks Sackett. Not pictured – Parker and Rider pens

Battle of the dropper filled fountain pens!

  • Traditional dropper filled fountain pen
    • unscrew the section
    • comes off clean since you only handle the outside of the gripping section
    • BUT then you have to set down the section, which will likely roll around, and some have feeds that extend past the section internally, leaving inky parts exposed.
  • Middle joint pens
    • the joint internally is still at the nib end.
    • the external joint has been moved to keep it away from gripping fingers.
    • clean to remove and set down while filling
  • Rear end joint fountain pen
    • Eagle correspondent pen
  • Parker Jointless
    • pull out the entire nib and feed in a retaining collar.
  • J.G. Rider
    • only the feed pulls out
    • now you have to set down an inky feed
    • replace the inky feed after filling the pen
  • Swan plug feed
    • the plug stays attached
    • less risk on inky fingers – pull on the clean bulb with a fingernail
    • bulb is still clean after filling the pen
  • Hick Sackett
    • the long feed hold the nib and feed extended while you fill the barrel
    • but you still have to pull out the inky nib and feed
    • and you have to push the inky nib and feed back into place.

AND THE WINNER IS…… The Swan plug feed!!!!!! Honorable mention to the Eagle Correspondent pen.