Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen

The Pilot Metropolitan costs $18 and writes better than pens I've tried at 10 times the price. Either that's a testament to Pilot's engineering or an indictment of the luxury pen market. The body is brass with a lacquer finish that gives it weight without making it heavy. The medium nib lays down ink smoothly enough that my handwriting actually looks legible for the first time since middle school. I picked it up because I wanted to start journaling and a disposable ballpoint felt wrong for something reflective and personal. The converter lets you use bottled ink instead of cartridges. I've been experimenting with different colors and now own 4 bottles of ink, a hobby I didn't plan on having. My favorite is a dark teal from Iroshizuku that looks black in low light and blue-green in sunlight. The cap posts securely on the back and the clip is strong enough to hold it in a shirt pocket without slipping, but I mostly keep it in a small canvas case in my bag. Writing with a fountain pen slows you down , and it feels productive rather than frustrating. You pay attention to each word instead of racing to get thoughts on paper. It invites a different kind of attention to something I do every day. My roommate tried it and immediately ordered one for himself. Now we compare ink colors like we're collecting something. Which I suppose we are.