4 ms·

That... kind of sounds like you need to relearn how to write. Which sounds silly, but there are 100% good ways and bad ways to write (both right and left handed

That... kind of sounds like you need to relearn how to write. Which sounds silly, but there are 100% good ways and bad ways to write (both right and left handed writers suffer from insane 'who taught you to write' hand positions). Learning how to properly hold your pen helps a lot with not smudging ink even when it's a long drying ink. And not unimportantly, a fountain pen requires writing _without_ any pressure on the pen; the ink gets drawn out simply by there being any kind of contact at all, so if you write with a fountain pen the way you're used to writing with a ballpoint pen, or pencil, both of which require pressing into the paper, you're literally doing things wrong (and probably through no fault of your own other than not having realised there might be different ways you need to write).

derstander 9y ago
This is interesting: I'll have to look into relearning how to write. With regard to the "who taught you to write" hand positions, I wonder if the problem is worse for lefties. My kindergarten teacher actually spent time trying to get me to write with my right hand until my father wrote her a letter clarifying that I was, indeed, left-handed.
robin_reala 9y ago
The biggest problem with left-handed fountain pen writing is that unless you adopt some horribly bent-over position you’re pushing the nib into the paper instead of dragging it across. That damages pens and leads to horribly scratchy writing, even if you can get over the constant smudging. It’s OK though, there are plenty of other writing implements - personally I chose the keyboard.
- andygates 9y ago
  Yay for natural horribly bent-over positions!
- TheRealPomax 9y ago
  No question, if you need efficient writing, keyboard every time. And I say that as someone who has plenty of fountain pens and 500+ inks.
pjc50 9y ago
People who say "you should do it differently" but without specifying exactly how are just engaging in a mild form of victim-blaming. Or instructing left-handed people to write with their right hand. I acquired the "overhand" left-handed style at a very early age, which needs a piece of blotting paper under the hand to not smudge everything. This at least is somewhat natural to write with since it's mirrored in the plane of the nib and it's possible to read the word you're currently writing.
- TheRealPomax 9y ago
  To be fair, we're on hacker news. There are hundreds of videos on Youtube that explain it better than I ever could in text if you know to actually look for them (and if no one ever told you to, why would you?), and this is not the crowd that would not be able to find those.
zaarn 9y ago
I'm lefthanded and I really doubt this is easily fixable. From grade 1 to 7 I was exclusively using fountain pens (germany, this is a requirement, so there wasn't a choice) and there was no end of teachers trying to "fix" the lefthanded children in the class. Writing lefthanded with a ballpoint pen is simply easier than using a fountain pen where I have to either put my hand into a position that cramps after a minute of continuous writing or hover over the paper which also cramps or using a blotting paper, which reduces my ability to keep the last few sentences in mind while writing. Left-handed writing will also push the pen, inevitably, you will put pressure on it, the light contact required for fountain pens is extremely tired. After grade 7 I've switched to ballpoint pens, much easier to handle and write. About 4 years ago I managed to find a gas-pressure ballpoint pen which has been the most relaxing way to write. Unlike normal ballpoint pens, they have gas cartridge behind the ink which expands. They push the ink out of the pen meaning you don't have to press at all to get writing while still getting the benefit of minimal ink usage and quick drying that left-handedness almost requires.
- Doxin 9y ago
  Your teachers shouldn't have tried to "fix" your handedness. They should have taught you valid writing techniques for lefties. A common and fairly easy one is to rotate your paper counter-clockwise 45-90 degrees and write bottom-to-top. If you're hovering or strongly bending your wrist you've been taught wrong.

derstander 9y ago

This is interesting: I'll have to look into relearning how to write. With regard to the "who taught you to write" hand positions, I wonder if the problem is worse for lefties. My kindergarten teacher actually spent time trying to get me to write with my right hand until my father wrote her a letter clarifying that I was, indeed, left-handed.

robin_reala 9y ago

The biggest problem with left-handed fountain pen writing is that unless you adopt some horribly bent-over position you’re pushing the nib into the paper instead of dragging it across. That damages pens and leads to horribly scratchy writing, even if you can get over the constant smudging. It’s OK though, there are plenty of other writing implements - personally I chose the keyboard.

andygates 9y ago
Yay for natural horribly bent-over positions!
TheRealPomax 9y ago
No question, if you need efficient writing, keyboard every time. And I say that as someone who has plenty of fountain pens and 500+ inks.

pjc50 9y ago

People who say "you should do it differently" but without specifying exactly how are just engaging in a mild form of victim-blaming. Or instructing left-handed people to write with their right hand. I acquired the "overhand" left-handed style at a very early age, which needs a piece of blotting paper under the hand to not smudge everything. This at least is somewhat natural to write with since it's mirrored in the plane of the nib and it's possible to read the word you're currently writing.

TheRealPomax 9y ago
To be fair, we're on hacker news. There are hundreds of videos on Youtube that explain it better than I ever could in text if you know to actually look for them (and if no one ever told you to, why would you?), and this is not the crowd that would not be able to find those.

zaarn 9y ago

I'm lefthanded and I really doubt this is easily fixable. From grade 1 to 7 I was exclusively using fountain pens (germany, this is a requirement, so there wasn't a choice) and there was no end of teachers trying to "fix" the lefthanded children in the class. Writing lefthanded with a ballpoint pen is simply easier than using a fountain pen where I have to either put my hand into a position that cramps after a minute of continuous writing or hover over the paper which also cramps or using a blotting paper, which reduces my ability to keep the last few sentences in mind while writing. Left-handed writing will also push the pen, inevitably, you will put pressure on it, the light contact required for fountain pens is extremely tired. After grade 7 I've switched to ballpoint pens, much easier to handle and write. About 4 years ago I managed to find a gas-pressure ballpoint pen which has been the most relaxing way to write. Unlike normal ballpoint pens, they have gas cartridge behind the ink which expands. They push the ink out of the pen meaning you don't have to press at all to get writing while still getting the benefit of minimal ink usage and quick drying that left-handedness almost requires.

Doxin 9y ago
Your teachers shouldn't have tried to "fix" your handedness. They should have taught you valid writing techniques for lefties. A common and fairly easy one is to rotate your paper counter-clockwise 45-90 degrees and write bottom-to-top. If you're hovering or strongly bending your wrist you've been taught wrong.