Affordable Fude Nibs & Brian's Crazy Pen Invention | Goulet Q&A Ep. 303

Join Brian for Goulet Q&A Episode 303, where he dreams up a multi-color ink-dispensing fountain pen, puts the Esterbrook mini stub nib head-to-head with 1.1mm stubs from LAMY, TWSBI, and Pilot, and unpacks how tariffs are shaking up the fountain pen industry. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 00:53 Feedback 03:30 New Stuff 10:16 Comp-nay Updates 14:50 Could a multi-color ink fountain pen work, or does one already exist? Seeing the Pilot Vanishing Point reminded me of clicky, multi-color ballpoint pens—would a similar mechanism be possible, or would it be too bulky? 20:51 Could you spotlight Esterbrook's new Mini-Stub nib and compare it to other standard stubs? 29:38 Brian, what’s your pick for the perfect birthday pen? My must-haves: minimal ink evaporation, an ink window or level check, a weight of 15g or less, a grip diameter over 9.5mm, a clip, and a flat cap for balancing. Budget: under $100. I might prefer snap caps but have a soft spot for eyedroppers—especially filling straight from samples. What do you recommend? 36:12 How to clean a vacuum-filling pen that has slightly dried out without dumping the ink? 45:24 Are tariffs hurting the fountain pen community? 55:27 Pen Spotlight 01:06:33 Brian's Adventures 01:11:49 Fun Fact LINKS TO PRODUCTS FEATURED: Monteverde MP1 Collectible Strawberry Dreams: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/monteverde-mp1-collectible-fountain-pen-strawberry-dreams-limited-edition?_pos=6&_psq=mp1&_ss=e&_v=1.0 LAMY AL-star aubergine: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/lamy-al-star-fountain-pen-aubergine-special-edition?_pos=1&_psq=aubergine+lamy&_ss=e&_v=1.0 LAMY AL-star denim: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/lamy-al-star-fountain-pen-denim-special-edition?_pos=1&_psq=denim+lamy&_ss=e&_v=1.0 LAMY T52 sepia: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/lamy-sepia-50ml-bottled-ink?_pos=1&_psq=sepia+lamy&_ss=e&_v=1.0 LAMY T52 petrol: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/lamy-petrol-50ml-bottled-ink?_pos=1&_psq=lamy+petrol&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Esterbrook Cube Pen Cases: https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/esterbrook-cube-pen-cases?_pos=1&_psq=cube&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Esterbrook Mini Stub Nib: https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/esterbrook-estie-fountain-pens?_pos=4&_psq=estie&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Sailor Compass Fude De Mannen: https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/sailor-compass-fude-de-mannen?_pos=3&_psq=sailor+fu&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Platinum Preppy: https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/platinum-preppy-fountain-pens Platinum Prefounte: https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/platinum-prefounte-fountain-pens TWSBI ECO/-T: https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/twsbi-eco-fountain-pens Nib Nook: https://www.gouletpens.com/pages/nib-nook SHOP at our store! https://www.gouletpens.com/ LEARN more on our blog! https://www.gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog LISTEN to The Goulet Pencast here: https://gouletpencast.fireside.fm/ SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/GP-YTsubscribe ABOUT GOULET PENS: Brian & Rachel Goulet started The Goulet Pen Company in 2009 and you can see the evolution of our mom and pop into a full-blown company through this channel. We run a dedicated online store with fountain pens, ink, paper, and other fine writing accessories. Our goal with this channel is to provide fountain pen fans at all levels of experience with comprehensive product reviews, round ups, and how-to videos to answer all the fountain pen questions you may have. Shop at https://www.gouletpens.com. FOLLOW US: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gouletpens/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGouletPenCompany Twitter: https://twitter.com/gouletpens Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gouletpens/ Sign up for Emails: https://www.gouletpens.com/pages/newsletter-signup Blog: https://www.gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog