Pointed pen

A pointed pen is a small, flexible metal nib with two tines that separate under pressure. Light pressure keeps the tines together for a thin hairline, while pushing down on a downstroke spreads them apart for a thick, ink-loaded shade. That contrast between thin and thick is the whole visual language of copperplate and modern calligraphy, so the pen itself is doing a lot of the expressive work rather than a fixed nib shape.

The pen sits in a holder, either straight or oblique, and is dipped into ink rather than fed from a cartridge in most traditional setups, though flex-nib fountain pens exist as an easier entry point. Nib size, metal thickness and tine spacing all change how much flex you get and how much control you need to use it well, which is why beginners are usually pointed toward softer, more forgiving nibs first.

When buying a pointed pen, look at flex rating, tine alignment out of the box, and whether the nib needs prepping before ink will stick to it. Common mistakes include pressing too hard on upstrokes, which snags paper and splatters ink, and choosing an overly flexible nib before building the muscle control to manage it. New nibs also need their factory coating removed before ink flows evenly.