New and improved—and now featuring Optimist black ink, made here in St. Louis!

Our Dip Pen Starter Set 2.0 includes everything you need to get started with dip pen drawing, calligraphy, and cartooning. We've included a unique assortment of two modern nibs and two vintage nibs (made in the 1930s, but still in new condition), plus a universal pen holder from Japan, our Optimist super opaque black ink, and Optimist Ink Solvent for cleanup.

Four Versatile Nibs:
The modern nibs included are a Brause Steno, with a blue finish and precise stub tip, and a Nikko G Pen, with a chrome finish and an extra fine point. The vintage nibs are an Esterbrook Oval Point 802, with a round tip for general writing, and a Heintze & Blanckertz LY-8, a bold stub that writes smoothly and makes dark marks.

Tachikawa Pen Holder:
The pen holder is a Tachikawa T-25, a great choice for maximum nib compatibility. This versatile and simple holder works with all the included nibs and virtually everything else in our dip pen section.

Optimist Black & Solvent:
We designed Optimist Mixable Color to coat dip pens perfectly, dry quickly, and cover paper with a thick coat of opaque black. It's the perfect ink for dip pens because it coats the nib completely and doesn't drip easily. A 45 mL glass jar of Optimist #000 Black and a 200 mL squeeze bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent are included in this set.

5 mL Tuff Vial:
Durable, pocket-sized polycarbonate vial with blue cap. Perfect for storing up to 10 nibs.

Ink, solvent, and Esterbrook nib made in USA. Holder and Nikko nib made in Japan. Steno and LY-8 nibs made in Germany. Vial made in Vietnam.

Packaging and product colors may vary from what is pictured.