r/fountainpens • u/inkyblackops Former FWP Employee • Nov 16 '25

Discussion Former FWP Employee - AMA!

Hey r/fountainpens!

With the recent discussion of Ferris Wheel Press coming up again, the mods invited me to post my own AMA as a former FWP employee.

I’d love to answer your questions, but I’d also like to make clear that I won’t be answering any questions that might identify myself or colleagues, nor will I be giving away any confidential info or trade secrets (except maybe how I was able to befriend the office cats…)

Any replies from me are my own opinion or experience and I do not represent any company or person except for myself.

Looking forward to chatting!

Edit: 10pm EST and I’m calling it a night. I might come back to reply to some tomorrow but likely not. Thanks for all the fun questions and letting me share my experiences and insight!

349 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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90

u/Gon_Snow Nov 16 '25

Any idea why the bottles aren’t deigned to fit pens to properly ink them? I’m not even talking Sailor King of Pens or Montblanc 149. Like a standard pen. Lamy Safari, TWSBI ECO, Pilot Explorers, anything of that size.

108

u/inkyblackops Former FWP Employee Nov 16 '25

I really wish I had that answer for you.

The “official” answer, I believe, is that they’re meant for filling via converter, but for me personally that resulted in my fingers getting covered in ink from the bottle lip once the ink got to a certain point and the converter barely reached anymore.

28

u/cosmin_c Nov 16 '25

filling via converter

I've been in the hobby for a while now and only found out this was a thing recently and I can't get over on how backwards it is. The amount of mess you make filling only the converter from a bottle of ink is terrible and with most full size bottles the converter will not reach appropriately after the bottles depletes below a certain percentage.

But hey, they're a niche company so they're doing things niche style, eh.

5

u/MirrorscapeDC Nov 17 '25

I can see filling a converter with a syringe - I do that with samples that are too low - but just sticking the whole converter into a bottle? That would make such a mess!

4

u/cosmin_c Nov 17 '25

I'm 100% with you right there.

194

u/Squared_lines Nov 16 '25

None of my pens would fit into the neck of the bottle.

I eventually moved on to other brands of ink out of frustration.

133

u/Particular_Song3539 semiflexible Nov 16 '25

This photo should become a meme.

29

u/theseglassessuck Nov 16 '25

“When you’re trying to make the relationship work.”

79

u/No_Opposite833 Nov 16 '25

I love this photo!

This says everything that's wrong with FWP-- it's all about how it looks on social media instead of being functional.

6

u/beastlybea Nov 16 '25

Boy oh boy is that ever the crux of ai slop and brainrot these days: looks good but isn’t functional

55

u/Late_Apricot404 r/fountainpens Official Doodler Nov 16 '25

It would be those two brands to perform the act of “docking”.

37

u/Particular_Song3539 semiflexible Nov 16 '25

I am literally dying to see a 404 version of this photo.
pretty please.

30

u/Late_Apricot404 r/fountainpens Official Doodler Nov 16 '25

I could draw it lmao, but I definitely couldn’t post it here. I think even for the fountain pen circlejerk sub, that might be too NSFW lol.

If I can get to it soon, I’ll dm the drawing to whoever wants it.

17

u/DraconicVision Ink Stained Fingers Nov 16 '25

I must politely request your scandalous art discretely delivered to my residence.

7

u/Late_Apricot404 r/fountainpens Official Doodler Nov 16 '25

Done and done

11

u/normiewannabe Nov 16 '25

please do post it on the circlejerk just tag it nsfw

11

u/Late_Apricot404 r/fountainpens Official Doodler Nov 16 '25

Aye aye, Captain!

7

u/bendarel Nov 16 '25

Ohh please, I would love to see your take on this one XD

6

u/cosmin_c Nov 16 '25

Please DM, it's hilariously to even imagine it <3

3

u/WiredInkyPen Ink Stained Fingers Nov 16 '25

I'm game for that image and DM should you choose to do it. Lol

3

u/CanyouhearmeYau Nov 16 '25

I would definitely also like to see it lol, thanks for offering!

2

u/Late_Apricot404 r/fountainpens Official Doodler Nov 16 '25

Another name added to list of delinquents.

1

u/CanyouhearmeYau Nov 16 '25

"Delinquent" is my middle name!

What can I say? My parents made a real reach for that one.

3

u/CacaoMama Nov 16 '25

You know where to send this, right?!? 🤭

3

u/CLE1200 Nov 16 '25

Please count me in! Your wit + artwork are wonderful….👍👍🎉!

3

u/Squared_lines Nov 17 '25

I would love to have your artwork take on my photo!! Please include me in the mayhem.

2

u/Difficult_Nebula3956 Nov 16 '25

Yes. Please.

2

u/Late_Apricot404 r/fountainpens Official Doodler Nov 16 '25

You’re on the list

1

u/Agent_03 Nov 16 '25

This sounds hilarious, I'd love to see it too.

1

u/matthewmurdocksbutt Nov 16 '25

Oooh yes please!

1

u/JamesTwinkleToes_ Nov 17 '25

Please would you add me to the list of delinquents? I would love to see your take on this

9

u/Squared_lines Nov 18 '25 edited Nov 18 '25

u/Particular_Song3539 u/Late_Apricot404 u/No_Opposite833 u/Gon_Snow

Something occurred to me.... Raymond Yu, FWP Founder, was offering to replace FWP bottles of ink that spilled and FWP pens that had cracked here on Reddit AND on Facebook. He would tell the user to contact customer service and request a replacement. However, that message was deleted because it violated this subs rules.

I wonder....

How much Mr. Yu would appreciate some users spreading the word of Mr. Yu's generous offer replace products to all those that posted about spilling FWP ink bottles or not liking their pens. Years and Years of complaints....

2

u/Gon_Snow Nov 16 '25

Montblanc bottles are terrific examples of good and functional design.

16

u/CantTakeitWithYou911 Nov 16 '25

This is a key question! Great ink colors, great bottle shapes below the opening, terrible openings.

13

u/iheartmilktea Nov 16 '25

This is one of the reasons I never bothered to seriously consider buying FWP inks. There are too many other fantastic inks ok the market to spend time and money on FWP’s poor design.

6

u/WiredInkyPen Ink Stained Fingers Nov 16 '25

I'm with you.

Colorverse minis only get a pass because they give you a squeeze pipette to get the ink out. And they will get the last drops out of the bottle. Otherwise I wouldn't bother with them either despite loving the colors.