Now this is one calligraphy tool I’ve been dying to review. I was initially exposed to Witch pens through a review by Leigh Reyes. The concept behind them is so simple, yet so efficient. The name is also pretty awesome, Witch pen (a contraction of William Mitchell).
The design of the pen is simplistic yet utilitarian. The metal bends backwards to create a reservoir right underneath the nib. This allows the user to transition between fountain pen inks and other more viscous inks such as iron gall or sumi.
The nib is a folded piece of metal that allows for easy use on many different papers. While I used it on a smooth Rhodia paper, I’m certain that I can definitely use it on some more textured kinds of paper such as cold-press watercolor paper. The way the nib is designed, it will provide a smooth writing experience on many different surfaces.
The Witch pens are a great starter for all those interested in broad edge pen calligraphy. While fountain pen inks do run a little, I have had positive results with gouache, some thick watercolor paints, as well as sumi and McCaffrey’s ink. My only gripe is the cleaning process. It is a little difficult to clean these pens thoroughly, with the only method being immersing them in water and then drying them out on paper towels. It is a little time consuming, but well worth it for the fun I’ve had.
The Passionate Penman 
the folded piece of metal underneath the nib is an interesting design. certainly different from most dip fountain pens i’ve seen before.
I imagine that Liquitex Flow-Aid or glycerin might add some viscosity to fountain pen ink.
My sister hangs with a witchy crowd in Portland…perhaps they’d want to use these for writing down their spells.
I would recommend gum arabic. Winsor Newton sells a great bottle that’ll last a long time and works great with different types of inks. Thanks for commenting!