When the Pilot Parallel Pen calligraphy pen was released it was hailed as a breakthrough in calligraphy pen design. The Pilot Pen Company's Parallel Pen was designed with a nib that consists of two parallel plates that gives the writer the ability to write with lines that are sharper that other calligraphy pens.

The Parallel Pen has proven to be a reliable, durable pen that gives you crisp edges proving suitable to both the beginner and experienced calligrapher alike.

A common problem with calligraphy pens, particularly the larger nibs, is skipping - where the ink is not delivered consistently. The Parallel Pen's construction is such that the ink is directed between two layers of metal forcing the ink to the entire writing edge without fail. If you choose to, you can turn the pen so that the nib is on its side and use it to produce fine handwriting

The Pilot Parallel Pen comes with both an ink cartridge and a bladder giving you the choice of whichever ink delivery system you prefer. Alternatively you can dip the pen or, if you want to try some color changes mid stream you canuse a combination of dipping and cartridge ink. Touching the nib of one Parallel Pen to the nib of a differently colored Parallel Pen will achieve that same effect.

The Parallel Pen is available in 4 different nib sizes - 1.5mm, 2.4mm, 3.8mm and 6.0mm. They are also supplied with a range of colored ink choices and these inks have been specially formulated for use with these types of nibs.

The Pilot Parallel Pen is just one of a number of low-cost alternatives examined here to choose from when buying a calligraphy pen such as the Sheaffer entry level pens, the Pelikan calligraphy pen, and the Rotring Calligraphy Art Pen.