Quill pens were bird feathers. Around 700 A.D., someone got the idea to use a goose feather dipped in Chinese “Indian Ink” to scratch messages on primitive paper. As the idea spread, a swan’s feather became the luxurious choice. Also, eagle, hawk and turkey feathers were fancied at different times and places. It is highly notable that quill pens are still the longest running mainstream writing instrument in history - lasting over 1000 years!
The quill pen was messy and needed constant dipping. It took a great deal of time and international experimentation to bring about the first fountain pen. In their most primitive state, a fountain pen is simply a ink reservoir with a nib (tip) attached to it. In modern form, they have a number of devices to fill them with ink including, converters, levers, suction devices and more. They also now come with disposable ink cartridges that you simply snap inside of the pen’s barrel.
Ballpoint pens were first introduced by a man called Biro in 1938. He was sick of the mess of primitive fountain pens and started experimenting with a tiny ball bearing placed in the tip of his pen to be. They took off instantly, and besides a few resurgences in fountain pen popularity, they have been the preferred writing instrument ever since. In 1950, the French Baron Bich, expanding on the idea, started selling Bic ballpoint pens and took over the world. Currently, there are over 14,000,000 Bic pens sold worldwide every day!
Roller ball pens are similar to ballpoint pens in that they both have a ball in their tip to dispense the ink. The difference between them is primarily the ink. A ballpoint pen uses an ink made from an alcohol-based paste. Roller ball pens use a water-based liquid ink that flows more smoothly. Since the ink is water-based, it tends to dry slower, making it prone to smudging. There is also the possibility of the ink saturating through the paper. Gel ink pens use a pigmented water-based ink that flows smoothly and is very bold in color. You can use colored gel ink to write on black paper. Black gel is very black and many people like that. The only problem with gel ink pens is that hey are sometimes prone to skipping. You can even get gel ink pens that dispense glittered ink!
Markers and felt tip pens complete our list and offer their own diverse usages. Sometimes, nothing else will do. They come in an endless array of colors and can write on just about any surface. For instance, it is quite impossible to write on plastic, glass or metals with most other pen types. The world of pens and ink is a diverse one. There is a pen type that is designed to accommodate any writing need that you may be faced with. One thing is sure, we have come a long way from cave wall scratching and bird feather scribbling!
May 21