Writing Instruments
Fountain Pens
Fountain pens are simply pens where ink flows from a reservoir down through a pointed metal nib and is applied to the writing surface by capillary action. There are several different types, the most common of which is a pen with a refillable internal ink well, a sealed removable lid that either screws or presses on, and can be carried in your pocket or bag. Fountain pens use water-based inks; the ink manufacturers offer a wide selection of properties and colours, providng many choices for a
user. A fountain pen is not limited to a single colour of ink in its lifetime; it can be cleaned and then refilled with a different ink as desired by the user. Writing with a fountain pen takes a little more skill than a roller ball or ballpoint, but most users will adapt quickly. Nibs can be adjusted if not enough ink comes out or if they are not smooth enough. Nibs have different classifications, including extra-fine (EF), fine (F), medium (M), and bold (B). These indicate increasing levels of line thickness. Not all manufacturers classify their nibs the same way; e.g., an F for some may be an EF for others, and Asian nibs are usually finer than western nibs of the same classification. Choosing a fountain pen is a personal thing and, as with most things on B&B,
YMMV. Different pens may perform better in different hands or with different inks. Some of the commonly recommended value pens are listed below in the "Budget Pens" section.
Ballpoint Pens
A ballpoint pen is a writing instrument with an internal ink reservoir and a sphere for a point. The internal chamber is filled with a viscous ink that is dispensed at its tip during use by the rolling action of a small sphere. The sphere, usually from 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm in diameter, may be made of brass, steel, tungsten carbide, or any durable, hard material. Although useful for certain applications (such as signing multi-part forms or writing on slick-surfaced papers), a ballpoint requires a certain amount of hand pressure to perform correctly and can be fatiguing when writing for long periods. Ballpoints are also not environmentally friendly, as their plastic bodies and/or ink refills are normally discarded when the ink supply is used up. Handwriting produced with a ballpoint pen does not normally have any line variance (style) and only a limited number of ink colors are available. On the positive side, ballpoints are normally quite inexpensive (although high-end, luxury versions are available) and can be found in almost any retail store.A close relative to the ballpoint pen is the roller ball. It is identical in most details except that instead of a ballpoint's oil-based ink, it uses a water-based liquid or gelled ink. These less viscous inks, which tend to saturate more deeply and more widely into paper than other types of ink, give roller ball pens their distinctive writing qualities.
Dip Pens
A dip pen usually consists of a metal nib with capillary channels like those of fountain pen nibs, mounted on a handle or holder, often made of wood, bone, metal, or plastic. Some dip pens are made entirely of glass, including the nib. Generally speaking, dip pens have no ink reservoir; therefore the user has to recharge (dip) the ink from an ink well or bottle in order to continue drawing or writing.Dip pens were generally used prior to the development of fountain pens, and are now mainly used in illustration, calligraphy, and comics. They function similarly to the even older writing tool, the quill pen (a pen made from the trimmed shaft of a bird's
feather).The dip pen has certain advantages over a fountain pen. It can use waterproof pigmented (particle-and-binder-based) inks, such as so-called "India ink", drawing ink, or acrylic inks, which would destroy a fountain pen by clogging it up, as well as traditional iron gall ink, which can cause corrosion in fountain pens. They are also more sensitive to variations of pressure and speed, producing a line that naturally varies in thickness. They can also produce a finer line than any fountain pen.There is also a wide range of readily exchangeable nibs available so different types of lines and effects can be created. The nibs and handles are far cheaper than most fountain pens, and allow color changes much more easily.
This post has a beginner guide to help you get going with dip pen use.
Mechanical Pencils / Pencils
Pencils are widely used as one of the cheapest and most widely available writing utensils the globe over. From sketches, journal entries, to planning out a page, a pencil is a must have in any collection. It is the easiest way to write in a non permanent form, as its line can be erased. A mechanical pencil has a feed for the lead meaning the need of a separate sharpener is not needed. Although still referred to as Lead, most pencil cores these days are made of graphite for a smooth and strong edge.
The Pencil Thread has many photos and fans talking about pencils and is always looking for more knowledge on the subject.