Ballpoint Pen Information
A Ballpoint pen is the most popular pen used in the world today. It has an oil-based, paste ink that dries on contact. A ballpoint uses a small rotating ball made of brass, steel, or tungsten that dispenses the ink from an ink reservoir, usually a plastic tube. The ball is kept in place by a socket which is loose enough to allow free movement of the ball, but snug enough to keep outside air from drying out the reservoir.
The width of the ballpoint determines the size of the line drawn. The 0.5 mm ball will produce a line that is 0.5 mm wide (fine), and the 0.7 mm ball produces a line that is 0.7 mm wide (medium), etc. There is a wide range of point sizes available.
Refills are available in a variety of colors and point sizes that will fit almost any writing style. The refills will last longer than a rollerball refill. It can be used for both personal and business correspondence. At PenCity we have a large variety ofballpoint pens at a range of prices.
Most ballpoint pens need gravity to pull the ink onto the ball, which is why a normal ballpoint pen cannot write upside down. The Fisher Space Pen is an interesting development. It has an ink reservoir that is pressurized, and uses a special viscoelastic ink. It can write upside down and even under water. A long shelf life and elimination of leakage or evaporation also distinguish this pen. Since the 1960s, astronauts have used the Fisher Space Pen on all manned space flights. It is a very affordable pen, even with all these advantages.
