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 2 Retractable Ballpoint pens Cushion Grip blue New $0.99 Time Remaining: 5h 54m Buy It Now for only: $1.99 |
 20 Zebra G 301 Gel Retractable Rollerball Pens Black $18.00 Time Remaining: 6d 17h 24m Buy It Now for only: $18.00 |
 New Open Box 9 PaperMate Flexgrip 10mm Black Ultra Retractable Ball Point Pens $6.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 6h 7m |
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 10 Pack Sharpie RT Retractable Permanent Marker Pens Fine Assorted Colours $13.99 Time Remaining: 7h 15m |
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 ZEBRA F 701 Stainless STEEL BP Pen Retractable $4.97 Time Remaining: 29d 17h 5m Buy It Now for only: $4.97 |
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 ZEBRA Z Grip Ballpoint Retractable Pens Med Pt 7pk Assorted Ink $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 9h 56m |
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 Zebra Z Grip Retractable Ballpoint Pens 1 mm Assorted Ink 24pk $2.69 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 10h 6m |
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 Pink Ribbon BIC Atlantis Retractable Ballpoint Pens 4pk $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 10h 6m |
 Pack of 10 Unison Gel Pens Retractable Rubber Grip Medium Point 7mm 10 Colors $4.99 Time Remaining: 6d 15h 32m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 |
 NEW Pilot G2 Ultra Fine Retractable Pen 038 mm Red Ink Clear Barrel X 6 $5.49 Time Remaining: 18h 28m |
 36 Jetstream RETRACTABLE BLACK Rollerball Pens 7mm $27.00 Time Remaining: 6d 17h 24m Buy It Now for only: $27.00 |
 Dr Grip Retractable Ball Point Pen 4 Pack $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 21h 1m |
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 Pilot Better Retractable Ballpoint Pen Fine x 12 RED $0.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 7m |
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 Pack of 10 Unison Gel Pens Retractable Rubber Grip Medium Point 7mm 10 Colors $4.09 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 7m |
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 3 New Pks Paper Mate Ink Joy Retractable Pens Med Pt Black Ink 36 pens total $12.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 16h 14m |
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 Smiley Face Retractable Ballpoint Pen w Neck Strap new $0.99 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 15m |
 BIC Ecolutions Reaction Retractable Ball Pens Black 12 Box $12.99 Time Remaining: 4d 13h 57m Buy It Now for only: $12.99 |
 Pack of 10 Unison Gel Pens Retractable Rubber Grip Medium Point 7mm 10 Colors $4.09 Time Remaining: 1d 17h 7m |
 newuni ball 207 Retractable Gel Ink Pens Medium Assorted 3 pk $3.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 18h 21m |
 Pilot Dr Grip Retractable Neon Ultra Violet Ball Pen $5.00 Time Remaining: 27d 14h 48m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 Staples Xeno Mini Retractable Ballpoint Black Pens 5 Pack $2.49 Time Remaining: 2d 37m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 |
 18 Jetstream RETRACTABLE BLACK Rollerball Pens BOLD Pt $11.70 Time Remaining: 5d 18h 25m Buy It Now for only: $11.70 |
 Match Shaped Ballpoint Retractable Pens 5pcs NO RESERVE $0.01 Time Remaining: 2d 6h 45m |
 2 Parker Jotter Purple Retractable Ball Point Pens $7.49 Time Remaining: 21d 8h 47m Buy It Now for only: $7.49 |
 Real Bamboo Ballpoint Retractable Pens Z01 5pcs $0.99 Time Remaining: 2d 7h 13m |
 BIC Velocity Retractable Ballpoint Pen Black Medium Point 12 Box VLG11BK $11.99 Time Remaining: 21d 16h 17m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 |
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 36 Pilot V5 Extra Fine Retractable Black Rollerball Pen $23.40 Time Remaining: 5d 18h 25m Buy It Now for only: $23.40 |
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 Pentel WOW Retractable Ballpoint Pens Blue DZ $6.75 Time Remaining: 10d 11h 49m Buy It Now for only: $6.75 |
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 Pack of 10 Unison Gel Pens Retractable Rubber Grip Medium Point 7mm 10 Colors $4.09 Time Remaining: 2d 16h 16m |
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 Pack of 10 Unison Gel Pens Retractable Rubber Grip Medium Point 7mm 10 Colors $4.09 Time Remaining: 2d 17h 8m |
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 Crab Claw Retractable Ballpoint Pen working Claw that grab 1pc No Reserve $0.99 Time Remaining: 2d 19h 13m |
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 ZEBRA Z Grip Ballpoint Retractable Pens Med Pt 5pk Assorted Ink $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 3d 10h 51m |
 Pentel Wow Medium Black Retractable Ball Point Pens 3 Packs 12 Pens $4.00 Time Remaining: 3d 11h 22m Buy It Now for only: $4.50 |
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 Pentel Wow Medium Black Retractable Ball Point Pens 3 Packs 12 Pens $4.00 Time Remaining: 3d 11h 25m Buy It Now for only: $4.50 |
 10 Pilot Dr Grip Retractable Pen Blue $21.99 Time Remaining: 6d 13h 43m Buy It Now for only: $21.99 |
 8 ASSORTED COLORS PILOT G2 RETRACTABLE ROLLING BALL PENS NEW IN PACKAGE $9.95 Time Remaining: 3d 13h 33m |
 2 ZEBRA F 701 Stainless STEEL BP Pen Retractable $10.97 Time Remaining: 29d 17h 5m Buy It Now for only: $10.97 |
 2 Retractable Ballpoint pens Cushion Grip blue New $0.99 Time Remaining: 3d 15h 37m Buy It Now for only: $1.99 |
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 3 Retractable Ballpoint pens Cushion Grip blue New $0.99 Time Remaining: 3d 15h 46m Buy It Now for only: $1.99 |
 Lovely Hello Kitty Doll Retractable BallPoint Pen Chain $1.60 Time Remaining: 22d 7h 10m Buy It Now for only: $1.60 |
 3 Retractable Ballpoint pens Cushion Grip blue New $0.99 Time Remaining: 3d 15h 46m Buy It Now for only: $1.99 |
 3 Zebra F 701 Ballpoint Retractable Pens Black Ink Fine $18.00 Time Remaining: 29d 10h Buy It Now for only: $18.00 |
 2 Retractable Ballpoint pens Cushion Grip blue New $0.99 Time Remaining: 3d 15h 54m Buy It Now for only: $1.99 |
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 Pack of 10 Unison Gel Pens Retractable Rubber Grip Medium Point 7mm 10 Colors $4.09 Time Remaining: 3d 16h 7m |
 12 Bic ReAction Retractable Gel Black Ball Point Pens $11.99 Time Remaining: 21d 5h 42m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 |
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 36 Paper Mate Apex Retractable Ball Point Pens Blk Blue $14.99 Time Remaining: 20d 7h 23m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 |
 2 Pilot VBall Retractable Pen Black Ink $1.99 Time Remaining: 3d 16h 28m |
 2 ZEBRA F 701 Stainless STEEL BP Pens FREE USA SHIP Retractable $13.97 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 6m Buy It Now for only: $13.97 |
 Pack of 10 Unison Gel Pens Retractable Rubber Grip Medium Point 7mm 10 Colors $4.09 Time Remaining: 3d 17h 10m |
 6 Papermate PhD Ultra Blue Retractable Ball Point Pens $9.99 Time Remaining: 21d 12h 59m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 24 Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Retractable Medium Asst Color Pen $14.99 Time Remaining: 4d 5h 10m Buy It Now for only: $16.99 |
 Crab Claw Retractable Ballpoint Pens working Claws that grab 6pcs $9.59 Time Remaining: 26d 21h 12m Buy It Now for only: $9.59 |
 10 Pack Sharpie RT Retractable Permanent Marker Pens Fine Assorted Colours $13.99 Time Remaining: 4d 7h 14m |
Retractable Pens
Overview and History of Pens
According to statistics put forth by the U.S. Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association in 2005, retractable ball point pens were the most popular writing utensil with 26%. Standard ball point pens took second with 14%. There is no doubt that the pen is an extremely important part of modern day society. The pen has had an important role in the past as well, with a history dating back to the Egyptians.
Around 3000 BC, scribes from ancient Egypt were the first people to write on paper. Back then, reed brushes were used to write on papyrus scrolls. The reed pen was used for awhile, but slowly began to be replaced around the 7th century by the quill pen. This is the type of pen that was used to write the Dead Sea Scrolls. It was introduced to Europe in 700 AD, and stayed in use for a long time. The constitution of the United States was signed using a quill pen in 1787.
In the early 19th century, the quill pen was replaced with the metal dip pen, which contained a steel nib to hold ink. It started to be mass produced in 1822 and within 30 years, it came into generalized use. The dip pen had to be constantly dipped in ink, however, people considered this very inconvenient. They wanted a pen with a reservoir of ink, which brought about the fountain pen. Widespread use of the fountain pen did not occur until the 1870s.
Improvements continued to be made to the fountain pen over the years, adding better ways of controlling ink flow and faster and cleaner ways to fill it. Once the pen was made reliable, fashion took over and new designs started being made as well.
More modern day pens were created a few years after this. In 1943, the ballpoint pen went into commercial production, followed by the felt tip pen in the 1960s. The rollerball pen was introduced in the 1980s and is one of the smoother pens available.
It is clear that pens have been important writing instruments throughout history. Constantly reworked and reinvented, the pen has come a long way from being made of reeds or feathers. Pens have offered a more permanent method of record keeping for thousands of years, and will continue to do so in the years to come.
A short description of the types of pens discussed is offered below:
- Ballpoint Pen - This type of pen dispenses oil-based ink by rolling a small ball in a socket. The ball picks up ink as it rolls and then dispenses it on the paper. It is very reliable, and has become one of the most popular tools for writing.
- Rollerball Pen - A rollerball pen uses a water-based liquid or gel ink in a similar fashion to the ballpoint. The ink used by a rollerball is more easily absorbed by paper, however, so the pen moves easier across the writing surface. This gives the pen very smooth movement and an unmatched ease of writing.
- Fountain Pen - A fountain pen delivers water-based ink through a nib, usually made of metal. The ink flows from a reservoir through a feed, to the nib. Capillary action and gravity do the work in this process. The reservoir can be refillable or disposable. Refillable reservoirs may require the use of an eyedropper or some sort of piston.
- Felt-tip Pen - A felt-tip pen, commonly called a marker, has a porous tip of a fibrous material. There are different classes of felt tips, depending on the type of writing surface being used. Fine-tip markers are for paper, medium-tip markers are often used by children, and larger markers are used for whiteboards or cardboard. Markers can come in permanent or non-permanent inks as well.
- Dip Pen - A dip pen uses a metal nib attached to a handle or holder. It is similar in function to a fountain pen, but does not have an ink reservoir, so must be repeatedly recharged with ink.
- Quill Pen - The feather of a large bird, often a goose, is the basis for a quill pen. Used before most other types of pens, the shaft of the feather acts as the ink reservoir. They were used in medieval times and were the replacement for the reed pen.
- Reed Pen - One of the first writing utensils, a reed pen is cut from reeds or bamboo and slip with a narrow tip. It works similar to a quill pen, but is made with different materials.
About the Author
Learn more about handmade
wood pens
, handcrafted from solid red oak wood.
Wooden pens
are available in Slimline, Designer, and Cigar styles.
What kind of pictures would be funny/interesting if they were unfinished or half-drawn?
I'm in a creative advertising class and I've hit a real roadblock. Basically, I want to show that Sharpie retractable markers last longer than other pens/markers. My concept is to show what would happen if you did run out of ink. For example, a person draws a sketch of a soldier but they run out of ink before they can finish the leg.
Basically, I'm trying to think of things that would be funny/interesting if they were only half-drawn. Any suggestions? My mind is blank today. Thanks!
I think pictures of really famous people would be interesting. Like a picture of the pope or elvis.
Downham Retractable Pens