How to choose a Pen. Which Pen will Be 'Write' for Me?

Have you ever looked at a website or been in a shop looking at pens and wondered what the difference is, a pen is a pen, right? Well depending on your writing style or writing needs, there’s the perfect pen that will match your needs.

We engrave a huge selection of personalised pens and pen gift sets, but which one is right for you? Pens come in various different sizes, nibs, girths and loads of different brands. Then there's the ink, different types of pens use different ink and there's different ink flows. Confusing right? In this article we’ll cover the history of where pens come from and what the differences really are, so you can pick the right pen for you!

History of Pens

We have been fortunate to have an array of pens available to us for our whole lives, quick pop to the shop, stationery cupboard or just pinching one off your colleagues. This wasn’t always the case and pens had to come from somewhere so how have we ended up with the wide range that we have available today?

Origination

For those interested in the history of pens, the first known use of pens are from the ancient Egyptians. Evidence suggests they began using a writing tool in 2000 BC using a reed pen. These reed pens were fashioned from hollow, tubular stems of march grasses, particularly bamboo plants. A very long time later in around 600 AD we started to see the emergence of quill pens, which became the main form of writing until the 19th century. A quill pen works by dipping the nib into an ink jar, writing and repeating. The production of steel-point pens in 1822 brought pens to a wider market. The steel-point pens were fashioned the same as a quill with a dip ink but were far sturdier and cheaper. Quill pens are still around today and are often seen in fantasy films but are also seen as a great gift, we would know our notebook and quill pen gift set is extremely popular!

Modern Pens

How did we go from quill pens to the range of modern pens available today? The first fountain pen with an ink barrel was a patented invention from Petrache Poenaru in 1827. However he never perfected the design and had major flaws including ink flow not being regulated causing no ink at all or bloating. In 1884 Lewis Edson Waterman developed a three-channel ink feed fountain pen. Throughout the 20th century Waterman developed his design and built his company under the name Ideal Pen company, renamed in 1888 to the LD Waterman Company, known today as Waterman. This early development grew into the globally known waterman brand, we are proud to stock some fabulous waterman products including their elegant graduate fountain pen.

Fast forward to the 1930s and a Hungarian journalist named Lazlo Biro came up with the idea of using a quick drying ink and a small metal ball which would work to keep the pen from drying out. In 1943 Lazlo and his brother were granted a new patent and the first commercial Biro pen. The government bought the rights for the pen to use in the RAF, they then became widely used by the military increasing the popularity to what it is today.

This was just the start. We now have so many different pens available to us it's incredible to think that in the past people didn’t have this choice.

Fountain Pens

Since their height of popularity fountain pens have continued to be a signature piece of stationery but taking a more prestigious and classy pedestal. Modern Fountain pens house disposable water-based ink cartridges. Many people enjoy the pleasure of using a fountain pen with its signature scratching across the page and the ability to add great character into your handwriting thanks to the flexible nib. Calligraphy is considered an art form by many and a fountain pen is typically the pen of choice for calligraphers.

We have a beautiful range of fountain pens. Each of them is elegant, lightweight and comes with its own unique styling. With brands such as Cross and Parker we have carefully selected a range of premium quality fountain pens for you to choose from. If you like an elegant pen, with the signature scratching sound and flowing ink, our Cross Century Classic Black Fountain pen is a best seller.

Pros of using a Fountain Pen

• Flexible nib allows you to demonstrate great character in your handwriting.
• Perceived as high-quality and stylish.
• Customisable with option to use a range of nib sizes to suit individual writing styles.

Cons of using a Fountain Pen

• It can leak causing staining.
• Ink can easily smudge.

Rollerball Pens

A rollerball pen uses a water-based ink making writing sharper and more vibrant. As they use a water-based ink rollerball, pens generally come with a cap to enclose the writing tip making sure the ink doesn’t dry out. Rollerball pens are often write in a darker tone

We have a fabulous range of Rollerball pens on offer including Parker and Cross. If you think a rollerball is the right pen for you or your loved one take a look at our elegant Parker IM Rollerball pen. This black lightweight Parker pen features gold accents. If you aren’t looking for a black barrelled pen we have a gorgeous Cross Bailey Medalist in a chrome finish with gold accents.

Pros of using a Rollerball Pen

• Easy to write with.
• Dark saturated ink compared to a ballpoint pen.
• Less pressure needed as the ink flows easily.
• Smooth writing application.

Cons of using a Rollerball Pen

• Possible bleeding or feathering, due to the ink soaking into the paper it can bleak or leak onto the next page.
• Likely to leak.
• Ink Can smudge.

Ballpoint Pens

If you have a pen near you while reading this odds are it is a ballpoint pen. Ballpoint pens are the most commonly used pens, they come in a variety of different sizes, ink colours and designs. Ballpoint pens use an oil-based ink which is less prone to drying out; they generally come with a twist or click mechanism with an exposed writing tip. These pens offer convenience, with no cap and quick drying ink they are perfect for scribbling down notes in meetings or copying from your teacher's PowerPoint in class.

At Boutique gifts we offer a huge range of ballpoint pens with several big name brands. Our best seller is the stainless steel Parker Jotter pen, this jotter is a streamlined design steeped in a longline of Parker history. If you are looking for something a bit more colourful we also have the Parker Jotter available in orange, blue, yellow and magenta. If you are looking for an extra special ballpoint pen our Cross Century Black ballpoint pen truly is a little piece of luxury.

Pros of using a Ballpoint Pen

• Relatively cheap - often the cheapest pen options are ballpoints.
• No smudging .
• Long ink life.
• Not prone to leaking so can happily sit in your bag or pencil case without fear.

Cons of using a Ballpoint Pen

• Oil based ink is prone to clumping which can accumulate around the nib causing bobbing.
• Cheap pens can break or crack.
• Rollerball can get stuck and not work correctly.

Our entire collection of engraved pens offers a personal touch with personalisation options all available. Each of our premium personalised pens are manufactured from our Nottinghamshire based workshop. Each pen is carefully engraved by one of our inhouse experts to your exact specification including choice of font. From an everyday Parker Jotter to a truly elegant Cross ATX Fountain pen we certainly have the perfect pens for you and your loved ones. Now you have a bit more understanding that a pen is not simply just a pen, take a look at our entire engraved pen collection and find the perfect gift for yourself or someone in your life.