A Feather Quill Pen and Ink Set
Writing with a quill pen can be both exciting and fulfilling; although it requires practice, its results are stunningly beautiful.
Writing with light pressure is crucial to avoid breaking your nib or tearing the paper, and writing until redipping becomes necessary rather than stopping often to do so.
Ink
Quill pens operate through capillary action, where liquid draws itself up within a narrow tube through capillary action. They require more pressure sensitivity than other writing utensils and practice before finding an optimal writing style and pressure combination that suits you best.
Choose ink specifically made for quill pens; avoid thick and sticky India ink that could potentially corrode metal nibs.
Natural quills will need to be sharpened from time to time, depending on how often you use the pen. You’ll likely need to cut away some of the shaft and shape its tip with scissors before sharpening.
Once your masterpiece is complete, rinse the nib with water to clear away any leftover ink and then use paper or cloth towel to dry it off.
Feather
Quill pens are made from the moulted flight feathers of birds and require regular dipping in an inkwell, unlike fountain pens that contain an internal reservoir that continuously supplies ink to their nib.[3] Traditionally, quills were cut from goose or swan feathers but more modern examples include turkey, crow and owl feathers as well.
Start out using thicker paper such as stationery, construction or textured printing paper with your feather pen until you become familiar with its pressure and writing style. Remember to point the pen down at an oblique angle so as to prevent ink blobs on the page.
Utilize a cushion or sand beneath your paper to absorb excess ink and avoid unsightly blotches on your writing. Also be sure to blot the nib frequently to avoid drying of metal parts; dried ink can corrode its tip of your pen!
Wooden pen
Wooden pens add an elegant touch to any desk or pen case. Lightweight yet fluid in writing performance, these wooden pens make an excellent alternative to plastic or metal options. Constructed of different types of wood with distinct characteristics – whorls of grain create distinct designs while different wood species feature varied color shades – wooden pens bring elegance into any setting they grace.
Some wooden pens feature protective resin or lacquer finishes that help prevent staining while keeping their surfaces smooth; other unfinished models may feature rougher textures that require more frequent maintenance. When selecting your next wooden pen, keep its intended purpose and desired texture in mind when making your selection – such as the E+M Pen Shaper; both eco-friendly yet effective writing instruments!
Nibs
Quill pens may take more effort to use than your standard ball-point or felt tip pen, but they’re well worth your efforts. First created around 6th century CE, quills became popular writing tools throughout Middle Ages Europe – even serving Thomas Jefferson when writing his rough draft for Declaration of Independence!
Feathers were usually collected from geese, swans, or turkeys – though any large bird feather would suffice – and then trimmed into the shape of traditional pen nibs with small slots to hold ink.
When using a feather pen, it’s wise to avoid applying too much pressure as this could break or tear the feather and paper. Also be sure to blot frequently during writing to remove excess ink build-up from clogging the pen.
Storage
Quill pens were used to compose many medieval manuscripts, such as Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence. Today they remain a favorite tool among professional scribes and calligraphers; Thomas Jefferson even kept geese at Monticello specifically to meet his demand for quills!
Quill pens operate through capillary action, in which liquid is drawn up into a narrow tube by its own weight and into an ink reservoir with an adjustable narrow slit to regulate ink flow to the nib. A feather shaft known as the calamus acts as an ink reservoir while being fitted with this narrow slit which controls ink distribution from it into the nib.
Quill pens have the added advantage of not widening with each use, meaning they can be reused repeatedly without fear of ruining them by overdosing with ink and drying too quickly. Since they’re pressure sensitive, take care not to apply too much force when writing or else the pen will be permanently damaged.
