How to Make a Feather Quill Pen

Quill pens were once the dominant writing instrument, widely used to sign important documents such as Magna Carta and Declaration of Independence. Before them, people employed clay tablets, wax tablets, or reed pens as writing implements.

Quills are usually harvested from goose, turkey or crow feathers during their new growth periods in spring.

It’s easy to make

Feather quill pens offer an innovative alternative to conventional writing pens, and can be made quickly and easily in just a few steps. First, wash the feather in hot water with mild soap to remove dirt and gunk from its fibers before drying it with cloth or paper towel.

As soon as your feather is complete, trim it to form a nib. To do this, cut its tip diagonally across its shaft. From here, trim either to create a point for calligraphy or flat chisel edge writing pens; quill pens have much higher ink loads and flow rates than ballpoint or felt-tip pens; therefore use quality sketchbook paper in order to prevent tears or pilling on your artwork or writing surface.

Goose and swan feathers are commonly used for quills, although crow, turkey and owl feathers are sometimes also utilized for certain styles. For the strongest quills available on the market, birds shed primary flight feathers during their annual moulting cycle and discard these as primary flight quills during moulting season.

It’s easy to sharpen

Quill pens are easy to sharpen and can be used over and over again. Their versatile nature allows for use both drawing and writing; cut to any fine point for sketching or blunted nibs for writing; they may even be trimmed for broad calligraphic lines with broad calligraphic strokes. Because quills are more sensitive to pressure than metal or bamboo dip pens, quality paper must be used.

Feather quill pens are handcrafted using primary flight feathers from birds that shed during annual moulting cycles, typically goose and swan feathers but other types may also be utilized depending on strength and size requirements.

Quill pens feature pointed tips with slits to hold ink, working through capillary action to draw it down into its narrow slit. Wetting before use helps widen this slit as it dries, creating the quill pen experience. They were first developed at the start of Middle Ages as replacements to reed or bamboo pens when writing on papyrus; Thomas Jefferson even raised geese at Monticello just for this purpose!

It’s easy to clean

Quill pens work through capillary action to store large volumes of ink, but are extremely pressure sensitive and need a steady hand to operate properly. Since there’s only a narrow opening at their tip, pressing too hard may cause your ink to overflow its confines and flood out onto paper surfaces instead.

Traditional quill pens were traditionally constructed using primary flight feathers from geese or swans, though other species can also be used. After cutting to a point, a small slit is created for holding ink, controlled by capillary action from reservoir into nib.

There is no universal rule as to the appropriate length of time a quill should remain submerged in sand, though most agree at least a minute is optimal. Once extracted from the sand, your feather should have lost its milky white hue and should appear yellow-ish and waxy; additionally it should feel stiff against your fingers.

It’s easy to write with

Quill pens date back to the Dark Ages. Scholars, writers and artists frequently used quill pens in writing; some may still prefer them today for producing thin lines with ease and being easier to hold and use than modern pens with metal nibs.

To use a quill pen effectively, the tip must be placed at an angle (recommendations for right-handed people range from 45 degrees to perpendicular) in order to produce fine, legible lines. When applying pressure it is advised that very minimal force be applied as too much could damage either the quill or paper.

Blot the pen frequently while writing to prevent ink from building up on its metal nib and clogging it, and opt for quill pen-specific ink for best results. Furthermore, be sure to rinse out and sanitise after every use to maintain hygiene of its use.