Inking Pens

For this next part, we're going to see how making pens will really help. So, one thing we often need when writing down our thoughts, ideas, or ways of expressing ourselves is a good pen, pencil, or quite possibly something else. A pencil is traditionally made from a thin hollowed piece of wood with something called graphite carefully tucked inside. Then when some writing powers are wanted, the wood is carefully shaved from around the pencil, revealing the graphite underneath. The problem with that is sticks and little wood branches are often hard to come by when they aren't being used for other things like fuel or larger things such as supporting a growing tree. Then too, if you haven't a graphite mine somewhere nearby, it can be rather hard to make it. Then making little slender sticks from graphite or even lead is a time-consuming process. There's got to be an easier, simpler way of doing things, right?

First off, let's try to see whatever could be done to start the process. Since I can't think of a suitable replacement for pencils just yet, let's try making pens. Pens can be done in a variety of ways. The oldest form of it was done using a long bird feather like a crow's or even a chicken. The end of it was carefully cut revealing a hollow inside. This made the tube part of the pen. The next part involved filling it with ink. If you have a large enough feather, that's great. It's like natures hollow tube which allows you to merely do the rest. Plus, it's smaller size gives you tighter, more precise control. This is wonderful for things like drawing, painting, and even writing and such. You can fill the tube with different colors quite unlike a pen, then draw the rounded edges or even shade it in.

Next time we'll look at the how to of making ink.