subject: The Different Types Of Pens [print this page] There are many differences bewteen Fountain Pens, Rollerballs and ballpoint Pens which can really make or break your experience with a pen. If you find yourself asking: What is the difference between a Fountain pen, a Rollerball and a Ballpoint pen, then this is the article for you.
The fountain pen is a nib pen, meaning it has a metal fountain pen nib with which to write. A fountain pen is a writing instrument which requires little or no pressure to write with as ideally a fountain pen will glide across the paper using the ink as a lubricant. A lot of people and passionate writers use fountain pens as their primary writing instrument over ballpoint pen and rollerball pen. A fountain pen is filled via a piston and uses water based ink. The ink can be held in a convertor or cartridge system or just in the base of the pen depending on the model. Most fountains are available in different nib widths which are made of either steel or solid gold. Aesthetics, superior penship, history and heritage all play a big part in the use and collectability of the fountain pen.
Rollerball pens use a ballpoint writing mechanism but the ink is a much freer flowing water-based liquid ink refill making the writing experience smoother than a ballpoint and less stressful on the hand. Rollerballs are designed to have the convenience of a ballpoint and the smooth writing qualities of a fountain pen.
Rollerball pens are often chosen as a upmarket substitute for the ballpoint pen, or for fountain pen lovers as a good travelling substitute because they give a similar writing experience as the fountain without having the problem of carrying ink bottles or cartridges about.
Ballpoint pens are the most common and cheapest form of pen. Ballpoint pens usually contain an oil based ink which dries almost immediately after contact with the paper. The ink chamber usually relies on gravity to dispense the ink onto the ball which means that a ballpoint is not very practical for writing upside down or on surfaces with a low adherence. Some ballpens are disposable and some are refillable. Disposable ballpoints are usually mass produced and can be very inexpensive, once the ink has been consumed you simply throw it away. Refillable ballpoint pens are generally higher in price and made of higher quality materials to last longer and appeal to different markets.
Materials used are silver, resin, gold and wood, hence certain companies can offer a lifetime guarantee. They generally have a good selection of easily available refills in different colours and point sizes to suit the individual.
