There have been various materials used as writing instruments in the history of mankind. From reeds to plastic, our ancestors have used numerous materials as pens or pencils. However, not everything is considered a suitable material. Each and every material has its own unique characteristics. The qualities of respective materials are important factors when used as materials for each part of a fountain pen. This article is going to describe important aspects of the barrel’s material.
A barrel to a fountain pen is a body to a man. It protects the inkwell inside like a body protects its organs. The most important aspects for materials in a fountain pen are the following: light weight, hardness, strength, and reactivity. Light-weight materials are preferred for fountain pens. Oftentimes, fountain pens prefer to target students for the purpose of lessening the stress in their hands since the period of usage is significantly long; the heavier the pen is, the more stress in the hand. Hardness ensures that the barrel protects the inkwell, the hardness of the material is very important in that function. Strength helps the pen resist corrosion or scratches that might happen during usage. Reactivity helps resist chemicals that might be used during cleaning of a fountain pen. There are numerous materials that exceed qualification for these aspects, and they are the following: hardwood, metal, ebonite, resin, celluloid, plastics, porcelain, and stone.
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. They tend to be dense, hard, and complex in structure due to their slow growing nature. Some hardwoods are even denser than water. Most of them normally show annual growth rings, but some tropical hardwood such as ebony or mahogany don’t due to their slow-growing nature. High-end fountain pen makers prefer hardwood due to their density which adds to durability, appearance, and overall performance. Also, since they have a more complex structure, they tend to be more resistant to humidity than softwoods, which is very important since human hands are generally moist. Additionally, it looks good in appearance, which is a major advantage. The aesthetic aspects of hardwood are: texture, exotic colours, and patterns. Due to these aspects, they are mostly used in flagship products or even in some limited editions, too. However, due to overexploitation, it is hard to find hardwood at an affordable price. Also, it is a kind of wood anyways. Therefore, it is still prone to cracks due to humidity level changes and transmutation of the overall structure.
Metal
Metals used for fountain pen barrels can vary from gold to titanium alloy, but brass and stainless steel are the most common metal used in such products. They are easy to process and more affordable in price. Also, there are fountain pens made of gold, silver, or other alloys such as titanium alloy or duralumin, an alloy of aluminum. There are numerous other metal alloys that are used to make fountain pen barrels and these alloys’ characteristics might vary due to the percentage of each metal in the alloy, or other factors which is too much for this finite article to handle. Thereby, this paragraph about metal alloys for fountain pens will only handle four materials: brass, stainless steel, gold, and silver alloys. Brass barrels tend to be coated with other materials that are less reactive such as a corrosion inhibitor due to high reactivity of brass, since brass stains are toxic to most organisms including humans. Stainless steel is very commonly used in low-end or entry grade fountain pens. They are harder to process than brass, but stronger to corrosion and, therefore, less toxic matter is created. Silver alloys such as sterling silver are used in fountain pens targeting customers in need of more elegant pens, the same applies for gold alloy. Silver alloys are weaker to corrosion, but less toxic to the human body than stainless steel or brass. Gold alloys are the same except that they are stronger to chemical corrosion. Also, the aesthetic advantage is a big reason for why they are used in flagship products of fountain pen companies. Also, there are a few fountain pens made with pure gold, or gilded with pure gold, but they are not the major product due to the costly nature of gold.
Ebonite
Ebonite is a sort of hard rubber. To make ebonite, first, add sulfur and linseed oil to natural rubber and heat up the mixture. This process is called vulcanization. After vulcanization, big chunks of ebonite are created. They are cut to size and made into a fountain barrel. Ebonite is excellent in acid and alkali resistance, and machinability. However, it is weak to organic solvent such as toluene. Also, its excellent machinability means it is more vulnerable to scratches and pressure. Fountain pens made of ebonites need special care such as the removal of scratches or dents. They are for mainstream or performance grade fountain pens due to the fact they are naturally prone to dents and scratches.
Plastic
Plastic is the most common material used for fountain pens. They are durable, economically efficient, and easy to process. Also, it is almost invulnerable to acid or alkali substances which is a great advantage. However, it is very vulnerable toward organic solvents including alcohol. Additionally, it is quite prone to scratches and dents. Its industrial efficiency enabled the mass production of fountain pens, but they are only used to make low-end or entry level products. Therefore, most fountain pens ever made are made from plastic and production is still increasing.
Resin
Resin is a sort of plastic, but better in quality. The glossy resin goes well with gold trimming to create a modern, durable pen. They are more durable than most plastics, but still fragile to scratches since it is a sort of plastic anyways. It shares fragility toward organic solvents with plastics. However, due to its glossiness and other aesthetic aspects, it is mostly used in flagship products or higher-tier products such as limited editions. Most high-end fountain pen companies such as Mont Blanc, Pirot, or Parker favor resin barrels.
Celluloid
Celluloid is a material produced by adding camphor to cellulose nitrate and other dyes and agents. Cellulose nitrate is made from the nitration of cellulose using a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid. It was once used for camera films before the advent of other reliable and safe methods. Nowadays, it is used for musical instruments, table tennis balls, and fountain pens. It was once a main material used for fountain pens. Most vintage pens that are on the market are either made in celluloid or metal. Additionally, it is hard and has a very unique colour and texture, but is extremely vulnerable to organic solvent and hard to produce since it uses acids and camphor which is extremely inflammable. These days, it is only used in some high-end pens that are targeted for customers who seek for its unique colour and texture.
Porcelain and Stone
Porcelain and stone have similar morphology when it comes to hardness and strength. They are both easily broken, but very resilient to stretches. However, when it comes to chemical properties, they differ. Porcelain is almost invulnerable to chemical erosion. Stones vary from the type of stone that was used to make barrels. It depends on the characteristics of the original stones that were used. Crystals or amethysts are almost invulnerable to acid or alkali. On the other hand, marble is very weak towards acid since it is made from organic compounds. Also, sometimes they might need extra careful treatment in relation to the characteristics of original stones that were used. For example, fountain pens made of lapis lazuli are not allowed to be submerged in water due to lapis lazuli’s porous nature. Additionally, they are generally heavy and expensive. They are only used in limited editions due to the price and its fragile structure.
Conclusion
With each material’s characteristics, comes a user’s personal preference. The barrel of a fountain pen is arguably the most important part of the pen’s structure and aesthetic. Some prefer sturdiness and an economically safe approach, some prefer luxury, and some prefer a little bit of both worlds. At the end of the day, when choosing materials for a fountain pen, for any part, it all comes down to the user’s own preference.
References
PreciseBits. (n.d.). Relative Wood Hardness Table. [online] Available at: https://www.precisebits.com/reference/relative_hardness_table.htm. [Accessed 11 January 2023].
MyCrystals. (2021). Lapis Lazuli: Meaning, Healing Properties and Powers. [online] Available at: https://www.mycrystals.com/meaning/lapis-lazuli-meaning-and-healing-properties [Accessed 12 January 2023].
United States of America. (1955). Visual Inspection Guide for Hard Rubber (ebonite) Items. [Accessed 12 January 2023].
