Non-motoring > Defective ball point pen	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: L'escargot	Replies: 26

Thu 21 Apr 11 18:17   Defective ball point pen - L'escargot

I've got a previously unused ball point pen and it refuses to write. What can I do, if anything, to get it to write. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 18:18   Defective ball point pen - Iffy

Warm it gently. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 18:25   Defective ball point pen - Armel Coussine

The ball may be seized. Scribble violently with it on some strong, rough-surfaced paper. Only once have I ever popped the ball out doing that. But it doesn't always work. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 18:27   Defective ball point pen - L'escargot

Thanks iffy. I dunked the ball in warm water and it worked. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 18:31   Defective ball point pen - Iffy

Reminds me of the this story, which might even be true. The Americans spent millions of dollars developing a ball point pen which would write in zero gravity for use in space. The Russians used a pencil. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 18:34   Defective ball point pen - L'escargot

>> The Americans spent millions of dollars developing a ball point pen which would write in >> zero gravity for use in space. I had one which would write upside down. I think it had a means of pressurising the ink. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 18:36   Defective ball point pen - Perky Penguin

This is/was the one www.fisherspacepens.co.uk/acatalog/index.html?gclid=CO_7jc2SrqgCFYYTfAody33pfQ Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 19:34   Defective ball point pen - R.P.

Weren't the original Papermates meant to do that ? I used them in school when the ban on ball points was relaxed. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 19:38   Defective ball point pen - Armel Coussine

>> I used them in school when the ban on ball points was relaxed. Surely PU you are too young to have known the era of inkwells stuffed with squidgy blotting paper, powdered ink all over everything and everyone, bent nibs and all that palaver? I thought I was alone. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 19:42   Defective ball point pen - R.P.

I avoided that but suffered at the dubious qualities of Quink and Platignum writing tools. Including a pot of black Quink that managed to unscrew its own lid in my satchel....I can still smell that particular ink as I type. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Fri 22 Apr 11 09:12   Defective ball point pen - Hard Cheese

>> Weren't the original Papermates meant to do that ? >> Yes, as I recall. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 19:35   Defective ball point pen - Stuartli

I have the original version in silver. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 19:37   Defective ball point pen - R.P.

I seem to recall it was advertised as having a "heart" that pumped ink to the point even if upside down. We all wanted them because of this function.....of limited use in the real world. Last edited by: Pugugly on Thu 21 Apr 11 at 19:38 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 19:50   Defective ball point pen - Perky Penguin

I think I shall put the titanium rainbow finish model on my birthday present list! Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 19:55   Defective ball point pen - Bellboy

at one time a proper bic biro had a nib of steel and you could get them to work with a lighter flame on the bolly bearing then they changed the nib ends to plastic and everything fell off if you introduced THE FLAME progress? pah......... Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 22:49   Defective ball point pen - Chris S

>> The Russians used a pencil. I think this was an urban myth. Pencils need sharpening - the las thing you wan floating around in zero gravity are splinters of wood and graphite that can get in peoples eyes, lungs, etc. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:00   Defective ball point pen - henry k

Read all about it www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:12   Defective ball point pen - Iffy

The ball point which was advertised as being able to write upside down was the Papermate Powerpoint. The nib was spring-loaded, suggesting pushing the pen against the paper pumped the ink. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:14   Defective ball point pen - R.P.

Thanks for filling in that blank iffy - I loved these pens when I was a young shaver... Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:17   Defective ball point pen - Iffy

I can picture the advertisement you mentioned. It had a line of little hearts throbbing along the refill as if the ink was being pumped to the point. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:18   Defective ball point pen - Zero

It actually did pump ink, the top of the refill was a sprung loaded plunger into the ink tube that slightly pressurised the tube. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:27   Defective ball point pen - rtj70

You would have thought a self-propelling pencil would have been used. As is mentioned in henry's link. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:32   Defective ball point pen - Stuartli

>> You would have thought a self-propelling pencil would have been used. As is mentioned in henry's link.>> Yes, but unleaded has been the norm for many years now...:-)) Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:48   Defective ball point pen - rtj70

>> Yes, but unleaded has been the norm for many years now...:-)) There's no lead in pencils. It's graphite ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Apr 11 23:56   Defective ball point pen - Fullchat

2 terms immediately spring to mind 'Austerity' and 'Credit crunch' :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 22 Apr 11 10:09   Defective ball point pen - Zero

>> 2 terms immediately spring to mind 'Austerity' and 'Credit crunch' :-) Isnt that the two new Toyota models? Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 22 Apr 11 10:50   Defective ball point pen - Iffy

Brother's not long bought an Auris. He likes the auto box which is better than the jerky one on his Civic. My endearing mother is an occasional passenger. She like the Auris, too, because it's a bit higher. Reply to this message | Report message