PRODUCT INSIGHTS
March 10, 2023
Four Things Not To Do That Can Stop a Ballpoint Pen from Writing
Why Do Ballpoint Pens Stop Working?
Have you ever had a ballpoint pen stop working while it still had ink left inside? Ballpoint pen tips are made of metal, and while at first glance, they seem sturdy, they are actually quite delicate. In this article, we’ll look at four tips to help you use ballpoint pens with ease.
The first tip is to avoid writing with the pen angled upward. For example, when writing on a wall-hanging calendar or against a wall, the pen tip will be facing upward. If you keep writing like this, the ink will be pulled away from the tip by gravity, and air will enter in, causing the pen to stop working. And if you leave the pen in this position, the ink could flow backward or even leak out, so please be careful!
*Some ballpoint pens can be used even upside down, such as pressurized pens.
Go on to the next page for three more things not to do! 〉〉〉Next page
The second thing to avoid is impact to the pen tip. At first glance, the metal pen tip looks sturdy. Have you ever assumed it would be fine if you dropped it? Or used your pen to open a cardboard box instead of a box cutter? A ballpoint pen tip is a highly precise component that holds a tiny ball measuring just fractions of a millimeter. If subjected to excessive impact and damaged, the ball may stop rotating or the ink channel may become blocked. After writing, we recommend always retracting the tip or replacing the cap to protect it.
The third thing to avoid is holding the pen too flat while writing. If the angle is too low, the metal around the ball at the tip can scrape the paper surface, and paper fibers may clog the ink flow. The same thing can happen when writing on thermal or other coated paper, as surface chemicals may get caught in the tip. It is best to use paper suited for writing, such as notebooks or planners, and hold the pen at about 60° or more to the paper.
The final tip is to avoid leaving the pen unused for long periods. The ink in ballpoint pens doesn't last forever, so older ink can deteriorate and change in quality. We recommend using up oil-based ink within 3 years of manufacture and water-based (gel) ink within 2 years. Leaving a pen on a car dashboard or in other places with extreme temperature fluctuations can cause the ink to degrade faster! Store your pens in a stable environment, away from direct sunlight and high temperatures.
If the ink stops flowing for any of the reasons explained here, the pen cannot be restored to working order. Be mindful of these four tips to use your ballpoint pens comfortably!
<
1
2
>