Like on the plain old Bic pens, is it necessary to keep the cap on them? If so, why? The retractable tip versions are exposed to air even when retracted in the pen.
Do ballpoint pen caps keep the ink from drying out?
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Probably so they don't make a mess if you keep them in your shirt pocket? Not that I've seen anyone do that outside of 80s movies about nerds...
Nope, can confirm have 4 year old box and every single one is dry. I've tried everything including a lighter, some come back to life, some don't..
I have a box of pens that has to be nearly 10 years old...still work after a couple scribbles pretty much every time. They are also click pens with no cap.
I think the clickers use a different ink ball then mine. I have the fine point tips I purchased by accident, hence the reason they didn't get used!
Sooner or later most ballpoint pens will dry out, caps or no caps. Even worse is if you keep one in your glovebox where it is exposed to heat. Back in 1985 my sister gave me a Fisher Space Pen for Christmas. I kept it in every vehicle I owned and it never failed to write. Until 2 years ago anyway. I was so impressed that I bought a refill for the one that I keep in my car plus two new Fisher Space Pens, one for the second vehicle and another for my office.
If I get anywhere near the kind of service life out of the refill and the new ones that I did from the original I will be very happy.
I suggest you try one if you want to have a pen that you can depend upon. Or a $0.10 pencil.
If I get anywhere near the kind of service life out of the refill and the new ones that I did from the original I will be very happy.
I suggest you try one if you want to have a pen that you can depend upon. Or a $0.10 pencil.
The caps are vented on the end.
Not really. They’re not well sealed. If anything, they prevent the ball from marking things they come in contact with. It might reduce evaporation slightly.
I’ve had gel ink pens that had a bit of resin on the ball tip to prevent drying out before being used for the first time. Also with refills.
I’ve had gel ink pens that had a bit of resin on the ball tip to prevent drying out before being used for the first time. Also with refills.
The worse thing that happens is if you leave one in your pocket and toss it in with the laundry. If it falls out in the dryer, well........imagine 101 Dalmatians. Everything is covered in spots. Ruined three of my best shirts that are now relegated to oil change duty.
The cap is there to keep it from writing when it's not supposed to.
If you look at a Bic Crystal, there's a giant hole in the end of the cap. Supposedly this has to do with hazard/choking legislation and the hole allowing someone who swallowed the cap and had it lodged in their throat to still breath.
Even good($$$) twist or click action ballpoints just retract the tip into the pen body and don't actually seal it.
Rollerballs and fountain pens use water based inks that can dry out and must have a tight cap. The ink in ballpoint pens has more in common with newspaper ink than the ink in other pen types, and it doesn't readily dry until it's put in a thin film on the paper.
If you look at a Bic Crystal, there's a giant hole in the end of the cap. Supposedly this has to do with hazard/choking legislation and the hole allowing someone who swallowed the cap and had it lodged in their throat to still breath.
Even good($$$) twist or click action ballpoints just retract the tip into the pen body and don't actually seal it.
Rollerballs and fountain pens use water based inks that can dry out and must have a tight cap. The ink in ballpoint pens has more in common with newspaper ink than the ink in other pen types, and it doesn't readily dry until it's put in a thin film on the paper.
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