How to Sharpen a Writing Pen: Tips for Preparing for Calligraphy

From this article you will learn:

• Who and when was writing with a pen invented?
• Which feathers do not require sharpening?
• How to sharpen a quill pen yourself
• How to sharpen a feather for magical purposes

Calligraphy can be called an art that is quite common throughout the world. Until the end of the 19th century, people shared their ideas, thoughts and emotions through letters written with a pen. Our article is devoted to the history of the origin of the writing pen, in addition, we will tell you how to sharpen the writing pen yourself.

What did Pushkin's pen write with?

According to the recollections of the poet's contemporaries, Pushkin loved to write with a pencil, lying on the sofa and lowering each sheet he covered to the floor. And for some reason Pushkin preferred feathers made from the left wing of the bird.

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The history of writing with a pen

Already from the 7th century, sharpened bird feathers were used to write letters. But not every feather was suitable for this process. Most often they were crows, peacocks or swan. Thus, great writers such as Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol created their immortal masterpieces only with the help of a well-sharpened quill pen.

It was very important to know how to sharpen a pen for writing, because the quality of writing depended on it. For example, Pushkin did not allow anyone to sharpen his feathers. Moreover, he knew the secret about the goose feather: if you take it from the left wing, then, due to its bend, it fits comfortably in the hand and writes letters beautifully.

A well-made and beautifully sharpened pen could be an expensive gift. Thus, Pushkin’s pen, which was given to him by the German poet Goethe, is still kept in the same rich case in the poet’s apartment museum in St. Petersburg.

It's actually not that easy to write a letter with a sharpened quill pen. If a person did not know and did not know how to handle it correctly, then when drawing any line or oval from right to left or from bottom to top, small nasty splashes would fly off from the pen. Moreover, if you pressed very hard on the pen, it would wear off in a short time. And what a creak there was when writing! Even Gogol once mentioned one of the St. Petersburg offices: “The noise of feathers was more like how several carts with brushwood passed a quarter of an arshin with withered leaves...”.

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However, despite all the existing shortcomings, the quill pen has served man well for a whole millennium. Not a single royal decree, not a single handwritten book was complete without the use of a well-sharpened pen.

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The pen was used by alchemists to create formulas, and by pharmacists to write down recipes. They wrote many mysterious messages.

They say that the reign of goose feathers sharpened for writing ended in this way. The servant of one man, who wrote a lot and because of this constantly changed pens, felt sorry for the owner. And one day the idea came to his mind about why not make the same feather, but from a more durable material, for example, steel. Despite all his efforts, the pen turned out to be unattractive in appearance; moreover, the servant did not think of making a longitudinal slit at the tip. His pen wrote without pressure and the ink splattered heavily. After a while, they figured out how to make such a slot, and then a steel writing pen completely replaced the sharpened quill pen.

No one would have thought that the inkwells would also be forgotten. The inventors were just thinking about how to make a sharpened pen, pen and inkwell into one. Almost a hundred years later, the so-called “stylographic” pen for writing was invented. How did it work and what was it like? It was a hollow pen into which ink was poured. At the end of the handle there is a thin metal tube into which a wire is inserted. Due to this, a narrow channel was formed through which, when writing, ink leaked through, rather than flowed (an important point!).

The inventors of that time surprised us with all kinds of ideas. For example, a structure was invented that represented a suspended tank filled with ink for writing, which flowed down through rubber tubes. When we turned the tap and squeezed the rod with our fingers, the ink did not flow; when we released it, it began to flow. These “eternal pens” were used for writing in banks, offices and other public places.

But in residential buildings this writing device was not used, because who would want to install a whole barrel of ink under their ceiling? One person found a way out of the situation. It turns out that all you had to do was cut the metal rod into pieces, sharpen each one and insert a stick into it. He got the so-called “insert”. Schoolchildren used a similar pen for writing in the 1960s, and in villages in the 1970s. To this day, some post offices still use stationery pens on a wooden stick for writing.

Over the past 200 years, many specially sharpened quills for writing have been invented: stationery quills - with sharp ends and a curved nose, poster quills - they were used by artists, cartographic quills - they were used to draw maps, music quills had a double split and were used by note scribes. Writing pens were of various shapes (for example, in the shape of the Eiffel Tower), and they depicted portraits of Emperor Napoleon and the Queen of England. For noble people, writing pens were decorated with personalized coats of arms.

However, the quill pen is not such an ancient writing device. The very first were kalams, which were used for writing in Ancient Egypt 4500 years ago. These were pointed reed sticks that were dipped in ink. Unfortunately, the kalams have not “survived” to this day; they are not in any museum, but we have the manufacture itself with a detailed description of their use.

The Egyptians had another invention for writing, which was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. This is a lead tube, the end of which has been pointed. Inside it was a reed filled with a dark liquid, which, flowing down to the very tip, left a dark mark on the papyrus. Thus, it is once again confirmed that the Egyptians invented a writing medium before the idea of ​​using a quill pen for writing appeared. But everyone forgot about this, and the pen was considered the only invention for writing.

The art of calligraphy

Calligraphy literally means “beautiful handwriting” in Greek. Nowadays calligraphy is understood in different ways: for some, calligraphic handwriting is an exemplary, understandable style of writing, such as in Soviet copybooks; others consider calligraphy to be the ability to turn a simple inscription into a masterpiece of fine art. And both points of view are correct. There are a great many types of calligraphic writing - for example, they differ according to national versions. Depending on one option or another, the way the characters are drawn will also be different. In Japan and China they use special sticks and ink, in Arab countries they use brushes, and European tradition requires the use of a pen. Let's dwell on it in more detail.

V. Period of use

If, over time, the pen begins to strongly cling to the paper and drag pieces of fiber along with it, this means that it has become dull and it’s time to change it to a new one. But don’t rush to throw away the old one! Leave it in case you need to add decorative elements to your work with waterproof ink or acrylic. Some ink dries out a lot inside the pen, is difficult to wash off and thus spoils it - an old unnecessary pen will be very useful here.

And our main advice is don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things! All pens are very different: each has its own advantages and disadvantages, its own characteristics, they are suitable for different surfaces and different writing styles, each produces its own special line.

Use as a symbol

The quill feather is present on the flags:

• Roskomnadzor flag
• flag of the Zainsky district of Tatarstan.
• flag of the Pushkin rural settlement of the Gulkevich municipal district of the Krasnodar Territory.
• flag of Arbat
• flag of the urban settlement of Kurovskoye, Orekhovo-Zuevsky municipal district, Moscow region.
• previous flag of the Chudovsky municipal district (1997 - September 30, 2008) of the Novgorod region of the Russian Federation

IV. Storage

A small box, matchbox or special container for feathers is best for storage. You should not keep quills together with other tools - they may bend or become dull.

We also do not recommend storing wet nibs in holders - they may begin to rust and damage the holder's mount.

If you are putting feathers in a metal or glass container, it is best to line the bottom of the box with a napkin. This will make your feathers softer and won't dull them as you move the box.

The first way to make a writing pen from Harry Potter

Believe me, it's really simple. For the first method, you only need a pen, a feather and superglue.

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Take a ballpoint pen and remove the plastic tube with ink inside. Next, cut off the tip of the feather. Take a skewer or a small long stick and insert it into the feather, trying to go all the way up the feather. Do this until the hole is large enough. Trim the handle if it is too long. Take superglue and apply a dot of glue with ink inside the "handle" to the end of the plastic tube. Insert the plastic pen into the pen and hold until the glue dries. Once the glue has dried, the pen will be ready to use.

This method is suitable if you need a pen for writing.

Simple technique for making feathers

To make your own pen in the simplest way, all you need is paper and scissors. The material can be white or colored; alternatively, you can even take papyrus paper, or use tracing paper. This depends on the characteristics of the future feathers. A blank is made from paper. It is optimal if thick cardboard is used for this purpose. Having made the blank once, you will then use it as a template. In this way, it will be possible to create a large number of feathers. Next, using the previously prepared template, you need to cut out as many feathers from paper as necessary. Then each one has a fringe along the edges. For this you need scissors. If you glue together several blanks of different colors at once, you will get a very original feather, as if from some strange bird or firebird. Then a twig is glued in the middle of the feather on which it will be held.

Conclusion:

Feathers can have many different uses in decoration and decoration. And making them is an extremely exciting process, so making them at home is not at all difficult. In addition, this will require ordinary office supplies and materials.

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Dream Interpretation - Goose feathers

A feather in a dream is a symbol of news. A black feather in a dream means receiving bad news. A white feather in a dream foretells receiving good news from loved ones.

Seeing a quill in the Interpretation of Dreams from Hasse's Dream Interpretation means receiving a letter. But seeing a goose feather according to the Dream Book of dream meanings means success in business, your victory!

Seeing a lot of white feathers in a dream means profit. Colorful feathers in a dream mean joy. A dream in which you saw a white feather fall into your hands foreshadows the fulfillment of a cherished desire. Plucking feathers in a dream means success in a business that you did not expect. Decorating your clothes with ostrich feathers in a dream is a sign of honor and prosperity.

Which feathers do not need to be sharpened?

The origin of the metal pen has not been fully clarified, since it was, apparently, invented more than once and not even in one country. In English and German literature, versions of the creation of a metal pen are described in their own way, and this is understandable, since important inventions were sometimes made simultaneously in different states.

The metal pen is not just an invention, but an achievement of humanity. It would seem that the smallest modification - the transition from a sharpened quill pen to a metal one - influenced the development of world writing, it became more convenient to record thoughts, and the speed of writing increased.

At the very beginning, we mentioned only one legend about the emergence of a steel pen for writing. How did this happen in other countries?

In ancient Rome, writing pens were also known and were made from metals such as bronze, copper and silver. The feather was cut and split almost like a modern one. The main feature was that the feathers were very durable, did not fray or rust. With this pen, Theodoric the Great (VI century AD) left his signature on orders.

Oyle's book sets out the version that in the 15th century. German craftsmen knew writing pens made of silver and copper, which constantly had to be sharpened, and they were inferior in flexibility and elasticity to other types of pens. Therefore, they were not in mass demand.

1798 was the year of the invention of the steel pen, which was capable of writing on lithographic stone. This pen was invented by Alois Senefelder. It was after him, as Oyle wrote, that the English manufacturers Mason, Peri and Vaizev took advantage of his invention in the 30s of the 19th century.

In 1818, a metal feather was made by a resident of Aachen, Jansen. In presenting his own invention to the congress of his city, he wished for such lasting peace as the material from which his pen was made.

In 1828 in Berlin, a mechanic engaged in the manufacture of surgical instruments also made a steel pen, which was adapted by K. Burger to a goose pen. The result was a pen that never became popular with its contemporaries.

According to English literature, the invention of the metal pen for writing dates back to 1780. It was invented by Samuel Harrison from Birmingham. In 1803, feathers were already sold in London for less than 5 shillings apiece (that is, approximately 2 rubles 30 kopecks at the exchange rate of that time). However, such feathers are not entirely similar to modern ones.

They were shaped like a tube or cylinder with converging edges that formed a slit in the center. The sides were trimmed like goose feathers. In what ways were they imperfect? They had an uncomfortable design, were rigid and hard. Because of this, they were not in great demand. But in 1828–1829. Harrison and Mason improved the model by giving the feather elasticity and making central holes in the metal strip and wide protrusions.

With the help of a metal pen, writing speed increased. Therefore, the 30s of the XIX century. became the time when such feathers appeared in Russia, but they were only produced abroad. And when in 1832 Vadim Passek sent T. P. Kuchina a steel pen, this gift was unusual for her.

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In the early 50s of the XIX century. not everyone could master the technique of writing with a steel pen; it was not so easy. Remember, as the prisoner wrote from “Notes of the House of the Dead”, who “before I knew how, but as soon as they began to write with pens, I forgot how” (Part II, Chapter 3).

To tell the difference between a letter written with a quill pen or a metal one, you don't need the experience of Sherlock Holmes, as in Conan Doyle's story "The Noble Bachelor." The metal writing pen leaves indentations in most letters, this is noticeable even without a magnifying glass.

Although the metal pen had competitors, it was not possible to supplant it soon, despite the invention of calligraphy teacher Zley in 1856. For his feathers, he came up with a special composition that made them hard and elastic, and supposedly therefore they were superior to “possible iron feathers.” .

The second way to make a writing pen from Harry Potter

For the second method, you will need a pen, water, ink and a small plate.

Take another feather and cut its tip at an angle. Place a drop of black paint on a small plate and add a couple drops of water. Stir until they become a homogeneous mass. Take a pen and dip the tip in black paint with water, which should replace the ink, and start drawing on the paper.

This method is suitable if you want to draw with a pen rather than write with it. Of course, you can also write to them, but it will be much more difficult.

Pen 2 in 1

This option for stationery is very practical, since you often need not only a pen, but also a pencil.

Making it is not particularly difficult, the main thing is to follow the step-by-step instructions.

1. A suitable pen is disassembled and the pencil is adjusted to the diameter of the body.
2. To do this, a part is cut off from it, and then the excess wood is removed using a sharp knife.
3. Finally, it needs to be sanded with sandpaper to ensure a smooth surface.
4. The pencil is inserted into the body, and the junction is wrapped with adhesive tape.
5. The rod is cut to the required length and the product is assembled.

It is worth noting that the part that was cut off from the pencil is not thrown away. You can leave it and then use it to create other crafts.

Syringe pen

1. Almost every home has a disposable syringe, so let’s take a closer look at how to make a pen from this material.
2. The needle must be removed, the hole, if it does not correspond to the size of the rod, must be drilled.
3. The internal space of the syringe is filled with a gel solution, and glitter or small ones are also added.
4. The upper part is coated with glue, since it is necessary to fix the rod inside the flask.

Write beautifully!

Try writing something in beautiful handwriting! Most likely, most of us will not cope with this task, because with the advent of the ability to print text, we resort to using a pen less and less. “But a pen is such a convenient object!” - our ancestors would tell us now: they had to write their letters with a pen.

They say that if you master the skill of penmanship using an ancient device, your handwriting will become perfect, since writing with a pen is not an easy task and not everyone can do it. Well, let's try to plunge into this intricate ink world of calligraphy.

How to make pen ink?

To prepare ordinary stationery or school ink by infusion or extraction in cold water, take: 3 ink nuts, 2 iron sulfate, 2 gum arabic, 60 water. The nuts are ground into powder and poured into a glass bottle and doused with water.

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Choosing a fountain pen

Yes, a special calligraphy pen does not need to be sharpened, tempered or perform any other complex procedures - you just need to come to the store and buy the necessary thing. Alas, this is how the situation appears only at first glance. Choosing a fountain pen is an important and challenging step that you must go through if you want to master the art of writing with a pen. It’s better not to buy a pen at the nearest stationery store around the corner, but to look for a calligraphy salon that really specializes in this. Signs of a good instrument include a flat, smooth surface of the metal from which it is made; a high-quality pen has symmetrical teeth that do not scratch the paper. Remember that in this case it is better to overpay for a truly worthwhile, high-quality device than to save on it. Then your hobby will bring you only joy, and you will not abandon your new hobby because of a low-quality tool.

About the tool

To understand how to write with a pen, you need to understand the instrument itself. First, you need to decide what kind of transition we are talking about. In ancient times, natural feathers were used, which had to first be trimmed in a certain way. In modern calligraphy, special metal calligraphic pens are used, reminiscent of a pen we are used to (they are sometimes called a fountain pen). Since the principle of drawing for both devices is almost the same, let's talk about each of the pens in turn.