A ruling pen is a versatile writing instrument that uses ink to make marks on paper. The pens come in various designs and can be made up of different materials. They can also be used for different purposes from engineering drawing to calligraphy. Here we will focus on choosing a ruling pen for the purpose of learning more about calligraphy. These tools have two main parts: the handle and the tip. Let’s look into each of these to determine what would suit each potential buyer.
The Handle
The handle is the longest part of the pen. It is usually around five to six inches long but there are a lot of products with much shorter or long stems. This is the section that you hold with your hand so it should have enough grip to remain stable while you make your strokes. A longer handle is generally desired because it provides more control for the movement. Besides, short handles can be uncomfortable to hold if you have large hands. Your fingers will be crammed into a small space leading to awkward strokes.
This can be made of wood, metal or plastic. The weight should be substantial — not too heavy but not too light either. Again, weight adds to the stability of the pen in your hands. You want it to be as steady as possible so that you can guide the tip with no problems across the page. This could have a cylindrical exterior or something with rounded corner which prevent it from slipping in your hands. Since you will often have to bend the pen at odd angles, this feature can be quite desirable.
The Tip
The tip is usually made of metal, the exact type of which will vary from product to product. There are some that are fashioned out of brass, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel. One defining characteristic is that the metal tip splits into two blades. The middle of it has nothing but air. This will then be dipped in an ink bottle to get filled so that the writer can commence his or her practice. The amount of ink placed inside will depend on the user. Some might fill it with just enough to last a single stroke while others create full words in one go.
Some of these tips feature a tightening screw that can influence the volume of liquid that can be held between the blades. This will also affect the look of the final result. Other tips do not have this screw, and thus have a fixed capacity, but they are also interesting because they have short blades with different shapes. These can produce several interesting effects on paper.
