So you know which end of the pen to use. And you can sharpen a pencil without losing too many fingers. But if you want to know more about the writing instruments we all take for granted, our promotional pens jargon buster is here to help.

Glossary of Pen Terminology

ABS – a thermoplastic polymer used in the construction of some plastic pens and chosen for its toughness and durability.

Anodising – an aluminium pen is placed into an acid electrolyte bath and an electric current is passed through. The aluminium is oxidised resulting in a bright and durable finish.

Ballpen – another term for ballpoint pen. See definition below.

Ballpoint pen – a rotating metal ball is suspended beneath an ink reservoir. As the ball point is applied to the writing surface, the ink flows from the reservoir, coating the ball and being deposited as it rotates.

Barrel – this is the central component of a pen and is the hollow tube that house the refill and pen mechanisms. A pen barrel is usually a slightly tapered cylinder in shape.

Base metal – sometimes called the ‘substrate’, this is the metal underneath the outer layer of a metal pen. When a metal pen is engraved, the outer layer is removed and the base metal is revealed.

Biofree™ – this is an anti-bacterial additive that can be found in some plastic pens, such as the Vogue Biofree Ballpen. It suppresses the growth of bacteria, fungus and mould, making it ideal for the healthcare, pharmaceutical and catering industries.

Breather hole – some pens have small holes drilled into the cap to equalise pressure and prevent ink from seeping out.

Chromark™ engraving – available on selected Pen Warehouse metal pens, this is engraving with a vivid mirror finish.

Cap – a cover that goes over the top of the pen to stop the ink from drying out or escaping, and to stop the tip from getting damaged.

Clip – the pen clip was originally introduced by the Waterman pen company, designed to clip to a pocket to prevent the pen falling out, and has been a standard feature of plastic and metal pens ever since.

Dokumental – a German ink manufacturer renowned for its high-quality and durable inks.

Dry wipe marker – a marker pen suitable for using on a whiteboard as it is non-permanent and can be removed with a dry cloth.

EcoAllene – an eco-friendly material made from recycled artificial materials, such as Tetra Pak cartons.

Ferrule – the metal ring at the top of a pencil used to house the eraser. The pencil ferrule is usually made from brass or aluminium.

Fountain pen – a pen which contains a reservoir of liquid ink which is drawn into the nib and deposited onto the paper through a combination of capillary action and gravity.

Frosted – this refers to a fine sand surface texture on translucent plastic. The finish can be moulded or spray coated.

FSC™ certified – the Forest Stewardship Council promotes responsible management of the world’s forests and will only lend certification to products made from sustainable wood.

Gloss finish – a shiny finish such as that found on a polished plastic pen or painted wooden pencil.

Grip – the section of the pen towards the tip that is held when writing. This is usually distinct from the barrel as a different colour, material or texture, such as the rubberised grip found on the Spectrum Max Ballpen.

Injection moulding – a manufacturing process commonly used for plastic pens. Heated material is injected into a mould where it cools and solidifies. Most pen barrels are not perfect cylinders and actually have a tapered shape so they can be removed from the mould.

Inkredible™ – smooth-flow ink technology available in a number of The Pen Warehouse’s products

Lacquering – a lacquer coating is sprayed onto a metal, providing a hard layer with a gloss finish.

Lead – the lead of a pencil is actually a piece of graphite. When this substance was first discovered it was thought to be a type of black lead and was initially called ‘plumbago’ which comes from the Latin for ‘lead’.

LogoClip – exclusive to The Pen Warehouse, LogoClips are pen clips available in a wide range of shapes and styles which can be printed with a full colour design.

Matt finish – a non-shiny finish, the opposite of gloss. Might also be written as ‘matte’.

Mechanical pencil – a pencil with a propelling lead that doesn’t require sharpening. These pencils are usually made of metal but can also be plastic.

Nib – the writing tip of a fountain pen which uses capillary action to deposit ink on the page. Fountain pen nibs are usually made from stainless steel or gold alloys.

Nose cone – the cone-shaped component of a pen that houses the tip of the refill. The nose cone has a hole in the centre for the tip to extend from.

Push-button – this is the mechanism used in most ballpens to extend the refill and involves pushing a button at the top of the pen.

Refill – the component of a ballpen or rollerball that contains the ink, so called because it can be replaced when the ink runs out.

Rollerball – a pen that uses a similar ball bearing mechanism to a ballpoint pen, but which uses lower viscosity water-based liquid or gel inks for smoother writing.

Rubberised – coated in a thin layer of rubber, often used for the grip of a pen to give a soft feel with slight padding.

Satin finish – an increasingly popular finish on pens, this has more sheen than a matt finish but is not as shiny as a gloss finish.

Stylus – a device used to make inputs on a touchscreen phone or tablet. A resistive touchscreen responds to the pressure made by a stylus, whereas a capacitive screen uses current from the human body and therefore requires a conductive stylus.

Substrate – this is the material beneath the outer layer of a pen. An aluminium pen might have a brass substrate, for example, and this will be revealed when it’s engraved.

Twist-action – a mechanism found in some metal and plastic pens. The barrel is split into two pieces, with one piece rotated in relation to the other to extend or retract the refill.

UV marker – a type of marker that deposits ink that can only be seen under Ultraviolet (UV) light. It is often used to mark objects for security purposes.