The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-16
The Process by Which Steel Pens
Are Made.
From the Ne,O York San.

From tie Nea0 York San.
About a million gross of steel pens are
worn out every year in the United States.
What becomes of them? Twenty years
ago most of the steel pens used in the
country were imported. Now compare
lively few are imported, and there are
several factories in Connecticut, another is
in Pennsylvania, and large one is in
Camden, N. j. At present the importa-
ton of foreign pens is mainly confined to
high priced articles.
1t was first doubted that steel pens could
be made in this country, but it was soon
learned that the requisite skilled labor
could be obtained for high wages, and the
success of the pioneers led one manufac-
turer after another into the business, until
now the field is pretty well supplied. Most
of the work of these little instruments is
done with the aid of very nice machinery
worked by women and girls. The steel
used is imported, because it is believed that
the quality is more uniform than American
steel. This uniformity of quality is ne
cessary because of the very delicate temper
ing required in the manufacture of the
pens. That mysterious quality of steel
which gives different grades of elasticity
and brittleness to different colors of steel
is quality that requires expert manipula-
ton on the part of the workman who does
the tempering He must know the nature
of the material with which he works, ard
with that knowledge must exercise a celer.
ity and skill that seizes upon the proper
instant to fasten the steel at heat which
insures the requisite quality.
First the steel is rolled into big sheets.
This is cut into strips about three inche;
wide. These strips are annealed that is
they are heated to a red heat and permitted
to cool very gradually, so that the brittle
ness is all removed and the steel is sofl
enough to be easily worked. Then the
strips are again rolled to the required thick
ness, or, rather, thinness, for the average
steel pen is not thicker than sheet of thir
letter paper Next the blank pen is cut
out of the fat strip. On this the name O.
the maker or of the brand is stamped
The last is very important factor. Their,
are numbers that have come to be valua
bic property to manufacturers. NAM
clerks say they cannot work to advantag,
unless they have particular styles of pens
The result is that by passing the word from
one writer to another a market IS sooI
created in STYLE Each steel pen has there
fore to be stamped with sufficient readin!
matter to identify it thoroughly Th
stamping is done with very nicely cut die
that cut deep and clean, so that the read
ing matter will not be obliterated by tn,
finishing process. Next the penis moulde'
in a form which combines gracefulnes
with strength. The rounding enables tn
pen to hold the requisite ink, and to dis
tribute it more gradually than could b
done with fiat blade.
The little hole which is cut at the en-
of the slit serves to regulate the elasticity
and also facilitates the running of the ink
Then comes the process of hardening an
tempering. The steel is heated to cherry
red, and then plunged suddenly into som
cool substance. This at once changes tn
quality of the metal from that of a sol
lead-like substance to brittle, springy one
Then hetemper of the steel must be draw
for without this process it would be to
brittle The drawing consists of heatin
the pen until it reaches a certain colo
The quality of the temper varies accordin
to the color to which the steel is permitte
to rum 1t is the quick eye for color an
the quick hand to fasten it that constitute
the skill of the temperer of steel. Whe
the steeli heated for tempering, it is brigh
The first color that appears is straw colo
This changes rapidly to blue. The elias
ITCHY of the metal varies with the colo
and is fastened at any point by instar
plunging in cold water.
The process of Sitting, polishing, point
ing, and finishing the pens are operation
requiring dexterity, but by long practic
the workingmen become very exper
There have been few changes of late year.
and the process of manufacture is muc
the same that it was twenty years ago, an
the prices are rather uniform, from
cents to 81 gross, according to the qualit
of the finish. The boxes sold almost un
versally contain gross.
Fancies come and 60 in styles of pen
as in other fashions One american make
alone turns out about $50 different pa
terms. Some are very odd, such as tn
stub pens and draughtsman's pen, whic
makes two parallel lines at once; the man
moth pen, suited to use on rough pape
and the pen with the turned up point, tn;
writes thick mark, yet runs smooth
over the paper. Then there are delicat
pens for ladies, pens that make fine ha
line and yet can spring out to heaV
shading. Already the American steel per
have become famous abroad, and many al
exported Many pens are made of otht
metals besides steel One kind is the Ge
man silver non-corrosive pen for red iD!
Another is an imitation gold pen made {
non corrosive metal. There are pens of a
colors and sizes, for all trades and profe
sions.