Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-08-31
ORIGIN OF GOLD PENS
THE FIRST ONES WERE MADE IN enc
LAND AND WE'RE FAILURES.

THE FIRST ONES WERE MADE IN ENcA.
LAND AND WE'RE FAILURES.
Then nn American Citizen Diseoverea
Protecting the Points, ana the Per-
feet Pen Resulted.
To an American is due the credit
for having made the fountain pen the
useful article it has come to be, for
without the gold pen point, which cam
not corrode, the fountain pen would be
useless.
The manufacture of gold pens was
commenced in the United States In 1885
by matchmaker of Detroit. Attempts
had been made In England to make
gold pens prior to that time, but they
met with little success. Alloyed gold
is too soft to make durable point, and
this circumstance made 1t necessary
TO protect the pen points with dia-
monds or rubies until John Isaac Haw-
kins, citizen Of the United States, but
residing in England while the expert
ments In the manufacturing Of gold
pens were in progress there, accident1l-
ly discovered that the native alloy az
iridium and osmium ore, one OF the
hardest and most refractory of all me
tallic alloys, could be used for protect
ing the points to much better advan-
tage and more cheaply.
Hawkins rights were purchased by Z
clergyman of Detroit, who induced the
matchmaker above mentioned to manu-
facture gold pens. The first pens made
by him We're poor substitutes for the
quill then in use. In 1S40 bis plant
was taken to New York, where the
business was enlarged.
Quite an improvement was added to
the plant by the machines for the max
Ing and temperlng Of the pens, invent
ed by John Rendell, one of the en-
ployees of the establishment. This es-
tablishment soon produced gold pen
SO perfect that 1t combined the elias
ticity OF the quill with the permanency
of the metal. About 1850 1t was dis
covered that by imbedding the iridium
points In the gold instead Of soldering
them on the corrosive influence Of the
Ink ON the two metals, the solder and
the gold. was avoided and q drmer
hold in the pen was given to the points.
The gold pen has been brought to its
present degree of perfection by the
American manufacturer, and the in-
dustry from Its inception has been
characterized by the use of American
methods. For the production OF the
gold pen high degree Of skill Is neces-
sary, and only experts are employed
In the different plants.
The gold used In the making Of the
pens IL obtained from the United
States assay office. 1t Is then melted
and alloyed about sixteen carats fino
and rolled into long. narrow ribbon,
from which pen blanks or fat plates
In the shape of pen, but considerably
thicker than the finished pen, are cut
by means Of a lever press or die and
punch. Tho blunt nib or the blank ID
notched or recessed ut the end Il, re
celve the iridium that forms the ex
ceedingly hard point which al rood
pens possess.
The iridium In coated with n cream
OF borax ground in water and laid In
the notch formed In the end 0f tha
blank. Tt IS then secured by " process
OF sweating, which Is nothing more or
less than melting the gold Of which the
pen Is formed so that 1t unites solldly
with the iridium. The blank In then
passed between rollers OF peculiar
form to give a gradually diminishing
fhA IA A al n vMT
The rolls have small cavity In which
the extreme end of the iridium pointed
nib Is placed to prevent injury to tho
iridium. After rolling the nib of every
pen is stlffened and rendered spongy
by hnmmering.
This is the most important process
In the manufacture OF the pen, as the
elasticity OF the pen depends entirely
upon this operation. The pen is then
trimmed by a press similar to that
which is used for cutting out the
blanks or by automatic machinery.
When the blank has been trimmed the
name of the manufacturer and the
number OF the pen are stamped on IL
by means of n screw press.
The pen Is given Its convex surface
also by means OF screw press. the
blank being pressed between concaye
die beneath and a convex one above.
Quite n little force Is necessary to
bring the pen to the required convex
ity, and when this operation IL COM
pieted two jaws approach the blank
and press II up on opposite edges, thus
giving the pen It's final shape.
The next step IL to cut the iridium
into two points by holding II on the
edge OF q thin copper disk which Ia
charged with fine emery and oil and
revolves at high speed. The nib IL
then slit by n machine and the slit
cleared by means OF n fine circular
saw. After Sitting the nlbs are
brought together by 'hammerlng. and
the pen Ii FURNISHED on the inside by
concave form and OH the outside by
convex form. This IN necessary to give
the pen a Uniform surface and greater
elasticity.
These nibs are then set by the fingers
alone. after which operation the pen ia
ground by lathe with thin steel
disk ana q copper cylinder, both charg-
cd with fine emery and oil. The slit
ls then ground by "a fino disk. and the
sides Of the nibs and the points are
ground upon the copper cylinder. After
the grinding Is done the pen In polished
upon bun wheels. which completes the
~rocess OF manufacture.
Before the pen IL placed upon the
market, however, It Is given thorough
inspection 10 SEQ that 1t possesses the
proper elasticity, fneness and weight,
then passed 20 an inspector who tests
70 and weighs it.-Chicago Chronicle.
Tho stray Bullet.