A fountain pen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A fountain pen - Essay Example Companies source raw materials required in the production process from various stockholders and international suppliers. Before distribution to various target markets, assembling of the components occurs at specific sites (Anklesaria 211). The design of fountain pens is in various ways and styles. A fountain pen may be custom made or produced in bulk. In designing custom fountain pens, an individual generally decides the elements and style that he wants to be incorporated in the product, thus may include specifications like, color, laminating strips, the engraving of particular patterns on the surface, or inlaying materials like gemstones into surface. A custom pen usually has a different and unique look from the design of other fountain pens produced in bulk. Mass produced pens usually resemble in design and shape but may differ in color. This is because custom pens are generally expensive to produce than the mass-produced pens. A fountain pen incorporates various materials in its production process. The pen’s barrels are made from a series of materials including gold, silver or copper; however, these materials are utilized for custom pens. Consequently, mass produced pens are produced out of inexpensive materials including Lucite also referred as acrylic resin, cellulose acetate among other moldable polymers. Consequently, hand-made fountain pens use stable and solid materials including plywood, leather, antlers, and crushed velvet. These affordable materials utilize simple tools in production. Moreover, the nib is also a vital component of the fountain pen, which is usually made out of stainless steel, gold, or sterling silver as the former is the widely utilized material. On the other hand, the pen fittings and clips are made out of electroplated gold alloys while custom pens may make use of gold (Anklesaria 211). The ink is also an important