Ball Point Pen

[Hussar]

Does anyone know of an infallible way of getting a ball point pen to work when it 'seizes up' and refuses to write?
Thank you

[eanceoil]

Eddie51, you're a cheapskate ;-}

[Jackdaw33]

I can remember when banks and Post Offices had inkwells and blotting pads.

[eanceoil]

I remember the inkwell in my school desk - sugar, I'm old :-{

[Jackdaw33]

I was ink monitor.

[stuey]

Remember the wooden pencil boxes with a little hole for an eraser and one "layer" would swing aside to reveal a bottom compartment. They also had a sliding wooden lid on them.

[eanceoil]

I loved those stuey, as for the ink from school desk, I came home with most of it on my fingers. I thought I'd never get to the big classes so I could use the inkwell, smaller children used crayons and pencils, then Quink was bought for me. My very own bottle, I was so proud.

[Jackdaw33]

Do you know how much a small bottle of Quink costs now? £8! ml for ml it's dearer than the finest champagne.

[eanceoil]

You must be joking? I use ink cartridges now.

[Khandro]

The 'weapon of mass destruction' was a piece of blotting paper about 2" long, rolled tightly and bent in two, it was dipped in the inkwell and fired from a stout elastic band between the index finger and thumb with devastating results!!!

[stuey]

Khandro, it was also a weapon of mass class disruption:)

[Jackdaw33]

I remember that when you got a new nib the trick was to lick it in order to get the ink to flow freely. Over-licking meant you ended up with blue lips.

[paddywak]

Stuey,if you really want to be prepared I'd expect you to have a sommeliers cork screw or similar object on yur person at all times.

[stuey]

Paddywak, exhibiting an amazing show of dexterity, I simply use the horse's hoof stone remover on my Honk Kong army knife to extricate those pesky corks.

[joko]

lick the end and always store it nib down

you can also rub it between your hands really fast to warm it