Basic materials

BASIC MATERIALS:

ACRYLICS:
At the beginning of the Fifties plastic lived its golden age. Thermoplastics as polyester, ABS, PVC and Plexiglas (that are shaped through injection of melted material) were frequently used to rapidly produce the most different tools at low costs and in a wide range. There are many different kinds of plastics ranged according to their infrangibility, flexibility and resistance to light and wearing.
The acrylics are among the best resins for fountain pens production, and are especially appreciated for the brightness of their colours. Recently acrylics have been used to produce mottled and spotted effects resembling to celluloid, with really impressive results. In this case indeed it’s not possible to inject the material directly in moulds in order to obtain the pens, we absolutely need to turn the previously coloured material plates.

BACHELITE:
From 1900 until 1960 it was the material most widely used material in mass production. It has now been substituted by injection molded plastics. Production process: the material in powder form, is pressed in a mould. The male mold presses the powder at 150 degrees. This process is called press-molding because pressure and heat are used to harden the material.
The main property, still unsurpassed, is its resistance to heat and low electrical conductivity. Since 1900 bachelite was been commonly used in everyday common objects such as telephones, radios, electrical devices, housewares, as wells jewelery.


CELLULOID:
This material was invented by the Hyatt brothers in 1864 and is made from cotton, alcohol, camphor. The entire process to reach a workable material lasts from 4 to 8 months depending on the thickness. In fact the drying process is very important. Pens made in celluloid are made by two main process:

1.By Wrapping
2.Turned from a solid block
Both processes have advantages and disadvantages.

1.Wrapping: a 2/3 millimeters sheet celluloid is cut in long strips and rolled around a rod or pulled through a cone. The tube which is then obtained, is glued at the seam and dried for 20 days.
Advantages : Color is constant throughout the pen, no material is wasted.
Disadvantages : In some colors the seam can be visible.

2.Turned from solid rods: Advantages : Easy execution for all shapes possible.
Disadvantages : only a limited amount of patterns are available, 80% of material is wasted.
Properties of celluloid: Easy to color, allows many colors and designs. Its composition is totally anallergic, it partially absorbs humidity from the hands, so it feels smooth and comfortable. Shock absorbment (Technical : resilience) so it is an excellent material for pens.

Problems with celluloid: During manufacturing can be easy flammable and the process requires adequate precautions, it becomes soft at only 70 degrees. Constant exposure to light can cause abnormal drying and can becomes fragile! As in this case of some vintage pens.
Storage: Store in dark ventilated place at not more than 25/30 degrees.
Cleaning: Silicon sponge like those use to clean shoes.


HARD RUBBER:
This is another historical material for fountain pens: the oldest. This material was first invented by a very well know inventor: Charles Goodyear.
Its composition is rubber vulcanized with sulfur and this was the first material used to make fountain pens. Unfortunately not many makers are left and most of them have little knowledge of the process used to make the colors of those early pens.
In six years of experience working with ebonite we noticed that the quality of this material is variable, mainly due to its principal use. Today it is no longer used for fine objects but used in technical devices with no consideration for aesthetic requirements. In fact the old beautiful mottled and ripple ebonites have disappeared forever.
Colors today are opaque. Colorants used in the past such as iron oxide are proving to be cancerous and therefore are no longer in use. Pens made in ebonite become opaque because of the tendency of sulfur to rise to the surface. If exposed to sunlight the color tends to fade.

Storage: Very dark ventilated place.

Cleaning: Use a microfibre fabric (like those for eyeglasses) to polish. Afterwards a silicon sponge can be used.