underwater pen

[epeterd]

There are several shows that mention the new pen that's able to write under water. If this was a real thing, what was the point? Who ever needs to write under water?

Peter

[bboswell]

That's a great point, Peter!

The brand of pens that made that claim was Papermate, I believe.

Keep in mind, though, that this was back when all pens were fountain pens. While no one really needs to write under water, they illustrated a problem with the fountain pen design. They were liable to leak, smear, smudge, and run. Some required the use of an ink well. They required a blotter. They couldn't write on a damp surface without the ink being drawn out and into the paper.

Then in the late 40s-50s the Papermate pen came along. They introduced the "ball point" pen to America. The sealed and pressurized ink cartridges contained a fast-drying ink that wouldn't smudge. Now pens could write relatively free of smears, smudges, and they could even write upside down and under water!

(Don't laugh too much, there is currently a pen company that brags that their pens will write under water, in zero gravity, and in extreme sub-zero temperatures!)