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Introduction to mmWave sensing: FMCW radars
New to mm-wave sensing? This series of five short videos provides a concise yet in-depth introduction to sensing using FMCW radars.
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The mmWave training curriculum provides foundational content and hands on examples for you to learn the fundamentals of FMCW technology and mmWave sensors, and start development quickly. TI's portfolio of mmWave sensors features the AWR automotive radar sensor family and the IWR industrial mmWave sensor family, which are intended to be used for detecting range, velocity and angle of objects. Learn more about the silicon, tools, software and some of the applications for both mmWave families in the mmWave training series.


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Razzle Dazzle
Theatre Arts knows how to throw a party, and alumni really know how to celebrate.
By Barbara Adams
Overwhelming. That was the single word both faculty and returning alumni used again and again to describe their feelings about the Department of Theatre Art's first all-theater reunion, held October 22–24. The special event brought back 225 alumni and their families — some taking leave from their cur-rent productions — and evoked numerous Facebook regrets from those who couldn't make it.
"It was a great turnout," said department chair Lee Bryon. "I literally received a hundred notes from those disappointed they couldn't attend."
The reunion was timed to celebrate the recent restoration of Dillingham Center. Byron praised the work of the renovation campaign cochairs Caroleen Feeney '86 and Larry Hirschhorn '80. More than $829,500 was raised — far beyond the goal. Jack Hrkach, associate professor of theater history, was moved by the financial generosity of the alumni: "So much was given from so many — particularly from a group of starving artists."
Byron summed up the purpose of the gathering: "We wanted to show alumni what we're doing today and hoped they would be proud of the department they came from." That was the understatement of the weekend: Alumni were elated to see each other and their former professors, reconnect, and make new friends. The three days were a virtual lovefest, packed with joyous and emotional moments.
"I'm delighted at seeing lots of people — really overwhelmed," said Craig MacDonald '78. The faculty felt equally overwhelmed, said Hrkach. "The students remembered us; they were so happy to be back. We got so many notes from them, telling stories about how their time here touched their lives."
And the pride was contagious. Everyone wanted to belong to the theater department that weekend, including President Tom Rochon. "Please accept me as an honorary member," he implored. Awed by the facilities and the production of the musical Chicago, one alumnus was heard to say, "We were always good, but these students now are amazing."
Another, Jeremy Levy '03, was astonished that the dance studio was open to people wearing street shoes. "I can't believe we're allowed in here," he said, stepping gingerly. "We must be pretty important."
Festivities began Friday evening at a reception that turned into an evening party of its own. On Saturday, scheduled events included touring the renovated facilities in Dillingham, from the new red carpet in the lobby to the labyrinth of offices upstairs. Uncharacteristically, everything was extremely tidy, almost surreally so — even the vast, strangely quiet scene shop with its sign commanding "Work smarter. Work faster." The dressing rooms were bright and empty; only copies of 1930s photos taped to the mirrors and a sign proclaiming "53 rehearsals and 500 costume pieces later" hinted at the enormous effort to produce Chicago.
Saturday morning, a large and rowdy crowd followed President Rochon through Dillingham's narrow halls for a series of facilities dedications. Rochon stood atop a wooden box to be seen and heard. "I feel like Boris Yeltsin on the tank," he quipped. Impressed with the great turn-out for the weekend and the alumni's commitment to reach Ithaca, the president commented that no one, so far as he knew, had hitched to get here. "Oh yes!" a voice contradicted cheerfully — it was Dave Koneff '85.
Each of the many dedications was greeted with cheers, tears, and shoutouts. Former chair Richard Clark's wife was present for the dedication of his classroom, a gift from the class of '86. Clark had laid the foundation for today's department, earning the program's accreditation during his tenure from 1981 to 1987.
The men's dressing room was dedicated to Daniel MacDonald '82. After a dozen successful years in Los Angeles, MacDonald, cited as "a natural performer," had returned to the East Coast. "You can only have so much sunshine," he'd said. He received a Tony nomination for Steel Pier on Broadway — "I saw it three times!" someone yelled from the crowd. MacDonald, who died of brain cancer in 2007, was remembered in a video his brother and other family members
made of his life and work. "It was a moving event for me," Byron said, "getting to know who Danny was."
The women's dressing room was a tribute to Leesa Noury '85, invoked as "the next Meryl Streep," who died at 32 of cancer. Professor emeritus Earl McCarroll (who regrettably couldn't attend due to the flu) sent memories of Leesa being fitted with an impossibly heavy headdress for one production. ("It was horrible!" one woman called out.) "Let me try to get used to it," McCarroll recalled Leesa saying. "She did and she looked majestic," he said, even though she had to use nails to keep it in place.
Unforgettable stories like these accompanied the dedication of each room, and most of those honored, including several retirees, were there to enjoy the moment. A spirited John "Doc" Bracewell, professor emeritus of sound design, pointed out some original sound equipment that is still in the studio, which now bears his name. "Our whole theater department is what makes the magic," said Eugenia Wacker-Hoeflin, honored ballet instructor and choreographer. "I hope we can continue caring about each other. "
The piano vocal room was renamed for Skampers, a 40-year tradition of student-sponsored variety shows. One alumna, married and pregnant as a student, confided that her water broke during a Skampers rehearsal.
The studio theater was dedicated to Shakespearean actor and director Earl McCarroll, who "brought the bard back to IC" after a drought of two decades. And in a truly theatrical announcement, acting studios were named in honor of professor emeritus Arno Selco and current chair Lee Byron, both of whom were genuinely surprised and deeply moved. Byron, whose gift was made by Caroleen Feeney '86, was cited for outstanding leadership since arriving as chair in 1998 — along with his "low-key way of intimidating students to give their very best performances." Arno Selco's warm recognition came from the class of '86, whose spokesperson, Ana Goldseker, credited him with having "tamed a pack of crazed wolves into intelligent, thinking artists."
Dori Eskenazi Meyers '84 funded the scene shop, which she called "the hub of the theater department — everybody has to go through it" (though she admitted to being "the only techie to have graduated without having served on a carpenter crew"). Meyers, buoyantly happy, voiced what many were feeling: "I am just awed to be in such great company. We were a community — and still are. This community is always together, whether you're in the business or not."
Meyers spoke of the "wonderful transferable skills" she acquired as a theater major, a note that was sounded repeatedly and appreciatively by alumni throughout the weekend, whether they are now in advertising, public relations, design, teaching, or video game development.
Mort Klayman '46, who had returned to IC to complete his degree after serving as a navigator in World War II, received several job referrals from his department chair. Of three decades spent teaching theater in high school, he said, "I owe my career to Ithaca College."
Beyond the alumni memories and dedications, the department's history was celebrated at Saturday evening's banquet in slide shows and a video produced by associate professor of theater arts Greg Robbins. Former chair Bruce Halverson told tales from the late '80s, including one about the department's traditional volleyball game. Professor Arthur Lithgow, then 75, was team captain; he took a heroic leap for the ball and fell. "Omigod, we just killed Arthur Lithgow!" the players yelled. But the doughty actor jumped up and led his team to victory.
The length of the department's reach was perhaps most striking in Lee Byron's rededication of Dillingham before Saturday night's performance of Chicago. The ceremonial ribbon was cut jointly by actress LaVerne Light '42 and theater production arts major Mimi Rodriguez '14 — whose theater degrees are separated by 72 years.
During intermission, one 40-something alumna confided to a friend, "I don't know how I'm going to stay up for the Sherry Party," the ritual end-of-year senior celebration that was scheduled anew especially for the alumni. But party they did, although there was reportedly far more catching-up than dancing.
In a weekend of memorable moments, perhaps none was more stirring than at the Emerson Suites banquet when Lee Byron announced that the IC theater program was so talent-rich "that we could cast some of our shows five times over" and then introduced "the students not in Chicago."
Two long lines of young men and women filed in, beautifully singing "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You." Alumni and faculty rose in a standing ovation, and there was barely a dry eye in the house.

subset: commoncrawl


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LAST UPDATED: May 8th, 2015
The art of taking a whitetail with archery tackle is a continually evolving sport. As bowhunters, we are constantly on the lookout for strategies, gear and information that can tip the odds of arrowing a mature buck in our favor. It's hard to believe, in fact, that hunting from treestands was once thought of as unethical because it would make harvesting whitetails too easy. We've come along away since then; however, many hunters still struggle to get within bow range of a mature whitetail buck during daytime hours. In recent years hunting over, around and near food plots has become an increasingly popular hunting strategy. If you're looking for a new avenue in which to increase your chances of putting down a big bruiser buck this fall, read on for food plot hunting strategies and information!
It's a common misconception that hunting over food plots is easy. Some hunters have a very twisted idea that hunting over, or around food plots is no different than hunting over bait. While that may be a great topic for a later article, I'll preface this article by stating that hunting over food plots is not easy. Food plots offer a variety of different hunting opportunities, so I'll do my best to cover each option.
Food plot hunting is a great way to practice Quality Deer Management because you usually have ample opportunites to harvest adult does.
Retreat to the Timber
If you've incorporated food plots into your hunting strategy in the past, you probably quickly learned that the further away you get from the food plot, the better your chances of success can be. This is true for both morning and afternoon hunts. Setting up shop right on top of a food plot can be a great way to kill a deer, and it's a topic I'll touch on later in this article, but hunting back in the timber off the food plot keeps your very flexible as a bowhunter. I'll use my property as an example.
On my 260 acre hunting property in the mountains of Virginia, I have two destination food plots planted. Each food plot is a little over an acre in size with one being planted in clover, and the other in alfalfa. Both of these food plots are located in the center of my property strategically placed in areas that require deer to move past my stand sites when going to and from their bedding area.
By hunting off of these food plots, back in the timber, I am giving myself a better chance at seeing a mature buck during the daylight hours than if I were simply sitting right on the plot. Don't let television shows and magazine articles fool you. Mature bucks know what it takes to see another sun rise, and feeding in food plots during the day light is a sure fire way to ensure that doesn't happen. As a result, mature bucks aren't likely to visit food plots during the daytime.
For afternoon hunts during the early season, I like hanging my Lone Wolf stands about 50 yards or so back in the timber in order to catch bucks, or at least a mature doe, taking thier time getting to the food plot. Temperatures in Virginia can vary greatly during early October, and if the mercury rises above 80 degrees, the deer aren't likely to get to the food plot until after dusk. I don't want to get too close to the bedding area for an afternoon hunt, however, because I risk the chance of bumping a buck that may have gotten out of his bed earlier than normal.
I harvested this beautiful 127″ 3 year old buck in late November, 2011. I intercepted him on his way back to his bedding area after feeding in one of my clover food plots the night prior.
Many hunters don't associate morning hunts with food plots. While I certainly don't advise sitting over a food plot during the morning (unless trail camera photos give you reason to), catching deer coming off the destination plots on their way back to bed can be a great big buck strategy. In fact, my brother and I both used this method to shot our biggest bucks during the 2011 season.
It's been my experience that bucks will often times use the same trails when returning to their bed in the morning that they used to access the food plot the night prior. This knowledge gave my brother and I the confidence to hang our stands on these trails and harvest both a 148" and 127" buck. After field dressing the bucks we found each of their stomachs to be full of clover.
My brother shot this 148″, 15 point bruiser in early November. He was set up on a trail that this buck used often to access our clover plot from his bedding area.
For morning hunts off of food plots, I like to be closer to bedding areas than if I was hunting the same food plot in the afternoon. If you hunt to close to the food plot in the morning you run the risk of educating deer to your presence before the hunt even begins. Also, you could climb your tree and get ready for the hunt well after the deer have exited the food plot and walked past your stand site. Hunting close to bedding areas in the morning, with respect to food plots, eliminates both of those problems.
Hunting OVER a Food Plot
As mentioned before, hunting directly over food plots can also prove to be a very successful option. However, sitting directly over a food plot, or any food source for that matter, opens the door to several possible problems. For one, I've always preferred bowhunting whitetails in transition areas; that is, in areas where they are moving, and less likely to look up and spot me in a tree. When hunting over a food plot there are usually several eyes, ears and noses on the lookout for danger. Also, when deer feed in a food plot, they usually feed well into the night; making getting down from stand undetected a very real concern.
All that being said, sitting on a food plot for an afternoon deer hunt can be an effective strategy, and it's one I utilize often. There are two important factors to keep in mind, though, to ensure your hunt is as efficient as possible. For starters, as is the case with all things deer hunting, pay special attention to the wind direction, and if your hunting in hilly country, the thermals as well. There are few things as painful as sitting in a treestand looking over an empty food plot because the deer winded you.
Obviously, you don't want to hunt with a wind that blows your scent back into the timber in the direction in which your deer are traveling. However, a wind that blows your scent directly out in the food plot isn't ideal either. If the deer that feed in your food plot are anything like mine, they prefer a certain area of the plot. This is usually an inside corner. A strategically placed Stealth Cam can reveal which inside corner your deer prefer, and you can hang your stands according. Hunting inside corners is also beneficial because you can hunt cross winds that will keep you from being smelled by the deer.
Be sure to pay attention to wind direction when hunting around food plots. Deer are usually on high alert just prior to entering a food plot, so keep this in mind when hanging stands.
If possible, layout your food plot locations with wind direction in mind, and if possible, construct multiple food plots to accommodate different wind directions. On my property, my two primary hunting plots are laid out to accommodate an east wind, and a west wind for afternoon hunts. During the deer season, it's very rare for my property to receive a due north or south wind, so if the forecast is calling for a west wind, I have a stand hung on a clover food plot specifically for that wind. However, if a tricky east wind blows in, I have a Lone Wolf sitting over an alfalfa field.
Find an Exit
The single most important factor that can make or break your hunt when sitting over a food plot is your entry and exit route. Obviously, you don't want to bump the deer on your way to the stand, but an effective exit strategy takes top priority. If you don't harvest a deer during an afternoon sit, chances are there will still be deer feeding in the field when it's time to get down.
There are a few simple solutions to this problem. If you're hunting with a partner, you could have he or she pick you up with their ATV or truck. Deer are usually very tolerable of a motorized vehicle, and being pushed out of a food plot by one isn't a big deal. I've also had a lot of success with "blowing" at a deer. That is, mimicking the alarming sound a deer makes when it senses danger. I usually do this after dark when it would be harder for a deer to pinpoint my location. I can remember specific instances when I have blow a family group of does out of a food plot, only to have them return the next afternoon relaxed, calm and unaware of my presence. I have also heard of hunters mimicking a coyote yelp or scream. I've never done this and don't question its effectiveness, convincing the deer that a coyote was on a field edge watching them is not a situation I'd like to mirror.
Food plot hunting isn't as easy as it sounds, but if you follow the tips and information provided in this article then you could very well walk up to your biggest buck ever this fall when hunting food plots!
Not as Easy as it Sounds
Hunting over food plots sounds like an easy hunt, right? The deer walk aimlessly out in a lush clover field, and you casually draw your bow back and send a Carbon Express right through the lungs. Heck, if you're lucky, another deer might make the same mistake. While that may be true for the fortunate hunters who get to relive their hunts on national television, that isn't the case for the most. In fact, I sat overlooking a food plot roughly 10 hunts this past year and I only drew back once. I couldn't catch a break, nor could I figure out why, but I think it has something to do with me being a bad bowhunter.
Food plot hunting is one of my favorite hunting strategies. I usually see a lot of deer, and watching them interact with one another in a food source I created is a very rewarding feeling. However, I'd be lying if I told you I didn't expect to shoot a deer each time I hunted over or around a food plot. Their ability to concentrate deer to a certain area makes for awesome bowhunting opportunities. If you've struggled to find success hunting around food plots in the past, then hopefully the above article provided you with some insight that can help you put down a food plot buck this fall!


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All photographs on this site © Phil Zimmerman unless otherwise noted. Reproduction or duplication by written permission only.
Thanks for visiting this site. Here you'll find pictures of some of our music's greatest pioneers, from a time when festivals were fewer, and most of the great performers were still alive and in their prime. Please visit the "Poster & Prints" and "Note Cards" pages to see how you can purchase one or more of these photos. For information about these products, email me - firstname.lastname@example.com.


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In the weeks (and months) leading up to today - the theatrical release of the Sex and the City movie - everyone has been weighing in on what the show's real significance is, whether these wealthy, sexed-up characters are even feminists, and whether Carrie Bradshaw was even a friggin' sex writer. (In my opinion, she wasn't. She was more invested in dating dicks, not sucking them.) But finally, all the talk and the analyzing and searching for deeper meaning in this shallow show can stop for about 2.5 hours today, because I'm liveblogging the movie. I'm going to a regular old movie theater in Manhattan (the city is the 5th character, didn't ya know?). I'm dying to see who exactly is going to be there at 10:15 AM…and what kind of shoes they'll be wearing. Don't worry. I'll be taking pictures.
10:17am: I am stuck in traffic behind a broken down bus! This cabbie is an asshole. I might have to get out and run. [Ed note: The movie is supposed to start at 10:15]
10:37: Two cabs and one subway trip later. I'm finally here! It took me an hour to travel maybe three miles. I already hate this movie.
10:40: These are the shoes I chose to wear. Thank friggin god I didn't wear heels as a joke.
10:41: Big just proposed to Carrie. Kinda.
10:45: This theater is packed and everyone is laughing at the stupid jokes. Although Samantha told Carrie she should get Botox.
10:48: Carrie still has that stupid pink crystal-y phone. Except it's taped together which is a nice touch. She just asked Samantha to be her maid of honor.
10:49: All Charlotte does is scream.
10:50: LOL! Carrie's boss talked her into doing the bride at 40 piece by saying "Vogue airbrushing".
10:52: The wedding photo shoot scene. The Dior dress looks like frothy diarrhea. Vivienne Westwood personally sent Carrie a dress for free.
10:55: Haha. Carrie is becoming far-sighted but won't get glasses. Also Chris Noth: Fake tan much?
10:56: Carrie does research for her new book (about love) at the library.
10:59: Carrie won't tell her friends how often she and Big fuck!
11:02: Also, she calls him "John" now.
11:03: OMG, Big built Carrie a closet just like Mariah Carey's. It looks like a store.
11:04: Charlotte just screamed again. And again.
11:05: I'm cringing. They are trying on outfits to "Walk This Way".
11:07: The Miranda/Steve storyline is actually really good. He just admitted to cheating on her and the old lady in the wheelchair behind me just yelled "Hit him! Hit him!" I'm gonna try to get a picture of her.
11:14: Miranda is like a total bitch.
11:24: Big just jilted her! Because she wouldn't answer the phone in the morning. Seriously, all these people are such babies! who wants to put up with this bullshit? Now Charlotte is screaming at Big. Kristin Davis' throat must've been so sore.
11:28: "Okay so he didn't really jilt her. He freaked for a second, then turned around and went back but Carrie was already embarrassed and then she hit him. The whole thing could've been avoided. Kind of like this movie!
11:31: The reason why the honeymoon was in Mexico is because Carrie paid for it as a surprise.
11:32: Carrie is now in a deep depression in Mexico She's been sleeping and not eating. Speaking of, I'm gonna step out to the concession stand for some breakfast.
11:34: Hahahaha! They actually showed Miranda's thick bush.
11:43: Breakfast!
11:44: Somehow Carrie got her apartment back. I missed that when I was buying my breakfast.
11:47: I guess I also missed the part about how Carrie can afford Jennifer Hudson.
11:50: It really pisses me off that Carrie isn't computer literate. Her assistant does her email for her while she flips through magazines on her couch.
11:55: Carrie died her hair dark brown and changed her phone number and is complaining about having a different area code. [The Lifestyles Of The Rich And First World! -Ed.]
11:57: Samantha adopted a dog because its a girl who loves to hump and she felt a connection.
11:58: Jennifer Hudson deserves a Razzie for this. She sucks.
12:00 Oh! I forgot to mention that Charlotte shit her pants in Mexico. Literally.
12:02: Carrie bought her assistant a Louis Vuitton bag for Christmas. Carrie is a retard.
12:08: Okay, finally a Carrie outfit I like. Pajamas, boots, fur coat, stupid hat. That's what I call "walking the dog" attire.
12:10: This sad people on New Year's Eve montage is way too long.
12:16: Carrie finally realized that she is a self-obsessed narcissist! And that she uses "I" too much.
12:29: One therapy session and Miranda and Steve are back together. Also, Miranda is the only one to show her tits.
12:32: Samantha has gained like 5 lbs and everyone noticed. What bitches.
12:33: Samantha and Smith just had the most civilized breakup after 5 years.
12:35: I just checked carriebradshaw.com and she wrote a book called MENhattan? Barf.
12:37: Also, Charlotte's little girls are named Lily and Rose. Barf x2.
12:41: Interesting. Carrie always wears a bra to bed, but in this frantic city scene she is running through the streets without one.
12:46: People are actually crying in this theater because Big proposed a second time with a Manolo!
12:51: Last line: "And there they were, four friends who had met as girls and were now women ready to enter the next phase of their lives, dressed head to toe in love. And that's one label that never goes out of style." LOL.
This is the violent wheelchair lady.
This is the next showing lining up. So many mothers and daughters.
12:59: As I was walking out of the theater a middle aged woman working there asked me if the movie was any good and I made the "so-so" sign with my hand and then she goes, "Yeah, I figured. I never liked that show. I'm a Will & Grace fan myself."


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Glossary of Common Fountain Pen Terms
acrylic(also acrylic glass) Polymethyl methacrylate, a machineable thermoplastic resin of which pens are made, the most common synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate (C5H8O2). Acrylic was first synthesized in 1928 and was first produced commercially in 1933. It is extremely tough and durable, and it can be manufactured in a broad variety of colours and patterns.
Discolouration of clear celluloid caused by slow oxidation. The colour of ambered celluloid can range from very slight to moderate to severe; severely ambered parts can be deep brown.
artist's nib
A very flexible nib with a very fine point, usually 3XF (needlepoint). This type of nib allows an artist great latitude in the types of strokes he or she may use in drawing with pen and ink.
1. A person's handwritten signature.
2. When capitalized and used in reference to writing instruments, Autograph indicates a pen or pencil with special provision (such as a solid gold cap band) for the engraving of a facsimile signature.
Term for writing that leans to the left. Backhand writing is most common among left-handed underwriters. Esterbrook advertised its Nº 2442 Falcon fine stub nib as being particularly suited for backhand writing.
The "body" of the pen, generally cylindrical in shape; contains the ink reservoir (and filling system).
A German word (pronounced BIN-duh, plural Binden) meaning bandage, used to denote the (usually coloured celluloid) wrapper fitted around the barrel of a vintage Pelikan or similar pen.
A yellow alloy of copper and zinc, containing at least 50% copper. Specific brass alloys contain admixtures of other metals (e.g., tin, lead, or aluminium) to adjust mechanical properties or corrosion resistance. Electroplated brass is commonly used for metal pen parts such as trim rings and barrel ferrules, and it was formerly used by manufacturers of cheap nibs.
(adjectival form brassed, as in "a brassed clip') The wearing away of a filled or plated metal surface to expose the base metal beneath (usually brass, hence the term).
breather hole
A small hole, drilled or punched into the point at the base of the split of the tines. Some breather holes on vintage pens were shaped like hearts, keyholes, or other fanciful designs. The breather hole is commonly supposed to assist smooth ink flow, although many pens do not have a breather hole and do just fine without it. The most practical purpose of the breather hole appears to be as a stress relief to prevent the point slit from spreading into a crack.
breather tube
A small plastic tube that runs from the end of the feed through the inside of the sac or barrel. During filling, ink is drawn in through this tube, and spills over into the reservoir or sac. The breather tube was adopted by some manufacturers (notably Parker and Eversharp) as a means to minimize leakage from pens used on aircraft (where the cabin pressure is often lower than normal sea level atmosphere).
(also stud, chiefly British usage) A type of filling system; operates by mechanical ink-sac squeeze. A button at the end of the barrel bends a spring-metal pressure bar to squeeze the sac laterally.
A detachable cover that snaps, slides, or screws onto the barrel to protect the nib and prevent evaporation of the ink supply.
cap band
(also band) A ring of metal placed around a cap near its open end for decoration or to reduce the tendency of the cap lip to split when the cap is posted too firmly onto a tapered barrel. Caps without bands are usually referred to as bandless. Vintage manufacturers swaged the cap band into a groove in the cap; a few modern makers still do this but most modern caps with bands are made in two parts and assembled with the band sandwiched between.
capillary cell
The perforated and rolled plastic film, enclosed in a metal tube, that forms the reservoir in the Parker 61's capillary filling system.
A disposable single-use ink reservoir, generally made of polyethylene or other soft plastic. In use, the cartridge is pierced by a sharp "nipple" in the pen. Shown here is a Waterman C/F (economy model), the first widely successful cartridge pen, with a cartridge of blue ink. [Historical note] The earliest successful cartridge pens were produced by Eagle in the 19th century, and Waterman began making cartridge pens in France beginning in 1936 (an effort interrupted by the advent of World War II but revived at war's end). Both of these companies' pens used cartridges made of glass.
(abbreviated C/C) A type of filling system; uses a replaceable ink reservoir. A small nipple, usually of metal, is placed at the back of the section assembly to pierce a hole in the end of a pre-filled sealed removable cartridge. A converter that includes the reservoir and a filling system can be installed in place of a cartridge. The most common converter design uses the piston system. (Some makers also offer a modified version with a sliding tab instead of the usual twist knob; this is essentially a syringe filler.) Squeeze-type converters resemble an Aero-metric filler but lack a breather tube. View filling instructions here.
A protein derived from milk which is hardened by immersion in formaldehyde solution. Results in a beautiful, hard, lustrous material. This material was used extensively in European pen making during the 1940's and 50's prior to the advent of modern resins. Material is hygroscopic (absorbs water), avoid immersion in water at all costs.
(also celluloid; sometimes incorrectly referred to as pyroxylin) for a material of which pens are made, produced by plasticising cellulose nitrate (guncotton) with camphor. Beginning in about 1920, celluloid became the primary material for caps and barrels. More durable than hard rubber but less durable than many modern plastics, celluloid was supplanted in the 1940's by acrylics, injection-moldable cellulose's, and polystyrenes, but some modern manufacturers still produce pen models of celluloid. Celluloid has a charming warm feel in the hand and can be manufactured in many exciting solid and mixed colours. The manufacturing process for celluloid involves an extended curing period, and celluloid that is improperly cured is prone to crystallize, especially in thicker areas, and eventually crumble.
Machine-embossed or engraved with regular geometric patterns (fish scales, chevrons, etc.).
cigar shaped
A term describing a pen that is generally cylindrical in shape but tapers smoothly toward the ends, which are usually rounded to streamline the overall form.
A finger- or prong-shaped metal or plastic piece attached by one end to the cap, formed so that the other end presses against the cap as a clamp for securing the pen into a pocket or other similar location.
A pen with no clip on its cap. Clip-less pens were made primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries. During the latter part of this period, some companies offered the same pen models with or without clips.
clutch cap
A slip cap fitted with a set of spring fingers (the clutch) inside the open end to hold the cap on the pen body by friction against a clutch ring mounted on the body.
clutch ring
A decorative metal ring or band between the section and barrel of a pen with a slip-fitting cap. Good example would be on the Parker 51 which engages a set of metal spring fingers inside the cap (the clutch) to hold the cap in place.
A type of filling system; operates by mechanical ink-sac squeeze. A metal pressure bar, located beneath a slotted hole in the side of the barrel, squeezes the sac laterally when depressed by insertion of a coin or similar object into the hole. Some makers of coin fillers included their own "coin" discs with their pens.
(also convertor) A replaceable ink reservoir that can be refilled, designed for use in pens that accept cartridges. Converters exist in squeeze, piston, Touchdown, syringe, and button types, mimicking the respective filling systems but providing the convenience of cartridge use if desired. A sample is shown here with a cartridge (upper) and a piston-type converter (lower).
1. A fountain pen whose barrel is fitted with a blind cap that can be removed and replaced with a taper to convert the pen into a desk pen. Any pen whose filling system makes use of a blind cap can be fitted with a taper in this manner.
2. A pen that can be converted to use more than one filling system.
A pen that is made of clear material or has slots or holes cut out of it to expose the internal parts to view. Demonstrators were made so that dealers could show the features of standard pens to prospective purchasers. Modern clear pens, although they are usually called "demonstrators," are intended for sale to the public and as such are not true demonstrators.
desk pen
A pen designed to be used as part of a desk set, as shown here. The barrel of a desk pen is finished with a taper for balance and appearance.
desk set
A set comprising one or more desk pens together with a desk base (of glass, metal, stone, or wood) with trumpets into which the pens are inserted point first.
A decorative part inserted in the end of a cap (usually more elaborate than a tassie or jewel).
Term used by Parker for the "inverted" rubber sacs used in Vacumatic filling pens (Vacumatics, 51s, etc.). The diaphragm seals the pen barrel and helps create the vacuum during filling, but does not contain the ink in the sense that a conventional sac does.
dry writer
A pen whose nib is adjusted to produce a light flow of ink (but not necessarily a fine line) that dries very rapidly. Because of limited lubrication from the restricted flow of ink, dry writers characteristically write less smoothly than pens adjusted for more flow.
A nib whose tip is shaped so that it can write when the pen is held inverted, with the nib facing downward toward the paper, as well as when the pen is held normally, with the nib facing upward. The line produced with the pen held inverted is finer than the line when the pen is held normally.
Hard rubber. When capitalized, a trademark currently held by Ebonite International, Inc.
(also 18C) A designation indicating an alloy that contains 18 parts of gold, by weight, per 24 parts of the total metal content. The same as 750.As a general rule, 18K nibs are actually inferior to 14K nibs in terms of their writing qualities. The higher gold content is marketed as a status and quality feature, but the real reason for it is that many countries have followed France's lead in establishing laws requiring the alloy to be least 18K in order to be sold as "gold." (This requirement's original purpose was to prevent fraud in the jewellery trade.) See also karat.
A European mark indicating 18K rolled gold.
A Japanese mark indicating 18K rolled gold.
Decorated by the removal of material in an attractive design, generally by the use of a sharp scriber or similar tool. In reference to writing instruments, usually used to indicate the application of a person's name or initials, or a personalized dedication.
1 A tube, usually of glass, that tapers to a small opening at one end and has a rubber bulb attached to the other end; used for dispensing small amounts of liquids in a controlled fashion, i.e., drop by drop. Early manufacturers often used the term filler to refer to the eyedropper supplied with an eyedropper-filling pen.
2 (abbreviated ED) Colloquial term for an eyedropper-filling pen.
eyedropper filler
(colloquially shortened to eyedropper, abbreviated ED) Retronym indicating a fountain pen that has no self-filling mechanism. (Until the advent of self-filling pens, the term was unnecessary.) Operates by direct filling into barrel. Most eyedropper fillers unscrew, usually at the joint between section and barrel and ink is dripped into the pen with an eyedropper. In "safety" pens with retractable nibs, the ink is dripped into the opening that is left by the retracted nib. When self-fillers appeared, many manufacturers referred to eyedropper-filling pens as regular models to differentiate them from self-filling models. View filling instructions here.
(also feeder, feed bar, ink feed, underfeed) A usually cylindrical part against which the nib is placed, which carries ("feeds") ink from the reservoir to the nib and delivers it in a controlled flow by means of capillary action. Feeds frequently have slots, combs, or other design elements providing increased surface area that capillary action can draw ink onto or release it from, as a means of controlling the evenness of flow (buffering). Early feeds were made of hard rubber; beginning in the late 1940's, inexpensive feeds have been made of plastic, while high-quality feeds are still made of hard rubber.
1 (also filling system or filling mechanism) The mechanism that draws ink into the pen's ink reservoir.
2 Early manufacturers' term for the eyedropper supplied with an eyedropper-filling pen.
A designation indicating an alloy that contains 585 parts of gold, by weight, per 1000 parts of the total metal content. The same as 14K.
(also flex, as in "flex nib") An adjective describing a nib that is made of a springy alloy and is tempered and shaped especially so that its tines flex during use, spreading apart under increased pressure to yield line variation that is unique to the individual user's handwriting.
(also 14C) A designation indicating an alloy that contains 14 parts of gold, by weight, per 24 parts of the total metal content. The same as 585. See also karat.
A European mark indicating 14K rolled gold. See also 14K.
A Japanese mark indicating 14K rolled gold.
FP, F.Pen
Fountain Pen
The German word for fountain pen, literally "fillable quill holder".
(also trim) The exterior metal parts of a pen, including the lever, cap band, tassie(s), clip, etc.
Glass cartridge
A disposable single-use ink reservoir made of glass, to fit pens produced by a small number of manufacturers.
glass nib
A nib made of glass. Glass nibs are made by heating a bundle of glass rods and stretching with a slight twisting action to pull the individual strands together as they grow thinner, creating a tapered shape resembling a flame. After the glass cools, it is cut or broken at the thinnest point, which is then ground to shape. In use, ink flows to the tip by capillary action along the "cracks" between the strands of glass.
A soft, lustrous, very malleable yellow metal (atomic number 79) that is virtually impervious to corrosion or tarnish. Used to make pen bodies, furniture, and nibs. The purity of gold is measured in karats (24K = pure gold) or parts per thousand (1000 = pure gold). Pure gold is too soft to be used alone; mixing it with various other metals creates alloys of the desired hardness or colour.
gold filled - gold plated
Gold filled is made by placing a piece of brass or other cheaper base metal and placing it between 2 pieces of gold. The 3 pieces were then bonded together to make one piece of metal. It was then run through rollers until it was thinned down to the desired thickness.
Plating is the general name of surface-covering techniques in which a metal is coated onto a solid surface. It is also used for decorative purposes, typically to provide a silver or gold exterior. Electroplating is one of the plating techniques.
- Gold-filled: Describes a base metal part with a layer of heavy gilding fused to its surface
- Gold-plated: Describes a base metal part with thinner gilding, typically applied by chemical or electrical plating with gold.
Gold Plate, Gold Plated or Gold Electro-Plated.
gripping section
(also neck, point section, section) A small tubular part, usually about the length of a finger joint, that is attached to one end of the barrel and into which are inserted the nib and feed. In pens that do not use the entire barrel as an ink reservoir, the gripping section provides a mount for the sac, cartridge, or other reservoir.
hard rubber
(also ebonite or Vulcanite) A material of which pens are made, more fragile and less resistant to wear than most plastics. Until 1924, hard rubber was the primary material for caps, barrels, sections, and feeds; it remained in use for feeds and sections into the 1940's and is still used for high-quality feeds. Occasionally, a manufacturer will produce a modern pen model of hard rubber. Hard rubber appears in many colour varieties.
hooded nib
Describes a pen in which the point is largely covered by a plastic or metal shell (first seen in Parker 51s, and widely imitated). As well as being an interesting design, the hood keeps the point from drying out and also protects it against damage. It also makes servicing these pens more difficult and hides what many consider to be the most attractive feature of a fine fountain pen.
1. The manufacturer's mark on a pen, usually on the barrel but sometimes on the cap.
2. The manufacturer's mark on a nib.
inner cap
A liner inserted into a cap, usually having a flat surface at its open end against which the flat end of the gripping section (the table) mates to provide an airtight space in which the nib cannot dry out while the pen is capped. In some pens, the inner cap also secures the clip into the cap.
Writing fluid; the stuff that is actually deposited on the paper to leave marks. Fountain-pen ink is a water solution containing aniline dye for colour, a fungicide to inhibit mould growth, and a small amount of surfactant (wetting agent) for better flow. Artists' inks, such as India ink, are usually pigmented suspensions rather than solutions, and they will clog fountain pens
inset nib
A nib that is inset into an opening in a shell-type section such that the nib is flush or nearly flush with the shell's surface. Inset nibs are usually secured in position by the application of an adhesive before installation but can, in most cases, be removed for repair or replacement.
1. A brittle silver-grey metal of the platinum group, formerly used as a nib tipping material because of its hardness. See also tipping material. Modern tipping alloys contain little or no iridium.
2. A colloquial misnomer for tipping material in general.
A decorative piece of metal, plastic, celluloid or (rarely) semiprecious stone applied to one or both ends of a pen; frequently surrounded by a tassie. See tassie
(abbr. K or KT; also carat, abbr. C or CT) A system for specifying the quality of gold alloys by stating how many parts of gold per 24 parts of the total metal content, measured by weight, are contained in a given alloy. 24-karat (24K) is pure gold, 12K is 50% gold by weight, and so on. 14K and 18K are the alloys most commonly used in pens.
(also laque; more usually seen as laqué, literally "lacquered" ) A remarkably durable and very glossy clear coating made by dissolving nitrocellulose or a similar material together with pigment in a suitable vehicle and applying the solution to a surface. In reference to pens, usually used on metals.
A type of filling system; operates by mechanical ink-sac squeeze. A metal pressure bar, located beneath a slotted hole in the side of the barrel, squeezes the sac laterally. A pivoting lever is mounted in the slot, with its pivot about 1/3 of the distance from one end to the other. Lifting the lever's longer end depresses the shorter end to push against the pressure bar.
lever box
A somewhat trough-shaped metal box, fitted into the barrel with tabs at the ends or sides, designed to provide a mount and pivot pin for the lever in a lever-filling pen.
A type of filling system; operates by mechanical ink-sac squeeze. A metal pressure bar, attached to a rotating knob at the end of the barrel, squeezes the sac by grasping and twisting it.
limited edition
(colloquially, LE) A pen model whose production run is limited to a predetermined number of pieces, which are usually serially numbered as piece Xof Y, imprinted or engraved on the pen as X/Y (e.g., 273/350). See also limited production, special edition.
limited production
A pen model whose production run is limited to a predetermined time period, with no specific limit on the number of pens to be produced during that period. See also limited edition, special edition.
lockdown (Speedline)
Unofficial common name for the first generation of Parker's Vacumatic filler design; uses a slotted tubular metal plunger with notches cut at the outer ends of the slots to lock the plunger in the depressed position.
Parker's name for the stainless steel caps of various Parker models (notably the "51") beginning in the 1940s'. Most of these caps have a frosted surface finish, and it is this finish that most collectors today associate with the name.
Japanese for "sprinkled picture," pronounced roughly mah-kee-eh) A decorative treatment; the application of abstract or figural artwork to a lacquered surface (usually urushi) using gold powder. The gold is applied while the surface is wet and sticky, and the wet lacquer bonds the gold in place. The technique can involve the application of dozens or even hundreds of extremely thin coats of lacquer. To create maki-e finishes of high quality requires many months of labour by highly skilled artisans, and pens bearing such designs are very costly. The maki-e designs on inexpensive pens are usually applied by silk-screening and embellished by hand.
1 A yellow colour used in the late 1920's. Unpopular at that time, Mandarin are today rare and highly prized.
2 An orange colour used from 1956 to 1959.
Indicates an extremely rigid nib, intended to permit the heavy writing pressure needed to make impressions on multipart (carbon) forms.
marble / marbled
Having an irregular pattern made by combining two or more colours. The term is used to refer to plastic, not to hard rubber.
military clip
A clip that is affixed very close to the end of the cap and also is usually shorter than a standard clip, made so that the pen can be clipped into a pocket whose flap can then be buttoned over the pen to conceal it.
music nib
A nib that is relatively flexible and has a tip shaped like a broad stub italic with very soft edges to allow for extreme freedom of use, especially at very high angles of elevation relative to the paper, as when a composer or arranger writes on the music desk while sitting at a piano. Music nibs often have three tines, with two slits to support a very heavy flow.
New Old Stock
(abbreviated NOS) A term usually used to describe an item that was not sold at retail and has been out of production for some period. Does not specify condition, as such items can be shopworn or faded.
The part that carries ink from the pen and deposits it on the paper. Nibs are generally made of 14K or 18K gold alloy or of stainless steel; nibs have also been made of palladium and titanium alloys, and of glass. Nibs are made in varying degrees of firmness ranging from extremely flexible ("wet noodle"), for producing attractive line variation, to extremely rigid (manifold), for writing on multi-part forms.
nib creep
The spontaneous accumulation of ink on the top surface of a nib; the ink is said to "creep" up out of the slit. Some inks are more prone to creep than others, but the root cause of the phenomenon is a nib slit that is either damaged or manufactured with insufficient attention to finishing; nicks, scratches, etc., can create a capillary path across the edge between the slit wall and the top surface. Platinum-plated nibs are more prone to nib creep than are un-plated nibs because platinum is more wettable than gold.
nib grade
Term for the size of a nib's tip. Historically, the standard round grades are Needlepoint (3XF), Account (XXF), extra fine (XF or EF), fine (F), medium (M), broad (B), double broad (BB), and triple broad (3B). Most pen manufacturers today limit their production to fine, medium, and broad nibs, with a few offering extra fine. There is no true standard among manufacturers, but most European nibs are similarly sized. Japanese nibs tend to run about a size finer for a given marking; a Japanese M is about the same size as a European F.
nib number
A number imprinted on a nib to indicate the physical size of the nib, used commonly on vintage nibs but almost never on modern nibs. Nib numbers do not indicate tip size or whether a given nib is firm or flexible. From smallest to largest, numbers ranged from Nº 0 to Nº 10 or Nº 12.
There is no standard numbering; thus, nibs from different manufacturers, even though they bear the same number, are different in size. Nib numbers commonly referred to by collectors.
nib size
Another term of nib grade
A hard silvery metal that is malleable, ductile, and resistant to corrosion; used in alloys and as a plating material (frequently as an under-plating for gold). Nickel is one of the principal nonferrous metals in stainless steel.
(also peg) The tubular back portion of the section, onto which the sac is cemented in most sac-filling pens.
A nib shape that is ground so that the writing tip contacts the paper properly when the pen is rotated in the user's hand. Oblique's are made in left- and right-foot shapes, and there are variations in the angle at which the tip is finished.
The left-foot oblique is the most common style. A left-foot oblique requires counterclockwise rotation of the pen so that the nib, instead of facing straight upward, is leaning toward a right-handed writer or away from a left-handed writer. Most modern oblique's are ordinary round nibs, not designed to produce line variation.
An oblique italic nib, which is designed to produce line variation, has a wide thin tip cut at an angle across, to create broad strokes in one direction (at a slight angle to the nib itself) and very thin strokes in the orthogonal direction. A crisp oblique italic nib is relatively lacking in smoothness but produces greater line variation than a cursive oblique italic, which is ground to be relatively smooth in use.
Parker's trade name for the stainless steel used to make nibs for the company's lower-priced pens; so called because the alloy contains eight elements. Used from 1948 into the 1950's.
(also petrify; said of the rubber sac in any pen using a sac as an ink reservoir) To harden due to the chemical action of ink. Ossification is a slow process; a pliable sac becomes progressively more leathery and then stiff, to the point that when squeezed it will shatter into shards with shiny edges that give the appearance of broken glass. An ossified sac is typically strong enough to resist the squeezing action of the lever in a lever-filling pen; attempts to operate the lever in a pen with an ossified sac usually result in serious damage to the lever or the lever box.
A feed that lies along the upper surface of the nib instead of within the curve of the under surface; used mostly during the 19th century.
over-under feed
(also double feed, dual feed) A double feed, with parts that lie both along the upper surface of the nib and within the curve of the under surface; used mostly during the 1890's and the first decade of the 20th century, and advertised as providing superior reliability. At first glance, an over-under feed can easily be mistaken for a plain overfeed.
A left-handed person who positions his or her hand and the paper so that the hand passes across the paper above (over) the line being written.
A strongly tarnish-resistant silver-white metal of the platinum group, used in pens as plating on nibs and, because of its relative hardness, as a component in some tipping alloys.
Colloquial shortening of pearlescent: having a translucent, iridescent appearance like that of pearls or, more particularly, mother-of-pearl. Usually refers to whitish or off-white colours.
The name Parker gave to the DuPont celluloid used in Parker's pens beginning with the Duofold in 1926.
A type of filling system; uses a screw-driven piston. A knob at the end of the barrel drives a long-pitch screw shaft on which rides a piston. In some piston fillers, the knob is also threaded so that it "unscrews" slightly as the piston goes toward the nib and returns to its rest position as the piston is drawn back. This is the "differential" system. In other versions, the knob is fixed so that it can turn but does not travel lengthwise as the piston moves.
An all-purpose label applied indiscriminately to acrylics, cellulosics, styrenes, and other synthetic resins.
Finished by the application of a very thin metal coating, usually by electro plating. The clips, bands, and other metal trim parts of most modern pens are electroplated with such metals as chromium, rhodium, or 23K gold.
An alloy of platinum and ruthenium, usually with trace amounts of one or more other platinum-group metals; probably the first of the modern highly refined nib tipping materials.
A strongly corrosion-resistant grey-white metal, used in pens as plating on two-tone nibs and as an alloying component in some tipping alloys.
Parker's name for the material of which the ribbed semi transparent sac used in the company's Aero-metric filling system is made.
The tip of the nib. Sometimes used as a synonym for the nib as a whole.
point section
See gripping section
A class of injection-mouldable thermoplastic resins of which pens are made, polymers of the monomer styrene, (C6H5CH=CH), which is an oily liquid. Polystyrene plastics came into use as a pen material in the early 1940's; but the earliest formulations suffered problems such as a tendency to shrink or to crumble with age. Much better formulations appeared before the end of the 1940s. Today the most common materials for the manufacture of low-priced pens are ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile), with polystyrene being used for very cheap products. Better pens are usually machined of acrylic.
pressure bar
A metal strip, sometimes with formed channels on its long edges, sometimes made of springy metal or attached to a spring, whose purpose is to squeeze the sac in a pen that uses a sac-based filling system. Some pressure bars are formed in the shape of the letter J and are called J-bars.
The space within a pen in which ink is stored.
A class of materials of which pens are made; includes acrylics, cellulosics, styrenes, and vegetal resins. See also ABS, acrylic, Celluloid, polystyrene.
retractable nib
A nib attached to a retracting mechanism so that the nib can be withdrawn into the body of the pen. Retractable nibs were a common feature of early safety pens, and the click-retractable Pilot Capless, introduced in 1964 by Pilot of Japan and still in production through several name changes, made fountain pens almost as convenient as ballpoint pens.
(also rhodanized, rhodinized) Plated with rhodium. Gold nibs are partially or completely rhodinated for appearance. Sterling silver furniture and body parts or overlays are sometimes rhodinated to prevent tarnish, and furniture of other materials may be rhodinated to impart the appearance of silver.
A hard silver-white metal of the platinum group, very similar in appearance to silver; sometimes used as a plating material because of its resistance to oxidation (tarnish).
rolled gold
Like gold filled metal, but the sheets were rolled out before being bonded. This is a cheaper material than gold filled and wears faster.
(also roller ball) A very small wheel or rolling ball affixed to the end of a clip to provide smoother entry into and exit from the user's pocket.
A "rolling" of the pen about its long axis so that the nib is not aligned straight upward when the writer holds the pen in his or her usual way. People who rotate their pens typically do so unconsciously. In most cases, a right-handed person who rotates will rotate the pen counterclockwise so that the nib is more or less leaning toward the left shoulder. Left-handed underwriters who rotate typically rotate clockwise, so that the nib is leaning toward the right shoulder; left-handed overwriters' rotation is more often counterclockwise.
A silver-gray metal of the platinum group, used as a nib tipping material because of its extreme hardness. Most modern tipping alloys are composed primarily of ruthenium.
A flexible rubber or silicone plastic ink reservoir, tubular and closed at one end. The open end is attached to the gripping section, usually with an adhesive such as shellac. Most sacs are plain cylinders, but some are necked down at the opening, and a few are tapered to make better use of the space within a tapered barrel.
Term applied to pens whose design reduces or eliminates the possibility of leakage in the user's pocket or purse. Safety designs arose in the early part of the 20th century, when most pens were made of hard rubber and had a slip-fitting cap that was (more or less) secured by friction. Retractable nibs and screw-on caps were common safety features. Pens with an aperture in the barrel, such as lever fillers, are inherently "unsafe" because they contain a sac that can split or burst and leak through the aperture.
A term describing a nib that does not write smoothly. Scratchiness can result from improper shaping or finishing of the tipping material, misalignment of the tines, fractured or pitted tipping material, or wear. Because all of these defects tend to create sharp edges or corners on the nib's tip, scratchy nibs frequently tear the fibres of the paper; if torn fibres are caught between the tines, the result can be a clog, bleeding and feathering, unduly wide and sloppy ink lines on the paper, or all of these problems.
A designation indicating an alloy that contains 750 parts of gold, by weight, per 1000 parts of the total metal content. The same as 18K.
In its most well known form, shellac mixes with an alcohol base to make varnish. It is commonly used as a sealant or adhesive for various joints and threads in fountain pens. Used also for securing ink sac to section nipple. See also varnish.
The cut that divides the tines of a nib. The slit must be narrow enough for capillary action to draw ink to the tip while at the same time wide enough to deliver the quantity of ink that the nib demands when writing.
special edition
(colloquially, SE) A pen model whose production run is limited in some way, such as for a particular retailer.
squeeze bar
A type of filling system; operates by mechanical ink-sac squeeze, with or without breather tube; differs from Aero-metric in that a squeeze bar filler's breather tube, if present, lacks the tiny lateral hole that permits air-pressure equalization in the sac. The sac is contained within a metal sac guard to which a spring-steel pressure bar is affixed. The barrel conceals the filler during use and must be removed to expose it for filling. Depressing the pressure bar with a thumb or finger squeezes the sac laterally.
stainless steel
A class of strongly rust-resistant steels, grey in color, sometimes with the slightest hint of a brownish tint, containing varying amounts of chromium (no less than 11.5% by weight) and nickel. 18-8 stainless, for example, contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Used for making furniture on some pens and for making nibs. Contrary to popular conception, stainless steels are not absolutely rustproof. Better grades of stainless (austenitic steels) are nonmagnetic.
Generally, any alloy of iron that has been strengthened by the inclusion of small mounts of carbon. Commonly, in reference to fountain pens, the stainless steel of which inexpensive nibs are made.
A designation indicating an alloy in which 92.5% of the total metal content, by weight, is silver; the other 7.5% is usually copper. The same as 925. On pens, used for caps, barrels, furniture, and overlays.
sterling silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The minimum fineness is 925. More easily moulded and shaped as pure silver because the copper. It is also more fragile than silver against dents and scratches at the surface.
Another term for striped. Frequently applied to the Parker Vacumatic and Sheaffer's pens of the later 1930s and early 1940's
(More correctly, stub italic.) The nib shape that is characterised by a moderately wide thin tip ground straight across, for creating broader strokes in a generally up-and-down direction than in a generally sidewise direction. A stub nib is narrower and produces less line variation than an ordinary italic or oblique italic. Stubs are also ground to be relatively smooth in use.
(also desk pen taper, quill) A long shaft, usually smoothly streamlined, that is attached to the back end of a desk pen's barrel for balance and a graceful appearance.
A (usually metal) cup-shaped trim bezel applied to the end of the barrel or cap (or both), frequently as a ring surrounding a "jewel" or other decoration.
Describes a nib made with the addition of a hard alloy at the tips of the tines to reduce wear.
A hard silver-grey metal of the transition series, noted for its lightness, strength, and difficulty of working.
Used more recently as a nib material; produces a somewhat springy nib that is difficult to adjust and prone to bending if treated as if it were a true flexible nib.
(also furniture) The exterior metal parts of a pen, including the lever, cap band, tassie(s), clip, etc.
(also bowl, sheath, or tulip) The cup- or bell-shaped socket portion of a desk-set base, into which the pen is inserted.
(also 21KT, as used on nibs by Sailor of Japan) A designation indicating an alloy that contains 21 parts of gold, by weight, per 24 parts of the total metal content. The same as 875.
two-tone nib
(also 2T nib) 1 A yellow gold nib that is partially plated with a platinum-group metal (white or silver). In some instances, the nib is partially or entirely plated with a platinum-group metal and then, in the areas that are not to be silver in colour, plated with gold of a different hue; on the Montblanc 75th Anniversary Meisterstück pens, for example, the second plating is rose gold. 2 A steel nib that is polished very brightly to resemble a richer metal and then partially plated with gold to simulate the appearance of a two-tone gold nib. Two-tone steel nibs are used on some moderately priced pens and also on certain counterfeit models.
See feed.
A left-handed person who positions his or her hand and the paper so that the hand passes across clean paper below (under) the line being written. See also overwriter.
(pronounced oo-roo-shee; also known as Japanese Lacquer) A remarkably durable and very glossy natural lacquer coating made from the sap of the urushi tree (native to Japan, China, and Korea). The principal ingredient is urushiol, an organic oil toxin (found in plants of the family Anacardiaceae) that hardens by absorbing moisture from the air. Urushi can be coloured with pigments or dyes. It is also used as the substrate and binder for decorative techniques such as maki-e. See also lacquer, maki-e.
A series of pens made by Parker from 1933 to 1948. The name is frequently shortened colloquially to "Vac" The salient feature of the Vacumatic is its compact pump filler, designed by Professor Arthur O. Dahlberg, an instructor at the University of Wisconsin, and perfected by Parker engineers.
A solution of resin (originally from a softwood tree, now also acrylic or urethane) with a drying oil (usually linseed or tung) in a solvent (traditionally turpentine); used as a wood finish. Sometimes used as a sealant or adhesive for various joints in fountain pens. See also shellac.
vegetal resin
A class of plastic materials of which pens are made. In contrast to polystyrene plastics, which are petroleum based, vegetal resins are made from plant material (generally in combination with celluloid). Vegetal resins are attractive and durable, but they are relatively costly and are used by few manufacturers.
A thin layer of gold (usually 23K or 24K) over sterling silver. The chemical similarity of gold and silver causes a molecular bonding such that vermeil is more durable than gold plating over a dissimilar metal.
1. A mark included in the imprint on nibs made by anonymous makers; indicates that the nib's gold content is warranted to be as described, usually 14K.
2. Used to combat fraudulent marking of plated steel or brass nibs in such a fashion that the term 14KT or 14KT GOLD was visible while the word PLATED or PLATE was concealed within the section.
The degree to which a solid can be wetted by a liquid; a higher wettability indicates that the liquid (e.g., ink) will flow over the solid's surface more readily than it will flow over a less wettable solid. Palladium-plated nibs are more wettable than plain gold ones, and this difference produces better flow in plated nibs; but it also makes the plated nibs more prone to nib creep.
wet writer
A pen whose nib is adjusted to produce a heavy flow of ink (but not necessarily a broad line) that dries very slowly. Extremely wet writers are prone to produce feathering or bleeding; and because of copious lubrication from the ink flow, they characteristically write more smoothly than pens adjusted for less flow.
white gold
An alloy of gold with at least one white (silvery) metal; has a silver-white color similar to that of platinum. 18K white gold is used decoratively for pen bodies or furniture, and occasionally instead of rhodium- or palladium-plated yellow gold to make nibs for pens with silver-coloured bodies or furniture. The most economical white gold contains nickel along with smaller amounts of copper and zinc; but nickel has been linked to allergic dermatitis, and nickel-safe white gold alloys generally use palladium with a smaller amount of silver.
wing nib
(or wing point) A style of point developed by Montblanc in the 1950's, and imitated by many other makers (particularly in Germany). It resembles the wing of a bird; it is usually widest at the base or heel, and tapers gradually toward the nibs, with "squarish" shoulders. It can be made more flexible than an equivalent point of normal design.
zoom nib
A nib shape developed by master nib designer Nobuyoshi Nagahara of Japan's Sailor company. A Zoom nib produces a line that varies in width from broad when the pen is held at a relatively low angle to the paper, to very fine when the pen is held nearly vertically relative to the paper.


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Six additional remappable buttons - two at each shoulder of the controller and two removable rocking switches at the bottom - allow gamers to re-bind any choice of buttons on the controller for easy access. A built-in OLED screen is also included, which allows customization of the controller's many features. Gamers may remap the multi-function buttons, adjust the analog stick's sensitivity and save profiles: the display visualizes their modified preferences.More details nca be found over on the Razer website, where you can order the new device for US$79.99, with a $10 discount on offer for Razer Onza owners.
...The Razer Onza Tournament Edition gave Xbox 360 gamers a competitive edge," said Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, CEO and creative director. "We're now taking things a step further with the Razer Sabertooth, with its re-mappable multi-function buttons and OLED display, restructured with more control options than any other device, in a rugged design that doesn't compromise comfort."
|That dpad looks s***
|Nice ad.
|still waiting for a controller to be invented that matches the speed, control and precision of a kb/mouse setup, in a compact package.
|I like where Madcatz is going... hot swappable thumpsticks and the hot swappable dpad. Much like what we have for mechanical keyboards and 'keycaps' or gaming mice and mouse skates.
Jump to 2:20 to see the design inter-changable goodness!
As for keyboard and mouse on a console. Its already here. Xim3
To be...
On Topic:
I have a lot of respect for *some* Razer products, but not all Razer products. I have a fair amount of respect for Steelseries / Mad Catz as a manufacturer. As long as they stick to their guns and keep designing innovation. The Deathadder 3.5G is a good mouse and in some ways, Razer seems to be trying to inch the design process back up to where they were back in the mid to late 2000s. Its just getting that price point right (If they are giving Onza owners a discount -- thats' good) and the selling design points right (consulting the right crowd, which creates the right products). They make half decent cloth and hard mats. The keyboards have been a bit hit and miss over the years. As for the headphones. That is kind of debatable from an audiophile standpoint.
Also more than likely Major League Gaming wouldn't probably allow that sort of controller on the field because its macroable.
Getting off-topic:
Now we just need a 'console platform' that has a long standing hot swappable hardware and we're ready to rock and turn it into a streaming content platform from cloud gaming / client gaming / whatever the next big thing is. Remember the "Steam Big Picture" thing. Now I reckon I know why M$ and SONY are worried. Well, Sort of.
So you'd probably be looking at (I'm going out on an idea limb binge here):
- Something that is like Apple in terms of service (and the whole app store thing).
- Like Steam in terms of cost and UI front end.
- Ease of use like the M$ Operating system
- Desktop lounge room media centre that probably has enough room to upgrade parts for the next 5 years, but at the same time has enough room to put-in and get parts serviced. (Something with a Lifetime Warranty like Origin PC)
- Possibly something like the OUYA
But with a bit more grunt.
XBOX and PS3 consoles you can really only upgrade the hard drive. Don't get me started on mod chipping -- piracy is a service problem it has been sent to hell and back and been declared more times than I care to mention; The PS3 networking cluster f*** getting hacked or XBOX Live's hacking problems.
I think its time for err something new -- maybe a multimedia PC or a PC Console that doesn't cost 5,600 to 24,000 AUD.


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Honor Roll
This story appears in the April 1998 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Looking for an innovative way to rev up employee motivation--and show them you appreciate the work they do? Take a tip from Doug Sears, who thought a good way to keep his employees' wheels spinning would be to offer a real set of wheels as an incentive. But instead of choosing a deserving employee himself, the owner of executive search firm DS&A and software development company RecruitMAX Software in Orange Park, Florida, let his 50 employees choose who would win the use of a 1997 Ford Mustang GT convertible for a year.
From June to December last year, employees were encouraged to recognize positive performance by co-workers with "Dream Dollars"--forms that looked like dollar bills. Employees noted the recipient's name, their own name and the reason for the award on the bill. Reasons ranged from handling a difficult situation successfully to simply brightening someone's day with a pleasant attitude. At the end of the contest period, the dollars were tallied, and the employee with the highest number was handed the keys to the car at the companies' holiday party in December.
The one-year lease on the car, plus gas and insurance, will cost the companies $10,000 to $12,000--an investment Sears believes is well worth it. During the contest period, the companies posted a 200 percent increase in sales over the same time period the previous year--from $382,000 to $1.5 million--which easily covered the cost of the contest with profits left over. In addition, Sears says the contest created a stronger sense of teamwork because the employees chose the winner.
"This contest has instilled something in each and every employee here," Sears says. "We are a team, and they are all first-string players."
Jacquelyn Lynn is a business writer in Winter Park, Florida.
Go Figure
Is the price really right?
Do you know the real costs of the products and services you provide? Charles L. Norman, a CPA and senior manager specializing in entrepreneurial services with Ernst & Young LLP, says many business owners don't, especially when they have a significant amount of indirect costs. One solution is activity-based costing, the process of associating costs with the activity which produced the cost.
One way to do this is with sophisticated software. But while precise, this option can cost you nearly $10,000 for the program, installation and training--no small change for most entrepreneurs. A more affordable alternative, Norman says, is to keep a very detailed chart of accounts and carefully allocate overhead costs back to the appropriate product or service. It's a technique that, while not 100 percent accurate, will provide a clearer picture of the cost of your products.
The key is to attach specific costs to the product involved. For example, if you spend a disproportionate amount of your advertising budget on one particular product, you need to charge the real cost of the promotion to that one product to get a realistic profit picture. The same procedure should be applied to depreciation, equipment expenses, interest and debt costs, building occupancy costs, freight and delivery expenses, and even executive compensation.
"Most people do a good job allocating the direct labor to the product," Norman observes. "What they don't do well is allocate [the cost of] management labor. For example, the president or chief operating officer may be spending most of his or her time on a certain product line, trying to get it off the ground, and if you allocated all his or her wages to that line, it might not be as profitable as it looked."
Norman says the process of determining where you're really making your money is often an eye-opening experience. Just remember, the information will allow you to make better management and pricing decisions, and ultimately create a more profitable company.
Prime Target
Keep your company from being a victim of extortion.
It's the stuff movies are made of: bomb threats, product tampering, sabotage and kidnapping. You might think these things could never happen to you--after all, you're a small, relatively obscure company. But that could actually be what makes you an attractive target to an extortionist.
"Being a victim of extortion or threats is not a factor of size, and it's not always connected to a perception of wealth. You can fall victim for many reasons," says Andy Duffin, managing director of crisis management services for Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations in Hallan- dale, Florida. "A small company might be an easier target than a large multinational one, which may often be perceived as having a significant security force in place. And while a large company might be able to weather the costs stemming from a kidnapping, a product recall or a negative press campaign, for a smaller company, the damage could be irreparable."
To protect your company from corporate terrorism, the first step is to understand that it can, indeed, happen to you. Duffin says the source will likely be one of six types of perpetrators: disgruntled employees (current or former); someone else with a grudge against you or the company; criminals who are looking primarily for financial gain; psychotic or mentally ill individuals; terrorists; or "hoaksters." Possible scenarios include an unhappy employee who threatens to release company secrets or plant a virus in your computer, threats from a perpetrator to injure people or damage property if a ransom isn't paid, product tampering, and threats to generate negative publicity if the company fails to take specific actions.
The next step is to develop a crisis management plan. Although you certainly can't plan for all contingencies, think in advance about what steps you'll take so you can react calmly and purposefully to resolve a situation. Decide who will be in charge of what, and plan for communicating with law enforcement officials, the media, your customers and your employees. You might also want to meet with a crisis management consultant before anything happens; establishing such a relationship in advance may cost a small amount of time and money, but it will be invaluable if the need arises.
Determine, too, how you will handle the costs associated with an incident. Some of the expenses may be covered under your regular business insurance, or you may want to investigate special policies. For example, CIGNA Property & Casualty recently introduced kidnap and extortion, and product tampering insurance to its product line. In conjunction with the insurance, CIGNA offers risk management services through Pinkerton, which consults with clients both before an incident, to reduce the likelihood of one occurring, and afterward, to assist with managing the situation.
All Locked Up
Speeding up cash flow with a lockbox.
It's a service large companies have been using for decades. Now a growing number of small businesses are letting their banks help them improve cash flow with a lockbox. It works like this: Your customers mail their payments to a post office box, which your bank rents in your company's name. The bank sends a courier several times a day to clear out the box; checks are immediately deposited into your account, and you get a report outlining all the transactions in as much detail as you want and as frequently as you want.
Lockbox is a low-tech-sounding term for a high-tech, high-speed service that can be easily customized for just about any business, says Roger Shields, vice president and manager of treasury management at Bank One Utah in Salt Lake City. "Any company that is spending more than a few hours a day having someone in their office running to the post office, picking up the mail, making the deposits and keying that information back into the system is a good candidate for a lockbox," Shields says. "It's a volume-driven process, which is why the bank can do it much more efficiently and at much less cost than you can pay someone to do the same work in-house."
A company that averages 500 remittances a month can expect to pay $75 to $100 per month for lockbox service. Reporting procedures can range from something as simple as a faxed copy of the daily deposits to the image of each check being placed on CD-ROM. Shields says lockboxes are a standard banking service; to set up a program, call your bank.
Politically Correct
Stand up and be counted.
What's the biggest challenge small-business owners face? If you conducted a survey, chances are, burdensome government regulation would be in the top three. That's why more and more businesspeople are getting involved in politics--an arena that has long been considered taboo in polite conversation but has a tremendous impact on companies.
"There isn't a businessperson alive who doesn't feel some burden in terms of regulatory, statutory or taxation issues," says Ronn W. Cupp, vice president of government affairs for the State Chamber, Oklahoma's Association of Business & Industry. "If you're in business, you don't have a choice--you have to be involved in politics."
But choosing your issues and staying informed can be a daunting task. The solution, says Cupp, is to look to the political arm of an organization that is sympathetic to your interests. Those organizations include local and state chambers of commerce, as well as your industry's trade and professional organizations. They will let you know what's going on in elections and legislation and will offer guidance on what you can do to help.
Your involvement might include making financial contributions, writing letters, attending meetings, supporting candidates during elections and perhaps even lobbying legislators. "You can choose your degree of participation," says Cupp. He recommends giving as much as you can to important issues, pointing out that political action is cyclical, generally peaking during election seasons and when state legislatures are in session.
The plus side of political action means you can positively influence legislation that affects your business. Is there a downside? Cupp points out it's possible you could take a public position on an issue that might offend some of your customers, but he adds, "You can do that with other things, too. [The State Chamber] has taken controversial stands, and in many cases, we gain more than we lose."
Accidents Happen
...but employees can help prevent them.
It's hard to argue with workplace safety programs--they help keep your insurance rates down and your productivity, profitability and employee morale up.
As companies work to create a safe environment, they often focus on such prevention issues as operating equipment and doing other tasks safely, and wearing appropriate safety gear. But, says Tom Callanan, senior vice president of Workers Compensation Fund of Utah in Salt Lake City, employees also need to be trained to take action if they see an unsafe situation, whether or not it has a direct impact on their particular job or work area.
Typical safety programs provide incentives for maintaining an accident-free workplace. Callanan says those programs also need to include recognition and incentives for employees who exercise initiative in spotting and taking steps to correct dangerous situations--whether it's a wobbling stack of books on a filing cabinet, a loose step or stair rail, or a major equipment problem.
According to Callanan, a good safety program includes the following components:
- Management leadership and commitment. The company owner and senior managers must be committed to safety for the program to work.
- Assignment of responsibility. There needs to be a person or a committee with responsibility and authority regarding safety processes.
- Hazard identification and control. Systems need to be in place to spot and correct dangerous situations before an accident occurs.
- Employee and supervisor training. Education must be companywide and ongoing.
- Employee awareness. Develop programs that will continually create awareness of the importance of safety among employees at all levels.
- Medical assistance. Know what you will do if an accident occurs.
- Accident and incident investigation. When something happens, be prepared to thoroughly research the situation to understand exactly what happened and why.
- Record-keeping. Keep appropriate documentation for insurance, government reporting and incentive programs.
For assistance in developing or enhancing your safety program, Callanan suggests calling your workers' compensation insurance carrier. "It can help you set up a program, measure the results and make adjustments as necessary," Callanan says. "It can also put you in touch with any other resources you may need."
Contact Sources
Bank One Utah, 80 W. Broadway, #300, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, (801) 481-5125
DS&A RecruitMAX Software, 320 Corporate Wy., #100, Orange Park, FL 32073, (904) 278-9998
Ernst & Young LLP, 1 SeaGate, Toledo, OH 43604, (419) 321-5470
Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations, 1250 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd., #404, Hallandale, FL 33009, (954) 458-2707
State Chamber, Oklahoma's Association of Business & Industry, 330 N.E. 10th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73104, (405) 235-3669
Workers Compensation Fund of Utah, 392 E. 6400 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107, http://www.wcf-utah.com


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