In 1888, American inventor John Loud created the first ballpoint pen. It worked well on leather and wood and the like, but absolutely shredded paper, making it almost useless.

The first patent for a ballpoint pen came out in 1888, but it was impractical for paper; it was meant to write on leather. Unlike fountain pens, the ballpoint uses a tiny rotating ball to press ...

In 1888, American inventor John Loud created the first ballpoint pen. It worked well on leather and wood and the like, but absolutely shredded paper, making it almost useless.

The ballpoint pen as we know it was patented on June 10, 1943, by brothers László and György Bíró, who sought a cleaner, more reliable alternative to fountain pens.

Ballpoint pens distribute fast-drying ink without the ink drying in the pen itself. ... the first difference is the ink. Fountain pens use a liquid-based ink which takes a while to dry.

The Royal Air Force became the first major buyers of the ballpoint pen with the organisation ordering 30,000 of the devices during WW2. The pen was popular with pilots as they were able to operate ...