The general design of a gel pen is similar to that of a regular ink based pen, with a barrel containing the writing mechanism and a cap, and a reservoir filled with ink. At the end of the ink tube is an ink "follower", made of more viscous gelled material which is usually translucent and follows the water-based ink. The follower mainly prevents leakage and back flow of the ink. The barrels can be created in many different sizes and designs; some have finger grips of rubber or plastic. The size of the nib or pen tip ranges from 0.18 millimetres (0.0071 in) to 1.5 millimetres (0.059 in).
History[edit]
The first gel pens were produced by Sakura Color Products of Osaka, Japan.[4] The first gel pen to be released commercially was the Ball sign 280,[5] which was sold by Sakura Color Products in Japan. Their first product which became available in America in the late 1980s was the Gelly Roll.[6] Following this, Crayola began producing pens with thicker bodies, marketing them to children. The gels of these pens were made up of metallic sparkles and fluorescent colors, popular among artists for their easy control and smooth drawing capability.
Door County Sheriff’s Office has advised the public to write checks with gel pens which is harder to remove than a regular ink pen.[7]