What to look for when buying an 'essential' pen in 1985
'Pens are essential if you want them to get a grip on the 'R' that starts with a 'W' — writing'
In some ways, the pen is actually a staple — in the sense that it is a must-have for students heading back to school.
"Back to school means equipping your kids with the appropriate tools to tackle the three 'R's," the CBC's Kathryn O'Hara told viewers, just before students headed back to school in 1985.
"Pens are essential if you want them to get a grip on the 'R' that starts with a 'W' — writing."
And while the simple stylo seems not to have changed much over time, it has actually had a few updates over the decades.
Ballpoint + felt-tip = rollerball
As O'Hara outlined for viewers, the development of the ballpoint pen changed the game — and remained popular with consumers even as new products came on the market.
"The revolution in pens, though, took place some 40 years ago when the ballpoint pen came onto the market," she said.
"In the '60s, the felt-tip pen appeared from Japan and the marriage of the two produced the rollerball with the durable plastic nib. Still, the ballpoint pen remains the most popular."
'It wasn't the most fun'
For the truly old-school choice, the fountain pen remained an option, even if few students would ever have occasion to use them.
"When I went to school you had to write with a straight pen and an ink well," said O'Hara. "It wasn't the most fun, but at least it taught you how to write properly."
O'Hara said that while these traditional pens glided smoothly over paper, they did have one drawback — a need to refill them. But there were options for consumers to consider.
"Ink is stored by two methods and most fountain pens nowadays are convertible," she said. "You can use the pump method if you're neat, or a self-contained ink cartridge if you're not."