Glossary of Pen Terms

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Like any other specialized item, the fountain pen has amassed a lexicon of terms that are unique. And like other jargon languages, fountain pen jargon can be cryptic or confusing. This glossary presents brief definitions for many of the most common pen terms. It is not complete (an impossible goal); but it is a work in progress, and I welcome suggestions for terms to add. (Revised March 25, 2011)

The glossary is organized alphabetically. For numbers, look under the spelled-out form; e.g., for 14K, look under fourteen.

If there is a magnifying-glass symbol () next to an image, click the magnifying glass to view a zoomed version for more detail.

U
Ultra Giant	A huge BHR cone-cap eyedropper-filling pen made by Parker, larger than the Red or Black Giant, fitted with a Nº 12 nib and a compartment in the barrel within which is space for a small pen; known examples have a tiny RHR pen in this compartment. The Ultra Giant is literally too large to use and may have been produced as a salesman’s sample. In 1998, Bexley produced an Ultra Giant limited edition of 25 sets complete with a small pen inside the larger one. See also cone cap, giant.
underfeed	See feed.
underwriter	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, as shown below. See also overwriter.
Unique	(later renamed Check) A chasing pattern used by Wahl on chased hard rubber and metal pens, with groups of three longitudinal lines bridged by a continuous run of chevrons and separated by plain surface. Shown here is a close-up of the Unique pattern. Modern references often mistakenly identify this pattern as Dart. See also Dart.
untipped	Describes a nib made without the addition of a hard alloy at the tips of the tines to reduce wear. See also nib, tipped, tipping material.
uppercase	See majuscule.
urushi	(pronounced oo-roo-shee; also known as Chinese 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 colored with pigments or dyes, as illustrated below on an ebonite pen, and it is also used as the substrate and binder for decorative techniques such as maki-e. The reddish color on the pen shown here is intentionally uneven, and it will fade with age to become redder. See also lacquer, maki-e.
Utility	(Utility Pen Company) A Chicago-based brand that may or may not have been a sub-brand of Wahl. Utility pens were lever fillers, and at least some models (including the pen shown below) were definitely made by Wahl.

The information in this glossary is as accurate as possible, but you should not take it as absolutely authoritative. If you have additions or corrections to this page, please consider sharing them with us to improve the accuracy of our information.