Show how steel pens are made every year the citizens of the united states wear cut about steel pens twenty years ago most of the steel pens used in this country were imported kow comparatively ively few are imported and there are several factories in this country in which they are made in large quantities at present the importation por tation of foreign pens jia mainly confined to tho high priced articles it was at first doubted that steel pens could be made in this country but it was soon learned that the requisite skilled labor could be obtained for high wages and the success of tho pioneers led one manufacturer after another into the business until now the field is pretty well occupied most of the work on these little instruments st is done with the aid of very fine machinery worked by women and girls the steel used is imported because it is believed that the quality is more uniform chaa the american steel this uniformity of quality is necessary because of the very delicata tempering required in the manufacture of the pens that mysterious quality of steel which gives different colors is a quality that requires expert manipulation on the part of the workman who does the tempering he must know tho nature of the material with which he works and with that knowledge he must exercise a celerity and skill that seize upon the proper instant to fasten the steel at a heat which insures the requisite quality first the steel is rolled into large sheets these are cut into stripe about three inches wide the strips are annealed that is they are heated to a red heat and permitted to cool gradually so that the is all removed and the steel is soft enough to be easily worked then the strips aro again rolled to the required thickness it is the quick eye for color and the quick hand that fastens it that constitute the skill to determine the temper of the steel when the steel is heated for tempering it is bright the first color that appears is straw color this changes rapidly to a blue tho elasticity of the metal varies with the color and is arrested at any point by instant plunging in cold water the processes of slitting polishing pointing and finishing the pens are operations requiring dexterity but by long practice the workmen and work women become very expert there have been few changes of late years and tho process of manufacture is much the same as it was twenty years ago and the prices are rather uniform ranging from twenty five cents to S 1 per gross according to the finish the boxes sold generally contain a gross the best now in the market are american writers who buy foreign pens at fancy prices find them far inferior in durability to the american article persons who write continuously will wear out a good steel pen in two days |