Technical Pens

Technical Pens

Technical pens are commonly used by designers, drafters and architects and are most valued for their extremely reliable line quality. The term 'technical pens' also includes a range of mechanical pencils which are valued for providing a reliable, consistent drawing experience.

Unlike other forms of drawing tools, technical pens are specifically designed to give the user a predictable and consistent line width regardless of pressure, making them more convenient than disposable drawing pens. Technical pens usually display their line width on the barrel that is extremely accurate compared to disposable drawing pens – which only contain an estimated line width that can broaden, depending on the amount of pressure applied to the instrument. Another added benefit of using technical pens rather than disposable drawing pens, are their sustainable qualities – for example, many technical pens are refillable and if cared for properly, will last many, many years.

Rotring rapid PRO pencil chrome 2.0

$32.68

Designed to last long the rapid PRO 2.0mm mechanical pencil, hosts a slver finish with ergonomic grip section and chrome details
Rotring 500 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

$12.66

High quality light weight 0.5mm 500 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring 300 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

$8.66

High quality light weight 0.7mm ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring 300 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

$8.66

High quality light weight 0.5mm ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring Tikky Liner Pen 0.7mm

Regular Price: $19.95

Special Price $13.28

The Tikky Liner pen hosts a silver metal with chrome details and ergonomic transparent grip
Rotring Tikky Liner Pen 0.5mm

Regular Price: $19.95

Special Price $13.28

The Tikky Liner pen uses gel ink and hosts a metal shell with chrome details and ergonomic transparent grip
Rotring Tikky Graphic Set 0.30, 0.50, 0.70

$8.66

This set contains 3 precise Tikky Graphic pens
Rotring Tikky Graphic Set 0.20, 0.40, 0.80

$9.14

This set contains 3 precise Tikky Graphic pens
Rotring Tikky Graphic Set 0.10, 0.30, 0.50

$8.66

This set contains 3 precise Tikky Graphic pens
Rotring Tikky 3 in 1 Multipen White 0.7mm Pencil

$19.95

This 3in1 White Multipen is fitted with a blue ballpoint pen, a red ballpoint pen and a 0.7mm pencil
Rotring 500 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

$12.66

High quality light weight 0.7mm 500 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring 600 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

$31.35

High quality light weight 0.5mm 600 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring 600 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

$31.35

High quality light weight 0.7mm 600 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring rapid PRO pencil chrome 0.5

$32.68

Designed to last long the rapid PRO 0.5mm mechanical pencil, hosts a slver finish with ergonomic grip section and chrome details
Rotring rapid PRO pencil black 2.0

$32.68

Designed to last long the rapid PRO 2.0mm mechanical pencil, hosts a matt black finish with ergonomic grip section
Rotring rapid PRO pencil black 0.7

$32.68

Designed to last long the rapid PRO 0.7mm mechanical pencil, hosts a matt black finish with ergonomic grip section
Rotring rapid PRO pencil black 0.5

$32.68

Designed to last long the rapid PRO 0.5mm mechanical pencil, hosts a matt black finish with ergonomic grip section
Rotring rapid PRO ballpoint pen chrome

$32.68

Designed to last long the rapid PRO ballpoint pen, hosts a silver finish with ergonomic grip section and chrome details
Rotring rapid PRO ballpoint pen black

$32.68

Designed to last long the rapid PRO ballpoint pen, hosts a matt black finish with ergonomic grip section
Rotring 800 mechanical pencil silver 0.7mm

$59.99

High quality light weight 0.7mm 800 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a silver finish and chrome trim
Rotring 800 mechancial pencil silver 0.5mm

$59.99

High quality light weight 0.5mm 800 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a silver finish and chrome trim
Rotring 800 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

$59.99

High quality light weight 0.7mm 800 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring 800 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

$59.99

High quality light weight 0.5mm 800 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a matt black finish and chrome trim
Rotring 600 mechancial pencil silver 0.7mm

$31.35

High quality light weight 0.7mm 600 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a silver finish and chrome trim
Rotring 600 mechancial pencil silver 0.5mm

$31.35

High quality light weight 0.5mm 600 ergonomic mechanical pencil in a silver finish and chrome trim

The Online Pen Company: Technical Pens

A technical pen is a specialised writing instrument used by an engineer, architect, or drafter to make lines of constant width for architectural, engineering, or technical drawings. They often use either a refillable ink reservoir (Isograph version) or a replaceable ink cartridge for ease.

Technical Pens: A History

Early technical pens consisted of a small pair of calipers with one flat and one bowed leg, holding the ink between them - by adjusting the gap between the two legs, the width of the line drawn by the pen could be adjusted.

When kept at a constant angle to the paper, technical pens were often used for ruling lines, but not for cursive handwriting, nor for off-hand flourishes. The first technical pen, Graphos, was introduced in 1934 and miniaturized the caliper principle, making the points easily interchangeable. Soon after Sheaffer produced an expensive drafting set which included such pens for use on linen prints. These drafting sets were often presented to a draftsperson upon completing their 'time served', marking the end of their apprenticeship.

A full set of technical pens would have the following nib sizes - 0.13, 0.18, 0.25, 0.35, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, 1.4, and 2.0mm - all of which correspond to the line widths as defined in ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 128. However, the ISO called for there to be four standard pen widths and set a colour code for each: 0.25 (white), 0.35 (yellow), 0.5 (brown), 0.7 (blue). Instead, these nib sizes produced lines that related to various text character heights and ISO official paper sizes.

The main drafting sets of four nibs came in two different kinds, gold and silver. The Silver kind was more for rough tracing paper, and the Gold for plastic film like velograph or durables.

Years after their initial launch, drawing boards changed and so did technical pens as a result. Instead, a hard (not spongy) surface was required to be able use a drawing board, so a plastic film was used and the static attraction between plastic cursors, T-squares, and set-squares meant that as one lifted the edge from the film, the ink would blot.

In the end the solution was to stick down a plastic sheet called an Osalid that attracted the film more strongly than the drafting instruments did. The tracing paper or velograph sheet could then be placed on the Osalid sheet whilst stuck onto the drawing board, brushing the air away. Brushing instantly charged the surface, and the film would then be taped taut, but still released at the end of each working day to allow for temperature expansions and contractions.

Drawing Pens

Fineliner Pens

Drafting Pencils

Rotring rapid PRO pencil chrome 2.0

Rotring 500 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

Rotring 300 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

Rotring 300 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

Rotring Tikky Liner Pen 0.7mm

Rotring Tikky Liner Pen 0.5mm

Rotring Tikky Graphic Set 0.30, 0.50, 0.70

Rotring Tikky Graphic Set 0.20, 0.40, 0.80

Rotring Tikky Graphic Set 0.10, 0.30, 0.50

Rotring Tikky 3 in 1 Multipen White 0.7mm Pencil

Rotring 500 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

Rotring 600 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

Rotring 600 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

Rotring rapid PRO pencil chrome 0.5

Rotring rapid PRO pencil black 2.0

Rotring rapid PRO pencil black 0.7

Rotring rapid PRO pencil black 0.5

Rotring rapid PRO ballpoint pen chrome

Rotring rapid PRO ballpoint pen black

Rotring 800 mechanical pencil silver 0.7mm

Rotring 800 mechancial pencil silver 0.5mm

Rotring 800 mechancial pencil black 0.7mm

Rotring 800 mechancial pencil black 0.5mm

Rotring 600 mechancial pencil silver 0.7mm

Rotring 600 mechancial pencil silver 0.5mm

The Online Pen Company: Technical Pens

Technical Pens: A History