Ballpoint pen

"Ball pen" redirects here; not to be confused with Ball Pen (film).

"Biro" redirects here. For other uses, see Biro (disambiguation).

Ballpoint pen

A Bic Cristal, the world's best-selling pen
Type	Pen
Inventor	John J. Loud
Inception	1888 (1888)
Manufacturer	List AIHAO Ballograf Berol Bic Caran d'Ache Conway Stewart Cross Deli Herlitz Kaweco Kokuyo Camlin Lamy M&G Stationery Maped Monami Montblanc Ohto Paper Mate Parker Pelikan Pierre Cardin Pilot Reynolds Sailor Sakura Sheaffer Stabilo Scripto Staedtler Tombow TOZ Penkala Uni-ball Yard-O-Led Zebra
Available	Yes

A ballpoint pen is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a hard ball rolling in its point. The materials commonly used are steel, brass, or tungsten carbide. The design was conceived and developed as a cleaner and more reliable alternative to dip pens and fountain pens. It is now the world's most-used writing instrument, with millions manufactured and sold daily. It has influenced art and graphic design and spawned an artwork genre.