Quill facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
3quills
Feathers in stages of being made into quills
Out of ink
Ink bottle and quill

A quill pen is a tool used for writing, made from a flight feather of a large bird. Quills were used for writing with ink before other pens were invented. They are still used in calligraphy sometimes. Today, most paper is made from wood plulp. Such papers use the quill rather rapidly. The hollow shaft of the feather (the calamus) acts as an ink reservoir and ink flows to the tip by capillary action.

Images for kids

  • Quill pen tip

    Quill with stripped barbs and insets of tips

  • The bookkeeper by van Dijk

    Sharpening a quill


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Quill Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.