… and a little bit on before. This article is a very abbreviated history of writing instruments, but has a somewhat interesting paragraph on writing with common kitchen ingredients if you have a youngster.
Imagine That: Name the plume
The next time you get annoyed searching for a ballpoint pen to do some writing, think about what our ancestors were faced with in the same situation. They had to go out into the barnyard, run down a goose, grab a feather to make a quill and then mix up a batch of ink using chimney soot and animal glue. (It should be noted the word “pen” comes from the Latin “penna” which means “feather.”)…
http://www.northjersey.com/counties/imagine-that-name-the-plume-1.1405774
fountain pen users 