I put it to you that pens are intrinsically difficult for quality of production systems. Their nature (portable, lose-able, lend-able, steal-able) calls out for

I put it to you that pens are intrinsically difficult for quality of production systems. Their nature (portable, lose-able, lend-able, steal-able) calls out for cheapness and disposability. Their size and ergonomics call out for precision manufacturing, but the materials must be cheap and plentiful. The measure of a good pen is often its durability, which is difficult to test for in production. The purchasing chain is incentivised for cost not quality - most pens are not bought by their users. I think this is an almost unbeatable combination - I think we'll be shaking and scribbling cheap giveaway ballpoints for the forseeable future. Even if you buy good pens you'll probably be put in this situation in daily life from time to time, unless you're VERY careful about carrying a good pen everywhere and never lending it out. The good news is that they can be used as a kind of bellweather. When cheap pens are good pens, you'll know a culture of quality has been arrived at in manufacturing systems for basic products.