SUBJECT FORENSIC SCIENCE

Paper No. and Title PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. and Title MODULE No.7: Types of Writing Instruments

Module Tag FSC_P8_M7

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Learning Outcomes
2. Introduction to writing instruments
3. Types of pen & its specific functioning
4. Paper
5. Summary

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 1. Learning Outcomes

After studying this module, you shall be able to

 Know about writing instruments.

 Identify & evaluate different writing instruments

2. Introduction to writing instruments

The writing instrument is one of the important aspects of writing because a person used
to write with an ink pen may write with a slight difference from a ball pen which cannot
be recognized at once. There are many writing instruments but it can be classified as
further:-
 Paper, Leaves, Metals, etc.
 Pen, Pencil etc.
 Ink, Blood, Plant Juices, Chemicals etc.

Paper was made later on with the development of human beings previously, the
documents were prepared by writing on the bark of the trees like papyrus and the metals
like copper (tampatra) are also being in use to keep the records in the written form. With
the development of human beings they developed paper by plants and used those as the
writing surface there are many types of paper which are available.

The use of the graphite and coal was in action before the development of the instruments
used for writing like pen, pencil etc. This development of pen gave rise to its requirement
of ink and this ink was then prepared either from the plants extract or chemicals. Blood
may also be sometimes have been used to convey a message at the crime scene and thus
it may also be called as one of the writing instruments and same is the case with paint and
some of the plant juices. Thus the choice of writing instrument determines the type of
work to be done at that particular surface with a specific instrument of writing and all
these specificities which vary from instrument to instrument can be of utmost importance
for the examiner to determine the exact source of writing instrument used and any other
significance of using that specific writing instrument. The use of writing instrument is
also dependent on the habit of a person. Some person like to write with gel point pen on a
neat and smooth surface of writing while some others use ball point pen and write on a
comparatively rougher surface.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 3. Types of pens and its specific functioning

3.1Ball pen: -
Among other writing instruments, the ball pen has gained much popularity and it is
probably most widely used writing instrument throughout the world. Although the
instrument has been invented to the late 1800`s this writing instrument was not a mass
product until 1945 or so. In 1945, the Reynolds ball pen was introduced in the market and
first pen was sold in the New York City at $ 12.50 each. Since that time, ball pens are
achieving acclaim and they have almost superseded fountain pens.

 Functioning of a ball pen: - The ball pen consists of a small rotating ball fitted
into a socket like device at the end of a tube which acts as the ink reservoir. The
ink is fed through ball housing by the gravity and when ball rotates with the
motion of pen, a thin film of ink in the form of the inked transforms on to the
writing surface. The ink used in ball pen is a viscous past like material unlike
usual fluid ink used in the fountain pen.

 Identifying the work of a ball pen: - This writing instrument has some different
features which help in differentiating it from the other writing instruments. The
features shown by the ball pen is given below: -

 Skipping: - in ball pen during writing sometimes the ink does not pass
through the rolling ball and thus the production of strokes lacks ink in
the strokes and produces an un-inked stroke. The skipping is shown
below in the photograph in letter “L” of SUNIL. Similarly there is
another term known as gooping which is known for the dark deposits
of ink in the letters as shown in the letter “U” of SUNIL.

Skipping

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 Gooping

3.2 POROUS TIP PENS: -

These pens are also known as the fibre tip pens, nylon tip pens, reed pens, synthetic tip
pens and felt tip pens which are gaining popularity these days due to uniformity in the
strokes and smooth spreading of ink. These types of pen are available in two differently
constructed writing tips that is those stiff porous plastic point and those made of hard
porous fibres.

 The wider writing tips produces strokes with almost flat appearances which often
has blunt beginning strokes and terminals. The inked line generally has smooth
spreading of ink with smooth outlines of the margins of the strokes.

 The fine writing tips are generally made of porous plastic tips and these
sometimes make grooves in the strokes, whereas the medium and wide writing
points do not create any such indentation.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 Broad point

Medium point

Fine point

This picture shows the different writings produced by different porous pen writings

 The pen writes with the capillary action in which the ink flows down through the
tip to the paper during writing.
 The ink used in these pens are generally fluid in nature which is either water
based or solvent based and is so compounded that it dries quickly once it comes in
contact with the paper.
 These pens have a very peculiar feature which is that even if we stop writing and
the tip of the pen is in contact of the paper then it will for an accumulation of ink
at that place.
 Sometimes the porous tip pens with broad writing tips may produce a secondary
line along with the main ink line, which may be due to the result of tip wear and
loosening of some fibre from the main fibre bundle.
 These pens are generally available in two types of tips either of the broader nature
or of the finer nature.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 3.3 Roller pens: -

The ball pens so modified to write with fluid ink are commonly referred to as roller pens.
These pens are similar to ball point pens in construction.

 These pens contain a water based ink of the same general viscosity as found in
fountain pen inks.
 The roller pens sometimes produce grooves in the strokes in the same manner as
the ball pen and they sometimes show flowing back of ink in the ends of the
strokes like the strokes found in the fountain pen writings.
 The ink from a roller pen is generally fairly broad with tapered beginning and
ending strokes.

3.4 Pencil: -
 The pencil is one of the most ancient writing instruments and the best factor about
this writing instrument is that it has maintained its place as an important writing
instrument. This instrument has a non-flexible writing tip which is continuously
rubbed off while depositing solid matter in the form of written line on the surface
of paper.
 Depending upon the degree of hardness, writing pressure and nature of the writing
surfaces, the pencil strokes vary in their nature and intensity. When one writes
with a weak pressure the wear graphite is lesser and the deposits on the surface of
paper is weak, producing lighter strokes and when one writes with heavy pressure
the wear of graphite is more and the deposits on the surface of paper is greater
producing darker strokes.
 Due to smooth and rounded point, the pencil, like a ball pen enables the writer to
write faster than he would write with fountain pen.
 This can be of little benefit to all the forgers if the bank allows the signature on
the withdrawal form to be done by pencil, because this instrument of writing
reveals less about the pen lifts, pen pause etc. as in the case of pens.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 3.5 Fountain pen: -
 Fountain pens are used from the ancient time and are considered very classic, very
few people are used to its use and thus this is in itself a peculiar feature of its use.
 The fountain pens generally have two flexible nibs which help in the production
of lines of varying width depending mainly on the flexibility of points and
pressure applied during writing.
 Most of the fountain pens of modern scenario have comparatively stiff nib point
which restrict shading and produce strokes comparable to the uniform strokes of
porous tip pens.
 One of the most important features of the fountain pens is that they use liquid ink
which has a tendency to penetrate deep into the paper fibers.
 The fountain pen which consists of broader nib point gives rise to comparatively
more shaded strokes and the nature of shading depends on angle of pens.

4. Paper as the writing instrument

Paper is one of the popular writing surfaces. The oldest of the writing surface is the bark
of the herb called papyrus. There is a piece of that paper in the museum of France which
might be around 3500 B.C. old. One of the most important developments in the history of
paper industry took place when the paper was produced from cellulose content of plants.
It`s discovery took place after 105 A.C. and it was discovered in china by Ts` ai Lun. He
made the paper by using old cuttings of some paper, cannabis fibers and mineral fibers.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 Manufacturing process of paper: -

Wood from Lump

plant bark part material
generally produced

1. Mechanical method.
2. Semi chemical method. shredding
3. Chemical methods.
4. Bleaching. washing

Cellulose pulp
(10-80%) Cellulose
(20-90%)

Mechanical beating of the wood to form the lump material.

Sizing agents are also added which provide cellular strength to the paper.
Some of the sizing agents are as follows: -

 Rosin.
 Starch.
 Animal gelatin.
 Aluminium hydroxide.
 Synthetic polymers.

Loading agents are also used in the manufacturing of paper for providing proper
weight to the paper according to the requirement.

 Aluminium silicate like kaolin.

 Magnesium silicate like talcum.
 Calcium sulphate (Gypsum).
 Calcium carbonate.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 After all these steps which have been mentioned above are completed then the
sheet formation is done after which a proper coating is given to the paper.
This is the last step in paper manufacturing and produces the end product known
as paper.
Cellulose is used as the raw material for the preparation of paper.
The list of some plants with their cellulose content is given below: -

S.no. Name of the plant Content of cellulose present.

1. Cotton 92-97%
2. Hemp 80%
3. Ramie 85%

4. Sisal 77%

5. Common wood 58-67%

6. Cereal straws 36-37%

Paper is prepared from the wood pulp by mechanical and chemical methods.
Newspaper is prepared from the mechanical method while some other writing
surfaces used for the purpose of writing is made by chemical process.
The composition of paper is decided as the requirement of the work.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments
 5. Summary

The writing instrument is one of the important aspects of writing because a person
used to write with an ink pen may write with slight difference from a ball pen
which cannot be recognized at once.
The use of writing instrument is also dependent on the habit of a person. Some
persons like to write with the gel point pen on a neat and smooth surface of
writing while some others use ball point pen and write on a comparatively
rougher surface.
Among other writing instruments, the ball pen has gained much popularity and it
is probably most widely used writing instrument throughout the world.
The ball pen consists of a small rotating ball fitted into a socket like device at the
end of a tube which acts as the ink reservoir.
In ball pen during writing sometimes the ink does not pass through the rolling ball
and thus the production of strokes lacks ink in the strokes and produces an un-
inked stroke.
Porous tip pens are also known as the fiber tip pens, nylon tip pens, reed pens,
synthetic tip pens and felt tip pens which are gaining popularity these days due to
uniformity in the strokes and smooth spreading of ink.
The ball pens so modified to write with fluid ink are commonly referred to as
roller pens.
The pencil one of the most ancient writing instrument and the best factor about
this writing instrument is that it has maintained its place as an important writing
instrument.
Fountain pens are used from the ancient time and are considered very classic, very
few people are used to its use and thus this is in itself a peculiar feature of its use.
The fountain pens generally have two flexible nibs which help in the production
of lines of varying width depending mainly on the flexibility of points and
pressure applied during writing.
Paper is one of the popular writing surfaces. The oldest of the writing surface is
the bark of the herb called papyrus. There is a piece of that paper in the museum
of France which might be around 3500 B.C. old.
Newspaper is prepared from the mechanical method while some other writing
surfaces used for the purpose of writing is made by chemical process.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Paper No. 8: Questioned Document

Module No. 7: Types of Writing Instruments