Why did quill pens persist until the early 19th century despite the capacity to make metal dip pens?
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The metal dip pens existed since the times when Britain was a Roman province. Also, they are known to be used in the Middle ages and Renaissance times. That is, they were used alongside the quill pens. However, those old metal pens were hand-made. It is only after the Industrial Revolution that their mass production became available. John Mitchell pioneered mass production of steel pens in 1822; prior to that the quill pen had been the most common form of writing instrument. The quill is much cheaper than a hand-made metal dip pen. It naturally grows on geese. You don't need to do anything to make it: just cut the tip. Only the mass production made the metal pens cheaper than the quill pens. The quill pen is still the tool of choice for a few calligraphers who noted that quills provide an unmatched sharp stroke as well as greater flexibility than a steel pen.
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