: This article discusses the quill pen. For other usages of this word, please refer to Quill (disambiguation).
A quill pen is made from a flight feather (preferably a primary) of a large bird, most often a goose. Quills were used as instruments for writing with ink before the metal dip pen, the fountain pen, and eventually the ball point pen came into use.
Common writing equipment in medieval times were the quill and parchment (equivalent to later times' pen and paper). The hand-cut goose quill is still a superior calligraphy tool, providing a sharp stroke and flexibility unmatched in steel pens.
A signwriter or sign painter uses a "quill" brushThe term brush refers to a variety of devices with bristles, used for cleaning, grooming hair or painting. See below for other, less common meanings. Brushes for cleaning Brushes used for cleaning come in various forms and sizes, such as very small brushe as a main tool. The quill brush is usually made from ox hair, which is more durable than many other artist brushes. It has a quill ferruleA ferrule is the part of a brush or quill which binds the bristles or hair to the handle. The metal ring which is crimped to hold the eraser in place on pencils with an attached eraser, or the metal cap put on the end of a bicycle's cable housing are also which attaches the hair to the brush handle and is tied together with wire.
Writing instruments
