Anti-Bacterial Pens

[tonybelding]

I've started seeing these show up in the catalogs.

First I find an Acme rollerball in the Herrington catalog, sold as the "Physician's Friend". Get this: "Cold and flu season is right around the corner, and if you're like me you probably use and share pens with family and co-workers dozens of times every day." Ha!

"...takes advantage of the amazing self sterilizing properties of solid brass to eradicate myriad bacteria and viruses..."

"The Secret -- Most fine writing instruments are produced with a heavy lacquer to preserve the luster in use, but Physician's Friend has only a very thin coat, which quickly wears away to expose the germ-killing surface."

Next, in the Fahrney's catalog, a Cross ballpoint: "...the ball pen's cap and barrel are made with CuVerro® V antibacterial copper surface that kills 99.9% of bacteria within 2 hours, and continues to kill bacteria even after repeated contamination."

This is a new sales pitch, at least to me. I've never before given a thought to germs contaminating my pen. Well... It's very rare for anybody else to use it. I certainly don't loan it out "dozens of times every day"! I also haven't heard that much about copper or brass being anti-microbial. I know silver is supposed to kill bacteria very effectively. Hmm... I suppose my sterling silver Sheaffer Targa would be the best, right? Oops... I almost forgot, the grip section is mere plastic!

I think for most of us doorknobs, keyboards and mice, and pocket change will continue to be bigger concerns for catching the flu. Remember to wash your hands regularly!

 

[82Greg]

There is a reason (actually trillions of them) that humans have an immune system. Germs are all around us.

 

The pen is much more harmless than the antibacterial soaps that are sold, which only succeed in breeding antibacterial resistant bacteria.

[LeonardoDV]

I totally agree with the two post above! The silly hysteria over "germs" has gotten absurd. I taught for 42 years and in the last few years "anti-germ gels and sprays" were all the rage. I banned them in my classroom and tried to explain to my students how the human body has developed the immune system to handle germs. In my opinion, and that of many in the medical profession, lack of exposure to germs early in life is why there is such an upsurge in asthma, etc. Early exposure to regular germs develops the immune system. It's just a further development of the idea of "a drug for every possible thing!" Okay, my rant is over.

[MisterBoll]

Right On 82Greg & LeonardoDV!

 

I know too many people that have bought into the lies spread by corporations, drug companies, and the media.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

First I find an Acme rollerball

 

The brand that Wylie Coyote uses!

 

"...takes advantage of the amazing self sterilizing properties of solid brass to eradicate myriad bacteria and viruses..."

 

Which is why the Bronze Age was such a healthy era.

 

I agree about the germ phobia stuff getting pretty silly.

 

 

"The Secret -- Most fine writing instruments are produced with a heavy lacquer to preserve the luster in use, but Physician's Friend has only a very thin coat, which quickly wears away to expose the germ-killing surface."

 

LOL ! So the pen they're selling is so cheap that the surface of it wears away really fast, but it's a feature ! Is this the "There's One Born Every Minute Catalog?"

[Centopar]

My Dad was a GP. Immune system of an ox: despite shared pens (ha!), an office full of sick people, and a house full of kids, he NEVER caught a cold, and only took two days off work in his whole career.

 

I do not take after him. And I NEVER share my pens. *Sneezes.*

[Florida Blue]

 

Hmm... I suppose my sterling silver Sheaffer Targa would be the best, right? Oops... I almost forgot, the grip section is mere plastic!

 

I was thinking that. Silver is probably just as affective as those other supposed antibacterial pens and silver has been used to create fountain pens since the 1880s.

[Edwaroth]

That is why Yard O' Led is not Yard O' MRSA. HA! As one in the medical field as well as one who has seen the effect of antibiotic resistant strains...Pray for your immune system.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Edwaroth

[85AKbN]

The brand that Wylie Coyote uses!

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7395256948_e355c85bc3.jpg

[richardandtracy]

This anti-microbial marble pen made me laugh:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H44-Hero-2199-18K-Antimicrobial-Man-made-Marble-FP-/160831490812?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25724dcafc

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[warblerick]

I don't really know anything about the antimicrobial properties of pens, but I can think of very few things with the potential to carry more germs than a shared pen, such as you find at the doctors office to sign in. Other than the doorknob to that doctors office. I always use my own pen to sign in, be it at the doctors office or wherever.

[milkb0at]

Well copper alloys are starting to be used in hospitals once again on things like door-knobs, bed rails and taps to make use of their antimicrobial properties.

 

So I can see why a copper, brass or bronze pen might be antimicrobial and could be a good excuse to get one for oneself. It's a bit annoying for it to be yet another marketing angle, though.

[ceac]

You use your anti bacterial gel, soap and pen .... and after work/uni take the rushhour bus/sub/train filled to capacity and hanging in the straps ....

[WirsPlm]

Better to have pens made of anti-bacterial materials than to have everything covered in antibiotics like we do now, I guess.

[pajaro]

Whenever I acquire a pen, I spray it with Lysol bathroom tub and tile foaming cleanser. Does no harm and kills germs.

 

Otherwise, an antibacterial pen makes slightly less sense than reworking an insulin pen as a piston filler.

[Inkling13]

 

I was thinking that. Silver is probably just as affective as those other supposed antibacterial pens and silver has been used to create fountain pens since the 1880s.

Copper kills indiscriminately through contact, and the mechanism of action is unknown for certain even today. Silver on the other hand needs to be in ion form. A sterling silver pen, while 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper is not antimicrobial in the least bit.

[Florida Blue]

Copper kills indiscriminately through contact, and the mechanism of action is unknown for certain even today. Silver on the other hand needs to be in ion form. A sterling silver pen, while 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper is not antimicrobial in the least bit.

 

Oh, I didn't know that. I just figured that regular silver objects has some sort of antimicrobial property.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

"…if you're like me you probably use and share pens with family and co-workers dozens of times every day."

 

That's an attitude FP users run into frequently. It's hard for some people to understand that a pen might be a personal item that you prefer to share as seldom as possible, or never. They think of pens as being somehow communal property.

 

With all the ways I could pick up bacteria, there hasn't been much time to worry over this particular one. I seldom need to borrow a pen, and when I lend one, at least I know who has had it. And I wash my hands.

 

It's interesting to read about anti-microbial metals, anyway. I'd never heard of that before.

[sitnstew]

Copper kills indiscriminately through contact, and the mechanism of action is unknown for certain even today. Silver on the other hand needs to be in ion form. A sterling silver pen, while 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper is not antimicrobial in the least bit.

 

I disagree. Silver metal ionizes naturally in the presence of water, tissue fluids and other solutions. Sweat from your hands should theoretically ionize small amounts of silver with normal use. This is why silver instruments were historically used in surgery. We don't use them today due to cost and modern sterilization techniques but the benefit has never (at least to my knowledge) been invalidated. I personally don't think there is much antimicrobial benefit to using any of these metals on a writing instrument but I sure think they're gorgeous and look forward to owning a YOL one day. I'd recommend a bit of hand sanitizer before and after using a pen.... but that's just me.

[farmerjohn]

Copper kills indiscriminately through contact, and the mechanism of action is unknown for certain even today. Silver on the other hand needs to be in ion form. A sterling silver pen, while 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper is not antimicrobial in the least bit.

silver by its very nature of its bond is IONIC

 

most people falsely believe that silver has to be in special forms to be effective (ie the colodial silver BS people buy into) and to be colloidal means its 1-100 nanometers in size so your $8 dollar bottles got practically nothing in it.

and regardless of wether or not you have a single atom of silver or a bar (lots of silver atoms) it will still do the exact same thing because it is the same thing regardless of scale