Ball Point Pen

[Hussar]

Does anyone know of an infallible way of getting a ball point pen to work when it 'seizes up' and refuses to write?
Thank you

[Misky]

Try it on the sole of your shoe (a proper shoe though, not a trainer)...

[bookbinder]

These aren't infallible, but you might like to give them a try:
1. Hold it under the hot tap for a few seconds.
2. Jab the ballpoint hard several times on some card or other substantial writing surface. The ball might have seized up, and just needs a bit of 'persuading'.
These assume that there is still some ink in the pen.

[retrocop]

Try hitting the ball point at an angle a few times to start the ball freeing itself on a hard surface.

[woofgang]

write ticks on something with a clammy surface, a pencil eraser is ideal.

[Tilly2]

Use a fountain pen. You know it makes sense. :-)

[Psybbo]

Suck it

[Old_Geezer]

Absolutely infallible.

Go visit your local stationers or maybe a newsagent. Buy a ball point refill. Open you pen and dispose of the frustrating refill that has seized. Replace with a brand new refill and screw the pen up again. Try a few scribbles on a spare bit of paper in order to get it started.

[Hypognosis]

Rapid scribbling, on some scrap paper usually brings them back to life.

Admittedly, it takes longer than normal if the pen stopped due to a grease mark on whatever you were writing on.

You know the thing has truly run out when it happens in mid-sentence.

[stuey]

As an ex boy-scout I always carry two pens and two cigarette lighters; You know the motto:)

[Broseph]

/Use a fountain pen. You know it makes sense. :-)/

Are we in the year 1827?

Hussar I use the superior zero gravity space pen which is the most reliable pen I've ever used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Pen

Another tip is to use the pound shop to by several hundred so if one become unreliable you can bin it and always have another.

To directly answer your question a little heat on the ball will aid lubrication of the ink.

[Coppit]

Don't buy biros at the Pound shop - unless you keep the receipt. I bought 20 and very few worked.

Try warming the first inch in water.

incidentally a printer cartridge which had not been used for a long time failed so I wrapped it in clingfilm and tucked it between my thighs in bed for half and hour. Success!

[Hussar]

Thank you all for the hints and tips, most of which were sensible. I do use a fountain pen quite a lot

[Jackdaw33]

I like to use a fountain pen. The only drawback with using it in public is that blotting paper is not longer provided.

[eanceoil]

For writing a letter I like to use a fountain pen as I've found since using the word processor my hand writing is no better than a scribble, I use ball points for crosswords and little memos to myself (I'm a tad forgetful) in reply to the main question, I lick the top of the ball point when it seizes up.

[Bazile]

plead with it

[Khandro]

stuey; Two watches? - where does it end?

[stuey]

Khandro, now that you mention it, yes: one on my wrist, and one on my cell phone:)

[Jackdaw33]

Over here we call a cell phone a mobile.

[EDDIE51]

Every time you go to the bank take a couple of free pens. (Barclay's always has loads of them) or grab a few next time you pass a 'bookies'.