despite its prodigious steel output, despite making 80 per cent of the world’s pens, the ability to produce the tiny steel ball bearing and socket that comprise the primary technology of these pens still eluded Chinese manufacturers. Chinese-made nibs were often rough and scratchy; they ran out of ink or stopped working after a few days. When manufacturers wanted a quality nib, they would have to import the steel parts from Japan, Germany or Switzerland instead.
