pen lickin'

Really simple question: wassup with licking the point of a pen, ball-point or whatever, as a symbol of intense concentration, or getting ready to do
a lot of writing? I realize it's partially cliché...seen mostly in older movies,
T.V., or cartoons, but does anyone know?</p>

-cheers</p>

[wolfstu]

It used to be helpful to suck the tip of a fountain pen to get the ink to flow.

[Zenster]

Long before the advent of the fountain pen it was useful to moisten the quill pen you were writing with. It let the nib part so that it would hold ink when you dipped it in the well.

[stuyguy]

Aren't you thinking of licking pencil tips, not pens? I've often seen that done in old timey movies and such, but never licking pens.

Besides, who would do such a thing knowing that getting a tongueful of ink is likely to result?