# pen lickin'

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pen-lickin/558>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 2, 1999, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pen-lickin/558 "1999-06-02T22:01:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 1999, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pen-lickin/558/1 "1999-06-02T22:01:00Z")

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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\>

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**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pen-lickin/558/2 "2001-02-11T00:31:49Z")

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

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pen-lickin/558/3 "2001-02-11T03:09:00Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pen-lickin/558/4 "2001-02-11T05:51:08Z")

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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?