Pen Modding Terminology

Pen Modding has a field of specific terminology that is used to describe or abbreviate certain elements and processes. This page aims to provide a glossary for the most common terms.

Terms

Pen Parts

Barrel

Middle section of a pen. Opaque or transparent and usually made of plastic, but rarely metal. Used as the main contributor of length to a mod.

Cap

Cover for the nib of the pen. Often plastic and transparent but sometimes metal, opaque or tinted translucent. Not found on retractable pens. Used to add length to mods.

Cap Rubber

A piece of rubber-like material placed into the cap to catch the nib of the pen and prevent ink from escaping. Used in some rarer mods.

Grip

A piece of soft material, usually rubber, for the writer to hold onto. Used to provide a surface with enough friction for wipers or for appearance.

Inktube

The tube inside a pen containing the ink and usually the ball point used to write with. Used in writing mods, with some wider gel inktubes used as connectors in mods like the F1r3Fly G3.

O-Ring

Small rubber or silicone rings that can be found in hardware stores or on Zebra Tect. Used as a substitute for small grip segments.

Ring

Metal or plastic ring found on some pens like Airfit. Used for mod appearance.

Tip

The front section of the pen used to hold the nib in place. Made of plastic or metal, and often removable by unscrewing. Used to add weight to or extend the length of mods.

Insert

A rolled up piece of paper or other material placed into a clear barrel for aesthetic effect. Often custom printed for mods, but occasionally found on pens like the RSVP Cubix.

Pen Characteristics

COG

Center Of Gravity, the portion of the pen that it can balance on. Often used to describe if the mod is balanced towards the COP or not.

COP

Center Of Pen, the middle of the pen decided by its Length.

Retractable

A writable pen that has an inktube that retracts into the body/tip when not in use.

Style

Used to differentiate between different categories of mods, usually based on sidedness.

Single Sided

A pen that appears to have a front and an end, often but not always with one cap. Examples include the SEVEN G3, RSVP MX and Minwoo Mod.

Double Sided

A pen that doesn't have a definitive front and end. Usually symmetrical. Examples include the Buster CYL, Metallic Comssa and SpinPro.

Writable

A pen or mechanical pencil that has a working inktube or lead mechanism to write with.

Pen Modding Techniques

Barrel Cutting

See also: Barrel cut

Cutting pen barrels into segments for modding. Commonly used for Ivan Mod.

Grip Cutting

See also: Grip cut

Cutting grips into segments to place onto mods. Also refers to cutting pieces out of grips to make a design.

Inserts

A rolled piece of paper placed inside transparent barrels or caps. Usually with a printed design on. Used for aesthetics.

Cap cutting

Cutting the clip of a cap to change balance the pen, create more spinning area and aesthetics.