Tinkering with the Ballpoint Spring

The brass latch was holding tight on the windowsill, so as dusk deepened, I hopped down to the desk to investigate a matte black pen rolling loosely across the blotter. When I gave the metal cap a firm twist, it unscrewed with a soft rattle. Out popped a tiny coiled steel spring along with the ink tube! I crouched low, pressing a gloved finger against the coil to test its resistance. It compressed smoothly and bounced back with a faint ping. Using that bent paperclip I secured earlier, I hooked one end of the spring to test how much tension it could hold. It makes a remarkably neat miniature suspension component. I neatly arranged the parts in a small porcelain tray so nothing rolls away.