Ink, the sort that comes in bottles and the discerning or old-fashioned writer dips his or her nib (or possibly quill) into before drawing out words of wisdom on the page or vellum. Ink appeals to a certain type of writer, the lover of letters the admirer of calligraphy.
You treasure the sort of writing implement that needs refilling or replenishing with ink, keeping it in a special place, fondling the feathers, trimming the point and maintaining a stock of spare nibs or little phials of spare ink. You may well have biros, but they have no affectionate connotation, although strangely pencils do, being the drafting material upon which ink may be overwritten.
odespinner 