Conversation Between Purr Cot and Rammjet

Indeed

Yea I guess you're right. I might need to edit my signature a bit. I guess we both learnt something new today.

I just tried it; you're right. [although the pencils aren't a solution either, for obvious reasons]
I looked it up and the space pen was based on a biro with an internal pressure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Pen

About your post that a normal biro would work in space... It doesn't. Since they work with gravity. The gravity pulls the inc down the pen. You can try this yourself by trying to write upside down. After a few lines the biru stops working due to the inc has flown backwards.

With reference to your signature, the soviet cosmonaughts did not use pencils, because sharpening a pencil in space creates irritant splinters which could be inhaled.

A normal biro would work in space though.