<P> The strongest quills come from the primary flight feathers discarded by birds during their annual moult . Generally the left wing (it is supposed) is favored by the right - handed majority of writers because the feather curves away from the sight line, over the back of the hand . The quill barrel is cut to six or seven inches in length, so no such consideration of curvature or' sight - line' is necessary . Additionally, writing with the left - hand in the long era of the quill was discouraged, and quills were never sold as left and right - handed, only by their size and species . </P> <P> Goose feathers are most commonly used; scarcer, more expensive swan feathers are used for larger lettering . Depending on availability and strength of the feather, as well as quality and characteristic of the line wanted by the writer, other feathers used for quill - pen making include feathers from the crow, eagle, owl, hawk, and turkey . On a true quill the barbs are always stripped off completely on the trailing edge . (The pinion for example only has significant barbs on one side of the barrel .) Later a fashion developed for stripping partially and leaving a decorative top of a few barbs . The fancy, fully plumed quill is mostly a Hollywood invention and has little basis in reality . Most, if not all, manuscript illustrations of scribes show a quill devoid of decorative barbs, or at least mostly stripped . </P> <P> Quill pens were used to write the vast majority of medieval manuscripts, the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence . Quill pens are still used today mainly by professional scribes and calligraphers . </P> <P> Quills are also used as the plectrum material in string instruments, particularly the harpsichord . </P>

When did quill pens go out of use