[OT] pens that cost a lot

Yes, this is OT. I'll put my head on the block... Mr. Beast, please
prepare the Guillotine...

I read the link that someone posted on the 2 quizillion dollar pen
saving Aldrin and co. Spider Robinson seems like a semi-credible source.
What I didn't get was: Spider implied that a number 2 pencil could not
have done the same job the space pen did and that the Apollo 11
astronauts would have been corpsed. If it was just a matter of flicking
the switch, why wouldn't a number 2 pencil have sufficed? Or was it
something to do with electrical conductivity? (for which a graphite and
wood pencil might not have sufficed?). I'm kind of confused... (note to
Derek and Laserlight: This is _not_ an invitation to poke fun...). 

Tomb Raider
Wondering if he should get a space-pen now....