List Of Modern Capless/retractable Fps

[stephanos]

Everyone knows the Pilot capless/vanishing point. But there actually seem to be quite a few fountain pen models that are capless or that have retractable nibs. Depending on the design, they can be very useful, and I find the concept of a disappearing nib aesthetically appealing (though the prices are often eye-watering).

 

The aim of this post is therefore to start a reference list of modern capless/retractable models. Here is a first draft (many debts to FPN posts). I am by no means an expert on this class of pen: please correct and/or add, as appropriate.

 

 

 

EDIT: Following initial comments, I have completely changed the way I present the data, in the interest of providing a more useful tool (and have added some additional comment). The rest of this post has therefore been completely re-written. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the table to render as a table, so it's actually a screen-shot

 

 

I do like eyedroppers for their simplicity and ink capacity. But for the most part, safety pens are something of a footnote in this list. This is for two reasons.
First, for a capless/retractable, I'm most interested in mess-free ease-of-use. It's my understanding that traditional safety pens are essentially open eyedroppers - creating a risk of covering yourself with ink if you absent-mindedly upend the pen before extending the nib (see David Nishimura's useful article on safety pens).
Second, if the cork seal is damaged, then your bag/shirt gets an ink bath. It seems likely that the seal on a 1920 safety pen will need replacing before it can be used, and whilst I'd love to develop my abilities further over time, I don't have the skill right now to restore a safety pen.

For these reasons, I am most interested in more modern pens, which typically means pens that aren't eyedroppers (though of course there are always exceptions, such as the Aurora Nobile).

 

I am also not including one-off or extremely rare pens (e.g., these wonderful pens, which Dillo points to in the 3rd comment, below), on the grounds that such pens do not represent recognisable models.

That all said, I'm by no means an expert in this area - in fact, I'm still fairly new to the subject overall - and in my ignorance I might miss something or mislabel a pen. If that happens, please just reproduce and correct the table.

 

And as Venemo says, pictures would be nice.

Edited August 8, 2014 by stephanos

[Venemo]

Nice idea. Perhaps it'd also be nice to post a picture of each pen

Edited August 7, 2014 by Venemo

[Icywolfe]

Is there a few Korean VP clones out there?

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Interesting. MB also has the Heritage 1912.

 

The Asterope isn't modern although it is indeed significant.

 

There's also this

 

You might want to change the headings under Pilot to Capless/Vanishing Point, Capless Décimo, and Capless Fermo. "Capless" is part of the name.

 

Dillon

Edited August 7, 2014 by Dillo

[Keyless Works]

Pilot is making this for Hermes:

 

http://luxurylaunches.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/hermes-pilot-pen.jpg

[ehemem]

Pilot is making this for Hermes:

 

http://luxurylaunches.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/hermes-pilot-pen.jpg

 

Interesting. Do you know if this is a click or a twist mechanism?

 

More generally on topic, do safety eyedroppers count? Lots of those from American and European marques...

[Dillo]

 

Interesting. Do you know if this is a click or a twist mechanism?

 

More generally on topic, do safety eyedroppers count? Lots of those from American and European marques...

 

A safety pen that is filled with an eyedropper is listed, the Aurora Nobile. Maybe the list could be split into categories, pens that are retractable and capless and pens that are retractable and have caps. We could also separate the list into modern and vintage pens.

 

Dillon

[Moshe ben David]

I have one Camlin; it does have a cap. Once uncapped you have to twist it to extend the nib from the short barrel. Sort of strange....

[stephanos]

Pictures of some of the retractable FPs listed above (almost certainly the most common models):

• Pilot capless/VP - 1965 model
• Pilot capless/VP - new
• Lamy Dialog 3
• MB Bohème (small)

Incidentally, I find the older VP far more comfortable to use than the new model (different clip position, and older model protrudes less).

Apologies for the terrible picture quality: my 10-year-old camera is nearing the end of its life.

 

 

[Oldparkerguy]

the soft focus above is sweet.

 

Edison makes pens that work well as eyedroppers as does Noodler’s. Not retractables.

Edited August 8, 2014 by Oldparkerguy

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Here are some of mine

 

Italian safety pen

 

Pilot Capless Décimo

 

Stipula La 91

 

 

Dillon

Edited August 8, 2014 by Dillo

[Keyless Works]

 

Interesting. Do you know if this is a click or a twist mechanism?

 

More generally on topic, do safety eyedroppers count? Lots of those from American and European marques...

It is a twist mechanism...but it's $1,650

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/inluxury/39015/1404766551479/42jpg/ALTERNATES/w940-land/42.jpg

[Dillo]

It is a twist mechanism...but it's $1,650

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/inluxury/39015/1404766551479/42jpg/ALTERNATES/w940-land/42.jpg

 

Wow, that's the cost of a new computer, a rather nice one too. I could get me a few more Capless Décimo pens instead or get an MB Princesse Grace de Monaco and have money to spare.

 

Dillon

Edited August 8, 2014 by Dillo

[ehemem]

It is a twist mechanism...but it's $1,650

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/inluxury/39015/1404766551479/42jpg/ALTERNATES/w940-land/42.jpg

 

Oh, well. Another aspirational object to add to my list...

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I've got a Stypen Up, listed in the original post, which was very cheap and writes quite well. However, the retractable function doesn't seem to have much function other than perhaps keeping you from getting ink on your fingers if you uncap it carelessly. If you retract it without also capping it, the nib dries out very rapidly, so getting it ready to write actually takes a little longer than simply uncapping a normal pen. That puts it in a very different functional category from the Pilot Vanishing Point, where the nib is always covered until you extend it. I wonder if other pens where the nib retracts but still needs to be capped afterward, also dry out quickly without the cap.

 

I'm pretty sure that these are not actually still made, but they are recent enough that it's not hard to find them NOS.

 

http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt221/mapn/Pens/Retracted_zps244cfdfa.jpg

 

http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt221/mapn/Pens/Extended_zps7c3013e3.jpg

Edited August 8, 2014 by ISW_Kaputnik

[siddr90]

bumping up a very old thread.

 

Are there new capless / retractable pens out there?

 

Few new ones -

- Patinum Curidas

- Lamy Dialogue CC (upcoming)

 

Any others?

[WLSpec]

bumping up a very old thread.

 

Are there new capless / retractable pens out there?

 

Few new ones -

- Patinum Curidas

- Lamy Dialogue CC (upcoming)

 

Any others?

Yes

 

Visconti Pininfarina Iridium/Carbongraphite/Nanotech (all different finishes of the same pen)

Edited March 26, 2020 by WLSpec

[Splat]

Hello all,

It seems to me that you are missing a trick by rather dismissing early safety retractable pens. I started collecting them reasonably recently and was amazed. Four of mine, all bought for less than 30€ each have superb truly flexible 18kt gold nibs, all work and hold a good supply of ink.  Yes you have to be careful about what you buy, yes the cork can easily have dried out. Fill them with water, let the corks expand and become supple then top up with water and watch carefully for a day or so, use the mechanism and you’ll soon know if the cork needs to be replaced by a small silicone ring - nobody but the purists and ink stain aficionados use cork these days.

 

Yes you absolutely do have to keep the pen upright when de-capping, re-capping and winding the nib in and out. You do very quickly remember that!
Having put you off I have to say that three of mine have become favorite pens 1, 2 and three. I love flexible nibs and despite my wonderful Mabie Todd and Waterman hoard, none can hold a light to these three safety, 18Kt gold nibbed miracles. 
Two had bent tines but both are now very satisfactorily back where they should be and are really nice - very supple plenty of easy flex. Each has it’s own characteristic which is fun!
 

If you look at the price of new “flexible” pens with very different gold alloys these old flea market finds are the real thing and at a very, very reasonable price.