Let's See Your Smallest Pens - 4 Inches Or Smaller Capped

[katerchen]

Ebonite Indian eyedropper, possibly Deccan (maybe someone can tell from the clip and finial style). Fully functional.

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You, Sir, win the thread. That's awesome.

 

Here's the smallest pen I have:

 

[sidthecat]

Around my office, I’m known as an enabler.

[Marlow]

My answer was to uncap it and show her that crazy nib. The lady, who had a thing for pens herself, melted at my feet.

 

[Marlow]

 

You, Sir, win the thread. That's awesome.

 

Here's the smallest pen I have:

 

 

 

Dorics get a special pass despite being over 4inches capped!

[SpecTP]

 

That Montegrappa looks stunning! What length are these two?

Yard O Led pocket Victorian - 11cm capped, 9.4cm uncapped, 12.7cm posted

Montegrappa - 11cm capped, 10.2cm uncapped, 14cm posted

Edited June 15, 2019 by SpecTP

[Honeybadgers]

I have ron restoring a vac fill doric full size in that same material with an intact adjustable nib for me right now.

 

Can't wait to finally use it.

[Marlow]

I have ron restoring a vac fill doric full size in that same material with an intact adjustable nib for me right now.

 

Can't wait to finally use it.

 

That's gonna be a special piece. I'm crazy about that deep, crazy-chaotic basket-weave pattern ('shell') in whichever brands it occurs. Onoto, Mabie Todd and Big Ben are three other manufacturers I know that have used it. (edit: a version of it)

Edited June 15, 2019 by Marlow

[essayfaire]

My Pilot Petits are just under four inches. I wouldn't say they're good-looking, but they write nicely and are cheap enough that I don't get upset if one goes missing (which is, of course, easier to do with such small pens ).

 

Sorry about the lack of pictures. You can see them on Jet Pens.

[essayfaire]

Great thread.

Agreed.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

The short fountain pens which I would be most likely to use are, when I measure them, at least slightly longer than four inches capped, 4⅛, 4¼, or even a little more. So I want to play fair.

 

Others have posted pictures of Stipula Passaportos, so there's no reason to show mine. My Kaweco Liliput has never become a favorite, but it's only 3¾ inches.

 

Here are a couple of cheapies, though. The Waltham is even a little shorter than the picture shows, I realized after taking it that the cap wasn't fully closed. It's a decent third tier pen, although I almost never use it. Besides putting in a new sac, I found an appropriate plastic piece to give it an inner cap.

 

And the little Pilot Petit, which is very cheap, is a decent writer at about the level of a Varsity. It uses a special small cartridge, which can be refilled, of course. It might work as an eyedropper. I haven't used mine in a while mostly because I don't find it very comfortable to hold.

 

[tim77]

It's interesting to see all these rare and vintage pens. However I'm going to put in a word for a pen which is neither rare nor vintage: Kaweco's stainless steel Lilliput. The machined steel feels nice and gives this tiny pen enough weight. It's small enough to keep in a trouser pocket, and doesn't get scratched up by keys or coins. A great second pen for when my main pen runs out, or when I'm away from my desk or without my jacket.

 

The nib, however, needed quite a lot of work before it would flow properly. The tines were *way* too tight.

 

 

[mallymal1]

A few contemporary pocket pens...

 

 

 

L to R...

4 PenBBS 471's measuring in at 3 1/4", Moonman Mini Wancai 31/2", and a Marupen Stationary pocket pen at 4".

 

[sidthecat]

Wouldn’t it be swell if somebody put a ringtop on one of them?

[Marlow]

The short fountain pens which I would be most likely to use are, when I measure them, at least slightly longer than four inches capped, 4⅛, 4¼, or even a little more. So I want to play fair.

 

Others have posted pictures of Stipula Passaportos, so there's no reason to show mine. My Kaweco Liliput has never become a favorite, but it's only 3¾ inches.

 

Here are a couple of cheapies, though. The Waltham is even a little shorter than the picture shows, I realized after taking it that the cap wasn't fully closed. It's a decent third tier pen, although I almost never use it. Besides putting in a new sac, I found an appropriate plastic piece to give it an inner cap.

 

And the little Pilot Petit, which is very cheap, is a decent writer at about the level of a Varsity. It uses a special small cartridge, which can be refilled, of course. It might work as an eyedropper. I haven't used mine in a while mostly because I don't find it very comfortable to hold.

 

 

 

It's interesting to see all these rare and vintage pens. However I'm going to put in a word for a pen which is neither rare nor vintage: Kaweco's stainless steel Lilliput. The machined steel feels nice and gives this tiny pen enough weight. It's small enough to keep in a trouser pocket, and doesn't get scratched up by keys or coins. A great second pen for when my main pen runs out, or when I'm away from my desk or without my jacket.

 

The nib, however, needed quite a lot of work before it would flow properly. The tines were *way* too tight.

 

T5D_0219-liliput.jpg

 

 

 

A few contemporary pocket pens...

 

 

 

L to R...

4 PenBBS 471's measuring in at 3 1/4", Moonman Mini Wancai 31/2", and a Marupen Stationary pocket pen at 4".

 

 

It really is amazing just how many tiny pens there are out there. The number is far greater than I realised. Thanks so much for posting these!

[mallymal1]

Wouldn’t it be swell if somebody put a ringtop on one of them?

 

That would be great, wouldn't it.

[essayfaire]

 

That would be great, wouldn't it.

Pardon my ignorance, but what's a ringtop? And I recognize the nib on your avatar; I think that pen is over four inches, but is still fairly small.

[mallymal1]

Pardon my ignorance, but what's a ringtop?

 

 

 

These two are ring tops. The ring could be used to attach the pen to a chain or ribbon, and used as a chatelaine, or worn round the neck.

These British pens are marked 'The Rosemary That's for Remembrance'. They both measure 3 1/2". To post the pens, the cap is screwed onto the threads at the end of the barrel.

[essayfaire]

 

 

 

These two are ring tops. The ring could be used to attach the pen to a chain or ribbon, and used as a chatelaine, or worn round the neck.

These British pens are marked 'The Rosemary That's for Remembrance'. They both measure 3 1/2". To post the pens, the cap is screwed onto the threads at the end of the barrel.

Wow! I like the idea of wearing a handsome pen as a functional accessory. But to post the pen, wouldn't you have to detach the cap from the chain or chatelaine? That seems as if it would be quite cumbersome.

[mallymal1]

Yes, it does sound a bit of a faff, doesn't it.

 

I think that there are a couple of threads about the wearing of ring tops. It might be worth searching for them.

[hari317]

Ebonite Indian eyedropper, possibly Deccan (maybe someone can tell from the clip and finial style). Fully functional.

IMG_3936 crop scale.jpg

IMG_3937 crop scale.jpg

IMG_3938 crop scale.jpg

 

That's a Guider pen.