Do you prefer writing with your caps on or off?

[PrawnBoy]

Evening all! Up until today, I had always written with caps of with any pen I use. For some reason I decided to try my Al-Star with the cap on and was wonderfully surprised with the result! The slight increase in weight on the back of the pend makes my Al-Star write noticeably smoother and unlike all other pens does not make it feel uncomfortable.

 

I was curious to hear what preferences others have.

 

Also, I have just won an Parker 17 in an online auction for $16.50 NZD including postage (£6.32GBP or $12.48USD). My first vintage pen! Fingers crossed that it writes ok!

[YorkshireCaviar]

I always use my Parker 45 unposted, but it writes beautifully whether I post the cap or not. My favourite pen though is a faceted Pilot Capless, so nothing to post anyway!

[ruud2904]

For me personally, it depends highly on the pen. Smaller and medium size pens I tend to use with the cap on, but larger pens I use with the cap off. For example, I have never used my MB 149 or a Sh PFM with the cap on. A P51 for instance, I use capped. Funny thing is that I doubt with a 1929 Sh OS Balance. With this pen I sometimes do the one, and next time the other.

[lapis]

As mentioned a lot lately, I need and love pens (all FPS, o' course) which are short enough to fit easily into my T-shirt pocket. I have fairly big hands and at home (w or w/o a T-shirt), my 51 or M800 are both fine.

 

That is why I got an M215 and an Optima Mini; next in line are an M320 and a Duofold Demi, both for the same reason.

I usually write with the cap OFF... but I occasionally put the cap ON for one or both of the following reasons:

 

{A} Sitting on a park bench etc and writing (i.e. no desk in the vicinity), I don't know what to do with the cap except chew on it.

{B} If the pen feels too short after a while (like my Optima) then I just post the cap.

 

That's all. But a very good questionhere. I hope you get lots of answers!

 

Mike

 

[Chris]

I find they work better with the cap off (Sorry, don't you hate a smartguy!)

 

Actually, when I was little I was told you should pop the cap onto the pen when writing (posting I think it is called) and I have done that for many pens except those where the cap always falls off unless wedged on tightly (Sheaffer Valiant and Statesman models) or where posting the cap makes the pen feel too heavy or unbalanced (Cross Townsend in silver).

 

It does mean that my vintage Waterman has a mark around the barrel from the cap, but it has been around for half a century already and was meant to be used.

 

So, my MB 146 Chopin, Cross Century and others generally get the cap posted unless I am only scribbling a word or two.

 

Chris

[mwpannell]

Generally off, occasionally on. If there's nowhere else to lay it, on; if there's a chance of losing it, on; if the pen needs it for weight , on; but the great majority of the time I prefer to write with it unposted. I still tend to like slim and light with the weight of the pen at my fingers.

[BillZ]

I was going to ask thes ame question.

I have tried it both ways with the Starwalker FP and still not sure. I find myself writing too fast with the cap removed. But with the cap on the balance seems to shift to the cap end and it feels somewhat awkward. I think I will wind up capping as a matter of course if for nothing else it's convient.

With the rollerball it's no contest. With the cap on the babalce is perfect because the pen is heavier.

[DeaconKC]

I have large hands so I always write with the cap posted.

[richardandtracy]

I never post the caps. I don't like the balance that way.

 

Good luck with the Parker 17. I had a P17 Lady as a child and loved it - finally destroying it at the age of 13. I then got another last year (review https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=47238 ). Initially the nib was bent and not very good. After straightening it up and smoothing the nib off, I am very pleased with it. It is identical in shape to the Parker 61, but feels a bit cheaper. If you like the shape and enjoy the P17, consider a cartridge convertor P61 at some point in the future - the capilliary versions are harder work to keep going.

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

[Shangas]

I find that writing with the cap on greatly restricts the pen's ability to write, and as such, I always write with the cap off. The resultant change is most pleasing to the eye.

 

But no, I don't post the caps on my pens.

[PrawnBoy]

Thanks for all of the interesting replies!

[skinnyPens]

Arg, the number of smart alecks around here! (not to say that I wasn't gonna say something similar until I saw I'd been beaten to the punchline )

 

I like little pens, so I don't need to post the caps to make the pen larger. To me, it almost always seems unbalanced if posted. I guess like mwpannell I prefer to have the weight of the pen towards the fingers.

 

The only pen that truly doesn't feel unbalanced to me when posted is the Ohto Tasche. But even with that one, unless I've nowhere to set the cap safely, I just use it un-posted.

[piembi]

I never post the caps. I don't like the balance that way.

.........

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

Me too!

 

There are only two pens I use posted and those are short pens: my vintage MB 342 and the vintage Kaweco Sport.

 

I have small hands and like leightweight and medium size pens like the Pelikan M200/M400 or Parker 51. Posting is shifting the weight to the end of the pen. For my hands a posted pen is out of balance and feels uncomfortable.

[FrankB]

I also prefer to write with the cap unposted. As some others have said, it depends on the pen. For example, a Pel M-200 is too small for me to write with it unposted, so the cap goes on the end. I am accustomed to holding the cap in my left hand and thinking when I write. If I do not have the cap to hold, it feels funny. That is just me, I know.

[Rob G]

"Cap on, cap off, Daniel-san."

 

On, (1) for balance and (2) because I have large hands. It almost feels as though the pen will get "lost" in my palm if I do not.

[JJBlanche]

No posting for me. This is partially because I don't need to, partially because it feels awkward (to me) when I do, and mostly because posting will eventually scratch the pen. Of course, I'm sure there are some pens that won't scratch through posting, but I've seen wonderful used examples that were rejected precisely because they had a considerable amount of posting wear.

[Sallent]

I post always!

 

I don't mind light posting marks, either way the pen will get marks after a few months/years or use. Since I see my Pelikans as my "everyday" pens I always post them. Keeps the cap/pen from roling off the table during a meeting.

 

As long as you don't post the cap with violence, most pens should not suffer anything but a very light posting ring at the end of the barrel (at worst) and maybe even none at all.

[Sallent]

One last thing I wanted to add: If your pen does eventually get some of those light posting marks, there's nothing that says you cant buff/polish them out every few months/years.

 

But like i said, for me thats not a bother. I don't buy a pen I would never use, so I do expect moderate signs of use to occur eventually. I don't even mind buying vintage pens with moderate signs of use, so long as the pen looks presentable and writes well (thats the most important to me )

Edited June 25, 2008 by Dr Ozzie

[swarden43]

I post always!

 

I don't mind light posting marks, either way the pen will get marks after a few months/years or use. Since I see my Pelikans as my "everyday" pens I always post them. Keeps the cap/pen from roling off the table during a meeting.

 

As long as you don't post the cap with violence, most pens should not suffer anything but a very light posting ring at the end of the barrel (at worst) and maybe even none at all.

 

+1 on all the above. I buy my pens to use. Any pen that gets any use will eventually get a scratch, ding, or mar. As Dr Ozzie alluded to, it comes with the territory. If you want your pen to stay in pristine condition, that is, not even the ring created by posting, don't use the pen. At this point you have to decide why you purchased the pen in the first place - user or collector's item?

 

I post so I'll always know where the cap is!

[JJBlanche]

I have a Pelikan M605 that I use all day, every day. I have to look really close to see even minor handling signs. By contrast, the posting rings/scratches I have seen on other pens are, to me, very distracting.

 

I don't baby my pen, or polish every day, or anything like that, but I don't throw it in a pocket-full of loose change, or down a flight of steps, etc. In other words, I try to avoid doing things that will knowingly damage my pen, posting included.