To make airtight the cap, or not to make airtight?

[chainwhip]

I have this habit of blowing air into my caps now (thanks to a certain Mad Dutchman) and am surprised at the high number of pens in my possession that do not have airtight caps!

 

How many of you have air-leaky caps but don't do anything about it? Leave it be or fire up the candlewax?

 

I write with my pens frequently so the only negative result I see from having a leaky cap is my inks darken a little...

 

33-40% of my pens' caps are not airtight! :blink:

[chemgeek]

Blowing into the cap may not be the definitive test to see if the nib is in an airtight environment when capped. At least some of the pens I own (e.g., Lamy Safari and the Sailor 1911M) do not have airtight caps, but the nib does make an airtight seal with an inner cap/gasket. Other pens I have do not appear to have an effective seal in the inner cap other than the cap itself, which is not totally airtight. Not surprisingly, those pens that seal well always write at the first touch even if left idle for a while; the ones that do not may or may not.

 

Cheers.

[chainwhip]

Blowing into the cap may not be the definitive test to see if the nib is in an airtight environment when capped. At least some of the pens I own (e.g., Lamy Safari and the Sailor 1911M) do not have airtight caps, but the nib does make an airtight seal with an inner cap/gasket. Other pens I have do not appear to have an effective seal in the inner cap other than the cap itself, which is not totally airtight. Not surprisingly, those pens that seal well always write at the first touch even if left idle for a while; the ones that do not may or may not.

 

Cheers.

I hear you on that Chemgeek... But I can feel the air come out where the clip is attached to the cap - not really a big deal, but am still surprised that so many of my pens are (air)leaky.

[Johnny Appleseed]

I hear you on that Chemgeek... But I can feel the air come out where the clip is attached to the cap -

 

It may be that there is a breather hole that runs down between the cap and inner cap and vents at the clip. I believe many pen makers have taken to doing that, rather than having their breather-holes right out in the open like in vintage days.

 

The reason for the breather-hole and inner cap is to prevent a vacuum from being created in the cap when you uncap the pen. If it wasn't there, then a small vaccum would result when you uncapped the pen - just enough to draw ink out and create a big mess. The inner cap seals a much smaller air space around the nib and section.

 

Of course, it could also be poor design.

 

John

[krz]

The reason for the breather-hole and inner cap is to prevent a vacuum from being created in the cap when you uncap the pen. If it wasn't there, then a small vaccum would result when you uncapped the pen - just enough to draw ink out and create a big mess.

Thanks Johnny. That solves a little mystery for me. I think my Skyline has two such holes in the cap and I didn't have clue why.