Recommend A Pen That Won't Dry Out When Kept Nib Up.

[Midx]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a recommendation for a pen that won't dry out if I've left it nib-up in my jacket pocket over a weekend (or longer)! I've tried a few of them over the last couple of years:

Pilot VP (m)

Pilot Metro (f)

Lamy Al Star (f)

Monteverde Invincia (m)

Jinhao x750 (m)

But none of them can handle it, I come to work on Monday morning and it's either completely dry or really struggling! Am I asking for the impossible?

I did have some success with the Lamy 2000, but that would burp into the cap, presumably from my body heat when wearing my jacket…

So, so far nothing really ticks the box for my 'office pen'. In an ideal world, it would be a fairly cheap (less than £70ish), pull-cap, cartridge converter and with a nib that won't dry out when nib up.

Any thoughts…?

Cheers, Chris.

[hari317]

A pelikan M200. Any well restored Vintage Duofold. Any well cleaned English Duofold Aerometric.

[sandy101]

A pen case for the Lamy 2K might be the solution - it will keep the heat off. Certainly mine works well after being laid up.

 

The slip & seal on the Platinum pens works. So, a humble Platinum preppy, or Plasir (under £20) might do the trick. No need to buy a Century. I think the Cool/Balance at £30ish from Cult pens also come with the slip & seal.

 

The Faber Castel Loom has a thick cap that prevents drying too.

[K Singh]

I too have a pilot metro, lamy al star and jinhao x750, and yes they all do dry up after a few days.

 

But I have had great experience with both my faber-castell pens - the Loom and the Basic - and they always start instantly even when not used for a few days. I once left my Loom unused for more than a month and it immediately started to write right from the first letter. And yes, I always store all my pens with the nib up. So I'd suggest you to take a look at them.

[mana]

A pelikan M200.

 

+1 for Pelikans. I haven't had any problems with the M200 I have or the numerous vintage 100N or 400/400NN drying out when kept unused and upright for days and days (for example when stored inked in my pen cup biding their time to be used).

 

This is because the inner cap forms a pretty much hermeneutical seal with the end of the section thus preventing drying out even if left untouched for prolonged periods of time (like weeks or more). Of course, having little ink left in the pen (like less than half a fill) raises the risk of the nib drying over a longer period of time but yeah... if you use it even once a week or forthnight and keep it fed with ink you shouldn't have any problems.

 

Lamy 2000 will eventually dry out if stored nib up (this also depends on full the pen is). The cap doesn't form a proper seal with the section thus allowing evaporation.

 

Parker 51 Aerometrics are pretty good in this regard if they haven't been tinkered with (improperly done homebrew nib replacement which has left the feed and nib not set right for example) and they have the right cap for the pen (not all are exactly alike as they were produced over a period of decades and in different countries and are sometimes found with replacement caps). Anyway, you can find those for sub £70 easily. Really great writers, those.

 

A recommendation, if I may. How about filling your pens before departing from work as a Friday evening ritual? That might alleviate a lot of your problems regardless of what the pen in question is.

Edited February 21, 2019 by mana

[Karmachanic]

Here's my thought. Take it out of the pocket and let it rest horizontally over the weekend.

[putteringpenman]

I also recommend Platinum. They're pens are sealed very well. The Platinum 3776 Century is advertised to not dry out for up to two years.

[A Smug Dill]

In an ideal world, it would be a fairly cheap (less than £70ish), pull-cap, cartridge converter and with a nib that won't dry out when nib up.[/size]

 

I keep a bunch of Platinum Preppy and Plaisir pens standing on their tail ends in pen cups, and often left untouched for days or even weeks between occasions of use. I cannot recall a single instance in which I picked up one of them to find either the ink has evaporated to the extent that the pen wouldn't just start writing, or the ink has somehow left crud on the nib that stops it from writing straight away.

 

A Preppy can be had for as low as, what, ¥210 (about £1.45). Perfect solution for your requirements.

 

I also recommend Platinum. They're pens are sealed very well. The Platinum 3776 Century is advertised to not dry out for up to two years.

The Platinum #3776 Century have screw-caps, though, and look too presentable.

Edited February 21, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[senzen]

I would also think about a Pelikan, but I do sleep horizontally at some point during the week ...

[SoulSamurai]

What ink are you using? I was having a lot of trouble with pens drying out, but eventually realised part of the issue was the ink (the other part was that many pens are just vulnerable to drying out).

 

I store all my inked pens nib-up. If a pen can't last a week untouched nib-up and then start writing with no hassle, I typically put it away. My Platinums are quite resistant to drying out, as is my Sheaffer 440 and VFM (not my 500 though). My Jinhao 51A and Wing Sung 601 (Parker 51 clones) also passed the one-week test. My ebonite FPRs (a Triveni and a Himalaya) as well.

[sansenri]

+1 for Pelikan M200.

It's the one pen (except more upper range Pelikans) I would feel confident to recommend to live up to your request (not that there may not be other capable pens, just my repeated experience of course).

I take pens to work, and leave at least two, which are in rotation, in my jacket pocket, nib up.

If ink has not run out, (and if I'm not wearing a different jacket...) I leave them there over the week end.

my M200s write straight up on Monday.

[minddance]

if you intend to preserve inks only/at least over the weekend, nib up which I do in a pen mug, in no particular order:

 

1. Pilot custom series, not the steel nibs.

2. Pelikan, Pelikano

3. Platinum 3776, Preppy

4. Sailor 14k and 21k, not the steel nib series

 

this list is not exhaustive.

[Midx]

There's been some great responses, so thanks to all!

 

So far I'm leaning towards either the FC Loom or Pelikan M200....

Edited February 21, 2019 by Midx

[Driften]

+1 on the Pelikan M200 models. Mine have done very well in that department. They can get a little ink/moisture in the cap from body heat of a pocket, but nothing that can't be quickly cleaned out with a rolled up paper napkin. The pen just doesn't let moisture evaporate out!

[minddance]

for 1 whole month and longer, my Pelikans do not dry out. (m200, m800, m1000).

 

You asked for 1 weekend, Pelikan gives you 4 - and more.

[stenolearner]

Wing sung 601 - has a hooded nib similar to Parker 51 (not exactly a clone). Can hold iron gall ink for days without writing and still writes first time.

[pen2paper]

Platinum Plaisir fits your budget. If you find its design works for you, the 3776's gold nib might be a next step up.

[WLSpec]

A pelikan M200. Any well restored Vintage Duofold. Any well cleaned English Duofold Aerometric.

 

I agree with the Pelikan. Mine stays wet even after being stored for a long time.

 

A pen case for the Lamy 2K might be the solution - it will keep the heat off. Certainly mine works well after being laid up.

 

The slip & seal on the Platinum pens works. So, a humble Platinum preppy, or Plasir (under £20) might do the trick. No need to buy a Century. I think the Cool/Balance at £30ish from Cult pens also come with the slip & seal.

 

The Faber Castel Loom has a thick cap that prevents drying too.

 

And another +1 for the Platinum 3776. The slip and seal mechanism works very well.

 

Both are great options.

[loganrah]

No idea about pens but I'll put in a voice for Diamine inks. I've left them in several different pens unused for more than 2 or 3 months and they've still written first time fine. Might just have been lucky on the pen front (and none were stored nib up) but it might be worth a shot (especially since Diamine inks are relatively cheap, tons of colours available and cheap shipping since you're in the UK).

Edited February 22, 2019 by loganrah

[mitto]

Parker 51