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Carrying a pen when you have no shirt pocket


beaker606

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Yes, I forgot about what happens to the back pocket pens when you sit down... I don't know why I forgot - I lost my first Phileas on the city bus that way :(

 

Freecia, I never thought of a pen cozy! I can't knit or crochet (trying, unsuccessfully) but that is a great idea. How would you fasten it to a belt loop, with velcro? We need a smilie to indicate gears/wheels spinning in my head :D

"By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. "

- Socrates

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Being a chap, I never thought about the problems of the ladies :huh: but assumed the handbag would answer. But of course, there are times when it just isn't possible to take it with you.

 

I had a thought - I had a sheath for a pocket knife that had a strong spring clip on the back so that it could fit anywhere suitable (belt, trousers waistband, boots etc - very useful when fishing) and it seems that something similar is what we need here.

 

Stainless steel spring clip with a couple of pen loops out front (or pouch or whatever). Could clip on anything to hand.

 

Chris

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Yes, I forgot about what happens to the back pocket pens when you sit down... I don't know why I forgot - I lost my first Phileas on the city bus that way  :(

 

Freecia, I never thought of a pen cozy!  I can't knit or crochet (trying, unsuccessfully) but that is a great idea. How would you fasten it to a belt loop, with velcro?  We need a smilie to indicate gears/wheels spinning in my head  :D

Oh. wellllllll.... so you're wondering,

 

:eureka:

 

Easy beginner prototype pattern:

What you do is get a ball of worsted weight wool (non machine washable). Lion Brand Fisherman's wool if you only have Walmart/Michaels around you.

And U.S. knitting needle size 9+ (or bigger, up to 11 perhaps) If you're cheap, you can probably use chopsticks or just grab the needles from walmart.

- Tapestry needle. One with a big eye so you can get the yarn in.

 

Cast on 30 or so stitches.

Knit for about 3 inches.

Bind off.

 

Fold in half, longwise (like a hot dog)

Sew 1 short edge and 1 long edge together, leaving a hole at the top.

 

Felting: (shrinks wool 20% ish)

Grab your kitchen gloves, fill a large bowl with cold water, and let your water get hot.

Using hot water and dish soap, wet down your knitted cozy and rub soap in.

Rub. Lots. Even more. By now your cozy should look like a dog shampoo commercial.

Dunk in bowl of cold water and swish it about.

Use more hot water, soap, and rub.

*repeat*

The effect you should see happening is the same as when you accidently put your favorite wool sweater into the washing machine. Stop when it forms a felted look.

 

Rinse it out until the water seems clear.

 

Lay it out on a towel to dry, poking it into shape so you pen would fit in it.

 

Prototype made, we can move on to the second lesson- a belt loop!

Cast on 8 stitches or so.

knit a nice long strip approx 16+ inches long, depending on how long your pen is.

bind off when you're longer than 16 inches.

measure 2.5 inches at one end, fold over, sew just the short edge into the strap. This will form your belt loop.

Take the remaining non-sewn portion and fold that in half, sew both the long sides together and leave the short edge open.

 

Felt. Shape. Dry.

 

You may need to turn it inside out before felting so you don't have the seams on the outsides, depending on how you sewed it together (backstitch, etc).

 

I also have an idea for a two pen-cozy which hangs from a belt loop. The one above would require wearing a belt or lanyard. Oh, variations- 1 allows for large clips with a cutout, another has a flap to protect your pen.

 

If you need more info, a decent beginner's book to look for at the library is

this one. For basic video tutorials (very helpful ) knittinghelp.com

 

Anyone who's interested, pm/e-mail me. I'll think about knitting some up next month for sending out, if people are interested. Let me know :)

 

Potentially, you could sew something like this fairly quickly by hand (except I sew horribly ugly).

Edited by freecia
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Well, I thought I'd share what I came up with as a solution. A Lakside ring-top in jade celluloid. The pen is kind of small, about 3.5" capped and about 4.5" posted . I slipped a leather cord through the ring and it all seems set to go! I purchased it from the Good Mr. Binder and I haven't inked it....yet. I think it might prove to be too small for me to use unless I post it, so I'm trying to find a way to make a lanyard that will allow me to unclip the cap from the cord. I could use a normal metal clip, but I'm afraid of the wear and tear metal against metal would have on the ring. I couldn't be happier about this purchase!

 

http://bnin.net/~kkpknm/scan0002.jpg

 

Thanks for the great discussion and I hope it keeps building!

 

Kevin

"Beaker"

"Your library is your paradise."

--Desiderius Erasmus c.1466-1536

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Here's something I've considered but haven't yet bought, a Maglite 2AA flashlight holster:

 

http://www.cases4less.com/maglite/images/bal-holster.gif

 

:eureka:

A 2AA Mini-Maglite is 5" long, so it would work for most pens and has a belt loop and velcro front flap. These come in black and camouflage [perhaps more, those are all I've seen] and can be had on eBay for less [including shipping] than outdoors & Maglite dealers charge for them.

 

Of course, if you've already got a Mini-Maglite with a holster, you might have to find another place to stash the flashlight!

 

HTH,

<div class='signature'><i><span style='font-family:Times'><span style='font-size:19pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:004400'><b>Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?<br>Sal B.</b></span></span></span></i></div

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Actually I think there are a number of people who sell single-pen and double-pen "holsters" that go on a belt.

 

Let us know how it goes with the ring-top. I know I was one of the first people to suggest a vintage ring-top, but on reflection I worry that the threads may come loose, resulting in a nasty fall. It happens to me with pocket pens - once or twice causing an inky mess, but usually held in place byt the pocket enough for me to catch it in time.

 

I wouldn't go jogging with an unsecured ring top.

 

Any one try a Sheaffer Tuck-away on a T-shirt? it seems like an ideal answer.

 

J. Appleseed

So if you have a lot of ink,

You should get a Yink, I think.

 

- Dr Suess

 

Always looking for pens by Baird-North, Charles Ingersoll, and nibs marked "CHI"

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I like the leatherpouch with pocket clip, though my pockets are REALLY occupied

 

PDA

Keys

Coins

Wad of money

Card Wallet

Cheap Pilot G6

 

Cell Phone on my hip

Knife clipped to right pocket and flashlight to the left

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  • 4 months later...

Old thread, I know - but if it is a men's shirt with buttons down the front (some dress shirts, for example, omit the pocket -- very annoying) why not just clip it directly onto the seam that runs down the front? Won't look much different than being in a shirt pocket, except it is in the middle of a shirt and at roughly 90 deg. compared to how it sits in a shirt pocket.

 

/K

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Whenever I wear a collared shirt with buttons, I clip the pen at the gap between the top two buttons. 

I used my Danitrio Densho the past couple days while on the road...shirt pockets are at times abit too shallow so I also clip to my dress shirt's placket (not even notice 'cuz it's hidden by the tie). Haven't had the occasion to need a pen when wearing a t-shirt. Polo shirts...same way...shirt's placket (making sure to use one of my sturdier pens).

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.

 

~ Oscar Wilde, 1888

 

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7260/postminipo0.pnghttp://img356.imageshack.us/img356/8703/letterminizk9.png

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Let us know how it goes with the ring-top. I know I was one of the first people to suggest a vintage ring-top, but on reflection I worry that the threads may come loose, resulting in a nasty fall. It happens to me with pocket pens - once or twice causing an inky mess, but usually held in place byt the pocket enough for me to catch it in time.

Well, there's nothing like taking 6 months to answer a question...

 

Using the ring top has been rewarding--for what I use it for. The few times I work in casual enough attire to not have a shirt pocket are usually the famous "Casual Fridays." For my schedule, these Fridays are days that I spend 6 hours on the circulation desk at the library so most of my pen needs are quick notes or signatures--not a lot of paperwork and note taking. Any other time I can dress so casual I'm usually not in a situation where I need a "work horse pen" either. So, though this is a small pen, it works fine. It did come loose once as I kept bumping it against the circulation desk. I need to shorten the lanyard I made so it hits me more mid chest.

 

FWIW,

 

Kevin

Beaker606

"Your library is your paradise."

--Desiderius Erasmus c.1466-1536

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when I am wearing a button down shirt or a polo shirt I clip my pen between two buttons on my shirt. I have been doing this for 20 some years now and have never had a single problem. It works great and I always have a pen with me.

If I am just wearing a tshirt I clip it onto the collar right in front. I never wear tight collared tshirts so that is never a problem.

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I would never have thought of clipping a fountain pen on my undershirt collar; I don't wear one in winter. I wear sweaters, so clipping it in my shirt pocket is not viable either. I put my fountain pens in my right pocket, knowing full well that all important things such as keys and the ubiquitous ball-point loaners, in my jacket pockets.

 

Nothing goes in my right pocket but my fountain pens. I usually carry one in my pocket, two in a pen case in my backpack.

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I would never have thought of clipping a fountain pen on my undershirt collar; I don't wear one in winter. I wear sweaters, so clipping it in my shirt pocket is not viable either. I put my fountain pens in my right pocket, knowing full well that all important things such as keys and the ubiquitous ball-point loaners, in my jacket pockets.

 

Nothing goes in my right pocket but my fountain pens. I usually carry one in my pocket, two in a pen case in my backpack.

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I often wear hiking trousers, which come with a lot of (closable) pockets on the lower hips. Great for storing wallet, pens, PDA, everything. And because the pockets are lower than 'normal' pockets, they're not a hindrance when walking and sitting as well. (These are made in women's models, by the way :-) )

 

I also find that a lot of clothes (especially jackets) come with special cellphone pockets nowadays. These can easily hold a 2 or 3 pen carrying case. (Don't have a cellphone, so don't have another use for them :-P )

 

As a temporary solution (when I have to walk to the other side of the office for something), I sometimes stick a pen under the band of my watch.

 

And if all else fails, that MacLite holster would indeed be a good solution.

Edited by Itsacon

The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success

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  • 5 years later...

I usually carry one FP and one mechanical pencil. My everyday combo of late is a vintage Parker 51 and a Pentel Kerry Pencil (.5mm). Sometimes on a whim I'll sub in a nice Parker Jotter (medium, blue) for the pencil or my Pelikan 600 for the 51. The point is, I LIKE the BP and the pencil. I NEVER open carry more than two writing tools. I don't care how fine the instrument, simple understatement always hints at class. I pocket bulging wiih an assortment of pens of all colors and sizes looks ridiculous.

 

How to carry:

 

Office: First you should ONLY be wearing a dress shirt with long sleeves or, in less formal workplaces, a polo shirt. Trust me: If you EVER want a promotion, save the Ts for the weekend. Meanwhile, put your two pens in your shirt pocket. Polo? Clip your fav to your shirt placard below bottom button. Polo etiquette is to never leave the placard unbuttoned. The pen body should be inside your shirt. Put your other instrument away.

 

T-Shirt: Clip your fav inside the collar band. Put your other instrument away.

 

Outdoor adventure: Lamy Safari FP clipped inside a handy picket (or in one of you front pockets).

 

Travel: I travel overseas al lot. The botto-of-the-line Jotter rules. I also take the Safari with Pilot (blue) cartridges and load up when I arrive. I've made a ritual of giving away the Jotter to a deserving someone before departing for home.

 

Fountain Pens have clips for a reason. Just use them and be happy. Just make sure anything that leaves the house is replaceable.

Edited by m6ttl
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  • 6 years later...

Actually, the only thing I ruled out for myself were pocket t-shirts and that is mainly due to some hideous things I was made to wear as a young child of the 70s. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/laugh.gif

 

I could go for a lanyard or neckchain, but wanted to find something befitting a nice FP as most lanyards I've seen were for cheap BPs or slightly nicer RB and Gel Pens. I like the idea of ring top pens, now that you mention it. Most of my interest in pens have been hovering around the late 40s into the early 60s, so I haven't spent much time thinking about these models. I'll have to check it out!

 

Beaker

Looks like Im reviving a long deceased thread. But Im looking for alternatives to holding a pen between my shirt buttons at work. Its great for most pens, but lately as opportunities to write at work are increasingly few far between. Im looking to replace my Duofold Roller with my preferred ballpoint- a Century Classic. This is my B pen and subs in for when my first choice doesnt work.

 

The issue is with most Cross pens, the clip sits too low and I always find that something catches the tip of the pen. My coat, my seat belt, if Im carrying a bunch of grocery bags I carry my briefcase by the shoulder strap rather than handle. You get it.

 

Anyone know of even a sort of insert i could attach to my shirt to hold the pen deeper inside the button flaps?

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Looks like Im reviving a long deceased thread. But Im looking for alternatives to holding a pen between my shirt buttons at work. Its great for most pens, but lately as opportunities to write at work are increasingly few far between. Im looking to replace my Duofold Roller with my preferred ballpoint- a Century Classic. This is my B pen and subs in for when my first choice doesnt work.

 

The issue is with most Cross pens, the clip sits too low and I always find that something catches the tip of the pen. My coat, my seat belt, if Im carrying a bunch of grocery bags I carry my briefcase by the shoulder strap rather than handle. You get it.

 

Anyone know of even a sort of insert i could attach to my shirt to hold the pen deeper inside the button flaps?

clip the pen to your vest?

In case you wish to write to me, pls use ONLY email by clicking here. I do not check PMs. Thank you.

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