How Long Can You Leave A Fp Uncapped?

[cambridgecafe]

I just started using a Lamy Accent FP, both medium and extra fine nib.

 

I tend to take notes every few minutes or so and leave the pen uncapped so I can just use it when I need to.

 

This is of course fine when I use a Pilot G2, but I'm not sure if leaving a FP uncapped for a few minutes is a good idea.

 

Any thoughts?

[majorworks]

It seems to me that this question will depend on a few factors, such as how dry the air is where you are at a given time and which ink you have in the pen. You'll learn through experience how long you can keep it uncapped and idle before the nib dries out. Beyond some point you may have a bit of difficulty getting the pen to start up, and then you'll know.

 

I don't leave pens uncapped myself unless I know it's just a matter of seconds. Generally, if I'm going to put it down, I put on the cap.

[sirksael]

It can't hurt, the worst that can happen is that it dries out and you have to help it a bit to restart.

some pens can remain uncapped longer, for example the parker 51 with hooded nib.

[fountainpenlady]

I just started using a Lamy Accent FP, both medium and extra fine nib.

 

I tend to take notes every few minutes or so and leave the pen uncapped so I can just use it when I need to.

 

This is of course fine when I use a Pilot G2, but I'm not sure if leaving a FP uncapped for a few minutes is a good idea.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Hello,

For what might be obvious reasons as it happened to me, you should never leave if possible your fountain pens uncapped when you are not actually using them. A couple of seconds is good, but I once bent a nib, inked things that were not meant to be inked on purpose. With that said, it really depends on the fountain pen itself. For instance, my All American Lamy fountain pens seem to need a little more than coaching when I leave them uncapped for even a couple of moments unused. However, my Pelikans seem to be o.k. being uncapped for the same moments, but they are subject to mishaps. Likewise, my Boheme stays wet. I have a Strawberry Bexley that seems as if having been Bindersized perfectly XF and rendered a bit dry never, ever stays wet after leaving the top off for just a few seconds. Final short answer....Get to it already! It all depends on the writing instrument.

[Ink Sandwich]

If the pen doesn't start up right away, just make a few strokes on the rim of your notepad (the part where you don't write) to remove any dried up ink that may have clogged your pen. Just be gentle, and don't press on the nib, but then it really shouldn't hurt the pen (I do that all the time).

 

A few minutes should be no problem though.

 

A good flushing with water and maybe a bit of dish soap every now and then doesn't hurt either

Edited March 25, 2011 by Ink Sandwich

[Phormula]

Quick answer: it depends.

 

It depends on the pen itself, on the environmental conditions and on the ink used. I have a pen that I can leave uncapped for a good 10 minutes and restart writing like nothing has happened and one that goes into trouble after 1-2 minutes. This is something you learn by experience with your pens.

[Fuddlestack]

It varies with environment, ink and pen - the basic rule is suck it and see. Over time, though, even though the pen always restarts, you may have a build-up of dried ink in places you can't see.

 

Even when I'm using a screw-cap I put it back on as soon as I stop writing, if the pause is liable to last more than a few seconds. But I started using fountain pens in the 50s, and acquired the habit young - I hardly notice I'm doing it these days. Mind you, that can be said of a lot of things I do...

[jde]

As others said, it can vary pen to pen. Just give it a go and see what happens. That's the only way you'll know for your Lamy.

 

I do this all the time... for far longer than a few seconds.

 

Jeez Louise.

Edited March 25, 2011 by jde

[lucky13th]

Although I try to keep my fountain pen capped when not in use, often in class I find myself in class having nothing to write for long intervals and leaving the pen uncapped for 10-20 minutes. Some pens I'll need to do some blank strokes to start it up again while others write just as fine, just that the ink got a little darker from evaporation. It really depends on the ink and pen. It's probably o.k. to leave it out for a while (an hour or two?), you'll just have to start it up again if it doesn't write.

[Ernst Bitterman]

If you find that the pen isn't keeping its charge between notes, what you might try is holding the cap in your off-hand, and placing the pen in it during the pauses-- make yourself a living desk socket, in other words. You need not drive the pen home in the cap, just deposit it loosely, but the lack of circulation will still help keep it in a ready-to-write condition.

[greencobra]

Difficult question and a valid one too for students, I can see where you wouldn't want to cap and uncap constantly. I can't answer you, it would depend on a bunch of stuff. I've left pens uncapped for over an hour and came back to them with no drying issues while others dried in the short time it took to pour a cup of coffee. The point is this would be a perfect application for the Vanishing Point if you insist on using a fountain pen to note take.

[jBeckett]

I use a Pilot 'f series' nib in fine, the same nib you get on a Prera Fine for taking notes. I found it would have minor starting problems if left uncapped for more than 30 seconds.

 

My solution to this was to put it into a Pilot 78G body which I find long enough to use unposted. I just put the pen inside the cap without screwing it back on kind of like a horizontal desk pen. Haven't had any drying out problems since.

[ThirdeYe]

I use a Pilot 'f series' nib in fine, the same nib you get on a Prera Fine for taking notes. I found it would have minor starting problems if left uncapped for more than 30 seconds.

 

My solution to this was to put it into a Pilot 78G body which I find long enough to use unposted. I just put the pen inside the cap without screwing it back on kind of like a horizontal desk pen. Haven't had any drying out problems since.

 

I'll have to keep that in mind, as I had the same problem with my 78G F today when I had it uncapped while I read something. 30 seconds to a minute later, it had trouble starting.

[Phormula]

Although I try to keep my fountain pen capped when not in use, often in class I find myself in class having nothing to write for long intervals and leaving the pen uncapped for 10-20 minutes. Some pens I'll need to do some blank strokes to start it up again while others write just as fine, just that the ink got a little darker from evaporation. It really depends on the ink and pen. It's probably o.k. to leave it out for a while (an hour or two?), you'll just have to start it up again if it doesn't write.

 

Same as me, when I take my minutes of meetings, sometimes I find myself without nothing to write for some time, but I can't cap and uncap continuosly, because I cannot anticipate the direction of the discussion. Hence I tend to use pens like the Rotring Newton or the Schneider Base, that seem not to suffer that much for some minutes of uncapped sitting.

[Dino Silone]

I just started using a Lamy Accent FP, both medium and extra fine nib.

 

I tend to take notes every few minutes or so and leave the pen uncapped so I can just use it when I need to.

 

This is of course fine when I use a Pilot G2, but I'm not sure if leaving a FP uncapped for a few minutes is a good idea.

 

Any thoughts?

It's not going to hurt the pen in any permanent way, but it may make note taking in a class or meeting annoying if it won't start up right away. The answer to how long you can get away with this with your pens is easily obtained by experiment. Your pen, ink and environment combination is likely to be unique enough that nobody here will have a definitive answer, but your pen will let you know if you've overstepped its boundaries.

 

If you do have real problems with the pen drying out, I have two suggestions:

 

(1) Develop the habit of capping the pen. It really isn't that bad once you get used to it. I think I hold the cap in my left hand while I write, and put it on the pen automatically when I'm done writing something. It is a habit you can develop so that it's second nature. (I did.)

 

(2) If (1) proves too difficult or too annoying, then a fountain pen might not be your best choice for taking notes. This isn't religion here - use what makes sense for you and what you're doing.

 

(Why do I feel like I've fallen into the old Henny Youngman routine, "Doctor, Doctor - It hurts when I do THIS." "So don't DO that!" )