Why Do So Many Pens Loose Their Pocket Clips?

[UltraMagnus]

Looking through ebay, you see a lot of pens missing their pocket clips. Now, this may be a silly question, but why do so many pens loose their pocket clips? It seems like it would be really hard to snap one off accidentally.

[Truffle Finder]

I assume you are speaking about vintage fountain pens!

In answer to the question:-Why do so many pens loose their pocket clips? It's easy if the pen is a Watermans with one of their riveted clips!

I think that they were probably the worst thought out of all the major manufacturers!

There were obviously mistakes made by almost all the makers of fountain pens, but none continued for so long with the same badly engineered early clips of Waterman.

Maybe it was a cousin or a close relative of Louis Waterman who had been given the job of looking after the 'clips' side of the business, and nobody had the heart to sack him! But whatever the reason, it must have been a pretty good one, they continued to make them like that for a very long time!!!

Truffle Finder.

[nxn96]

A pocket clip is just that, something to hold a pen to a shirt or coat pocket. However, that doesn't mean everyone limits it to just that. I've known people who keep pens clipped to the sun visor of their car, cover of a hardback book, etc. A clip is going to get used and occasionally abused.

[rwilsonedn]

A clip is also a fun toy--and a musical instrument, for a while--if someone decides to let the kids play in grand-dad's desk drawer to keep them amused. Don't be surprised if a missing clip is associated with other, more serious damage.

ron

[Ernst Bitterman]

The means of attachement is the key. Waterman's rivetted clips are a marvel of certainty compared to some of the low-end makers' tabbed-in clips (something Sheaffer did even as far back as the flat-top days, but with generally greater security)-- I've had a clip drop off a third-tier pen apparently because I was wearing a seat-belt over the jacket the pen was under. Parkers of the 1940s and '50s had a screw keeping things in place as long as no home handy-man got a notion in his head to take things apart.

 

In short, a combination of the manufacturers' variable inclination and ability to address the issue, and the problem of monkey curiosity and its inclination to test to destruction.

[dnayakan]

The clip is also the part of the pen that suffers the most repetitive stress. I wonder how much of it is just metal fatigue stress - well, at least till they figured out it was happening and came up with better engineering/solutions.

Cheers, DJ

[JefferyS]

Think of it as a terrible lever disadvantage. A clip would be the easiest thing to break given the placement of the fulcrum. That's why I never use them. Something shaped like a bobby pin would be much more durable.

[joshk]

I prefer the spring mounted clips like those on the Visconti HS and Lamy 2000.

 

I don't mind other clips, but these feel the most secure and less likely to loose their springiness over time like other pens when clipped to thicker material.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Got to save money somewhere.

 

Carelessness.

Basically, misuse by clipping it to a coat pocket because one did not buy a jacket with a pen pocket.

 

You do all have all your blazers and suit coats with pen pockets....right?

 

 

 

Spring it and not knowing how to use a key to straighten it out....back in the day of silver dimes, I as a kid didn't know that.

 

In we all had one, the knowledge was not common.

[joshk]

Spring it and not knowing how to use a key to straighten it out....back in the day of silver dimes, I as a kid didn't know that.

 

In we all had one, the knowledge was not common.

 

Okay, how do you use a key to straighten it out? :embarrassed_smile:

[Bo Bo Olson]

There are pictures over in the repair section.

 

I only had one clip that I had to do that to, since starting back into fountain pens.

 

Just put the key on the barrel and bend the clip over it.

[BrandonA]

I am very anal when it comes to the clips on my pens - I never use them for fear of damage. I know it will take years of repetitive use to make the metal weak but I intend to keep my pens for years and do not want broken ones.

 

I also think some people misuse their pens and as another poster stated, clip them to wide things which will put additional strain on the clip.

[ticoun]

i only clip my sheaffers with a spring mounted clip and my parker 51. the penusa doesn't get clipped, as the clip is way too stiff to be useable.