Cap Off - How Long

[Qstick333]

I am thoroughly enjoying my Sheaffer 444 as my first fountain pen. I'm already scheming for number 2 and am starting to resent using other pens.

 

How long can I leave the cap off? I don't want to do the wrong thing and am a bit paranoid. If I am writing something and then need a few minutes (10-12) to read before writing, is that ok, or should I always put the cap on when taking a break?

 

Thanks for putting up with the rookie questions,

 

Zach

[jar]

Depends on the pen and the ink. Experiment at home and find out before you need to know.

[Qstick333]

Depends on the pen and the ink. Experiment at home and find out before you need to know.

 

 

I'm not doing permanent harm leaving it off though, correct? What is the worst case scenario?

[jar]

Depends on the pen and the ink. Experiment at home and find out before you need to know.

 

 

I'm not doing permanent harm leaving it off though, correct? What is the worst case scenario?

 

That it does not start immediately when you need it.

[Uncle Red]

It may take a line or two to start writing. At worst you may need to lick your thumb and stroke the nib to get it started.

[mirosc]

Don't be afraid, ink is basically just water and a bit of color. So nothing serious will happen. It all depends on the ink and the pen. I've tried it with all of my pens. The longest times I got with a Pilot Myu 701 and a Pelikano. Both lying open for more than one hour and instantly writing again. With others I just have to make a single (dry) stroke of a letter and then they write normally again.

No need to worry.

[Qstick333]

Thanks for all of the great replies. I am quite excited to not only have discovered fountain pens, but this community.

 

Thanks again,

 

Zach

[Yaniel]

you definitely need to experiment with this. I have pens that hard start if I leave them uncapped for a minute or two, and some that write fine after 20 minutes.

[ntrfd]

I think finer dryer pens can dry out in just a few minutes.

[DonLeone]

The absolute worst of the worst case scenario isn't all that bad. J.Herbin scented blue ink dried up in a cross pen. Actually only on the nib. Ink had to be scraped out but it was from an old bottle that went bad, had heavy contamination (person never flushed out old different ink so inks got mixed and reacted)

Pen is intact, although it had a manufacturing fault from the start so sending it back anyway.

 

What I do, is hold the cap in my left hand and just keep capping/uncapping. This will probably cause wear faster than normal but I hate it when a pen doesn't start right away.

 

Hooded nibs appear to be able to go uncapped longer. Think Parker '45 or '51 (don't have '51 yet, I know, blasphemy). I use a '45 for any academic-like notetaking out of a book.

[Halligator]

Depending on the color and manufacturer of your ink, it might look more saturated (less watery) or darker when you begin writing again. I think because the water evaporating makes the color look more saturated.

 

I have the same when I begin writing in the morning. If the new document's important, I'll write out a few lines until the ink color stabilizes to what it's supposed to be. I'm a sort of artist, more sensitive to color differences than normal people. As always, YMMV. Please experiment and see what works for you.

 

Regards, Arthur

[rollerboy]

Get used to capping when you stop writing. If you know it's going to be 10 minutes, cap right away. For an indeterminate pause cap after one minute. Some pens tolerate long pauses without startup issues, many will exhibit startup problems in as little as 2 or 3 minutes uncapped.

[Silverman]

So there is no such suggestion as average "cap-off time" ? It can be varied in very wide range?

Edited March 1, 2018 by Silverman

[Chrissy]

 

I'm not doing permanent harm leaving it off though, correct? What is the worst case scenario?

 

Absolutely not. Worst case scenario is that it will hard start and/or skip for the next few lines

[Chrissy]

I would also get used to capping though. Otherwise, you might waste more ink.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

So there is no such suggestion as average "cap-off time" ? It can be varied in very wide range?

 

Ah, ancient thread revival.

 

The worst cap off time I think I've experienced is under a minute with a number of cheap pens, but the best is probably also with a really cheap pen, the Pilot Varsity. Although I wouldn't care to give numbers. As mentioned in one of the old posts above, the best idea is to learn your own equipment by trying it out at home and finding how it performs.

 

I might have told that OP back in 2011 that if you know you won't need to write for 10 to 12 minutes, I can't think why you wouldn't just cap your pen anyway. The worst situations are when you want to be poised to take notes, say when you're in a meeting or class, or on a phone call, and then there's nothing worth writing down for a long time. The best thing for those situations, if you don't have one of Pilot's retractable fountain pens, is to have a pen that can be capped and uncapped quickly.

Edited March 1, 2018 by ISW_Kaputnik

[torstar]

 

I'm not doing permanent harm leaving it off though, correct? What is the worst case scenario?

 

short term it might gum up or dry out.

 

over 3 years, shiver me timbers.....

[bsenn]

Ideal situation for a desk pen (slip pen like an Esterbrook, Parker, or Sheaffer Imperial, not a threaded pen like some Sheaffers).

[Runnin_Ute]

So there is no such suggestion as average "cap-off time" ? It can be varied in very wide range?

That is correct. A number of factors can come into play. Nib style: hooded, semi-hooded,open. Climate: arid, semi-arid, tropical and in between. Even ink. Trial and error. Or just soft cap your pen. Slide the nib inside the cap but not all the way on.

[Pensei]

I do give high marks to pens that write well after a long period capped and put away, as well as uncapped while in use.