Is A Pen Clip Really Necessary?

[Blizzard42]

I asked myself that question some time ago... Though all of my pens (except one) have a clip, I never need it. It's just there for the looks. The only thing I can imagine why it could be handy is for clipping it into a shirt, but hardly anybody does that since anyway the pens are too large to fit most shirts or too heavy. So what do you think? Is a pen clip really needed? If so, please state why you need it.

[hari317]

I don't buy pens without clips and I have several pens. Almost all of my pens are carried clipped to my shirt pocket. Clips also prevent the pen from inadvertently rolling off the desk etc.

[jar]

I would be very unlikely to even consider any pen (other than desk sets) that did not have a clip. I would also be very unlikely to consider buying a shirt that my pens would not fit in or that was made so poorly it could not support the weight of my pens.

[JeanManuel]

I carry my pens in a leather pouch which hangs at my belt, so I don't need a clip. Clips do prevent rolling. However they are a bit of a treacherous thing. Once hanging by the clip, a pen can get free from its cap...it probably does not apply for pens which find their clip on the body of the pen instead of on the cap.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Well you can buy 1920-30's deep pocket pants.

 

Or the rage of 1895, shirts with buttons all the way down and shirt pockets and already sewn on colors and cuffs.What will they think of next. Than that style the ringer washing machine. The maid could wash twice a week.

 

The rage shoe was the Oxford.

 

Changing under ware daily was what the upper class could afford to do, so did. One still bathed on Saturday's only of course.

 

Yep, 1895 was a good year. Paul Wirt pens were the best in the world.

 

There were clips one bought to put on one's fountain pens.

Kept them in the pocket better.

 

 

Nope, don't need clips....if you got a real double think rug under all your desks. Pens with out clips tend to roll off desks.

Edited July 26, 2012 by Bo Bo Olson

[Sasha Royale]

The clip adds nothing to the function of a fountain pen.

Without a clip, however, your 85 year-old Big Red Parker

will fall out of your pocket and shatter on the floor.

Until that happpens, you won't miss the clip.

[georges zaslavsky]

I don't buy pens without clips and I have several pens. Almost all of my pens are carried clipped to my shirt pocket. Clips also prevent the pen from inadvertently rolling off the desk etc.

Same for me.

[jslallar]

I don't buy pens without clips and I have several pens. Almost all of my pens are carried clipped to my shirt pocket. Clips also prevent the pen from inadvertently rolling off the desk etc.

Same for me.

 

 

+1

[USMCMom]

I don't use clips and pens that I've asked to have made, are made without clips. Since I don't wear shirts, put pens in my pockets, nor put pens in a jacket pocket ... I just don't need them. I can see that the clip could prevent a cap from rolling off a desk, but I have a thick area rug under my desk and chair. I can't really use a pen at work, because of the type of work I do. At home, I either hold the cap in my left hand or place it in the felted pen slot of the rotation pen box I have on my desk. Last, but not least, I like the look of a clipless pen. I don't find clips all that attractive, adding anything to the pen.

[myn]

There are a few pens where I'd say no that a clip isn't needed such as the Kaweco and TWBSI Diamond 540 because the pen itself is designed not to roll around. For the rest though I really want a clip so that the pen doesn't end up rolling off the table and landing smack on it's nib point or worse yet falling off and rolling under my two ton fridge. I find it very handy to clip my pen inside my purse so that I don't have to dig through to China trying to find the darn thing when someone wants to give me their address or I get one of those brilliant light bulb ideas that absolutely begs to be jotted down.

[Bo Bo Olson]

There are and have been some very beautiful clips made.

[Silvermink]

I like them, yeah. They keep my pens clipped inside their carry cases and occasionally, I guiltily admit, over the edge of my jeans pocket.

[melissa59]

I don't use a pen clip because I never keep a pen in a shirt pocket. While I do have a spot in my purse that would be good to clip the pen inside, I don't clip pens to it. I just drop them in the pocket.

 

I originally voted "no" but changed it to "yes" after reading about pens rolling off desks. That's something that never occurred to me, mostly because my pens have clips and rolling has not been a problem. But after thinking about it, that's a very good reason to have a clip.

 

Also, some pens just don't look right without a clip to complete the look.

[Jebus]

Prevent it from rolling and that is pretty much it...

[Mafia Geek]

I really like a clip, and not just a clip, but the right type/shape of clip. The Prera and Studio have GREAT clips because I actually clip the pen to the edge of the pocket of my pants/shorts and carry it in my pocket. Some pen clips don't have enough space between the clip and the pen to do this, which is why I haven't bought a few pens. The Lamy 2000 is one exception to this, the clip won't work for pants pockets by the pen is so tough that I'm not much concerned about it getting damaged if I just have it in my pocket (which is the pen I carry most of the time actually).

 

I also play with the pen while reading/working/talking on the phone at work, and usually that's spinning the cap around while on the pen and the clip makes that a lot more satisfying (yes I know I'm a fidget-er) the Studio is particularly good for this.

 

That's why, for me, a clip is essential.

[DanF]

I must be hardly anybody.

 

Dan

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I almost always carry pens in a shirt pocket, so yes, the clips are necessary for that, or at least advisable. Most of my pens are on the smaller, lighter side, so they aren't too big even for a pocket T.

 

I'd guess that if it's rare to carry pens in a shirt pocket these days, it's more because people are self-conscious about the way they look than because it's impractical. Could be wrong.

[nitnop]

At the risk of stereotyping....women don't need a clip because they generally don't have pockets and carry a purse. Men, generally have pockets but don't carry a purse and therefore need a clip.

[Scrawler]

Many pens do not look complete without a clip. Even though I never use a clip for any reason except to stop a pen rolling off a desk, I prefer generally them. Note, I did say "many" not all. There are some pens where a clip would spoil the line of it. Not having a clip would not prevent me from buying some pens.

[CDKeth]

but hardly anybody does that since anyway the pens are too large to fit most shirts or too heavy.

 

It's a pen, not a telephone pole! Unless most members here are petite girls in Junior High, who really has pens that are mostly too large for a pocket?