The 2 piece pen

[jttheclockman]

Was sitting around the other day and looking for a sharpie pen to use for some contests I entered. And as I started to fidget with the sharpie cap it got me into thinking. We make 2 piece pens all the time and they are basically screw on or magnetic. There are many pens on the market that use snap caps or friction fit such as the sharpie. Why do companies not offer their kits with a snap cap?? Why always screw cap???

My question to you is which do you prefer to see on 2 piece pen kits??

Screw caps
Magnetic caps
Friction fit caps
Snap caps

Please include your thoughts. Just a topic for conversation.

 

[Brian G]

Screw caps are my personal preference. For sales or gifts, I'm always a little nervous that the user (or someone who borrows the user's pen) will pull off the cap and break or strip the threaded insert.

For that reason, I make some magnetic caps. My limited experience with magnetic caps might remain limited. Some types, or maybe it's the plating, end up with scratches where the cap mates with the body. That makes the pen look cheap.

I have no experience with making friction fit or snap cap pens, so I have no comment about those. If they don't look scratched at the mating surfaces, then I'd consider them.

 

[Mr Vic]

Craft supply used to over snap cap kits. The Sterling Silver Americana was my favorite. Completing the cap was PITA. They actually sold a special tool for installing the plastic insert. A #1 Phillips would also work. The finial had a screw on the inside and the plastic insert screwed on to it. you tightened and loosened the insert to get the correct fit.

Not sure exactly when they quit offering the kit. I loved the style. I made my first for me Fountain pen with the kit. Not sure exactly when they stopped offering the kit but back in '08 it was a pretty high end kit at $20.00 plus. Even then they were selling the Imperial for over $60. About that time kits started getting more expensive and the higher end kit almost disappeared. For grins I just took a look Craft supplies and the offer the "Artisan Signature Fountain Pen Kit" with a snap cap. A rather bland component set. Berea has the "Flat Top American" available with the snap cap.

 

[jttheclockman]

I actually did not know they even had any snap cap kits available today. Learn something everyday. If anyone has used them, how do they perform and hold up. Is there any problems when completing or on recalls. ???

 

[magpens]

Snap cap kits are available ... you can probably find the source by searching IAP.

If that fails, try googling.

Edit: here is one link

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f353/tiny-giant-starter-multi-packs-145725/

 

[TonyL]

Good question JT. I prefer to immediately return the cap to my FPs and RBs. One of our members recommended a Vertex Supreme FP with the magnetic cap. Among the 4 or 5 FPs that I use over the course of the same number of days, I look forward to using that one the most because of the mag cap. I am not thrilled with the nib and understand it is not the most orthodox manner to cap an FP, but I really like the convenience. I would like to give a snap cap a try.

 

[wood-of-1kind]

I actually did not know they even had any snap cap kits available today. Learn something everyday. If anyone has used them, how do they perform and hold up. Is there any problems when completing or on recalls. ???

I have plenty of snap cap FP purchased from Woodcraft. I personally use and like this feature on my fountain pens. My customers however purchase more of the screw cap FP. I do not have an issue with ink spills nor do I find that they not seal well. Some models like anything else are better than others.

 

[Robert Taylor]

PSI purse pen is a "snap cap"

 

[More4dan]

I have had issues with fountain pens and magnetic cap with one important customer, my Mom. The ink dries out because the cap doesn't seal. Probably not a problem with daily use. My FPs with screw caps have never had this problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[jttheclockman]

Snap cap kits are available ... you can probably find the source by searching IAP.

If that fails, try googling.

Edit: here is one link

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f353/tiny-giant-starter-multi-packs-145725/

Mal this is one time I AM NOT doing a search. I was just asking a question.

 

[magpens]

Well, John, it seems all you want is an answer to your question . :biggrin: . ... so I suppose I should provide one :biggrin: .'

I would prefer a friction fit cap, but I don't know of any 2 piece pen kits in this category.

Have you done a search ? :biggrin: . or do you know of any ? . If so, I would appreciate knowing the names and manufacturers of the kits.

Generally, I am not impressed with the fit of magnetic caps (except the Zen which is a pretty nice pen if you like that style) and I don't like the snap caps that I have purchased either because they take too much off/on effort. . So the screw-on cap is all that remains, as far as I know, given my prejudices.

 

[jttheclockman]

Mal basically that is all I am after. If there is someone who has used a good quality snap cap pen I will take a look at it. The link you provided showed that guy really have to muscle up to put that cap on and off that kit he shows. That would be turn off right away. I mentioned this way back when I first tried the Zen pen that I would take for a test run. I was concerned that the cap felt loose on it and thought it would be a problem falling off when taking in and out of a shirt pocket. I later reported back that I grew to like that kit and had no such problems but again the magnet thing is always still out there and I do not care what people say here no one can prove it is not a serious health problem.

Again I will bring up another post I made back some time ago about these pens. commented about how inexpensive they are but the quality is great. I do not know how they can make them that well and sell that low. I went and bought a couple and they do have a snap cap and it is fantastic. Works well seals well and is not hard at all to take off or put on. If there is a kit with this kind of quality I am all in.

This brings me back to the original question in post #1.

www.amazon.com/Jinhao-Golden-Crysta...TF8&qid=1487475510&sr=8-5&keywords=jinhao+pen

 

[magpens]

John, I did read that URL when you first posted it some time ago and marveled at the low price of those Jinhao pens.

I am quite sure that the pen kit manufacturers could come up with a kit to that sort of design if they really put there minds to it. . The design costs would not be huge given the long tradition of practical pen kit design.

But ... there seems to be an enormous inertia engrained in the kit manufacturers' modus operandi.

Just think of the potential for craft show sales if pen-makers could present kit pens designed like the pen in your reference !

As things are, we are stuck with old-hat pen kits and have to rely on our own creativity to dress them up with stunning blanks ! (which is fun in it's own right but we COULD use a little help !)

 

[budnder]

There's pictures of a disassembled Jinhao snap cap in this thread (page 2) for those that are curious:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f56/jinhao-x750-barrel-tap-size-139119/

 

[magpens]

Thanks, Roy.

I wonder if my understanding is correct that the Jinhao pen John referenced is sold as a fully assembled pen (and not as a kit) .

Did you disassemble to get parts to use in one of your own pens ?

 

[BeeAMaker]

The Tiny Giant / Spartan has a snap cap. It doesn't take long and the snap cap will start removing the protective coating on the metal. Anyone else notice this?

When you mentioned Sharpi, i thought you might be asking the same question i have been asking myself, why no marker kits? I have a few design ideas, so I might give it a go myself.

 

[magpens]

There is a marker kit, actually ... probably more than one.

The one I am thinking of is a Himark (or Hymark) and I saw it on clearance at BearToothWoods.com

The Tiny Giant / Spartan has a snap cap. It doesn't take long and the snap cap will start removing the protective coating on the metal. Anyone else notice this?

When you mentioned Sharpi, i thought you might be asking the same question i have been asking myself, why no marker kits? I have a few design ideas, so I might give it a go myself.

 

[budnder]

Thanks, Roy.

I wonder if my understanding is correct that the Jinhao pen John referenced is sold as a fully assembled pen (and not as a kit) .

Did you disassemble to get parts to use in one of your own pens ?

I don't know of any Jinhao kits. I bought a couple of whole pens for something like $3 each to see if there was anything interesting that could be harvested for a "kitless" pen. It came apart fairly easily, but I haven't gotten around yet to trying to reuse any of the parts in something custom. The snap cap was something that I was intrigued by.