Pilot Vanishing Point
| Pilot Capless | |
|---|---|
| Also called: | Pilot Vanishing Point |
| Manufacturer: | Pilot |
| Pen Type: | Retractable Fountain pen |
| First released: | 1963 |
| Discontinued: | Still available |
| Made in : | Japan |
The Pilot Capless is a retractable fountain pen line made by
Pilot. It is marketed as the Pilot Vanishing Point in the United
States and some other markets.
Rather than using a removable cap, the pen retracts its nib into the barrel. When the nib is withdrawn, a spring-loaded shutter closes the opening and helps prevent the ink from drying. The original Capless, introduced in 1963, used a twist-operated mechanism. A push-button version followed in 1964.[1][2]
History[edit]
Development and introduction[edit]
Pilot began developing a capless fountain pen in 1960. The project sought to combine the writing characteristics of a fountain pen with the speed and convenience increasingly associated with ballpoint pens. A central technical problem was preventing the exposed nib and feed from drying when the pen was not in use.[1]
The first Capless was released in 1963. It used a rotating mechanism: turning the rear portion of the barrel opened the shutter and extended the nib. Pilot describes it as the world's first fountain pen without a conventional cap.[2][3]
In 1964 Pilot introduced the first push-button Capless. This version could be operated with one hand and established the basic arrangement used by most later models: pressing the button extends the nib through the shutter, while pressing it again retracts the nib and closes the opening.[2]
The Capless received an award at an international gift fair in Paris in April 1964. In 1966, Pilot received an Ōkōchi Memorial Technology Prize for the invention and practical development of the Capless.[3]
Later generations[edit]
Pilot has repeatedly revised the Capless while retaining its original cap-free concept. Notable generations include:
- the 1968 model, which extended its nib through a sliding clip mechanism
- the 1971 model, which introduced an improved rotating-cam push mechanism
- the 1984 model, which used a rubber seal in the shutter to improve airtightness
- the 1998 model, which introduced the basic metal-bodied design used for the present standard Capless and adopted an 18-karat gold nib
- the slimmer, aluminium-bodied Capless Decimo, introduced in 2005
- the twist-operated Capless Fermo, introduced in 2006 and
- the Capless LS, introduced in 2019 with a combined push-and-twist mechanism.[2]
In the United States the pen is marketed as the Vanishing Point. A US trademark filing records first use of the Vanishing Point name on 11 June 1974.[4]
For a period, versions of the Vanishing Point were also marketed under Pilot's Namiki name.[5]
In 2023 Pilot marked the line's 60th anniversary with the red Kanreki limited edition.[6]
Design[edit]
Retraction and shutter mechanism[edit]
In the standard push-button model, pressing the button moves the internal nib unit towards the front of the pen. The nib opens the shutter as it emerges from the barrel. Pressing the button again releases the mechanism, retracting the nib and allowing the spring-loaded shutter to close.
The closed shutter forms a seal around the retracted nib and feed, reducing evaporation and preventing the ink from drying during normal storage.[1]
The mechanism is conceptually similar to the ratchet mechanism used in a retractable ballpoint pen, although it has to move a larger nib-and-feed unit and operate the shutter at the same time.
Nib unit and filling system[edit]
The nib, feed and cartridge or converter connection form a removable internal unit. The entire unit is withdrawn from the barrel when the pen is filled, cleaned or fitted with another nib unit.
Current Capless and Vanishing Point models use proprietary Pilot ink cartridges or a Pilot converter. Pilot's instructions for the Capless Raden, for example, specify the CON-40 rotary converter.[7]
The standard modern Capless uses an 18-karat gold nib. Available nib widths and finishes vary by model and market.
Clip and grip[edit]
On most Capless models, the clip is positioned at the writing end of the pen, next to the nib opening. The arrangement prevents the pen from being placed in a pocket with the nib pointing downwards and helps orient the nib when the pen is picked up.
The clip is intended to sit between the fingers while writing. Its position is one of the pen's most distinctive ergonomic features: some users find that it guides their grip, while others find it uncomfortable.[8]
Models and variants[edit]
| Model | Introduction | Mechanism | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capless / Vanishing Point | 1998 modern version | Push-button | Standard metal-bodied model with an 18-karat gold nib. |
| Capless Decimo | 2005 | Push-button | Slimmer and lighter than the standard model, with an aluminium body. The
name decimo refers to its position as the tenth generation of the Capless.[9] |
| Capless Fermo | 2006 | Twist | Uses a rotating mechanism inspired by the original 1963 Capless. |
| Capless LS | 2019 | Push-and-twist | The nib is extended by pressing the button and retracted by turning the
rear mechanism. The initials stand for “Luxury and Silent”.[9] |
| Raden | Push-button | High-end versions decorated using the Japanese raden technique, in
which pieces of shell are incorporated into a lacquered surface.[9] | |
| Wood | Push-button | Versions with a birch wood barrel.[9] | |
| Stripes | Push-button | Metal-bodied variant with a longitudinal striped finish.[10] | |
| SE | Push-button | Variant with a marbled resin-style finish. |
Pilot has also produced numerous regional, annual and anniversary editions. Colours, nib choices and model names differ between markets.
Reception[edit]
The Capless is notable for combining the nib and liquid-ink feed of a fountain pen with one-handed operation more commonly associated with retractable ballpoint pens. Reviews commonly identify its quick deployment and interchangeable internal nib unit as advantages. The position of the clip at the grip is the most frequently noted disadvantage, as its suitability depends on the user's grip.[8][11]
Podcast appearances[edit]
The Capless and Vanishing Point have appeared frequently on stationery podcasts.
- The Pen Addict 13 discusses a Vanishing Point that had been delayed in customs.
- The Pen Addict 14 covers the arrival of the same pen and links to a Vanishing Point video.
- The Pen Addict 138 includes a Vanishing Point review among its discussion of everyday-carry pens.
- The Pen Addict 574 discusses the 2023 Vanishing Point limited edition released for the Capless's 60th anniversary.
- Not Another Pen Podcast 1, titled “Yoss Hates VPs”, is devoted primarily to the history, design and ergonomics of the Vanishing Point.
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
- Official Pilot Capless website
- Pilot's illustrated history of the Capless
- Pilot's Capless development story
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The tale of the development of the world's first capless fountain pen, Capless, .
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Capless history, .
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Fountain pen “Capless”, .
- ↑ VANISHING POINT – trademark registration 73029456, .
- ↑ Pilot Vanishing Point / Capless Fountain Pen, .
- ↑ Pilot Vanishing Point 2023 Limited Edition – Kanreki, .
- ↑ Capless Raden: use and care guide, .
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Workhorse Pens: Vanishing Point or Decimo for a Capless Fountain Pen?, .
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Capless, .
- ↑ Pilot Vanishing Point – Stripes, .
- ↑ Pilot Decimo vs Pilot Vanishing Point, .