I recently did a little poll on my Instagram account to see whether people preferred pocket clips on their pens or not. I don't have a huge following but most of my followers are fountain pen users and 55% of the respondents voted against clips. Anecdotal I know, but I thought it was interesting and actually I was slightly surprised that as much as 45% liked having clips because when I make commissions I almost never get asked for them. Some said they like having them not to use as a clip but as a form of roll stop to prevent wandering pens from rolling off the desk.
Personally I like clips and all my own pens have them as I tend to wear a suit/jacket quite often for my day job, so I'd actually struggle without them. So as a result of the poll I've now decided to add clips to around half the pens I make. I have been practicing making my own from silver but I haven't managed to make the shape and thickness I like yet, so I am using proprietary stainless steel clips until I've come up with something I like.
This pen is only the second wooden pen I've made with a clip as I spent some time designing it so the clip doesn't rest on the wood and any tension that occurs when the clip is flexed is absorbed by the acrylic/cellulose liner inside the cap. The ring part of the clip is concealed within a small rebate inside the cap. The tenon on the finial passes through that ring as it screws into the end of the cap, thus holding it in place. The ring you can see is a decorative silver one that sits above the clip. I hope that makes sense!
The wood is thuya burr/burl and the section and finals are cellulose acetate. It has sterling silver accents and a Jowo nib which is fed by cartridge/converter. Cap threads are 13mm triple lead.
Cheers
Ash
Personally I like clips and all my own pens have them as I tend to wear a suit/jacket quite often for my day job, so I'd actually struggle without them. So as a result of the poll I've now decided to add clips to around half the pens I make. I have been practicing making my own from silver but I haven't managed to make the shape and thickness I like yet, so I am using proprietary stainless steel clips until I've come up with something I like.
This pen is only the second wooden pen I've made with a clip as I spent some time designing it so the clip doesn't rest on the wood and any tension that occurs when the clip is flexed is absorbed by the acrylic/cellulose liner inside the cap. The ring part of the clip is concealed within a small rebate inside the cap. The tenon on the finial passes through that ring as it screws into the end of the cap, thus holding it in place. The ring you can see is a decorative silver one that sits above the clip. I hope that makes sense!
The wood is thuya burr/burl and the section and finals are cellulose acetate. It has sterling silver accents and a Jowo nib which is fed by cartridge/converter. Cap threads are 13mm triple lead.
Cheers
Ash
Last edited: