1964 Capless "Vanishing Point" Fountain Pen, Gold Burgundy

"The Capless Fountain Pen -- Pilot's Gift to Modern Living”. The ad from 1964 still holds true. Many companies have tried, but only one pen has ever been made successfully with a retractable nib on the push of a click button.

Not surprisingly, the Capless, or Vanishing Point in the U.S., has one of the most complex click-system mechanisms, the knock-shiki (see illustrated Japanese patent from 1964) which encloses the nib on retraction so as to avoid leaks and drying. 

Classic design, fundamentally unchanged since the 60s, amazing gadgetry and also stand out nib performance make this pen, possibly the best writing utensil we have come across and we can't recommend it strongly enough.  

The nib, made in-house by Pilot, is 18k gold; a gauge of quality where fountain pens are concerned. Softer than steel, like a well-worn ring, the gold nib will ease into the the shape of your handwriting. No scratchiness guaranteed, just pure smoothness.

Nib profile
Our recommendation is for a Fine nib, well balanced and precise, but we also offer Medium for those preferring a broader, more generous and lubricated stroke, equivalent to a European medium nib. Both nibs are true to size. 

Details
Body material: Metal
Nib size: Fine or Medium (choose from dropdown menu)
Nib material: 18k gold
Cartridge type: Takes Pilot cartridges which can be found here; or can be used with a CON-40 converter cartridge and used with bottled fountain pen ink.
Dimensions: 14cm retracted, 1.2cm diameter body
Included: presentation box, one black ink cartridge

Made in Japan