Where to buy generic clips for pen?

[sgphoto]

I have several fountain pens without or with damaged clips. Where's a source to buy generic clips that wrap around the cap or barrel? Need them in various sizes and springy enough to be able to slightly bend or expand the clip.

Thanks.

Sg

[Deb]

Those are called accommodation clips. I'm not aware of anyone producing them nowadays. They were mostly produced in the first two decades of the 20th century when fixed clips were an optional extra. I have a few and I'll be happy to give them to you but you might have to wait. The post offices won't accept packages around here.

[sgphoto]

Thanks for the kind offer, Deb. If times were different I would scrounge around flea markets and antique shops. Let me see what I might can locate and I'll let you know.

Thanks again for your generous offer. All the best to you.

Sg

[FredRydr]

Rob Lott must have some, but he's not answering email lately. His phone number is on his website.

fivestarpens.com

[Jon Szanto]

One option, depending on the size (diameter) of the cap would be to use the add-on clips for the Kaweco Sport line. The come in at least two different styles and 3 finishes. I've used them on a couple of modern pens that were definite roll hazards as they had no clip, a Franklin-Christoph 45 and a Moonman M2. The metal is stiff enough to be strong but still can be flexed (within reason) to fit on a pen. I wouldn't be repeatedly putting it on and off because of potential for marring caps, but the metal has seemed well finished and I've not scratched any pens in their use.

F-C with 'old' style in raw bronze, M2 in reg style gold tone. A side note: the chrome and gold clips stay shiny as one would expect, but the raw bronze develops a very cool, dark patina within a couple months. It pares up with a few types/colors of pens quite well.

[sgphoto]

Jon,

Can you give me the diameter of the pens you used with the Kaweco clip? I have pens ranging from 11.5 to 14.8 that could use clips.
Thanks.

[Jon Szanto]

The two pens I have the clips on are between 13-14mm where the clip resides. The 'band' around the pen is essentially octagonal with one section missing. You could carefully bend it inward or outward to accommodate diff size caps. I *think* it could be bent out enough for your largest size, but not certain if compressing it would make a good fit for your tiniest pen cap. My gut instinct is that it would work. They aren't too expensive and you could get one and give it a try, it will work on at least some (or one) of your pens.

[Fermata]

Have a look on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pen+pocke...ref=nb_sb_noss

Also Pentel pencils make a style of accomodation clip although this may be a too small a diameter.

There is also a London company producing Kaweco clips although they look to be the six sided clip rather than the round ones as above

https://quilllondon.com/products/pocket-clip#

eta

Pntooling look to have a selection

https://pentooling.com/partsmiscgeneric.html

Also

Some of the chinese companies are producing Kaweco copies, perhaps there are some that make clips for round caps, it could be worth buying a cheap pen just for the accomodation clip, you could always sell on the clipless pen! Some of these pens are under $4.



If you find something it would be great to hear the results.

[sgphoto]

Thanks for all the information. I'll be checking out your suggestions and let you know what I find.

[sgphoto]

Here's what I've done. I ordered 3 Kaweco Sport Pen Clips - Octagonal Slide-On, on Ebay at 2.95 ea. Shipping is $4.00.

At that inexpensive price, I'll have at least two that will work for 11-12 mm pens with slight tinkering and I believe I can make the other one fit a 14.5 pen by gently using a tapered steel rod in my workshop by working slowly.

That's cheap enough to experiment. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.

Sg

[grainweevil]

I've done the Kaweco Sport clip thing myself, but the hexagonal shape bugs me a little on a round pen, so I've always wondered about the round clips they sell for other models such as the pencils, Lilliput, Supra etc. and whether they might be useful sizes too. If anyone's got one and fancies running a rule over them, it'd be interesting to know. *she hinted, oh so subtlety*

[sgphoto]

I've done the Kaweco Sport clip thing myself, but the hexagonal shape bugs me a little on a round pen, so I've always wondered about the round clips they sell for other models such as the pencils, Lilliput, Supra etc. and whether they might be useful sizes too. If anyone's got one and fancies running a rule over them, it'd be interesting to know. *she hinted, oh so subtlety*

The Lilliput has a 9.3 mm diameter at the cap, and the Supra at 11.6 if I'm reading the specs correctly.

[Deb]

That looks like a good solution. Accommodation clips should be fine on modern acrylic or other plastic pens. I don't like them on the old hard rubber pens as they can scratch the surface.

[sgphoto]

Using non-slip shelving material and superglue inside the clip, it works. The clips aren't big enough to work on a 13-14mm cap (so far) but it was perfect for this. I lined it up with the nib for the screw-on posting and the clip isn't going anywhere.

I did not glue the clip to the cap. It's just a very tight fit as I wanted it to be.

Cheers.
Sg

[Fermata]

Good result SG