Vanishing Point
From Penpedia
The Namiki Vanishing Point was first released in the 1960s in Japan. While the Sheaffer Snorkel is famed for its complex filling mechanism, the Vanishing Point (also called Capless) is famed for its complex inner mechanism that allows the pen nib to be retracted into the body without the need for a separate cap. Early Capless models dating to 1963 debuted with a twist mechanism that retracted the nib. Push button retraction came soon after, like similar ball point pens, in 1964 and was intended to broaden the market appeal of the pen.
In 1973, Namiki changed the name for the Capless line, officially turning it into the more commonly used Vanishing Point. Twenty-one years later in 1994, Namiki released the final Vanishing Points, with the line moving to the more American Pilot brand and new pens released under that flag in 1999. The exception to this rule is the Raden, which was a Namiki branded pen from 2001. Following the move to Pilot, the Capless and Vanishing Point names were interchanged casually; documentation with a pen might refer to it as a Pilot Capless, while the official site called it a Vanishing Point. This same naming issue was apparent with the Namiki Raden, which was either a Capless or a Vanishing Point, depending on where you looked.
Generally, Vanishing Points take advantage of one of three filling systems: converter, aerometric (pump) filler, or cartridges. Early Vanishing Points used the cartridges known as Double Spares. Pilot has released a modern converter that allows use of current cartridges in these pens in lieu of the defunct Double Spare system.
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Nibs
Vanishing points have what is traditionally a very easily replaced nib assembly. With the pen disassembled, the nib unit simply slides out of the back of the front barrel section and can be exchanged with others. In the US, modern Vanishing Point pens are released with 14K nibs. This is different from gold trimmed pens released in Japan, which will normally carry 18K nibs. There is an exception in the 2000 Pilot Capless which saw a series of Rhodium trimmed pens that were equipped with alloy nibs, instead of gold. These pens were released in December of that year. Generally, Vanishing Point nib assemblies are readily available in fine, medium, and broad.
Retraction Systems
Twist
The twist system was the first used with the Capless when it was released in Japan in 1963. This mechanism used a twisting blind cap that pulled the nib inside the body and sealed it behind a tiny trap door to keep it from drying out. After the Capless's release, the Twist mechanism would only be seen three more times, in 1965, 1966, and in 2006's Pilot Fermo model.
Push Button
Originally used to broaden the appeal of the pen, the push button mechanism found wide use following its introduction in May of 1964. The mechanism works like similar ball point pens, but introduces the needed internal workings for activating the trap door. This makes the push button Vanishing Points noticeably firmer clicking than a ball point pen.
Sliding Clip
The sliding clip was only seen once with a release in May of 1968. This retraction mechanism was probably intended to simplify the use, and to move the clip out of the way while writing, a common complaint with Capless pens.
Body Styles
Faceted Body
The faceted body style was introduced in December of 1981 when Namiki switched from the round aluminum body to a plastic body. This body style remained in production until October of 1994 when the last batch of Vanishing Points were released under the Namiki name (though the line was not retired from the Namiki brand until the end of 1999, there are no records of Vanishing Points released between October of '94 and December of '99). Batches of faceted body pens were released in 1981, 1987, 1990, and 1994.
Short Body
In 1965, Namiki released two batches of "short body" Vanishing Points, in June and November. These pens measured 4 15/16" and 5" respectively and were push button actuated.
Decimo
The Pilot Decimo, released in November of 2005 is a thinner and lighter version of the standard Vanishing Point. It is the same length, but comes in at approximately two-thirds the weight (~20g vs 30g). This was accomplished by making the pen slimmer than traditional, modern Vanishing Points. For the Decimo, Pilot also slightly modified the clip. It is both slimmer and more angular, with the Decimo brand name stamped into it. Both the furniture and the 18kt gold nib are rhodium plated.
Limited Editions
Standard
To date, Pilot has released four "standard" limited edition modern Vanishing points. These are standard in the sense that they are normal Vanishing Points, but with only a unique color. One each was released in May of 2003 (Mandarin Yellow), November of 2006 (Ice Blue), some time in 2007 (Orange), and August 2008 (Purple). The Orange 2007 pens were the first of the series to be individually numbered on the barrel, and the Purple 2008 followed suit. The Ice Blue, Orange, and Purple pens feature a medium 18kt Rhodium plated nib.
Carbonesque
Pilot released four carbonesque (kasuri) style pens starting in October of 2000, in black, blue, red, and green. Though the green was only released in Japan, red was the only limited edition color. It was released in October of 2003 in a run of 1500 in the US. It was not a limited edition in Japan, however. Black and blue were not limited editions.
Pilot Sesenta
In 2007(?), Pilot also released a special limited edition Vanishing Point based on the Pilot Decimo for the 60th anniversary of an office supply company in Tokyo called Shiseidou. This pen was called the Pilot Sesenta (sesenta is the Spanish word for "sixty"). It was released in a limited run to the Japanese market only, in three marbled color finishes: green, and red for sure, and a third color that looks brown. The third color is up for debate though, as there are references to a gray and a blue also. The green looks bluish though, which might account for that. I have only seen red, green, and brown. Red and green each received a run of 100, while the third color (assume brown) saw 400. That would make 600 total. The pens were not numbered, but were engraved with the Sesenta name on the clip. It came with a cartridge or pump filling system and an 18kt gold nib.
Release numbers
- Mandarin Yellow - 1500
- Red Carbonesque (Kasuri) - 1500
- Ice Blue - 1500(?)
- Orange - 2007
- Sesenta - 600*
- Purple - 2008
* Assuming there were indeed only three colors, there were 100 each of red and green, and 400 of a third (brown, or maybe grey or blue)
Pen Timeline
(In the table below there are question marks on months that are still being researched and have not been confirmed.
The months and/or years in parentheses are the Japanese release dates that are different from the U.S.)
| Year | Launch | Function | Body |
| 1963 | November | Twisting | Aluminum |
| December | Twisting | Gold Plated | |
| 1964 | May | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| August | Push Button | Gold Plated & Plastic | |
| October | Push Button | Chrome Plated & Plastic | |
| 1965 | March | Push Button | Aluminum & Plastic |
| June (July) | Push Button | Aluminum & Plastic (Short Body) | |
| September (November) | Twisting | Aluminum & Plastic | |
| November (October) | Push Button | Aluminum & Plastic (Short Body) | |
| 1966 | May (July) | Twisting | Gold Plated & Aluminum |
| May (?)Not sure if released in U.S. (July) | Twisting | Gold Plated | |
| 1968 | May | Sliding Clip | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| 1971 | June | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| (June?) Not released in U.S. | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic | |
| 1973 | December | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Aluminum |
| 1981 | December | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| (1987) | (December?) Possibly released in U.S. June 1990 | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| 1990 | June (?) | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| 1994 | January (Namiki Brand) December 1999 (Namiki Brand Retired) | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| October (?) | Push Button | Stainless Steel & Plastic | |
| 1999 | October(Pilot Vanishing Point reintroduced in US) (December 1998 w/ 18K Nib) | Push Button | Gold Plated & Lacquered Enamel |
| December (Released only in Japan) | Push Button | Gold Plated & Lacquered Enamel - ("Check" Pattern) | |
| 2000 | May | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel |
| October (October 2003) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquer(Black Carbonesque) | |
| December (Alloy nib, released only in Japan) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel | |
| 2001 | October | Push Button | Rhodium |
| October | Push Button | Rhodium& Lacquered Abalone Shell (Raden) | |
| 2002 | October (October 2003) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered (Blue Carbonesque) |
| 2003 | May(Limited U.S. release of 1500) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel(Mandarin Yellow) |
| October | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel (Chrome) | |
| October(Limited U.S. release of 1500) (October 2004) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered (Red Carbonesque) | |
| 2004 | October(Released only in Japan) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered (Green Carbonesque) |
| 2005 | March (Released only in Japan) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel (Turquoise) |
| November (First released in Japan - Summer 2006 release in France) | Push Button | Rhodium & Painted Aluminum (DECIMO) | |
| 2006 | July 15 | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel (Slate Gray) |
| September (Released only in Japan) | Twisting | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel(FERMO) | |
| November (Limited Edition) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel (Ice Blue) | |
| 2007 | (?) (Limited edition of 2007, individually numbered, w/ 18kt Rhodium nib) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel (Orange) |
| (August?) (Limited Japan Release of 600 total, w/ 18kt nib) | Push Button | Rhodium & Marbled Enamel (SESENTA - Brown, Green, Red) | |
| 2008 | August (Limited edition w/ 18kt Rhodium nib) | Push Button | Rhodium & Lacquered Enamel (Purple) |
Data in this table was painstakingly researched by Carmen Rivera of RiveraPens.com. That site went offline around September of 2007, and their data is being mirrored here for posterity. This table was taken from archived data from their site which was last updated January 1, 2007, and ending with the entry for November, 2006. Data beyond November, 2006 is new to this table since they went offline.
Known Issues
- Although not an issue with the pen, some users with a particular writing grip comment that the clip on this pen interferes with the fore finger. If you are a writer who grips the pen with the fore finger "on top" of the pen, be aware that the clip on this pen may cause you difficulty.
- On the same note, overwriters or underwriters can experience problems with flow on the small nibs
See Also
External Links
http://riverapens.home.mindspring.com/Vanishing_Point_images/index.htm
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18655
