Capless 1965

The Pilot Capless is not just one pen but a whole saga with a long history. Since it was initially marketed in 1963, the pen named as Capless or as Vanishing Point has gone through a number of changes that actually conformed different models. Some of them have already been described on these pages: 1964 (More Capless), 1968 (Gravity), 1971 (Capless 1971).


The Capless I am showing today was initially marketed in Fall 1965, and was the last model in using the old double spare type of ink cartridge. Therefore, it uses the CON-W converter. The next model, from 1968, already implemented the Pilot cartridges currently on production.

This Capless is made of aluminum and adopted several finishes. This one has a subtle golden color, like if it had been gold plated with a very thin film of this metal.


The mechanism to release the nib is not by means of a push button but by twisting the lower half of the pen. Its bottom end is made of black plastic and has no special function on the nib operation.


The nib is made of 14 K gold and has no indication of the point. It is engraved with the production date: Hiratsuka, January 1968. This nib unit is not compatible with any other model of the Pilot Capless.


These are its dimensions:

Length closed (retracted): 140 mm.
Length open (extended): 145 mm.
Diameter: 12 mm.
Weight (dry, with converter): 20.4 g.
Ink deposit (CON-W converter): 1.1 ml.

(New Clip (Arabian Ford) jumbo pen – Unknown black ink)

Bruno Taut
April 27th, 2012
[etiquetas: Pilot]