Luxury and Silent. II. Analysis

So, how does this new Capless perform?

In summary, we can describe the Capless LS as a new box for an old pen. The new box is bigger and heavier. And comes with a new release system.

The raison d'être is this new Capless is the silent mechanism to release and retract the nib. The first operation is done by pressing the end button. And to retract the nib you must rotate a conical knob below the push button. An internal spring –like in the Fermo-- helps to retract the nib once the know is rotated a small angle. Fermo and LS (and Hermes Nautilus) share this feature with the sole difference of how fast or slow the return spring acts.

The LS, as I said, is bigger and heavier than any other Capless. On the table we can see the dimensions and prices of all four current models.

	.Capless.	.Décimo.	.Fermo.	.Capless LS.
Length closed (mm)	141	140	141	146
Length open (mm)	138	137	149	139
Barrel diameter (mm)	13.3	12.0	12.3	13.5
Weight, dry (g)	30.9	20.4	33.9	40.6
Center of mass to nib point (mm)	69	65	80	80
Price in Japan (JPY)	10000 - 15000	15000	20000	35000

Prices before taxes in Japan for the basic models. The JPY 10000 Capless implements steel nibs, whereas the JPY 15000 version uses 18 K gold nibs. There are more expensive models of some of these pens.

Despite the bigger dimensions of the LS, the pushing knob is thinner than those on the Capless and on the Décimo, and it looks a bit out of proportion and even weak. The nose is now conical and, contrary to that on the Capless, is totally detached from the clip. On this detail, the LS is closer to the Fermo. But whether the clip is intrusive or not is up to each user.

The nose and the clip. And the nib too.

The rotating knob used to retract the nib is not perfectly conical. It sticks out on one side to allow for operating the pen with just one hand. In fact, both pushing the knob and retracting the nib can be done with the thumb. This is the selling point of the LS over the also silent Fermo.

The push button, and the rotating knob.

The extra weight and the new mechanism affect the writing comfort—the pen is not only heavier than the Fermo, but also pushes up the center of mass to a similar point as in that model, which is higher than in the two other Capless models. But again, it is up to the user to decide whether this detail is cumbersome or not.

Aesthetically, the LS does not depart much from the regular Capless. However, there are some minor details that might displease some—the shiny central ring (on three of the colors), the thicker aspect ratio, the additional knob below the push button...

Written sample. Capless LS (M nib) with Iroshizuku's Yama-budo.

In conclusion, the Capless LS –Luxury and Silent-- is an expensive version of the Capless family. It is bigger than any other model. The mechanism works well and delivers the silent performance the name of the pen suggests. Whether this pen is luxurious is a different matter.

Pilot Capless LS - Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo

Bruno Taut
Nakano, June 4th, 2020
etiquetas: Pilot, capless