Pen Cap, Lid or Top?

[Fiona1986]

I'd use lid to be honest. Not a word anyone has to use that often I suppose but in tidying up the library at the end of the night I find a lot of our borrowed pens lying around, and a lot of lids on the floor. Makes me wonder why we don't take the lids off before filling up the pen holders... so there you go I've used pen lid a whole bunch of times now!

[Rob Houghton]

Thanks Fiona! yes - its strange but in every day conversation, I would probably say 'pen top' (actually I should maybe say that the item I'm wanting to name is actually the 'top' or 'lid' or 'cap' off a propelling pencil, rather than a pen!) but formally I tend to think 'lid' sounds more old-fashioned and more Blytonian...maybe that's just my imagination...while 'cap' sounds more 'official'.

I'm no nearer deciding, lol - I guess it doesn't really matter.

[Moonraker]

I've just asked my husband and he immediately said "cap". He went on to say a cap encloses something to a degree, but a "top" might just sit on top of something.

Definitely a cap, Rob. A fountain pen consists of three main parts: Cap, barrel and nib.The cap has a clip and usually a clip band. The barrel will have a lever if it is a lever-fountain pen and also a section end - where your fingers grip. The nib has a breather hole and a tip. Gold is the best metal for a nib.

[Rob Houghton]

Definitely a cap, Rob. A fountain pen consists of three main parts: Cap, barrel and nib.The cap has a clip and usually a clip band. The barrel will have a lever if it is a lever-fountain pen and also a section end - where your fingers grip. The nib has a breather hole and a tip. Gold is the best metal for a nib.

But does that also go for a propelling pencil?!

[Anita Bensoussane]

My children and I have had a few propelling pencils and the ones we had didn't have caps/lids/tops!

[Rob Houghton]

No - mine is a very posh silver one! It's actually based on a real propelling pencil (LOL!!)

Sorry to hijack this thread...but it IS 'what I'm doing now'. It sounds daft but I still don't feel any of the words really sound right!

I sort of wish Enid was here and I could ask her!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Needless to say, our propelling pencils weren't posh silver ones. In fact they were annoying to use and didn't last long as the lead just kept breaking off!

[Rob Houghton]

That's why they needed a lid...or cap...or top, Anita!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Another problem was that the lead would keep sliding back in whenever you tried to write or draw! As you may have gathered, I'm not a fan of propelling pencils!

[Rob Houghton]

As you may have gathered, I'm not a fan of propelling pencils!

Something did tell me that! I'm not really either - but Enid seemed to use them in her stories a lot!

[Daisy]

Propelling pencils I seem to remember were a possession to aspire to. Not everyone had such a thing. I do remember the lead sometimes being a bit loose and if you dropped it, the lead might break inside and of course was not gripped as it should be. Enid used them as a prize in some of her stories, I think? Didn't Bets win Fatty's best, or was it second best one, in one of the stories?

[Rob Houghton]

Yes - in Mystery of the Missing Necklace - Fatty says whoever discovers his disguise first will get his 'second-best propelling pencil' as a prize.

[Daisy]

Yes, I thought so. I still have a propelling pencil which will propel the lead out with a bit of persuasion!

[KEVP]

"Lid" just seems wrong. A pot has a lid. I don't think I have ever heard of a pen having a lid.

[Jack400]

I've just Googled for fountain pen spares. You can buy replacement "caps" but not "tops / lids". Though some pens have a "top ring" (part of the cap).