短鋼編年史 Pocket Pen Chronicle

關於「短鋼」與「短鋼編年史」 About “Pocket Pen" and “Pocket Pen Chronicle"

廣義而言，「短鋼」指所有筆長較一般者短小的鋼筆。本編年史的著眼點並非所有短鋼，而在「口袋鋼筆」(ポケット万年筆/Pocket Pen)，又有稱迷你鋼筆(ミニ型万年筆/Mini Pen)，或Long-short Pen。本編年史暫以Platinum、Pilot、Sailor日本三大筆廠的短鋼為介紹主軸，其他筆廠的出品或一些特別的專題則會集中於其他 Others一欄。

“Pocket Pen Chronicle" is a page introducing “Japanese Pocket Pen" (ポケット万年筆), which is also known as “Mini Pen” (ミニ型万年筆) or “Long-short pen”. The Chronicle would mainly introduce the pocket pen of the Big Three in Japan: Platinum, Pilot and Sailor. Articles of minor manufacturers’ pen and different special article will be put in “Others“.

關於「短鋼」　About “Pocket Pen"
口袋鋼筆（下稱短鋼），源起於過去西裝襯衫的胸前口袋較淺，標準大小的鋼筆難以安放其中。短鋼的筆蓋較筆身長，而全筆較短（多為11至13厘米），能夠穩妥地置於口袋；需要書寫時，則可套筆蓋於筆尾以達一般鋼筆的長度。

In the past, the pocket of dress shirt was smaller and normal fountain pen could hardly fit it. As pocket pens are short (most of them are 11 to 13 cm long), they could fit the dress shirt pocket. At the same time, pocket pen could be as long as normal pen when capped.

白金3776與老白金不鏽鋼桿短鋼的尺寸對比 Size contrast between Platinum 3776 and a vintage Platinum pocket pen, stainless steel, Pt.Alloy nib.

短鋼輕巧便攜，兼有獨特美態，1963年首枝短鋼面世至1980年代一直風行日本。日本幾乎每家筆廠均投入短鋼設計與生產，配搭的筆尖、筆桿款式成千上萬，浩瀚如海。此為鋼筆界燦爛一頁。惜時移世易，盛極一時的短鋼自九十年代逐漸息微，消弭於一手市場。然藉著優秀質量、低廉價格，於二手市場依舊大放異彩，備受追捧。

The convenient and beauty of pocket pen made it prevailed in Japan since it first came in during 1963. Most of the Japanese pen factory produced pocket pen. Different material, nib and design had been used on it. However, pocket pen faded away from the late 1980s as people no longer need it. Today, it still occupies a seat in second-hand market with its low price and good quality.

關於「短鋼編年史」　About “Pocket Pen Chronicle"

儘管短鋼已然沒落，今世仍不乏短鋼愛好者。我是其中之一。定情短鋼，始於一埸邂逅。在香港這個所有歷史皆被「發展」沖刷而去的彈丸之地，當時仍屬鋼筆新手的我有幸在一間本地老文具店遇到一批白金老筆。沒有任何事先的資料搜集，在眾多老筆之中一枝短鋼就如此簡單的俘虜了我的心。此後，對短鋼的喜愛與日俱增。至計劃收藏鋼筆時，瞬間便擇定了短鋼坑。而我的宏願不止於浮沉坑內，而要走到深坑最底處──將所有短鋼都收入囊中。

In Hong Kong, where you could barely find old Japanese fountain pen, I luckily met my first pocket pen in an old stationery shop in Sai Kung town in 2015 (Sadly it closed down in early 2017). At that time, I was a beginner and had no idea what pocket pen is. But when I saw it, it was love at first sight. Pocket pen become my favorite and I started collecting them. “Collect all pocket pen" now become one of my dream.

於本地文具店入手的Platinum老筆們。左三蝕刻鋼蓋者便是我人生中第一枝短鋼。 All old Platinum fountain pen I bought from that old stationery. The pocket pen with etched square pattern on its stainless-steel cap is the first pocket pen in my life.

隨著收藏日豐，我開始搜集眾短鋼的資料。曾幾何時，我認為網絡世界是萬能的。只要輸入關鍵字，渴望的資訊將在瞬間映入眼簾。然而，隨著深入老筆世界，網絡世界的局限於眼前暴露無遺——沒有誰將資料上傳、整合，何種強大的搜尋器都是枉然。短鋼，作為一種已沒落的筆款，它不備有熱烈的討論度，相關資料零散，介紹文章少之又少，遑論專門的介紹網站。不過，我相信在了解每枝筆背後的故事以後，便不只是單向的欣賞，而昇格至雙向的交流。網絡既然由人所建構，為何我不能成為改變它的人呢？沒有介紹網站，就由我來創立一個吧。

In the past, I believed that Internet is omnipotent — You can get all information you wanted after importing the keyword in search engine. This thinking, however, had been changed as information and history of most pocket pen are not able to be found online. Information cannot be found online until someone upload it. That’s why I set up “Pocket Pen Chronicle".

2017/1/1收藏記錄　My collection back in 2017/01/01

不過，畢竟是以一己之力將所能找到的資料加以整合、分析，或有錯漏、不足之處，希望眾筆友不吝賜教。如果能得到你的關注和支持，將是我的榮幸。

Although collecting and searching pocket pen’s history are not easy, I just go for it. My English is not that good, but I still hope that I could show the uniqueness of pocket pen to you guys. Also, I may make mistake or prove wrong information as I am on my own. If you have any question or suggestion, please feel free to contact me.

或者短鋼只是小眾筆款，不受關注，但收集、整理短鋼就是我最大的樂趣、最大的目標。希望我能夠為大家揭開尺寸小，玩味卻亳不遜色的短鋼的面貌，並有天能將所有短鋼都收編進本編年史，為大家一一介紹。

Hopefully I could collect all pocket pens and present them in this Chronicle in the future!

另外特別鳴謝「鋼筆‧自動鉛筆情報局」一眾局友及其他筆友的支持。沒有你們，本編年史不會能夠成事。 謝謝！

Special thanks to the members of “Fountain Pen Intelligence Agency (Hong Kong)" and various pen friends. Without their support, “Pocket Pen Chronicle" may not appear.

娛生 Yu Sheng
2017/4/13 (2019/1/29 English Version added)