To think the barrel of the pen should be engraved, not the lid?

[WhitePhantom]

I ordered a lovely pen, and told the company what I wanted engraved on it. It arrived today - lovely pen, lovely engraving - except the engraving is on the lid, rather than the pen itself.

I think that's really strange, but when I emailed the guy to ask about sending it back to get the engraving done on the barrel, he replied to say that the engraving is always done on the lid, that in all years he's been doing this he's never engraved the barrel of a pen, and that he'll do it if I want but it will look really strange.

Can anyone tell me if they've ever had a pen engraved, was it the pen itself or the lid? Thanks!

Surely it would wear off on the barrel?

It’s usually the kid, I order orbs for work prizes, it’s difficult to get engraving on the barrel

I'm with you, OP! The lid is more likely to get lost (although hopefully not!), which would render the engraving pointless.

However ... I wouldn't ask him to replace it. That seems a bit petty, now it's done. Express your surprise and disappointment by all means, but only so that future customers can be advised.

Barrel.
You could lose the lid.

He's talking mince. He fucked up. He knows he fucked up, but he's trying to brazen it out. I had similar with the carpenter that hung the bifold doors on backwards.

Ive never heard of engraving the lid, surely its always the barrel? I bet if you googled engraved pen they would all show the barrel engraved. He's talking nonsense.

I expect it on the barrel of the pen, I’ve never seen one on the lid.

I chuck every lid of my pens away. Though they are only cheap. Should be on the barrell I'd say.

Definitely should be on the barrel. I've never seen a pen with engraving on the lid

Of course it should be on the barrel. He's talking out of his arse.

Engraving is done on the lid, for every pen I've seen engraved. I don't like the engraving on the barrel, as I'd feel it every time I used the pen.

I've just Google image searched for engraved pens. For every pen with a lid, it's always the lid that's engraved.

I agree that the barrel seems like the obvious choice and it would look weird on the lid so I googled it and it appears the majority of the images (of pens with lids) show the lids with the engraving, not the barrel. Obviously the clicky pens (completely forgotten what they are called!) have the barrels engraved but fountain - style pens have the lids engraved.

Ah @KrisAkabusi great minds think alike!

I'd say barrel too....

I have 2 engraved pens, the engraving is on the barrels of both. That is 100% of my engraved or. Experience.

www.penheaven.co.uk/corporate-sales

Usually next to the clip regardless of if it has a lid or not.

The lid. Otherwise it hurts to write with a pen that is engraved on the barrel.

@KrisAkabusi

I've just Google image searched for engraved pens. For every pen with a lid, it's always the lid that's engraved.

That's so weird I've just done a google search and most of the pens with lids have the engraving on the barrel.

Never seen it on the lid although I suppose it could depend on the style of the pen

I’ve just done a Google search and the majority are engraved on the barrel - even those pens with lids

Oh x-post with @Same4Walls

@SingingLoud

I’ve just done a Google search and the majority are engraved on the barrel - even those pens with lids

I'm glad it's not just my Google search. I'd say about 95% of those shown on my search with lids have the engraving on the barrel or near the clip.

Thanks everyone! I guess either is ok then. Maybe I'm thinking of the clicky pen - I just googled it as well, and the pens with lids seem spllit between barrel and lid.

I'd envisage it being done on the top half of the pen, not the bit you'd hold, so you wouldn't feel it when writing. My thoughts are that the pen is the main thing, and the lid is kind of by-the-way, and also the most likely bit to get lost!

I wouldn't be asking him to replace it - I'd post it back, he'd engrave the pen itself, and send it back to me. I guess I'd ask him for a new lid though, as it would look reall strange to have both the pen and the lid engraved!

Am I the only one who calls a pen top a "top" not lid? Everyone here says lid, so am I out of kilter?