when filling a pen using a twist type converter do you remove the converter each time you fill it or do you dip the nib and fill with converter in the pen?

My advice is that you should not remove the converter. The converter's mouth, which fits over the nipple in the section, is soft plastic. Every time you remove and replace the converter, you wear, distort, and possibly damage that mouth, and before you know it you'll be seeking a replacement converter because the one you have is leaking all over the inside of your pen (and possibly your shirt pocket).

Also, filling the converter outside the pen does not take advantage of the ink flow that you push through the feed -- that ink flow can help to keep the feed channels clean, especially if you run the piston down empty, up to fill, down to flush, and up again. (You also get a better fill when you cycle the piston twice.)

I dip the nib in the ink bottle for filling. That way as I draw up the ink, the feed gets saturated so it can start writing immediately. Of course, one has to wipe the nib, but like Richard stated, filling this way helps flush the nib and loosen any particles that may be lodged in the feed. Some pen instructions (like on the Levenger Verona) suggest dipping the converter in the ink bottle, fill it and then insert the converter into the pen like a cartridge. I assume the advantage is that you don't have to wipe the nib, but again, as Richard stated, you can damage the converter. Besides, another downside of this approach is that you have to wait for the ink to work it's way down in order to write unless you twist the converter and force ink into the feed.

thanks for the great info--i thought that was the correct way to do it