I'm going to start refilling cartridges for my Vanishing Point. When I finished up a cartridge tonight I cleaned it out and I pulled out the stopper that gets pushed out of the way when first inserted. Should I have left it in the cartridge?

I'm assuming the only disadvantage to taking it out is it will be easier to spill ink when re-inserting, but that's just my guess.

So, does it matter if I leave it in or remove it?

Thanks for the help,

Steve

I never remove them and they write instantly. I've never tried w/out them. Check for spills inside the barrel.

I pulled mine out and haven't had any problems.

Bob

I leave mine in and have no problems. I don't think it matters. I'm just too lazy to pull it out

I usually pull them out just because it seems proper, but sometimes I don't because I'm rushed or lazy. I don't think it matters.

Bill

I'm glad you brought this up. I've refilled a cartridge on one of my Pilot pens a few times and found that if the ink is poured in too quickly, that stopper can cause the ink to spill over the top! If you use a syringe, it's no problem as the needle can be easily inserted past the stopper. I'm using a syringe without the needle that fits in the cartridge opening (I get a weird feeling using a syringe with the needle installed).

Of course, when you first install the cartridge, the feeder tube pushes the stopper aside. So leaving it in should make no difference to ink flow. But I thought that it might help "grip" the feeder tube, which I've now realized is a ridiculous idea. I'm definitely pulling it out on the next refill.

I've done it both ways, and can't tell a difference in how the pen writes. I use a syringe with a blunt tip needle, so filling the cartridge is not a problem.

I've used an IV catheter to fill them. They're about the length of a syringe needle, but soft and flexible. No sharp points!