I just received my Binder .07 cursive italic for my vanishing point and have been using it for a week now. I noticed that the converter doesn't hold much ink and the window is so small that it's hard to judge how much ink is left. The converter wouldn't come off and I didn't want to break my new pen so I emailed Richard and he emailed me instructions. While i was twisting the converter and pulling the ink it spilled all over me .

I put in the cartridge and pushed it into the nib assembly, but no ink came out so i twisted the cartridge and the seal broke. I used a paper clip to take the seal out. Is there going to be a problem? I wanted to test to see how many pages I could write with the cartridge because it looks like it holds more ink than the converter.

What's the best way to install a cartridge? I plan on refilling the cartridge later once i get the Write Fill kit or some syringes and blunt needles.

I have a VP, but I have only used the converter so far.
One thing I did notice; it uses the same cartridge that my Pilot MYU 701 does. I mention this because I only just last night tried to use the cart in the MYU for the first time, and the very first thing I did was try to shove it in backwards.

This cartridge has one taper end which is very close to the ink supply, and one "flange" end that is very far from the ink supply, so, like a feeb, I cram the taper end into the section and start wailing on it. Of course it doesn't fit. After examining the nipple end of the converter, I notice that it is shaped more like the flange end of the cartridge than the taper end. So, I reverse the cart, push it in flange-first, not taper-first, and it loaded like a dream. I assume the same is the case for the VP loading.

I don't now exactly what you've done up to this point, but to assume nothing, did you try to reverse it? That was my mistake.

best regards

You installed the cartridge as properly as it can be done. If you are not refilling the cartridges, there is no need to remove the seal. When refilling, the seal dies get in the way. I see no reason not to remove it. I've been using the same cartridge in my VP for over 18 months.

Ron

Yes, the little bit of plastic in the cart does not matter, it will not impede unless you refill your carts-refilling carts is a good idea in the VP as its one fault is that the converter does not hold much ink, just get a syringe, suck up you favorite ink, fill the cart, put it back in the vp, works a treat, also if you want to get slightly more ink in the converter, keep it installed in the nib unit, put the nib into the ink bottle and suck up the ink that way, not sure if it holds much more, but at least it tready to go and the feed is wet, oh and do clean before you put the unit in the body again...

Thank you everyone for the input. So I guess I should just stick the cartridge in and just squeeze it until a drop of ink goes onto the nib? Should I twist the cartridge or just push it in until it won't go in any further? Then I should wipe the nib body and then line it up with the nib section and I'm done?

My method, right or wrong, and indifferent. IF the pen has ink in and is writing and the cartridge is empty I stuff a new cartridge in and forget it. If the pen is dry, I might sling the nib a few times before I assemble a pen so it will push ink to the nib. If I don't need the pen to write immediately, I stick a cartridge in and forget it.

Ron

When squeezing the cartridge you don't want to do it too often. They will crack and you will make a mess.

Speaking from experience.

I don't remove the plastic bit. I use micro-tip pipets and they get past it just fine without any problems. Does make cleaning the cartridge easier though if you want to change inks.

I much prefer carts over the converter for these pens. I keep trying the converter (masochism?) only to get frustrated by the sudden loss of flow despite plenty of ink in the converter.

Back to refilling carts.

Don't twist the cartridge when you install it. Just put the metal sleeve over it and push it straight in.

I like the CON-20 squeeze converter with the opaque rubber sac much more than the transparent CON-50 twist (piston) converter. The CON-20 doesn't cause flow problems, holds more ink, and is easy to fill almost completely full. Filling a CON-50 almost completely full is messy and time-consuming.

I took one look at the converter that came with my new VP and promptly removed it and put it in the bottom of the box. I took the cartridge that also came with the pen, popped the seal and flushed out the ink, then filled it with my own ink. I knew that coverter was going to be way more hassle for the amount of ink it would hold. The refilled cartridge should work just fine for me (and does well so far in the pen).

So far, I haven't had any problem with the cartridge. I was surprised to see the large end being used to feed the ink instead of the smaller end, but then I realized it was a unique pen. The "cool" factor went up a notch.