I'm very excited. I just got my first Pilot Vanishing point. I'm trying to fill the converter, and it doesn't seem to be filling. I dip the nib and converter into the ink past the hole in the nib and twist the converter knob. No ink comes into view however, not even when I hold it upside down.
Should I be able to see the ink through that clear area?
Thanks for your help!
Full Version: Vanishing Point twist converter
You have to submerge the whole nib, which will leave part of the assembly looking like a dipstick. Of course, you then have to wipe the ink off the dipstick. (At least it will help you know when it's time to buy more ink. 
)
Couple of hints:
(1) "Creepy" inks like Noodler's bulletproofs crawl on the metallic surfaces and sometimes into the internal mechanics of VPs. Since the stuff only creeps on metal, "waxing" the "dipstick" part of the assembly creates a creep barrier and will keep the insides free from ink.
(2) While you should be able to see the ink in the converter, the twisty converters won't fill ALL the way, and since the converter is small to begin with, many people (me included) want to fill the things all the way up. After filling the ink, point the nib upward and give it a few flicks of the fingernail, the way junkies in the movies do before shooting up. Then twist the air out, then resubmerge the nib and twist ink in. Then the best thing is to twist 3 drops of ink out, and then twist air back in. This leaves some air, but just a little -- enough to keep the full converter from burping up little blobs of blue onto your clean sheet of paper.
Hope this helps. I really love my VPs -- hope you do too!
Doug
)Couple of hints:
(1) "Creepy" inks like Noodler's bulletproofs crawl on the metallic surfaces and sometimes into the internal mechanics of VPs. Since the stuff only creeps on metal, "waxing" the "dipstick" part of the assembly creates a creep barrier and will keep the insides free from ink.
(2) While you should be able to see the ink in the converter, the twisty converters won't fill ALL the way, and since the converter is small to begin with, many people (me included) want to fill the things all the way up. After filling the ink, point the nib upward and give it a few flicks of the fingernail, the way junkies in the movies do before shooting up. Then twist the air out, then resubmerge the nib and twist ink in. Then the best thing is to twist 3 drops of ink out, and then twist air back in. This leaves some air, but just a little -- enough to keep the full converter from burping up little blobs of blue onto your clean sheet of paper.
Hope this helps. I really love my VPs -- hope you do too!
Doug
You need to dip the nib assembly further into the ink, past the nib part itself.
The twist converter won't fill completely, so it's not unusual if you don't see ink in the little gap. Like Doug said, you can see the ink if you turn it upside turn and give it a few flicks.
The twist converter won't fill completely, so it's not unusual if you don't see ink in the little gap. Like Doug said, you can see the ink if you turn it upside turn and give it a few flicks.
Thanks folks, this helps. I will remember the dipstick analogy for sure! 
I had tried the flick thing on another converter of mine. I guess I wouldnt make a good druggie, it never works for me. I will keep practicing, on ink that is.
What kind of wax should I use to prevent creep? I like PR and Noodlers inks, and though I'm careful to wipe things down, that seems like a good preventative.
Thanks again!
I had tried the flick thing on another converter of mine. I guess I wouldnt make a good druggie, it never works for me. I will keep practicing, on ink that is.
What kind of wax should I use to prevent creep? I like PR and Noodlers inks, and though I'm careful to wipe things down, that seems like a good preventative.
Thanks again!
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.