For a complete change of colors, which system is the easiest to 1) get all the ink out of the resevoir ,and almost as if not more important, 2)clean all the remainig ink out of the feed?

I find that a converter or integral piston filler are good for a complete ink flush. Sac fillers seem to take a little more time.


Kurt H

I'd say a vintage eyedropper. Part of what makes changing colors so painful with modern pens is the collector-like design of the feed, with zillions of fins and nooks and crannies that you have to get clear. Vintage EDs have really straightforward feeds.

second in line after EDs - piston filler with screw-in nib. Makes cleaning those more intricate feeds much easier and sure does clean the innards out well also.

Pistons and I think levers are the easiest to load up water then unload quickly.

Other than a dip pen?

There are three that come to mind...

First...any cartridge filler. Pop the cart, take the feed over to the sink with a modified ear syringe and in three minutes you are on your way...

Second, a classic Estie. Pop the nib, rinse it, flush the sac with the nib off, reassemble, three minutes you are on your way...

Third, a non-P51 Vac. Five minutes flushing and you are on your way.

Snorks and TDs might be possible but ya gotta be sorta careful, the collectors take up a LOT OF ink...like the P51 does...


Bill...

Hi,

On my 61, I just fill my rubber bulb, flush it once or twice (until completely clean), then shake all of the water out. It takes me about 10 minutes. My Pelikan takes half-an-hour because I need to clean that seam, and flush the nib hole in addition to that...

I will second on the vintage eyedropper.

Dillon

Today, I decided to put my Parker 17 into the rotation. It had been "buried" for a bit, and the ink had dried.

The pen has a slide/piston convertor and I held the section under warm running water. I had the water coming coming out of the nib clean in about a minute and 30 seconds. Filled it with PR Velvet Black and went on my way...

Bill...

Can you buy these modified ear syringe/ear bulbs at any pharmacy? Like Walgreens or CVS? I think I need to get one.. how much are they? and what aisle do I look?



Marina,
who is not always on the same page as everyone else...

Yep...find'em in the baby aisle...or in the ear wax removal aisle...

I usually cut the end off about half-way toward the bulb. This means you really gotta twist a section in...but the seal is really tight and you get a good flushing action....

I use the modified syringe with cart filler sections only...

Bill...