1st FP purchased - few questions

[GoBlue!]

Hi all-

 

Sorry for the newbie questions. Perhaps i just need to be pointed to a website or something with the info.

 

I bought a Waterman Phileas as a 1st, to see if I'd like FP's without plunking down a fortune. So far, I do.

 

The pen came (from swisher) with a cartridge filled with blue ink. That's what I've been using. It did, however, also come with a converter (I assume that's what the thing is that you twist the top and a little plunger goes down & back up). It looks like, from their little figure, that I would put the plunger down, put the tip of the nib in ink, and draw up the plunger. I assume I just then dab off the nib & I'm done. Or is there more to this??

 

Also, I'd like to switch over to black ink now, although I still have the blue ink cartridge in. How do I go about doing this? Does the cartridge get wasted, or does unused ink remain OK in the cartridge?

 

We all have to start somewhere. Thanks,

 

Jim

[Benjamin McFerret]

You are right about the converter, just make sure you put the entire nib in the ink. When you change colors, you are supposed to wash out the nib & feed (the part under the nib).*

 

Yes, the ink in the cartridge will be wasted if you switch inks now but, you can try to preserve it by taping over the top of the cart. I have had some luck with that.

 

Have fun.

Ben

 

*I didn't know the feed from the section when I got my first pen. Forgive me if you already know this.

[Judybug]

Jim,

 

Go here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...ling+cartridges

 

We had a lengthy discussion about various ways of trying to seal cartridges if you want to change colors, mid-cartridge. I'm not sure anybody had an ideal solution.

 

I'm one of those people who like to change ink color on a whim so it would be great if there was a good way to seal cartridges. I've almost quit using cartridges. I have a needle and syringe that I use to refill cartridges for the pens that don't have converters.

 

About filling converters - it sounds like you've got the right idea. I think I'm converter-challenged. When I try to fill the converter by putting the nib in the ink bottle, I seem to get a lot of air in the converter even if I have the nib well immersed. Other people don't seem to have this problem. I must be doing something wrong??? My solution to this problem is to fill the converter with the syringe. Some people say that removing the converter repeatedly to fill it with a syringe may stretch the opening over time. This sounds reasonable so I guess it's better to fill the converter through the nib.

 

Another solution to the problem of changing ink colors - make a list of all your favorite colors and buy a pen for each color. Then you never have to change. Of course, you may go broke if you try to get all these pens at once. <_<

 

Enjoy your Phileas. I have two and love them. Phileas is not my most expensive pen, but it's the smoothest.

 

Judybug

[GoBlue!]

*I didn't know the feed from the section when I got my first pen. Forgive me if you already know this.

Nope, didn't know what the feed is. I'll have to review a fountain pen anatomy diagram somewhere.

 

Jim

[sonia_simone]

There's a ton of fantastic pen reference information at www.richardspens.com. That's Richard Binder's site--you'll see him around these parts from time to time as well.

[GoBlue!]

oh, ok, so if I dip the whole nib & feed in, it's going to get ink all over the place. do i just wipe it off the outside of the feed & nib with some tissue paper & water?

 

thanks,

jim

[southpaw]

*I didn't know the feed from the section when I got my first pen.  Forgive me if you already know this.

Nope, didn't know what the feed is. I'll have to review a fountain pen anatomy diagram somewhere.

 

Jim

Welcome to the fun fanaticism of fountain pens! You're off to a good start.

 

For a dictionary and much other great info on FPs, it's mighty hard to beat Richard Binder's website, which is www.richardspens.com. Click on "Reference Info" on the left, and dig it! It's how many of us learned the basics - and then some (a whole lot is there, actually).

 

Just in case you're not sure on how to flush the pen out when changing inks, here's how I do it:

- If you're using carts, remove it.

- Wash the nib under cold water.

- Put the converter in and, keeping the nib and feed upside down under the running water, fill and empty the pen repeatedly. Keep doing this until the water runs clear.

- Fill it again, the put the pen nib down in a plastic cup stuffed with 2 paper towels. This will wick the water out slowly through the feed a get some remaining ink out. Do this repeatedly until the paper towels are clear afterwards (if you want to be very thorough).

 

Enjoy! It will quickly become a ritual to you and you may even find it a nice distraction and stress break.

 

Hope this helps, southpaw

[southpaw]

oh, ok, so if I dip the whole nib & feed in, it's going to get ink all over the place. do i just wipe it off the outside of the feed & nib with some tissue paper & water?

 

thanks,

jim

Exactly, though I'd skip the water as it tends to make it more messy. Wipe in the direction of the slit - from the section to the point.

[Dr.Grace]

We had a lengthy discussion about various ways of trying to seal cartridges if you want to change colors, mid-cartridge. I'm not sure anybody had an ideal solution.

 

I'm one of those people who like to change ink color on a whim so it would be great if there was a good way to seal cartridges. I've almost quit using cartridges. I have a needle and syringe that I use to refill cartridges for the pens that don't have converters.

In my experience so far, Parafilm works fairly well for sealing cartridges. PM me with your snail address if you'd like to try some. You only need a ca. 1 cm square for a cartridge, so a carton of Parafilm is much more than an individual would need for this purpose and thus might be something for a group of people to buy and divide up.

 

Don

[DRP]

You've asked some excellent and pertinent questions. This is the place to ask.

 

Lots of people are here to help answer your questions. Don't think any question is too lowly to ask. Every question is good and gives others a chance to share their experiences.

[GoBlue!]

Just in case you're not sure on how to flush the pen out when changing inks, here's how I do it:

- If you're using carts, remove it.

- Wash the nib under cold water.

- Put the converter in and, keeping the nib and feed upside down under the running water, fill and empty the pen repeatedly.  Keep doing this until the water runs clear.

- Fill it again, the put the pen nib down in a plastic cup stuffed with 2 paper towels.  This will wick the water out slowly through the feed a get some remaining ink out.  Do this repeatedly until the paper towels are clear afterwards (if you want to be very thorough).

Very helpful, thanks!

 

When you say to hold the nib "upside down" under running water, you mean the nib points skyward, correct? What's the reason for doing this?

 

Thanks for the Richard Binder site information.....LOTS to sift through, I see!

 

Don, I have tons of Parafilm. Thanks for the tip.

 

Jim

[*david*]

The feed (the black plastic under the nib and extending inside the pen) includes the channel through which ink is sucked into the pen. Putting the nib upside down under running water and running the converter piston up and down is just to rinse out the pen. (Instead of running water, you can keep the pen right side up and use a glass of water.)

 

Fountain pen ink is water soluble, but if you get a lot of dried ink caked inside the pen it gets hard to clean out. So rinse thoroughly after writing through a few fills of ink. Use plain cold tap water.

[Michael Wright]

I think I'm converter-challenged. When I try to fill the converter by putting the nib in the ink bottle, I seem to get a lot of air in the converter even if I have the nib well immersed. Other people don't seem to have this problem. I must be doing something wrong???

Hmm, maybe the converter isn't seating properly on the feed. Sometimes it can take a surprisingly hard push to join the two properly. Else, if it fits very easily, maybe the converter mouth has stretched, and the seal isn't tight.

 

Good luck

 

Michael

[Dillo]

Just in case you're not sure on how to flush the pen out when changing inks, here's how I do it:

- If you're using carts, remove it.

- Wash the nib under cold water.

- Put the converter in and, keeping the nib and feed upside down under the running water, fill and empty the pen repeatedly.  Keep doing this until the water runs clear.

- Fill it again, the put the pen nib down in a plastic cup stuffed with 2 paper towels.  This will wick the water out slowly through the feed a get some remaining ink out.  Do this repeatedly until the paper towels are clear afterwards (if you want to be very thorough).

Very helpful, thanks!

 

When you say to hold the nib "upside down" under running water, you mean the nib points skyward, correct? What's the reason for doing this?

 

Thanks for the Richard Binder site information.....LOTS to sift through, I see!

 

Don, I have tons of Parafilm. Thanks for the tip.

 

Jim

Hi,

 

All you really need to do with your pen is fill it with water repeatedly until the water runs clear and clean.

 

Dillon

[southpaw]

By upside down, I mean hold the pen horizontal with the feed pointing up. Running water over it in this position helps wash ink out and, when you operate the filling system, allows it to draw the water into the pen. It's just my shortcut to using and emptying a glass of water repeatedly.

[GoBlue!]

By upside down, I mean hold the pen horizontal with the feed pointing up. Running water over it in this position helps wash ink out and, when you operate the filling system, allows it to draw the water into the pen. It's just my shortcut to using and emptying a glass of water repeatedly.

Ah hah! Makes sense. Thanks.

 

I appreciate all the replies. Richard Binder's site has been great to sift through. Off to write.

 

Jim