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Limited Varieties Of Filling Systems For Japanese Pens ?


Patrick L

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...Is it actually the weak side of Japanese fountain pens ? Fabulous nibs , barrels , color , finishing , etc , but only cartidge/converter and eyedropper filling systems until very recently ?

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even though it's older tech, i believe the eyedropper filling system is superior. you can keep the nib spotless clean because you don't have to plunge it in ink every time you fill, plus the ink capacity is incredible.

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Although I don't like C/C nearly as much as I like piston fillers, I'd be happy using almost any filling system, even vacuum and squeeze converters, if the pen writes well. Given how small some converters are, I've actually come to appreciate eyedroppers all the more, since they approach if not exceed piston fill capacities.

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I wouldn't call the Nakaya fish-maki-e converter a weak filling system.......

 

I prefer c/c to eyedropper, easy to clean, easy to fill, easy to change inks- and no messing with tail-valves or eyedroppers.

 

:meow:

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SignalboxCat

 

 

speak truth unto power

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I see this as a weakness. They really could improve on this. But I don't buy cartridge converter pens as in general, so the fact that I keep buying Japanese pens is a testament to the other features they offer that make them worth buying. And to be fair, their c/c's are better than western ones, since they have the wider mouth for better ink flow.

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...Is it actually the weak side of Japanese fountain pens ? Fabulous nibs , barrels , color , finishing , etc , but only cartidge/converter and eyedropper filling systems until very recently ?

 

It's quite the opposite. There were many more filling systems in the past but modern Japanese pens have been C/C since probably the 60's and 70's.

 

Pilot had a number of different filling systems in their vintage pens from twist fillers, switch fillers, levers, plungers etc. I have a Sailor with a true aerometric filling system (i.e. it has the breather tube). I have two Platinum piston fillers. Of course, all three made Japanese style eyedroppers. I've seen a few vintage Japanese piston fillers from a few smaller makes.

 

Almost all of the filling systems were abandoned with the coming of cartridges. I don't think high capacity filling systems are a big selling point in the domestic market.

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As I prefer c/c pens, I don't perceive this as a weakness. However, I understand that others prefer other filling systems, such as pistons, and so I can see how the lack of variety could be seen as a weakness. At the very least, a frustration.

 

Me, I like having the cartridge option if I'm going away for a few days, not having to bring a bottle of ink.

 

Then again, I prefer Noodler's Walnut in my Nakaya Negoro... so... if I want to use that pen or that ink, then I have to bring the bottle along.

 

I think it's a weakness that Platinum doesn't offer Noodler's Walnut as a cartridge option. Okay, okay, maybe I'm being unreasonable... I'm just sayin'.

 

P.S. I haven't built up the nerve to cover the metal threads of the Negoro in order to use it as an eyedropper, but that would probably solve the "going away for a few days"-Noodler's Walnut quandary for me.

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  • 1 year later...

how does one use a vintage pilot converter that is the small metal tube with a lever? it appears to be a small pump, but i don't seem to get any ink in the bladder. what am i doing wrong?

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Modern --currently on production-- Japanese pens have a BIG number of filling systems:

 

C-C: (mostly) all Japanese brands

Piston: Pilot Custom 92 and Sailor Realo

Plunger: Pilot Custom 823

Button filler: Eboya-Nebotek

Eye-dropper: Pilot (in Namiki-branded models), Eboya-Nebotek

 

How many filling systems in German or Italian pens?

 

Cheers,

 

Iosepus

Bruno Taut - Crónicas Estilográficas (https://estilofilos.blogspot.com)

The contents and pictures of this post belong to the author, here identified as Bruno Taut.

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As I prefer c/c pens, I don't perceive this as a weakness. However, I understand that others prefer other filling systems, such as pistons, and so I can see how the lack of variety could be seen as a weakness. At the very least, a frustration.

 

Me, I like having the cartridge option if I'm going away for a few days, not having to bring a bottle of ink.

 

Then again, I prefer Noodler's Walnut in my Nakaya Negoro... so... if I want to use that pen or that ink, then I have to bring the bottle along.

 

I think it's a weakness that Platinum doesn't offer Noodler's Walnut as a cartridge option. Okay, okay, maybe I'm being unreasonable... I'm just sayin'.

 

P.S. I haven't built up the nerve to cover the metal threads of the Negoro in order to use it as an eyedropper, but that would probably solve the "going away for a few days"-Noodler's Walnut quandary for me.

 

Visconti Traveling Inkpot

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

-Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

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The only weakness that I can see in Japanese (or indeed any manufacturer's) C/C pens would be their ink capacities.

IMHO, for an inexpensive & replaceable item, Japanese converters are very precisely made.

However, it would be a big improvement, if all the manufacturers would design models with a Pilot Con-70's capacity.

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*Sailor Pro-Gear Slim Spec. Ed. "Fire",14k. (factory) "H-B"

*Kaweco SPECIAL FP: 14k. "B",-0.6 mm BLS & 14k."M" 0.4 mm. BLS (PB)

*Kaweco Stainless Steel Lilliput, 14k. "M" -0.7 mm.BLS, (PB)

 

 

 

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The only weakness that I can see in Japanese (or indeed any manufacturer's) C/C pens would be their ink capacities.

IMHO, for an inexpensive & replaceable item, Japanese converters are very precisely made.

However, it would be a big improvement, if all the manufacturers would design models with a Pilot Con-70's capacity.

 

i agree with you; however, i still would like to know how to use the converter i described (slim metal tube with small long bladder and lever at end that folds down to the side or stands vertical as pump ) that is not removable on the vintage pilot. i push down on the button of the converter and still draws little to no ink.

 

please help!

 

ed

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