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Traveling Ink Well


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As I sit here,

I have been looking for a traveling Inkwell for several days now. It seems that, if I was a Civil War Soldier, I would have any number of choices for Traveling Inkwells. But for some reason, living in this century, there is only one choice and it costs $70.00 or $105.00 depending on whether you choose the plastic or metal version.

 

I bought a little Rosewood bottle from the 1800's or 1900's and it is quite neat but does not fit the bill. It won't fit into a pen case. I guess Civil War soldiers didn't use pen cases.

 

I'm confused. What happened between 1865 and 2012? Didn't anyone travel? I seem to remember several other people around me at the airport the last time I was there.

 

There are literally no choices unless I am missing something? Does anyone have any insight as to where the traveling Inkwells are to be found?

 

I live on a sailboat 7 months a year and I deliver yachts during the entire year. I fill out logbooks hourly while traveling and could easily use up a penful or two of ink in one trip. A inkwell that would help me to get through a week on the water and would fit into a three pen case would be perfect. I often use a TWSBI 540 and having an inkwell that costs twice the price of the pen itself seems silly. Carrying bulky bottles (or some other contrivance) around is of course an option, but I would certainly like something that would fit into a pen case if possible.

 

Any ideas?

Edited by Quackedo

<span style='font-family: Comic Sans MS'><span style='font-size: 14px;'><strong class='bbc'>"There is an element of truth in all humor." I wonder if that's true?</strong></span></span><span style='font-family: Comic Sans MS'><span style='font-size: 18px;'><strong class='bbc'>Smooth Seas, </strong><strong class='bbc'>Capt Don Q.</strong></span></span>

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Inkwells fell out of widespread use when fountain pens replaced dip pens.

 

A dip pen needs to be dipped every few words or lines, thus needing to unscrew the cap of an ink bottle every time would be a huge inconvenience. Inkwells filled the need for ink ink containers into which a dip pen could be quickly and easily dipped.

 

In contrast, a fountain pen will write many pages before needing to be filled again and the tight fitting lid of an ink bottle prevented water from evaporating out of the ink while between fills. Thus when people needed more ink than their pen would hold, they'd simply take along a bottle of ink and refill from it when needed.

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@tenney

 

I think you lost the "there is only one choice and it costs $70.00 or $105.00 [...]"

“The journey is more important than the destination—that’s part of

life, if you only live for getting to the end, you’re almost always

disappointed.”

 

Donald E. Knuth

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Didn't miss it. The 105 threw me, though. I felt that a specific reference would be helpful.

--

Glenn (love those pen posses)

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You're requirement to fit inside a pen case is quite limiting. A 150x20mm test tube with screw cap maybe. I've found the best traveling ink pot are those 4 dram (75x21mm) amber glass vials with screw caps - you can get them from any lab glassware store.

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Just carry more pens. It works for me. Cartridge pens are also excellent for travel. The MB147 being my weapon of choice.

In omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libro.

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post-89737-0-49709000-1344531425.jpgpost-89737-0-40819200-1344531399.jpgI suppose I'm asking for too much. The cap of the Goulet bottles are so much bigger than the bottles themselves that they don't work for me (great bottles otherwise though). I am still working on a alternative. A Visconti seems the best option. I'll look for one on sale I guess.

 

Maybe I'll build one for myself that does the job. I'd actually like one made out of a nice wood.

 

 

I will also look into the "test tube" idea.

 

 

We'll see.

 

I'm also looking for a case that holds my glasses, spare ink (traveler), and a couple of pens. Leather, would be perfect. I just have to figure out where to carry it (Hip, Breast Pocket, Pants pocket, etc.)?

Maybe I'll make that too.

 

I made a pen carry case for 9 pens already (See picts). I keep the cartridges on the sides and the outside pouch holds ink bottles and my glasses. I used 40 guage Isenglass plastic as an inside backing (very smooth and soft) and lined the holders at the bottom with gore-tex as it breathes and is also soft. Neither of these will damage a pens finish. The rest is made from Sunbrella waterproof canvas.

Works pretty well. I use it every day.

 

Too big for everyday carry when I'm moving a lot though.

 

Decisions, decisions.

 

I'll keep working on it.

Edited by Quackedo

<span style='font-family: Comic Sans MS'><span style='font-size: 14px;'><strong class='bbc'>"There is an element of truth in all humor." I wonder if that's true?</strong></span></span><span style='font-family: Comic Sans MS'><span style='font-size: 18px;'><strong class='bbc'>Smooth Seas, </strong><strong class='bbc'>Capt Don Q.</strong></span></span>

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You're requirement to fit inside a pen case is quite limiting. A 150x20mm test tube with screw cap maybe. I've found the best traveling ink pot are those 4 dram (75x21mm) amber glass vials with screw caps - you can get them from any lab glassware store.

 

The Visconti travelling inkwell is the only inkwell I've ever seen that would fit into a slot in a pen case. Every other inkwell I've seen, both modern and vintage, was either similar to ink bottles in size and shape, or something much larger and obviously intended to be a more less or less permanent fixture on a stationary desk.

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I am not sure that this will work, but here goes.

 

Materials list:

One large (2.0 cc) syringe with a long needle (1.5 inch)

. . . . . . You might have to trim the "wings".

One 3-inch length of plastic tubing

One Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur aluminum cigar tube (my favorite)

 

Draw in a TWSBI-load of ink into the syringe, and secure the

needle cover. Trim plastic tubing to fit around the syringe

plunger, keeping the plunger from ejecting ink. Trim the syringe

"wings" . Slip the filled syringe into the cigar tube and cap.

The yellow cigar tube holds a stick called "Banquet". Enjoy.

 

UNTESTED.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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You can find the Visconti ink pots for a lot less than retail if you're lucky. I have two of them and paid around $30 each.

http://twitter.com/pawcelot

Vancouver Pen Club

 

Currently inked:

 

Montegrappa NeroUno Linea - J. Herbin Poussière de Lune //. Aurora Optima Demonstrator - Aurora Black // Varuna Rajan - Kaweco Green // TWSBI Vac 700R - Visconti Purple

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Not to be an enabler, but some Visconti pens come with a complementary travelling ink well. So you could buy a pen and get the inkwell free! (Not really of course, but I'm sure it'd be easy to convince yourself ;))

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Not fancy but very practical check out the nalgene bottles here.

 

http://www.containerstore.com/shop?showDS=true&Ntt=nalgene&submit=GO

"Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?" Patrick Henry

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Dunno. Like others have mentioned, inkwells fell out of grace when fountain pens rolled in. Also, if you never got the memo, the war was over many years ago... XD

The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of.

Blaise Pascal

fpn_1336709688__pen_01.jpg

Tell me about any of your new pens and help with fountain pen quality control research!

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You're requirement to fit inside a pen case is quite limiting. A 150x20mm test tube with screw cap maybe. I've found the best traveling ink pot are those 4 dram (75x21mm) amber glass vials with screw caps - you can get them from any lab glassware store.

Those look interesting. I assume the neck is thinner than the bottle diameter: How thick can a pen be and still fit inside? Do you also find the smaller bottles, (2 dram, 1 dram,...) useful?

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:headsmack: :headsmack: :headsmack: :headsmack: :headsmack: :headsmack:

 

Despite all efforts, my Jinhao x750 has never been a satisfactory writer.

I am considering converting it to an "eyedropper" pen. If that doesn't

solve my problem, my x750 will be nothing more than . . . . . .

 

A LARGE INK RESERVOIR SHAPED LIKE A FOUNTAIN PEN. :eureka: :eureka: :eureka:

 

You would still need a long-needle syringe, or a slender tube that allows your

TWSBI to be used as a syringe.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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As I sit here,

I have been looking for a traveling Inkwell for several days now. It seems that, if I was a Civil War Soldier, I would have any number of choices for Traveling Inkwells. But for some reason, living in this century, there is only one choice and it costs $70.00 or $105.00 depending on whether you choose the plastic or metal version.

 

I bought a little Rosewood bottle from the 1800's or 1900's and it is quite neat but does not fit the bill. It won't fit into a pen case. I guess Civil War soldiers didn't use pen cases.

 

I'm confused. What happened between 1865 and 2012? Didn't anyone travel? I seem to remember several other people around me at the airport the last time I was there.

 

There are literally no choices unless I am missing something? Does anyone have any insight as to where the traveling Inkwells are to be found?

 

I live on a sailboat 7 months a year and I deliver yachts during the entire year. I fill out logbooks hourly while traveling and could easily use up a penful or two of ink in one trip. A inkwell that would help me to get through a week on the water and would fit into a three pen case would be perfect. I often use a TWSBI 540 and having an inkwell that costs twice the price of the pen itself seems silly. Carrying bulky bottles (or some other contrivance) around is of course an option, but I would certainly like something that would fit into a pen case if possible.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

A LARGE INK RESERVOIR SHAPED LIKE A FOUNTAIN PEN. :eureka: :eureka: :eureka:

Check your PM.

Edited by Sasha Royale

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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I live on a sailboat 7 months a year and I deliver yachts during the entire year. I fill out logbooks hourly while traveling and could easily use up a penful or two of ink in one trip. A inkwell that would help me to get through a week on the water and would fit into a three pen case would be perfect. I often use a TWSBI 540 and having an inkwell that costs twice the price of the pen itself seems silly. Carrying bulky bottles (or some other contrivance) around is of course an option, but I would certainly like something that would fit into a pen case if possible.

 

First of all, your job sounds intriguing. I would love to hear more about it, and your line of work, but I know that's not related to your question... :)

 

I would have said the Visconti Traveling Inkwell as well, but, as you said, "having an inkwell that costs twice the price of the pen itself seems silly."

 

I normally carry a TWSBI, and if I'm traveling for work and worry I may run out, I carry a small Nalgene leakproof bottle (already mentioned) that I picked up at the container store.

 

How about this? Why not carry:

 

  • Your TWSBI
  • A second TWSBI (but not for writing)
  • A Nalgene bottle (in your bag, not on your person, for refilling at night)

 

When your TWSBI runs out of ink, simply unscrew the section off of it, and swap it onto the other TWSBI. At night, fill up both from the Nalgene bottle.

 

So the bottle is your "deep storage" and the second TWSBI body is just an extra "ink store" that you carry on you.

 

At home, I use a TWSBI bottle because it is so easy to fill the 530/540 body via the piston from their special top with no mess. Makes it easy to refill on the fly, though I don't fly with one of those (hence, the Nalgene bottle).

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I like antique traveling inkwells and have a few. This portable desk has one that's attached to the desk. :ninja: It's been in the FPN Classifieds for weeks without getting any attention. :crybaby: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?app=classifieds&module=core&do=view_item&item_id=11731

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7264/7564807930_8ddf731c8c_o.jpg

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