Filling In A Pinch

[Manalto]

Last night while I was out of the house, my Sheaffer Imperial's cartridge ran out of ink. I removed the cartridge and passed it quickly under running tap water, filling it about halfway with (imperceptably) diluted ink which got me through the night - and half of the next day. I realized once again that I had forgotten to properly refill the pen and was separated from my ink supply, and most notably, the syringes that make refilling cartridges an effortless task. I did have one bottle of Diamine 'Grey' handy, so I removed the cartridge, holding the open end upright, pinched it and then dunked the open end into the bottle of ink, releasing the pinch. It sucked up enough to keep me writing this evening (task now complete). I've never been much of a fan of cartridges because of their wastefulness, but I'm becoming a convert. After several finicky, awkward or downright non-functional converters, I'm becoming a believer - especially since refilling mitigates the wastefulness issue. (I realize I have contaminated the Diamine bottle with cartridge ink, but since the cartridge contained diluted black and the bottle gray, I was willing to suffer the consequences.)

 

Do others have methods or tricks that they'd like to share to keep writing when their pens run out of ink?

 

I know, I know - carry more than one pen.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Manalto

[benbot517]

At school a visconti traveling inkwell is in my bag at all times. I always have a pen on hand that uses the color inside it.

[Sasha Royale]

Do you like peppermint candy ? A Vela-mint tin is a convenient way to carry extra cartridges. Squeezing the plastic cartridge has always worked. The plastic cartridge has always cracked after only a few such treatments.

[ac12]

As you noted, sometimes a partial fill with water will give you a diluted ink that will get you a few more pages of writing.

 

I recommend to make it a habit of refilling your pens at the end of they day, or first thing in the morning.

 

In college, I always carried 2 Parker 45s, a primary and backup.

 

Depending on the pen, you could try making your own bulb converter, from an empty ink cartridge and an ink sac. The only thing is, unless you use a PVC or silicone sac, you can't see how much ink you have in the bulb converter.

Edited October 8, 2015 by ac12

[Buzz_130]

Well, you mentioned it. Carry one more pen!

 

In all seriousness, I'm started to learn the signs when the pens are running dry. That's a trip home in the pen wrap for a refill or a likely swap out for the next pen in the rotation. You can also plan on filling nightly (or whatever interval your writing requires) to make sure that your thoughts always make it to the paper.

 

Buzz

[haruka337]

In my experience, when ink from the pen begins to darken, it's time for a refill.

 

As others have noted, I also carry extra fountain pens, just in case.

[Manalto]

I have no doubt that those who suggested I carry a spare pen (even though I mentioned in my original post I knew that was the advisable thing to do) are the same people who inexplicably say, "Watch out." after someone's hit his head.

 

At school a visconti traveling inkwell is in my bag at all times. I always have a pen on hand that uses the color inside it.

 

Thanks. On my way to check this out and/or keep a tin with extras in my bag. The days when we could pop into a drugstore and pick up a bottle of Skrip have disappeared in the rear-view mirror. Sigh.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Manalto

[Algester]

if you dont like to invest in the visconti ink well the Japanese have made something equivalent in the most unexpected form if your into plastic modeling back then as well as mini 4WD modeling Tamiya sells mini paint bottles that is just enough for general filling they are smaller but not taller...

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/298041-fountain-pens-on-airplanes/?p=3470901

this is from their perspective Muji has PP cases that can fit inks unless you dont want to spend more money then a basic tin case is enough

Edited October 8, 2015 by Algester

[Manalto]

I have quite a few old Kodak 35mm plastic film "cans," which would make good, tight containers with little chance of popping open in an attaché case. Unfortunately, the cartridges are a smidge too long in the upright position; one (or possibly two) will fit at an angle - but - that's enough for an emergency. (Or several of the shorter cartridges, of course.) So this is my what-you-have-in-the-cupboard fix for now.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Manalto

[Randal6393]

Visconti, in addition to the traveling inkwell, sells cartridges in a small speed-loader type case. Wouldn't leave home without it.

 

Enjoy,

[ac12]

 

I have no doubt that those who suggested I carry a spare pen (even though I mentioned in my original post I knew that was the advisable thing to do) are the same people who inexplicably say, "Watch out." after someone's hit his head.

 

 

Thanks. On my way to check this out and/or keep a tin with extras in my bag. The days when we could pop into a drugstore and pick up a bottle of Skrip have disappeared in the rear-view mirror. Sigh.

 

 

Well there is the acknowledging that you should carry a backup pen, and actually carrying a backup pen. By pen I mean any writing implement; ball pen, gel pen, pencil.

It is like me saying I need more exercise vs. actually going out and exercising/running. :-( And I really need to loose some weight.

 

In my experience having a backup pen is better than spare cartridges. Because you can quickly switch to the back up pen in seconds, whereas it would take some time (minutes) to change cartridges and get the ink flowing down to the nib.

 

The lack of local places to get ink also drives me to have a much larger stash of ink than I would otherwise. The stationary store where I get my Skrip and Waterman inks is 10 miles away, so I try to include it with any errand/task that takes me near the stationary store. As for on-line, it takes about a week or more to receive an on-line order. So I have to watch when I am running low on an ink. I have a 2nd bottle of my standard inks, to deal with the situation where the dealer may be out of stock, and has the ink on back order, which has happened.

[Manalto]

   

 

Well there is the acknowledging that you should carry a backup pen, and actually carrying a backup pen. By pen I mean any writing implement; ball pen, gel pen, pencil.

It is like me saying I need more exercise vs. actually going out and exercising/running. :-( And I really need to loose some weight.

 

Then the proper action would have been to rush to my aid and hand me a pen rather than reiterate the need to have one. Thanks for explaining your use of "pen" as an umbrella term for a broader range of writing instruments. I use it as a catch-all as well and have been surprised on the rare occasion when someone has asked to borrow a pen; when I hand over a pencil (not to be contrary, but because it's conveniently at hand), I'll get a "No, I need a pen" response. Or vice-versa.

 

I could stand to shed a few pounds too. Despite Irene Dunne's insistence in "Love Affair" (1939) wishing apparently doesn't make it so.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Manalto

[richila]

Last night while I was out of the house, my Sheaffer Imperial's cartridge ran out of ink. I removed the cartridge and passed it quickly under running tap water, filling it about halfway with (imperceptably) diluted ink which got me through the night - and half of the next day. I realized once again that I had forgotten to properly refill the pen and was separated from my ink supply, and most notably, the syringes that make refilling cartridges an effortless task. I did have one bottle of Diamine 'Grey' handy, so I removed the cartridge, holding the open end upright, pinched it and then dunked the open end into the bottle of ink, releasing the pinch. It sucked up enough to keep me writing this evening (task now complete). I've never been much of a fan of cartridges because of their wastefulness, but I'm becoming a convert. After several finicky, awkward or downright non-functional converters, I'm becoming a believer - especially since refilling mitigates the wastefulness issue. (I realize I have contaminated the Diamine bottle with cartridge ink, but since the cartridge contained diluted black and the bottle gray, I was willing to suffer the consequences.)

 

Do others have methods or tricks that they'd like to share to keep writing when their pens run out of ink?

 

I know, I know - carry more than one pen.

I only have one pen that I like to write with. I keep a syringe, 3 paper towels -folded, a 15 ml plastic bottle of ink, and a spare converter in my pen pouch. It takes me less than 1 minute to refill.

[penwash]

Do you like peppermint candy ? A Vela-mint tin is a convenient way to carry extra cartridges. Squeezing the plastic cartridge has always worked. The plastic cartridge has always cracked after only a few such treatments.

 

I find Tic-Tac container to be just perfect for short international cartridges.

Edited October 9, 2015 by penwash

[Noihvo]

 

I find Tic-Tac container to be just perfect for short international cartridges.

And let's not forget that J. Herbin sells their cartridges in tins that are literally made for this purpose.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

The days when we could pop into a drugstore and pick up a bottle of Skrip have disappeared in the rear-view mirror. Sigh.

 

They certainly have. It was maybe only 10 years ago that I went into a local candy store and was surprised to see some two ounce bottles of Sheaffer Skrip Jet Black “writing fluid” at a price that no one could get ink for anymore, I bought only a couple of bottles. I should have bought all of it, including the Skrip Blue.Black. I often lament that I have not scoured the area for old candy stores that might have some ink in the back room. I have an occasional fantasy about finding a store with a box or two of 24 bottles that I could score for $20 or something.

 

But I just can’t scour a big city like that, and by now I doubt that any of the old stores haven’t been driven out or modernized, with the result that their NOS ink got thrown in a dumpster. Sad .