Fed Up With Converters

[Budzynski]

Since last few weeks and problems with my Pilot CON-70 and Platinum converters and the fact they have smaller capacity of ink than cartridges I feel quite discouraged from using converters. Buying cartridges is more pricey and in order to get colors from different manufacturers you need to get them in bottles but in my experience, Japanese cartridges feel more sturdier than their European counterparts (Lamy leaked on me few times after reusing a cartridge) so refilling them with a syringe is not a problem. what are your thoughts about on using converters vs. cartridges?

[mr2txaggie]

Budzynski,

 

I, too prefer using cartridges. I feel that I get better flow using carts. With converters (I may not be explaining this properly) it seems that air pockets adhere to the inside wall of the converter worse, causing the capillary action to not flow smoothly. Hope I explained my thought good enough to be understood.

 

Also, you should check the cart when you start to fill it because they do start to wear out. You can use a flashlight or a lighted magnifier putting the cart between you & the light source and check for possible cracks forming.

 

aggie

[Cause]

Cartridges are certainly simpler, but bottled is cheaper and has more colors. Lamy carts are 160% the price of a bottle (equal volumes). Of course that price allows convenience and you can split your purchase into multiple colours.

I often use carts at work or travel but use bottled at home.

Ink flow wise I have not had problems though

Edited September 13, 2016 by Cause

[Olya]

I haven't had problems with converters so far; but for refilling cartridges Japanese are the best, esp Pilot & Sailor (have little experience with Platinum but theirs seem good too), because their mouth is so wide, it doesn't really wear out over time and the carts are easily cleaned as well.

[graystranger]

I prefer the cartridges most of the time and don't mind refilling empty cartridges. On some pens I do use the converters, but usually I don't. The main reason is that I want the extra capacity, especially in Pilot, Platinum, Waterman, and Sheaffer. I've never had a cartridge leak on me before, but I did have a Pilot cartridge seem to get loose after using it for several years, so I switched to a "new" empty cartridge.

 

By the way, Pilot cartridges have a large opening, large enough to fill using a plastic pipette if you are steady and careful. But, I do it over a paper towel just in case.

[ac12]

Some converters do suffer from surface tension effect.

The only 'fix' that I have been able to figure out is to put a stainless steel ball or coil into the converter to fall through the ink and break the surface tension. But I have not been able to open all the converters, Parker and Sheaffer screw piston have resisted all efforts to open them.

 

And yes the filling mechanism takes up space that could otherwise hold ink.

 

So as I see it you have 3 options, assuming you keep the pen.

#1 - use cartridges

#2 - make a bulb filler converter out of an empty cartridge

#3 - carry a second pen. This is what I did in college, even using cartridge ink.

[Arkanabar]

I am more or less of the opinion that one is better off, financially, buying cheap carts and refilling them vs. replacing converters whenever they fail.

This is especially true of both Platinum and Pilot carts, which can both be refilled with polypropylene 3ml bulb pipettes.

However, I have nothing against using a converter with the pen it came with.

[Sasha Royale]

With a converter installed, filling from the ink bottle drenches the nib and feed with fresh ink. I use whatever is convenient. Capacity is not an issue, in my current use profile. Besides, I enjoy the ritual of filling my pen.

[ENewton]

Most or my pens have converters, and I am pleased with them in general. One of my Waterman pens has had the same converter in it for more than twenty years. However, Platinum converters have been a disappointment. After many years of using fountain pens, I had never had a converter fail, but I had to replace two Platinum converters in the course of a year.

[The Good Captain]

I use converters where necessary but don't have an aversion to cartridges. However, the Faber Castell converters seem to be made of a material similar to International cartridges and I've had fewer flow issues with them that even manufacturers' 'Branded' ones.

This is one retail option.

[mallymal1]

I can go either way, but with Pilot and Platinum I tend towards refilled cartridges

[Ted A]

I use either. As far as I'm concerned though, I prefer to use a cartridge to refill with bottled ink. In my Vanishing Point, a cartridge is a necessity. The converter just doesn't hold enough ink. Converters are a bit easier to fill, at least with a relatively full bottle of ink. When I refill a cartridge I will often hold the feed in the ink for a little bit in order to saturate it and get the ink started faster.

 

Some dryer inks are hard to use with a cartridge and a pen that writes on the dry side. With a converter you can push ink into the feed, but that isn't very easy with a cart.

[Bluey]

It's rare that I will use cartridges but I have no problem using them. No problems with most converters either, but Platinum ones have proved to be problematic.

[senzen]

I wouldn't go back to cartridges, too constraining for colours, and more expensive. I've only changed an old screw in Waterman type of converter I suspected of leaking, the one really troublesome is a Platinum converter on a Balance pen, it's really hard to turn to suck in the ink, so much so that it starts disassembling as you turn it. Might have to get some silicone grease to try and fix it.

[wastelanded]

I have a box of different converters, yet 90% of the time I'm refilling a cartridge. Japanese cartridges are the best for this because of the wide opening, as has been said here, wide enough that you can even swab them out with a wet q tip. I've been using the same Pilot cartridge for four years.

[Budzynski]

Budzynski,

 

I, too prefer using cartridges. I feel that I get better flow using carts. With converters (I may not be explaining this properly) it seems that air pockets adhere to the inside wall of the converter worse, causing the capillary action to not flow smoothly. Hope I explained my thought good enough to be understood.

 

Also, you should check the cart when you start to fill it because they do start to wear out. You can use a flashlight or a lighted magnifier putting the cart between you & the light source and check for possible cracks forming.

 

aggie

I thought about surface tension as well so I put a metal agitator from Platinum cart into Platinum converter, however it didn't help much.

 

Some converters do suffer from surface tension effect.

The only 'fix' that I have been able to figure out is to put a stainless steel ball or coil into the converter to fall through the ink and break the surface tension. But I have not been able to open all the converters, Parker and Sheaffer screw piston have resisted all efforts to open them.

 

And yes the filling mechanism takes up space that could otherwise hold ink.

 

So as I see it you have 3 options, assuming you keep the pen.

#1 - use cartridges

#2 - make a bulb filler converter out of an empty cartridge

#3 - carry a second pen. This is what I did in college, even using cartridge ink.

Putting a metal ball from Platinum cart into Platinum converter didn't help to break surface tension, at least in my converters.

My solution is to use cartridges and carry two pens with the same ink (I'm a college student so I can't run out of ink).

 

 

Most or my pens have converters, and I am pleased with them in general. One of my Waterman pens has had the same converter in it for more than twenty years. However, Platinum converters have been a disappointment. After many years of using fountain pens, I had never had a converter fail, but I had to replace two Platinum converters in the course of a year.

My Waterman converter works perfectly, however my Waterman Graduate doesn't get much attention now as I moved on to more higher end pens (at least for a college student!). Platinum converters make me very disappointed, even putting extra time to grease them up and put a metal agitator into them didn't help in my case.

 

I can go either way, but with Pilot and Platinum I tend towards refilled cartridges

Platinum and Pilot cartridges are the way to go if you have these pens.

[justaninker]

Refilling cartridges gives the best of both worlds. I'm generally displeased with the weight of the empty converter (yes I like feather light pens), the small capacity, and the price. Cartridges have very good capacities in general, easy to clean/refill with a syringe, and much cheaper (come with ink too!). After I start to refill cartridges I can never go back

[mirosc]

Actually I like converters for their small capacity in some pens. This makes switching inks easier and leads to a more colorful life

[justaninker]

Actually I like converters for their small capacity in some pens. This makes switching inks easier and leads to a more colorful life

Cartridges don't have to be filled to capacity. I often fill only 1/2 or 1/3 if I suspect I will get tired of the ink soon. A few pens are filled with my workhorse inks and they are always filled to capacity.

[torstar]

Had no idea that cartridges were this popular.