Anyone Buy Cartridges At All? Just Curious.

[mitto]

If you make them a tad bit shorter they will fit into the 1960s Dolphin and Inlaid Imperial cartridge pens with the black plastic threads. If you try to screw the section down all the way with an unmodified converter, it will crack the barrel. I have bought one new barrel doing this, so don't try it.

 

The unmodified squeeze converter with the red front disk fit into my red translucent barrel school pen with the rounded ends. I found it would not fit into any of the pens with more squared off ends.

I use the unmodified full size squeeze converter (with the black front disk) with my round ended first generation school pens. No problem at all.

 

 

 

 

[drjmb]

While I use converters (or pens with reservoirs) because I like and use different inks, I actually prefer cartridges for all of the obvious reasons and the somewhat subtle haptic nuance feedback that the pen performs better!... or maybe just seemingly. However, I can only recommend these for Waterman's ink cartridges and the (erstwhile) Sheaffer cartridges, both of which came in some pretty good colors. Waterman's ink is simply the best. I have four Sheaffer's Levenger Seas 14kt and one Sheaffer's Connaisseur 18kt (sic). I use Sheaffer cartridges of yellow/gold ink in my Caribbean yellow Seas and black in my black Connaisseur.

[AL01]

I buy 'em here and there...

 

But sometimes you have to sand the new cartridges down so then they can comfortably fit in some plastic vintage Sheaffers...

[JohnD5633]

Haven't even thought of cartridges for years. What a throwback.

[pajaro]

I have actually begun to refill cartridges with a syringe. I never used to like this idea, but it is less expensive than buying a button converter (at least $30) for every pen that needs one, which means for those pens where the squeeze converter is too long and the piston converter also won't fit. So, I bought several packages of cartridges with mostly evaporated ink. Presumably they will last until I kick the bucket.

[Olya]

I always have carts for all my pens, so if I buy a pen from a brand for the first time which has its own proprietary carts, I also buy about two boxes of carts along with it and a converter or two as well. I don't use new ones that often, but I like to have them if I go travelling, or when an old one wears out to have more on hand to refill, and at times because they are just practical and I want to use the manufacturer's ink.

I have recently started to refill carts even when I have converters for pens.

[MaxP]

This has been quite helpful. I rummaged one of my drawers and found some NOS cartridges. I loaded one and its doing quite well.

 

However, if I want to do a refil, where do I get a syringe and

what kind of syringe?

[chromantic]

^^ MaxP - Amazon, search for "blunt syringe". Mine were 2 for $4.50 iirc. Be warned, 'blunt' does not mean 'not sharp'.

[Aquaria]

I vary between cartridges, converters and piston/vacuum fill pens, depending on my needs. I used to be in the piston/vacuum fill or bust crowd, but I've changed my mind about that, since reality dictated it.

 

I have an Ohto Tasche that takes only cartridges. It's my Midori Passport pen, and my Passport always goes where I go, so I always need cartridges for it.

 

I have a bunch of cartridges that come with new pens. Rather than waste them, I use them.

 

I have some pens dedicated to tasks that don't require frequent or prolonged writing, but that I need inked up and ready to go at all times. Short international cartridges are ideal for things like that.

 

Sometimes when I'm buying ink or pens, I get close to a "pay this and get free shipping," and a small pack of cartridges are an inexpensive way to put me into free shipping land. After buying them, I'm not about to waste them.

 

I once bought cartridges simply to get the container they came in. I now use that container as travel storage for my other cartridges. The Edelstein case is metal and slim, so it's both sturdy and doesn't take a lot of room in a pen case. I now no longer worry about cartridges rolling around or possibly getting squished/leaking in my pen case. Which made it the ideal case for what I needed.

 

Cartridges can be quite convenient on the go. I usually have one of my Pilots inked up with Namiki Blue in the con-50 converter. But if I have an especially heavy writing day with my classes and it runs out, I have a backup cartridge of the same in my Edelstein case.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Aquaria

[mzoeller]

I tossed 18-20 Sheaffer carts a couple of months ago because they were almost dried up. Wishing I'd seen this thread before that! I learn something new everyday on FPN!

[CraigR]

I have 3 Sheaffer's school pens that take cartridges. A couple of years ago, I bought a bulk auction on Ebay that included about 90 Sheaffer's cartridges assorted in Blue and Blue/Black. These pens and cartridges are in my regular rotation and I love writing with them.

 

Besides the above, I regularly use cartridges in my Levenger True Writer pens. Favorites are Levenger and Private Reserve inks. My Montblanc Traveler 147 only takes cartridges.

Edited January 13, 2018 by CraigR

[mitto]

Last year a antique dealer friend gifted me a box full of vintage carts. Parker, Sheaffer and Waterman. Some international too. The carts are both short and full size. Might be around 200 carts mixed.

[LanceSaintPaul]

I think I have about all the carts I will need. Once you get an adequate number for a given cartridge format then you get a syringe...and perhaps a hot glue gun....

[Jimbo1952]

I want to purchase ink cartridges for my older Sheaffer cartridge pens--the ones commonly referred to as "school pens" in the 1960s and 1970s that came in several translucent colors (with either rounded ends or conical ends). I've seen several different packaging styles for Sheaffer cartridges on eBay and also some in the stores. Even after reading this (and some other threads), I suppose I am not entirely certain about what to purchase. Mainly I want to be sure that whatever I buy will work.

 

There are both Sheaffer "Classic Ink Cartridges" and also Sheaffer "Universal Ink Cartridges." I assume the "Universal" will not work.

 

Will any/all of the Sheaffer cartridges that are labeled "Classic"--regardless of packaging style and regardless when they were manufactured--work in the older Sheaffer "school pens?" Or do I need to avoid a particular style of packaging or avoid a certain place of manufacture (such as Slovenia)? To be specific, there are the (1) older (original?) Skrip cartridges in the bright yellow and light blue box and (2) the red box with the white dot prominently on the box and (3) the silvery box with the newer black/red circle logo that are made in Slovenia and (4) the current packaging found in stores today (same logo as in the silvery box). Will any of these work?

 

When I used these cartridges in the 1960s, I remember that you could drop either end of the cartridge in the barrel. From what I've read, it seems the "Classic" cartridges that came later are possibly designed to only be inserted in one direction. Is this true? I suppose I will discover the answer to this when I purchase the cartridges, but thought someone could provide the answer.

 

I know a lot of people refill cartridges with a syringe. It's been mentioned in this thread. If I buy older cartridges, will I run into any problems with refilling? For example, does the plastic deteriorate after so many years such that the older cartridges are no longer serviceable? Secondly, how long does the ink last in the older cartridges--shall I expect that the ink in some/most of the older cartridges will have declined to some degree so that the cartridges may only be useful for refilling?

 

 

[cherylmarie]

Sheaffer cartridges haven't changed through the years. The classics you can buy on Amazon or at the office supply store will work fine in your school pen.

I fill the old ones with bottled ink by using a syringe. I don't think the plastic deteriorates, but the hole that is punctured in the end of the cartridge might gain a little more play with continuous on-and-off. I've had some start to leak at that point, that's when it's time to throw the cartridge away.

Old cartridges sometimes have the ink evaporated in them. You can add water to reconstitute it. As long as the cartridge has never been punctured, it's good to go with water.

[mitto]

+1

[pajaro]

I want to purchase ink cartridges for my older Sheaffer cartridge pens--the ones commonly referred to as "school pens" in the 1960s and 1970s that came in several translucent colors (with either rounded ends or conical ends). I've seen several different packaging styles for Sheaffer cartridges on eBay and also some in the stores. Even after reading this (and some other threads), I suppose I am not entirely certain about what to purchase. Mainly I want to be sure that whatever I buy will work.

 

There are both Sheaffer "Classic Ink Cartridges" and also Sheaffer "Universal Ink Cartridges." I assume the "Universal" will not work.

 

Will any/all of the Sheaffer cartridges that are labeled "Classic"--regardless of packaging style and regardless when they were manufactured--work in the older Sheaffer "school pens?" Or do I need to avoid a particular style of packaging or avoid a certain place of manufacture (such as Slovenia)? To be specific, there are the (1) older (original?) Skrip cartridges in the bright yellow and light blue box and (2) the red box with the white dot prominently on the box and (3) the silvery box with the newer black/red circle logo that are made in Slovenia and (4) the current packaging found in stores today (same logo as in the silvery box). Will any of these work?

 

When I used these cartridges in the 1960s, I remember that you could drop either end of the cartridge in the barrel. From what I've read, it seems the "Classic" cartridges that came later are possibly designed to only be inserted in one direction. Is this true? I suppose I will discover the answer to this when I purchase the cartridges, but thought someone could provide the answer.

 

I know a lot of people refill cartridges with a syringe. It's been mentioned in this thread. If I buy older cartridges, will I run into any problems with refilling? For example, does the plastic deteriorate after so many years such that the older cartridges are no longer serviceable? Secondly, how long does the ink last in the older cartridges--shall I expect that the ink in some/most of the older cartridges will have declined to some degree so that the cartridges may only be useful for refilling?

 

 

 

I bought a couple of lots of old style cartridges on ebay. The 1960s style of cartridges. You can see them in the ads. Most have been scored for puncture on one side. They work. You can refill them with a syringe. If there has been evaporation, you can add water and the ink will be ok. You can refill them many times before the hole expands and won't grip the nipple on the section. If there is dried up ink of a color you do not like, you can use a syringe to wash it out of the cartridge. These cartridges work in my translucent school pens and the other school pens.

Edited January 30, 2018 by pajaro

[Jimbo1952]

Thanks. I just bought some of the "Classic" Sheaffer cartridges on eBay. It's nice to know that I can buy with confidence after reading your responses.