How To Stop Eyedroppers From "burping" Ink

[Sinistral1]

I don't use my antique eyedroppers, Watermans all, 14s, 15s, etc. as much as I want to because they have a tendency to burp ink when I don't want them to do that. Any tips, suggestions on how to prevent this from happening?

[chunya]

Looking forward to any replies to this one. Like you I have a couple that I never use for the same reason including an old MB. The only safety that I can and do use with confidence is my Soennecken,

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Sinistral1 & Chunya,

 

Having a few (new ones) myself; I have found these three things help:

 

1. Make sure the nib and feed are securely set.

 

2. Use dryer inks that are not so free-flowing.

 

3. Keep it full... often times, large air pockets in half-full pens will cause burping.

 

I hope this helps you out... be well and enjoy life.

 

 

- Anthony

[Namo]

Hi Sinistral1 & Chunya,

 

Having a few (new ones) myself; I have found these three things help:

 

1. Make sure the nib and feed are securely set.

 

2. Use dryer inks that are not so free-flowing.

 

3. Keep it full... often times, large air pockets in half-full pens will cause burping.

 

I hope this helps you out... be well and enjoy life.

 

 

- Anthony

+1.

 

Modern feeds work better, but in this case, I don't think it's an option

Edited October 9, 2017 by Namo

[amk]

Reducing the tendency to burp can also be done by introducing glass beads into the barrel. I remember Martin at Manu Propria used wadded cotton, too, in one eyedropper.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi AMK, et al,

 

Yeah, I can see that... the beads would break-up and disperse the air pockets.

 

In that case, you could also use BB's; which are readily available at any Wal-Mart sports department.

 

 

- Anthony

[inkstainedruth]

Hi AMK, et al,

 

Yeah, I can see that... the beads would break-up and disperse the air pockets.

 

In that case, you could also use BB's; which are readily available at any Wal-Mart sports department.

 

 

- Anthony

 

But aren't those made of lead? I'd be concerned with them leaching lead into the ink (not to mention the potential for lead poisoning if you get ink on your hands).

Glass beads sound safer.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[pajaro]

If BBs were made of lead, do you think they would be marketed on BB guns for kids? I think they are made of something else, like steel or another metal. I can see the cotton wadding also. Maybe. My preference is to not use the things. I can't use the flexible nibs anyway.

 

Forgive the font. The smaller ones are hard for me to read.

[ParkerDuofold]

But aren't those made of lead? I'd be concerned with them leaching lead into the ink (not to mention the potential for lead poisoning if you get ink on your hands).

Glass beads sound safer.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Hi Ruth, et al,

 

Some are; most are not... you have to read the package. .177 caliber pellets are generally always lead; however, BB's are usually steel or copper... but you can also get them in lead for when you're using a pellet trap indoors... steel and copper BB's will bounce off of steel or hard wood and come right back at you... soft lead will not.

 

In addition to shooting real guns at a professional range; I also have an air-gun shooting range set-up in my home so I can stay in practice. If you fire a conventional steel BB into a steel pellet trap... or if you miss and it hits hard wood... it'll come right back at you... so for indoor or trap use; you use lead... but conventional BB's are steel. Second most common material is copper... then lead.

 

Most air-gun shooters do not want lead BB's because most BB guns have smooth-bored barrels and lead BB's are always rough-hewn; i.e., they are never truly smooth and as such, can cause damage to the barrel's smooth bore... that is why if you shoot lead BB's you need to use a rifle or pistol that is rated for either pellets or BB's.

 

Perhaps we just move in different circles, but I find BB's a lot easier to find at any Wal-Mart than looking for glass beads at a craft store or some place. Just my two cents.

 

I suppose the bottom-line is either medium should suffice... choose the one you're most comfortable with.

 

Be well and enjoy life.

 

 

- Anthony

 

EDITED to clarify text.

Edited October 10, 2017 by ParkerDuofold

[Mech-for-i]

Small glass beads the best, they are very tough and for certain not reacting with the ink.

[ParkerDuofold]

Small glass beads the best, they are very tough and for certain not reacting with the ink.

Hi Mech-for-i, et al,

 

You have a point; however, if you opt for the most common BB... steel... you shouldn't have any trouble, either; since most nibs are steel, too. Furthermore, Pilot and Platinum both use steel agitators in their converters and cartridges, respectively. I would definitely avoid the copper and lead BB's, though.

 

It's your call, though; frankly, I get by fine without using any agitators at all... I just follow my own advice and keep the pens reasonably full... but to each his own.

 

Be well.

 

 

- Anthony

[ASCIIaardvark]

I got several eyedropper pens from ASA and Gama, and wonder how they're tuned -- they somehow get dryer as I run low on ink, so I've never had trouble with burping.

 

My only hypothesis is a thicker body material. Or for the Gama Sneaky, the ebonite + acrylic body might prevent heat-flow from my hand by that material change (plus I presume some glue connecting the inner & outer body).

[majorworks]

Another suggestion for mitigating burping is to hold the pen by the barrel in your hand, nib up, for a couple of minutes before writing. This warms the pen and ink and expands the air above the ink so it sort of "pre-burps" in dry fashion. Some folks say this helps, others not so much. The real answer, as someone already mentioned, is to keep the pen full. Which, to my mind, negates whatever advantage ED pens have in terms of ink capacity vs. other filling systems.

[Wolverine1]

If lead in the BBs are a concern to you, you can go to a hobby shop and buy some small stainless steel balls. They use them for model making.and they come in different sizes.

[rwilsonedn]

You don't have to obsessively fill your pen every day or stuff foreign objects into the barrel. The burping occurs when heat (usually from your hands, but it could also be from coming out of a winter day into a heated office, for example) expands the air in the barrel, and the air then pushes ink out through the feed. To avoid it, carry and store the pen nib-up, in a shirt pocket if possible. Then after you uncap the pen to write, hold the pen snugly in your hand, still nib-up. This warms the pen barrel to the temperature of your hands, which in turn warms the air in the barrel. As the air warms it expands, and it will escape through the empty feed channels, equalizing pressure. After a minute or two (literally--don't rush it), depending on how much of a temperature difference you are equalizing, just go ahead and write normally. You should have no trouble. Note that the closer to empty the pen is, the more air is in there to expand, so the more religious you have to be about prewarming. Once the pen barrel is warm you shouldn't have to go through the process again until you set the pen down long enough for it to cool back to room temperature. These pens weren't novelties or design failures--they were fine writing instruments. You can expect them to work well once you get into the necessary habit.

Now if after this you pen still secretes drops of ink, you have another problem: usually either a crack or an ill-fitting feed. That is a different subject.

ron

[ParkerDuofold]

If lead in the BBs are a concern to you, you can go to a hobby shop and buy some small stainless steel balls. They use them for model making.and they come in different sizes.

Hi Wolverine,

 

MOST BB's are steel... lead BB's are actually a specialty item... please refer to my post above.

 

 

- Anthony

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Ron, et al,

 

See, that's why I prefer to just keep my pen full to 3/4 full... because having to spend 2-3 minutes holding my pen up to warm it up before I can safely use it would not only be a drag; it would be impractical in a fast-paced business setting... it might even make me a laughing stock... I mean more so than I am already.

 

 

But all of these issues are why I do not use ED's in real world situations to start with... I stick with the far more reliable c/c and piston-fillers for work or outdoor activities and keep the ED's at home where you have optimum conditions all the time.

 

Be well all.

 

 

- Anthony

[frankb3]

If lead in the BBs are a concern to you, you can go to a hobby shop and buy some small stainless steel balls. They use them for model making.and they come in different sizes.

BBs are carbon steel - not stainless - with a very thin copper coating. Not enough copper to prevent rusting. Don't use them. Look for 316SS (Stainless Steel) bearings. They are on Ebay.

[Bluey]

There is one sure way. If you become a zombie then you will no longer give out body heat, and thus your hand will not heat up the ink/air causing changing in air pressure leading to burping.

 

Eliminates burping, guaranteed.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Bluey

[mwpannell]

There is one sure way. If you become a zombie then you will no longer give out body heat, and thus your hand will not heat up the ink/air causing changing in air pressure leading to burping.

 

Eliminates burping, guaranteed.

Interesting solution, but what about ... oh never mind.