Pelikan Edelstein In Cartridges And Also Flying With A Filled Pen?

[Intensity]

Normally I take a clean fountain pen with me on trips and pop in a fresh cartridge when I land. I never use cartridges otherwise and prefer to fill from bottles. The purpose of using cartridges this way is to avoid ink leaking out in flight due to changing air pressure. Usually I've been using J. Herbin Lie de The in cartridges, but now I'd like to write more with Pelikan Edelstein Smoky Quartz, as it has more of that old manuscript look I like for my travel journal.

 

I remembered that there were Pelikan Edelstein ink cartridges and went to look on-line for Smoky Quartz. But, it appears, that ink was never released in cartridges -- is that right?

 

Given that limitation, I wonder about filling a pen with Smoky Quartz at home and risking a couple of long flights. As I usually just leave the cartridge I start on my trip in the pen when flying home, I'm encouraged by the fact that so far there has been no leaking when I check the pen on my return. So now I wonder if it'll most likely be fine for me to travel TO a place with a pen filled to begin with. Perhaps as long as I don't open it in flight (which I never do anyway) and take one that seals well? Cabin pressure has generally been better nowadays, especially with newer planes (like the Dreamliner)--perhaps it's been a contributing factor.

 

Would you say it's better to take a converter-fill pen or a well-sealing piston filler for this exercise? I don't have one of those pens with an ink shut-off valve, so my only options are vintage lever fillers, Parker 51 Aerometrics, cartridge/converter fillers, and piston fillers.

[Noihvo]

[Karmachanic]

Fly with the pen full and nib up.

This is where converters come in handy, as one can hold the pen nib up and dispel any air. Piston probably the same, but I haven't tried that as yet.

[aurore]

You might find it ridiculous, but wouldn't filling international long cartridges with a syringe and wrapping the neck of those with a plastic kitchen wrap work?

[tamiya]

No idea on the existence of later Edelstein carts... haven't seen any downunder, but then we're running short on Local Pen Shops where I could see them too.

 

 

Cabin pressure has generally been better nowadays, especially with newer planes (like the Dreamliner)--perhaps it's been a contributing factor.

All modern planes are fully pressurised these days, both cabin & cargo. Most of the time they're carrying fragile cargo too and they'll turn the cargo heaters on (at expense of more fuel burn)... haven't had my checkin suitcases come out frozen and dripping with condensation for many years now.

 

Wouldn't worry about FPs burping in flight, not from pressure anyway - imho there's more chance of you dropping your bag or getting jostled in overhead bin to shake out some ink. One trip earlier this year I had 4-5 inked pens in my carryon, no dramas.

 

To avoid mess I'll usually try to ziplock bag them or use a pencil box to contain any minor leaks. I also carry an empty Avex travel mug... if I didn't have any better place to stash my pens, I'll stick them inside that flask