Piston fill vs Cartridge/Converter

[Shelley]

I have both types of pens, also aeromatics, that fit somewhere in between but closer to the piston than the C/C I think.

 

For me it is about the pleasure of choosing the ink, selecting the bottle, there is the whole ritual of setting some time aside, getting my bottles of clean water, paper towles, washing, filling and then testing, getting the ink to flow.

 

There is just something about emersing the nib in the bottle and then turning it that I like.

 

I do not get the exact same pleasure from filling a converter, it is a pleasure but its not the same.

 

I do not get that pleasure from slipping a cartridge in-in fact it always makes me slighty nervous, I am afraid I will jam something. I imagine I will get over that in time-its certainly easy to use and not messy. The areomatic system for my p51's are in between as I mentioned, I like pumping it and feeling the weight change and the bladder fill.

 

I also, to be perfectly honest, like the techy aspects of the piston filler, they just seem neater and cooler to me. I imagine that they may be more prone to leaks and damage than a c/c system but am unsure.

 

Now I bring all this up because I am looking at getting the ever elusive "next pen", you who will answer know what I am talking about. I have finally, after much debate, picked Aurora as the manufactuer, and from my earlier post you will know that I am looking at either the Talentum (C/C and tall), the 88 (piston and tall), or the Optima (piston, stubby, tall when posted). In all I am looking at big, black resin and chrome trim 14k white gold nib. Auctually it just a gold nib that is white plated with iridium I think-does not matter). Oh and I am getting an italic nib.

Now I have possibly found a second hand Optima that might fit the bill, the 88 I first lusted after I am still interested in but has come down to 3rd place due to its similarities to my Van Gogh, and would like something slighlt different.

 

This brings me to the Talentum. I love the look of this pen, when I handled one I loved that. Its the flat crome caps, top and bottom-maybe. Not sure, just everytime I see a picture (thanks PinnarelloOnly), I want it more. Its also the least expensive model-just to toss that into the mix. The size seems perfect to me smaller than a Pel 800, bigger than a Pel 600 and about the girth of a Pel 1000 (or prob somewher between a MB 146 and a 149 at a guess). The obvilus problem is that it is a c/c-and will not give me the filling pleasure and the 'techy' feel. Of course its the writing and not the filling that should take precedence in a pen I guess.

 

Ok so that was a very long pre-amble, what are other peoples thoughts on the whole piston vs c/c thing??

[PelikanPenman]

Piston all the way. For a pen the diameter of a M1000 Pelikan a cartridge or convertor just does not seem proper and feels empty. Just my thoughts.

[jonro]

I like them both. Piston fillters, of course, hold a lot of ink and do it reliably. CCs are quick and easy to clean and can be filled by syringe, which means no ink to wipe off of the nib. CCs are also great for travel. If I want, I can empty the converters by syringe before I fly (although I never do). CCs can also be filled by syringe when a bottle is nearly empty. C/C pens are convenient because I can travel with cartridges if I don't want to carry a travel bottle of ink. They both have their pluses and their minuses and I like them both.

[Kelly G]

Try a lever filler or an eye dropper filler!

 

If I have to choose between piston and c/c - it's piston all the way.

[greencobra]

I'm of the piston school of thought. Like 'um a lot not only for the amount of ink most hold but there's no screwing around when filling. Some of my converters I have to muck around with air bubbles and making sure the converter is seated down with a proper seal. Pistons seem to fill full on the first try with no issues.

[DrPJM1]

Almost every pen comes in cartridge/converter because it is supposedly more convenient. I prefer the large ink capacity of eyedropper and piston filled pens. After those, I go with the old types such as lever, button, snorkel vacumatic, etc. If there is no choice, then I get my syringe and fill the converter or the cartridge directly from bottled ink.

[ericthered2004]

I'd put in what I guess might be a minority vote for cartridges: portable, quick and easy, no mess no fuss. They're pricey, it's true, in these United States, but syringes help here. I think my choice is heavily influenced by my growing up using cartridges, and arranging writing habits around them. When I used a piston filler for the first time (the mighty and noble Wality) I discovered I spend a good deal of time taking mirco-breaks when writing, unscrewing, inspecting and generally messing around with the pen. The piston filler just didn't give me enough to tinker with.

 

Cheers,

Eric

[Pendragon]

Well, I prefer piston fillers over converters because the piston fillers hold more ink. That being said, I find the cartidges a lot more convenient when on the road. Having to carry a bottle of ink around on a road trip would be a little annoying IMO. With cartridges, there is no need to worry about spills or leaky bottles. If flying, simply chuck the cartridge and then put a new one in when the plane lands.

[amh210]

If I were comparing 2 identical pens, I would choose the Piston Filler for the same reasons you expressed. However, the CC is sufficiently like a piston filler, i.e., there is not all that much difference between filling a PF and filling a CC through the nib from the bottle.

 

I would choose the pen based on how it writes, the nib, the weight, and afterwards, the look.

 

I have both types, I enjoy both types, but I find pens to differ far more on their writing characteristics than the pleasure of the filling system.

 

I like the choices you are considering; I would just make the choice based on other than the filling system.l

 

Just my 2 cents,

 

Andy

[Tricia]

I like and have both, but I do prefer the amount of ink I can get in a piston-fill and, to be honest, I've never had one that wasn't just an exquisite writer. Don't know if that is coincidence or a factor of the filling system, but there it is.

[alvarez57]

I usually like pistons better (except when cleaning those darn OMAS!) but having discovered that I can fill either a Platinum or a long Waterman cartridge with ink, I can say I agree with jonro.

[kissing]

I prefer pistons, as I am a 100% bottle filler (I despise cartridges).

 

Unfortunately, a majority of pens that I like to write with a c/c fillers, so converters have to suffice. Maybe one advantage of the converter filler is that if you damage the filling mechanism, you can easily replace it with a new one.

 

On the other hand, I have had several converters break on me, creating a huge mess Converters are not necessarily cheap either..

Edited August 28, 2007 by kissing

[Shangas]

Eh...reading this topic has just made me realise something...

 

Is there a difference between a converter and a piston-filler? I thought they were the same thing...

 

And I agree with Kissing - I hate cartridges. My pens are my babies and they drink from their bottles.

[Phthalo]

When I buy a pen, the filling system is the last thing I think about. I refill all my cartridges or converters using a syringe, as I prefer the neatness of syringe-refilling.

 

While I like my Omas and Pelikan piston-fillers just fine, I don't see them as superior to any other filling system.

 

Also, because I am a person always writing with fairly dry XXXF nibs, ink capacity is never an issue. The ink in my pens will dry up before I use it up!

[lterry]

My favorite pens are piston filled. My simple rule of picking my daily pen is piston for daily at home use: however, I like cartidges for travelling with a FP. I'm tired of explaining why I carry ink to airport security staff. During the liquid scare, one actually made me release the ink from my pen.

[Col]

I agree that how the pen writes should be the primary consideration. That, and how it looks and feels in the hand. I tend to prefer piston-fillers, but to spurn C/C-fillers would needlessly discount a number of very fine pens, Sailors and VPs among them.

 

The only thing I dislike about C/C fillers is them not having a universal standard - there are too many proprietary variations.

[Nikolaos]

I prefer piston fillers. I would like to see that there is something inside that barrel that took some sort of designing and engineering skills to put together. Also piston fillers hold more ink (most of the times). For some reason i can't justify spending a lot of money on something with a converter inside, EXCEPT when it comes to Japanese pens. I am a big fan of japanese pens and for that reason i will let the c/c filling system slip. I think a lot of the have very decent converters anyway (vintage pens mainly) and that doesn't bother me at all.

Nikolaos

 

[kissing]

Eh...reading this topic has just made me realise something...

 

Is there a difference between a converter and a piston-filler? I thought they were the same thing...

 

And I agree with Kissing - I hate cartridges. My pens are my babies and they drink from their bottles.

 

A very good question - because I used to think the same a long time ago.

 

A piston filler is a fixed filling mechanism, where the whole barrel is the ink reservoir. A converter refers to the little gagdets, like the ones below that one can take on and off, or replace with a cartridge:

 

http://www.skripta-paris.fr/img/articles/lamy/thumbnails/z26.jpg

Converter

 

 

 

http://www.penseller.com/pens2/pel200anthracitedemo.jpg

Piston fillers (eg: Pelikan Mxxx Range)

 

I believe that your Mont Blanc 149 is a "Piston" filler

 

 

PS: I love your pun on "bottles" and "babies"

Edited August 28, 2007 by kissing

[andyk]

Hi,

 

On the whole I prefer Piston fillers, but if I'm going away for a few days I generally take a pen that takes cartridges as it is less hassle than taking an ink bottle (or just fill up a Pelikan Level which should last for most trips).

 

Andy

[Shangas]

Hey Kissing,

 

Thanks for the explanation. My pen is a Montblanc Meisterstuck 145 Chopin. It's a cartridge/converter filler.

 

Glad you liked my little joke.

 

That said - I would stick with converters. I think having the ability to detatch the filler-mechanism is an important thing. It's easier to replace it if it's broken.