Resealing cartridges

[Possum Hill]

For a Lamy cartridge, a tapered EPDM rubber stopper from McMaster-Carr, their number 6448K87.

 

Another possibility -- their tapered vinyl plug with flange, number 40025K22 or 40025K23.

 

I haven't tried the vinyl plugs yet. I use the rubber ones when I want to remove a partly full cartridge from a pen.

The tapered ones on the Website look almost identical to the cartridge refill kit plugs I have.

What I don't like about them is they seem not to fit snugly, sometimes work their way back out of the cartridge holes which is why I also tape them.

That's a good resource, the Website for McMaster, have it Bookmarked now, thanks.

On the same page as 6448K87 there are something called Trade-Sized Pharmaceutical-Grade Resilient Rubber but I can't tell by the picture if they're solid plugs or hollow caps...

 

http://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/115/gfx/small/92835kp1s.gif

 

I've used Cap-Plugs in many trades I've worked in, thought that if I could find a cap the right size but in rubber instead of the typical red or blue nylon that too might work.

Looking at that page, I'm pretty confident the plugs are solid.

 

I've wondered if some of the caps sold in auto parts stores for closing off vacuum connections on engines might work.

 

For cartridges that seal with a ball, I just stick another ball in, plastic, steel or rubber.

[Beardy]

Thanks for all the tips!

 

I think I might try the sticky-tack + vial (perhaps a nalgene of some size?) and see how it works. But I'm sure that something here will end up serving my travel needs.

 

Thanks again.

[Kabe]

Quite frankly, in my limited experience, the ink does not come out of the refilled cartridge unless you squeeze

[Possum Hill]

Quite frankly, in my limited experience, the ink does not come out of the refilled cartridge unless you squeeze

That sounds like a problem with the pen or pens. As others have posted and I've found for myself, squeezing a cartridge is likely to cause cracks. I refill Lamy, Pilot, Platinum and international cartridges and find they work just like new.

[Ondina]

So very many ingenious ways of sealing carts!. A drop of hot glue has always worked great and without issues for me.

[Kabe]

That sounds like a problem with the pen or pens. As others have posted and I've found for myself, squeezing a cartridge is likely to cause cracks. I refill Lamy, Pilot, Platinum and international cartridges and find they work just like new.

 

I have been missunderstood. I keep my refilled cartridges open, and only thru squeezing do I have leaks

[Possum Hill]

That sounds like a problem with the pen or pens. As others have posted and I've found for myself, squeezing a cartridge is likely to cause cracks. I refill Lamy, Pilot, Platinum and international cartridges and find they work just like new.

 

I have been missunderstood. I keep my refilled cartridges open, and only thru squeezing do I have leaks

Now I see, it was a joke. Some people do squeeze a cartridge after inserting it in a pen, to start ink flow.

[Crim]

It's too bad the companies haven't taken to the idea of making a little screw cap on cartridges. But then again, I guess that might encourage people to reuse them a bit more, and make it harder to sell them as refills.

[Possum Hill]

It's too bad the companies haven't taken to the idea of making a little screw cap on cartridges. But then again, I guess that might encourage people to reuse them a bit more, and make it harder to sell them as refills.

FPN member ZeissIkon posted a design proposal for cartridges intended for refilling. Search might turn that up or perhaps he'll post a linik.

[ZeissIkon]

It's too bad the companies haven't taken to the idea of making a little screw cap on cartridges. But then again, I guess that might encourage people to reuse them a bit more, and make it harder to sell them as refills.

FPN member ZeissIkon posted a design proposal for cartridges intended for refilling. Search might turn that up or perhaps he'll post a linik.

 

The response I got suggested the market would be pretty thin -- really, only people who need to use cartridges and write a lot would find them useful; people who now carry a spare cartridge or two, but want to use inks not available in carts and don't like the available resealing methods. Given the likely cost, I've abandoned the idea.

[Chthulhu]

Vinyl caps from McMaster-Carr, 3/16-1/4 inch ID fit nicely over the "business" end of a short cartridge, and at 1/2 inch long should seal nicely about for half the length of the body. $3.27 for 100 caps, and McMaster-Carr has no minimum order.

[Possum Hill]

Vinyl caps from McMaster-Carr, 3/16-1/4 inch ID fit nicely over the "business" end of a short cartridge, and at 1/2 inch long should seal nicely about for half the length of the body. $3.27 for 100 caps, and McMaster-Carr has no minimum order.

Those caps might be adaptable to member Paddler's trick of using a little blu-tac inside, as he does capping sheaffer carts with a slip-on eraser -- or it might not be necessary.

 

Not only does McMaster-Carr not have a minimum order, they ship fast and don't gouge you on shipping. They also have syringes, dispensing needles, dispensing bottles and lots of useful vials. Also things like 3/4" drive impact wrenches and weird fasteners. Sorry -- I think I'm getting carried away. They're a good source for a lot things.

[Chthulhu]

Those caps might be adaptable to member Paddler's trick of using a little blu-tac inside, as he does capping sheaffer carts with a slip-on eraser -- or it might not be necessary.

Only one way to find out. :-)

Not only does McMaster-Carr not have a minimum order, they ship fast and don't gouge you on shipping. They also have syringes, dispensing needles, dispensing bottles and lots of useful vials. Also things like 3/4" drive impact wrenches and weird fasteners. Sorry -- I think I'm getting carried away. They're a good source for a lot things.

I bought all sorts of things from them for years while working for Snap-on, and I agree wholeheartedly. Also considering the size of their operation, I saw perhaps four errors in orders in nearly twenty years' time, and on the few occasions when UPS or a freight line damaged something, I had a replacement the following day.

Edited September 19, 2009 by Chthulhu

[cvasara]

Three pages on re-sealing a cartridge. Well, with out reading all of page two and only part of page one, I have a thought. Since you are using a converter, why not take that little vile that was mentioned there, and put your favorite ink in it, then re-fill the converter as needed? One of those small 'sample ink' viles would work well, since, well, ink to sample came in the thing? Looks like a pretty simple solution to me, But hey, what do I know?