How Long Can You Write Before Needing To Refill?

[unicornhallow10866]

hello! So, school is about to start for me, and I am planning on switching to fountain pens instead of using ball point pens. how long would your average ball point pen write ( say you are writing an essay) before needing to refil? Do I have to keep a bottle of ink in my locker or can I just refill my pen before school everyday?

[WayTooManyHobbies]

Unless your pen is extremely juicy, has very little ink capacity, and you write a lot, refilling every day should be very safe. Depending on the pen, you might want to get a sample vial of the ink you typically use (Paperskater here on FPN sells them, or Goulet Pens, I'm a satisfied customer of both) and keep it in your locker.

 

My pens typically last a week or more on a fill, but I'm not taking notes all day.

[Bo Bo Olson]

There is no law against having two pens, perhaps with two allowed for test inks, in two widths, and or width and flexes.

 

 

I would normally think filling in the morning, at home or the locker would do fine.

 

There is no law that says you must use a spiral notebook.

You can use a three ring binder*, use one of the free line making templates, and make wide, medium and narrow lines on the 'good' paper as you wish; for your B, M or F-EF nibs.

A solid three hole paper punch is needed, but should be cheap on the bay.

 

* You can keep a spare ball point in the zip lock bag.

 

Normal 'good' paper is not that terribly expensive costs a couple cans of coke more than the cheap stuff. I suggest 90 g/24 pound or better.

Stay away from ink jet paper in that don't allow for shading....it is 'quick' drying.

Coke is fattening, the Coke that is not fattening is dangerous to your health, due to artificial sweeteners.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Bo Bo Olson

[View from the Loft]

My three children all use fountain pens for school, and all do just fine with a refill every night. My eldest went through the exam season armed with a spare pen, and didn't need to use it once.

 

If your pen is a cartridge/convertor, I would suggest keeping a pack of cartridges in your locker for emergencies but if you follow the golden rule of refilling your pen every night after homework whether or not you think it needs to be filled, I don't think you'll need to use a cartridge.

[lapis]

My most "school-type" FPs are my Pelikanos. Just as an example of something IMO very inexpensive but very trustworthy. I never use cartridges but converters. If I have one filled up to the brim, I can write with it for at least 4 h straight.

 

As mentioned above, keep a cartridge or 2 in your pocket as a spare tire. Even better, carry (or at least buy) 2 pens (same FP brand/model and same nib) since you'll need 2 of these if you want to do any real ink comparisons later.

 

Mike

[FPFan]

hello! So, school is about to start for me, and I am planning on switching to fountain pens instead of using ball point pens. how long would your average ball point pen write ( say you are writing an essay) before needing to refil? Do I have to keep a bottle of ink in my locker or can I just refill my pen before school everyday?

 

There are some really good suggestions here on how you can handle the situation.

 

If you give us some specifics about what pen, ink and paper you will be using some of us might be able to give you a better idea how the combination will work for you. All three make a difference in what you will get out of it.

[A.D.D.i.c.t.]

I just emptied my Lamy Safari's converter today after using it moderately all week since Sunday. You should be ok with a daily fill up before or after school, but I also suggest a backup pen. Is one ever enough?

[wollollo]

Filling every day should be fine. Carry a spare pen or a cartridge just in case. (I always used a second pen, in a different colour, to annotate notes, so had two pens (at least, usually eight or so...) in any case.)

 

Or do what I've been doing: stick a bottle in your bag (a solid one, my Quink bottle lived a year in my bag without any problems) and refill when you run out. You might get funny looks the first time you get a bottle out in class, but never mind. Make sure you have a paper towel handy.

[Gcouch]

Just refill your pen at home. A converter full of ink on my Waterman Hemisphere (with an M nib) will last an average of 2 full school days, sometimes more. I carry every day:

1)Waterman Hemisphere

2)Cross Rollerball (my backup)

3)Ticonderoga (for scantrons)

Really, there's no reason to keep a bottle at school.

[floydee1]

I concur with some of the previous posts - get into a daily(ish) routine of filling your pen. Incorporate that into a habit and you'll never run dry.

 

Granted some pens have a greater ink capacity and may go a few days without a fill. Each pen has character and for me thats the charm of fountain pens - even among same model pens can differ.

 

Know your pen(s) and also whats lined up in your day and fill accordingly. It can be quite therapeutic to fill up and think about whats planned for the day.

 

But as a backup, it doesnt hurt to simply have a (sample) bottle of ink in your locker. I do in my office desk drawer.

 

Floyd