Ebonite Pen As An Eyedropper (Safe?)

[rdh]

No matter what the science is, you can reduce the burping by using a modern feed as Brian recommends, but it does not totally eliminate it. My FPN Passoporto still burps when ink levels are low. You can also reduce the volume of the barrel. I have done this with my ebonite Indian eyedroppers by adding beeswax to the barrel (drip it in from a burning candle and then put the barrel into water that is almost boiling to liquefy all of the wax and let it cool) so the volume is halved, which still leaves you with a large ink capacity, but an even lower probability of burping. With the Indian pens, I have also sometimes used a modern NoNonsense feed with the wax trick to almost totally eliminate the burping.

 

By the way, burping sounds kind of quaint, but if you are sitting in a meeting, and several large drops blot onto your notes and gets all over your hands, it is not fun.

 

Dave

[Precise]

I'd like to suggest a reversible way to reduce the volume of the eyedropper barrel.

 

Find a piece of plastic which fits loosely inside the barrel. Plastic supply sellers? Plastic chopsticks? etc

 

Cut a piece about half (or more) as long as the space and drop it in.

 

Alan

No matter what the science is, you can reduce the burping by using a modern feed as Brian recommends, but it does not totally eliminate it. My FPN Passoporto still burps when ink levels are low. You can also reduce the volume of the barrel. I have done this with my ebonite Indian eyedroppers by adding beeswax to the barrel (drip it in from a burning candle and then put the barrel into water that is almost boiling to liquefy all of the wax and let it cool) so the volume is halved, which still leaves you with a large ink capacity, but an even lower probability of burping. With the Indian pens, I have also sometimes used a modern NoNonsense feed with the wax trick to almost totally eliminate the burping.

 

By the way, burping sounds kind of quaint, but if you are sitting in a meeting, and several large drops blot onto your notes and gets all over your hands, it is not fun.

 

Dave

[Karmachanic]

I'd like to suggest a reversible way to reduce the volume of the eyedropper barrel.

 

Find a piece of plastic which fits loosely inside the barrel. Plastic supply sellers? Plastic chopsticks? etc

 

Cut a piece about half (or more) as long as the space and drop it in.

 

Alan

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/234624-redesign-of-the-eyedropper-system/?p=2525886

Edited September 14, 2018 by Karmachanic

[Precise]

I subscribe to the theory that the warmth of the hand expands air in the chamber and pushes ink downward when in the writing position.

 

I carry my pens in my breast pocket (nib up). Perhaps my body heat will push air up and out, rather than ink.

 

Alternatively, does anyone grip the pen, nib up, for a minute prior to writing?

 

All of the remedies like refilling often, and putting things in the chamber to reduce its volume, tend to defeat the advantage of large ink capacity.

 

Alan