I Got My New Parker, Put The Ink Cartridge That Came With It In And It Won't Work

[aussielondon]

Am I even putting it in the right way?

I heard a click as if it punctured, but nothing is flowing, am I just stupid or something?

[Tas]

Go on, give it a little squeeze . . . http://emoticoner.com/files/emoticons/smileys/sneaking-smiley.gif?1292867675

[Christi0469]

All new pens shoule be flushed before use. You could also try gently sqeezing the cartridge to get things going.

[Beechwood]

_{A little pateince and if that doesnt work a flick of the wrist}

Edited September 5, 2014 by Beechwood

[aussielondon]

_{A little pateince and if that doesnt work a flick of the wrist}

I threw it at the wall (with the cap on) and now it works, so thanks for the tip (even if I took it a bit further haha)

I do now have ink all over my fingers though.

At least the pen works!

[Lyander0012]

Um, you did WHAT? )

 

I'm hoping that you were kidding about throwing it against the wall, since fountain pens aren't exactly ballpoints (though I do occasionally refer to my beater pens as throwabouts, I don't mean that literally). Anyway, yeah, when the cart is used up it may be wise to do as advised by the others and flush thoroughly with water, with maybe a drop or two of dish washing liquid tossed in.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin

[Bo Bo Olson]

All new pens need to be washed.

You need a rubber ear syringe for C/C pens to clean them quickly and thoroughly.

 

Yep, one of the trials of a cartridge is it has to be bent a bit...squeezed when the feed is dry.

 

Patience is a great key to fountain pens.

 

So let me tell you the secret to fountain pens. They are not ball point pens, and have to be held behind the big index knuckle, at 45 degrees, or at the start of the web of the thumb at 40 degrees or at 35 degrees in the pit of the web of your thumb....letting the pen find it's own resting place.

Lighter pens settle more towards 45 degrees, heavy pens more to the pit of the thumb.

 

If you continue to hold the pen like a ball point, it will be scratchy feeling and skip.

 

Posting your pen is ok...it will give it more back weight...could even give you more balance. That depends on how big your fountain pen is...if it's standard size or medium-large post....

.if it's a Large pen, don't...or it will be top heavy.

 

A fountain pen glides in a small puddle of ink, so no force is needed.

 

Using a ball point is like plowing the south forty with out a mule. You have the 'Death Grip'....and the deadly Kung Fu Thumb Pinch...that you had to have to use a ball point pen. Look up 'Death Grip' in advanced search.

 

Fountain pens are more an arm and shoulder movement, not the finger movement of a ball point.Some folks move the paper as they write...which is something to do, if you continue to finger write.

 

Hold the pen like it's a baby featherless bird..... don't made baby bird paste.

 

See how lightly you can just hold the tip of the nib to the paper....it will glide in that puddle of ink all by it's self.

That is one of the reason's there is less fatigue; hand cramping when using a fountain pen.

 

Really there is no Mexican Jumping Beans in the fountain pen, it won't jump out of your hand. Hold it lightly, let is glide.

Being ball point ham fisted is curable. Most of us started out ham fisted....and eventually achieve a Light Hand, or lighter at least.

 

Remember London wasn't built in a Day.

 

Go to Richard Binder's site. It is the basics of fountain pen, nibs, filling systems and good advice about inks...should take you @ 3 days to get through it.

On this com there will be lots of talk of nibs; width and flexes...and grinds. So read Richard first.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[bullet08]

it takes some time for the ink to saturated the feed then reach the tip of the nib. usually giving it some time with nib down helps. otherwise, flex the nib a little gently. soon it will work. some pens do need to be flushed. others doesn't seem to make any difference. i notice Kaweco Sport series have good amount of what seems like machine oil in the nib and section. i usually flush them.

 

pete

 

edit: kicking and throwing works too.. but that shortens the lifespan of the product. sometimes to the moment when you throw them.

Edited September 5, 2014 by bullet08

[Anirban4u]

Please, don't throw fountain pens around ....

 

If you are a fan, do the "Wingardium Leviosa" spell from Harry Potter (Sorcerer's Stone), if u are not, look it up in youtube... It's called Swish and Flick. (remember to keep the shiny metal tip away from you)

 

Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it eventually, coz fountain pens work best only on a specified range of angle. If you stick with it, your pen will 'teach' you how to write.

 

Cheerio

 

 

*typos

Edited September 5, 2014 by Anirban4u

[Algester]

chuck in the cartridge

get a paper towel

put paper towel on nib

wait

if you see ink blot

write

if you no see ink blot

squeeze converter till ink blot drop

write

else get converter and ink bottle

[MrThoth]

 

 

So let me tell you the secret to fountain pens.

 

That was not only fine advice, it was practically poetic. Perhaps you should make a YouTube video or two demonstrating what you're talking about.

[Anirban4u]

chuck in the cartridge

get a paper towel

put paper towel on nib

wait

if you see ink blot

write

if you no see ink blot

squeeze converter till ink blot drop

write

else get converter and ink bottle

forgot exception handling ?

 

#justgeeks

[aussielondon]

Well it writes beautifully, and better than I expected, and it's the first time I have used a fountain pen!

It's a total stainless steel Parker vector so it's tough, and i threw it with the cap on, and it's ok (was a light punt at the wall).

 

Going to start writing my love letter and some poems to my girlfriend now.

 

This pen feels so smooth to write with, and doesnt give me the wrist pain that ball pens do!

Why do people even use ballpoint pens?

[Bo Bo Olson]

Another convert!!!!!

I was there for the start of ballpointism, remember well the day my father left the Snorkel at home (no BS), to take the cheap Government issued black Skillcraft to work. Click and go....and was free...to the military and department of defense civilians. It wrote through grease when working on boat motors, that needed little tags or something...he was in the AF of course. A bright Texas day in '54-55. Kids do have sharp eyes.

So blame it all on the Government wasting money, giving away ball points for free. Giving it's official approval.

 

Thank you very much, Mr.Thoth.

 

Unfortunately, I'm still stuck in the stone ages of a smarter than me typewriter.

My brand new scanner has sat for months and never been used.

 

Ah for the old days; when one goes to the wall, takes the horn in one hand, cranks the telephone with the other and "Hello Mable, give me Alice".

Since then technology has gone nothing but down hill. My one is supposed to remember numbers. Then there are all these 'Gentlemen' carrying and showing off all these newfangled ink blot makers.. I'll never buy anything from Mr. Waterman again.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Anirban4u]

@aussielondon, so finalized the paper & the ink ?

 

What nib grade vector are you using ? (I thought that it had only F and M ?)

 

In my country vectors and frontiers are cheap, but NO QC at all (D@mn you Luxor...)

[Ron Z]

All new pens need to be washed.

 

Nonsense. While I will concede that some pens would benefit from being cleaned and flushed, what happens with C/C pens is that it takes time for the ink to flow through and wet the feed, so shaking or other such activities may be needed to move the ink towards the tip with the first fill. Yet another advantage of using a converter and bottled ink to fill a pen. If the pen is stubborn and won't write, you may want to clean and flush. But to say that all pens need to be washed is a rather broad statement.

[Algester]

 

Nonsense. While I will concede that some pens would benefit from being cleaned and flushed, what happens with C/C pens is that it takes time for the ink to flow through and wet the feed, so shaking or other such activities may be needed to move the ink towards the tip with the first fill. Yet another advantage of using a converter and bottled ink to fill a pen. If the pen is stubborn and won't write, you may want to clean and flush. But to say that all pens need to be washed is a rather broad statement.

I agree with you the ritual of cleaning a brand new pen seems kinda strange... unless one trully likes the pen because I dunno according to Dan from FPgeeks not cleaning the pen and solely relying on the manufacturer's handling and cleaning will be the best first impression you get from the pen on first inking and performance

[aussielondon]

@aussielondon, so finalized the paper & the ink ?

 

What nib grade vector are you using ? (I thought that it had only F and M ?)

 

In my country vectors and frontiers are cheap, but NO QC at all (D@mn you Luxor...)

I am using plain writing paper from Tesco cost me £2 for 80 sheets and it's lined, so thats a bonus, but I may re-write it on better paper to be honest.

 

As for the pen nib, I am really not sure what size nib it is as I got this on ebay, and yeah they are pretty cheap, got it for £9 (UK pounds).

It does seem to write fine though, but I assumed it was going to be a medium.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I believe it's marked on the bottom of the feed.

 

Edited September 5, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[aussielondon]

I believe it's marked on the bottom of the feed.

 

Has a "F" indented under the feed, so then seems I got a fine one, I was actually hoping for a Medium, but I heard that fine is better?