Ink Bottle' Shapes

[AndreaDuni]

Hi to all,

I was wondering about the opinions around ink bottle shapes and their real usefullness, beyond the shape appreciation.

 

In another thread I inserted also the Stipula Netto in the list, but it is a Capillary System to be applied on the top of a bottle, not a one piece bottle, so here is not included.

 

The list above is an abstract from various ink seller around the web.

 

IMO, best solution is Stipula Netto at home only, and Visconti travelling inkpot both at home and travelling. And I normally use the last one.

 

Here I chose, internal conical systems because I think it is the best way to use nearly the last drop of ink in the bottle.

 

Of course using the converter directly, all bottles have the same usefullness but it is not the subject of this poll.

[Kees]

IMO, by far the most functional ink bottles are those with a separate ink well inside, the pre-Slovenian Sheaffer Skrip type. By turning them upside down you can use the ink almost to the last drop, and the procedure of filling the pen is pretty clean, in comparison.

 

One problem: The poll doesn’t seem to take this kind of bottle into account...

[AndreaDuni]

QUOTE (Kees @ Mar 27 2007, 12:23 PM)

IMO, by far the most functional ink bottles are those with a separate ink well inside, the pre-Slovenian Sheaffer Skrip type. By turning them upside down you can use the ink almost to the last drop, and the procedure of filling the pen is pretty clean, in comparison. One problem: The poll doesn’t seem to take this kind of bottle into account...

The first kind, of course, include also the ink bottles you mean, because internal conical shape has internal ink well due of that internal shape. Also MB for example needs a turning when you finish the ink in the little inkwell inside. So I summed all internal inkwells and internal conical shapes in one category because they both can permit to use nearly the last drop.

 

Edited to correct some typos.

Edited March 27, 2007 by Netnemo

[Kees]

Thanks for making it possible for me to vote!

 

(Not being a pro ink bottler, I was puzzled a bit by your description...)

[FrankB]

I voted Internal Conical Systems, but I agree with Kees. Those old Sheaffer bottles were the best.

[sheafferkid]

Definitely internal conical systems. I LOVE the Sheaffer's bottle. Its INGENIOUS! Already, its getting harder and harder to fill my pens with the Noodler's bottle. Pretty soon I will just pour the rest of the Noodler's into my empty Sheaffer's bottle.

 

Evan

[johnr55]

The ink manufacturers remind me of perfume manufacturers. Shame the Slovenians didn't take Sheaffer's great internal inkwell with them. As I frequently fill with syringes, the bottle shape doesn't matter to me. Except that the short, fat ones are harder to store.

[RLTodd]

QUOTE (johnr55 @ Mar 27 2007, 04:43 PM)

Shame the Slovenians didn't take Sheaffer's great internal inkwell with them.

I am pretty sure it was not economically feasable to tool up t make the inkwell bottle. The things are so well liked I am quite sure that if anyone could get a reasonable return on the setting up cost they would have done it by now.

 

Mr. Tardiff has a famous (for us) statement on why Noodlers had to end up in the bottles he uses so it could meet the target price point.

[Ray-Vigo]

Diamine makes the best looking ink bottle- old style. But the most functional- I've found- to be a Waterman-style where you can just tip it on its side and get the last of the ink out. It's not as nice looking, but it does the job.

[Cloud]

I adore the Montblanc bottles. V shaped area to fill the pen. The cap closes well.

They are the only one which accounts for pens with BIG nibs. Aka Visconti, Montlanc, Danitrio...

 

Second would be Lamy bottles. Nice design but again the pocket isn't deep enough.

 

I absolutely HATE the sheaffer bottles with the V. It's good if you are using a dip pen of a ''hooded nib'' Most of my nibs are too long to fit correctly and thus render the pocket in the way to actually fill the pen.

[Viseguy]

I'm not familiar with all the varieties of bottles, so my choice is based on those I know. My vote went to the Waterman/OMAS type, which can be tipped on its side when the ink level is low. But I also find the Levenger bottle, with its plastic insert, to be quite clever and convenient.

 

Of course, virtually any bottle can be tipped to a convenient angle with the help of a vise -- my preferred method of filling, as you know (or can imagine).

[AndreaDuni]

QUOTE (Viseguy @ Mar 28 2007, 05:25 AM)

I'm not familiar with all the varieties of bottles, so my choice is based on those I know. My vote went to the Waterman/OMAS type, which can be tipped on its side when the ink level is low. But I also find the Levenger bottle, with its plastic insert, to be quite clever and convenient. Of course, virtually any bottle can be tipped to a convenient angle with the help of a vise -- my preferred method of filling, as you know (or can imagine).

I inserted levenger on the list but I used only internet images and those that not explain the internal shape. So if you have a Levenger ink bottle, can you show us the internal? If the little inkwell is on the center of the base, I think it is nearly impossible to use the last drop if around there is a little climb around it. If there is not, sorry but from the pics I saw it seems to be there.

 

Yes you are true that all bottles can be tipped to a angle but not so convenient in the "blind zones" category because of the bottom angle that is not reached from a pen inserted. Try with Pelikan 30ml There is a little part of that internal angle impossible to reach. Same with indentical or similar bottles. In other bottles, the new based area could be too large and it loose the possibility to be used as an internal inkwell (Aurora). In other again there is no other possibility except you want to try the angles putting the bottle in a particular and dangerous equilibrium (Private Reserve).

 

Waterman and OMAS have not this blind angle.

 

Anyway, best solution is the travelling ink pot and with this idea I cannot understand why a producer don't put a rubber ring around the internal neck to use every bottle like a Visconti travelling ink pot.

 

The mechanism is simple: if the pen cannot reach the last drop, let the last drop go to the pen. if you turn upside down the bottle with a proper ring internal to the bottle neck and a pen with the nib safetly and ermetically inserted, you can aspire all the ink in the pen, just because the base of the feed can be putted at the same level of the rubber.

 

As with Visconti travelling inkpot of course it is better to apply with the last drops only because air dilatation is simple than ink dilatation and the piston has not to be force dangerously to this way.

[Viseguy]

QUOTE (Netnemo @ Mar 28 2007, 07:35 AM)

...if you have a Levenger ink bottle, can you show us the internal?

I'm afraid the only Levenger bottle I have is filled with dark brown ink and wouldn't photograph well at the moment. The gimmick, though, is a small plastic reservoir, enough for one or two fills, that hangs from the rim of the bottle, with slits near the top that allow the reservoir to fill up when the (capped) bottle is upended. You insert the nib into the reservoir to fill. Truth be told, I don't know how well it works when the bottle is nearly empty. But it's a comfy way to fill a pen because it removes the worry of ramming the point of the nib against the bottom of the bottle; the reservoir, which is made of a soft plastic, acts as a cushion. I hope that gives you something of a picture.

[antoniosz]

The Parker Penman bottle is the best that I have tried.

It has a plastic "canister" that functions like the old Sheaffer bottle with the "side pocket" (I am inventing words tonight as I can not remember the proper terminology), but it is plastic and one is not afraid that the nib will hit the glass wall.

 

[krz]

It's not my favorite ink but the Montblanc shoe looking bottles are my favorite.

[AndreaDuni]

QUOTE (antoniosz @ Mar 29 2007, 05:24 AM)

The Parker Penman bottle is the best that I have tried. It has a plastic "canister" that functions like the old Sheaffer bottle with the "side pocket" (I am inventing words tonight as I can not remember the proper terminology), but it is plastic and one is not afraid that the nib will hit the glass wall.

Uhm...

The Parker bottle I mean in the poll was the Parker Quink... not the Penman that I have never seen also online...

[MYU]

QUOTE (krz @ Mar 28 2007, 11:29 PM)

It's not my favorite ink but the Montblanc shoe looking bottles are my favorite.

I agree. The MB bottles are super steady, have a convenient shape, high quality cap, and are simply beautiful to behold. I like the side "V" chamber, versus the more common central one (like on Lamy bottles). I've only used their Blue and Black inks and find them quite good. The black seems to have decent water resistance, though I suspect less permanent than Noodler's Eternal and Bulletproof inks.

 

[Mac in Alberta]

I think I'm part of the group that misses the old Sheaffer filling well but voted for Waterman-style tippable bottles.

[kenny]

The MontBlanc ink bottle shape is my favorite as well. However, I find that the inner lining of the cap comes out on many of my bottles. Maybe they're using a cheap glue?

 

 

[Paddler]

I haven't voted yet; I don't know what a "blind zone shape" is. However, I have found what I consider to be the ideal ink bottle shape. It is a Pelikan bottle shaped a bit like a stretched-out Z. It was made by Gunther Wagner and contains India ink for fountain pens ("shake well before using"). It contains 1 - 1/4 oz of ink. Whazzat - 38 ml? Anyway, you tip this bottle over onto its back and the ink glugs into the part of the bottle under the cap. You can't get the very last drop from a bottle because most pens lose suction when the ink level falls below the section grip. However, this bottle comes as close as any I've seen yet.

 

Paddler