Ink Bottles/inkwells With Inserts? (A La Levenger.)

[cursivator]

I'm looking to buy a bunch of empty 50ml(ish) ink bottles(or inkwells, but they get expensive) that have a system like the Levenger ones, in which you turn the bottle upside down and it fills a little inner cup (top well?) into which you can then dip the nib for a nice smooth fill -- thus also preventing having to tip the bottle, reach into the nether regions, etc., when the ink gets below a certain level (and there's usually a LOT of ink left at that level.) Can't find 'em anywhere except at an OUTRAGEOUS cost (such as the TWSBI bottles Goulet sells for $25 a pop.) There are individual used bottles like the Sheaffer ones which show up on ebay, but come one, this shouldn't have to be a lifelong project. (And I know about the R&K inserts, but they only fit their bottles.) Surely SOMEbody makes new, non-propriety ones at a decent price, they don't have to be desktop showpieces, just plain glass bottles. I'd be good for at least 30 of them myself, and would gladly start a Massdrop, which would likely inspire a manufacturer's cooperation. Any information would be gratefully appreciated.

 

I also need a decent 100ml bottle, because I've two 50ml bottles of Waterman on the way which I'll be mixing into Blinder Blurple, so any ideas for that would also be, etc. It doesn't have to have the insert.

 

Thanks!

Edited February 20, 2016 by cursivator

[stonezebra]

Goulet Pens sells used empty ink bottles. I'd contact them.

[Abner C. Kemp]

Pilot Namiki (not iroshizuku) ink bottles have a plastic insert that works quite well. Sailor inks also have plastic inserts but the bottles are kind of a pain. In terms of the 100 ml. bottles, ask the Goulets or AndersonPens if they have an empty Noodler's bottle -- I think they released some bottles in that size.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Abner C. Kemp

[cursivator]

Thanks. But Goulet's empties are either one-shots like ebay's, almost none having inserts, or the TWSBI ones, which are new and have wells, but cost $25 a pop. As for buying other inks to get the wells, not an option, because I have tons of ink here already (mostly Diamine) which I vastly prefer, and I don't want to start pouring ink down the sink (or pumping through it at a simply impossible speed) just to get the bottles. I need new, empty bottles with inserts, at a reasonable price -- nothing more, but nothing less. But, again, thank you.

[OCArt]

Please see this link for making your own "well" out of a hypodermic syringe. The well can be placed in your existing ink bottle.

http://imgur.com/a/BcoI6

 

Sorry I can't credit the original poster as I don't remember their name.

[Abner C. Kemp]

Thanks. But Goulet's empties are either one-shots like ebay's, almost none having inserts, or the TWSBI ones, which are new and have wells, but cost $25 a pop. As for buying other inks to get the wells, not an option, because I have tons of ink here already (mostly Diamine) which I vastly prefer, and I don't want to start pouring ink down the sink (or pumping through it at a simply impossible speed) just to get the bottles. I need new, empty bottles with inserts, at a reasonable price -- nothing more, but nothing less. But, again, thank you.

 

That bottle sure looks like it has the insert in it to me, read the description..

 

http://www.andersonpens.com/Empty-Sailor-50-ml-bottle-p/empty-sailor.htm

Edited February 20, 2016 by Abner C. Kemp

[cursivator]

Wow, thanks, OCArt! Were I not the world's biggest klutz, I'd get on that right now. Instead, I'll wait a little first, because I'm also a LAZY klutz.

[cursivator]

Thanks, Abner C. Kemp. Not sure how efficient these are, but meanwhile, I emailed Anderson to see if they have 'em in quantity. I think we need spies to find out who makes the Levenger ones. FPN members would POUNCE. They'd surely sell far more than they do directly to Levenger.

[rafapa]

R&K inserts fit also Omas, Pelikan 4001, Kaweco, Delta bottles.

[Miz Black Crow]

Please see this link for making your own "well" out of a hypodermic syringe. The well can be placed in your existing ink bottle.

http://imgur.com/a/BcoI6

 

Sorry I can't credit the original poster as I don't remember their name.

 

Oh holy hells this is AWESOME. Thanks for that link! Now to figure out what I'm gonna use to cut my syringes.... X-acto, maybe? Hmmm....

[cursivator]

R&K inserts fit also Omas, Pelikan 4001, Kaweco, Delta bottles.

That might be just the ticket for us lazy-klutzy types who'd fail miserably at the syringe method, because if so many ink companies use bottles with openings of the same size, it must be a standard diameter, and surely there are manufacturers making something for some purpose or other that'd work. (My ink of choice is Diamine, the bottles of which have such narrow openings one couldn't squeeze in an R&K insert on a bet.) Does anyone know how to properly measure the diameter -- meaning, should it be with or without the lip? Would the thickness of the lip matter for the R&K inserts? Off to find a ruler with millimeters. If I have one. Thanks!

[Miz Black Crow]

Also, for anyone else trying the syringe modification as an inkwell insert: the way the OP managed the rubber portion of the plunger seems inefficient to me. They set it up convex-side-up. However, if one uses something thin (a quarter worked for me) to remove the rubber end of the plunger, it can be placed concave-side-up inside the syringe tube, thus being able to accommodate a nib.

 

The one downside to that is that it would be relatively easy to push down inside the tube. You may still need to cut the plunger down and put it in behind the rubber cap. It's a lot easier to do than it is to describe; I'm just too lazy to show pictures right now.

 

I discovered a 3mL syringe barrel is wide enough to fit the nib + feed of a Safari but not large enough to get the end of the barrel; I'll buy a 5mL tomorrow and go to work. Also, the modifications at the top (barrel wings and a hole to allow ink to come in) are both necessary. Finally... make sure the bottle closes all the way before you invert it .

[TSherbs]

 

Oh holy hells this is AWESOME. Thanks for that link! Now to figure out what I'm gonna use to cut my syringes.... X-acto, maybe? Hmmm....

indeed, very cool

[Randal6393]

Miz Black Crow, on 21 Feb 2016 said:

 

...

 

Finally... make sure the bottle closes all the way before you invert it .

Randal6393 says: Well, that image made my day. ROTFL.

 

@cursivator: Got out my ruler and found the R & K inserts measure ~ 23 mm at the critical measurement. So, bottles greater than are Noodler's, Waterman, Aurora (that I own). Bottles less than: Architekt and Montblanc. Of course, the Montblanc is not deep enough and already has a fill-well. Actually, I prefer to use the insets in the Noodler's, et al bottles. The R & K bottles are a real tight fit.

 

Hope this helps, best of luck,

[Randal6393]

Just looked at the link for converting a syringe into an ink filler. Noted that the bottle being fitted looks to be a Waterman bottle. Hmmmm ... Yes, I do have an empty bottle and an extra syringe or two.

 

Enjoy,

[DavidMc]

I know this is an older thread, but in case someone uses it for information's sake: Platinum 60ml ink bottles come with a plastic insert just like the OP was asking about.

[minddance]

I just realised Rohrer & Klingner and Sailor (new bottles) sell the inserts separately.

[Driften]

What about using the ink miser intra-bottle inkwell? They run $5...