How To: Get Better Flow From A Converter

[Bill Wood]

One of my favorite topics. There's a few tips but other than greasing up the inside walls of a converter I can't remember them all. Converters and I do not have a good relationship.

 

- I recall you can run the converter thru some soapy water - then draw some ink. How bout' a few others? Physics tells us that if the ink is too sticky it clings to the sides of the converter. Help ! and thank you.

 

-Bill-

[Chrissy]

If it's one of those that you can unscrew the metal part and remove the small piston thingy, then it's a good idea to put a tiny spot of silicone on there.

[jar]

First, use detergent not soap. Soap would only make the problems worse.

 

The easiest solution is to simply thread a compression spring in through the open mouth of the converter.

[OMASsimo]

I'm afraid it's the nib and feed design of the pen rather than the converter. Of course, if the ink sticks to the walls too much that isn't good either. Fountainbel has a thread here discussing converter issues due to an air pocket forming. This is certainly one player in the game. But I have numerous c/c pens without any flow issues. All of them are expensive pens from top manufacturers and I never needed to fiddle with any of their converters. I don't know if that is the reason or not. Nevertheless, I'd always prefer real piston fillers.

[Bill Wood]

I can adjust the nibs and feeds on open nib pens. This becomes problematic with inlaid nibs from Sheaffer and Carene.

[ac12]

Put a small stainless steel ball into the converter.