Removing A Converter

[Charles Skinner]

From what I read, many of you remove a converter from the pen to fill it with a syringe. I have always feared to do that, thinking that taking the converter out and in, often would damage the end of the converter, making it leak. Your thoughts, please.

 

C. S.

[Cordovian]

I remove my converters to fill them but I don't use a syringe, I just dip the end in the ink and twist (refilling cartridges, on the other hand, does require a syringe). I've never damaged or wore out the end of one in the process.

[the_gasman]

I remove the converter whenever I want to thoroughly clean the pen or when I change ink colour. I also remove the converter to fill it with a syringe if I want to extract the final micro-drops of ink from a near-empty bottle.

 

David.

[Runnin_Ute]

I think converters get replaced more frequently than necessary sometimes. I have the original converter in my Lamy Al Star, which I bought in 1998. For years it was one of two pens and got used a lot.

[DipIt]

It could happen that the nipple in the section might be damaged. Given that most converters are an option to cartridge use, this is not likely to be a major issue. I don't really worry about it and so far, so good.

[Kelly G]

I typically leave the converter in the pen, unless I intend to do a deep cleaning with a bulb syringe. Sometimes that provides some interesting color combinations if I'm lazy about flushing sufficiently with water, but what the heck - ink is mostly water anyway.

[CraigR]

I have removed the converter in my pens many times over the years without incidence. I have a few Levenger True Writers that take cartridges and converter and I often switch back and forth. Same thing with my Lamys. I always remove the converter to clean it and the pen.

[Chrissy]

I remove converters from my pens every time I clean them out after using an ink in them. It's not a problem at all. You would be surprised at how well and how quickly you can clean out a pen by using an ear bulb and forcing water through the section after you've removed the converter.

[Mr. Pink]

I have had a few bad ones over the years, but have never worn one out.

[Torrilin]

I’m sure you could in theory wear out a converter. But I wouldn’t worry about it most of the time. Two motions maybe twice a week just... isn’t that much. Part wear is more of an issue for things that have hundreds or thousands of motions a minute.

 

It’s more likely that a plastic involved would age badly. But even that we’re talking a 30+ year timespan mostly.

[Donald2]

That's why I bought many converters for each of my fountain pens. If a converter goes bad, I can use another one that I have in my stash.

[Mr. Pink]

For every pen that I have that uses a converter, I have at least two converters. Not because I'll wear out the fitting, but because it might fail for a different reason. I have at least 10 Shaeffer converters, including a couple of button numbers.

[praxim]

There is a similar thread but, if the question is asked again, why not answer again? I might be so decrepit as not to remember what I said last time or, better, have reviewed information and changed my mind.

 

Reality is less exciting. Every one of my pens which takes a converter has one converter, which I almost never detach, for no arguable reason.