Air Travel Friendly Fountain Pens

[como]

Thank you all for your inputs. Has anyone brought one of these Visconti portable inkwells (and I think Pineider now has one too) onto an airplane? I wonder how well it works. txomsy mentioned above the solution of a PET bottle as ink bottle. I guess maybe one of these child-proof medicine bottles works too?

[wags]

I fly regularly in an unpressurized airplane with a fountain pen in my pocket. I've never experienced an "inksplosion" . On maybe two occasions, I've seen a drop or two of ink in the cap when I opened it. I think the whole subject is a bit overblown.

 

Interestingly, rotring made a pen with what they called the "APC System". I think it stood for Air Pressure Compensation or some such. It was specifically designed to combat just such changes in air pressure. I have a rotring Initial that is marked that way. I've only tested it to 6000ft, and it did fine. But, so has every other pen that I've flown with.

 

Just keep em nib up and quit worrying about it so much

[phm14]

The Pilot 823 is nice. Another recent favorite is the Opus 88 demonstrator. Eyedropper fill, with shut off, and you can see where the ink is before you open it. I added a clear feed and collar to mine to complete the transparency: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/opus-88-demonstrator-fountain-pen-clear?gclid=CjwKCAjw2cTmBRAVEiwA8YMgzeuUrjJpth4PO7eiWKNf772C2qFU7v--wZWG5GBofZG84yUmiCVM6hoCGtoQAvD_BwE

[como]

The Pilot 823 is nice. Another recent favorite is the Opus 88 demonstrator. Eyedropper fill, with shut off, and you can see where the ink is before you open it. I added a clear feed and collar to mine to complete the transparency: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/opus-88-demonstrator-fountain-pen-clear?gclid=CjwKCAjw2cTmBRAVEiwA8YMgzeuUrjJpth4PO7eiWKNf772C2qFU7v--wZWG5GBofZG84yUmiCVM6hoCGtoQAvD_BwE

 

I've tempted to try the Opus 88 Demo. At this price range there is not much to lose. It's a pity that the clear demo version of Pilot 823 is nowhere to be found, which would have been a good option too. I have only seen the amber and smoke version.

[Honeybadgers]

I travel with either a visconti homo sapiens, TWSBI vac700R, or Pilot 823. None have ever burped due to the shutoff valve.

 

Others to consider are the VAC mini, opus 88, penbbs 456, or other vintage japanese eydroppers or visconti power fillers.

[Honeybadgers]

 

I've tempted to try the Opus 88 Demo. At this price range there is not much to lose. It's a pity that the clear demo version of Pilot 823 is nowhere to be found, which would have been a good option too. I have only seen the amber and smoke version.

 

 

the clear demo is available from japan for the same price as in the states.

 

http://www.japanshop-quill.com/pilot-custom823.htm

 

Boom, you're welcome. You can even have it with the Waverly or Falcon nibs (this retailer is the only one pilot authorizes to sell with those nibs)

 

Yas's customer service is great and his english is great. I bought my 823 FA from him. You don't get the fancier USDM box with a cheap bottle of ink, but you do get a FA nib option, which is a win for me.

 

If you do get a B or FA nib, you should also get a 2 slot ebonite feed from flexible nib factory

Edited May 8, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[inkstainedruth]

I've traveled by air a few times since getting into this hobby. Never had a problem with any of the pens I brought, as far as I can recall. And I've had piston fillers, c/c pens and at least one Parker 51 Aerometric. Traveled with them full (and brought ink vials as backup inkwells in my purse), and when they weren't in actual use on the flight -- writing or drawing -- the pens were stored nib up. None of my pens have a shut off valve, BTW....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[como]

I travel with either a visconti homo sapiens, TWSBI vac700R, or Pilot 823. None have ever burped due to the shutoff valve.

 

Others to consider are the VAC mini, opus 88, penbbs 456, or other vintage japanese eydroppers or visconti power fillers.

the clear demo is available from japan for the same price as in the states.

 

http://www.japanshop-quill.com/pilot-custom823.htm

 

Boom, you're welcome. You can even have it with the Waverly or Falcon nibs (this retailer is the only one pilot authorizes to sell with those nibs)

 

Yas's customer service is great and his english is great. I bought my 823 FA from him. You don't get the fancier USDM box with a cheap bottle of ink, but you do get a FA nib option, which is a win for me.

 

If you do get a B or FA nib, you should also get a 2 slot ebonite feed from flexible nib factory

Thank you very much, Honeybadgers! I learned something new today. These are very interesting nibs that this Japanese shop offers. Now there is a cool shop to visit when I make it to Japan

[eharriett]

For the truly eccentric, I propose the Noodlers Boston Safety Pen. I actually do take mine on a plane. Its long, but a great conversation starter. And since Safeties were "safety" because they wouldn't leak way back when, when you are flying, well.....

[Antenociticus]

On short trips I travel out with empty pens and cartridges, and if I need to write on the plane I use the bullet space pen that's always rattling around the bottom of my bag. On the way back, I just take my chances with whatever is in the pen or two I have used on my trip. Never had any problems.

 

For longer trips I've started using a TWSBI Vac Mini and the accompanying bottle. I've had no problem using it on flights. I travel out with the pen full, both ways with the valve closed.

 

Edit: I HAVE had other problems with the Vac Mini, though – a bad case of "cracking issues".

Edited May 9, 2019 by Antenociticus

[Honeybadgers]

Thank you very much, Honeybadgers! I learned something new today. These are very interesting nibs that this Japanese shop offers. Now there is a cool shop to visit when I make it to Japan

 

If you can't wait, Yas ships worldwide.

[Honeybadgers]

For the truly eccentric, I propose the Noodlers Boston Safety Pen. I actually do take mine on a plane. Its long, but a great conversation starter. And since Safeties were "safety" because they wouldn't leak way back when, when you are flying, well.....

 

 

Totally forgot about this option. the boston safety can also take a vintage #2 gold flex nib. I looooooooove mine.

[Honeybadgers]

Thank you all for your inputs. Has anyone brought one of these Visconti portable inkwells (and I think Pineider now has one too) onto an airplane? I wonder how well it works. txomsy mentioned above the solution of a PET bottle as ink bottle. I guess maybe one of these child-proof medicine bottles works too?

 

i have both. The visconti inkwell recently got a big upgrade in the fit and finish with a little metal piece of trim, it feels a lot nicer. The better "inkwell" is the pineider one, though it feels cheap, it also doesn't fit into a pen slot in a pen case, whereas the visconti one does.

 

You can also just use ink sample vials. 6mL of ink should last at least two months of regular use with a double broad and six months or more with an EF.

 

 

The TWSBI VAC20 bottle is quite useful too, if a little ungainly shaped.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[eharriett]

Totally forgot about this option. the boston safety can also take a vintage #2 gold flex nib. I looooooooove mine.

I’ve been wondering about that option for awhile. I have three of the Noodler’s Safeties in regular rotation (including one of the rare demonstrators) and I’d been thinking about whether or not to swap out for one of the various vintage nibs. I’m one of those few that really likes the Noodler’s stock flex nibs. But I was thinking about getting either a Waterman or a Moore that would fit at least one of them at some future Pen Show.

[Honeybadgers]

I’ve been wondering about that option for awhile. I have three of the Noodler’s Safeties in regular rotation (including one of the rare demonstrators) and I’d been thinking about whether or not to swap out for one of the various vintage nibs. I’m one of those few that really likes the Noodler’s stock flex nibs. But I was thinking about getting either a Waterman or a Moore that would fit at least one of them at some future Pen Show.

 

I have a waterman ideal #2 wet noodle in mine from an old broken 52 1/2 V ringtop. Fit is perfect, performance is stunning.

[peroride]

For USA flights, has anyone had issue with TSA of inked pens counting under the 3oz fluid rule? -

 

That is you had to pack your inked pen(s) in the 1 quart plastic bag with all the other 3.4 oz or under items?

 

I was thinking not but those Conid bulkfillers may look suspicious

[eharriett]

For USA flights, has anyone had issue with TSA of inked pens counting under the 3oz fluid rule? -

 

Flown dozens of times since getting into the hobby. If I could say there was any problem with the TSA, it has to do with the sharp metal nibs more than the ink inside. And even the nib problem was once by a guy who had no idea what it was. Never an ink problem ever.

 

That being said, flying out on Monday. Plan was to take my Moonman Eyedropper and a safety with me. Both those have decent sized ink capacities. But I think I’ll be okay.

[Honeybadgers]

For USA flights, has anyone had issue with TSA of inked pens counting under the 3oz fluid rule? -

 

That is you had to pack your inked pen(s) in the 1 quart plastic bag with all the other 3.4 oz or under items?

 

I was thinking not but those Conid bulkfillers may look suspicious

 

even a noodlers bottle is only 3oz. So unless you're flying with enough ink that you're planning to stay abroad for a year or more, you'll have no problem. Most pens, at MOST, carry 6mL in the cavernous eyedroppers, most having 1.2mL or less. That's 1/90th of the limit.

 

When it comes to ink, 3oz is a gargantuan amount. But I would keep my ink in the plastic bag with my other liquids, since it does need to follow that rule.

 

But the liquid in a pen is still a pen. If they aren't making someone put a ballpoint in the bag, they won't make you put your fountain pen in the bag.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[como]

 

If you can't wait, Yas ships worldwide.

 

They ran out of these interesting nibs.

[como]

For the truly eccentric, I propose the Noodlers Boston Safety Pen. I actually do take mine on a plane. Its long, but a great conversation starter. And since Safeties were "safety" because they wouldn't leak way back when, when you are flying, well.....

Absolutely. I had totally forgotten about that. Safety pens are designed exactly for that purpose. I prefer the design of the vintage Waterman safeties over the Boston type (similar to Montblanc 100-year anniversary pen, but of course the MB 100-yr design is a safety-inspired pen, not a safety pen). They are surely fun to play with.